Seven Businesses You Can Start Tomorrow
"I didn't know a thing about running a bed and breakfast," says DeLuca. "But [it] came very naturally to me because I love to entertain and have people in my home." DeLuca aims to triple those revenues by operating at full capacity (the Inn is at 50% now) and having guests during the week.
You don't need a fancy pedigree or specialized set of skills to launch a business. Some start-ups require more capital than others, of course, and all companies demand care and feeding. But if you can muster the courage, do a bit of research and secure a tax identification number (so Uncle Sam can take his cut), you can be your own boss.
Low-tech ventures that work best tend to target a devoted customer base and offer an easy-to-grasp product or service. Take dog walking (as in, walking dogs).
A former Unisys call center representative who went back to college in his late 30s, Kevin Meadows started walking dogs part-time while attending St. Edwards University in Austin, Texas. A friend told him about a stockbroker in San Francisco who quit his job to start a dog-walking service. Rumor had it the guy made six figures carting dogs on a flat-bed truck to a park so they could run around for a few hours a day.
Now 41, Meadows hasn't bought a flat-bed, but he's making money. Austin Dog Walkers handles 20 to 30 pooches a day; Meadows piles six in his sport utility vehicle and the rest go with two other walkers, each of whom cover a specific part of the city. Daily revenues: about $450. Out of that, Meadows pays his two contractors 80% of the revenue they generate. Gas eats up $700 to $800 a month, but advertising costs are minimal--though Meadows did take a course in animal first aid. "Anything you can do to give people confidence that you're trustworthy is important," he says. Estimated pretax income this year: about $60,000.
Keri Cooper, a corporate-event manager in Seattle, went after another fanatical group of customers: anxious brides and grooms (and the parents who write the checks). "I was doing some soul searching, so I just started coordinating a few weddings on the side," she says.
The demand for these services is breathtaking. Wedding consultants charge $1,000 to $20,000 per event, depending on location and breadth of services. The best clear $100,000 a year.
To drum up business, Cooper mails clients a formal, mock wedding invitation when she schedules an introductory meeting. She now coordinates 20 weddings per year. "More than that and I can’t give enough time to my clients," she says. Cooper charges between $1,600 and $10,000 per event. Three-year-old company Bliss Events now nets between $40,000 and $70,000 a year.
While a business may look quick and easy to start, profits might be a long time coming. Just ask Kimberly Raymond, who decided a year ago to quit her soul-sapping sales job to start her own personal concierge service in Washington, D.C.
"I got started in day--I'm not kidding," she says. "I decided on a bike ride that [this] was the right idea. Instead of heading home, I turned around and went over to my friend's house. She became my first client."
To her credit, Raymond chose a growing industry. "Everybody is trying to squeeze 36 hours into a 24 hour day," says Katherine Giovanni, founder of International Concierge and Errand Association, which has 600 members in 20 countries, up from 20 members a decade ago.
But Raymond's hair-pin turn brought pain. While start-up costs were minimal--Web site design (a few hundred bucks), accountant ($400), fliers and business cards ($200), her new business is still under water. After 13 months, Raymond's 12 clients have only yielded $25,000 in revenues--far short of her $33,000 in living expenses. She fills the gap, in part, with $5,000 in credit card debt, now at a low 10% interest rate.
"It's been a really challenging year, financially," she says. "I'm thinking of spinning off into event management."
1. Personal Concierge
A personal concierge handles "anything in the Yellow Pages as long as it's legal, moral and ethical," says Katharine Giovanni, founder of the International Concierge and Errand Association, now with 600 dues-paying members in 20 countries. Some established concierges act as general contractors who hire and manage a host of services, from cleaning to shopping.
Start-up costs: Minimal--other than basic liability insurance, perhaps a few hundred dollars per year.
Income: Dollars vary drastically depending on the client base, though six-figure incomes are not unheard of, says Giovanni.
Tip: Build a network of dependable vendors before you tackle bigger, more demanding clients.
...
2. Dog Walking
Yes, you can make a living cavorting with canines--it just takes a little scale, transportation and only a mild distaste for waste.
Start-up costs: A few leashes, some chew toys and maybe a vehicle, and you're ready to go. You'll also want a Web site and some insurance. One problem: Gas over $3 a gallon will sting walkers who round up their customers in sprawling suburbs.
Income: Depends on pricing and the number of dogs you can handle. Kevin Meadows, owner of Austin Dog Walkers, handles between 20 and 30 dogs a day. Annual pretax profits: about $60,000.
Tip: Take an animal first-aid course or volunteer at a shelter--if only to convince clients that they should trust you with their prized pets.
....
3. Wedding Consultant
You won't find a more fanatical customer base than anxious brides, grooms and the parents writing the checks. Some consultants coordinate everything from scratch, while other parachute in on the big day to make sure things run smoothly.
Start-up and ongoing costs: All you need to get going is a phone, an Internet connection (for researching vendors) and a lot of patience. Consider advertising on wedding Web sites like TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com. Bridal trade shows cost as much as $5,000 per booth.
Income: Consultants charge $1,000 to $20,000 per event, depending on location and breadth of services. The best clear $100,000 a year.
Tip: Focus on the visual. Kerri Cooper, owner of Seattle-based Bliss Events, mails clients a formal, mock-wedding invitation when scheduling an introductory meeting.
....
4. Vending Machine Operator
Install the machines and let the masses snack to their hearts' discontent.
Start-up costs: Between $2,000 and $3,000 apiece for new machines. Check out www.vending.org
Income: A typical "45 Select" machine carrying 45 snacks (10 to 20 of each) generates $5,200 to $7,800 in annual sales; operators might keep 25% of that. In general, schools and hotels are the best locations. And don't forget maintenance. "Half the battle with these machines is keeping them in working order," says Lori Endres, owner of S & L Vending, an operator in Phoenix.
Tip: The more machines you own, the better pricing you'll get from vendors. Note: Beware "blue sky" operators leasing machines at usurious rates.
...
5. Innkeeper
This one demands a bit of up-front capital, but not much more. Buy an existing business or rent out extra rooms in your house. In either case, you'll be handling the cleaning and cooking (breakfast, mostly). You'll also want to know something about the surrounding area to guide guests from out of town.
