Build Happy Earth Links!

[enigma]

Thankyou lonewolf and HH ji for ur appreciation

[enigma]

"A son and his father were walking on the mountains.
Suddenly, his son falls, hurts himself and screams: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
Curious, he yells: "Who are you?"
He receives the answer: "Who are you?"
And then he screams to the mountain: "I admire you!"
The voice answers: "I admire you!"
Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward!"
He receives the answer: "Coward!"
He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?"
The father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention."
Again the man screams: "You are a champion!"
The voice answers: "You are a champion!"
The boy is surprised, but does not understand.
Then the father explains: "People call this ECHO, but really this is LIFE.
It gives you back everything you say or do.
Our life is simply a reflection of our actions.
If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart.
If you want more competence in your team, improve your competence.
This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects of life;
Life will give you back everything you have given to it."

YOUR LIFE IS NOT A COINCIDENCE. IT'S A REFLECTION OF YOU!"

[enigma]

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints; we spend more, but have less; we buy more but enjoy it less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time; we have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgement; more experts, but more problems; more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry too quickly, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life; We've added years to life, not life to years.

We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor. We've conquered outer space, but not inner space; We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul; we've split the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less; we plan more, but accomplish less.

We've learned to rush, but not to wait; we have higher incomes, but, lower morals.

We build more computers to hold more information to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication; We've become long on quantity, but short on quality.

These are the days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but broken homes.

These are the days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throw away morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. Where are we heading ....?

If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days. But the family we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives.


And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than to our family an unwise investment indeed.

So what is the morale of the story????


Don't work too hard... and you know what's the full word of family?

FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER, (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU

[enigma]

His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to eke out a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow
and terrifying death.
The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman's sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved.
"I want to repay you," said the nobleman. "You saved my son's life."
"No, I can't accept payment for what I did," the Scottish farmer replied, waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer's own son came to the door of the family hovel.
"Is that your son?" the nobleman asked. "Yes," the farmer replied proudly.
"I'll make you a deal. Let me take him and give him a good education.
If the lad is anything like his father, he'll grow to a man you can be proud of."
And that he did. In time, Farmer Fleming's son graduated from St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.
Years afterward, the nobleman's son was stricken with pneumonia.
What saved him? Penicillin.
The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill.
His son's name? Sir Winston Churchill.

[enigma]

Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all of the others, including Love. One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all constructed boats and left. Except for Love.

Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to hold out until the last possible moment.

When the island had almost sunk, Love decided to ask for help.

Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said,
"Richness, can you take me with you?"
Richness answered, "No, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you."

Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel. "Vanity, please help me!"
"I can't help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat," Vanity answered.

Sadness was close by so Love asked, "Sadness, let me go with you."
"Oh . . . Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!"

Happiness passed by Love, too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her.

Suddenly, there was a voice, "Come, Love, I will take you." It was an elder. So blessed and overjoyed, Love even forgot to ask the elder where they were going. When they arrived at dry land, the elder went her own way. Realizing how much was owed the elder,

Love asked Knowledge, another elder, "Who Helped me?"
"It was Time," Knowledge answered.
"Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?"
Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is."

[Mayavi Morpheus]

arrey wah! kyaa kahani hai...

[enigma]

Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks?

The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it.

The eagle does not escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm.

When the storms of life come upon us - and all of us will experience them - we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief toward God. The storms do not have to overcome us.

God enables us to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness, tragedy, failure and disappointment in our lives. We can soar above the storm.

Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how we handle them.

[HH]

Lift OR Lean ...

There are two kinds of people on earth today,
Just two kinds of people, no more I say.

Not the sinner and saint, for its well understood,
The good are half bad, and the bad are half good.

Not the rich and the poor, for to rate a man's wealth,
You must first know the state of his conscience and health.

Not the humble and proud,for in life's little span,
Who puts on vain airs, is not counted a man.

Not the happy and sad, for the swift flyin' years,
Bring each man his laughter and each man his tears.

No, the two kinds of people on earth I mean,
Are the people who lift,and the people who lean.

Wherever you go, you'll find the earth's masses,
Are always divide in just these two classes.

And oddly enough, you'll find too, I ween,
There's only one lifter to twenty who lean.

