Friday, January 22, 2010
once in a while..
Every once in a while, people step up. They rise above themselves. Sometimes they surprise you. And sometimes they fall short. Life is funny sometimes. It can push pretty hard. But if you look close enough, you find hope in the words of children, in the bars of a song and in the eyes of someone you love. And if you're lucky, I mean if you're the luckiest person on this entire planet, the person you love decides to love you back.
the story of two men
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.
The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the outside world.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake, the man said. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Lovers walked arm in arm amid flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn't hear the band, he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Unexpectedly, an alien thought entered his head:
Why should he have all the pleasure of seeing everything while I never get to see anything ? It didn't seem fair. As the thought fermented the man felt ashamed at first. But as the days passed and he missed seeing more sights, his envy eroded into resentment and soon turned him sour. He began to brood and he found himself unable to sleep. He should be by that window - that thought now controlled his life.
Late one night as he lay staring at the ceiling, the man by the window began to cough. He was choking on the fluid in his lungs. The other man watched in the dimly lit room as the struggling man by the window groped for the button to call for help. Listening from across the room he never moved, never pushed his own button which would have brought the nurse running. In less than five minutes the coughing and choking stopped, along with the sound of breathing.
Now there was only silence ----- deathly silence.
The following morning the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths. When she found the lifeless body of the man by the window, she was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take it away -- no works, no fuss. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it all himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.
It faced a blank wall.
The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the outside world.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake, the man said. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Lovers walked arm in arm amid flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn't hear the band, he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Unexpectedly, an alien thought entered his head:
Why should he have all the pleasure of seeing everything while I never get to see anything ? It didn't seem fair. As the thought fermented the man felt ashamed at first. But as the days passed and he missed seeing more sights, his envy eroded into resentment and soon turned him sour. He began to brood and he found himself unable to sleep. He should be by that window - that thought now controlled his life.
Late one night as he lay staring at the ceiling, the man by the window began to cough. He was choking on the fluid in his lungs. The other man watched in the dimly lit room as the struggling man by the window groped for the button to call for help. Listening from across the room he never moved, never pushed his own button which would have brought the nurse running. In less than five minutes the coughing and choking stopped, along with the sound of breathing.
Now there was only silence ----- deathly silence.
The following morning the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths. When she found the lifeless body of the man by the window, she was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take it away -- no works, no fuss. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it all himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.
It faced a blank wall.
Just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to, doesn't mean they don't love you at all.
There was once a guy who was very much in love with a girl. He folded 1,000 pieces of paper cranes as a gift to her. Although at that time he was just a small fry in his company and his
future didn't seem too bright he was contented with what he had.. for he was in love.. and they were both happy together..
Until one day, this girl told him she was going to leave the country for Paris and try to live a new life there with no intention of returning back. She also told him that she cannot visualize any future for both of them because he was poor and he had no dreams. He couldn't believe what he just heard and couldn't help but cry. She was his dream, his love, his friend.. she was his everything..
Just when he thought he had it all he gets to experience the true side of the world.. with all it's misery in it..
But love is being able to accept the truth no matter how it hurts.. She broke his heart and yet he still loves her..
Days have passed, months have gone by and yet his feelings for her has always stayed the same..
He worked hard night and day to put his mind off the past..
He wanted to prove her wrong about the fact that he has no dreams.. he can be somebody someday..
Finally with all the hard work and help from his friends, he was able to build his own company..
One rainy day, while he was driving along the highway, he saw an old couple sharing an umbrella in the rain while heading to some destination. It didn't take him a while to recognise them for they seemed familiar to him.. they were his girl's parents..
He drove back to them.. slowly.. to show them how his life has changed. how successful he has become.. he's got his own car, house, company.. he's got it all..
But what he saw next confused him. The couple were heading to a cemmetery. Out of impulse he went out of the car and followed them.
She was there.. his heart pounded so fast for he couldn't believe what he was seeing.. He felt the warmth of his tears thrickling down his cheeks.. He was crying in the rain..
He saw his girl's photograph smiling sweetly at him.. from her tombstone.. next to the paper cranes he once gave her.
