John and Thelma Williams

Hugs

No moving parts, no batteries.
No monthly payments and no fees;
Inflation proof, non-taxable,
In fact, it's quite relaxable;
It can't be stolen, won't pollute,
One size fits all, do not dilute.
It uses little energy,
But yields results enormously.
Relieves your tension and your stress,
Invigorate your happiness;
Combats depression, makes you beam,
And elevates your self esteem!
Your circulation it corrects
Without unpleasant side effects
It is, I think, the perfect drug:
May I prescribe, my friend,... the hug!
and, of course, fully returnable!
My Friend: Hope your day is good for you.

Anyway

"People are unreasonable,illogical, and self-centered,
love them anyway!
If you do good, people will accuse you of being selfish
and having ulterior motives,
do it anyway!
If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies,
succeed anyway!
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow,
do good anyway!
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable,
be honest and frank anyway!
The biggest man with the biggest ideas can be shot down
by the smallest men with the smallest minds,
think big anyway!
People favour underdogs, but follow top dogs,
fight for the underdog anyway!
People really need your help, but may attack you for helping them,
help them anyway! " 'Karma'

Ode to my Heroes

The nurse came to his side,
Are you all right, feeling well today,
Yes he replied,
Just a little melancholy and far away,
Thinking back in time to a better day.

Thinking about my hero, a real true blue,
A pilot, a bloke and a businessman too,
A computer nut, a pal, a friend,
To tell you it all now, well, it would never end,
Suffice it to say,
He was my role model and hero anyway.

The nurse straightened the bed and patted his brow,
Come on old man tell me the story now,
Tell me about your hero true blue.

She was kind and loving just like you,
She could paint, cook and sew,
Run a business and do a crossword or two,
But to tell it all would take all day,
Suffice to say,
She was my role model and hero anyway.

Please tell it all said the nurse,
With her hands on her hips,
I want to know more,
And she pouted her lips.

I would if I could but I don't have time,
It would take another life to describe them so fine,
Suffice it to say,
They were my role models and heros anyway.

The nurse pulled over a chair,
Sat leaning forward,
And gave him an inquiring stare,
No, no, old man, that just wont do.

Very well then he said,
I'll give you a clue,
Look at all my trophies and photos too,
Of fame, fortune and a life so glad.

The nurse agreed, it wasn't half bad,
I'd give this all up,
He said with a tearful eye,
I'd give it all back.

And thats no lie,
I'd give all I've got, yes the lot,
All I had,
If I could have one more year
With my Mum and Dad!. 'Craig Williams'

Don't Quit

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don't quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out,
Don't give up though the pace seems slow,
You may succeed with another blow.

Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit. 'Author Unknown'

The Present

"Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some
five balls in the air. You name them - work, family, health,
friends and spirit and you're keeping all of these in the air.

You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball.
If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls;
family, health, friends and spirit are made of glass.
If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed,
marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered.
They will never be the same. You must understand that and
strive for balance in your life." How?

Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others.
It is because we are different that each of us is special.
Don't set your goals by what other people deem important.
Only you know what is best for you.

Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart.
Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless.
Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past
or for the future.

By living your life one day at a time, you live ALL the days of your life.
Don't give up when you still have something to give.

Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.
Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect.
It is this fragile thread that binds us to each other.

Don't be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances
that we learn how to be brave.

Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible to find.
The quickest way to receive love is to give;
the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly;
and the best way to keep love is to give it wings.

Don't run through life so fast that you forget not only where you've
been, but also where you are going.

Don't forget that a person's greatest emotional need is to feel
appreciated.

Don't be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you
can always carry easily.

Don't use time or words carelessly. Neither can be
retrieved. Life is not a race, but a journey to be savoured each
step of the way.
Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery and
Today is a gift. That's why we call it The Present." 'Author Unknown'

A Special Little Lady

Mum, when will I walk like the other kids?
When will I be able to run?
When can I do what all kids do?
When can I have as much fun?

Will my legs work when I'm a big girl?
Will I be able to dance?
Will I be better when I'm grown up?
Do you think there's a chance?

How does a mother answer a child
Without promise, prediction or lie?
How can she keep the tears out of site
and stifle the urge to cry?

She's seven, she's sweet - an angle in sleep,
She looks like those princesses fabled.
She wants all that life can offer and yet,
It's so little because she's disabled!

For it's love she'll need more than all else
To live a life that is whole,
From love she will learn to understand
Not her body that counts, but her soul. 'A Mother'

A Story.

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 world outside. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake.
Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats.
Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst 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. Days and weeks passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring
water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the
window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called
the hospital attendants to take the body away. 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 at the world outside. Finally, he would
have the joy of seeing it for himself. He strained to slowly turn to look
out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall.

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate
who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse
responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She
said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."

Epilogue. . . .There is tremendous happiness in making others happy,
despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness
when shared, is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all of the
things you have that money can't buy. "Today is a gift, that's why it is
called the present." 'Author Unknown'

When You Thought I Wasn't Looking

A message every parent should read, because your children are
watching you and doing as you do, not as you say...

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang my first painting
on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you feed a stray cat, and
I learned that it was good to be kind.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my favorite cake
for me and I learned that little things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I heard you say a prayer, and I
knew there is a God I could always talk to, and I learned to trust in God.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make a meal and take it
to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help
take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of your time and
money to help people who had nothing, and I learned that those who
have something should give to those who don't.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I felt you kiss me good night
and I felt loved and safe.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you take care of our
house and everyone in it, and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw how you handled your
responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good, and I learned
that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come from your eyes,
and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared, and I
wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I learned most of life's
lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked at you and wanted to say,
Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.

Each of us, parent or friend, influences the life of a child. 'Author Unknown'

The tragedy of life is not death, but what we Let die inside us while we live.
Decide to be happy.
Render others happy.
Proclaim your joy.
Love passionately your miraculous life.
Do not wait for a better world.
Be grateful for every moment of life.
Switch on and keep on the positive buttons,
Marked Optimism, Serenity, Confidence,
Positive thinking, Love.
Pray and thank God every day.
Meditate.
Smile.
Laugh.
Whistle.
Dance.
Sing.
Look with fascination at everything. Fill your
Heart and lungs with liberty. Be yourself
Fully and immensely.
Act like a king or a queen unto death
Feel God in your body, mind, heart and soul
And be convinced of eternal life and resurrection.

Anon