This morning I received a text message from a friend and it reminded me of how privileged we are to receive Blessings every day.
The message......
"What a special day..... 09/09/09 and we will only experience this once in our lifetime BUT.... God blesses us 90x90x90 times."
This statement is very true , but I want to add something to it....... What a pity that we so easily forget our blessings.
I know that every year has it's special days like 06/06/06 or 07/07/07, but to me 09/09/09 seems an extra special day - don't ask me why!!
When I think of blessings from God, I don't only think of my own blessings. He blesses every living thing in the universe. Just look around you - besides us humans, we have animals that are blessed with the knowledge of what to do to survive. They know how to bring their young into this world and how to feed them and keep them safe. They have the instinct that God gave them to know what is best for them and their young. Many plants have a special built in instinct for survival. In drought stricken regions, such as a deserts, some seeds will lie dormant for years until there is a good down pour, which will let them spring into life. It is a miracle to see arid regions suddenly burst into life with the most amazing plants blooming like there never was a day without them.
God creates new life every minute of the day and what a blessing!! The blessing of survival of all living things. The cycle of life.
Count your Blessings!!!
I love this poem written by Sandra Lewis Pringle.......
The Morning Glory
I awaken to the glory of the morn', sunshine streaking, birds cheerfully cheeping, another day is born.
The Morning Glory inaudibly climbs, and shares its shy beauty, so rare. And, we know that behind its mystery, Our Creative God is there.
He blesses us with sunshine, He blesses us with rain, because it's only through the showers, that do we not, remain the same.
So, as this new day awakens, and I'm cradled securely in Your arms, May Your love forever keep me safe, and sheltered from all storms.
Time to reflect on the past... in order to prepare for the future. Time to reflect on the past... in order to forgive and forget Time to reflect on the past... in order to remember the good times and the bad It is time..... to separate the good from the bad and take lessons from the past to plan for the future.
It is time ......... to let go of all frustrations and sadness and embrace happiness. Create your own happiness - never depend on others for your own well being - never blame others for your failures and sorrows. Only YOU can decide which way you want to go and what you want to do with your opportunities even though it is often difficult to recognize them as such.
It is time ....... to grab all opportunities with both hands and use them to your best advantage. Every experience you have is an opportunity - even the less pleasant and downright horrible ones. It is up to you to turn the bad ones into something positive.
Life is like standing just inside the entrance to a tunnel...... If you turn around you see the road. This is like your past stretching behind you never to be seen again. Looking ahead you see a spot of light at the end of the tunnel. This could be your future stretching out in front of you - Dark and unknown - Only you can control what is at the end of the tunnel. You have to make your own destiny and live with it. Make your own decisions.
It is time ....... to plan ahead, then the tunnel will not be quite so dark. We are all in the dark when it comes to the future, but at least if you plan for that very dark future, it could mean a lighter road ahead. If those plans don't always work out exactly the way you want, then accept that it was not meant to be...... accept it and make the best of it.
If you accept the trials and tribulations life throws our way, life can always be good. Accept them as a test of your strength. You will never be given a burden that is too heavy for you to bear - it will only make you stronger. It is time..... to see clearly......
Where does life's Road take us - we don't know - but could we have the faith of a child and run along believing that the road will take us to where our destiny lies.....
Coincidence or Destiny?
Communicating with people is one thing I derive a lot of pleasure from. I also pride myself on having quite a good memory - possibly because I take a real interest when I chat with others.
I also believe that everything that happens in life, happens for a reason, and here is an unbelievable but true story - something that happened to me.
I live in South Africa and my last name is Weimann..... A while back I received a message on Face Book from someone with the same last name, inquiring about our family background with the idea of possibly finding a connection. Although this gentleman used to live in South Africa, he had emigrated to the USA some years ago. It turned out that we did not seem to be related, and that was the end of that - or so I thought!!
About 30 days ago I received a message from a lady - also on Face Book - inquiring whether I knew someone, once again with the same last name as mine. She told me that she had applied for a passport for her daughter, and upon receipt of the passport, realized that it was not her daughter's, but the canceled passport of a little girl - the name she mentioned with the last name Weimann. She said that she would like to return the passport to the girl's parents as that is what she would have wished for herself had it been her daughter.
I immediately replied telling her that I live in South Africa and that the passport obviously belonged to someone in the USA. Her response to me was that she saw that I am from South Africa and the reason that she contacted me was that there were some entries in the passport to and from South Africa, so she thought that I may know the family. Then I remembered the gentleman who had contacted me before, and looked at his profile, and to my surprise, he actually lives in the same city as the lady who had the passport. I sent his details to her, and in turn she contacted him.
I think you know by now where I am going with this..... This man was the girl's father!! They arranged to meet so that the canceled passport could go to its rightful place!