Start-up and ongoing costs: After liability insurance, you'll need duplicate sets of linens, towels, dishes and silverware for all rooms. Ongoing expenses include gas, water, heating, food and cleaning (if you don't feel like doing that yourself).
Income: Inns charge anywhere from $100 to $400 per room per day, depending on the location, amenities and season.
Tip: Run the largest inn you can afford--there is operating scale here.
...
6. Laundromat
Unlike a dry-cleaner, you don't need to understand the art of stain removal to run a coin-operated laundromat. Nor do you have to spend all day at the office.
Start-up costs: Existing laundromats sell for up to several hundred thousand dollars, depending on location. Heavy-duty washers that can handle 50 to 75 pounds of clothes (four to eight typical home loads) cost up to $5,000 apiece; dryers, maybe $3,000. Maytag, Whirlpool and Speed Queen each have local distributors.
Income: Depends on the number of machines and how often they run. A 50-pound capacity washer will bring in up to around $7.50 per cycle (15 cents per pound of clothes); a 25-pounder, about $3. A busy laundromat can keep its machines running 30% of the time. Typical operating margins: 20% to 30%.
Tip: Downtime is a killer, so have competent maintenance people at the ready.
..
8. Nightclub Promoter
Socialites on steroids might like this gig, which involves rounding up partiers to drink and dance at local hotspots. And with all those viral social networking sites, you don't even need a big Rolodex to start.
Start-up costs: Mainly your time. Work everybody--the doorman, wait staff and possibly the club owner--to land your first gig, says Noah Tepperberg, the owner of Marquee nightclub in New York City.
Income: Promoters get paid a flat rate or on a commission basis, depending on the number of people they bring in. Snag a high-roller and you might even get a percentage of what he or she spends. The best promoters in New York City pull in a few thousand dollars in one night.
Tip: It's easy to get ripped off in this business. Work only with club owners you trust.
...
The Tomato Story
The HR manager interviewed him then watched him cleaning the floor as
A test.
'You are employed' he said. Give me your e-mail address and I'll send
You the application to fill in, as well as date when you may start.
The man replied 'But I don't have a computer, neither an email'.
'I'm sorry', said the HR manager. If you don't have an email, that
Means you do not exist. And who doesn't exist, cannot have the job.'
The man left with no hope at all. He didn't know what to do, with only
$10 in his pocket. He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy a
10Kg tomato crate.
He then sold the tomatoes in a door to door round. In less than two hours,
He succeeded to double his capital. He repeated the operation three times,
And returned home with $60.
The man realized that he can survive by this way, and started to go
Everyday earlier, and return late. Thus, his money doubled or tripled
Everyday.
Shortly, he bought a cart, then a truck, and then he had his own fleet
Of delivery vehicles.
5 years later, the man is one of the biggest food retailers in the US ..
He started to plan his family's future, and decided to have a life insurance.
He called an insurance broker, and chose a protection plan....
When the conversation was concluded the broker asked him his email.
The man replied,'I don't have an email.'
The broker answered curiously, 'You don't have an email, and yet have
Succeeded to build an empire. Can you imagine what you could have been
If you had an e mail?!!' The man thought for a while and replied,
'Yes, I'd be an office boy at Microsoft!'
Moral of the story
Moral 1
Internet is not the solution to your life..
Moral 2
If you don't have an Internet, and work hard, you can be a millionaire.
Moral 3
If you received this message by email,
You are closer to being an office boy/girl, than a millionaire..........
Look Around! (Inspirational Story)
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 her in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying: 'Take good care of your eyes, my dear, for before they were yours, they were mine.'
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 you complain about your children
Think of someone who desires children but they're barren.
Before you argue about your dirty house
Someone didn't clean or sweep
Think of the people who are living in the streets.
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.
But before you think of pointing the finger or condemning another
Remember that not one of us is without sin and we all answer to one MAKER.
And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down
Put a smile on your face and thank GOD you're alive and still around.
Kegagalan Abraham Lincoln Yang Menyakitkan
- Tahun 1831 kebangkrutan dalam usahanya
- Tahun 1832 kalah dalam pemilihan lokal
- Tahun 1833 kembali menderita kebangkrutan
- Tahun 1835 istrinya meninggal dunia
- Tahun 1836 menderita tekanan mental sedemikian rupa sehingga hampir saja masuk rumah sakit
- Tahun 1837 kalah dalam kontes pidato
- Tahun 1840 gagal dalam pemilihan anggota senat Amerika Serikat
- Tahun 1842 menderita kekalahan untuk duduk di dalam kongres Amerika Serikat
- Tahun 1848 kalah lagi di kongres Amerika Serikat
- Tahun1855 gagal lagi di senat Amerika Serikat
- Tahun1856 kalah dalam pemilihan untuk menduduki kursi wakil presiden Amerika Serikat
- Tahun 1858 kalah lagi di senat
- Tahun 1860 akhirnya berhasil menjadi presiden Amerika Serikat
Tambahan
Lucunya... pada saat Abraham lincoln menjadi presiden dia berkata, "Ternyata sekarang saya baru sadar bahwa saya ditakdirkan sebagai presiden". Mengapa beliau mengatakan hal demikian?, karena melihat perjuangannya yang terus - terusan gagal saat mencalonkan diri dalam berbagai hal, Eh.. kebetulan aja pas nyalonin diri jadi presiden berhasil Hahha... , Akan tetapi pelajaran yang bisa kita ambil adalah bahwa semangat pantang menyerahnya yang menjadikan dia hebat, bukan jabatannya.
Don't Give Up
10 Deadly Sins of Negative Thinking
Life could be so much better for many people, if they would just spot their negative thinking habits and replace them with positive ones.
Negative thinking, in all its many-splendored forms, has a way of creeping into conversations and our thinking without our noticing them. The key to success, in my humble opinion, is learning to spot these thoughts and squash them like little bugs. Then replace them with positive ones. You’ll notice a huge difference in everything you do.
Let’s take a look at 10 common ways that negative thinking emerges — get good at spotting these patterns, and practice replacing them with positive thinking patterns. It has made all the difference in the world for me.
