"If you concentrate on finding whatever is good in every =
situation,=20
you
will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with =
gratitude,=20
a
feeling that nurtures the soul." -- Rabbi Harold=20
Kushner
I certainly wish that all of my lessons had, and could=20
potentially,
come from enjoyable experiences. The truth is =
however,=20
that the
greatest development for me often involved a broken heart, a =
fearful=20
choice, or a tremendous leap of faith. I'm grateful for these =
gifts=20
--
they've shaped the woman I've become today.
Every person =
that I get=20
the opportunity to interact with, in their own
way, is shining a laser beam into who I am. I know that you =
are all=20
instrumental in my future development. I thank you for the=20
opportunity
of working with you, if even through the shared words of this =
newsletter.
If instead of a gem, or even a flower, we should cast the gift of a =
loving thought into the heart of a friend, that would be giving as =
the=20
angels give. (George MacDonald) Let's all think about =
how=20
we
could give as the angels give over this holiday season. Let =
us
be thankful for all the people and things in our lives, and =
share
this joy and message with others.
Last year I experimented with giving =
extra money at=20
the drive-through
to pay for the people behind me. =
I knew a=20
needy family that I could
drop things off at their doorstep =
secretly. I=20
know that each of you
can experiment and come up with ways to =
share with=20
others.
I envision angels laughing, singing and =
rejoicing. Hugging and touching
those they care for. May angels =
touch each of=20
your lives over
this holiday season!
*********************************************************
The Dime
Bobby was getting cold sitting out in his back yard in the =
snow. =20
Bobby
didn't wear boots; he didn't like them and anyway he didn't own =
any. =20
The thin
sneakers he wore had a few holes in them and they did a poor job of =
keeping=20
out the cold. Bobby had been in his backyard for about an =
hour=20
already.
And, try as he might, he could not come up with an idea for his =
mother's=20
Christmas gift. He shook his head as he though, "This is =
useless,=20
even if
I do come up with an idea, I don't have any money to spend." =
Ever=20
since
his father had passed away three years ago, the family of five had=20
struggled.
It wasn't because his mother didn't care, or try, there just never =
seemed=20
to
be enough. She worked nights at the hospital, but the small =
wage that=20
she
was earning could only be stretched so far. What the family =
lacked in=20
money and material things, they more than made up for in love and =
family=20
unity. Bobby had two older and one younger sister, who ran =
the house=20
hold in their mother's absence.
All three of his sisters had already made beautiful gifts for their =
mother.
Somehow it just wasn't fair. Here is was Christmas Eve =
already, and=20
he
had nothing. Wiping a tear from his eye, Bobby kicked the =
snow and=20
started to walk down to the street where the shops and stores =
were. =20
It
wasn't easy being six without a father, especially when he needed a =
man=20
to talk to. Bobby walked from shop to shop, looking into each =
decorated
window.
Everything seemed so beautiful and so out of reach. It was =
starting=20
to get
dark and Bobby reluctantly turned to walk home when suddenly his =
eyes=20
caught the glimmer of the setting sun's rays reflecting off of =
something=20
along the curb. He reached down and discovered a shiny =
dime. =20
Never
before has anyone felt so wealthy as Bobby felt at that =
moment.
As he held his new found treasure, a warmth spread throughout his =
entire=20
body and he walked into the first store he saw.
His excitement quickly turned cold when the salesperson told him =
that=20
he couldn't buy anything with only a dime. He saw a flower =
shop and=20
went inside to wait in line. When the shop owner asked if he =
could=20
help
him, Bobby presented the dime and asked if he could buy one flower =
for=20
his mother's Christmas gift. The shop owner looked at Bobby =
and his=20
ten
cent offering. Then he put his hand on Bobby's should and =
said to=20
him,
"You just wait here and I'll see what I can do for you."
As Bobby waited he looked at the beautiful flowers and even though =
he=20
was a boy, he could see why mothers and girls like flowers. =
The sound=20
of the door closing as the last customer left, jolted Bobby back to =
reality.
All alone in the shop, Bobby began to feel alone and afraid. =
Suddenly=20
the
shop owner came out and moved to the counter. There, before =
Bobby's=20
eyes, lay twelve long stem, red roses, with leaves of green and =
tiny white=20
flowers all tied together with a big silver bow.
Bobby's heart sank as the owner picked them up and placed them =
gently=20
into a long white box. "That will be ten cents young man" =
said the=20
shop
owner reaching out his hand for the dime. Slowly, Bobby moved =
his=20
hand
to give the man his dime. Could this be true? No one =
else would=20
give him a
thing for his dime. Sensing the boy's reluctance, the =
shop=20
owner added,
"I just happened to have some roses on sale for ten cents a =
dozen. =20
Would
you like them?"
This time Bobby did not hesitate, and when the man placed the long =
box=20
into his hands, he knew it was true. Walking out the door =
that the=20
owner
was holding for Bobby, he heard the shop keeper say, "Merry =
Christmas,=20
son." As he returned inside, the shopkeeper's wife walked =
out. =20
"Who were
you talking to back there and where are the roses you were =
fixing?" =20
Staring
out the window, and blinking the tears from his own eyes, he =
replied, "A=20
strange thing happened to me this morning."
"While I was setting up things to open the shop, I though I heard a =
voice=20
telling me to set aside a dozen of my best roses for a special =
gift. =20
I wasn't
sure at the time whether I had lost my mind or what, but I set them =
aside=20
anyway. Then just a few minutes ago, a little boy came into =
the shop=20
and
wanted to buy a flower for his mother with one small dime. =
When I=20
looked
at him, I saw myself, many years ago. I, too, was a poor boy =
with=20
nothing
to buy my mother a Christmas gift."
"A bearded man, whom I never knew, stopped me on the street and =
told me=20
that he wanted to give me ten dollars. When I saw that little =
boy=20
tonight, I
knew who that voice was, and I put together a dozen of my very best =
roses."
The shop owner and his wife hugged each other tightly, and as they =
stepped=20
out into the bitter cold air, they somehow didn't feel cold at =
all.
Author unknown
**********************************************************
My Holiday Wish For You:
FOR TODAY AND EVERYDAY
May today there be peace within YOU.
May you trust your highest power that you are exactly where you are =
meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of =
faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the =
love
that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
May you let the presence of the divine settle into your bones, and =
allow=20
your sould the freedom to sing, dance and to bask in the sun since =
it is=20
there for each and every one of you.
Whether you celebrate Christmans, Hanukkah, Ramadan, Kwanza, or =
simply the spirit of the divine - I hope you and your loved ones =
experience=20
joy, peace and harmony now, and in the new year to come!
********************************************************************=
*********************
copyright 2002 Dr.Janice Hughes
WowCoach(tm)
