Dont Judge to Quickly!

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judgethings too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look atapear tree that was a great distance away.
The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summerand the fourth son in the fall.

When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe whatthey had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent and twisted.

The second son said, no, that it was covered with green buds and full ofpromise.

The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled sosweet and looked so beautiful. It was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.The last son disagreed with all of them. He said it was ripe and drooping withfruit - full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they hadeach seen but only one season in the tree's life

.He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person by only one season, andthat the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that comes fromthat life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.

SAYING PRAYERS

Last week, I took my children to a restaurant.

My six-year-old son asked if he could say grace.

As we bowed our heads he said, "God is good, God is great. Thank you for thefood, and I would even thank you more if Mom gets us ice cream for dessert.And Liberty and justice for all! Amen!"

Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby, I heard a womanremark, "That's what's wrong with this country. Kids today don't even knowhow to pray. Asking God for ice cream! Why, I never!"

Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, "Did I do it wrong? IsGod mad at me?"

As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job, and God wascertainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table.

He winked at my son and said, "I happen to know that God thought that was agreat prayer."

"Really?" my son asked.

"Cross my heart," the man replied.

Then, in a theatrical whisper, he added (indicating the woman whose remarkhad started this whole thing), "Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. Alittle ice cream is good for the soul sometimes."

Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end of the meal. My son staredat his for a moment, and then did something I will remember the rest of mylife.

He picked up his sundae and, without a word, walked over and placed it infront of the woman. With a big smile he told her, "Here, this is for you. Icecream is good for the soul sometimes; and my soul is good already."The End

i Am Sorry...

i Am Sorry... If I can say I'm sorry, why can't you say that it's Ok?
It was such a while ago, what I did that day.

I apologize one thousand times and still you didn't care
,I knew I knew you better then her

Every time I talk to you, you have to bring that up,
why can't you get over it, it's just a little bump.

Every time I think about it I just want to die,
you seem to get joy from these tears that I cry,

I apologized again last night and all you can say is no,
I try to say that I'm all right the truth is I'm gonna blow.

I can't seem to see why you're still mad,
I'm sorry can't you see,

I didn't see how what I did was bad.
But wait, it just hit me.

WHEN ARE YOU TOO OLD?

When asked how it was that she has lived so long, one 91-year-old woman replied,"I think God is testing the patience of my relatives."
When is "too old"? At what age do we give up? At 100, Grandma Moses was stillpainting, and Titian painted "Battle of Lepants" when he was 98.

At 93, George Bernard Shaw wrote Far­fetched Fables.
At 91, Eamon de Valera served as presi­dent of Ireland.
At 90, Pablo Picasso still drew and engraved.
At 89, Arthur Rubinstein gave one of his greatest recitals in New York'sCarnegie Hall, and Pablo Casals, at 88, still performed celloconcerts.
At 82, Winston Churchill wrote the four-volume work, A History of theEnglish-Speaking Peoples, Leo Tolstoy completed I Can­not Be Silent, and Goethe,at the same age, finished Faust.
At 81, Benjamin Franklin engineered the diplomacy, which led to the adoption ofthe U.S. Constitution.

When are you "too old"? Only on the day when you truly have nothing left togive. And the good news is this: that day never has to arrive!

Funneeee Announcements

Restaurant, Nairobi :
Customers who find our waitresses rude ought to see the manager.Hotel bedroom,

Japan :
Guests are requested not to smoke or do other disgusting behaviours in bed.Cocktail lounge ,

Norway:
Ladies are requested not to have children in the bar.

Newspaper Classified:
Used Cars: Why go elsewhere to be cheated. Come here first..

Hotel, Acapulco :
The manager has personally passed all the water served here.

3-year old teacher needed for pre-school. Experience preferred.(in months or years?)

Private school:
No trespassing without permission.

River highway:
Take notice: when this sign is under water, this road is impassable.

Automatic hand dryer in public lavatory:
Do not activate with wet hands.

Maternity ward:
No children allowed.

Cemetery:
Persons are prohibited from picking flowers from any but their own graves.

10 Secrets of Love

The Power Of Thought -

Love begins with our thoughts. We become what we think about. Loving thoughtscreate loving experiences and loving relationships. Affirmations can change ourbeliefs and thoughts about others and ourselves. If we want to love someone, weneed to consider their needs and desires. Thinking about your ideal partner willhelp you recognize her when you meet her.

The Power Of Respect -

You cannot love anyone or anything unless you first respect them. The firstperson you need to respect is yourself. To begin to gain self-respect asksyourself, "What do I respect about myself?" To gain respect for others, eventhose you may dislike, ask yourself "What do I respect about them?"