Was it coincidence or destiny that brought the three of us together. I live thousands of miles away from two people who live in the same country, in the same city, and yet I was the instrument which was used to connected the two with each other.... three strangers who met by chance....coincidence, or destiny??
I have many dark days when I imagine that the sun will never shine for me again. I think we all have those days when nothing goes our way. Everything we want to pick up and hold, either falls and breaks, or we knock it over before we even pick it up..... like the last bit of milk - just enough for the desperately needed cup of tea!! We encounter stumbling blocks wherever we go and run into obstacles around every corner.
Many a day I feel like simply crawling back into bed and pulling the covers over my head. On days like these we only need to look that little bit harder to find the beautiful sunshine that breaks through life's clouds. All we have to do is remember that behind all our dark clouds, the sun still shines and that when it finds a chink in the cloud's armor, it will shine through like a spotlight from heaven. Instead of burying our heads in the sand, rather look up to heaven and find that beautiful brightness in the dark cloud. If you look really hard, you will always find it. Be thankful in the knowledge that we can always depend on that - we may not always see our blessings, but they are always there - looking for the chink in our protective armor.
We are so fond of putting up a fence around us, keeping "things" out. Some fences are primitive and hand-made.....others are well planned and expensive.
We think that the fences are there to keep us safe - to keep bad elements out, but at the same time we are really building a fence around ourselves, keeping us in!! Unless we have a gate built into the fence, we are really building prisons for ourselves. Just like the opening in the clouds that let the sun shine through, we need openings in our fences to let ourselves through. We need the opportunity to let our light shine through. Counting our blessings can inspire us to share them with others and unless we can go through the gate in our fence, it becomes impossible to share and that would be such a pity. We should seize any opportunity of being a shining light in someones life - someone who still has to find Heaven's Spotlights. Instead of hiding behind our fences, let us help them find the light. Here are some quotes I would like to share with you:
“ God is the Sun and when His rays fall upon your heart, not impeded by the clouds of egoism, the lotus blooms and the petals unfold.”........Sri Sathya Sai Baba quotes
“In the hour of adversity be not without hope For crystal rain falls from black clouds” ....Persian Proverb
“It is the mind that makes the body rich; and as the sun breaks through the darkest clouds, so honor peereth in the meanest habit.”...........William Shakespeare
When I look at the beauty that surrounds me, I forget about the hard times.
The beauty of a delicate flower brings the realization of how powerful the Creator is - how these beautiful creations can never be reproduced by man. We can manipulate nature and create new things from others, but it will never be original, but a mere mixture of different kinds of the original beauty.
Each animal, no matter how small or large, is unique and perfect in its creation. They may be called dumb animals, but their intelegence is far higher than that of us humans in certain respects.They are self supportive almost from the time they start breathing, and we, as humans, take years before we can even walk and talk. Very few animals hold a grudge, no matter what wrongs have been done against them, while the humans are all too quick to start a war. I take my inspiration from these so called "dumb" animals and try to let bygones be bygones. It is not always easy, but who am I to judge the next person and think badly of them. How can I expect perfection from them - I am not perfect - who is?
The sun that rises every day and the moon at night... The seasons that come and go like clockwork and the tides of the sea....All this reminds me that everything is controlled by a higher hand, and that we can depend on that same higher hand to look after us and keep us safe.
We can all learn from nature. Have you ever looked at the delicate perfection of a spider's web. The spider with no tools other than its mouth and feet creates a perfect web. Look at the ants and the bees. Each of these have teams they work in. Each one has it's own place in the team and does that part for which they were created without complaints - and they never go on strike. They work 24/7 until the day they die. I would love to be like that, but unfortunately I am a human, and I have plenty of flaws. When I look at them I realize that I have nothing to complain about.
After flowers, I think birds are the next amazingly beautiful creatures. Some have such vibrant colours and have beautiful song to go with their outer beauty. They are so determined to succeed in whatever they do. How often do they start building a nest just to have it destroyed, either by nature or at the hand of man, but they will start it all over again until they succeed. Then they often have to see their eggs, or babies, eaten or killed. They will start again if time permits. They will know if the season will hold long enough for them to start again. They have no calendars or watches, but they know these things. They know when it is time to migrate to warmer countries before winter sets in, and they fly for weeks and maybe even months to get to their destination...the same one every year. They don't consult road maps or compasses - they just know. I would give anything to be so determined, and not give up when things don't go as I would like them to.
Some days when I think that there is no more hope for my life to improve, I will look at nature and realize that there isn't really anything to improve. As long as I am alive and breathing, everything else is bound to follow.
I am an online Marketer, and as such, I have had many disappointments and bad experiences, but I have always found something good in whatever happened. Even if it just the experience and knowledge of what to avoid in the future. I try and get the same inspiration in my daily life as I see in nature, but it is not always easy. Not impossible, but certainly not easy.
