Father Agaton

I LOVE this story.

Somewhere in Milaor, Camarines Sur, there lived a fourth grader boy who would follow this route to school everyday: He has to cross the rugged plains and cross the dangerous highway where vehicles are recklessly driving to and from.

Once past this highway, the boy would take a short cut, passing by the Church every morning just to say Hi to God, and faithfully say his, "Magandang umaga po" in Bicol dialect. He was faithfully being watched by a Priest who was happy to find innocence so uplifting in the morning,

"Kamusta, Andoy? Papasok ka na?"

"Opo padre ... "he would flash his innocent grin, the priest would be touched. He was so concerned that one day he talked to Andoy.

"From school...", he advised "Do not cross the highway, you can pass through the Church and I can accompany you to the other side of the road...that way I can see that you are home safe...."

"Thank you father ... "
"Why don't you go home ... why do you stay in this church right after school?"
"I just want to say 'Hi' to my friend, God," and the priest would leave the boy to spend time beside the altar, talking to himself, but the priest was hiding behind the altar to listen to what this boy has to say to his heavenly FATHER.

"You know my math exam was pretty bad today, but I did not cheat although my seatmate is bullying me for notes... I ate one cracker and drank my water, Itay had a bad season and all I can eat is this cracker.

Thank you for this! I saw a poor kitten who was hungry and I know how he feels so I gave my last cracker to him ... funny but I am not that hungry. Look, this is my last pair of slippers ...I may have to walk barefoot next week, you see this is about to be broken... but it is okay....at least I am still going to school.... Some say we will have a hard season this month, some of my classmates have already stopped going to school .... please help them get to school again, please God?

....Oh, you know, Inay hit me again, it is painful, but I know this pain will pass away, at least I still have a mother.... God, you want to see my bruises? I know you can heal them.... Here... here and .... oh ...blood ....I guess you knew about this one huh? Please don't be mad at Inay, she is just tired and she worries for the food in our table and my schooling that is why she hits us....Oh, I think I am in love ... there's this pretty girl in my class, her name is Anita ... do you think she will like me? Anyway, at least I know you will always like me, I don't have to be anybody just to please you, you are my very best friend! Hey your birthday is two days from now!!! Aren't you excited? I am! Wait till you see, I have a gift for you ..... but it is a surprise! I hope you will like it! Oooops, I have to go ..." then he stood up and calls out, "Padre, padre, I am finished talking to my friend .... youcan accompany me to the other side of the road now"

This routine happens everyday. Andoy never fails. Father Agaton shares this every Sunday to the people in his church because he has not seen a very pure faith and trust in God, a very positive look at negative situations.

One Christmas day, Father Agaton was sick so he could not make it in the Church, he was sent to the hospital. The Church was left to 4 manangs who would chant the rosary in 1000 miles per hour, would not smile and would always find fault in what you do, they were also very well versed in cursing if you irritate them! They were kneeling, saying their kilometric rosary when Andoy, coming from his Christmas party,playfully dashed in.

"Hello God! I ......"

"P----!! (a curse) bata ka!! Alam mo nang may nagdadasal!! Alis!!"

Poor Andoy was so terrified, "Where's Father Agaton? He is supposed to help me cross the street ... and to be able to cross the street I will have to pass by the back door of this church ...not only that, I have to greet Jesus. It is His birthday, I have a gift right here...." Just as he was about to get the gift out of his shirt, the manang pulled his shirt and threw him out of the church. "Susmaryosep!!! (does the sign of the cross fervently) Alis kang bata ka, kung hindi matatamaan ka!!!

So the boy had no choice but to cross the dangerous side of the road infront of the church. He crossed. A fast moving bus came in.

There was a blind curve. The boy was protecting his gift inside his shirt, so he was not looking. There was so little time. Andoy died on the spot. A lot of people crowded the poor boy, the body of a lifeless young boy ...

Suddenly, out of nowhere a tall man in a pure white shirt and pants, a face so mild and gentle, but with eyes full of tears... He came and carried the boy in His arms. He was crying. Curious bystanders nudged the man in white, and asked, "Excuse me sir, are you related to this child?

Do you know this child?"

The man in white, His face mourning and in agony, looked up and answered, "He was my best friend .... " was all he said. He took the badly wrapped gift in the bloody chest of the lifeless boy, and placed it near His heart.

He stood up and carried the boy away and they both disappeared in sight.

The crowd was curious ...

On Christmas Eve, Father Agaton learned of the shocking news. He visited the house, and wanted to verify about the man in white. He consulted the parents of Andoy.

"How did you know that your son died?"

"A man in white brought him here." sobbed the mother. "What did he say?"

The father answered, "He did not say anything. He was mourning. We do not know him and yet he was very lonely about our son's death, as if he knew our son very well. But there was something peaceful and unexplainable about him.

He gave me my son, and then he smiled peacefully. He brushed my son's hair away from his face and kissed him on his forehead, then he whispered something..."

"What did he say?"

"He said to my boy..." the father began, "Thank you for the gift .... I will see you soon ... you will be with me..." and the father of the boy continued, "and you know for a while, it felt so wonderful ... I cried, but I do not know why....all I know is I cried tears of joy .... I could not explain it, Father, but when that man left, something peaceful came over me, I felt a deep sense of love inside ... I could not explain the joy in my heart, I knew my boy is in heaven now but...tell me, Father, who is this man that my son talks to everyday in your church, you should know because you are always there ... except at the time of his death ......"Father Agaton suddenly felt the tears welling in his eyes, with trembling knees, he murmurred, " ... He was talking to no one ..... but .. GOD...."

Life Together

One fine day, an old couple around the age of 70, walks into a lawyer's office.

Apparently, they are there to file a divorce.

Lawyer was very puzzled, after having a chat with them, he got their story....

This couple had been quarreling all their 40 over years of marriage nothing ever seems to go right.

They hang on because of their children, afraid that it might affect their up-bringing. Now, all their children have already grown up, have their own family, there's nothing else the old couple have to worry about, all they wanted is to lead their own life free from all these years of unhappiness from their marriage, so both agree on a divorce....

Lawyer was having a hard time trying to get the papers done, because he felt that after 40 yrs of marriage at the age of 70, he couldn't understand why the old couple would still wants a divorce..

while they were signing the papers, the wife told the husband..

"I really love you, but i really can't carry on anymore, i'm sorry.."

"its o.k, i understand.." said the husband. Lookin at this, the lawyer suggested a dinner together, just 3 of them,wife thought, why not, since they are still gonna be friends..

At the dining table, there was a silence of awkardness.

The first dish was roasted chicken, immediately, the old man took the drumstick for the old lady.."take this, it's your favourite.."

looking at this, the lawyer thought maybe there's still a chance, but the wife was frowning when she answer.."

this is always the problem, u always think so highly of yourself, never thought about how i feel, don't you know that i hate drumsticks?"