Her parents felt his presence and looked back at him. Out of confusion he asked them why.. and how did all this happend..
She did not leave for Paris for she was ill with cancer, it was her cliché. She believed that he will make it someday and she didn't want to be his obstacle. All she ever wanted was to be with him.. but she chose to leave him to spare him from her suffering and frustrations..
Just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to,
doesn't mean they don't love you at all.
She wanted
her parents to put his paper
cranes beside her, because, if the day
comes when fate brings him near to her again... he will remember how much she loved him and how much he meant to her...
Once you have loved someone, you will always love her.. forever. For what's in your mind and heart will remain forever.
He cried in silence and whispered... "I thought I almost had it all.. now i know what was missing.. you.."
future didn't seem too bright he was contented with what he had.. for he was in love.. and they were both happy together..
Until one day, this girl told him she was going to leave the country for Paris and try to live a new life there with no intention of returning back. She also told him that she cannot visualize any future for both of them because he was poor and he had no dreams. He couldn't believe what he just heard and couldn't help but cry. She was his dream, his love, his friend.. she was his everything..
Just when he thought he had it all he gets to experience the true side of the world.. with all it's misery in it..
But love is being able to accept the truth no matter how it hurts.. She broke his heart and yet he still loves her..
Days have passed, months have gone by and yet his feelings for her has always stayed the same..
He worked hard night and day to put his mind off the past..
He wanted to prove her wrong about the fact that he has no dreams.. he can be somebody someday..
Finally with all the hard work and help from his friends, he was able to build his own company..
One rainy day, while he was driving along the highway, he saw an old couple sharing an umbrella in the rain while heading to some destination. It didn't take him a while to recognise them for they seemed familiar to him.. they were his girl's parents..
He drove back to them.. slowly.. to show them how his life has changed. how successful he has become.. he's got his own car, house, company.. he's got it all..
But what he saw next confused him. The couple were heading to a cemmetery. Out of impulse he went out of the car and followed them.
She was there.. his heart pounded so fast for he couldn't believe what he was seeing.. He felt the warmth of his tears thrickling down his cheeks.. He was crying in the rain..
He saw his girl's photograph smiling sweetly at him.. from her tombstone.. next to the paper cranes he once gave her.
Her parents felt his presence and looked back at him. Out of confusion he asked them why.. and how did all this happend..
She did not leave for Paris for she was ill with cancer, it was her cliché. She believed that he will make it someday and she didn't want to be his obstacle. All she ever wanted was to be with him.. but she chose to leave him to spare him from her suffering and frustrations..
Just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to,
doesn't mean they don't love you at all.
She wanted
her parents to put his paper
cranes beside her, because, if the day
comes when fate brings him near to her again... he will remember how much she loved him and how much he meant to her...
Once you have loved someone, you will always love her.. forever. For what's in your mind and heart will remain forever.
He cried in silence and whispered... "I thought I almost had it all.. now i know what was missing.. you.."
Thursday, January 21, 2010
An Inspirational Thought The Wisdom of Einstein
Knowledge: The Search for the truth and Knowledge is one of the finest attributes of a man, though often it is most loudly voiced by those who strive for it the least.
Authority: To punish me for my contempt of authority, fate has made me an authority myself.
Truth: It is difficult to say what truth is, but sometimes it is easy to recognize a falsehood.
Cooperation: A hundred times a day I remind myself that my inner and outer lives are based on the labors of other people, living and dead and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving.
Wisdom: Wisdom is not a product of schooling, but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.
Greatness: There is only one road to human greatness: through the school of hard knocks.
Happiness: A happy man is too satisfied with the present to dwell too much on the future.
Fame: With fame I become more and more stupid, which of course is a very common phenomenon.
Life: Life is sacred, that is to say, it is the supreme value, to which all other values are subordinate.
Ageing: I have reached an age when, if someone tells me to wear socks, I don't have to.
Praise: The only way to escape the personal corruption of praise is to go on working.
Problems: Fear or stupidity has always been the basis of most human actions.
Relativity: An hour sitting with a pretty girl on a park bench passes like a minute, but a minute sitting on a hot stove seems like an hour.