I which class are you? Are you easing the load,
Of overtaxed lifters, who toil down the road?

Or are you a leaner, who lets others share,
Your portion of labour, and worry and care?

Thank You, "ApnaHyderabad" ...
HOW ABOUT "PUSH" / "PULL" ... "DO" / "LOOK"!


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[enigma]

People always come into your life for a reason, a season and a lifetime. When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, or to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or even spiritually. They may seem like a godsend to you, and they are. They are there for a reason,you need them to be. Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die, Sometimes they just walk away. Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilleed; their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.

When people come into your life for a SEASON, it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season. And like Spring turns to Summer and Summer to Fall, the season eventually ends.

LIFETIME, relationships teach you a lifetime of lessons; those things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person/people (anyway);, and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas in your life.

[enigma]

A farmer grew award-winning corn. Each year he entered his corn in the state fair where it won a blue ribbon...

One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors.

"How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?" the reporter asked.

"Why sir," said the farmer, "didn't you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn."

He is very much aware of the connectedness of life. His corn cannot improve unless his neighbor's corn also improves.

So it is in other dimensions. Those who choose to be at peace must help their neighbors to be at peace. Those who choose to live well must help others to live well, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches. And those who choose to be happy must help others to find happiness for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all.

The lesson for each of us is this: if we are to grow good corn, we must help our neighbors grow good corn.

[enigma]

A true story which happened in the States.


A man was admiring his new truck.

To his puzzlement, his three-year-old son was happily hammering dents into the shiny paint of the truck.

The man ran to his son, knocked him away, hammered the little boy's hands into pulp as punishment.

When the father calmed down, he rushed his son to the hospital. Although the doctor tried desperately to save the crushed bones, he finally had to amputate the fingers from both the boy's hands.

When the boy woke up from the surgery & saw his bandaged stubs, he innocently said, " Daddy, I'm sorry about your truck." Then he asked, "but when are my fingers going to grow back?"

The father went home & committed suicide.



Think about this story the next time someone steps on your feet or u wish to take revenge. Think first before u lose your patience with someone u love. Trucks can be repaired. Broken bones & hurt feelings often can't.

Too often we fail to recognise the difference between the person and the performance. We forget that forgiveness is greater than revenge.

People make mistakes. We are allowed to make mistakes. But the actions we take while in a rage will haunt us forever.

Pause and ponder. Think before you act. Be patient. Forgive & forget. Love one and all.

If you judge people, you have no time to love them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[enigma]

Take this quiz:
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 contest.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor 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. Achievements 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.
6. Name half a dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you. 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.

[enigma]

If there is a future there is time for mending-
Time to see your troubles coming to an ending.


Life is never hopeless however great your sorrow-
If you're looking forward to a new tomorrow.


If there is time for wishing then there is time for hoping-
When through doubt and darkness you are blindly groping.


Though the heart be heavy and hurt you may be feeling-
If there is time for praying there is time for healing.

So if through your window there is a new day breaking-
Thank God for the promise, though mind and soul be aching,


If with harvest over there is grain enough for gleaning-
There is a new tomorrow and life still has meaning.

[enigma]

Peer pressure is all about being forced into a certain way of living, dressing, talking, socializing and even thinking – simply because that is how everyone else you know behaves, dresses, talks, socializes and thinks.

This is common amongst people who generally mix with people their own age. And mind you, this is definitely not restricted to youngsters. People across all age groups are subject to peer pressure. An office-worker is subject to as much pressure from his or her peers as a young college student.

All of us wish to gain and retain the respect and admiration of our peers. After all, we have to believe that others are our equals before we want to impress them. And if we cannot win their approval, we struggle to ensure that we dont face their disapproval or ridicule either. It can be terribly painful to watch a peer humiliating us or even speaking negatively about us.

The matter of peer pressure becomes particularly difficult for youngsters because, thanks to the demands of education, they spend almost ninety percent of their waking hours with their peers. And they rarely have the choice of not mixing with those particular peers.

Young people can be often blunt and insensitive in their dealings with each other. And they are very quick to notice differences of habit, dress and social behavior. As a result, you might be compelled to buy the latest fashions in clothes and accessories. Because everyone else does the same, regardless of cost or comfort. You might end up reading what they read, watching the same television programs and movies that others watch and using the same language that they use. Because, otherwise, you feel left out of all the conversation. You might end up staying out late at night or eating out all the time, simply because that is what the others do, regardless of whether you can afford to or not.