Little did she know that, over the years, the husband have been trying all ways to please her, little did she know that drumsticks was the husband's favourite. Little did he know that she never thought he understand her at all, little did he know that she hates drumsticks even thou all he wants is the best for her.

That night, both of them couldn't sleep, toss and turn, toss and turn...after hours, the old man couldn't take it anymore, he knows that he still loves her, and he can't carry on life without her, he wants her back, he wants to tell her, he is sorry, he wanted to tell her "i love you"...

He picks up the phone, starting dialing her number....ringing never stops..he never stop dialing....

On the other side, she was sad, she couldn’t understand how come after all these years, he still doesn't understand her at all, she loves him a lot, but she just cant take it anymore....phone's ringing, she refuses to answer knowing that its him..."what's the point of talking now that it's over... i have ask for it and now i wanna keep it this way, if not i will lose face.."she thought...still ringing...she have decided to pull out the cord...

Little did she remember, he have heart problems...

The next day, she received news that he had passed away... she rushed down to his apartment, saw his body, lying on the couch still holding on to the phone... he had a heart attack when he was still trying to get thru her phone line....

As sad as she could be... she will have to clear his belongings... when she was looking thru the drawers, she saw this insurance policy, dated from the day they got married, beneficiary of course is her... together in that file there's this note...

"to my dearest wife, by the time you are reading this, i'm sure i'm no longer around, i bought this policy for you, thou the amount is only $100k, i hope it will be able to help me continue my promise that i have made when we got married, i might not be around anymore, i want this amount of money to continue taking care of you, just like the way i will if i could have live longer. i want you to know i will always be around, by your side...i love u"

Tears flowed like river......

"When u love someone, let them know... u never know what will happen the next minute....learn to build a life together.. learn to love each other. for who they are.. not what they are..."


Filed Under : Romance_for_Thoughts, All.

Before I was a Mom

Before I was a Mom;
I made and ate hot meals,
I had unstained clothing,
I brushed my hair every day,
I had quiet conversations on the phone,
I slept as late as I wanted and I slept all night long.

Before I was a Mom;
I cleaned my house each day,
I never tripped over toys or forgot lullabies,
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous,
I had never been puked on, pooped on, spit on, chewed on, peed on, or pinched by tiny fingers.

Before I was a Mom;
I never thought about immunizations,
I never held a screaming child so the doctors could give shots,
I never looked into teary eyes and cried,
I never felt my heart break into pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt,
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.

Before I was a Mom;
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down,
I never sat up late hours of the night watching a baby sleep,
I never got up in the middle of the night to make sure everything was okay,
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.

Before I was a Mom;
I had complete control of my mind, my thoughts and my body,
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside of my body,
I didn't know that having something so small could make me feel so important,
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment, or the satisfaction of being a mom.

Before I was a Mom;
I never knew that something so small could effect my life so much,
I never knew that I could love someone so much,
I never knew I would love being a Mom,
I didn't know the bond between a Mother and her child,
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much.

Before I was Patrick & Patricia's Mom.

Goodnight Kiss

I count it as a privilege, I count it cause for praise to
kiss my children goodnight at the close of everyday.

For I know too soon they're up and gone, and walking out
the door And I'll never have a child to kiss goodnight anymore.

It's very strange how times have changed from the present to
the past. When did they grow so quickly the time has flown so fast.

For it seems like only yesterday I helped him with his shirt,
Or pat my baby on the back, Or kissed away a hurt.

Tell a story, read a book, wipe a nose, or tie a shoe.
They never ask me to rub their backs the way they used to do.

Once it was a bother, just a troublesome kind of chore.
but now I would give anything to do it just once more.

Mommy, bounce me on your knee, Daddy, flip me in the air.
Throw a rubber ball to me and help me comb my hair.

Mommy, tickle my tummy... Daddy hold me high.
Lets go outside, for a while, or make a kite to fly...

I count it as a privilege I count it cause for praise To
kiss my children goodnight at the close of everyday.

For I know too soon they're up and gone And walking out the
door And I'll never have a child to kiss goodnight anymore!

The Value Of A Penny

Several years ago, a friend and her husband were invited to spend the weekend at the husband's employer's home. The woman was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more than her house.

The first day and evening went well, and my friend was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live. The husband's employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest restaurants.

Knowing she would never have the opportunity to indulge in this kind of extravagance again, she was enjoying herself immensely.

As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of his guests. He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment.

There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped, and a few cigarette butts. Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny.

He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure. "How absurd!" she thought. What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up?

Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her. Finally, she could stand it no longer. She causally mentioned that her daughter once had a coin collection, and asked if the penny he had found had been of some value.

A smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for the penny and held it out for her to see. She had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this?

"Look at it," He said. "Read what it says.

" She read the words "United States of America."

"No, not that; read further."

"One cent?"

"No, keep reading."

"In God we Trust?"

"Yes!"

"And?"

"And if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever I find a coin I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him? Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray, I stop to see if my trust IS in God at that moment. I pick the coin up as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation with me. Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful!"

When I was out shopping today, I found a penny on the sidewalk. I stopped and picked it up, and realized that I had been worrying and fretting in my mind about things I cannot change. I read the words, "In God We Trust," and had to laugh. Yes, God, I get the message.

The Interview With GOD

- Author Unknown


I dreamed I had an interview with God.
"So you would like to interview me?" God asked.
"If you have the time" I said.
God smile. "My time is eternity."
"What questions do you have in mind for me?"

"What surprises you most about humankind?"
God answered ...
"That they get bored with childhood,
they rush to grow up, and then
long to be children again."

"That they lose their health to make money ...
and then lose their money to restore their health."

"That by thinking anxiously about the future,
they forget the present,
such that they live in neither
the present nor the future."

"That they live as if they will never die,
and die as though they had never lived."

God's hand took mine
and we were silent for a while.

And then I asked ...
"As a parent, what are some of life's lessons
you want your children to learn?"

"To learn they cannot make anyone love them.
All they can do is let themselves be loved."

"To learn that it is not good
to compare themselves to others."

"To learn to forgive
by practicing forgiveness."

"To learn that it only takes a few seconds
to open profound wounds in those they love,
and it can take many years to heal them."

"To learn that a rich person
is not one who has the most,
but is one who needs the least."

"To learn that there are people
who love them dearly,
but simply have not yet learned
how to express or show their feelings."

"To learn that two people can
look at the same thing
and see it differently."

"To learn that it is not enough that they
forgive one another, but they must also
forgive themselves."

"Thank you for your time," I said humbly.

"Is there anything else
you would like your children to know?"

God smiled and said
"Just know that I am here ... always."

