A Flight in the Sun

"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty." ~ Maya Angelou

NEW BEGINNINGS
A FLIGHT IN THE SUN

That first bright step into the sunshine of life
begins with the opening of the family cocoon.
The caterpillar becomes a butterfly
spreading her wings into the world.

What she is today is but a tiny mirror.
of the transformation that is yet to come.
For with time, love, humor and warmth
She is an ever changing masterpiece.

Whether as wife, mother, career woman or all,
she will find her center of peace.
A place that is hers and hers alone,
the essence of what she is and will be.

Using the instincts that each of us have
to find the good in each other.
to be a caring friend, lover, helper and playmate,
to listen and share, to laugh and to cry.

With loving support of family and friends,
she takes flight down an unknown road towards her future,
like the rising of the sun in the east.
Each day filled with new beginnings.

Finding excitement and challenge at each new turn.
Her flight through life filled with many happy adventures
and memories to put in her book of life,
as the sun moves along that steady path across the sky.

When the sun at last begins to set in the west
and her flight nears its end, she can look back along her path
and know that she has been everything she can be
and has done her very best.

~ Poem by Linda Dietz

Happiness Defined

When I was 5 years old, my mom always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment and I told them they didn’t understand life.

Recipe for a Happy New Year

Take twelve fine, full-grown months; see that these are thoroughly free from old memories of bitterness, rancor and hate, cleanse them completely from every clinging spite; pick off all specks of pettiness and littleness; in short, see that these months are freed from all the past—have them fresh and clean as when they first came from the great storehouse of Time.

Cut these months into thirty or thirty-one equal parts. Do not attempt to make up the whole batch at one time (so many persons spoil the entire lot this way) but prepare one day at a time.

Into each day put equal parts of faith, patience, courage, work (some people omit this ingredient and so spoil the flavor of the rest), hope, fidelity, liberality, kindness, prayer, meditation, rest (leaving this out is like leaving the oil out of the salad dressing—don't do it), and one well-selected resolution.

Put in about one teaspoonful of good spirits, a dash of fun, a pinch of folly, a sprinkling of play, and a heaping cupful of good humor.

Inner Beauty

"For Attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.

People, more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself and the other for helping others."

~ Audrey Hepburn

Lovely Autumn

"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all." ~ Stanley Horowitz

Beautiful Indian Angel And Her Wolf

There was an Indian Angel
By her side was her magnificent wolf
She came up from the river bank
With a gentleness and great grace

The beautiful Indian angel and her wolf
Had a golden glow around their heads
In her hands she held
One beautiful white dove

She looked up and smiled
And held up the beautiful white dove
As she held up the dove
A radiant light began to shine

With a gentle soft voice
As she released the pure white dove
She said, I've come from the Holy Spirit
To tell you to please protect my land

For this is were the eagles fly
You'll never have this chance again
Then the beautiful Indian angel and her wolf
Turned to walk away and disappeared

by: Donna J. Kramer

A lesson from a child

The Hamster, Cat, and Dog

 Written By: Elle, 9, Philippines

Elle's fable:

A timid hamster and a bossy cat lived together in a house. Everyday the cat chased and teased the hamster, saying, "Little hamster, you take such tiny steps and always hide from me! You’re a coward!"

The hamster didn’t like the way the cat treated him so he came up with a plan to make her stop.

The hamster asked his best friend, the neighbor's loud, loyal dog, to help him out. "Friend dog, please go to our garage and leave the rest to me."

"OK, friend hamster", said the dog.

The hamster went back in the house and said to the cat, "Cat, I saw some leftover fish in the garage from our owner’s dinner. Would you like some?" The cat quickly ran to the garage without a word of thanks.

When the cat got there, the big dog was waiting for her. "RUFF, RUFF, GROWL!" said the dog and he chased the cat around the garage.

The cat got scared and very mad. The cat realized how the little hamster felt so from then on she stopped chasing and teasing him.

Then the hamster and cat became friends!

The moral of the story: Don't be a bully because you won't like it either if someone bullies you.