The Power Of Giving -

If you want to receive love, all you have to do is give it! The more love yougive, the more you will receive. To love is to give of yourself freely andunconditionally. Practice random acts of kindness. Before committing to arelationship ask not what the other person will be able to give to you, butrather what will you be able to give them. The secret formula of a happy,lifelong, loving relationship is to always focus on what you can give instead ofwhat you can take.The

Power Of Friendship -

To find a true love, you must first find a true friend. Love does not consist ofgazing into each other's eyes, but rather looking outward together in the samedirection. To love someone completely you must love them for who they are, notwhat they look like. Friendship is the soil through which love's seeds grow. Ifyou want to bring love into a relationship, you must first bring friendship.

The Power Of Touch -

Touch is one of the most powerful expressions of love, breaking down barriersand bonding relationships. Touch changes our physical and emotional states andmakes us more receptive to love.

The Power Of Letting Go -

If you love something, let it free. If it comes back to you it's yours, if itdoesn't, it never was. Even in a loving relationship, people need their ownspace. If we want to learn to love, we must first learn to forgive and let go ofpast hurts and grievances. Love means letting go of our fears, prejudices, egosand conditions. "Today I let go of all my fears, the past has no power over me -today is the beginning of a new life."

The Power Of Communication -

When we learn to communicate openly and honestly, life changes. To love someoneis to communicate with them. Let the people you love know that you love them andappreciate them. Never be afraid to say those three magic words: "I Love you."Never let an opportunity pass to praise someone. Always leave someone you lovewith a loving word - it could be the last time you see them. If you were aboutto die but could make telephone calls to the people you loved, who would youcall, what would you say and.. Why are you waiting?

The Power Of Commitment -

If you want to have love in abundance, you must be committed to it, and thatcommitment will be reflected in your thoughts and actions. Commitment is thetrue test of love. If you want to have loving relationships, you must becommitted to loving relationships. When you are committed to someone orsomething, quitting is never an option. Commitment distinguishes a fragilerelationship from a strong one.

The Power Of Passion -

Passion ignites love and keeps it alive. Lasting passion does not come throughphysical attraction alone; it comes from deep commitment, enthusiasm, interestand excitement. Passion can be recreated by recreating past experiences when youfelt passionate. Spontaneity and surprises produce passion. The essence of loveand happiness are the same; all we need to do is to live each day with passion.

The Power Of Trust -

Trust is essential in all loving relationships. Without it one person becomessuspicious, anxious and fearful and the other person feels wrapped andemotionally suffocated. You cannot love someone completely unless you trust themcompletely. Act as if your relationship with the person you love will never end.One of the ways you can tell whether a person is right for you is to askyourself, "Do I trust them completely and unreservedly? " If the answer is "no",think carefully before making a commitment.