Love In A Lifetime

Once upon a time there was a teacher and his student lay down under the big tree near the big grass area. Then suddenly the student asked the teacher,

Student : Teacher, I'm confused how we find our soul mate. Can you please help me?
Teacher : "Silent for few second, then he answer" Well, it's pretty hard and easy question..
Student : "THINK HARD" Ha???
Teacher : Look on that way, there are a lot of grass there, why don't you walk there but please never walk backward, just walk straight ahead. On your way, try to find a beautiful grass and pick it up then give it to me. But just one.
Student : Well, ok then... wait for me... "Walk straight ahead to the grass field"

A few minutes later...
Student : I'm back..
Teacher : Em, well I don't see any beautiful grass on your hand.
Student : On my journey, I found few beautiful grass, but I thought that I would find a better one, so I didn't pick it up. But I didn't realize that I'm in the end of the field, and I hadn't pick any. Cause you told me not to go back, so I didn't go back.
Teacher : That's what happened in real life.

What is the message of this story?
* Grass --> is people around you
* Beautiful Grass --> is people that attract you
* Grass Field --> is time

In looking for your soul mate, please don't always compare and hope that there will be a better one. By doing that, you'll waste your lifetime, cause remember "Time Never Goes Back".... So try to accept what he/she is.

Love or Friendship? Lovers or Friends?

It's hard to make a choice. Love or friendship? Be a lover or a friend? The never ending quest to choose between lover and friendship, or lover and friend is always a mind boggling task. Well, hope the article below will help you make the choice between Love or Friendship.

We make new friends all the time. Some of us have a million friends, some of us a few friends, but most of us would surely have a friend or friends whom are extremely special. Usually if both are of the same sex, it would not be a problem. The tricky bit comes in when a guy and girl becomes good friends. So then, friendship or relationship?

Well, as always, there are always a few things to follow so that you would not make the wrong decision. There is no right or wrong here. Kind of a gamble I would say. It could turn out either way but if you follow these guidelines, there would be lesser hurt than if you dive blindly into the sea of love.You got to keep in mind one thing: Be responsible for your actions. Whatever you choose to do, do it and accept whatever consequences. If it does not turn out all right, don't blame anyone but yourself. If you do that, there might actually be chances of recovery.

It's a dilemma for many because you do not want to lose a friend but at the same time, you want to find out if this person could be your true love. It is all well if both of you feel the same for each other, but most of the time, the trouble is you don't. Letting that person know how you feel might actually scare the person away if he or she does not feel the same way about you. That is why always start off as friends and build upon the relationship as friends.

It is difficult but extremely important. Don't let your feelings ruin the friendship. Start to cement the bond as friends first, not as a lover. If you have a firm friendship, the likelihood of that person shying away from you is less when you tell him or her your feelings. Because it might be just a one off attraction it is always good to give yourself a month or two as a guage of whether this person is actually the one for you. For all you know, a month of two later, you find out something new about the person that you would not want in a lover. You would be glad then that you were not reckless in the beginning. Thus, it is important to learn more about this person before doing anything.

If after a long substantial period of time, and you continue to feel a lot for the person, then it would be a good time to let him or her know your feelings. As I have always maintained, it is no good to keep your feelings inside of you. Extremely unhealthy. The time will come which you will feel suitable to say. If you had followed the guideline and everything that you did for him or her was because you care very much for him or her as a friend, whatever the outcome would be easier to handle but you two started off on the right foot. You can't build a friendship from a relationship , but you can build a relationship from a friendship. Immerse yourself in the friendship first before anything so even if nothing happens between the two of you, you still would not have lost a friend.

Love is never lost.

Love is never lost.
If not reciprocated, it will flow back and soften and purify the heart.


People only realize what they had after they lose it,
So hold onto what you have and never let it go.

As you look back upon your life, you find the times when
You have most lived, are the times when you have lived for love.

I wanted everything to stay the same
But feelings fade and people change.

I’m living every moment like its my last
No longer letting my future be based on my past

Giving up on Love isn’t Moving On
Its Giving up Your Happiness

Love is as much of an object as an obsession,
Everybody wants it,
Everybody seeks it,
But few ever achieve it,
Those who do will cherish it,
Be lost in it, and among all,
Never … never forget it.

Life Explained ........

Submitted by Mckeckley

On the first day God created the dog.
God said, "Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. I will give you a life span of twenty years."

The dog said, "That's too long to be barking.
Give me ten years and I'll give you back the other ten."
So God agreed.

On the second day God created the monkey.
God said, "Entertain people, do monkey tricks, make them laugh.
I'll give you a twenty-year life span."

The monkey said, "How boring, monkey tricks for twenty years? I don't think so.
Dog gave you back ten, so that's what I'll do too, okay?"
And God agreed.

On the third day God created the cow.
God said, "You must go to the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer.
I will give you a life span of sixty years."

The cow said, "That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years.
Let me have twenty and I'll give back the other forty."
And God agreed again.

On the forth day God created man.
God said, "Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life.
I'll give you twenty years."

Man said, "What? Only twenty years! Tell you what, I'll take my twenty, and the forty the cow gave back and the ten the monkey gave back and the ten the dog gave back, that makes eighty, okay?"
"Okay," said God, "You've got a deal."

So that is why the first twenty years we eat, sleep, play, and enjoy ourselves;
for the next forty years we slave in the sun to support our family;
for the next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren;
and for the last ten years we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.

Life has now been explained to you.

Chicken Soup for Every Mom's Soul: SAYING I LOVE YOU

Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.
- Mother Teresa

When I was a new mommy, I invented a quiet little signal, two quick hand squeezes, that grew into our family’s secret “I love you.”

Long before she could debate the merits of pierced ears or the need to shave her legs, my daughter, Carolyn, would toddle next to me clasping my finger for that muchneeded support to keep her from falling down.

Whether we were casually walking in the park or scurrying on our way to playgroup, if Carolyn’s tiny hand was in mine, I would tenderly squeeze it twice and whisper, “I love you.” Children love secrets, and little Carolyn was no exception. So, this double hand squeeze became our special secret. I didn’t do it all the time—just every so often when I wanted to send a quiet message of “I love you” to her from me.

The years flew by, and Carolyn started school. She was a big girl now, so there was no need for little secret signals anymore . . . or so I thought. It was the morning of her kindergarten class show. Her class was to perform their skit before the entire Lower School, which would be a daunting experience. The big kids—all the way to sixth grade—would be sitting in the audience. Carolyn was nervous, as were all her little classmates.

As proud family and friends filed into the auditorium to take their seats behind the students, I saw Carolyn sitting nervously with her classmates. I wanted to reassure her, but I knew that anything I said would run the risk of making her feel uncomfortable.

Then I remembered our secret signal. I left my seat and walked over to her. Carolyn’s big brown eyes watched each of my steps as I inched closer. I said not a word, but leaned over and took her hand and squeezed it twice. Her eyes met mine, and I immediately knew that she recognized the message. She instantly returned the gesture giving my hand two quick squeezes in reply. We smiled at each other, and I took my seat and watched my confident little girl, and her class, perform beautifully.

Carolyn grew up and our family welcomed two younger brothers, Bryan and Christian. Through the years, I got more experienced at the mothering game, but I never abandoned the secret “I love you” hand squeeze.