1. I will be happy once I have _____ (or once I earn X).
Problem: If you think you can’t be happy until you reach a certain point, or until you reach a certain income, or have a certain type of house or car or computer setup, you’ll never be happy. That elusive goal is always just out of reach. Once we reach those goals, we are not satisfied — we want more.
Solution: Learn to be happy with what you have, where you are, and who you are, right at this moment. Happiness doesn’t have to be some state that we want to get to eventually — it can be found right now. Learn to count your blessings, and see the positive in your situation. This might sound simplistic, but it works.
2. I wish I were as ____ as (a celebrity, friend, co-worker).
Problem: We’ll never be as pretty, as talented, as rich, as sculpted, as cool, as everyone else. There will always be someone better, if you look hard enough. Therefore, if we compare ourselves to others like this, we will always pale, and will always fail, and will always feel bad about ourselves. This is no way to be happy.
Solution: Stop comparing yourself to others, and look instead at yourself — what are your strengths, your accomplishments, your successes, however small? What do you love about yourself? Learn to love who you are, right now, not who you want to become. There is good in each of us, love in each of us, and a wonderful human spirit in every one of us.
3. Seeing others becoming successful makes me jealous and resentful.
Problem: First, this assumes that only a small number of people can be successful. In truth, many, many people can be successful — in different ways.
Solution: Learn to admire the success of others, and learn from it, and be happy for them, by empathizing with them and understanding what it must be like to be them. And then turn away from them, and look at yourself — you can be successful too, in whatever you choose to do. And even more, you already are successful. Look not at those above you in the social ladder, but those below you — there are always millions of people worse off than you, people who couldn’t even read this article or afford a computer. In that light, you are a huge success.
4. I am a miserable failure — I can’t seem to do anything right.
Problem: Everyone is a failure, if you look at it in certain ways. Everyone has failed, many times, at different things. I have certainly failed so many times I cannot count them — and I continue to fail, daily. However, looking at your failures as failures only makes you feel bad about yourself. By thinking in this way, we will have a negative self-image and never move on from here.
Solution: See your successes and ignore your failures. Look back on your life, in the last month, or year, or 5 years. And try to remember your successes. If you have trouble with this, start documenting them — keep a success journal, either in a notebook or online. Document your success each day, or each week. When you look back at what you’ve accomplished, over a year, you will be amazed. It’s an incredibly positive feeling.
5. I’m going to beat so-and-so no matter what — I’m better than him. And there’s no way I’ll help him succeed — he might beat me.
Problem: Competitiveness assumes that there is a small amount of gold to be had, and I need to get it before he does. It makes us into greedy, back-stabbing, hurtful people. We try to claw our way over people to get to success, because of our competitive feelings. For example, if a blogger wants to have more subscribers than another blogger, he may never link to or mention that other blogger. However, who is to say that my subscribers can’t also be yours? People can read and subscribe to more than one blog.
Solution: Learn to see success as something that can be shared, and learn that if we help each other out, we can each have a better chance to be successful. Two people working towards a common goal are better than two people trying to beat each other up to get to that goal. There is more than enough success to go around. Learn to think in terms of abundance rather than scarcity.
6. Dammit! Why do these bad things always happen to me?
Problem: Bad things happen to everybody. If we dwell on them, they will frustrate us and bring us down.
Solution: See bad things as a part of the ebb and flow of life. Suffering is a part of the human condition — but it passes. All pain goes away, eventually. Meanwhile, don’t let it hold you back. Don’t dwell on bad things, but look forward towards something good in your future. And learn to take the bad things in stride, and learn from them. Bad things are actually opportunities to grow and learn and get stronger, in disguise.
7. You can’t do anything right! Why can’t you be like ____ ?
Problem: This can be said to your child or your subordinate or your sibling. The problem? Comparing two people, first of all, is always a fallacy. People are different, with different ways of doing things, different strengths and weaknesses, different human characteristics. If we were all the same, we’d be robots. Second, saying negative things like this to another person never helps the situation. It might make you feel better, and more powerful, but in truth, it hurts your relationship, it will actually make you feel negative, and it will certainly make the other person feel negative and more likely to continue negative behavior. Everyone loses.
Solution: Take the mistakes or bad behavior of others as an opportunity to teach. Show them how to do something. Second, praise them for their positive behavior, and encourage their success. Last, and most important, love them for who they are, and celebrate their differences.
8. Your work sucks. It’s super lame. You are a moron and I hope you never reproduce.
Problem: I’ve actually gotten this comment before. It feels wonderful. However, let’s look at it not from the perspective of the person receiving this kind of comment but from the perspective of the person giving it. How does saying something negative like this help you? I guess it might feel good to vent if you feel like your time has been wasted. But really, how much of your time has been wasted? A few minutes? And whose fault is that? The bloggers or yours? In truth, making negative comments just keeps you in a negative mindset. It’s also not a good way to make friends.
Solution: Learn to offer constructive solutions, first of all. Instead of telling someone their blog sucks, or that a post is lame, offer some specific suggestions for improvement. Help them get better. If you are going to take the time to make a comment, make it worth your time. Second, learn to interact with people in a more positive way — it makes others feel good and it makes you feel better about yourself. And you can make some great friends this way. That’s a good thing.
9. Insulting People Back
Problem: If someone insults you or angers you in some way, insulting them back and continuing your anger only transfers their problem to you. This person was probably having a bad day (or a bad year) and took it out on you for some reason. If you reciprocate, you are now having a bad day too. His problem has become yours. Not only that, but the cycle of insults can get worse and worse until it results in violence or other negative consequences — for both of you.
Solution: Let the insults or negative comments of others slide off you like Teflon. Don’t let their problem become yours. In fact, try to understand their problem more — why would someone say something like that? What problems are they going through? Having a little empathy for someone not only makes you understand that their comment is not about you, but it can make you feel and act in a positive manner towards them — and make you feel better about yourself in the process.
10. I don’t think I can do this — I don’t have enough discipline. Maybe some other time.
Problem: If you don’t think you can do something, you probably won’t. Especially for the big stuff. Discipline has nothing to do with it — motivation and focus has everything to do with it. And if you put stuff off for “some other time”, you’ll never get it done. Negative thinking like this inhibits us from accomplishing anything.
