Someday And One Day

A friend of mine opened his wife's wardrobe and picked up a silk paper wrapped package.

“This,” he said, “isn't any ordinary package.”

He unwrapped the box and stared at both the silk paper and the box and silk satin night dresses inside.

“She got this the first time we went to New York, 8 or 9 years ago. She has never put it on, was saving it for a special occasion.”

“Well, I guess this is it.”

He got near the bed and placed the gift box next to the other clothing he was taking to the funeral house, his wife had just died.

He turned to me and said, “Never save something for a special occasion. Every day in your life is a special occasion.”

I still think those words changed my life.

Now I read more and clean less.

I sit on the porch without worrying about anything.

I spend more time with my family, and less at work.

I understood that life should be a source of experience to be lived up to, not survived through.

I no longer keep anything.

I use crystal glasses every day.

I'll wear new clothes to go to the supermarket, if I feel like it.

I don't save my special perfume for special occasions, I use it whenever I want to.

The words 'Someday' and ' One Day' are fading away from my dictionary. If it's worth seeing, listening or doing, I want to see, listen or do it now.

I don't know what my friend's wife would have done if she knew she wouldn't be there the next morning, this nobody can tell.

I think she might have called her relatives and closest friends.

She might call old friends to make peace over past quarrels.

I'd like to think she would go out for Chinese, her favorite food.

It's these small things that I would regret not doing, if I knew my time had come.

Each day, each hour, each minute, is special.

Live for today, for tomorrow is promised to no-one.

How long Do You Worry About Your Children

Is there an imaginary cut off period when offspring become accountable for their own actions? Is there some wonderful moment when parents can become detached spectators in the lives of their children and shrug, "It's their life", and feel nothing?

When I was in my twenties, I stood in a hospital corridor waiting for doctors to put a few stitches in my son's head and I asked, "When do you stop worrying?"
 

The nurse said, "When they get out of the accident stage." 

My parents just smiled faintly and said nothing.

When I was in my thirties, I sat on a little chair in a classroom and heard how one of my children talked incessantly, disrupted the class, and was headed for a career making license plates. As if to read my mind, a teacher said, "Don't worry, they all go through this stage and then you can sit back, relax and enjoy them."
 

My parents just smiled faintly and said nothing.

When I was in my forties, I spent a lifetime waiting for the phone to ring, the cars to come home, the front door to open. A friend said, "They're trying to find themselves. Don't worry! In a few years, they'll be adults. They'll be off on their own. They'll be out of your hair."

My parents just smiled faintly and said nothing.

By the time I was 50, I was sick and tired of being vulnerable. I was still worrying over my children, but there was a new wrinkle. Even though they were on their own I continued to anguish over their failures, be tormented by their frustrations and absorbed in their disappointments. And there was nothing I could do about it. 

My parents just smiled faintly and said nothing.

My friends said that when my kids got married I could stop worrying and lead my own life. I wanted to believe that, but I was haunted by my parent's warm smiles And their occasional, "You look pale. Are you all right?", "Call me the minute you get home", and "Are you depressed about something?"

My friends said that when I became a grandparent that I would get to enjoy the happy little voices yelling Grandma! Papa! but now I find that I worry just as much about the little kids as the big ones. How can anyone cope with all this worry?

Can it be that parents are sentenced to a lifetime of worry? Is concern for one another handed down like a torch to blaze the trail of human frailties and the fears of the unknown? Is concern a curse or is it a virtue that elevates us to the highest form of earthly creation?

Recently, one of my own children became quite irritable, saying to me, "Where were you? I've been calling for 3 days, and no one answered I was worried."
 

I smiled a warm smile.
 

The torch has been passed.

Seven Habits of Highly Happy People

I hope that when you and I are 79 we will be able to look back at our life and smile, because we have used our time on this Earth wisely. And, because we have lived a happy life. Not ambitious. Not influential. Just happy… It will be more than enough.

Happy People Savour a Joy of Simple Pleasures. Happiness does not come in shiny black cars, Rolex watches or the most exotic homes. It comes in small bursts of joy when we learn to savor the simple pleasures life offers us. You know, those times when you lifted your head to see the birds flying in the light blue sky and life felt so good? Or when you heard your favourite song on the radio and could not stop yourself from singing alone? Or when you cut yourself a slice of freshly baked apple pie and it tasted just like the one you had when you were little?

