It's time to remember...

I suppose I can't say this enough. Times are tough. Forget tough, they're the toughest ever! I cannot imagine how the economy would get to this stage. If I weren't so optimistic, I'd say it's a Depression, instead of a recession.
So, in times like this, it'd be good to remember a few things in order to keep your life in perspective.
Below are a few things to remember for normal people (statistically speaking):

"Remember This"

1. There are at least two people in this world that you would probably die for.

2. At least 5 people in this world love you in some way.

3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they actually want to be just like you, or you have something they would want to have.

4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you at first.

5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.

6. You mean the world to someone.

7. You are special and unique.

8. It's very possible someone that you don't even know exists loves you.

9. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.

10. When you think the world has turned its back on you, take another good look again.

11. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks, they're not worth your while.

Are You Blind, Or Do You See?

There's someone called Lady Hawke and she sends out delightful stories like this.


Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it.
From a distance, each looks like every other horse.
But if you stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice something quite amazing.
Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind.
His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him.
This alone is amazing.
If nearby and listening, you will hear the sound of a bell.
Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field. Attached to her halter is a small bell.
It lets her blind friend know where she is, so he can follow her.
As you stand and watch these two friends, you'll see how she is always checking on him, and that he will listen for her bell and then slowly walk to where she is, trusting that she will not lead him astray.
When she returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, she stops occasionally and looks back, making sure her friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell.
Like the owners of these two horses, the world does not throw us away just because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges.
They watch over us and even bring others into our lives to help us when we are in need. Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing bell in our lives.
Other times we are the guide horse, helping others see.
Good friends are like this ...... You don't always see them, but you know they are always there
Please listen for my bell and I'll listen for yours.
Hope you enjoyed this story.

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."

Forgiveness

I had a long chat with my big boss yesterday.
Explained to him that things haven't turned out all that well lately due to internal company politics and backstabbing all over the place.
Company politics, well, I suppose each and EVERY company has it's politicians. It CANNOT be denied. It will be the same WHEREVER you work.
Backstabbing, now that's another animal. It takes an evil person to WANT to hurt another person.
What I couldn't understand previously was WHY people would want to do that.
Are you such a LOSER that you have to backstab your way to glory?
Is that the ONLY way?
It hurts to know you have enemies.
It hurts because in the first place, you DON'T expect them to be YOUR enemies.
I mean, what have I done to deserve this? I AM INNOCENT!
What the hell do you want?
So, I meditated on it. Prayed for the strength. To forgive.
And I've put it behind me. I AM A PROFESSIONAL, and I shall behave like one.
The work I have, I will do and finish it because I am being paid to do it.
I will not bother with distractions with what other people are doing, whether it's their work or "behind the scnes".
Then I remember a saying. I can't remember who said it, but if you do, please let me know.
It's a mantra worth repeating when you have idiots jostling to take your position in your company.
Forget those morons, because if you're sincerely good enough to get your job, you're worth of keeping your job as long as you do your work properly.
Here, keep this in mind:

Hanging onto bitterness and resentment is like eating poison and expecting somebody else to die.

So, forgive and move on. Remember, you're professional. If other people aren't, that's THEIR problem.

Reasons & Seasons

Again, the most important thing is to understand WHY or the reason things/people are happening/doing in your life.
Some may be good, some may be bad. The good is probably because you've been working towards it for some time, or it could just be a stroke of LUCK.
As for the bad.
Well, there will ALWAYS be bad stuff and bad people in your life. Unfortunately.
You CANNOT AVOID it. The thing to note is that you have to FACE them DIRECTLY and not be afraid.
Because no matter what, it WILL pass. They will go away eventually as long as you bring yourself to overcome them.
The post below is from Prose and Poems, which I thought would be good to share.

People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime... When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.
When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.
Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die.
Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.....
When people come into your life for a SEASON, it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn.
They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy...Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season....
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons--those things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person/people (any way); and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
Some of you are more than friends--you are family. And some of you are more than family--you are friends.
Thank you for being part of my life.

Clay Balls

It's been really stressful lately.
But thanks to friends and family, the world isn't as bad as it seems.
My resolve from today onwards is to be strong, keep strong and not let unimportant people or distractions to weaken me.
This post is dedicated to all who have people caring for and about them.


"Clay Balls"

A man was exploring caves by the seashore. In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls. It was like someone had rolled clay balls and left them out in the sun to bake.
They didn't look like much, but they intrigued the man, so he took the bag out of the cave with him.
As he strolled along the beach, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could.
He thought little about it, until he dropped one of the clay balls and it cracked open on a rock. Inside was a beautiful, precious stone!
Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls. Each contained a similar treasure. He found thousands of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left. Then it struck him.
He had been on the beach a long time. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure into the ocean waves. Instead of thousands of dollars in treasure, he could have taken home tens of thousands, but he had just thrown it away!
It's like that with people.
We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the external clay vessel. It doesn't look like much from the outside. It isn't always beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it.
We see that person as less important than someone more beautiful or stylish or well known or wealthy but we have not taken the time to find the treasure hidden inside that person.
There is a treasure in each one of us. If we take the time to get to know that person, and if we ask God to show us that person the way He sees them, then the clay begins to peel away and the brilliant gem begins to shine forth.
May we not come to the end of our lives and find out that we have thrown away a fortune in friendships because the gems were hidden in bits of clay.
May we see the people in our world as God sees them.
I am so blessed by the gems of friendship I have with each of you.
Thank you for looking beyond my clay vessel.

Money, money, money

I think the economic situation is getting to me. It's affecting the company and staff morale.
Suffice to say, it's scary wondering if we have actually hit bottom yet.
Not sure where, but I remember seeing this ad for those loan sharks which said,"Money isn't everything, but everything needs money nowadays".
I've always been an advocate of living within one's means, that means if you make 3 thousand a month, you spend MAXIMUM of 2500 a month.
Some people say it's impossible, "everything so expensive lah" and even "but I need that ninety dollar shampoo for my hair".
It's POSSIBLE, and at the end of the day, you have to take care of yourself FIRST.
And take note of what Mr. Ford said below.

If money is your hope for independence you will never have it.
The only real security that a man will have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience, and ability.
- Henry Ford (1863-1947)