Rainy, gloomy, wet and gray. That's how the day has been.
Along came the news. A relative had passed. Only 51 years old. Reason unknown. Could be dengue, could be a virus.
Then comes the calls from my children. Take care of yourself. You are too faraway! What if something happens to you?
What if?
After having witnessed some tragedies in the past, what I've accepted is, death is inevitable. If it's meant to happen it will.
While some ignore everything and behave like they're untouchables i believe everything is destined.
It's not about when and how death comes. It's about how it is till death comes.
Often we fail to execute what we actually want. We are trapped in commitments, community expectations and our own lackings.
I happen to read this.
**REMAIN HUMBLE AND GRATEFUL*
A rich man looked through his window and saw a man picking something from his dustbin. He said, Thank God I'm not poor.
The poor man looked around and saw a naked man misbehaving on the street. He said, Thank God I'm not mad.
The mad man looked ahead and saw an ambulance carrying a patient. He said, Thank God am not sick.
Then a sick person in hospital saw a trolley taking a dead body to the mortuary. He said, Thank God I'm not dead.
Only a dead person cannot thank God. Why don't you thank God today for giving you the opportunity to live another day?
Would you share with someone else, and let them know that God loves them too?
*LIFE:*
To understand it better, you have to go to 3 locations:
1. Hospital,
2. Prison &
3. Cemetery.
*At the Hospital*, you will understand that nothing is more beautiful than HEALTH.
*In the Prison*, you'll see that FREEDOM is the most precious thing.
*At the Cemetery*, you will realize that life is worth nothing. The ground that we walk today will be our roof tomorrow.
*Let us, therefore, remain humble and be grateful for everything.*
Along the way, do not forget compassion. Do not become overly selfish. Living off others will produce diseases. Stepping on others to improve in life is a sin.
Another well read article will be this,
*Must read
Brought tears to my eyes.. 🌟
If only we all were as pure n kind hearted.. 🌟 👼
At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves children with learning disabilities, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question:
'When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does, is done with perfection.
Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do.
Where is the natural order of things in my son?'
The audience was stilled by the query.
The father continued. 'I believe that when a child like Shay, who was mentally and physically disabled comes into the world, an opportunity to realise true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.'
Then he told the following story:
Shay and I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?'
I knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as a father I also understood that if my son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.
I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning.'
Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my joy at my son being accepted.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs, but was still behind by three.
In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as I waved to him from the stands.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again.
Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.
At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?
Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.
However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognising that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact.
The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed.
The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay.
As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.
The game would now be over.
The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman.
Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.
Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates.
Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, 'Shay, run to first! Run to first!'
Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base.
He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.
Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!'
Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base.
By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball. The smallest guy on their team now had his first chance to be the hero for his team.
He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head.
Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.
All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay'.
Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, 'Run to third! Shay, run to third!'
As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! Run home!'
Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team.
'That day', said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world'.
Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy, and coming home and seeing his mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!
AND NOW A LITTLE FOOT NOTE TO THIS STORY:
We all send thousands of jokes through the e-mail without a second thought, but when it comes to sending messages about life choices, people hesitate.
The crude, vulgar, and often obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion about decency is too often suppressed in our schools and workplaces.
If you are thinking about forwarding this message, chances are that you are probably sorting out the people in your address book who aren't the 'appropriate' ones to receive this type of message. Well, the person who sent you this believes that we all can make a difference.
We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to help realise the 'natural order of things.'
So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice.
Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity or do we pass up those opportunities and leave the world a little bit colder in the process?
And this,
*_*A man was asked to paint a boat.*_
*He brought with him paint and brushes and began to paint the boat a bright red, as the owner asked him*.
While painting, he realized there was a hole in the hull and decided to repair it.
*When finished painting, he received his money and left.*
The next day, the owner of the boat came to the painter and presented him with a nice check, much higher than the payment for painting.
The painter was surprised:
- You've already paid me for painting the boat!
- he said.
- But this is not for the paint job.
It's for having repaired the hole in the boat.
- *Ah! But it was such a small service ... certainly it's not worth paying me such a high amount for something so insignificant!*
- My dear friend, you do not understand. Let me tell you what happened.
*When I asked you to paint the boat, I forgot to mention about the hole.*
When the boat dried, my kids took the boat and went on a fishing trip.
*They did not know that there was a hole.*
I was not at home at that time.
When I returned and noticed they had taken the boat, I was desperate because I remembered that the boat had a hole.
Imagine my relief and joy when I saw them returning from fishing.
*Then, I examined the boat and found that you had repaired the hole! You see, now, what you did?* You saved the life of my children! I do not have enough money to pay your "small" good deed.
*So, no matter who, when or how. Just continue to help, sustain, wipe tears, listen attentively and carefully repair all the "leaks"* you find, because you never know when one is in need of us or when God holds a pleasant surprise for us to be helpful and important to someone.
You may have repaired numerous "boat holes" along the way, of several people without realizing how many lives you've saved. Carry on repairing.
**********
I have been unfortunate to meet people who hurt me in the past. But for every devil around God created two saints to save me. Those saints picked me up, gave me care and love. Made me stronger than before.
God gave me a big heart and i remember never to hate those who pained me. Though it hurt lots and more but i remember to cherish the others who were my saviours.
I have learned to live my life well. To its best. Every person i pass, I make sure benefits from me in someway.
Those whom i passed and made my life better? Keep a raincheck, I'd be back to fulfill my vow.