Here are some quotes that I find very true and inspiring:
If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things of nature have a message that you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive ... - Eleonora Duse
Keep your sense of proportion by regularly, preferably daily, visiting the natural world........................................... by Catlin Matthews
The rainbows of life follow the storm........................ by Horace Friess
The morning of life is like the dawn of a day, full of purity, visions, and harmony.............................................................. by Chateubriand
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished..by Lao Tzu
And this final one I like best:
The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God.
Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.............................................by Anne Frank This is my exact belief also...
I also believe...........smile and the whole world smiles with you ..............Cry, and you cry alone.
There is so much to be thankful for, there should be no time to complain and be sad.
Next time you feel like the whole world hates you, go out and help someone, and you will know the joy of giving. While you are giving, you will have no time to want to grab, but you will receive the joy and happiness that comes with sharing.
I am grateful to be alive.....
I am grateful for all my blessings....
I am grateful for everything around me....
It is Spring and I love the new life it brings....I know I sound crazy but I live in South Africa which is in the Southern Hemisphere, so our seasons are opposite to those in the Northern Hemisphere.
I love the beauty of the fresh young leaves that appear in Spring.... The blossoms on what seems like dead plants and trees. Soon the blossoms will turn to lovely fruit, to be enjoyed by all - humans, birds and animals alike. The abundance of nature is unbelievable. From nothing, or what seems like nothing, there are the most amazing flowers and fruit.
All the animals reproduce and their young are as welcome as the fruit on the trees and the fresh young shoots of grass that feed many of the animals.
The sound of tiny newly hatched birds calling for food - forever hungry - and the parents always tirelessly carrying food to them. They need this continuous flow of food to ensure their rapid growth so that they can find their wings and learn to fly before the next winter sets in. They have to be independent from their parents by then.
The new lambs and calves frolicking in the meadows are so energetic it inspires me to want to do so much more!!
Everywhere you look there are young ones - the wonders of nature.
Look and listen.....
it is a wonderful sight to see and beautiful music to my ears.
The phone rings...."Hello, is that Mrs. Brown - This is the headmaster of your daughter's School".
There is a pause and Mrs. Brown wonders what her daughter did to justify the headmaster phoning her. Before she could ask what the problem is, she hears his voice again. This time the words sound grave....
"There has been an accident - your daughter fell under the School Bus"….. “No Ma'am, I am sorry, she is not alright. You see, the bus ran over her head, and she died at the scene of the accident. She only lived for a few minutes after it happened, so she did not suffer long..."
The voice came from another dimension - Mrs Brown thought that it was someone speaking to her in a dream - NO, A NIGHTMARE!! This cannot be true! How can her beautiful little girl be dead, after all she is only 10 years old!! Soon she will wake up from the nightmare and be relieved when she hears the girl's voice calling her to wake up. She must have overslept!!
Then the cold, hard truth hits her- this is the here and now. This is no nightmare! She is still holding the phone to her ear and hears the voice at the other end of the line, but she is unaware of the words being spoken. She is in a trance...nothing registers any more.
Some time later she realizes that there are people in the room with her. She has no idea where they all came from and what they are doing there. Why is her husband home and sitting next to her, holding her and crying!! He should be at work! They keep talking about being strong and that they will get through it. What are they talking about and what did they give her to drink with that hot scalding tea. She doesn't want any medication - there is nothing wrong with her. What are they all doing here in her home!! She wants them to leave! It is time to meet her daughter at the bus stop. She always meets her there because she is afraid of what could happen to her if she walks home alone. On the bus she is safe, but one can never be too careful when they walk home after being dropped off.
Then a bomb explodes in her head- she can't meet her daughter at the bus stop.....her daughter is dead. That is what the headmaster told her. She must find out what happened. She will find out who is responsible and make sure that they are punished. How can anyone be so careless to let an accident like that happen. That person deserves the worst punishment possible. They killed her little girl!! They deserve to die too. She will make sure that they get what they deserve...........
A FEW HOURS EARLIER…….
SIDE #2....
It is a very cold, rainy day and he thinks of his wife and 4 children at home. He doesn't know how he is going to make ends meet this month. All the prices have sky-rocketed - food, clothing, medicine- and his youngest suffers from chronic bronchitis, fuel for the School bus he owns - the list goes on and on. While he is waiting for the kids to board the School bus his mind is racing. What happens if he takes just a couple of extra kids on the School bus every day. That should help a bit. After all they are all small and their weight surely won't make such a big difference. Maybe he can drive a little slower than usual to make sure he can manage the extra load, but that would make him late at the different stops, and some of these children need to catch a second bus so they cannot afford to be late. No... he will just be extra careful!