Whether the boys were running on the soccer field for a big game or jumping out of the car on the day of a final exam, I always had the secret hand squeeze to send them my message of love and support. I learned that when over-sentimental words from parents are guaranteed to make kids feel ill at ease, this quiet signal was always appreciated and welcomed.

Three years ago, my daughter married a wonderful guy. Before the ceremony, while we were standing at the back ON LOVE 3 of the church waiting to march down the aisle, I could hardly look at my little girl, now all grown up and wearing her grandmother’s wedding veil, for fear of crying. There was so much I wanted to say to her. I wanted to tell her how proud of her I was. I wanted to tell her that I treasured being her mom, and I looked forward to all the future had in store for her. However, most important, I wanted to tell her that I loved her. But I was positive that if I said even one word, Carolyn and I would both dissolve into tears.

Then I remembered it—our secret signal. I left my place and walked back to Carolyn. As the organist began to play, Ode to Joy, I took Carolyn’s hand and quickly squeezed it twice. Our eyes met, and she returned the signal. There were no tears, there were no words exchanged, just a secret “I love you” that I created one sunny afternoon, when I was a new mother. I am no longer a new mother . . . but a new grandmother.

Today, I was strolling with my little grandson, Jake. His tiny hand was holding on to my finger, and I couldn’t help remembering his mother’s hand in mine over thirty years ago. As we walked, I gave his hand two quick squeezes and whispered, “I love you.” He looked up and smiled.

- Linda Carol Cherken

24 Things To Always Remember

Your presence is a present to the world.
You are unique and one of a kind.
Your life can be what you want it to be.
Take the days just one at a time.

Count your blessings, not your troubles.
You will make it through whatever comes along.
Within you are so many answers.
Understand, have courage, be strong.

Do not put limits on yourself.
So many dreams are waiting to be realized.
Decisions are too important to leave to chance.
Reach for your peak, your goal and you prize.

Nothing wastes more energy than worrying.
The longer one carries a problem the heavier it gets.
Do not take things too seriously.
Live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.

Remember that a little love goes a long way.
Remember that a lot … goes forever.
Remember that friendship is a wise investment.
Life’s treasure are people together.

Realize that it is never too late.
Do ordinary things in an extraordinary way.
Have hearth and hope and happiness.
Take the time to wish upon a start.

AND DO NOT EVER FORGET ….
FOR EVEN A DAY
HOW VERY SPECIAL YOU ARE !

Only TiMe will kNoW....

Once upon a time there was an island where all the feelings lived; happiness, sadness, knowledge, and all the others, including love.

One day it was announced to all of the feelings that the island was going to sink to the bottom of the ocean. So all the feelings prepared their boats to leave. Love was the only one that stayed. She wanted to preserve the island paradise until the last possible moment. When the island was almost totally under, Love decided it was time to leave. She began looking for someone to ask for help.

Just then Richness was passing by in a grand boat. Love asked, "Richness, Can I come with you on your boat?"
Richness answered, " I'm sorry, but there is a lot of silver and gold on my boat and there would be no room for you anywhere."
Then Love decided to ask Vanity for help who was passing in a beautiful vessel.
Love cried out, "Vanity, help me please."
"I can't help you", Vanity said, "You are all wet and will damage my beautiful boat."
Next, Love saw Sadness passing by.

Love said, "Sadness, please let me go with you."
Sadness answered, "Love, I'm sorry, but, I just need to be alone now."
Then, Love saw Happiness.
Love cried out, " Happiness, please take me with you."
But Happiness was so overjoyed that he didn't hear Love calling to him. Love began to cry.

Then, she heard a voice say, "Come Love, I will take you with me." It was an elder. Love felt so blessed and overjoyed that she forgot to ask the elder his name. When they arrived on land the elder went on his way. Love realized how much she owed the elder.

Love then found Knowledge and asked, "Who was it that helped me?"
"It was Time", Knowledge answered.
"But why did Time help me when no one else would?", Love asked.

Knowledge smiled and with deep wisdom and sincerity, answered,
"Because only Time is capable of understanding how great Love is."

Who comes FIRST in your MIND

There was this gal who loved two guys at the same time but she didn't know which one she loved more. Someone taught her.

Ask yourself this question and answer it honestly :

"When you are happy, which guy would you want to share your happiness with?" The one you think of is someone you love.

Ask yourself another question and answer it honestly :

"When you are sad, which guy you want to share your burden with?" The one you think of is also someone you love.

If you think of the same guy when you are happy & sad, that's the most perfect. But if you don't think of the same guy, I would advise you to chose the one you are willing to share your sadness with.

In life, there are more sorrows than happiness. There are too many people that u meet that u can share your happiness with, not necessary your lover.

If you live your life happily, you can also enjoy it alone.

In sadness, however, there are not many people willing to share your burden with you. If you are willing to tell someone your happiness, I am sure that person has got to be someone close & an understanding person to you.

But it shouldn't stop there. If that person only thinks of you when he is happy, but looks for someone else when he is sad, this lover is too unstable, he doesn't treat you as someone he can spend the rest of his life with.

Of course, I will be very happy if I am the first person to share his happiness. But, if he is sad, I will be too willing to stay by his side & ease his pain. Only then, will I believe that I hold a very important position in his heart.

If you are sad, who comes to your mind first?

When Is It Love?

When do we truly say we're in love, I for one never knew I'm in love until I met my husband. It was such a wonderful feeling I will cherish for the rest of my life. Hope all of you find that special someone in a special way fitting just for all of you.



When you are together with that special someone,
you pretend to ignore that person.
But when that special someone is not around,
you might look around to find them.
At that moment, you are in love.

Although there is someone else who always makes you laugh,
your eyes and attention might go only to that special someone.
Then, you are in love.

Although that special someone was supposed to have called you long back,
to let you know of their safe arrival, your phone is quiet.
You are desperately waiting for the call!
At that moment, you are in love.

If you are much more excited for one short e-mail from
that special someone than other many long e-mails,
you are in love.

When you find yourself as one who cannot erase all the
messages in your answering machine because of one message
from that special someone, you are in love.

When you get a couple of free movie tickets,
you would not hesitate to think of that special someone.
Then, you are in love.

You keep telling yourself, "that special someone is just a friend",
but you realize that you can not avoid that person's special attraction.
At that moment, you are in love.

While you are reading this page, if someone
appears in your mind,
then u are in love with that person.

What Women Say and Think

FINE
This is the word women use to end an argument when they feel they are right and you need to shut up. Never use "fine" to describe how a woman looks - this will cause you to have one of those arguments.

FIVE MINUTES
This is half an hour. It is equivalent to the five minutes that your football game is going to last before you take out the trash, so it's an even trade.

NOTHING
This means "something," and you should be on your toes. "Nothing" is usually used to describe the feeling a woman has of wanting to turn you inside out, upside down, and backwards. "Nothing" usually signifies an argument that will last "Five Minutes" and end with "Fine"

GO AHEAD (With Raised Eyebrows)
This is a dare. One that will result in a woman getting upset over "Nothing" and will end with the word "Fine"

GO AHEAD (Normal Eyebrows)
This means "I give up" or "do what you want because I don't care" You will get a "Raised Eyebrow Go Ahead" in just a few minutes, followed by "Nothing" and "Fine" and she will talk to you in about "Five Minutes" when she cools off.

