Thought 29FEB2008

A TURNING POINT
Seventy years ago I was quite a small little girl, the baby of the family, with an older brother and sister. My father was very ill at the time and my mother took in sewing of any kind so we could live. She would sew far into the night with nothing but dim gas mantles and an old treadle sewing machine. She never complained even when the fire would be low and the food very scarce. She would sew until the early hours of morning. Things were very bad that particular winter. Then a letter came from where her sewing machine was purchased, stating that they would have to pick up her machine the next day unless payments were brought up to date. I remember when she read the letter and all sorts of things could come to a child's mind. My mother did not appear to be worried, however, and seemed to be quite calm about the matter. I, on the other hand, cried myself to sleep, wondering what would become of our family. Mother said God would not fail her, that he never had. I couldn't see how God was going to help us keep this old sewing machine. The day the men were to come for our only means of support, there was a knock at the kitchen door. I was frightened as a child would be, for I was sure it was those dreaded men. Instead, a nicely dressed man stood at our door with a darling baby in his arms.

He asked my mother if she was Mrs Hill. When she said she was, he said, "I'm in trouble this morning and you have been recommended by the druggist and grocer down the street as an honest and wonderful woman. My wife was rushed to the hospital this morning and since we have no relatives here, and I must open my dentist office, I have nowhere to leave my baby. Could you possibly take care of her for a few days?" He continued, "I will pay you in advance." With this he took out ten dollars and gave it to my mother. Mother said, "Yes, yes I will be glad to do so," and took the baby from his arms. When the man left, Mother turned to me with tears streaming down a face that looked as though a light was shining on it. She said, "I knew God would never let them take away my machine."
Adeline Perkins - extracted from 'a 5th portion of Chicken Soup for the Soul', Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, Health Communications, Inc., 1998
If you are standing upright, don't worry if your shadow is crooked - Chinese Proverb

Thought 28FEB2008

ENSURE QUALITY LIFE
You can't control the length of your life, but you can control its width and depth.
You can't control the contour of your countenance, but you can control its expression.
You can't control the other person's opportunities, but you can seize upon your own and make the best of them.

You can't control the weather, but you can control the atmosphere which surrounds you.
You can't control the distance that your head will be above the ground, but you can control the level of the contents of that head.
You can't control the other person's annoying faults, but you can see to it that you yourself do not develop or habour similar propensities.
a verse from Southern Statesman newsletter - extracted from 'Speaker's Sourcebook II, Glen Van Ekeren, Prentice Hall, 1994
Of all the thirty-six alternatives, running away is best - Chinese Proverb

Thought 27FEB2008

ON JUDGMENT
One of the most serious mistakes we can make is to confuse the thing we call "intelligence" with another thing called "judgment." The two do not always, or necessarily, go together; many persons of high intelligence have notoriously poor judgment.
Sydney J. Harris (1917 - 1986) - Syndicated columnist, Cited in More of...The Best of BITS & PIECES
No matter how the wind howls, the mountain will not bow to it - Chinese Proverb (as said on "Mulan" - the Movie)

Thought 26FEB2008

Ten Commandments Of How To Get Along With Others
1) Always say LESS than you think.
2) Make promises sparingly and keep them faithfully.
3) Speak kind and encouraging words often.
4) Show your interest in others by being a listener.
5) Be cheerful. Everyone has their own problems. No sense in sharing yours.
6) Keep an open mind. Discuss, don't argue.
7) Discourage gossip. Don't initiate or participate in it.
8) Be sensitive to the feelings of others.
9) Don't be upset about ill-natured remarks made about you. Live so that no one will believe them.
10) Take control of yourself. Don't allow your reactions to control you.
Source Unknown
It is easy to dodge the arrow of an enemy, but difficult to avoid the spear of a friend - Chinese Proverb

Thought 25JAN2008

MONEY
I've been working since I was young - out on the courts practicing, practicing. It's a big investment of time. I'm one of the lucky ones - I got a return on my investment ... Money is good, money makes thing happen - it's how you direct it, what you do with the money that's important. When money starts owning you, you're in trouble.
Billie Jean King - Extracted from Bits & Pieces, The Economics Press, Inc., Fairfield, New Jersey, USA. From the Library of Zaihani Abdul Hamid We know the worth of water when the well is dry - Chinese Proverb

Thought 18FEB2008

A FRIEND INDEED
A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out. Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow. Don't walk behind me, I may not lead. Walk beside me and be my friend - Albert Camus
PEACE TO THE WORLD
If there is light in the soul, there will be beauty in the person. If there is beauty in the person, there will be harmony in the house. If there is harmony in the house, there will be order in the nation. If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world - Chinese Proverbs

Thought 15FEB2008

ON HANDLING EMPLOYEES
In any organization, the employees can be classified into three categories, viz. Willing, Neutral and Impossible.