The best way to counter peer pressure is to select your friends very carefully. Preferably, your friends should be in a mixed group of people. That keeps everyone rooted and more tolerant of differences.


And most importantly, you have to remember that you are an individual and a unique one. And your decisions to eat, drink, dress, talk, go out, read or think are your own. If others dont share these interests or habits, too bad. Let your peers and friends catch up with you. If they cant, find new friends.

[enigma]

Did you know......... some interesting facts

A zebra is white with black stripes.

All the planets in our solar system rotate anticlockwise, except Venus. It is the only planet that rotates clockwise.

Hummingbirds are the only animal that can also fly backwards.

Insects do not make noises with their voices. The noise of bees, mosquitoes and other buzzing insects is caused by rapidly moving their wings.

The cockroach is the fastest animal on 6 legs covering a meter a second.

The word "listen" contains the same letters as the word "silent".

The only 2 animals that can see behind itself without turning it's head are the rabbit and the parrot.

A 'jiffy' is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.

India invented the Number System. Zero was invented by Aryabhatta.

The whip makes a cracking sound because its tip moves faster than the speed of sound.

A hippopotamus can run faster than a man.

India never invaded any country in her last 10000 years of history.

'Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia' is the fear of long words.

Didaskaleinophobia is the fear of going to school.

Phobatrivaphobia is a fear of trivia about phobias !!

It is impossible to lick your elbow. ( We know you gonna try this !!! )

A snail can sleep for 3 years. ( wow, lucky chap eh ? )

The names of the continents all end with the same letter with which they start

In 1883 the explosion of the volcano Krakatoa put so much dust into the earth's atmosphere that sunsets appeared green and the moon appeared blue around the world for almost two years.

"Almost" is the longest word in the English language with all the letters in alphabetical order.

Twenty-Four-Karat Gold is not pure gold since there is a small amount of copper in it. Absolutely pure gold is so soft that it can be molded with the hands.

Electricity doesn't move through a wire but through a field around the wire.

Do you know the names of the three wise monkeys? They are: Mizaru (See no evil), Mikazaru (Hear no evil), and Mazaru (Say no evil ).

55 per cent of people yawn within 5 minutes of seeing someone else yawn. Reading about yawning makes most people yawn. hello, zzzzz zzzz ?

[HH]

55 per cent of people yawn within 5 minutes of seeing someone else yawn*****. Reading about yawning makes most people yawn. hello, zzzzz zzzz ?

Yawning Cat!

***** Cat's Yawn and Other Yawns! ... Catching Yawns Keeps Us Together ... Catching Yawns Keeps Us Together
Q: Why is Yawning Contagious?

A: We Don't Know But We Have Guesses.
We yawn to stay together and synchronize our activities says Robert Provine, psychology professor at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, who's studied neural mechanisms of behavior in over 30 species. Yawning apparently triggers behavior transitions. We yawn when we wake up and need to get moving. We yawn next most often when we get ready to go to sleep.

A long time ago when we were primitive peoples facing constant dangers, perhaps contagious yawning was a useful tool to manage the different activity transitions through the day. The family woke up and started to yawn contagiously. Everyone was soon ready to forage or hunt together. Likewise, later in the day, one would yawn and soon the group was yawning and ready to nap. None was left up alert to wander off and face a saber-toothed tiger alone.

A few yawning facts:

- Humans yawn before they're born, even in the first trimester of prenatal development. Ultrasonic scanners catch fetuses yawning and hiccuping at 11 weeks.
- Children up to about age five, yawn but not contagiously. From 5 to 11 they become increasing susceptible to "catching" a yawn from others.
- Olympic athletes yawn on the starting line, students yawn before an exam, and musicians yawn before a concert begins. They yawn before a big activity change: the race, the test, the concert.
- Schizophrenics rarely yawn.
- Chimpanzees and apes yawn infectiously, just as we.
- Cats, fish, and birds yawn

Myth: People yawn to take in more oxygen and the reason it's contagious is everyone in the stuffy room needs more oxygen. Provine proved this false in 1987 when he observed experiment subjects yawning even though breathing pure oxygen.

