January 26th, 2010
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business to live a more leisurely life with his wife and enjoy his extended family. He would miss the paycheck each week, but he wanted to retire. They could get by.
The contractor was sorry to see [...]
- Building Your House by Maria.
January 19th, 2010
Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, and all of the others, including Love.
One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all repaired their boats and left.
Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to persevere until the last possible [...]
» read more- A Cry for Help by Maria.
January 12th, 2010
The carpenter I hired to help me restore an old farmhouse had just finished a rough first day on the job. A flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric saw quit, and now his ancient pickup truck refused to start. While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence.
On arriving, [...]
- The Trouble Tree by Maria.
January 5th, 2010
A little boy was overheard talking to himself as he strutted through the backyard, wearing his baseball cap and toting a ball and bat. “I’m the greatest hitter in the world,” he announced. Then, he tossed the ball into the air, swung at it, and missed.
”Strike One!” he yelled. Undaunted, he picked up the ball [...]
- The Greatest Hitter by Maria.
December 31st, 2009
Before the young man began his studies, he wanted assurance from the Master.
“Can you teach me the goal of human life?”
”I cannot,” replied the Master.
”Or at least its meaning?”
”I cannot.”
”Can you indicate to me the nature of death and of life beyond the grave?”
”I cannot.”
The young man walked away in scorn. The disciples were dismayed [...]
- Tasting Life by Maria.
December 29th, 2009
I walked with a friend to the newsstand the other night, and he bought a paper, thanking the owner politely. The owner, however, did not even acknowledge it.
”A sullen fellow, isn’t he?” I commented as we walked away.
”Oh, he’s that way every night,” shrugged my friend.
”Then why do you continue being so polite [...]
- Being Polite by Maria.
December 15th, 2009
If we were to keep a record of all the things we worried about during a given period of time, we would discover–in reviewing them–that the great majority of our anticipated problems or troubles never come to pass. This means that most of the time we devote to worrying, even the constructive kind that prompts [...]
» read more- The Waste In Worry by Maria.
December 8th, 2009
You can change the world during a 30-minute shower. There’s something about the hot water flowing over your head that makes what I call the “good part” and the “absent part” of your brain talk to each other. When you stand there with the soap in your hands, you begin to reinvent the soap. You [...]
» read more- Listen To Your Dreams by Maria.
November 24th, 2009
The story goes that sometime, close to a battlefield over 200 years ago, a man in civilian clothes rode past a small group of exhausted battle-weary soldiers digging an obviously important defensive position. The section leader, making no effort to help, was shouting orders, threatening punishment if the work was not completed within the hour.
“Why [...]
- The Soldiers And The Trench by Maria.
November 17th, 2009
A blind man had been waiting a while at a busy road for someone to offer to guide him across, when he felt a tap on his shoulder.
“Excuse me,” said the tapper, “I’m blind – would you mind guiding me across the road?”
The first blind man took the arm of the second blind man, and [...]
- The Blind Men And The Road by Maria.
