AT LEAST FOR NOW...

Never came across my mind to visit this country even for a shopping spree.
The thought of spending my time where I can’t seem to find any stray cats or dogs wondering around freely saddened me...
This country never appease me…
Having to fly there every one and a half month & stay there for at least a month is quite tiring sometimes...but what to do? My husband is stationed there.
Well...life is always unpredictable...especially at this old age...we try our very best not to depend on our children for as long as we can...for as long as we know how! We don’t want to be a burden to our children or vice versa
So...seem like this country is going to be my second home despite everything...at least for now...at least for awhile more...!

A REMINDER TO MYSELF...

There was a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She told her boyfriend, ‘If I could only see the world, I will marry you.’

One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend.

He asked her, ‘Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?’ The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind. The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn’t expected that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him.

Her boyfriend left in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying : Take good care of my eyes, dear. I’ll always love you.


The story above is quite a common one but the message below is the most important one!

This is how the human brain often works when our status changes. Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who was always by their side in the most painful situations. Life is a Gift.


Today before you say an unkind word –
Think of someone who can’t speak.


Before you complain about the taste of your food –
Think of someone who has nothing to eat.


Before you complain about your husband or wife –
Think of someone who’s crying out to GOD for a companion.


Today before you complain about life –
Think of someone who went too early to heaven.


Before whining about the distance you drive --
Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.


And when you are tired and complain about your job –
Think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those
who wish they had your job.


And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down –
Put a smile on your face and think: you’re alive and still around.



THANKS SIS...This is not just a reminder but also an inspiration to myself! Mahal kita Nini!

TODAY’S LESSON...

Little Johnny watched his daddy’s car pass by the school playground and go into the woods. Curious, he followed the car and saw Daddy and Aunt Jane in a passionate embrace.

Little Johnny found this so exciting that he could hardly contain himself as he ran home and started to tell his mother.
“Mummy, I was at the playground and I saw Daddy’s car go into the woods with Aunt Jane. I went back to look and he was giving Aunt Jane a big kiss, and then he helped her take off her shirt. Then Aunt Jane helped Daddy take his pants off, then Aunt Jane... “

At this point Mummy cut him off and said, “Johnny, this is such an interesting story, let’s save the rest of it for supper time. I want to see the look on Daddy’s face when you tell it tonight.”

At the dinner table that evening, Mummy asked little Johnny to tell his story. Johnny started his story, “I was at the playground and I saw Daddy’s car go into the woods with Aunt Jane. I went back to look and he was giving Aunt Jane a big kiss, then he helped her take off her shirt. Then Aunt Jane helped Daddy take his pants off, then Aunt Jane and Daddy started doing the same thing that Mummy and Uncle Bill used to do when Daddy was away on the oil rigs.”

Mummy fainted!

ARE YOU HAPPY?

On a certain occasion during an elegant welcoming reception for the new Director Of Marketing of an important London company, some of the wives of the other directors, who wanted to get acquainted with the new spouse, asked her with some hesitation;
Does your spouse make you happy, truly happy?
The husband, who at the moment was not at her side, but was sufficiently near to hear the question, paid attention to the conversation, sitting up slightly, feeling secure, even filling his chest lightly in pride, knowing that his spouse would answer affirmatively since she had always been there for him during their marriage.
Nevertheless, to both his and the others’ surprise, she replied simply
“No, no he doesn’t make me happy...
The room became uncomfortably silent as if everyone were listening to the spouse’s response.
The husband was petrified.
He couldn’t believe what his wife was saying, especially at such an important occasion for him.
To the amazement of her husband and of everyone, she simply placed enigmatically on her head an elegant black silk scarf and continued,
“No, he doesn’t make me happy...I AM HAPPY.”
The fact that I am happy or not, doesn’t depend on him, but on me.
I am the only person upon which my happiness depends.
I make the choice to be happy in each situation and in each moment of my life. If my happiness were to depend on other people, on other things or circumstances on the face of this earth, I would be in serious trouble!
“Everything that exists in this life changes continually; human, wealth, my body, the climate, pleasures, etc. I could enumerate an infinite list...
“Over my life I have learned a couple of things:
I decided to be happy and the rest is a matter of
“Experiences or Circumstances;”
Like helping and understanding,
accepting, listening, consoling; and with my spouse,
I have lived and practiced this many times...
Happiness will always be found in forgiveness and loving yourself and others...it’s not the responsibility of my spouse to make me happy.
He also has his “experiences or circumstances” I love him and he loves me, often in spite of his circumstances and of mine.
He changes, I change, the environment changes, everything changes;
Having forgiveness and true love, and observing these changes, that can be, big or little, but always happen, we must face them with the love that exists in each one of us.
If the two of us love and forgive each other, the changes will only be “experiences or circumstances” that enrich us and give us strength. Otherwise we would only be “Living Together.”
For some, divorce is the only solution; (…in reality it is the easiest…)
To truly love, is difficult, it is to forgive unconditionally, to live, to take the “experiences or circumstances” as they are, facing them together and being happy with conviction.
There are those who say:
“I cannot be happy because I am sick, because I have no money.
Because it's too cold, Because they insulted me,
Because someone stopped loving me,
Because someone didn't appreciate me!”
But what you don’t know is that you can be happy even though you are sick, Whether it is too hot, Whether you have money or not,
Whether someone has insulted you Or someone didn't love, or hasn't valued you.

