"Ths Is What We All Really, Really Want -So Why?"

Title: Arm In Arm
By: Author Unknown

A few years ago at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine
contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled
at the starting line for the 100-yard dash. At the gun,
they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a
relish to run the race to the finish and win.

All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled on the
asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times, and began to cry.
The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and
looked back. Then they all turned around and went back.
Every one of them.

One girl with Down's Syndrome bent down and kissed him and
said, "This will make it better." Then all nine linked arms
and walked together to the finish line. Everyone in the
stadium stood and the cheering went on for several minutes.
People who were there are still telling the story. Why?

Because deep down we know this one thing: What matters in
this life is more than winning for ourselves. What matters
in this life is helping others win, even if it means
slowing down and changing our course.

"What's True Wealth-I Know But Do You?"

The Wise Woman's Stone
By: Author Unknown

A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a
precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another
traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag
to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious
stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so
without hesitation.

The traveler left rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew
the stone was worth enough to give him security for a
lifetime.

A few days later, he came back to return the stone to the
wise woman. "I've been thinking," he said. "I know how
valuable this stone is, but I give it back in the hope that
you can give me something even more precious. Give me what
you have within you that enabled you to give me this
stone."

Sometimes it's not the wealth you have, but what's inside
of you that others need.

"How Much On Auto-Pilot Is Your Life Being Lived?"

The Touchstone
By: Unknown Author

When the great library of Alexandria burned, the story
goes, one book was saved. But it was not a valuable book;
and so a poor man, who could read a little, bought it for a
few coppers.

The book wasn't very interesting, but between its pages
there was something very interesting indeed. It was a thin
strip of vellum on which was written the secret of the
"Touchstone"!

The touchstone was a small pebble that could turn any
common metal into pure gold. The writing explained that it
was lying among thousands and thousands of other pebbles
that looked exactly like it. But the secret was this: The
real stone would feel warm, while ordinary pebbles are
cold.

So the man sold his few belongings, bought some simple
supplies, camped on the seashore, and began testing
pebbles.

He knew that if he picked up ordinary pebbles and threw
them down again because they were cold, he might pick up
the same pebble hundreds of times. So, when he felt one
that was cold, he threw it into the sea. He spent a whole
day doing this but none of them was the touchstone. Yet he
went on and on this way. Pick up a pebble. Cold - throw it
into the sea. Pick up another. Throw it into the sea.

The days stretched into weeks and the weeks into months.
One day, however, about midafternoon, he picked up a pebble
and it was warm. He threw it into the sea before he
realized what he had done. He had formed such a strong
habit of throwing each pebble into the sea that when the
one he wanted came along, he still threw it away.

So it is with opportunity. Unless we are vigilant, it's
easy to fail to recognize an opportunity when it is in hand
and it's just as easy to throw it away.

"Have You Ever Considered That You Are A Storm? Or Even The Burmuda Triangle?"

The Splashes Of Life
By: Author Unknown

A Sioux Indian story...

My grandfather took me to the fish pond on the farm when I
was about seven, and he told me to throw a stone into the
water. He told me to watch the circles created by the
stone. Then he asked me to think of myself as that stone
person.

"You may create lots of splashes in your life, but the
waves that come from those splashes will disturb the peace
of all your fellow creatures," he said.

"Remember that you are responsible for what you put in
your circle, and that circle will also touch many other
circles. You will need to live in a way that allows the
good that comes from your circle to send the peace of that
goodness to others. The splash that comes from anger or
jealousy will send those feelings to other circles. You
are responsible for both."

That was the first time I realized each person creates the
inner peace or discord that flows out into the world. We
cannot create world peace if we are riddled with inner
conflict, hatred, doubt, or anger. We radiate the feelings
and thoughts that we hold inside, whether we speak them or
not. Whatever is splashing around inside of us is spilling
out into the world, creating beauty or discord with all
other circles of life.

Remember the eternal wisdom: Whatever you focus on
expands.

"Do You Love TREES as Much As I Do?"

The Trouble Tree
By: Author Unknown

The carpenter I hired to help me restore an old farmhouse
had just finished a rough first day on the job. A flat tire
made him lose an hour of work, his electric saw quit, and
now his ancient pickup truck refused to start.

While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. On
arriving, he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked
toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree,
touching tips of the branches with both hands. When opening
the door, he underwent an amazing transformation. His
tanned face was wreathed in smiles, and he hugged his two
small children and gave his wife a kiss.

Afterward, he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and
my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I
had seen him do earlier.

"Oh, that's my trouble tree," he replied. "I know I can't
help having troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure;
troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and the
children. So I just hang them up on the tree every night
when I come home. Then in the morning I pick them up
again."

"Funny thing is," he smiled, "when I
come out in the morning to pick them up,
there aren't nearly as many as I
remember hanging up the night befor

Are You Made Of Steel Or Bammboo-And Why Should That be Of Importance to You?"

Bend, But Don't Break
By: Author Unknown

One of my fondest memories as a child is going by the
river and sitting idly on the bank. There I would enjoy the
peace and quiet, watch the water rush downstream, and
listen to the chirps of birds and the rustling of leaves in
the trees.

I would also watch the bamboo trees bend under pressure
from the wind and watch them return gracefully to their
upright or original position after the wind had died down.

When I think about the bamboo tree's ability to bounce
back or return to its original position, the word
'resilience' comes to mind. When used in reference to a
person this word means the ability to readily recover from
shock, depression or any other situation that stretches the
limits of a person's emotions.

Have you ever felt like you are about to snap? Have you
ever felt like you are at your breaking point? Thankfully,
you have survived the experience to live to talk about it.

During the experience you probably felt a mix of emotions
that threatened your health. You felt emotionally drained,
mentally exhausted and you most likely endured unpleasant
physical symptoms.

Life is a mixture of good times and bad times, happy
moments and unhappy moments. The next time you are
experiencing one of those bad times or unhappy moments that
take you close to your breaking point, bend but don't
break. Try your best not to let the situation get the best
of you.

A measure of hope will take you through the unpleasant
ordeal. With hope for a better tomorrow or a better
situation, things may not be as bad as they seem to be. The
unpleasant ordeal may be easier to deal with if the end
result is worth having.

If the going gets tough and you are at your breaking
point, show resilience. Like the bamboo tree, bend but
don't break!

"When You Are Up To Your neck In Hot Water-What do Your Do?"

Carrots, Eggs, & Coffee Beans
By: Author Unknown

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her
life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know
how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was
tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem
was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots
with water. In the first she placed carrots; in the second
she placed eggs; and in the last ground coffee beans. She
let them sit and boil without saying a word. In about
twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the
carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs
out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee
out and placed it in a bowl.

Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me, what do you
see?"

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.

She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots.
The daughter did and noted that they were soft. She then
asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off
the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she
asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she
tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "What's the
point, mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced
the same adversity - boiling water - but each reacted
differently. The carrot went in strong, hard and
unrelenting. However after being subjected to the boiling
water, it softened and became weak.

The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had
protected its liquid interior. But, after sitting through
the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they
were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity
knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot,
an egg, or a coffee bean?"

Think of this: Which am I? With pain and adversity, do I
wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg
that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the
heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a
breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I
become hardened and stiff?

Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter
and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart? Or am I
like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot
water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the
water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor.

If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst
you get better and change the situation around you. When
the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest, do
you elevate to another level? How do you handle Adversity?