Solution: Turn your thinking around: you can do this! You don’t need discipline. Find ways to make yourself a success at your goal. If you fail, learn from your mistakes, and try again. Instead of putting a goal off for later, start now. And focus on one goal at a time, putting all of your energy into it, and getting as much help from others as you can. You can really move mountains if you start with positive thinking.
Fundamental Techniques in Handling People
1. Don't criticize, condemn or complain.
2. Give honest and sincere appreciation.
3. Arouse in the other person an eager want.
Six ways to make people like you
- Become genuinely interested in other people.
- Smile.
- Remember that a person's name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.
- Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
- Talk in terms of the other person's interests.
- Make the other person feel important - and do it sincerely.
Win people to your way of thinking
- The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.
- Show respect for the other person's opinions. Never say, "You're wrong."
- If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
- Begin in a friendly way.
- Get the other person saying "yes, yes" immediately.
- Let the other person do a great deal of the talking.
- Let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers.
- Try honestly to see things from the other person's point of view.
- Be sympathetic with the other person's ideas and desires.
- Appeal to the nobler motives.
- Dramatize your ideas.
- Throw down a challenge.
Be a Leader: How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment
A leader's job often includes changing your people's attitudes and behavior. Some suggestions to accomplish this:
- Begin with praise and honest appreciation.
- Call attention to people's mistakes indirectly.
- Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person.
- Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.
- Let the other person save face.
- Praise the slightest improvement and praise every improvement. Be "hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise."
- Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.
- Use encouragement. Make the fault seem easy to correct.
- Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest.
Flame Of Love (Story)
--Author Unkown
"Leave it to me," said the Saw. With his relentless teeth, he worked back and forth. But to his dismay, all of his teeth were worn out or broken off.
"Ha!" said the Hammer. "I knew you could not do this. Let me show you how." But with the very first blow, his head flew off, and the steel was unchanged.
"Shall I try?" asked the Flame. And it curled itself gently around the strong, hard steel, embraced it, and would not let it go. And the tough steel melted.
There are hearts that are hard enough to resist the forces of wrath and the fury of pride. But hard is the heart that can resist the warm flame of Love.
"For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them. But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."
--Matthew 13:15-17 (NIV)
--as seen in Food For Thought
The Glad Game (Story)
"OK, enough complaining. Let's play 'The Glad Game.'"
The Glad Game helps you focus on what's right in your world today, instead of what's wrong. Chellie's mom was a very wise woman, teaching her that no matter what your troubles, there are still plenty of things to be grateful for: a sunny day, good food to eat, a loving family, a house to live in, a family pet to love, a handful of friends to enjoy, and much, much more.
Chellie would follow her mother's suggestion:
"I'm glad I have you as my mom."
"I'm glad the weekend is almost here."
"I'm glad I have some nice clothes to wear to school."
"I'm glad I don't have to share my room with my sister anymore."
"I'm glad I get to watch TV when I finish my homework."
"I'm glad we have pie for dessert."
Playing "The Glad Game" is a terrific way to change your attitude in a hurry. We all slip into self-pity once in a while - after all, we're only human. The important thing is to cut the pity-party short and shift into gratitude. An attitude of gratitude will get you much farther in life than complaining and self-pity. Try it and see.
--from the book The Wealthy Spirit, by Chellie Campbell
A Deck of Cards (Story)
. . . : : : A : : : . . .
"You see the Ace, Sergeant, it reminds that there is only one God.
. . . : : : 2 : : : . . .
The Two represents the two parts of the Bible,
Old and New Testaments.
. . . : : : 3 : : : . . .
The Three represents the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
. . . : : : 4 : : : . . .
The Four stands for the Four Apostles:
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
. . . : : : 5 : : : . . .
The Five is for the five virgins that were ten
But only five of them were glorified.
. . . : : : 6 : : : . . .
The Six is for the six days it took God to create
The Heavens and Earth.
. . . : : : 7 : : : . . .
The Seven is for the day God rested after working the six days.
. . . : : : 8 : : : . . .
The Eight is for the family of Noah and his wife, their three sons and their wives, in which God saved the eight people from the flood that destroyed the earth for the first time.
. . . : : : 9 : : : . . .
The Nine is for the lepers that Jesus cleansed of leprosy. He cleansed ten but nine never thanked Him.
. . . : : : 10 : : : . . .
The Ten represents the Ten Commandments that God handed down to Moses on tablets made of stone.
. . . : : : J : : : . . .
The Jack is a reminder of Satan. One of God's first angels, but he got kicked out of heaven for his sly and wicked ways and is now the joker of eternal hell.
. . . : : : Q : : : . . .
The Queen stands for the Virgin Mary.
. . . : : : K : : : . . .
The King stands for Jesus, for he is the King of all kings.
. . . : : : 365 : : : . . .
When I count the dots on all the cards, I come up with 365 total, one for every day of the year.
. . . : : : 52 : : : . . .
There are a total of 52 cards in a deck, each is a week,
52 weeks in a year.
. . . : : : Seasons : : : . . .
The four suits represents the four seasons:
Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter.
. . . : : : 13 : : : . . .
Each suit has thirteen cards,
There are exactly thirteen weeks in a quarter.
. . . : : : : : : . . .
So when I want to talk to God and thank Him, I just pull out this old deck of cards and they remind me of all that I have to be thankful for." The sergeant just stood there and after a minute,
With tears in his eyes and pain in his heart,
He said, "Soldier, can I borrow that deck of cards?"
Friendship.. (Story)
A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead.
He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.
After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight.
When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side.
When he was close enough, he called out, 'Excuse me, where are we'?
'This is Heaven, sir,' the man answered.
'Wow! Can we have some water please'? the man asked.
'Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up'.
The man gestured, and the gate began to open.
'Can my friend,' gesturing toward his dog, 'come in, too'? the traveler asked.
'I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets.'
The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog. After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book....
'Excuse me!' he called to the man. 'Do you have any water?'
'Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on in.'
'How about my friend here?' the traveler gestured to the dog.
'There should be a bowl by the pump.'
They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it. The traveler filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, then he gave some to the dog. When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree.
'What do you call this place?' the traveler asked.
'This is Heaven,' he answered.
'Well, that's confusing,' the traveler said. 'The man down the road said that was Heaven, too.'
'Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's hell.'
'Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?'
'No, we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind..