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Visit:

http://www.wonderquest.com/yawning.htm

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[img]http://www.click-smilies.de/schnellauswahl/aktion033.gif[.img]

[enigma]

150 rupees a year...

A Narration..............

I had an interesting human experience last week.

As I was leaving work on friday, around 11 pm in the night, I stopped at the nearest signal. It had been a tiring day and I was really looking forward to the weekend. The was a slight drizzle in the air. The temperature was pleasant and cool. As I was waiting impatiently for the green light, someone tapped me on the shoulder.


It was a young boy, around 12-13 years of age. He had a blue plastic bucket in his hand and was smiling brightly. "Can you please drop me at the next signal sir?" he asked me in chennai tamil.



I am not one to offer a lift in general but this one was a kid. So I asked
him to hop on. As we were driving towards the next signal, he spoke all of a sudden.



"Sir, I sell murukku in Velachery. I just finished the day's sales and now I
am going back home to study...". I wondered why he told me that. But I was touched by the fact that he was going back to study.

I liked his interest in studying.


I asked him, "Good. So, where is you house?". "T.Nagar".
Pretty close to my place. So as I drove past the next signal I told him, "I
will drop you there since I am going there as well". I saw him smile on the
mirror. He said "Thanks".



I asked him, "So where do you study?". "Corporation school sir". He paused."Sir, can I ask you a favor?".



I thought this was another case where someone is going to ask me for money.

I hate it when that happens. I am paranoid enough to believe that anyone who asks you money in the name of a favor is not being honest. I like to help people not by giving them money but in kind.

I dont know why but I always have a suspicion about people who want only

money. My kind hearted nature has been taken advantage of too many times for my comfort.


"My english teacher wants all of us to buy a workbook. But I dont have the
money to buy it... Can you please buy me that book? It costs only 30 rupees.

I know a book store that I open at this time in the night."



I was touched. Even before I could blink, I said, "Yes" and we started
driving towards the bookshop. On the way, I asked him, "So what do your
parents do?".


"My dad lost his job last month. Since then he has been drinking all the
time. Even when he doesnt drink, his friends tempt him into a drink.
Whatever little he earns now, he spends it all drinking.


I have two sisters, one in the first standard and the other in the third
standard. He doesnt care about any of us. My mom works as a maid and earns some money during the day. She then makes murukku in the afternoon and given it to me when I some back from school. We manage to make some money by selling it".



"Do you get any time to study then?"

"Yes sir. I get up at 6 in the morning and get at least two hours to
study. 8 o clock I go to school and some back at 3 pm. My mom keeps the
murukku ready by that time. I take the bus to Velachery and sell it everyday until 10 in the night. By the time I come back home its 11 o clock. So, I get one more hour to study until I go to sleep at 12."



I wasn't speaking.



"I also study well sir. I get 2nd or 3rd rank always. Because I study well,
my teachers like me a lot. This year I could not pay the school fees as we
dont have the money. So I dont have the books or the uniform. But they dont complain because they know I study properly. I manage to borrow books and study."

Just as he said that, we were at the bookshop. Unfortunately the bookshop
had just been closed. We went around the place looking for any other shops that could be open but all were closed. I could see the disappointment writ large on his face. I turned around and we were back on the way to his house.



I felt a tinge of disappointment myself. Both of us did not speak for a
minute. Then, "How much is this year's fees for you?"



In a low tone, he said, "hundred and fifty rupees sir"
For a moment, it could not believe it. I did not know that all that it takes
for a child to study for a whole year is a hundred and fifty bucks. I spend
that money everytime I order a pizza. I tip waiters that much. The average
drink in a swank pub costs that much, if not more. Have I ever thought even once before splurging that money on the tip or a pizza or a drink?

How many of us know that the little amount of a hundred and fifty bucks can change a kid's life for a whole year, if not his whole life?



I was lost in my own thoughts. The kid wasnt speaking either. Maybe he was disappointed that he missed a good chance to get his book. We reached a spot close to his house and I decided to drop him there.



As he got down, he said "thanks sir" and started walking. I pulled out my
wallet, called him and gave him 500 bucks. He was hesitant when he saw the money but then smiled.



"Can I pay by school fees with this?" he said with a wide smile on his face.