Goals: One should not pursue goals that are easily achieved. One must develop an instinct for what one can barely achieve through one's greatest efforts.
Racism: The only remedies against race and prejudice are enlightenment and education. This is a slow and painstaking process.
Solitude: I lived in that solitude which is painful in youth, but delicious in the years of maturity.
Value: Try not to become a man of success but rather try to become a man of value.
Imagination: When I examine myself and my methods of thought, I come close to the conclusion that the gift of imagination has meant more to me than my talent for absorbing absolute knowledge
Today is the tomorrow you were worried about yesterday
Sometimes people come into your life & you know right away that they were meant to be there, to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson, or help you figure out who you are & or who you want to become You never know who these people may be (possibly your roommate, neighbor, professor, long lost friend, lover, or even a complete stranger), but when you lock eyes with them, you know at the very moment that they will affect your life in some profound way.
and sometime things will happen to you that may seem horrible, painful, & unfair at first, but in reflection you find that without overcoming these obstacles that you would have never realized your true potential, strength, will power, or heart
Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by mean of good luck. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness & sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul. Without this small test, whatever they may be, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere. It would be safe & comfortable, but dull and utterly pointless.
The people that you meet who affect your life, and the success and downfalls you experience, help to create who you are and who you will become Even the bad experiences are learned from. In fact, they are the most poignant ones.
If someone hurts you, betrays you, or breaks your heart, forgive them for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious when you open your heart. If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because in a way, they are teaching you to love & how to open your heart & eyes to things.
Make everyday count. Appreciate every moment & take from those moments everything you could possibly can for you may never be able to experience it again. Talk to people that you have never talked to before & actually listen... Let yourself fall in love again, break free, and set your sights high. Hold your head up because you have every right too.
Tell yourself that you are a great individual & believe in yourself. For if you don't believe in yourself, it will be hard for others to believe in you. You can make your life anything you wish.....Create your own life & then go out & live it with absolutely NO REGRETS. Most importantly, if you love someone tell him or her, for you NEVER know what tomorrow may have in store. And learn a lesson in life each day you live.
Today is the tomorrow you were worried about yesterday.... Was it worth it?
and sometime things will happen to you that may seem horrible, painful, & unfair at first, but in reflection you find that without overcoming these obstacles that you would have never realized your true potential, strength, will power, or heart
Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by mean of good luck. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness & sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul. Without this small test, whatever they may be, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere. It would be safe & comfortable, but dull and utterly pointless.
The people that you meet who affect your life, and the success and downfalls you experience, help to create who you are and who you will become Even the bad experiences are learned from. In fact, they are the most poignant ones.
If someone hurts you, betrays you, or breaks your heart, forgive them for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious when you open your heart. If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because in a way, they are teaching you to love & how to open your heart & eyes to things.
Make everyday count. Appreciate every moment & take from those moments everything you could possibly can for you may never be able to experience it again. Talk to people that you have never talked to before & actually listen... Let yourself fall in love again, break free, and set your sights high. Hold your head up because you have every right too.
Tell yourself that you are a great individual & believe in yourself. For if you don't believe in yourself, it will be hard for others to believe in you. You can make your life anything you wish.....Create your own life & then go out & live it with absolutely NO REGRETS. Most importantly, if you love someone tell him or her, for you NEVER know what tomorrow may have in store. And learn a lesson in life each day you live.
Today is the tomorrow you were worried about yesterday.... Was it worth it?
Charles Schultz
The following is the philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip. You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just read the e-mail straight through, and you'll get the point.
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winner for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.
How did you do?
The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Acheivements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.
Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
Easier?
The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.
Pass this on to those people who have made a difference in your life. "Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia." (Charles Schultz)
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winner for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.
How did you do?
The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Acheivements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.
Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
Easier?
The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.
Pass this on to those people who have made a difference in your life. "Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia." (Charles Schultz)
Why women cry watch her eyes
A little boy asked his mother, "Why are you crying?" "Because I'm a woman," she told him.
"I don't understand," he said. His Mom just hugged him and said, "And you never will."
Later the little boy asked his father, "Why does mother seem to cry for no reason?"
"All women cry for no reason," was all his dad could say.
