Dear friends , let us love one another , for love comes from God . Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God . Galatians 2 : 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live , but Christ lives in me . The life I now live in the body , I live by faith in the Son of God , who loved me and gave himself for me . 1 John 3 : 1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us , that we should be called children of God ! And that is what we are ! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him . Romans 8 : 37 - 39 No , in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us . For I am convinced that neither death nor life , neither angels nor demons , neither the present nor the future , nor any powers , neither height nor depth , nor anything else in all creation , will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord . C . S . Lewis Where we live , on the Eastern shore of Maryland , the gentle waters run in and out like fingers slimming at the tips . They curl into the smaller creeks and coves like tender palms . The Canada geese know this place , as do the white swans and the ducks who ride an inch above the waves of Chesapeake Bay as they skim their way into harbor . In the autumn , by the thousands , they come home for the winter . The swans move toward the shores in a stately glide , their tall heads proud and unafraid . They lower their long necks deep into the water , where their strong beaks dig through the river bottoms for food . And there is , between the arrogant swans and the prolific geese , an indifference , almost a disdain . Once or twice each year , snow and sleet move into the area . When this happens , if the river is at its narrowest , or the creek shallow , there is a freeze which hardens the water to ice . It was on such a ! morning near Oxford , Maryland , that a friend of mine set the breakfast table beside the huge window , which overlooked the Tred Avon River . Across the river , beyond the dock , the snow laced the rim of the shore in white . For a moment she stood quietly , looking at what the night 's storm had painted . Suddenly she leaned forward and peered close to the frosted window . " It really is , " she cried out loud , " there is a goose out there . " She reached to the bookcase and pulled out a pair of binoculars . Into their sights came the figure of a large Canada goose , very still , its wings folded tight to its sides , its feet frozen to the ice . Then from the dark skies , she saw a line of swans . They moved in their own singular formation , graceful , intrepid , and free . They crossed from the west of the broad creek high above the house , moving steadily to the east . As my friend watched , the leader swung to the right , then the white string of birds became a white circle . It floated from the top of the sky downward . At last , as easy as feathers coming to earth , the circle landed on the ice . My friend was on her feet now , with one unbelieving hand againcomments Charles Plumb was a US Navy jet pilot in Vietnam . After 75 combat missions , his plane was destroyed by a surface - to - air missile . Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands . He was captured and spent 6 years in a communist Vietnamese prison . He survived the ordeal and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience ! One day , when Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant , a man at another table came up and said , " You 're Plumb ! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk . You were shot down ! " " How in the world did you know that ? " asked Plumb . " I packed your parachute , " the man replied . Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude . The man pumped his hand and said , " I guess it worked ! " Plumb assured him , " It sure did . If your chute hadn 't worked , I wouldn 't be here today . " Plumb couldn 't sleep that night , thinking about that man . Plumb says , " I kept wondering what he had looked like in a Navy uniform : a white hat ; a bib in the back ; and bell - bottom trousers . I wonder how many times I might have seen him and not even said ' Good morning , how are you ? ' or anything because , you see , I was a fighter pilot and he was just a sailor . " Plumb thought of the many hours the sailor had spent at a long wooden table in the bowels of the ship , carefully weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of each chute , holding in his hands each time the fate of someone he didn 't know . Now , Plumb asks his audience , " Who 's packing your parachute ? " Everyone has someone who provides what they need to make it through the day . He also points out that he needed many kinds of parachutes when his plane was shot down over enemy territory - he needed his physical parachute , his mental parachute , his emotional parachute , and his spiritual parachute . He called on all these supports before reaching safety . Sometimes in the daily challenges that life gives us , we miss what is really important . We may fail to say hello , please , or thank you , congratulate someone on something wonderful that has happened to them , give a compliment , 0 At 13 years of age , my parents and I visited an ophthalmologist . As I sat in the examining chair , my face firmly on the chin rest and pupils dilated , the doctor looked into my eyes , shining a bright light . " She did inherit it , " he said with coldness . " You need to be prepared . There is no cure for this retinal disease . " My father carried the Retinitis Pigmentosa gene causing a deterioration of the retina which , in most cases , results in blindness . Although my brother 's retinas seemed to be fine , I 'd inherited the gene . Fifteen years after my initial diagnosis , my father began to lose his eyesight and so did I . He was 55 years old , but I was only 28 . In a matter of two years , we had both lost our sight completely . I focused on the effects of my own darkness . My world crumbled as the black curtain fell , destroying the dreams my husband and I had for us and for our three little boys . But when I turned to God for hope and strength , He responded by opening my eyes to a new revelation . My father had given me not just the RP gene , but the example of determination and tenacity as well . We were all living in Bolivia in 1964 when he defied the family 's opposition to move to America . He and Mom worked tirelessly to satisfy the requirements imposed by the U . S . Immigration Department to enter the country and establish residency . Once in the states , he overcame humiliation , intense loneliness , helplessness and uncertainty . He endured ridicule due to his lack of fluency in English , but he pressed on . And he managed to gather enough money for the basics - rent a small apartment , buy modest furniture from thrift stores and put a down payment on a car . Nine months later , he sent airline tickets for my mom , my brother and me . Decades