If It's Meant To Be, It Will Be

Words of Wisdom If It's Meant To Be, It Will Be!As I walked home onefreezing day, I stumbled on a wallet someone had lost in the street. I picked itup and looked inside to find some identification so I could call the owner. Butthe wallet contained only three dollars and a crumpled letter that looked as ifit had been in there for years. The envelope was worn and the only thing thatwas legible on it was the return address. I started to open the letter, hopingto find some clue. Then I saw the dateline -1924. The letter had been writtenalmost sixty years ago.
It was written in a beautiful feminine handwriting on powder blue stationerywith a little flower in the left-hand corner. It was a 'Dear John' letter thattold the recipient, whose name appeared to be Michael and said that the writercould not see him any more because her mother forbade it. Even so, she wrotethat she would always love him. It was signed, Hannah. It was a beautifulletter, but there was no way except for the name Michael, that the owner couldbe identified. Maybe if I called information, the operator could find a phonelisting for the address on the envelope. 'Operator,' I began, ' this is anunusual request. I'm trying to find the owner of a wallet that I found. Is thereanyway you can tell me if there is a phone number for an address that was on anenvelope in the wallet?' She suggested I speak with her supervisor, whohesitated for a moment then said, 'Well, there is a phone listing at thataddress, but I can't give you the number.' She said, asa courtesy, she would call that number, explain my story and would ask them ifthey wanted her to connect me. I waited a few minutes and then she was back onthe line. 'I have a party who will speak with you.' I asked the woman on theother end of the line if she knew anyone by the name of Hannah. She gasped, 'Oh!we bought this house from a family who had a daughter named Hannah. But that was30 years ago!' 'Would you know where that family could be located now?' Iasked. 'I remember that Hannah had to place her mother in a nursing home someyears ago,' the woman said. 'Maybe if you got in touch with them they might beable to track down the daughter.' She gave me the name of the nursing home andI called the number. They told me the old lady had passed away some years agobut they did have a phone number for where they thought the daughter might beliving. I thanked them and phoned. The woman who answered explained that Hannahherself was now living in a nursinghome.
This whole thing was stupid, I thought to myself. Why was I making sucha big deal over finding the owner of a wallet that had only three dollars and aletter that was almost 60 years old? Nevertheless, I called the nursing homein which Hannah was supposed to be living and the man who answered the phonetold me, 'Yes, Hannah is staying with us.' Even though it was already 10 p.m.,I asked if I could come by to see her. 'Well,' he said hesitatingly, 'if youwant to take a chance, she might be in the day room watching television.' Ithanked him and drove over to the nursing home. The night nurse and a guardgreeted me at the door. We went up to the third floor of the large building. Inthe day room, the nurse introduced me to Hannah. She was a sweet,silver-haired old timer with a warm smile and a twinkle in her eye. I told herabout finding the wallet and showed her the letter. The second she saw thepowder blue envelope with that little flower on the left,she took a deep breath and said, ' Young man, this letter was the last contactI ever had with Michael.' She looked away for a moment deep in thought andthen said softly, 'I loved him very much. But I was only 16 at the time and mymother felt I was too young. Oh, he was so handsome. He looked like SeanConnery, the actor.' 'Yes,' she continued, 'Michael Goldstein was a wonderfulperson. If you should find him, tell him I think of him often and,' shehesitated for a moment, almost biting her lip, 'tell him I still love him. Youknow,' she said smiling as tears began to well up in her eyes, 'I never didmarry, I guess no one ever matched up to Michael.' I thanked Hannah and saidgoodbye. I took the elevator to the first floor and as I stood by the door, theguard there asked, 'Was the old lady able to help you?' I told him she had givenme a lead. 'At least I have a last name.
But I think I'll let it go for a while.I spent almost the whole day trying to find theowner of this wallet.' I had taken out the wallet, which was a simple brownleather case with red lacing on the side. When the guard saw it, he said, ' Hey,wait a minute! That's Mr. Goldstein's wallet. I'd know it anywhere with thatright red lacing. He's always losing that wallet must have found it in the hallsat least three times.' 'Who's Mr. Goldstein?' I asked as my hand began toshake. 'He's one of the old timers on the 8th floor. That's Mike Goldstein'swallet for sure. He must have lost it on one of his walks.' I thanked the guardand quickly ran back to the nurse's office. I told her what the guard had said.We went back to the elevator and got on. I prayed that Mr. Goldstein would beup. On the eighth floor, the floor nurse said, 'I think he's still in the dayroom. He likes to read at night. He's a darling old man. 'We went to the onlyroom that had any lights on and there was a man reading a book. The nurse wentover to him and asked if he had lost hiswallet. Mr. Goldstein looked up with surprise, put his hand in his back pocketand said, 'Oh, it is missing!' 'This kind gentleman found a wallet and wewondered if it could be yours?' I handed Mr. Goldstein the wallet and the secondhe saw it, he smiled with relief and said, 'Yes, that's it! It must have droppedout of my pocket this afternoon. I want to give you a reward.' 'No, thankyou,' I said. 'But I have to tell you something. I read the letter in the hopeof finding out who owned the wallet.' The smile on his face suddenlydisappeared. 'You read that letter?' 'Not only did I read it, I think I knowwhere Hannah is.' He suddenly grew pale. 'Hannah? You know where she is? How isshe? Is she still as pretty as she was? Please, please tell me,' he begged. 'She's fine ... just as pretty as when you knew her.' I said softly. The old mansmiled with anticipation and asked, 'Could you tell me where she is? I want tocall her tomorrow.' He grabbed my hand and said,'You know something, mister, I was so in love with that girl that when thatletter came, my life literally ended. I never married. I guess I've always lovedher.' 'Mr. Goldstein,' I said, 'come with me. 'We took the elevator down tothe third floor.
The hallways were darkened and only one or two littlenight-lights lit our way to the day room where Hannah was sitting alone watchingthe television. The nurse walked over to her. 'Hannah,' she said softly,pointing to Michael, who was waiting with me in the doorway. 'Do you know thisman?' She adjusted her glasses, looked for a moment, but didn't say a word.Michael said softly, almost in a whisper, 'Hannah, it's Michael. Do you rememberme?' She gasped, 'Michael! I don't believe it! Michael! It's you! My Michael!'He walked slowly towards her and they embraced. The nurse and I left with tearsstreaming down our faces. 'See,' I said. 'See how the Good Lord works! If it'smeant to be, it will be.' About three weeks
later I got a call at my office from the nursing home. 'Can you get away onSunday to attend a wedding? Michael and Hannah are going to tie the knot!' Itwas a beautiful wedding with all the people at the nursing home dressed up tojoin in the celebration. Hannah wore a light beige dress and looked beautiful.Michael wore a dark blue suit and stood tall. They made me their best man. Thehospital gave them their own room and if you ever wanted to see a 76-year-oldbride and a 79-year-old groom acting like two teenagers, you had to see thiscouple. A perfect ending for a love affair that had lasted nearly 60 years!