Inspirational Page

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Attitude

from Shirley

The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.

Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window.

"I love it," she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy. "Mrs. Jones, you haven't seen the room .... just wait." "That doesn't have anything to do with it," she replied. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time.

Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it ... "It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.

Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away ... just for this time in my life. Old age is like a bank account ... you withdraw from what you've put in .. So, deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy: 
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

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At the End of the Rainbow

from Rebel

by Terry Schuessler (1-21-99)

At the End of the Rainbow there is a very, very special place
Filled with emerald grass, sapphire skies, and crystal lakes
Where of sickness and pain, sadness and loss, there is no trace
Instead, glory and light, peace and joy, transcendence makes

Among the gentle Timelessness, certain spirits can be found
Our hearts' dear friends, once old or young, now without age
Who with graceful movement or playful bound
Run expectantly near to the Book with Golden Writing on page

There they can see a Far Away Time, or was it a dream
Where those who once loved them reside for a Season
Their spirits call down through the mists on silvery moonbeam
We have not preceded you without a good reason

And as for Now we can run and play as it was always meant to be
Among the Shamrocks and Heather so fragrant and sweet
And realize through that looking glass of Crystal Lake we can see
Those for whom we patiently wait to enthusiastically greet

Until then remember you can see us no matter the day
This is something we really want you to know
For our spirits are touching you in a very special way
Whether through raindrops, or dewdrops, or colorful Rainbow

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The Most

from Shirley

The New Year brings us a chance for new beginnings.  Here is a list to help with yours.


THE MOST

The most destructive habit - Worry

The greatest Joy - Giving

The greatest loss - Loss of self-respect

The most satisfying work - Helping others

The ugliest personality trait - Selfishness

The most endangered species - Dedicated leaders

Our greatest natural resource - Our youth

The greatest "shot in the arm" - Encouragement

The greatest problem to overcome - Fear

The most effective sleeping pill - Peace of mind

The most crippling failure disease - Excuses

The most powerful force in life - Love

The most dangerous pariah - A gossiper

The world's most incredible computer - The brain

The worst thing to be without - Hope

The deadliest weapon - The tongue

The two most power-filled words - I Can"

The greatest asset - Faith

The most worthless emotion - Self-pity

The most beautiful attire - SMILE!

The most prized possession - Integrity

The most powerful channel of communication - Prayer

The most contagious spirit - Enthusiasm

Everyone needs this list to live by.

"The most important things in life aren't things."

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Important Lessons

*Most Important Lesson*

During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"

Surely, this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50's, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank.

Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. "Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say 'hello'." "I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.


*Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain*

One night, at 11:30 PM, an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance, and put her into a taxicab. She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him.

Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached. It read: "Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away. God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others."
Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole


*Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve*
                                                                             
In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. "How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked. "Fifty cents," replied the waitress. The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it. "Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired.

By now, more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient. "Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied. The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table, and walked away.

The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies.

You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.


*Fourth Important Lesson - The Obstacle in Our Path*

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway.

The peasant learned what many of us never understand. Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.


*Fifth Important Lesson - Giving when it counts*

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.

The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save her."

As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?"

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her. You see, after all, understanding and attitude are everything.

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This page was last updated February 6, 2003.