later , as an American citizen , I look back at what he 'd shown me . He taught me the determination to move forward when facing adversity . He set an example proving that humility is crucial to success . He demonstrated the commitment to family and the importance of setting priorities . His journey taught me valuable0 My journey of self - discovery continued , and I was expanding my sense of myself and my own identity . In many ways , I thought that I was finally starting to feel successful and happy . I had a growing sense of well - being and satisfaction , and I adored being a mother and taking care of my son . I was enjoying my life as a single woman and investing plenty of quality time in my relationship with my son Michel . In addition , I bought a lovely , beautifully decorated four bedroom home in a wonderful neighborhood . I was making a good living , earning more and more each year . I sensed that I was on the path to my destiny of helping others . I was feeling optimistic about life and more secure than ever as I consciously worked on developing a sense of worthiness . I was bravely facing my difficult negative emotions , learning what I could from them and actively choosing to replace them with more positive feelings . However , there was still something missing . As much as I was making progress , I knew that I had the power within me to create so much more . Financial worries , and fears that I might not find love again , gnawed at me . I didn 't know why I was so restless and was experiencing a sense of lack . It didn 't occur to me that my emotions were causing me to feel vaguely dissatisfied because they were so subtle that I often didn 't recognize them . My positive feelings were there , but it was as if many of them were barely audible and I had to strain to hear them . I felt that if I tried harder , I could " force " success and take my life to a whole new level , but I quickly found that I wasn 't getting where I wanted to go , no matter how hard I worked . Consequently , I held tightly to everything that I achieved while still being consumed by negative thoughts and feelings about what I didn 't have . The success I enjoyed led me to want more - I believed that if I just made additional money , I 'd be less anxious and more at peace . But the harder I worked to keep what I had and grab for more , the greater the fear I felt . Then my income began to drop , and0 There was a couple who used to go to England to shop in the beautiful stores . This was their twenty - fifth wedding anniversary . They both liked antiques and pottery and especially teacups . One day in this beautiful shop they saw a beautiful teacup . They said " May we see that ? We 've never seen one quite so beautiful . " As the lady handed it to them , suddenly the teacup spoke . " You don 't understand , " it said . " I haven 't always been a teacup . There was a time when I was red and I was clay . My master took me and rolled me and patted me over and over and I yelled out , let me alone , ' but he only smiled , ' Not yet ' . " Then I was placed on a spinning wheel , " the teacup said , " and suddenly I was spun around and around and around . ' Stop it ! I 'm getting dizzy ! ' I screamed . But the master only nodded and said , ' Not yet . ' Then he put me in the oven . I never felt such heat . I wondered why he wanted to burn me , and I yelled , and I knocked at the door . I could see him through the opening and I could read his lips as he shook his head , ' Not yet . ' " Finally the door opened , he put me on the shelf , and I began to cool . ' There , that 's better , ' I said . And he brushed and painted me all over . The fumes were horrible . I thought I would gag . ' Stop it , stop it ! ' I cried . He only nodded , ' Not yet . ' " Then suddenly he put me back into the oven , not like the first one . This was twice as hot and I knew I would suffocate . I begged . I pleaded . I screamed . I cried . All the time I could see him through the opening nodding his head , saying , ' Not yet . ' " Then I knew there wasn 't any hope . I would never make it . I was ready to give up . But the door opened and he took me out and placed me on the shelf . One hour later he handed me a mirror and said , ' Look at yourself . ' And I did . I said , ' That 's not me ; that couldn 't be me . It 's beautiful . I 'm beautiful . ' ' I want you to remember , then , ' he said , ' I know it hurt to be rolled and patted , but if I just left you , you 'd have dried up . I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel , but if I had stopped , you would hcomments Long ago in a small , far away village , there was a place known as the House of 1000 Mirrors . A small , happy little dog learned of this place and decided to visit . When he arrived , he bounced happily up the stairs to the doorway of the house . He looked through the doorway with his ears lifted high and his tail wagging as fast as it could . To his great surprise , he found himself staring at 1000 other happy little dogs with their tails wagging just as fast as his . He smiled a great smile , and was answered with 1000 great smiles just as warm and friendly . As he left the house , he thought to himself , " This is a wonderful place . I will come back and visit it often . " In this same village , another little dog , who was not quite as happy as the first one , decided to visit the house . He slowly climbed the stairs and hung his head low as he looked into the door . When he saw the 1000 unfriendly looking dogs staring back at him , he growled at them and was horrified to see 1000 little dogs growling back at him . As he left , he thought to himself , " That is a horrible place , and I will never go back there again . " All the faces in the world are mirrors . What kind of reflections do you see in the faces of the people you meet ? 0 There was this little girl sitting by herself in the park . Everyone passed by her and never stopped to see why she looked so sad . Dressed in a worn pink dress , barefoot and dirty , the girl just sat and watched the people go by . She never tried to speak . She never said a word . Many people passed by her , but no one would stop . The next day I decided to go back to the park in curiosity to see if the little girl would still be there . Yes , she was there , right in the very spot where she was yesterday , and still with the same sad look in her eyes . Today I was to make my own move and walk over to the little girl . For as we all know , a park full of strange people is not a place for young children to play alone . As I got closer I could see the back of the little girl 's dress was grotesquely shaped . I figured that was the reason people just passed by and made no effort to speak to her . As I got closer , the little girl lowered her eyes slightly to avoid my intent stare . As I approached her , I could see the shape of her back more clearly . She was grotesquely shaped in a