Bahagia dari John C Maxwell (Motivation)
Sebaliknya, ketika Margaret sedang menjadi pembicara di salah satu sesi, suaminya selalu menemaninya dari bangku paling depan.
Ceritanya, suatu ketika sang istri, Margaret, sedang menjadi pembicara di salah satu sesi seminar tentang kebahagiaan. Seperti biasa, Maxwell duduk di bangku paling depan dan mendengarkan. Dan di akhir sesi, semua pengunjung bertepuk tangan. Yang namanya seminar selalu ada interaksi
dua arah dari peserta seminar juga kan ? (Kalau satu arah mah namanya khotbah.)
Di sesi tanya jawab itu, setelah beberapa pertanyaan, seorang ibu mengacungkan tangannya untuk bertanya. Ketika diberikan kesempatan, pertanyaan ibu itu seperti ini, "Miss Margaret, apakah suami Anda membuat Anda bahagia?"
Seluruh ruangan langsung terdiam. Satu pertanyaan yang bagus. Dan semua peserta penasaran menunggu jawaban Margaret. Margaret tampak berpikir beberapa saat dan kemudian menjawab, "Tidak."
Seluruh ruangan langsung terkejut. "Tidak," katanya sekali lagi, "John Maxwell tidak bisa membuatku bahagia." Seisi ruangan langsung menoleh ke arah Maxwell. (Kebayang ga malunya Maxwell saat itu.) Dan Maxwell juga menoleh-noleh mencari pintu keluar. Rasanya ingin cepat-cepat keluar. Malu ui!
Kemudian, lanjut Margaret, "John Maxwell adalah seorang suami yang sangat baik. Ia tidak pernah berjudi, mabuk-mabukan, main serong. Ia setia, selalu memenuhi kebutuhan saya, baik jasmani maupun rohani. Tapi, tetap dia tidak bisa membuatku bahagia.."
Tiba-tiba ada suara bertanya, "Mengapa?"
"Karena," jawabnya, "tidak ada seorang pun di dunia ini yang bertanggung jawab atas kebahagiaanku selain diriku sendiri."
Dengan kata lain, maksud dari Margaret adalah, tidak ada orang lain yang bisa membuatmu bahagia. Baik itu pasangan hidupmu, sahabatmu, uangmu, hobimu. Semua itu tidak bisa membuatmu bahagia. Karena yang bisa membuat dirimu bahagia adalah dirimu sendiri.
Kamu bertanggung jawab atas dirimu sendiri. Kalau kamu sering merasa berkecukupan, tidak pernah punya perasaan minder, selalu percaya diri, kamu tidak akan merasa sedih. Sesungguhnya pola pikir kita yang menentukan apakah kita bahagia atau tidak, bukan faktor luar.
Bahagia atau tidaknya hidupmu bukan ditentukan oleh seberapa kaya dirimu, seberapa cantik istrimu, atau sesukses apa hidupmu. Ini masalah pilihan: apakah kamu memilih untuk bahagia atau tidak .
Belajar GOBLOK dari Bob Sadino (Motivation)
Demikian pula dengan sosok Bob Sadino yang ber-azzam untuk tidak membawa ilmu yang dimilikinya keliang kubur sebelum di ajarkan kepada anak bangsa ini.
1. Terlalu Banyak Ide - Orang “pintar” biasanya banyak ide, bahkan mungkin telalu banyak ide, sehingga tidak satupun yang menjadi kenyataan. Sedangkan orang “bodoh” mungkin hanya punya satu ide dan satu itulah yang menjadi pilihan usahanya
2. Miskin Keberanian untuk memulai - Orang “bodoh” biasanya lebih berani dibanding orang “pintar”, kenapa ? Karena orang “bodoh” sering tidak berpikir panjang atau banyak pertimbangan. Dia nothing to lose. Sebaliknya, orang “pintar” telalu banyak pertimbangan.
3. Telalu Pandai Menganalisis - Sebagian besar orang “pintar” sangat pintar menganalisis. Setiap satu ide bisnis, dianalisis dengan sangat lengkap, mulai dari modal, untung rugi sampai break event point. Orang “bodoh” tidak pandai menganalisis, sehingga lebih cepat memulai usaha.
4. Ingin Cepat Sukses - Orang “Pintar” merasa mampu melakukan berbagai hal dengan kepintarannya termasuk mendapatkan hasil dengan cepat. Sebaliknya, orang “bodoh” merasa dia harus melalui jalan panjang dan berliku sebelum mendapatkan hasil.
5. Tidak Berani Mimpi Besar - Orang “Pintar” berlogika sehingga bermimpi sesuatu yang secara logika bisa di capai. Orang “bodoh” tidak perduli dengan logika, yang penting dia bermimpi sesuatu, sangat besar, bahkan sesuatu yang tidak mungkin dicapai menurut orang lain.
6. Bisnis Butuh Pendidikan Tinggi - Orang “Pintar” menganggap, untuk berbisnis perlu tingkat pendidikan tertentu. Orang “Bodoh” berpikir, dia pun bisa berbisnis.
7. Berpikir Negatif Sebelum Memulai - Orang “Pintar” yang hebat dalam analisis, sangat mungkin berpikir negatif tentang sebuah bisnis, karena informasi yang berhasil dikumpulkannya sangat banyak. Sedangkan orang “bodoh” tidak sempat berpikir negatif karena harus segera berbisnis.
8. Maunya Dikerjakan Sendiri - Orang “Pintar” berpikir “aku pasti bisa mengerjakan semuanya”, sedangkan orang “bodoh” menganggap dirinya punya banyak keterbatasan, sehingga harus dibantu orang lain.
9. Miskin Pengetahuan Pemasaran dan Penjualan - Orang “Pintar” menganggap sudah mengetahui banyak hal, tapi seringkali melupakan penjualan. Orang “bodoh” berpikir simple, “yang penting produknya terjual”.
10. Tidak Fokus - Orang “Pintar” sering menganggap remeh kata Fokus. Buat dia, melakukan banyak hal lebih mengasyikkan. Sementara orang “bodoh” tidak punya kegiatan lain kecuali fokus pada bisnisnya.