Willing employees are the ones who will work willingly on whatever is given to them with a zeal of 5" to 9" type, When they come to work place they mentally throw away their watches. It is very important for you to ensure that their enthusiasm stays that way.

Neutral employees are the ones who will go along with their co-employees. If they happen to be with willing ones, they will do well and vice versa.

Impossible employees are the ones who create problems in any set-up. Do not get upset when a 'difficult to-get-along-with' employee comes in contact with you. Be patient. Be tolerant. Be ready for disappointment. Do whatever you can, in a positive manner.
extracted from 'Management Thoughts' by Promod Batra, Golden Book Centre Sdn Bhd, reprinted 1995
All of life is a dream walking, all of death is a going home - Chinese Proverb

Thought 14FEB2008

COMPASSION IS IN THE EYES
It was a bitter cold evening in northern Virginia many years ago. The old man's beard was glazed by winter's frost while he waited for a ride across the river. The wait seemed endless. His body became numb and stiff from the frigid north wind. He heard the faint, steady rhythm of approaching hooves galloping along the frozen path. Anxiously, he watched as several horsemen rounded the bend. He let the first one pass by without an effort to get his attention. Then another passed by, and another. Finally, the last rider neared the spot where the old man sat like a snow statue. As this one drew near, the old man caught the rider's eye and said, "Sir, would you mind giving an old man a ride to the other side? There doesn't appear to be a passageway by foot.

"Reining his horse, the rider replied, "Sure thing. Hop aboard." Seeing the old man was unable to lift his half-frozen body from the ground, the horseman dismounted and helped the old man onto the horse. The horseman took the old man not just across the river, but to his destination, which was just a few miles away. As they neared the tiny but cozy cottage, the horseman's curiosity caused him to inquire, "Sir, I notice that you let several other riders pass by without making an effort to secure a ride. I'm curious why, on such a bitter winter night, you would wait and ask the last rider. What if I had refused and left you there?"

The old man lowered himself slowly down from the horse, looked the rider straight in the eyes and replied, "I've been around these here parts for sometime. I reckon I know people pretty good." The old-timer continued, "I looked into the eyes of the other riders and immediately saw there was no concern for my situation. It would have been useless even to ask them for a ride. But when I looked into your eyes, kindness and compassion were evident. I knew, then and there, that your gentle spirit would welcome the opportunity to give me assistance in my time of need." Those heartwarming comments touched the horseman deeply. "I'm most grateful for what you have said," he told the old man. "May I never get too busy in my own affairs that I fail to respond to the needs of others with kindness and compassion."

With that, Thomas Jefferson turned his horse around and made his way back to the White House.
Anonymous - From Brian Cavanaugh's The Sower's Seeds - extracted from 'a 3rd serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul', Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, Health Communications, Inc; 1996
There are two perfectly good men, one dead, and the other unborn - Chinese Proverb

Thought 13FEB2008

KEEP YOUR TICKER TICKING
It's a rare occasion that a clock experiences a nervous breakdown. But one little ticker worked himself into a frenzy thinking about how often it would have to tick in the coming year. "I'll have to tick two times per second," he muttered. "Oh my, that means 120 ticks a minute, 7,200 each hour, 172,800 a day." Continuing to calculate his responsibilities, the little clock worried it would not be able to complete the necessary 1,209.600 ticks every week. The clock suddenly realized it would have to tick nearly 63 million times during the next 12 months. The more he thought about it, the more worried he became. Finally, the little clock became so anxious his little ticker went on the blink.