humped - over form . I smiled to let her know it was OK ; I was there to help , to talk . I sat down beside her and opened with a simple , " Hello . " The little girl acted shocked , and stammered a " hi , " after a long stare into my eyes . I smiled and she shyly smiled back . We talked until darkness fell and the park was completely empty . I asked the girl why she was so sad . The little girl looked at me with a sad face said , " Because I 'm different . " I immediately said , " That you are ! " and smiled . The little girl acted even sadder and said , " I know . " " Little girl , " I said , " you remind me of an angel , sweet and innocent . " She looked at me and smiled , then slowly she got to her feet and said , " Really ? " " Yes , you 're like a little Guardian Angel sent to watch over all those people walking by . " She nodded her head yes , and smiled . With that she opened the back of her pink dress and allowed her wings to spread , then she said " I am . I 'm your Guardian Angel , " with a twinkle in her eye . Icomments What do butterflies have in common with the human spirit ? Meet Maggie , a middle aged wife and mother who was about to find out . Maggie wasn 't rich like a millionaire or poor in a manner of being homeless . She was living an average comfortable life . It was made even better when a beautiful baby girl came her way . She and her husband made sure their daughter had her needs met and they were still able to take a yearly vacation by the beach . Maggie was a partner in her husband 's business . They both had a different set of duties which kept everything in balance . One day a devastating blow came to her husband 's business , and over a three year period the business dropped out of site . Her husband had to totally reinvent himself and was yearning to fulfill a dream with a new vocation . She was happy for him and supported him fully , but still the money was not coming in . Maggie began to feel guilty that she wasn 't contributing with any kind of income . It had been a long time since she had worked outside the home and had to work for someone else . Needless to say she was scared but still had faith that everything would be okay . She began job hunting and found filling out applications somewhat difficult , especially the part asking for job references . Keep in mind that she was self - employed with her husband for almost 20 years . It felt as though that didn 't count for anything as she was never called for an interview . At the time she was job hunting her mom became more ill than she had been and ended up in the hospital for a week . Once Maggie 's mom returned home she became her mom 's helper one day a week . She did the shopping , changed sheets , vacuumed and did other things that her mother was not able to do anymore . Of course her mom would pay her for her time and labor but she still felt she needed to find another source of income . One of the first applications she had filled out finally came through . She passed the interview with flying colors and was told she was " exactly " what they were looking for . Although it wcomments It was June 15 , and in two days I would be turning thirty . I was insecure about entering a new decade of my life and feared that my best years were now behind me . My daily routine included going to the gym for a workout before going to work . Every morning I would see my friend Nicholas at the gym . He was seventy - nine years old and in terrific shape . As I greeted Nicholas on this particular day , he noticed I wasn 't full of my usual vitality and asked if there was anything wrong . I told him I was feeling anxious about turning thirty . I wondered how I would look back on my life once I reached Nicholas 's age , so I asked him , " What was the best time of your life ? " Without hesitation , Nicholas replied , " Well , Joe , this is my philosophical answer to your philosophical question : " When I was a child in Austria and everything was taken care of for me and I was nurtured by my parents , that was the best time of my life . " When I was going to school and learning the things I know today , that was the best time of my life . " When I got my first job and had responsibilities and got paid for my efforts , that was the best time of my life . " When I met my wife and fell in love , that was the best time of my life . " The Second World War came , and my wife and I had to flee Austria to save our lives . When we were together and safe on a ship bound for North America , that was the best time of my life . " When we came to Canada and started a family , that was the best time of my life . " When I was a young father , watching my children grow up , that was the best time of my life . " And now , Joe , I am seventy - nine years old . I have my health , I feel good and I am in love with my wife just as I was when we first met . This is the best time of my life . " About 10 years ago my daughter was about 2500 kilometers from Newcastle , and rang me one day sobbing because of an emotional trauma she was facing . She was about 20 , and in a town known as Ayrlie Beach in Northern Queensland . I asked her what it was that she needed most in that moment , and she replied that she needed support , and my arms around her would be the best thing that she could hope for ! Because I couldn 't do that in that exact moment , I asked her to describe her surroundings to me ( I have absolutely no idea ' why ' , at the time ) , and said that if she hadn 't heard from me in about 30 minutes to ring me back . I asked her to stay exactly where she was . I had no idea how I was going to ring her back , by the way , as she was calling from a public phone booth ( one of three ) , near a little park , surrounded by a few shops in the main street of Ayrlie Beach . OK then , after hanging up the phone , I just sat for a few seconds . After only a very short time a phone number ' jumped into my head ' , and even though I recognized it , it wasn 't a commonly used number of mine . I rang the number and it was a woman who had bought a house from me about 18 months previously , when I was working in Real Estate . My exact words to her were these , " Oh , it 's you Liz , I have no idea why I 'm calling you in particular , but my daughter is stranded in Ayrlie Beach , and I just got the thought to ring you and tell you that . Have you any idea why ? " " It could be because my Son lives there , " says Liz . " Oh really , that 's got to be it , " I said . " Do you mind giving me his phone number Liz ? " " Of course not , and I can only hope that he can be of some help ! " Liz gave me his mobile number and I rang straight away ( only about 5 minutes have passed since telling my daughter that somehow I 'd get her help ) . Fortunately , he answered immediately , and I told him the story of who I was , and why I 'd rung . I gave him the description of my daughter ; where she was standing ; and that she needed