We all have these “happy” moments once in a while. But just think of how much more satisfying and happier your life would be if you took time to discover, recognize and savour the simple pleasures and blessings that surround you each day.

Happy People Have Complaint-free Days. If your attention is focused on learning, recognizing everyday blessings and finding something positive in every person that you meet, you really don’t have time to notice negativity or dwell on problems. It is actually that simple.

Do a little experiment and try to go the whole day without complaining about anything or anyone. Because if you are not going to do something about the situation, then why would you bring it up?

Happy People Expect No Gratitude or Appreciation. I know one lady, who volunteers for a retirement home. Twice a week she takes older people in a wheel chair for an hour long walk. She once told me that she enjoys doing it so much that she almost feels guilty about it.

If there is a wise way of being egoistic – this must be it.

When you help – help because it makes YOU feel good, not because you expect to benefit from it in some way or because you hope to receive gratitude and appreciation.

Happy People Smile. I know this may sound simple, but it really works. And if you are one of those people, who always have a ready smile you will know what I am talking about. Smiling is one of the simplest gestures that create a deeper connection between people, giving them a reason to pass on the smile.

A sincere, heart-felt smile can instantly make you happier and, more importantly, it can brighten someone else’s day too.

Happy People Believe in Something Bigger Than Themselves. You may call it God, the Universe, a higher or an invisible energy that connects humanity. But every happy person that I have met in my life believed in something greater than themselves. Maybe it is because having this helps us to let go of the illusion of being in control. Maybe because it makes us realize that we might not always know what is best for us. And maybe it gives us a feeling of being connected with other human beings.

But I know that without faith my life would be a whole lot more confusing and purposeless.

Happy People Accept Imperfection. None of the happy people I know are perfect. They all seem to know that.

Some of them are very health-conscious and some do not exercise or eat healthy on the daily basis. Some of them are organized and some of them embrace the art of clutter. Some take great care in always looking elegant, while other could not care less about their clothes or hair style.

And while all happy people I know are constantly working on improving something, they accept the weaknesses of others and their own shortcomings. I believe this is one of the reasons why it is always so easy and enjoyable to be around them. You can be yourself and feel great about it.

Happy People Inspire and Empower Others. You can not inspire or motivate another person if you lack inner enthusiasm and positivity. On the other hand, as you empower and encourage others you will find yourself happier and more energetic. It is a circle – the more you give and strive to help others improve their life, the more your own life improves.

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance.

Reasons Not To Mess With Children

A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales.

The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small. 

The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale. 

Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible. 

The little girl said, 'When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah.' 

The teacher asked, 'What if Jonah went to hell?' 

The little girl replied, 'Then you ask him.'

*****

A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's work. 

As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was. 

The girl replied, 'I'm drawing God.' 

The teacher paused and said, 'But no one knows what God looks like.' 

Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, 'They will in a minute.'

*****

A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year olds. 

After explaining the commandment to 'honour' thy Father and thy Mother, she asked, 'Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?' 

Without missing a beat one little boy, the oldest of a family, answered, 'Thou shall not kill.'

*****

The children had all been photographed, and the teacher was trying to persuade them each to buy a copy of the group picture. 

'Just think how nice it will be to look at it when you are all grown up and say, 'There's Jennifer, she's a lawyer,' or 'That's Michael, he's a doctor.'

A small voice at the back of the room rang out, 'And there's the teacher, she's dead.

*****

A teacher was giving a lesson on the circulation of the blood. Trying to make the matter clearer, she said, 'Now, class, if I stood on my head, the blood, as you know, would run into it, and I would turn red in the face.'

'Yes,' the class said. 

'Then why is it that while I am standing upright in the ordinary position the blood doesn't run into my feet?' A little fellow shouted, 'Cause your feet ain't empty.'

*****

The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray: 'Take only ONE. God is watching.' 

Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies. 

A child had written a note, 'Take all you want. God is watching the apples.'