He allows as many children to board as he can possibly fit into the bus. The last little girl is standing in the foot well of the steps by the door, but she should be alright. She can hold on to something on the side of the bus. There is no strap to hold on to, but she should find a place to grab onto. The bus is struggling with the extra heavy load, but he accelerates to give it those extra revs to get the speed up. Suddenly, with an unexpected jerk, the bus lunges forward and he hits a lever with his arm - this lever opens the door of the bus!!
Then he sees it!! The little girl who was standing closest to the door was flung through the open door and before he could bring the overloaded bus to a screeching halt, he heard a thud. Please! don't let it be that little girl. She can break something if she is pushed against the wheel. As soon as the bus stopped the kids all scurried out and immediately there were screams of shock and distress. There was chaos all around and the driver had to fight his way through the gasping children.... then he sees her. She was lying under the bus, her head covered in blood. He could only stand aghast with shock and disbelief. How did this happen!! She must have rolled under the bus and he hit her!! Suddenly he came to his senses and asked some bystanders to phone for an ambulance, but he was told that the ambulance was already on its way...so were the police!
Why did the police take him to the police station. After all, it was an accident. He was not responsible for the sudden lunge that caused his arm to hit the lever and subsequently fling this little girl out of the bus and to her death under the wheel.
No!! He IS responsible!!He KNOWS he is responsible!! He should not have allowed so many kids on the bus, but it was cold and they would have got wet if he left them. What is more, he needed the extra money for his own family. However, whatever excuses he thought of and no matter how hard he tried to justify his action, he had to admit - he was solely responsible for the death of an innocent, defenseless child. A child whose life had been entrusted to him.
A child who still had her whole life ahead of her. Never again would she run in the sunshine, chasing butterflies and laughing. Never again would she look at the birds and listen to the rain against the window. She would never breath again!! She is dead and he is responsible. He took her life - he cannot find any legitimate excuse for what he did, no matter how hard he tried. He will have to live with this for the rest of his life!! He will never be able to forget that blood covered head and lifeless little body. They told him that she was still alive for a while...did she suffer or was she unaware of what was happening. Was she unaware that the life was leaving her defenseless little body while she was lying in a pool of blood - her own blood - on the cold, hard road.
He had the lives of all these young children in his hands. He was so blinded by his own problems that he did not give a second thought to the fact that the parents had trusted him to keep their children safe. Not only did he cause the death of this girl, but how many of those innocent little kids who saw her lying there, dying, were traumatized and will remember that horrific scene for the rest of their lives. How many are having nightmares about it in the fear that it can happen to them too. Will they ever trust a bus driver enough to board a bus again.He knows that he will never be trusted again. Even if by some miracle he is not punished by law, he will carry his punishment around with him for the rest of his life... the sight of a 10 year old girl dying because he thought he needed those extra few bucks. That is a worse punishment than anything that the courts could even think of!!
Is there a third side to the coin.....
1st Case Scenario -
The driver is punished to the full extent of the law for what he did - after all, he is guilty of negligence - he is guilty of manslaughter and punished accordingly.
FACT: He is not the only one being punished - his wife and 4 children are punished with him.
FACT: The 10 year old girl will still remain dead - no measure of punishment will bring her back. Does this REALLY make her loved ones feel any better? Does it REALLY ease the pain of loosing her?
2nd Case Scenario -
Besides the driver being punished by law for his actions, there is still the punishment he is dishing out to himself. The punishment his conscience is inflicting upon him. He may get a prison sentence of xx number of years, but the memory of what happened and what he did, will remain with him for the rest of his life. This self-punishment is a life sentence.
FACT: He is still punishing his family together with himself. His family life can never be the same again, living with the guilt for the rest of his life.
FACT: That little girl will still be dead. No amount of self-punishment will bring her back. Nothing will ease his pain, or that of her family!
Who really wins - nobody!!
All this because of one irresponsible decision!!
Here are a few quotes that are very true of life in general, not only in this situation.
QUOTES ABOUT DECISION MAKING:
It's in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.
- Anthony Robbins
More than anything else, I believe it's our decisions, not the conditions of our lives that determine our destiny.
- Anthony Robbins
Before every minute of action, there should be an hour of thought.
- Henry Ford
QUOTES ABOUT REVENGE:
An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.
—Attributed to Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)
Revenge has no more quenching effect on emotions than salt water has on thirst.
—Walter Weckler
If revenge is sweet, why does it leave such a bitter taste?
—E. C. McKenzie
There is a very important lesson to be learned from this tragedy.....
Be responsible in all your actions - think it through.... don't making a rash and "on the spur of the moment" decisions - especially when it concerns the lives of others!! So many lives were effected by this one irresponsible decision!
Some of my innermost feelings...some good, some bad. Some happy, some sad. I know that no matter what they are, my true friends will always understand....