emotional support if he could find it in his heart to help out so unexpectedly l0 Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom . It is the result of long and patient effort in self - control . Its presence is an indication of ripened experience , and of a more than ordinary knowledge of the laws and operations of thought . A person becomes calm in the measure that one understands themselves as a thought evolved being , for such knowledge necessitates the understanding of others as the result of thought , and as one develops a right understanding , and sees more and more clearly the internal relations of things by the action of cause and effect , one ceases to fuss and fume and worry and grieve , and remains poised , steadfast , serene . The calm person , having learned how to govern themselves , knows how to adapt themselves to others ; and they , in turn , reverence their spiritual strength , and feel that they can learn of them and rely upon them . The more tranquil a person becomes , the greater is their success , their influence , their power for good . Even the ordinary trader will find their business prosperity increase as one develops a greater self control and equanimity , for people will always prefer to deal with a person whose demeanor is strongly equable . The strong , calm person is always loved and revered . They are like a shade - giving tree in a thirsty land , or a sheltering rock in a storm . Who does not love a tranquil heart , a sweet - tempered , balanced life ? It does not matter whether it rains or shines , or what changes come to those possessing these blessings , for they are always sweet , serene , and calm . That exquisite poise of character which we call serenity is the last lesson of culture ; it is the flowering of life , the fruitage of the soul . It is precious as wisdom , more to be desired than gold , than even fine gold . How insignificant mere money seeking looks in comparison with a serene life - a life that dwells in the ocean of truth , beneath the waves , beyond the reach of tempests , in the eternal calm ! How many people we know who sour their lives , who ruin all that is sweet and beautiful bycomments A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Target . She must have been 6 years old , this beautiful red haired , freckle faced image of innocence . It was pouring outside . The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters , so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout . We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the Target . We waited , some patiently , others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day . I am always mesmerized by rainfall . I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world . Memories of running , splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day . The little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in , " Mom , let 's run through the rain , " she said . " What ? " Mom asked . " Let 's run through the rain ! " She repeated . " No , honey . We 'll wait until it slows down a bit , " Mom replied . This young child waited about another minute and repeated , " Mom , let 's run through the rain . " " We 'll get soaked if we do , " Mom said . " No , we won 't , Mom . That 's not what you said this morning , " the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom 's arm . " This morning ? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet ? " " Don 't you remember ? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer , you said , ' If God can get us through this , he can get us through anything ! ' " The entire crowd stopped dead silent . I swear you couldn 't hear anything but the rain . We all stood silently . No one came or left in the next few minutes . Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say . Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly . Some might even ignore what was said . But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child 's life . A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith . " Honey , you are absolutely right . Let 's run through the rain . If God let 's us get wet , well maybe we just needed washing , " Mom said . Then off they ran . We all comments I am hereby officially tendering my resignation as an adult . I have decided I would like to accept the responsibilities of an eight - year - old again . I want to go to McDonald 's and think that it 's a four - star restaurant . I want to sail sticks across a fresh mud puddle and make a sidewalk with rocks . I want to think M & Ms are better than money because you can eat them . I want to run a lemonade stand with my friends on a hot summer 's day . I want to return to a time when life was simple , when all you knew were colors , multiplication tables and nursery rhymes , but that didn 't bother you because you didn 't know what you didn 't know and you didn 't care . All you knew was to be happy , because you were blissfully unaware of all the things that should make you worried or upset . I want to think the world is fair . That everyone is honest and good . I want to believe that anything is possible . I want to be oblivious to the complexities of life and be overly excited by the little things again . I want to live simply again . I don 't want my day to consist of computer crashes , mountains of paperwork , depressing news , how to survive when there are more days in the month than there is money in the bank , doctor bills , gossip , illness and loss of loved ones . I want to believe in the power of smiles , hugs , a kind word , truth , justice , peace , dreams , mankind and making angels in the snow . I want to play with my pets and my days of imagination to last forever . So here are my checkbook and my car keys , my credit card bills and my 401 ( k ) statements . I am officially resigning from adulthood . And if you want to discuss this further , you 'll have to catch me first because , " Tag ! You 're it ! " 0 One day a woman was walking down the street when she spied a beggar sitting on the corner . The man was elderly , unshaven , and ragged . As he sat there , pedestrians walked by him giving him dirty looks . They clearly wanted nothing to do with him because of who he was - a dirty , homeless man . But when she saw him , the woman was moved to compassion . It was very cold that day and the man had his tattered coat wrapped around him . She stopped and looked down . " Sir ? " she asked . " Are you all right ? " The man slowly looked up . This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life . Her coat was new . She looked like she had never missed a meal in her life . His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him , like so many others had done before . " Leave me alone , " he growled . To his amazement , the woman continued standing . She was smiling - her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows . " Are you hungry ? " she asked . " No , " he answered sarcastically . " I 've just come from dining with the president . Now go away . " The woman 's smile became even broader . Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm . " What are you doing , lady ? " the man asked angrily . " I said to leave me alone . " Just then a policeman came up . " Is there any problem , ma ' am ? " he asked . " No problem here , officer , " the woman answered . " I 'm just trying to get this man to his feet . Will you help me ? " The officer scratched his head . " That 's old Jack . He 's been a fixture around here for a couple of years . What do you want with him ? " " See that cafeteria over there ? " she asked . " I 'm going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile . " " Are you crazy , lady ? " the homeless man resisted . " I don 't want to go in there ! " Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up . " Let me go , officer . I didn 't do anything . " " This is a good deal for you , Jack , " the officer answered . " Don 't blow it . " Finally , and with some difficulty , the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner . It was the middlecomments When the late Nadine Stair of Louisville , Kentucky , was 85 years old , she was asked what she would do if she had her life to live over again . " I 'd make more mistakes next time , " she said . " I 'd relax . I would limber up . I would be sillier than I have been on this trip . I would take fewer things seriously . I would take more chances . I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers . I would eat more ice cream and less beans . I would perhaps have more actual troubles , but I 'd have fewer imaginary ones . " You see , I 'm one of those people who live sensibly and sanely hour after hour , day after day . Oh , I 've had my moments , and if I had to do it over again , I 'd have more of them . In fact , I 'd try to have nothing else . Just moments , one after another , instead of living so many years ahead of each day . I 've been one of those persons who never goes anywhere without a thermometer , a hot water bottle , and a raincoat . If I had to do it over again , I would travel lighter than I have . " If I had my life to live over , I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall . I would go to more dances . I would ride more merry - go - rounds and I would pick more daisies . " Working in Detroit . . . Rain , Rain , and more Rain . . . I dashed to the rental car drop off , to the shuttle , and to the airport only to find out from an airline ticket representative that my return flight was one hour late . As I cleared security , the progress of my flight went from one hour , then two hours , then three hours , then four hours late departing . I learned about these delays from the announcements given by a weary airline gate agent . It became clear that I was going to miss my connecting flight home . After minute - by - minute travel rearrangements , and knowing that I had to deliver a web - based training the next morning back home , Jim decided to drive the three hours to the hub airport , fetch me , and drive me back . Jim and I arrived home at 4 : 30 am . Funny what dreams you have when your Starbucks frequent drinker card gets punched all the way through in 24 hours . I napped a couple of hours , made coffee , logged on to the internet conference site for my training , and waited and waited and waited . It is lonely at a web - based live meeting training when no one logs in . Do you know why they didn 't log in ? Because I had actually scheduled the training for the next day , not this day that we had raced home to await . I had a brain freeze and remembered the last weekday I worked with this group and that just stuck . I worried about telling Jim that he had held off sleep , driven through a storm to raise Noah 's ark , and road construction to get me home 24 hours early for a training . But the phone eventually rang as he called from work and it was time to own up . What do you think he said ? What would you have said ? Would you have scolded ? Yelled ? Teased ? Berated ? Would you call all of your friends and let them know ? I might say nothing but put the incident in a mental " debit " column , ready to trot out the offense at the next opportune time . Well , Jim 's response to finding out that he had driven almost 400 miles round trip in the rain , construction , and fatigue - time of the night in order to get me home eight hours early was a slight chuckl0 Her name was Bonnie . She was 57 years old the day she died . It was her birthday . She was a hard worker who loved gardening in her sprawling country yard . She was a beloved elementary school teacher and volunteer in her community . She loved her family and her baby grandson . She was a woman of faith and honor . She was the kind of person you could always count on to be there if you needed anything . I know . . . she was my neighbor . As a testament to the impact she had on the lives of those she met , the line at the funeral home wound back and forth in serpentine fashion through the room in which she lay , into the reception area , out the door and down the long parking lot . She was loved by countless many . The verse on her memorial card was a profound expression of the inextricable mix of her love of the beauty in nature and her faith in the afterlife . May we all find hope and comfort in these exquisite words by Juanita DeLong : My HereafterDo not come when I am deadTo sit beside a low green mound , Or bring the first gay daffodilsBecause I love them so , For I shall not be there . You cannot find me there . I will look at you from the eyes of little children ; I will bend to meet you in the swaying boughs of bud - thrilled trees , And caress you with the passionate sweep of storm - filled winds ; I will give you strength in your upward tread of everlasting hills ; I will cool your body in the flow of the limpid river ; I will warm your work - glorified hands through the glow of the winter fire ; I will soothe you into forgetfulness to the drop , drop of the rain on the roof ; I will speak to you out of the rhymes of the Masters ; I will dance with you in the lilt of the violin , And make your heart leap with the bursting cadence of the organ ; I will flood your soul with the flaming radiance of the sunrise ; And bring you peace in the tender rose and gold of the after - sunset . All these have made me happy , They are a part of me ; I shall become a part of them . by Juanita DeLong - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - She will live on . I utilized my time wisely while I was in the Navy , and earned both my B . S . and M . A degrees in my spare time while serving on active duty . It was never my career goal to retire from the Navy and wind up frying chicken and making subs in a supermarket deli . . . After a 5 year stint as a human resource manager , the market dried up for experienced HR