11. Tidak Peduli Konsumen - Orang “Pintar” sering terlalu pede dengan kehebatannya. Dia merasa semuanya sudah Oke berkat kepintarannya sehingga mengabaikan suara konsumen. Orang “bodoh” ?. Dia tahu konsumen seringkali lebih pintar darinya.
12. Abaikan Kualitas -Orang “bodoh” kadang-kadang saja mengabaikan kualitas karena memang tidak tahu, maka tinggal diberi tahu bahwa mengabaikan kualitas keliru. Sedangkan orang “pintar” sering mengabaikan kualitas, karena sok tahu.
13. Tidak Tuntas - Orang “Pintar” dengan mudah beralih dari satu bisnis ke bisnis yang lain karena punya banyak kemampuan dan peluang. Orang “bodoh” mau tidak mau harus menuntaskan satu bisnisnya saja.
14. Tidak Tahu Pioritas - Orang “Pintar” sering sok tahu dengan mengerjakan dan memutuskan banyak hal dalam waktu sekaligus, sehingga prioritas terabaikan. Orang “Bodoh” ? Yang paling mengancam bisnisnyalah yang akan dijadikan pioritas
15. Kurang Kerja Keras dan Kerja Cerdas - Banyak orang “Bodoh” yang hanya mengandalkan semangat dan kerja keras plus sedikit kerja cerdas, menjadikannya sukses dalam berbisnis. Dilain sisi kebanyakan orang “Pintar” malas untuk berkerja keras dan sok cerdas,
16. Menacampuradukan Keuangan - Seorang “pintar” sekalipun tetap berperilaku bodoh dengan dengan mencampuradukan keuangan pribadi dan perusahaan.
17. Mudah Menyerah - Orang “Pintar” merasa gengsi ketika gagal di satu bidang sehingga langsung beralih ke bidang lain, ketika menghadapi hambatan. Orang “Bodoh” seringkali tidak punya pilihan kecuali mengalahkan hambatan tersebut.
18. Melupakan Tuhan - Kebanyakan orang merasa sukses itu adalah hasil jarih payah diri sendiri, tanpa campur tangan “TUHAN”. Mengingat TUHAN adalah sebagai ibadah vertikal dan menolong sesama sebagai ibadah horizontal.
19. Melupakan Keluarga - Jadikanlah keluarga sebagai motivator dan supporter pada saat baru memulai menjalankan bisnis maupun ketika bisnis semakin meguras waktu dan tenaga
20. Berperilaku Buruk - Setelah menjadi pengusaha sukses, maka seseorang akan menganggap dirinya sebagai seorang yang mandiri. Dia tidak lagi membutuhkan orang lain, karena sudah mampu berdiri diats kakinya sendiri.
Sumber ; Bob Sadino
Socrates (Story)
Salah seorang pemuda diantaranya dijanjikan bertemu pada pagi hari di pantai.
Sebelumnya pemuda tersebut sudah mengutarakan kepada Socrates tentang keinginannya untuk belajar tentang bagaimana meraih kesuksesan.
Merekapun bertemu di tempat yang sudah mereka sepakati.
Socrates langsung memerintah pemuda itu masuk ke laut sampai air laut menenggelamkan tubuh mereka sebatas leher. Tanpa memberi komando, tiba-tiba Socrates menenggelamkan kepala pemuda tersebut. Dengan sekuat tenaga pemuda itu berjuang agar kembali ke permukaan.
Setelah melihat pemuda itu hampir pingsan, Socrates baru mengangkatkan kepala pemuda itu. Begitu muncul di permukaan air, pemuda itu langsung menarik nafas kuat-kuat untuk mengisi paru-parunya dengan udara. Socrates lalu bertanya kepada pemuda itu, “Sewaktu di dalam air, apa yang paling kamu butuhkan?”
“Udara,” jawab pemuda itu singkat sambil terengah-engah.
“Itulah rahasia kesuksesan. Jika kamu ingin sukses, harus berjuang seperti kamu membutuhkan udara di dalam air. Kamu pasti sukses!” kata Socrates penuh makna sembari meninggalkan pemuda itu.
Pesan:
Sebetulnya diantara faktor-faktor terpenting untuk meraik kesuksesan adalah kemauan keras untuk berbuat sesuatu. Siapapun orangnya berpeluang menjadi orang sukses. Meskipun latar belakang pendidikan atau masa lalu seseorang tentu saja memberikan sentuhan-sentuhan peluang menjadi lebih besar.
Dengan kemauan yang keras, setiap orang dapat sukses di manapun dan di bidang apapun. Banyak sekali peristiwa besar dunia di sepanjang lintasan sejarah, dan itu hanya mungkin lahir dari kemauan yang besar. “Manusia tidak pernah kekurangan kekuatan, tetapi kurang kemauan,” Victor Hugo. Salah satu contohnya adalah Tirto Utomo yang dulu ditertawakan karena menjual air mineral dalam kemasan.
Berkat kemauan keras dan perjuangannya, kini usahanya menggurita seiring dengan semakin populernya air mineral dalam kemasan.
Sukses sangat ditentukan oleh kuatnya kemauan dari dalam diri sendiri untuk belajar dan bekerja keras, dan meningkatkan kualitas diri. Tantangan atau kendala apapun berusaha diatasi dengan memberikan yang terbaik dan menjalani dengan sungguh-sungguh.
“Kekuatan seseorang bukan datang dari kapasitas fisiknya, tetapi dari kemauan yang sungguh-sungguh,” tegas Mahatma Gandhi.
God's Always Ready To Answer your CaLL
There will always be sunshine
After the rain ....
Perhaps you may stumble
Perhaps even fall,
But God's always ready
To answer your call ...
He knows every heartache
Sees every tear
A word from His lips
Can calm every fear ...
Your sorrows may linger
Throughout the night
But suddenly vanish
Dawn's' early light ...
The Savior is waiting
Somewhere above
To give you His grace
And send you His love ..
Whatever your cross
Whatever your pain
God always sends rainbows ....
After the rain ...
DRIVING OUT BAD NAILS
By Steve Goodier
A teacher, who was lecturing on habits told his class, "Anything you repeat twenty times is yours forever." From the back of the classroom came a whispered voice, "Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah…." Of course, what the teacher was trying to say is that any behavior, often repeated, becomes habit.