Realizing he needed help, the clock sought the counsel of a psychiatrist. "I just don't have what it takes to tick that often," he lamented. The counselor responded, "How many ticks must you tick at a time?" The clock answered, "Just one." "How about using your energies to tick just one tick at a time," suggested the counselor, "and I think you will just be fine." So the little clock wound himself up, concerned himself with one tick at a time and ticked happily ever after. Take life one tick at a time. Although your problems, upcoming challenges, or ongoing burdens seem insurmountable, you'll find renewed strength by taking life one step at a time.
Extracted from 'Speaker's Sourcebook II' by Glen Van Ekeren, Prentice Hall, 1994
The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best is now - Chinese Proverb

Thought 12FEB2008

THE SCAR
A Little boy invited his mother to attend his elementary school's first teacher-parent conference. To the little boy's dismay, she said she would go. This would be the first time that his classmates and teacher met his mother and he was embarrassed by her appearance. Although she was a beautiful woman, there was a scar that covered nearly the entire right side of her face. The boy never wanted to talk about why or how she got the scar. At the conference, the people were impressed by the kindness and natural beauty of his mother despite the scar, but the little boy was still embarrassed and hid himself from everyone. He did, however, get within earshot of a conversation between his mother and his teacher and heard them speaking.

"How did you get the scar on your face?" the teacher asked. The mother replied, "When my son was a baby, he was in a room that caught on fire. Everyone was too afraid to go in because the fire was out of control, so I went in. As I was running toward his crib, I saw a beam coming down and I placed myself over him trying to shield him. I was knocked unconscious but fortunately a fireman came in and saved both of us." She touched the burned side of her face. "This scar will be permanent, but to this day, I have never regretted doing what I did."

At this point, the little boy came out running towards his mother with tears in his eyes. He hugged her and felt an overwhelming sense of the sacrifice that his mother had made for him. He held her hand tightly for the rest of the day.
Lih Yuh Kuo - extracted from a 4th course of Chicken Soup for the Soul, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Hanoch McCarty and Meladee McCarty, Health Communications, Inc.,1997.
One moment of patience may ward off great disaster, one moment of impatience may ruin a whole life - Chinese Proverb

Thought 11FEB2008

MR GILLESPIE
When I was in seventh grade, I was a candy stripper at a local hospital in my town. I volunteered about thirty to forty hours a week during the summer. Most of the time I spent with Mr Gillespie. He never had any visitors and nobody seemed to care about his condition. I spent many days there holding his hand and talking to him, helping with anything that needed to be done. He became a close friend of mine, even though he responded with only an occasional squeeze of my hand. Mr Gillespie was in a coma. I left for a week to vacation with my parents and when I came back, Mr Gillespie was gone. I didn't have the nerve to ask any of the nurses where he was, for fear they might tell me he had died. So with many questions unanswered, I continued to volunteer there through my eighth-grade year.

Several years later, when I was in junior high school, I was at the gas station when I noticed a familiar face. When I realized who it was, my eyes filled with tears. He was alive! I got up the nerve to ask him if his name was Mr Gillespie and if he had been in a coma about five years ago. With an uncertain look in his face, he replied yes. I explained how I knew him in the hospital. His eyes welled up with tears and he gave me the warmest hug I had ever received. He began to tell me how, as he lay there comatose, he could hear me talking to him and could feel me holding his hand the whole time. He thought it was an angel, not a person, who was there with him. Mr Gillespie firmly believed that it was my voice and touch that had kept him alive.

Then he told me about his life and what happened to him to put him in the coma. We both cried for a while and exchanged a hug, said good-byes and went our separate ways. Although I haven't seen him since, he fills my heart with joy every day. I know that I made a difference between his life and his death. More important, he has made a tremendous difference in my life. I will never forget him and what he did for me : he made me an angel.
Angela Sturgill - extracted from 'a 5th portion of Chicken Soup for the Soul', Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, Health Communications, Inc., 1998
The man who says it can't be done should not interrupt the person doing it - Chinese Proverb

Thought 05FEB2008

ON WINNERS
I play to win even when common sense should tell me that I no longer have a chance. Even when I have been playing at my worst, or when all the breaks have been going against me, I approach each new day, each new hole, as a glorious opportunity to get going again.
Arnold Palmer - Professional golfer, Cited in BITS & PIECES
Learning makes some into Mullahs and some into devils - Afgani Proverb

Thought 04FEB2008

ON ENTHUSIASM
First make sure that what you aspire to accomplish is worth accomplishing and then throw your whole vitality into it. What's worth doing is worth doing well. And to do anything well, whether it be typing a letter or drawing up an agreement involving millions, we must give not only our hands to the doing of it, but our brains, our enthusiasm, the best - all that is in us. The task to which you dedicate yourself can never become a drudgery.
B C Forbes - Extracted from 'Speaker's Sourcebook II', Glen Van Ekeren, Prentice Hall, 1994
A little impatience spoils great plans - Chinese Proverb