professionals , so I tried a back door approach to stay in human resources . I took a menial position in a supermarket deli frying chicken and making submarine sandwiches hoping to transfer to the corporate HR Department . Mentally , I never resigned myself to being a minimum wage employee . This was just an avenue to get a transfer into my dream position . . . Because I approached my job with a different mind set , I was a " breath of fresh air " in the deli . Abraham Maslow would call this Self - Actualization ; the joy is not in the compensation , but in performing the job itself . Every day , I practiced two personal philosophies : " Treat every customer like they are your next employer , " and , " Treat every customer like family and treat every employee like customers . " In two years time , regretfully , the store didn 't realize the gem they had , and I decided to move on . My two year experience taught me several things . I learned being nice is a choice , and why not choose to be nice ? My working conditions were not enviable , but I went out of my way to be the bright spot in my customer 's day . I knew many by first names and many shopped our deli exclusively because they enjoyed being treated as special . Not only did being nice make my shift enjoyable and rewarding , but I could see in the faces of my customers , that niceness equates to the intangible joy experienced when one receives a beautiful bouquet of flowers for no special reason from a loved one or a friend . This is exactly the same message conveyed by Peggy McColl in an article entitled , " Something of Value , " appearing on 11 / 30 / 07 in , ' Insight of the Day ' by Michael Angier / SuccessNet . org . A world without niceness makes for a sea of disgruntlecomments About 6 months ago , I joined a gym . Every morning , there is one personal trainer there that works out at the same time that my little group does our workout . He does his " routine " with such a quiet determination that he makes it all look very easy ; although I know all too well how hard he is working . When I am tempted to whine and quit , I watch him push himself to his own limits , and I find myself motivated to work as hard and without complaint . A couple of weeks ago , I was watching him do chin ups . He made them look effortless . I broke away from my group and asked him if I could try a chin up . I had never tried before , but he just made it look so easy . He eagerly stepped aside and encouraged me to step up to the bar . I pulled myself up without thinking . . . once . . . then twice . That was all I had in me , I had no strength left . I told him that was all I had , so he stepped up behind me and pushed me up for a third and fourth " pull . " It felt so good . I felt strong and I smiled from ear to ear . The next day when I was done my workout , I asked him to spot me again . Again , I did two . Again on day three and so on . I thought it was pathetic that I could only do two , but when I came to the gym at the end of the week , he was standing there just shaking his head . When I asked him what was up , he said he was impressed with my chin ups . He told me that when they are training firefighters , the men are required to do 5 chin ups , and women are required to do 1 or 2 . He explained that most people can 't do them at all , and that he was impressed that I could . He further told me that if I practiced every day , I would be doing 5 or 6 in no time . At this point I should probably add that I am 50 years old . . . and female . The moral of this story . . . because I didn 't know any better , because he told me I could , I saw no reason to doubt . I just jumped in and gave it a try - and I did it ! I didn 't see it as a great accomplishment , because I didn 't realize that it was difficult and it became my goal to get stronger . No one told me I couldn 't do it , in0 One day , a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school , found he had only one thin dime left , and he was hungry . He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house . However , he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door . Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water . She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk . He drank it slowly , and then asked , " How much do I owe you ? " " You don 't owe me anything , " she replied . " Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness . " He said . . . . . " Then I thank you from my heart . " As Howard Kelly left that house , he not only felt stronger physically , but his faith in God and man was strong also . He had been ready to give up and quit . Year 's later that young woman became critically ill . The local doctors were baffled . They finally sent her to the big city , where they called in specialists to study her rare disease . Dr . Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation . When he heard the name of the town she came from , a strange light filled his eyes . Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room . Dressed in his doctor 's gown he went in to see her . He recognized her at once . He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life . From that day he gave special attention to the case . After a long struggle , the battle was won . Dr . Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval . He looked at it , then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room . She feared to open it , for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all . Finally she looked , and something caught her attention on the side of the bill . She read these words . . . . . " Paid in full with one glass of milk " ( Signed ) Dr . Howard KellyTears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed : " Thank You , God , that Your love has spread abroad through human hearts and hands . " The story goes that some time ago , a man punished his 3 - year - old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper . Money was tight and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree . Nevertheless , the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said , " This is for you , Daddy . " He was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction , but his anger flared again when he found the box was empty . He yelled at her , " Don 't you know that when you give someone a present , there 's supposed to be something inside it ? " The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said , " Oh , Daddy , it is not empty . I blew kisses into the box . All for you , Daddy . " The father was crushed . He put his arms around his little girl , and he begged for her forgiveness . It is told that the man kept that gold box by his bed for years and whenever he was discouraged , he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there . In a very real sense , each of us as humans have been given a gold container filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children , friends , family and God . There is no more precious possession anyone could hold . 