Sunday, February 05, 2006
Life Is Short
We convince ourselves that life will be better
once we are married, have a baby, then another.
Then we get frustrated because our children are
not old enough, and that all will be well when
they are older.
Then we are frustrated because they reach
adolescence and we must deal with them. Surely
we'll be happier when they grow out of the teen
years
We tell ourselves our life will be better when our
spouse gets his/her act together, when we have a
nicer car, when we can take a vacation, when we
finally retire.
The truth is that there is no better time to be
happy than right now.
If not, then when?
Your life will always be full of challenges. It is
better to admit as much and to decide to be happy
in spite of it all.
For the longest time, it seemed that life was
about to start. Real life.
But there was always some obstacle along the
way,
an ordeal to get through, some work to be
finished, some time to be given, a bill to be
paid. Then life would start.
I finally came to understand that those obstacles
were life.
That point of view helped me see that there isn't
any road to happiness.
Happiness IS the road.
So, enjoy every moment.
Stop waiting for school to end, for a return to
school, to lose ten pounds, to gain ten pounds,
for work to begin, to get married, for Friday
evening, for Sunday morning, waiting for a new
car, for your mortgage to be paid off, for spring,
for summer, for fall, for winter, for the first or
the fifteenth of the month, for your song to be
played on the radio, to die, to be reborn before
deciding to be happy.
Happiness is a voyage, not a destination.
There is no better time to be happy than NOW!
Live and enjoy the moment.
Now, think and try to answer these questions:
1 Name the 5 richest people in the world.
2 Name the last 5 Miss Universe winners.
3 Name the last 10 Nobel Prize winners.
4 Name the last 10 winners of the Best Actor
Oscar.
Can't do it? Rather difficult, isn't it?
Don't worry, nobody remembers that.
Applause dies away!
Trophies gather dust!
Winners are soon forgotten.
Now answer these questions:
1 Name 3 teachers who contributed to your
education.
2 Name 3 friends who helped you in your hour of
need.
3 Think of a few people who made you feel special.
4 Name 5 people that you like to spend time with.
More manageable? It's easier, isn't it?
The people who mean something to your life are not
rated "the best", don't have the most money,
haven't won the greatest prizes
They are the ones who care about you, take care of
you, those who, no matter what, stay close by.
Think about it for a moment.
Life is very short!
And you, in which list are you? Don't know?
Let me give you a hand.
You are not among the most "famous", but among
those to whom I remember to send this message
Some time ago, at the Seattle Olympics, nine
athletes, all mentally or physically challenged,
were standing on the start line for the 100 m race.
The gun fired and the race began. Not everyone
was
running, but everyone wanted to participate and
win.
They ran in threes, a boy tripped and fell, did a
few somersaults and started crying.
The other eight heard him crying.
They slowed down and looked behind them.
They stopped and came back All of them
A girl with Down's Syndrome sat down next to him,
hugged him and asked, " Feeling better now? "
The whole crowd stood up and applauded. And the
applause lasted a very long time
Then, all nine walked shoulder to shoulder to the
finish line.
People who witnessed this still talk about it.
Why?
Because deep down inside us, we all know that the
most important thing in life is much more than
winning for ourselves.
The most important thing in this life is to help
others to win. Even if that means slowing down and
changing our own race.
THE MORE YOU GIVE, THE MORE YOU
RECEIVE!
YOU MAKE A LIVING BY WHAT YOU GET, BUT
YOU MAKE A
LIFE BY WHAT YOU GIVE!
The ExtraOrdinary Story Ends At 2:40 PM