LOUD SIGH
This is not actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A "Loud Sigh" means she thinks you are an idiot at that moment, and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you over "Nothing"

SOFT SIGH
Again, not a word, but a non-verbal statement. "Soft Sighs" mean that she is content. Your best bet is to not move or breathe, and she will stay content.

THAT'S OKAY
This is one of the most dangerous statements that a woman can make to a man. "That's Okay" means that she wants to think long and hard before paying you back for whatever it is that you have done. "That's Okay" is often used with the word "Fine" and in conjunction with a "Raised Eyebrow."

GO AHEAD
At some point in the near future! re, you are going to be in some mighty big trouble.

PLEASE DO
This is not a statement, it is an offer. A woman is giving you the chance to come up with whatever excuse or reason you have for doing whatever it is that you have done. You have a fair chance with the truth, so be careful and you shouldn't get a "That's Okay"

THANKS
A woman is thanking you. Do not faint. Just say you're welcome.

THANKS A LOT
This is much different from "Thanks." A woman will say, "Thanks A Lot" when she is really ticked off at you. It signifies that you have offended her in some callous way, and will be followed by the "Loud Sigh." Be careful not to ask what is wrong after the "Loud Sigh," as she will only tell you "Nothing"

Send this to the men you know to warn them about future arguments they can avoid if they remember the terminology. And send it to your women friends to give them a good laugh!

"I Love You"

This is a sad story about a love you doll. Heard about it from a friend and loved it 'til now. Hope you share the same sentiments we have.

I have a boyfriend who grew up with me. His name is Jin. I always thought of him as a friend until last year, when we went to a trip from a club. I found that I fell in love with him. Before that trip was over, I took a step and confessed my love for him. And soon, we became a pair of lovers, but we loved each other in different ways. I always concentrated on him only, but by his side, there were so many other girls. To me, he was the only one, but to him, maybe I was just another girl…

“Jin, do you want to go watch a movie?” I asked.

“I can’t”

“Why? You need to study at home?” I felt disappointment grabbing me.“

No… I am going to meet a friend…”

He was always like that. He met girls in front of me, like it was nothing. To him, I was just a girlfriend. The word ‘love’ only came out from my mouth. Since I knew him, I had never heard him say ‘I love you’ before. To us, there weren’t any anniversaries at all. He didn’t say anything from the first day and it continued till 100 days…200days… Everyday, before we say goodbye, he would just hand me a doll, everyday, without fail. I don’t know why…

Then one day…
Me: Um, Jin, I …

Jin: What…don’t drag, just say..

Me: I love you.

Jin: ……you….um, just take this doll

and go home.

That was how he ignored my ‘three words’ and handed me the doll. Then he disappeared, like he was running away. The dolls I received from him everyday, filled my room, one by one. There were many…

Then one day came, my 15th year old birthday. When I got up in the morning, I pictured a party with him, and stranded myself in my room, waiting for his call. But… lunch passed, dinner passed… and soon the sky was dark… he still didn’t call. It was already tiring to look at the phone anymore. Then around 2am in the morning, he suddenly called me and woke me from my sleep. He told me to come out of the house. Still, I felt joy and I ran out happily.

Me: Jin…

Jin: Here…take this…Again, he handed me a little doll.

Me: What’s this?

Jin: I didn’t give it to you yesterday, so I am giving it to you now. I’m going home now, bye.

Me: Wait, wait! Do you know what today is?

Jin: Today? Huh?I felt so sad, I thought he would remember my birthday. He turned around and walked away like nothing had happen.Then I shouted… “Wait…”

Jin: You have something to say?

Me: Tell me, tell me you love me…

Jin: What?!

Me: Tell me

I put my pathetic self behind and clung on to him. But he just said simple cold words and left.“I don’t want to say…that I love someone so easily, if you are desperate to hear it, then find someone else.”That was what he said. Then he ran off. My legs felt numb… and I collapsed to the ground. He didn’t want to say it easily… How could he…. I felt that… Maybe he is not the right guy for me…After that day, I stranded myself at home crying, just crying. He didn’t call me, although I was waiting. He just continued handing me a little doll every morning outside my house. That’s how those dolls piled up in my room… everyday

After a month, I got myself together and went to school. But what made the pain resurface was that… I saw him on a street… with another girl… He had a smile on his face, one that he never showed me…as he touched the doll… I ran straight back home and looked at the dolls in my room, and tears fell… Why did he gave these to me… Those dolls are probably picked out by some other girls…In a fit of anger, I threw the dolls around. Then suddenly, the phone rang. It was him. He told me to come out to the bus stop outside my house. I tried to calm myself down and walked to the bus stop. I kept reminding myself that I am going to forget him, that… it’s going to end. Then he came into my sight, holding a big doll.

Jin: Jo, I thought you were pissed, you really came?

I couldn’t help hating him, acting like nothing had happen and joking around. Soon, he held out the doll as usual…

Me: I don’t need it.

Jin: What….why…I grabbed the doll from his hands and threw it on the road.

Me: I don’t need this doll, I don’t need it anymore!! I don’t want to see a person like you again!I spitted out all the words that were inside me. But unlike other days, his eyes very shaking.“I’m sorry” He apologized in a tiny voice. He then walked over to the road to pick up the doll…

Me: You stupid! Why are you picking up the doll?! Just throw it away!!!

But he ignored me and just went to pick the doll. Then…

Honk~ Honk~

With a loud honk, a big truck was heading towards him.

“Jin! Move! Move away!” I shouted… But he didn’t hear me, he squatted down and picked up the doll.

“Jin, move!” HONK~!! “Boom!” That sound, so terrifying.

That’s how he went away from me. That’s how he went away without even opening his eyes to say one word to me.After that day, I had to go through everyday with guiltiness and the sadness of losing him… And after spending two months like a crazy person… I took out the dolls.

Those were the only gifts he left me since the day we started going out. I remembered the days I spent with him and started to count the days… when we were in love…

“One…two… three…” That was how… I started to count the dolls…

“Four hundred and eighty four… four hundred and eighty five…” It all ended with 485 dolls.

I then started to cry again, with a doll in my arms. I hugged it tightly, then suddenly…

“I love you~, I love you~” I dropped the dolls,shocked.

“I….lo..ve…you??” I picked up the dolls and pressed its stomach.

“I love you~ I love you~” It can’t be! I pressed all the dolls’ stomach as it piled on the side.