The Dutch scholar Desiderius Erasmus once said, "A nail is driven out by another nail. Habit is overcome by habit." And if I understand him right, he suggests that saying no to a bad habit is not enough. Instead, we should try to replace it with a good one. Repeat the new behavior twenty times … and it is yours.
If any behavior, good or bad, is often repeated, it becomes stronger and more powerful. "Since habits become power, make them work for you and not against you," said E. Stanley Jones. In other words, drive out the undesirable nail, the behavior you'd like to change, with a better one.
One woman did just that after lamenting to her friend, "I hate being late. It has been a problem for me all of my life."
"Do you really want to change that habit?" her friend asked. The woman said that she did, and her friend responded, "All right. Every time you're late for work or anywhere else, then give me $25."
"I'd go broke!" she said. "But I'll do $10."
"It's got to hurt," said the friend.
"Believe me, that will hurt," the woman replied. They agreed that the money should be deposited in a jar and used for charity.
In the first week, the habitually tardy woman made a concerted effort to plan ahead, and she only paid $10 to her friend. The next week, $20. The third week, none at all. By week five, she had built a strong habit of leaving early, and her new behavior replaced the old pattern of tardiness that had hindered her for so long. She drove out one nail with another one, and she found freedom.
If you're like me, there is a bad nail you want to remove. Today is a good day to pick up a better nail and start using it.
--Steve Goodier
I AM WHAT I AM
--Author Unknown
"By the grace of God I am what I am, and (God's) grace to me was not without effect." (1 Corinthians 15:10)
Early in my ministry career, I was a college chaplain and often spoke at youth retreats. On one such occasion, I was traveling from Chicago to Seattle with two college students, who were to provide music. We were on United Airlines, which at that time, scheduled flight attendants to work together for an entire month.
Somewhere over South Dakota, the crew announced that, because this was the last day of their working together, they were going to celebrate by holding a talent contest for passengers. The winner would receive a bottle of champagne.
Bob, one of my musician companions, immediately pulled his guitar down from the overhead luggage bin and went to the front of the plane with a handful of other hopefuls. I knew the others had no chance — none — against this extraordinarily talented young man with a flair for performance.
The passengers on our DC-10 were treated to a series of lame jokes and old songs crooned badly. Then came Bob. He sang a peppy song he had written using invented words that was a hit at every youth retreat. He engaged his audience at 35,000 feet and soon had them singing his nonsense syllables with gusto. Returning to his seat at the rear of the plane to loud applause, grinning from east to west, Bob proudly displayed his bottle of champagne. "What else could I do?" he said. "I am what I am — an entertainer!
It's a great mercy to be able to accept the circumstances, opportunities and limitations, which make up my life in this moment. To receive and work within them, not lamenting that they are not stronger…or other…than they are right now — this is the meaning of living by grace.
I am what I am. Greater still is the mercy of hope, the ability to embrace my sample of life while looking forward to what's next. It's not enough to say, "I'm stuck here; I can do no other."
Grace is dynamic. Full of hope, I accept with gratitude the circumstances of today, but I live with the promise of tomorrow. I'm becoming what I ought to be.
A young man, whose body and speech were severely affected by cerebral palsy, spoke at a meeting I attended. "What you see is a handicapped person," he said. "I am what I am. But in here," he continued, pointing to his head, "I'm an All-Star second baseman, turning double plays and headed to the Hall of Fame."
I was moved. Grace is not without effect.
3 Sesi Kehidupan
Anda tak bisa mengubah apa pun yang telah terjadi.
Anda tak bisa menarik perkataan yang telah terucapkan.
dan mengulangi kegembiraan yang anda rasakan kemarin.
Biarkan hari kemarin lewat; lepaskan saja...
Hari esok. (FUTURE)
Hingga mentari esok hari terbit,
Anda tak tahu apa yang akan terjadi.
Anda tak bisa melakukan apa-apa esok hari.
Anda tak mungkin sedih atau ceria di esok hari.
Esok hari belum tiba; biarkan saja...
tapi......
Hari ini. (PRESENT)
Pintu masa lalu telah tertutup;
Pintu masa depan pun belum tiba.
Pusatkan saja diri anda untuk hari ini.
Anda dapat mengerjakan lebih banyak hal hari ini bila anda mampu memaafkan hari kemarin dan
Karena yang ada hanyalah hari ini; hari ini yang abadi.
Cintailah seseorang sepenuh hati hari ini, karena mungkin besok cerita sudah berganti. Ingatlah bahwa anda menunjukkan penghargaan pada orang lain bukan karena siapa mereka, tetapi karena siapakah diri anda sendiri Jadi, jangan biarkan masa lalu mengekangmu atau masa depan membuatmu bingung, lakukan yang terbaik HARI INI dan lakukan SEKARANG juga!
WHO'S IN CHARGE HERE?
By Joseph Walker
So I'm sitting in front of my computer, wondering where this week's column is going to come from, when all of a sudden I hear that old, familiar voice inside my head: "Hey, guy, what's happening?"
"Oh, no. YOU again. Look, I've got deadlines to meet. I don't have time for you.
"You NEVER have time for me, but we always manage to find some, don't we?"
"Yeah, and that usually means trouble -- for me."
"You mean like when you were 15, and you were goofing around with some sparklers on the 4th of July, and I came along and asked how far you could throw one?"
"That's EXACTLY what I'm talking about. Why didn't you warn me about how quickly a well-thrown sparkler can turn a dry, weed-infested field into a three-alarm fire?
"You didn't ask. But, hey, it was exciting for a while there, wasn't it? Almost as exciting as the time I talked you into taking the ol' Corvair for a spin without your parents' permission, and, as I recall, without a driver's license. Yeah. That was great, wasn't it?"
"I thought so. I'm just glad nobody got hurt. You would've been responsible…"
"Hold on just a second, buddy boy. YOU would've been responsible. I'm just a part of you, remember? Only I'm the part that makes you want to do dumb stuff, which I've gotta tell you, has been pretty darn often during the past 54 years. Like when you were little and you took that pack of baseball cards from the store. I was the one whispering, `No one will ever know.'"
"That's right. I remember."
"And the time in high school when those kids wanted you to sluff school to go water-skiing? That was me, reminding you of how overwhelmingly important it is to be popular."