I said yes and before he could say a word, drove away. I was smiling from

within. Somehow I felt, this money is going to play its part in making a

boy's life.



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Hope this makes sense to u guys too. Lets try and make a change in a child's life.. whatever we take for granted might be a question of survival for somebody.

[HH]

God ... PM

* God
One day a man was having a conversation with god when his whole life flashed before his eyes as a series of footsteps on the sands of time.
He saw that there were two pairs of footprints, but during the most
difficult periods of his life there were only one set of footprints. He
asked God[b] "You said you will be with me throughout this journey, but why have you deserted me during the most critical times of my life??"
to which god answered "Son, I did not desert you, I was always with you...you see only one set of footprints because during those difficult
times in your life, [b]I was carrying you."


** PM
Another day a Software Programmer was having a similar conversation with his Project Manager(PM) when his whole Project flashed before his eyes as a series of footsteps on the sands of time. He saw that there were two pairs of footprints, but during the most difficult times in the project there were only one set of footprints. He asked his PM "You said you will be with me throughout the project, but why have you deserted me during the most critical times of the project??" to which the PM answered "Son, I did not desert you, I was always with you...you see only one set of footprints because during those difficult times, I was sitting on your head!!"

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Visit:

http://www.punjabihits.com/forum/index. ... 3cfb0de048

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[enigma]

A creative engineer named John Roebling in 1883 was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. However bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea. It just could not be done. It was not practical. It had never been done before.

Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. He thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done. He just had to share the dream with someone else. After much discussion and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up and coming engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built.

Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome. With great excitement and inspiration, and the headiness of a wild challenge before them, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.

The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to walk or talk or even move.


"We told them so."
"Crazy men and their crazy dreams."
"It`s foolish to chase wild visions."

Everyone had a negative comment to make and felt that the project should be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built. In spite of his handicap Washington was never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever.

He tried to inspire and pass on his enthusiasm to some of his friends, but they were too daunted by the task. As he lay on his bed in his hospital room, with the sunlight streaming through the windows, a gentle breeze blew the flimsy white curtains apart and he was able to see the sky and the tops of the trees outside for just a moment.

It seemed that there was a message for him not to give up. Suddenly an idea hit him. All he could do was move one finger and he decided to make the best use of it. By moving this, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife.

He touched his wife's arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted her to call the engineers again. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was under way again.

For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife's arm, until the bridge was finally completed. Today the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its glory as a tribute to the triumph of one man's indomitable spirit and his determination not to be defeated by circumstances. It is also a tribute to the engineers and their team work, and to their faith in a man who was considered mad by half the world. It stands too as a tangible monument to the love and devotion of his wife who for 13 long years patiently decoded the messages of her husband and told the engineers what to do.

Perhaps this is one of the best examples of a never-say-die attitude that overcomes a terrible physical handicap and achieves an impossible goal.

Often when we face obstacles in our day-to-day life, our hurdles seem very small in comparison to what many others have to face. The Brooklyn Bridge shows us that dreams that seem impossible can be realised with determination and persistence, no matter what the odds are.

Even the most distant dream can be realized with determination and persistence.

[enigma]

The most selfish 1 letter "I"
Avoid It.

Most Satisfactory 2 letters "WE"
Use It.

Most Poisonous 3 letters "EGO"
Kill It.

Most used 4 letters "LOVE"
Value It.

Most Pleasing 5 letters "SMILE"
Keep It.

Fastest Spreading 6 letters "RUMOUR"
Ignore It.

Hard Working 7 letters "SUCCESS"
Achieve It.

Most Enviable 8 letters "JEALOUSY"
Distance It.

Most Essential 9 letters "PRINCIPLE"
Have It.

Most Divine 10 Letters "FRIENDSHIP"
Maintain It.

[enigma]

By the time god made mothers, He was into the sixth day working overtime. An Angel appeared and said "Why are you spending so much time on this one?"

And the Lord answered and said, "Have you read the spec sheet on her? She has to be completely washable, but not elastic; have 200 movable parts, all replaceable; run on black coffee and leftovers; have a lap that can hold three children at one time and that disappears when she stands up; have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart; and have six pairs of hands."

The Angel was astounded at the requirements for this one. "Six pairs of hands! No way!" said the Angel.