“I love you~”

“I love you~”

“I love you~”

Those words came out non-stop. I…love you… Why didn’t I realize that….That his heart was always by my side, protecting me. Why didn’t I realize that he love me this much… I took out the doll under the bed and pressed it’s stomach, that was the last doll, the one that fell on the road. It had his blood stain on it. The voice came out, the on that I was missing so much…

“Jo…Do you know what today is? We’ve been loving each other for 486 days. Do you know what 486 is? I couldn’t say I love you…. Um… since I was too shy… If you forgive me and take this doll, I will say that I love you… everyday… till I die… Jo… I love you…”

The tears came flowing out of me. Why? Why? I asked god, why do I only know about all this now? He can’t be by my side, but he loved me until his last minute…

For that… and for that reason… to me… it became courage… to live a beautiful life….

Give your child emotional commitment

by Mommy & Me


Spend focused time with child early on, and you'll lay the groundwork for a lifelong relationship based on mutual respect and understanding. All children face social, academic, athletic, and personal challenges as they grow. You will want you child to feel comfortable confiding in you, and you'll want to be able to communicate honestly with him or her in return. To get to that point, you must invest the time now, while your child is young. Although it is never too late to start building trust, the sooner you begin, the stronger the bond between you and your child will be.

The mothers who come to my classes are well aware of the challenges of raising children. "I want to be a good mother," they'll announce. I tell them that I agree with child psychologist D.W. Winnicott, who said that there is no such thing as a perfect parent, but that most of us are "good enough." Instead of trying to be perfect, I encourage parents to aim for emotional commitment by following these simple guidelines:

1. Say "I love you" to your child at least once a day. Remember those bumper stickers that asked, "Have you hugged your kid today?" Make sure your answer is always “Yes!”
2. Encourage your child's efforts in constructive activities, and praise him or her frequently.
3. Observe your child. Notice his or her likes and dislikes, and talk to your child about them.
   Help your child cultivate new skills and interests. With so much media available, it's up to parents to make sure their children have hobbies that don't require a mouse or a remote control. Children who can't entertain themselves are easily bored, and bored children often get into trouble.
4. Involve yourself in your child's life: learn the names of his or her daycare friends, get to know his or her teacher, ask about a picture he or she drew. Show that you're interested in your child’s world.
5. Most of all, give your child your undivided attention for a certain amount of time every day. When your child sees that you are truly interested in him or her, your child will feel valued.

None of us is going to be a perfect parent. We'll all yell at our child (sometimes in public), make promises we can't keep, and tally up our mistakes in the dead of night. Think of these guidelines as preventive medicine to help keep your relationship with your child healthy!

Are you ready for LOVE?

Author Unknown


A good relationship isn't a game you play or an ego trip you take. It is about love and two people. Loving someone can give us the greatest joy we can ever know and it can hurt more than we can believe too. When it does not really hurt when that person did something disappointing to you, but really hurts when you see that person in pain and sadness, then you know you truly love that person.

Loving someone means you should be ready to experience heartache and happiness at the same time. That's the reward and that's the risk. Unless we are willing to experience it, we will never really know what it's like to love and be loved.

Sharing love is probably the most valuable and meaningful experience a person can ever have. And there's a difference between being in love with someone and loving someone. It's the difference between a love that's fickle, wild and short-lived and one that's tender and passionate, nurturing and lasts a long time. The first is easy. The second, the one that really matters to all of us, takes work -- because it's about keeping a relationship.

Loving someone takes efforts. We have to be able to communicate with each other. Nobody can read anyone else's mind. We always presume that our partner knows what we think and feel. Maybe in time we might be able to predict or sense each other's thoughts but it's never perfect and takes time to develop.

Getting the chance to love and be loved by someone is blessed. Respect him/her for who he/she is, and not what you want him/her to be. Everyone is pretty and special in his/her own special way. No one is perfect. It is true love which closes the gap of imperfectness to form a smooth surface of acceptance for each other. True love sees and accepts a person for who he/she is. It is also true love which makes a person change for the better.
The power of true love to a person is undeniable.

A relationship needs commitments too. What is love without commitments from each other anyway? It's like principles and values. Everyone has them but they only mean as much as we are willing to stand for them.

The same goes for our commitments to relationships, and the person we love.

"Love is like an antique vase. It's hard to find, hard to get, but easy to break."

Every day everywhere, people fall in love ... but just how many of these relationships are self-sacrificing love, and not just relationships which are formed only for the intense feeling of falling in love? I know hundreds of friends who say the magical words "I love you"... but more often than not, the truth is just -- I am IN love with you. There is a difference between being in love with someone and loving someone. If a person says he/she is in love with you, he/she means that he/she likes you for who you are now and he/she fell in love with you because of the present you.

This kind of love is temporary and lasts only as long as the fairytale lasts. When fairy godmother comes in at midnight to whirl us back to reality, we see the heartache of such a relationship...where both were only IN love with each other.

But if a person says he/she loves you, he/she means that he/she loves you unconditionally for who you are now, who you were in the past and who you might be in the future. When he/she says he/she loves you and really means it, you have to ask yourself if you love him/her too or if you're in love with the idea of being in love. It is very hard to see the difference through logical thinking. Let your heart guide you. May you be blessed on your soul-searching journey for your soulmate.

Friends In Love

A guy and a girl can be just friends but at one point or another one of them will fall for the other, maybe temporarily, maybe at the wrong time, maybe too late or maybe, just maybe...forever.

I Asked God

Claudia Minden Weisz


I asked God to take away my habit.
God said, No. It is not for me to take away,
but for you to give it up.

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole.
God said, No. His spirit is whole,
his body is only temporary.

I asked God to grant me patience.
God said, No. Patience is a byproduct of tribulations;
it isn't granted, it is learned.

I asked God to give me happiness.
God said, No. I give you blessings;
Happiness is up to you.

I asked God to spare me pain.
God said, No. Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares
and brings you closer to me.

I asked God to make my spirit grow.
God said, No. You must grow on your own!,
but I will prune you to make you fruitful.

I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life.
God said, No. I will give you life,
so that you may enjoy all things.

I ask God to help me LOVE others, as much as He loves me.
God said....Ahhhh, finally you have the idea.

The Essence of Being Single

All your life, you had specific dreams about what your family life would be like when you finally married. You were so intent on what you wanted, you even made a list of qualities and characteristics you were looking forin a spouse, in a home, in your job, in your children. But time passed, and that person you were so intent on didn't come along. All of your friends are married, had children, and had beautiful homes.And still you are single.You prayed and prayed and prayed for that personto come along, but nothing happened. You had a good job. You served in your church. You spent daily time with the Lord in prayer and studying the Word.


You dedicated your life to serving God in every way possible, but still nothing. So you decided to take matters into your own hands, and you began an active search for a mate. And within a short period, you met someone who almost fit the bill. Almost. Sure, there were a few things Missing, a few rusty spots in that person's character.But, after all, no one is perfect. Maybe your goals were too high. Maybe you'd been asking for the impossible. Maybe this was the person God wantedfor you so your character could grow through dealing with his or her failings. Even though it often seems that God is slow to answer prayers, no matter whether it's about a mate, or a job, or our children, or ourfinances, or anything else, we have to remember that God doesn't wear a watch.