"Big deal. I was a kid, and kids are susceptible. You haven't had much impact on me lately.
"Oh yeah? How about in April, when you were putting together the information for your taxes? Or the other day, when that clerk didn't charge you for the gum? Or this morning on the elevator, when you stood opposite that beautiful young woman in the shorts and the…"
"OK, I get the point. Maybe I do hear your voice once in a while, but I don't pay as much attention as I used to. It may have occurred to me to fudge a little on my taxes, but I didn't. And I brought the gum to the clerk's attention. And I barely notice that young woman on the elevator.
"Uh-huh. Sure."
"Honest. I've learned that you don't have to act on every impulse. In fact, the opposite is true. If you want to control your destiny, you have to first learn to control yourself. The greatest power in the world is power over self. It's just a matter of deciding who's going to be in charge: me or you.
"Are you trying to tell me that you think you've got me under control?"
"Not completely. I still give you too much power sometimes, but I'm trying."
"Well, you're going to have to try a lot harder. Weren't you the one who was whining about your deadline a little while ago? Well, it's almost here, and I've distracted you long enough to get you in SERIOUS trouble. Just like old times!"
"Maybe. Then again, maybe not."
--Joe Walker joseph@josephbwalker.com
Afternoon Visits with Clara and Queenie
By Cynthia Groopman
There are many events that occurred during my childhood that made an impression upon me and some of them are of the warm fuzzy variety. When I think of them now, they make me sigh with a smile of longing and nostalgia.
Right across the hall from us, there lived the manager of our cooperative housing development and his family, which included an elderly mother-in-law named Clara and a beautiful, sweet dog named queenie.
Clara became instant friends with our grandmother, who lived with us, since they were around the same age and shared common interests.
Many late autumn or winter afternoons, when Clara and Queenie felt lonely, they would ring our doorbell. I always energetically ran to the door, opened it and, with a big smile, hugged Clara and Queenie. Queenie headed straight into our kitchen and situate herself by the seat where I would be sitting and doing my fifth-grade homework. Clara and grandmother would hug, sit on the sofa and speak about senior citizen things, like their aches pains, show pictures of grandchildren or even watch television.
Since both of them were not hearing well, the television was louder than usual. Queenie would sit and watch me do my homework, and when I had a sad look on my face, as if to say that the math problem is so difficult to solve, she would wag her tail and lick me. Not to worry, was that lick, and I would pet her soft coat. Her tail danced and joy was in her tender eyes.
Clara and grandmother, although elderly, were of different cultural backgrounds. Clara was involved with child study as a younger woman college, educated and American born. Grandmother came to NYC form Russia at age 15, worked in factories as seamstress and, although a graduate of the college of common sense, had very little formal education in this nation. She was fluent in Yiddish and spoke some Russian and English well without any noticeable accent.
The afternoon would pass quickly with the joy of two senior citizens, talking, laughing and spending golden years together, embracing in warm friendship. Ten-year-old Cynthia, who was puzzled with fifth grade math or sometimes tired after a long school day, would hug Queenie, play with her and just share her companionship and warmth.
Snack time was great, and grandmother would have some tea and coffee cake that my grandmother baked. I would have cookies and milk, and Queenie would have his dog biscuit that Clara brought in with her for the doggie to enjoy while we were eating our people food. These visits were greatly appreciated, and we looked forward to them.
One day, at the appointed time, there was no joyful knock at the door. Waiting for a while, then not hearing from them, I decided to ring the doorbell of or friends, Clara and the doggie. Upon hearing the sound of the doorbell, Queenie began to whimper and her bark was sad, more of a howl.
I called the high school where Hazel, Clara's daughter was teaching and asked for her. When I told her the story, she told me to call the security guard, which I promptly did. The tall, uniformed man with lots of keys and a badge id on his jacket, rang my bell. He opened Clara's door and found her on the floor. She had fallen and was unable to get up. So, he immediately called the police department.
Queenie was sitting by Clara's side, licking her, and her tenderness, compassion and true empathy showed in her sad eyes. Meanwhile, Hazel did arrive home, and Clara was taken to the hospital. She had broken her hip. Queenie was crying, and that was the first time in my life that I heard a dog cry.
I began to pray and petted Queenie, telling her that Clara would return and visit us again. A few weeks later, my wish and prediction became true. Clara and Queenie did visit, and Clara was walking with a cane. She hugged me and grandmother, and told us that we saved her life, and that if it wasn't for Queenie's visits to us, she would have not been noticed and cared about.
Oh what joy it was to hug Clara and realize that Queenie was the one who truly was the hero. These lovely visits lasted until eighth grade, then Clara became feeble and went into a nursing home. Queenie took this so badly, became sick and had to be put down.
Although the years flew by so quickly, I still relish with great yearning those lovely afternoons filled with love, joy, caring and sharing when senior citizens, a sweet dog and a little girl all joined hands in the garden of deep friendship.
Now I am grown, hazel is with the angels, and Clara is in heaven. But these sweet, cherished memories are now savored like a delicious piece of cream cake.
--Cynthia Groopman Cynthia.Groopman@verizon.net
Visualise your Goal
The Catalina Island is twenty-one miles away from the coast of California, and many people have taken the challenge to swim across it.
On July 4th 1952, Florence Chadwick stepped into the water off Catalina Island to swim across to the California coast. She started well and on course, but later fatigue set in, and the weather became cold.
She persisted, but fifteen hours later, numb and cold, she asked to be taken out of the water.
After she recovered, she was told that she had been pulled out only half a mile away from the coast. She commented that she could have made it, if the fog had not affected her vision and she would have just seen the land.
She promised that this would be the only time that she would ever quit.
She went back to her rigorous training. And two months later she swam that same channel. The same thing happened. The fatigue set in, and the fog obscured her view, but this time she swam with faith and vision of the land in her mind. She knew that somewhere behind the fog was land.
She succeeded and became the first woman to swim the Catalina Channel. She even broke the men's record by two hours.
SUCCESS PRINCIPLES
When you set your goal, keep pressing on even when you are tired, physically and mentally, and even though there are many challenges ahead.
Keep the vision of your goal crystal clear before you and never, never, never… give up!
See the reaching, commit to it, and you will surely see your goal realized.