BEING HAPPY
Is an attitude about life and each one of us must decide!
BEING HAPPY
Depends on you!

THE WISE OLD MAN...

A man of 92 years, short, very well-presented, who takes great care in his appearance, is moving into an old people’s home today.

His wife of 70 has recently died, and he is obliged to leave his home.

After waiting several hours in the retirement home lobby, he gently smiles as he is told that his room is ready.

As he slowly walks to the elevator, using his cane, I describe his small room to him, including the sheet hung at the window which serves as a curtain.

“I like it very much”, he says, with the enthusiasm of an 8 year old boy who has just been given a new puppy.

“Sir, you haven’t even seen the room yet, hang on a moment, we are almost there.”

“That has nothing to do with it”, he replies.

“Happiness is something I choose in advance. Whether or not I like the room does not depend on the furniture, or the decor – rather it depends on how I decide to see it.”

“It is already decided in my mind that I like my room. It is a decision I take every morning when I wake up.”

“I can choose. I can spend my day in bed enumerating all the difficulties that I have with the parts of my body that no longer work very well or I can get up and give thanks to heaven for those parts that are still in working order.”

“Every day is a gift, and as long as I can open my eyes, I will focus on the new day, and all the happy memories that I have built up during my life.”

“Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw in later life what you have deposited along the way.”

So, my advice to you is to deposit all the happiness you can in your bank account of memories.

Thank you for your part in filling my account with happy memories, which I am still continuing to fill...

Remember these simple guidelines for happiness.
1. Free your heart from hate.
2. Free your mind from worry.
3. Live simple.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

IN MEMORY OF MY FATHER-IN-LAW WHO RECENTLY PASSED AWAY ON AUGUST 4th. 2010...GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN!

إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ

“ To Allah we belong, and to Him is our return” (Al-Baqarah - 2:156)

WHAT LOVE MEANS...

What Love means to a 4-8 year old .

Slow down for three minutes to read this. It is so worth it.

Touching words from the mouth of babes..

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds,

'What does love mean?'

The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined

See what you think:

'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.'

Rebecca - age 8

'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.'

Billy - age 4

'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.'

Karl - age 5

'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.'

Chrissy - age 6

'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.'

Terri - age 4

'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.'

Danny - age 7

'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that.
They look gross when they kiss'

Emily - age 8

'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents
and listen.'

Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,'

Nikka - age 6
(we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)

'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.'

Noelle - age 7

'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.'

Tommy - age 6

'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling...

He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.'

Cindy - age 8

'My mommy loves me more than anybody
You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.'

Clare - age 6

'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.'

Elaine-age 5

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.'

Chris - age 7

'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.'

Mary Ann - age 4

'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.'

Lauren - age 4

'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.' (What an image)

Karen - age 7

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.'

Mark - age 6

'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.'

Jessica - age 8

And the final one

The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.

Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.

When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,

'Nothing, I just helped him cry'