The little boy grew up and became a man, still wondering why women cry. Finally he put in a call to God. When God got on the phone, he asked, "God, why do women cry so easily?"
God said: "When I made the woman she had to be special.
I made her shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the world, yet gentle enough to give comfort.
I gave her an inner strength to endure childbirth and the rejection that many times comes from her children.
I gave her a hardness that allows her to keep going when everyone else gives up, and take care of her family through sickness and fatigue without complaining.
I gave her the sensitivity to love her children under any and all circumstances, even when her child has hurt her very badly.
I gave her strength to carry her husband through his faults and fashioned her from his rib to protect his heart.
I gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never hurts his wife, but sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him unfalteringly.
And finally, I gave her a tear to shed. This is hers exclusively to use whenever it is needed."
"You see my son," said God, "the beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart - the place where love resides."
"I don't understand," he said. His Mom just hugged him and said, "And you never will."
Later the little boy asked his father, "Why does mother seem to cry for no reason?"
"All women cry for no reason," was all his dad could say.
The little boy grew up and became a man, still wondering why women cry. Finally he put in a call to God. When God got on the phone, he asked, "God, why do women cry so easily?"
God said: "When I made the woman she had to be special.
I made her shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the world, yet gentle enough to give comfort.
I gave her an inner strength to endure childbirth and the rejection that many times comes from her children.
I gave her a hardness that allows her to keep going when everyone else gives up, and take care of her family through sickness and fatigue without complaining.
I gave her the sensitivity to love her children under any and all circumstances, even when her child has hurt her very badly.
I gave her strength to carry her husband through his faults and fashioned her from his rib to protect his heart.
I gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never hurts his wife, but sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him unfalteringly.
And finally, I gave her a tear to shed. This is hers exclusively to use whenever it is needed."
"You see my son," said God, "the beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart - the place where love resides."
i'm just a guy..
I'm a guy..... who can wrestle with you and let you win.... who i can talk to about anything... who laughs at your jokes.... who puts your cold hands in my warm hoodie pockets.... who lets you use my sweatshirt for a pillow.... who says i love you & means it.... who will kiss you in the rain, in the sunshine, and in the snow.... whos calls unexpectedly.... who will have many inside jokes with you and remember each one.... a guy who notices haircuts.... who realizes that you say things but dont always mean them.... who you can go swimming with on hot days.... who can tell you my problems and let you help.... who will listen to you talk... who will bring you seashells from the beach.... who will let you beat me up when you get angry.... who writes love letters to you, but doesnt send them.... who draws pictures and slips them gently into your locker slot.... who saves my genuine, big smiles for you.... with deeps eyes, that can see through faces into depths.... who wears baseball hats and lets your wear mine too. ... who gives you my t-shirt to change into and not expect to get it back.... who knows your favorite color, song, car, vegetable, perfume and the color of your toothbrush.... who will shake your dads hand and look your mom in the eye.... who will call you by your full name--first, middle and last.... who willl know when something is wrong when you're trying your best to put on an act... who will kiss you and tell you you're beautiful.... who will let you cry to me.... who will hold you & kiss your cheek.... who suprises you and compliments and plays with your hair.... who will brag about you to all of my friends...who will not tell his friends about intimate stuff we did... not afraid to give you a great big hug right infront of my mom... who smells like i just stepped out of the shower.... who will cut his hair when i know it looks bad... who wears cologne that you can subtly smell when you're leaning on my shoulder.... who will not try to meet up with other girls if i know you'll get jealous...who tells you that you have a nice laugh and a smile that lights up the room and simply be yours to hold.
Read this and let it really sink in...then choose how to start your day tomorrow...
Michael is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a
good mood and always has something positive to say. When
someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I
were any better, I would be twins!"
He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad
day, Michael was there telling the employee how to look on the
positive side of the situation.
Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to
Michael and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive
person all of the time. How do you do it?"
Michael replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself,
'Mike, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a
good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.' I choose to
be in a good mood.
"Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim
or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it.
"Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to
accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of
life. I choose the positive side of life."
"Yeah, right, it isn't that easy," I protested.