0 We all have different hearts . Be of good heart . Billy loved Katie with all his heart . But he never told a single soul . Katie secretly loved him too . But she thought she would never have a chance with him . Billy asked his friends what they think of her and his friends thought she was gay . They didn 't like her at all . So Billy just went along with them . They all made fun of her and made her feel really bad . Katie was so upset . One day they followed her home from school making fun of her the whole way home . Once she got inside her house she dropped to the floor cringe . She had a crush on Billy since 3rd grade . She didn 't know what to do . When Billy got home he felt real bad about what he had done . So he decided to go to Katie 's house to tell her he was sorry and that he really loves her . When he got there he knocked on the door no one answered . The door was open so he walked in . He walked into the living room and found Katie lying dead on the floor . She had slit her wrists . Billy was so upset . He knew it was his fault she killed herself . And now he could never tell her how he really felt . Don 't wait until the last minute to tell someone how you really feel . Because it just might be too late . And don 't always go by what your friends say , follow your heart . 0 January 2Do you still remember the first time we met ? It was the first day in school . I was hurriedly entering the school gate when I bumped into you as you stepped out of a luxurious Volvo . The books you were holding fell all over the ground . I quickly picked up the books and returned them to you along with words of apology , but all you showed me was your intimidating look . My first impression of you was that you were a wilful girl born with a golden sthingy in the mouth . I had rejected you completely and had hoped not to meet you again , but surprisingly you turned out to be my classmate . March 22I started to know more about you as days passed and my opinion of you changed for the better on each passing day . I realised that you were from a wealthy family but definitely not a wilful girl . You were nice and friendly . You got angry that day we first met because I had left a footprint marking on the poetry collection you loved dearly . We met often during lunch break and I found something in you that was different from the rest of the girls - your passion for Chinese poetry . Often you would mumble something to yourself . Initially , I thought that you were humming a pop song but later I realised that you had been reciting Chinese poems from great poets . You were so knowledgeable that you knew every poet and which poems they composed . I was very impressed indeed . April 5I met you again in the study area . That day you were reading the Chinese classics " Romance of the 3 kingdom " . Your ability to appreciate Chinese classics left me with admiration . You were indeed unique in many ways . May 5From then on , we would often meet in the study area to discuss about the good and bad things of the character in these Chinese classics . Do you still remember the time when we almost broke off because we could not agree on whether Jia BaoYu hurt Lin Dai Yu ? Our argument was so fierce that we never talked for that week . But when Friday came , we still met in the study area and laughed over the incident . After which , another argument startedcomments I was always a little in awe of Great - aunt Stephina Roos . Indeed , as children we were all frankly terrified of her . The fact that she did not live with the family , preferring her tiny cottage and solitude to the comfortable but rather noisy household where we were brought up - added to the respectful fear in which she was held . We used to take it in turn to carry small delicacies which my mother had made down from the big house to the little cottage where Aunt Stephia and an old colored maid spent their days . Old Tnate Sanna would open the door to the rather frightened little messenger and would usher him or her into the dark voor - kamer , where the shutters were always closed to keep out the heat and the flies . There we would wait , in trembling but not altogether unpleasant . She was a tiny little woman to inspire so much veneration . She was always dressed in black , and her dark clothes melted into the shadows of the voor - kamer and made her look smaller than ever . But you felt the moment she entered . That something vital and strong and somehow indestructible had come in with her , although she moved slowly , and her voice was sweet and soft . She never embraced us . She would greet us and take out hot little hands in her own beautiful cool one , with blue veins standing out on the back of it , as though the white skin were almost too delicate to contain them . Tante Sanna would bring in dishes of sweet , sweet , sticky candy , or a great bowl of grapes or peaches , and Great - aunt Stephina would converse gravely about happenings on the farm , and , more rarely , of the outer world . When we had finished our sweetmeats or fruit she would accompany us to the stoep , bidding us thank our mother for her gift and sending quaint , old - fashioned messages to her and the Father . Then she would turn and enter the house , closing the door behind , so that it became once more a place of mystery . As I grew older I found , rather to my surprise , that I had become genuinely fond of my aloof old great - aunt . But to this day I do not know what strange impulcomments 10th GradeAs I sat there in English class , I stared at the girl next to me . She was my so called " best friend " . I stared at her long , silky hair , and wished she was mine . But she didn 't notice me like that , and I knew it . After class , she walked up to me and asked me for the notes she had missed the day before and handed them to her . She said " thanks " and gave me a kiss on the cheek . I wanted to tell her , I want her to know that I don 't want to be just friends , I love her but I 'm just too shy , and I don 't know why . 