The Lord replied, "Oh, it's not the hands that are the problem. It's the three pairs of eyes that mothers must have!"

"And that's on the standard model?" the Angel asked.

The Lord nodded in agreement, "Yep, one pair of eyes are to see through the closed door as she asks her children what they are doing even though she already knows. Another pair in the back of her head are to see what she needs to know even though no one thinks she can. And the third pair are here in the front of her head. They are for looking at an errant child and saying that she understands and loves him or her without even saying a single word."

The Angel tried to stop the Lord "This is too much work for one day. Wait until tomorrow to finish."

"But I can't!" The Lord protested, "I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart. She already heals herself when she is sick AND can feed a family of six on a pound of hamburger and can get a nine year old to stand in the shower."

The Angel moved closer and touched the woman, "But you have made her so soft, Lord."

"She is soft," the Lord agreed, "but I have also made her tough. You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish."

"Will she be able to think?" asked the Angel.

The Lord replied, "Not only will she be able to think, she will be able to reason, and negotiate."

The Angel then noticed something and reached out and touched the woman's cheek. "Oops, it looks like You have a leak with this model. I told You that You were trying to put too much into this one."

"That's not a leak." the Lord objected. "That's a tear!"

"What's the tear for?" the Angel asked.

The Lord said, "The tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow, her disappointment, her pain, her loneliness, her grief, and her pride."

The Angel was impressed. "You are a genius, Lord. You thought of everything for this one. You even created the tear!"

The Lord looked at the Angel and smiled and said, "I'm afraid you are wrong again. I created the woman, but she created the tear!"

[HH]

Help /AIDS ... "Save The Mother" : Dr. Allen Rosenfield in Lagos, Nigeria

Helping Life Into the World, Then Trying to Save It
1 December 2004
Dr. Allen Rosenfield went to Harvard and earned a medical degree from Columbia in 1966. He took a $4,000-a-year job on the staff of a new medical school opening in Lagos, Nigeria. He was 33 and had just asked a woman named Clare to be his bride. "We got married and honeymooned in Africa," he said. Dr. Rosenfield and his wife, who also have a son, live in Westchester.

During his one-year stint at the medical school, he got a quick education in the problems of practicing medicine in Africa and learned lessons that would carry through to his work on AIDS.
...But it is AIDS that perhaps best draws together his varied experiences in dealing with women's health issues. When he was asked to speak at the international AIDS conference in Durban, South Africa, in 2000, organizers knew exactly what they wanted him to focus on.

While the subject of mother to child transmission of the disease was a hot topic, nobody seemed to be focused on the maternal part of the equation. That is where Dr. Rosenfield came in. "Should we not value saving women's lives as an equal priority to decreasing transmission in infants?" he wrote in an article in The American Journal of Public Health in 2001.
- The New York Times

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Visit: http://www.globalhealth.org/reports/report.php3?id=168

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[enigma]

(Written after she found out she was dying from cancer.)- by Erma Bombeck


I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained or the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner."

There would have been more "I love you's." More "I'm sorry's."

But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute, look at it and really see it , live it and never give it back.

[enigma]

Friendship Quotes : "A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked." -- Bernard Meltzer.



A friend is one who knows us, but loves us anyway. -- Fr. Jerome Cummings



Remember, the greatest gift is not found in a store nor under a tree, but in the hearts of true friends. -- Cindy Lew



Who finds a faithful friend, finds a treasure. -- Jewish Saying



"Your friend is the man who knows all about you, and still likes you."

-- Elbert Hubbard



"Who finds a faithful friend, finds a treasure."

-- Jewish saying



What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies. -- Aristotle

[enigma]

The man whispered, "God, speak to me." And a meadowlark sang.

But, the man did not hear.











Then the man yelled "God, speak to me." Thunder rolled across the sky.

But, the man did not listen





















The man looked around and said, "God, let me see you."

And the stars shined brightly.

But the man did not notice













And, the man shouted, "God, show me a miracle."

And, a life was born.

But the man did not know.











So, the man cried out in despair, "Touch me God, and let me know

you are here." Whereupon, God reached down and touched the man.

But, the man brushed the butterfly away and walked on.



















So remember, don't miss out on a blessing because it

isn't packaged the way that you expect.

Take notice of the blessings around you.