"We do not receive wisdom,
we must discover it for ourselves,
after a journey through the wilderness
which no one else can make for us,
which no one can spare us,
for our wisdom is the point of view
from which we come at last to regard the world."

"It is raining still... Maybe it is not one of those showers that is here one minute and gone the next, as I had so boldly assumed. Maybe none of them are. After all, life in itself is a chain of rainy days. But there are times when not all of us have umbrellas to walk under. Those are the times when we need people who are willing to lend their umbrellas to a wet stranger on a rainy day. I think I"ll go for a walk with my umbrella."

— Sun-Young Park

~anon

"Kindness is more than deeds. It is an attitude, an expression, a look, a touch. It is anything that lifts another person."

— C. Neil Strait

"Kindness is never wasted. If it has no effect on the recipient, at least it benefits the bestower."

— S. H. Simmons"

"The Train of Life"

Some folks ride the train of life looking out the rear,
Watching miles of life roll by and marking every year.

They sit in sad remembrance of wasted days gone by,
And curse their life for what it was and hang their head and cry.

But I don't concern myself with that, I took a different vent,
I look forward to what life holds and not what has been spent.

So strap me to the engine, as securely as I can be,
I want to be out on the front, to see what I can see.

I want to feel the winds of change, blowing in my face,
I want to see what life unfolds, as I move from place to place.

I want to see what's coming up, not looking at the past,
Life's too short for yesterdays, it moves along too fast.

So if the ride gets bumpy, while you are looking back,
Go up front, and you may find, your life has jumped the track.

It's all right to remember, that's part of history,
But up front's where it's happening, there's so much mystery.

The enjoyment of living is not where we have been,
It's looking ever forward to another year and ten.

It's searching all the byways, never should you refrain,
For if you want to live your life, you gotta drive the train.


~By Marv Hardin
(Contributed by Ron who lives in Bend, Oregon)

ESPECIALLY FOR HURRICANE VICTIMS. The quote below is especially for those who have suffered loss--physically, psychically, emotionally, financially, etc,--in Hurricane Dean. I wish you God's blessing in your recovery.

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"The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen."

Elizabeth Kubler Ross, 1926-2004
Swiss-born Author and Psychiatrist

The majority of us lead quiet, unheralded lives as we pass through this world. There will most likely be no ticker-tape parades for us, no monuments created in our honor. But that does not lessen our possible impact, for there are scores of people waiting for someone just like us to come along; people who will appreciate our compassion, our unique talents. Someone who will live a happier life merely because we took the time to share what we had to give. Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have a potential to turn a life around. It"s overwhelming to consider the continuous opportunities there are to make our love felt."

— Leo Buscaglia

"One kind word can warm three winter months.— Japanese Proverb"

No one ever walks alone.

In the Midwest of the USA, thousands have lost their homes to flooding, and in Mpls., MN we lost our main bridge and loss to many families. We also have lost lives from our flooding. Peru has had an earthquake, and there is much more devastation around the world. Twenty miles from our home, a house was blown apart from straight line winds.

What is important here is that all communities pull together to give a helping hand in any way they can.

God Bless Us All!