Nor does he look at our human calendars. He sees with eternal eyes. He operates on an eternal timetable, according to His plan and His schedule.If God seems to be running late, don't get impatient and run ahead of him.Wait for the Lord's timing in everything.

To the single folks out there, especially for you "Tigerbarb"! Single means you have the time to grow and be the person you want to be. Single gives you space to grow.Sometimes, it is harder to grow when you are too close to someone.
Trees are planted far apart so they can spread their branches and become strong as they mature. Single means learning to live by you.

However, that is no more difficult than learning to live with somebody else. Single means freedom. You are free to spend a week's vacation on the beach, to take computer courses, to work late on an interesting project, to spend the day in bed with a good book or simply with a person who has read one.
Single means learning not to need a man/woman to make your life Meaningful but learning to live with a man/woman because you want to be with him/her.
Single means that sometimes you will wonder why you will bite your lip and feel wistful and wonder if marriage is better.

Ironically, yet quite happily, single is feeling good bout being in Control of your life. It is liking and respecting who you are and why you are.
Single is realizing that being married is not necessarily better, it Is merely different. Single means that there could be something wonderful around the corner and you can take advantage of it. Being single means you are free to love again.

Marriage & Relationships - Humor

Bumper sticker seen on a cookie delivery truck:"Driver carries no money; he's married."

~~~~~

Do you know the punishment for bigamy?Two mothers-in-law.

~~~~~

I take my wife everywhere, but she keeps finding her way back

~~~~~

After a quarrel, a husband said to his wife, "You know, I was a fool when I married you."

She replied, "Yes, dear, but I was in love and didn't notice."

~~~~~

The Dog & The Funeral

A man was leaving a cafe with his morning coffee when he noticed a most unusual funeral procession approaching the nearby cemetery. A long black hearse was followed by a second long black hearse about 50 feet behind. Behind the second hearse was a solitary man walking a pit bull dog on a leash. Behind him were 200 men walking single file. The man couldn't stand the curiosity. He respectfully approached the man walking the dog and said, "I am so sorry for your loss, and I know now is a bad time to disturb you, but I've never seen a funeral like this. Whose funeral is it?" The man replied, "Well, that first hearse is for my wife." "What happened to her?" The man replied, "My dog attacked and killed her." He inquired further, "Well, who is in the second hearse?" The man answered, "My mother-in-law. She was trying to help my wife when the dog turned on her." A poignant and thoughtful moment of silence passes between the two men. "Can I borrow the dog?" "Get in line."

Send In The Clowns

Clown, performer, usually in a circus, who plays the fool, performs practical jokes, and does tricks to make people laugh. Other names for clowns include buffoon, jester, fool, comedian, conjurer, tumbler, harlequin, comic, and puppeteer. Although there are many types of clowns, each clown develops a “face”, meaning a performance personality. A clown’s face, once established, becomes the clown’s unique personal property.

But why does some child scared of the clowns? Based on my experience well not exactly mine but my kids, they are not fond of clowns. There’s this birthday party yesterday (July 17, Sunday) where Patrick and Patricia was invited. After going to church and eating lunch, the two were excited to go to the party but I told them to take a nap for a few hours because the party will start at 2:30 pm. Eager to go to the party, the two take a bathed, put on their clothes and hurried down the stairs and to the front gate. As we slowly enter the venue, the two suddenly took a stop at the entrance and seated at the bench until the clown calls for everybody to take a chow. Maybe the two was scared of the way the clowns look because like not what’s on the picture, the clowns in the party was not professionally good looking. But in fairness to the clowns, even if the two was outside, I could still see in them that they were entertained well enough to heard them laughing at their practical jokes. After eating, the clown announced that they will perform magical tricks, so Dad and I convinced the two that it would be fun. With the help of their cousins… finally the two agreed to seat down and watched them performed. The two was surprisingly fantastic, because they stayed for hours overwhelmed with the clowns practical jokes and tricks. As we go home, you’ll hear Patricia saying, “Mommy, hindi na ako takot sa clown, binigyan pa nga n’ya ako ng candy.” I hope they won’t be afraid of the clowns next time.

Small Blessings

Dear Lord, it's such a hectic day

With little time to stop and pray

For life's been anything but calm

Since You called on me to be a mom

Running errands, matching socks

Building dreams with building blocks

Cooking, cleaning, and finding shoes

And other stuff that children lose

Gitting lids on bottled bugs

Wiping tears and giving hugs

A stack of last week's mail to read

So where's the quiet time I need?

Yet when I steal a minute, Lord

Just at the sink or ironing board

To ask the blessings of Your grace

I seen then, in my small one's face

That you have blessed me

All the while

And I stop to kiss

That precious smile

Becoming a Woman

Matina Weeks

I couldn’t have been more than fifteen or sixteen. Sitting in the corner of the living room with a couple of high school friends and gabbing away, I dropped the comment, “Well, for me, I definitely don’t want to ever have kids.”

“Matina! How could you say that?” my mom interjected from across the room. Oh gosh, I thought, I didn’t think she was listening. “Don’t you know what it means to be a true woman?” she went on, as I tuned her out and rolled my eyes to save face in front of my girlfriends. “OK mom, whatever…”

But that phrase kept haunting me. I knew for sure that I didn’t want to do what I saw all of the women around me doing: getting married and having baby after baby with no time left over for themselves. I was going to go somewhere in life, no question about it. I devoted all of my energy to art, spending hours pouring over books of paintings by great masters. On a trip to New York, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, I stumbled across a figure entitled (if I remember rightly) “Mother Earth” – a well-rounded, buxom woman sitting with her broad feet firmly planted on the ground and cradling a small child. I stayed for a long time in front of this sculpture, unable to tear myself away. As I stood there, I felt a little nagging doubt that maybe I was missing something. I was, at the time, ambitious and arrogant, driven, and flirting with an eating disorder. The depth of womanhood represented here shook my little world. My mother’s question echoed in my head.

But it didn’t last long. I was sold on the modern image of womanhood: intelligent, successful, and of course, sexy; and I did all I could to become that way. I left home, went to college, and on the surface I did fine. Underneath, though, even if I hardly dared admit it to myself, my life was in shambles. I was rapidly losing any sense of right or wrong. Addicted to flattery, I flitted from relationship to relationship without a thought for the heartache and torment I was causing. Eventually I came home, broken and confused, and wondering where it had all gone so wrong.

It was then that my mother’s question took on a life of its own. Confronted with my own blatant shallowness, I began to look for answers. Perhaps, I thought, there is something in what my mother was trying to tell me so long ago. How many of us women long for something more than what Madison Avenue—or the local shopping mall—has to offer? How many of us are frustrated with trying to live up to the demands of a society that dictates our lives right down to our body size? How many of us become aggressive and commandeering out of self-defense? Is there another way?

The answers I started getting were no easier than the questions had been. I began to feel that the only truly liberated woman is the one who is open to fulfilling God’s plan for her life. And I was afraid that that was the image of womanhood my mother had been trying to point me to. I felt certain that it would mean loss of control over my life. And once I lost that, what would keep someone from taking advantage of me? After all, I had taken advantage of countless people before….