11th GradeThe phone rang . On the other end , it was her . She was in tears , mumbling on and on about how her love had broke her heart . She asked me to come over because she didn 't want to be alone , so I did . As I sat next to her on the sofa , I stared at her soft eyes , wishing she was mine . After 2 hours , one Drew Barrymore movie , and three bags of chips , she decided to go to sleep . She looked at me , said " thanks " and gave me a kiss on the cheek . I want to tell her , I want her to know that I don 't want to be just friends , I love her but I 'm just too shy , and I don 't know why . Senior YearThe day before prom she walked to my locker . " My date is sick " she said ; he 's not going to go well , I didn 't have a date , and in 7th grade , we made a promise that if neither of us had dates , we would go together just as " best friends " . So we did . Prom night , after everything was over , I was standing at her front door step ! I stared at her as she smiled at me and stared at me with her crystal eyes . I want her to be mine , but she isn 't think of me like that , and I know it . Then she said " I had the best time , thanks ! " and gave me a kiss on the cheek . I want to tell her , I want her to know that I don 't want to be just friends , I love her but I 'm just too shy , and I don 't know why . Graduation DayA day passed , then a week , then a month . Before I could blink , it was graduation day . I watched as her perfect body floated like an angel up on stage to get her diploma . I wanted her to be mine , but she didn 't notice me like that , and I knewLabels : It all started when I was 6 years old . While I was playing outside on my farm in California , I met a boy . He was an average kind of boy who teased you and then you chased them and beat them up . After that first meeting in which I beat him up we kept on meeting and beating each other up at the fence . That only lasted for a little while though . We would meet at the fence all the time and we were always together . I would tell him all my secrets . He was very quiet ; he would just listen to what I had to say . I found him easy to talk to and I could talk to him about everything . In school we had separate friends but when we got home we would always talk about what happened in school . One day I said to him that a guy I liked hurt me and broke my heart . He just comforted me and said everything would be okay . He gave me words of encouragement and helped me get over him . I was happy and thought of him as a real friend . But I knew that there was something else about him that I liked . I thought of it that night and figured it was just a friend kinda thing that I was feeling . All through high school and even through graduation we 're always together and of course I thought of it as being friends . But I knew deep inside that I really felt differently . On graduation night even though we had different dates to the prom I wanted to be with him . That night after everybody went home I went to his house and wanted to tell him that I wanted to see him . Well , that night was my big chance and all I did was just sit there with him watching the stars and talking about what I was going to do and what he was going to do . I looked into his eyes and listened to him talk about what his dream was . How he wanted to get married and settle down . He said how he wanted to be rich and successful . All I could do was to tell him my dream and cuddle next to him . I went home hurting because I didn 't tell him how I was feeling . I wanted to tell him so bad that I loved him but I was too scared and frightened . I let my feelings go and told myself that someday Icomments " When I was six years old I met you in the playground and you came up to me with a daisy , and knelt on both knees and asked me to marry you . So I pushed you over then ran away . Two days later you came over and asked if you could play cops and robbers with me and from that day on we played everyday . At 11 , on my first day of Secondary school I was so nervous , but at lunch time you came to find me , and we sat down and ate lunch together . We did this everyday for an entire year . You were the first person I told about everything , about my crushes , about my lessons and about all the people I hated , and when I was 13 and thought I was the only one who had never been kissed , you offered to show me how , and by the tree in your backgarden we shared our first kiss . At 15 , we went to our first proper house party , and I got drunk . Even though I made a fool of myself , you were there to help me stand strong . You didn 't judge and you didnt make fun . Over the next year , we began to separate , and made different friends . I got my first serious boyfriend and you went through quite a few girlfriends . And then it got to May and that meant the prom . Everything had been arranged , I 'd been getting my outfit for months and then the day before I found out my boyfriend had cheated on me . The first person I turned to was you . You turned up at my door with a bouquet of roses and a vintage 1950 's car . I laughed that night and I cried that nightWe had three glorious years together , when everyday I would smile . Even on the last when your mother stood up , in the church in front of your coffin and began reading from your diary : " I saw you when I was six standing by the bench in a blue checked dress and daisy shoes and I needed to give another daisy just because . . . . Becuase i loved you from that day on " His wedding vows written the day after prom , that I will never get to hear . " 0 It 's a cold February night . People are bustling through the streets , either pulling up their coat collars or wrapping scarves around their necks , trying to stay warm . It 's so cold today . I 'm standing at my window , looking at the people moving like little dots . Standing in a heated room , I 'm beginning to pity those people . Why don 't they go home ? Do they plan on wandering until morning ? " Almost time to go home ! My boyfriend must be going crazy . " One of the nurses breathe a sign of relief . " Still needs to work overtime on Valentine 's Day . It 's so unfair ! " " You are fortunate . " Another nurse says . " Some people don 't have anyone waiting for them . " " You mean Dr . Shu ? " Like Sherlock Holmes , my ears perk up when I hear my name . " Do you remember how she lost control on this day last year ? " " Of course I do . " A nurse shudders . " I 've never seen Dr . Shu like that . Crying and yelling , like she was crazy . " They are talking about how I was last year . They are correct . I was out of control , like they said . " You can 't blame Dr . Shu . If my boyfriend died in front of my eyes , I would probably go crazy as well . " " Keep it down . She hasn 't left work yet . She might hear you . " The two nurses are too late . I heard the entire conversation through the canvas wall . " Dr . Shu , what are you doing standing here ? " Just as I was deciding whether or not to reveal myself , another nurse exposed me . I awkwardly step out . The 2 nurses who discussed me start to blush . Their faces became redder than the bow on Valentine 's Day chocolates . " I 'm waiting to go home . " I pretend that I didn 't hear anything . " Dr . Shu , you must have gotten too involved in your work . It 's already past time to go home . See you tomorrow . Happy Valentine 's Day ! " She waves goodbye . " Happy Valentine 's Day . " I wave back and watch the 2 nurses hurry away . That 's fine . I was ready to go home anyway . Even though no lover is waiting for me , at least there 's a lazy cat waiting for me to feed . After I come home , the first thing I do is feed the cat . I forgot when I first had the cat . Probably since last year ' s0