"Yes, it is," Michael said. Life is all about choices. When you
cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose
how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect
your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. "The
bottom line is: It's your choice how you live life."
I reflected on what Michael said. Soon thereafter, I left the tower industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.
Several years later, I heard that Michael was involved in a
serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications
tower. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care,
Michael was released from the hospital with rods placed in his
back.
I saw Michael about six months after the accident. When I asked
him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins.
Wanna see my scars?"
I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone
through his mind as the accident took place. "The first thing that went through my mind was the well being of my soon-to-be-
born daughter," Michael replied. "Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or I could choose to die. I chose to live."
"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked.
Michael continued, "The paramedics were great.They kept
telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me
into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors
and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read 'He's a dead man.' I knew I needed to take action."
"What did you do?" I asked. "Well, there was a big burly nurse
shouting questions at me," said Michael. "She asked if I was
allergic to anything. 'Yes,' I replied. The doctors and nurses
stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep
breath and yelled, 'Gravity.' Over their laughter, I told them, 'I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead'."
Michael lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is everything.
good mood and always has something positive to say. When
someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I
were any better, I would be twins!"
He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad
day, Michael was there telling the employee how to look on the
positive side of the situation.
Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to
Michael and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive
person all of the time. How do you do it?"
Michael replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself,
'Mike, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a
good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.' I choose to
be in a good mood.
"Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim
or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it.
"Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to
accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of
life. I choose the positive side of life."
"Yeah, right, it isn't that easy," I protested.
"Yes, it is," Michael said. Life is all about choices. When you
cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose
how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect
your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. "The
bottom line is: It's your choice how you live life."
I reflected on what Michael said. Soon thereafter, I left the tower industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.
Several years later, I heard that Michael was involved in a
serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications
tower. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care,
Michael was released from the hospital with rods placed in his
back.
I saw Michael about six months after the accident. When I asked
him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins.
Wanna see my scars?"
I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone
through his mind as the accident took place. "The first thing that went through my mind was the well being of my soon-to-be-
born daughter," Michael replied. "Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or I could choose to die. I chose to live."
"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked.
Michael continued, "The paramedics were great.They kept
telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me
into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors
and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read 'He's a dead man.' I knew I needed to take action."
"What did you do?" I asked. "Well, there was a big burly nurse
shouting questions at me," said Michael. "She asked if I was
allergic to anything. 'Yes,' I replied. The doctors and nurses
stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep
breath and yelled, 'Gravity.' Over their laughter, I told them, 'I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead'."
Michael lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is everything.
sometimes...
Sometimes all you can give is love
Sometimes all you have is not enough
Sometimes life is like a dream
Sometimes dreams aren’t what they seem
Sometimes laughter can heal your heart
Sometimes it’s laughter that breaks it apart
Sometimes the world goes faster than you can go
Sometimes even fast is still too slow
Sometimes going home is the only thing on your mind
Sometimes home is the only place you can’t find
Sometimes you are too tired to sleep
Sometimes you are too sad to weep
Sometimes freedom holds you back
Sometimes a wedding dress is black
Sometimes loneliness is what you need
Sometimes there’s a harvest without a seed
Sometimes darkness can be too bright
Sometimes rain gives you delight
Sometimes you think you understand
Sometimes you know you really can’t
Sometimes what sets you free are restrictions
Sometimes what makes most sense are contradictions
Sometimes all you have is not enough
Sometimes life is like a dream
Sometimes dreams aren’t what they seem
Sometimes laughter can heal your heart
Sometimes it’s laughter that breaks it apart
Sometimes the world goes faster than you can go
Sometimes even fast is still too slow
Sometimes going home is the only thing on your mind
Sometimes home is the only place you can’t find
Sometimes you are too tired to sleep
Sometimes you are too sad to weep
Sometimes freedom holds you back
Sometimes a wedding dress is black
Sometimes loneliness is what you need
Sometimes there’s a harvest without a seed
Sometimes darkness can be too bright
Sometimes rain gives you delight
Sometimes you think you understand
Sometimes you know you really can’t
Sometimes what sets you free are restrictions
Sometimes what makes most sense are contradictions
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)