Over time, I realized that my entire mode of operating would have to change. Being womanly was not a cop-out, something only for those who couldn’t keep it all together. It was the hardest and noblest undertaking that I could imagine. My survival techniques had to be dismantled. For a long time I had suppressed the desire to be a nurturer—to show love—as a threatening one. Vulnerability was never high on my list of sought-after qualities, but now I found myself embracing it rather than rejecting it. I realized that perhaps one of the greatest strengths of a woman lies in her sensitivity and care of other people, not in her control of them.

There were a lot of things I had to unlearn, and at twenty-four I can’t say that I’ve gotten very far. But I have definitely set out on a different road from the one I was taking in high school. I still find myself fighting with the need to assert myself, to win every argument, to run over men who don’t show strong leadership.

Friends have helped me a lot. A close friend confided in me that she can distinctly remember how free and proud she felt when she gave up maintaining her perfect image. “It was so good to step out and know that guys weren’t looking me up and down checking me out. I felt like I had just removed myself from that whole game, and I could finally really relate to people again.” Another friend told me she had decided to live up to the example of her grandmother, and found she needed to give up a lot to do so. “I had to surrender my need to achieve, to be equal with men, to diet. But,” she went on, “in a world where our little girls see no other options than to grow up as submissive, adored objects of desire or aggressive commandeering she-wolfs, I am determined to let them know there is a third way.”

As for me, stepping out of the usual stereotypes hasn’t been easy. I can’t stand aloof and ignore the injustices that gave rise to the notion of feminism and its varied expressions in today’s world. Whether women see themselves as victims or controllers, it doesn’t really make a difference—no one can deny that there is a huge rift between the sexes that needs to be reconciled. But even if it is an unpopular point of view, I think the only way that rift can begin to be healed is if we women recognize that we are not guiltless. We need to change too.

As much as men fail to respect and honor the women around them, we need to see that we fail them too. We need to stop looking at men for what we can get out of them and at how we can wrap them around our fingers. We need to begin to see them as brothers and co-workers. Only then can we demand that they treat us with the same love. And then, perhaps, we will be able to put aside our old fears, and find a new freedom: the freedom to listen to our own consciences, and to become more fully human.

Make every day a Mother's day

by Angela Renee

The word mother and mothers day are simple, yet powerful little words that you hear all the time especially so around the time of mothers day when everyone seem to be scrambling for ideas to say thank you, you are surely loved and you are appreciated all over again.

But if you would just take time out, you would realize that useful hints were probably being dropped all alone and throughout the year. In fact, with that special day being only a few weeks away, some of your thoughts at this time can range anywhere from what are you going to do for your mother, spouse or other loved one to should it be a product gift or something more personal. If it is the product route, how can it be made more personalized? If it is the gift of time, how can it be made more personal?

Mothers Day for some will be welcomed with feelings of excitement while for others it may be a day of mixed feelings especially so if the mother you will honor has lost a child to tragedy. So that is why whenever you wish to honor someone in your own little way, you should consider where that person may be in their life and then the event. Many people say that it's the thought that counts and yes that's a very good point but so is too know a person and mother's day is no exception.

To give you some examples, consider a single mother who's been struggling to raise her children and doing it all alone in every sense of the word, what would make her day on mother's day? What about a seventy-two year old mother who has raised her children but suddenly took on the new responsibilities of raising her grand children, what would she possibly want or deserve?

Sure a bouquet of flowers or some other last minute gift would be nice and probably get you off the hook but what would that mother really want to do for that special day? Would she want to spend her day filled with family and special friends or have a day of being responsibility free? If you were in that person's shoes, which would you hope that someone would honor you with for mother's day?

You see mothers day or any other day can be made more personal when you put some careful thought into your gift idea. What else would that mother enjoy? What has she wanted to do for a long time? What has she not gotten to experience in her lifetime? How can you really show her she is appreciated?

Even a gift that is accompanied with a carefully written letter or note with meaning can put a smile on a mother's face! Yes, I know this will not work for all moms but that's why in the article it says that YOU need to really know that person. So please just remember it really is the thought that counts especially when you did take some time out to put some thought into your mother's day gift.

Oh, one last thing, I invite you to help every day become a Mother's Day. By the way moms, it is ok to drop hints about how you would like to spend your special day and with hope, your spouse, partner, or other loved one will graciously honor your small request. After all, mother's day on the calendar only comes once a year.

http://www.worlds-best-mothers-guide.com

Moms Are Women First

by Renee Michaels

I'll bet that most moms forget that!

Being a mom is but one of the many daily roles a mother performs and as this dominates her life, it may be difficult even for her to remember all the woman she is. While she is undoubtedly proud of her contributions to her family, she probably doesn’t have the time and energy to pamper her inner and outer woman.

Mom looks in the mirror, sighs, and wishes she had just ten more minutes to style her hair or apply makeup. She looks at her clothes and wishes for the time to shop for something pretty to add to her wardrobe. Or an hour once a week to take a yoga or exercise class to soothe her spirit.

She puts this thought aside for the 1,001st time, and moves on to do the laundry, wash the dishes, go grocery shopping, prepare meals, pick up the kids at school, drive them to a sports practice or music lesson, or juggles a job outside as well as her mom’s job.

Mom’s the heart and soul of a family, whether she’s married or a single mom. But she’s a woman first, so this Mothers Day, why not give her a unique gift to show you honor all that she is, whether you are her children or husband? Just imagine how her eyes will light up and how delighted she’ll be when she knows her family realizes and cares about a side of her that she has neglected to take care of you.

Husbands can give her a special romantic gift

• Send her a love letter or poem that tells her how you appreciate her as a woman

• Give her sexy lingerie

• Treat her to a day at a spa then take her out to a romantic dinner separate from your family’s Mothers Day celebration

• Give her a “total makeover” and then have a photographer take glamorous photos of her. Buy a frame to prominently display the best photo

• Give her a romantic gift in front of the family so they know how much you love her as a woman. Do a special presentation, what about serenading her with a karaoke tune and handing her your own bouquet of flowers?

Let her know that you still care about her and your relationship apart from the kids. Hey, this is not only for your wife, you’ll receive very sweet dividends from this!

Children can give her “pamper yourself” gifts

• Chip in to buy a gift certificate to a spa, make a homemade banner, “We love our beautiful mom!” and hang on the wall over the dinner table

• Pay for a course that she’s been yearning to take

• What about a gift certificate to her favorite clothing store? With strict orders that she has to use it to buy something only for herself

• She will especially love this one: make up personal chore coupons that she can use to ask for extra chores to be done so she has the time to do something she enjoys or just “quiet” time.

• If your family has a great sense of humor, wrap your Mothers Day gift in a disposable diaper and tell her “You pampered us, now we’re pampering you!

Copyright 2005 Renee Michaels