Always be POSITIVE

The history of the baby frog……

Once upon a time there was a bunch of baby frogs….

… participating in a competition.

The target was to get to the top of a high tower.

A crowd of people had gathered to observe the race and encourage the participants…..

The start shot rang out…….

Quite honestly:

None of the onlookers believed that the baby frogs could actually accomplish getting to the top of the tower.

Words like:

“Åh, it’s too difficult!!!

They’ll never reach the top.”

or:

“Not a chance… the tower is too high!”

One by one some of the baby frogs fell off…

…Except those who fastly climbed higher and higher..

The crowd kept on yelling:

“It’s too difficult. Nobody is going to make it!”

More baby frogs became tired and gave up…

…But one kept going higher and higher…..

He was not about giving up!

At the end everybody had given up, except the one determined to reach the top!

All the other participants naturally wanted to know how he had managed to do what none of the others had been able to do!

One competitor asked the winner, what was his secret?

The truth was…….

The winner was deaf!!!!

The lesson to be learned:

Don’t ever listen to people who are negative and pessimistic…

…they will deprive you of your loveliest dreams and wishes you carry in your heart!

Always be aware of the power of words, as everything you hear and read will interfere with your actions!

Therefore:

Always stay…

POSITIVE!

And most of all:

Turn a deaf ear when people tell you, that you cannot achieve your dreams!

Always believe:

You can make it!

Real vision

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room’s only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.   Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.  

The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.   The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.   As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.  

One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by.   Although the other man couldn’t hear the band – he could see it. In his mind’s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.   Days and weeks passed.   One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.  

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.   Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside.   He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.   It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window  

The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.   She said, “Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.”  

Epilogue:   There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.   Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.   If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can’t buy. 

 “Today is a gift, that’s why it is called the present.”