A talent search competition was being conducted by a music company for young budding singers. Twenty two entries had been selected from the hundreds of entries received. The contestants had sung in front of three eminent judges; men who had made a name for themselves in the world of music. The first round being one of elimination brought the number down to ten.

The second round, started with bated breaths and pounding hearts. All the young participants put forward their best. It was a rare honour to get a chance to sing on this platform, in front of such a voluminous audience and in the midst of so much talent. At the end of the second round, only five contestants were short-listed. Those that did not make it, wept openly, for they could not hold back the tears of disappointment.

The lucky five sang in the final round. Soon the singing part was over.There was a thunderous applause from the audience. The crowd was going berserk with enthusiasm. The singers had excelled. They had the audience literally dancing to their tunes.

It was time for the final verdict. The first judge called one of contestants, Meera, centre-stage and said to her, "I wonder what prompted you to choose such a difficult composition to sing. You have sung it terribly! I cannot even count the number of mistakes you have made. You youngsters think that by singing a few numbers here and there you can become singers of repute. Let me tell you, you have to practice day and night. You have to train under the grand maestros. Come out of your Utopia." He went on to sing a line from the same song to show this bewildered contestant, just how it should have been sung. Tears streamed down the girls cheeks. She fought to hold them back, but her eyelids were not strong enough to hold in control the flood of emotions that besieged her.

The mike was passed on to the second judge. He said, "Well, young lady, you were brave to have chosen that song. But you have a lot to learn yet.You need to train for longer hours. But don't worry; you can make it if you practice consistently. Good luck to you."

It was the turn of the third judge to speak now. He said, "First of all young lady I wish to congratulate you for having reached the final round, having proved your mettle in such a sea of talent. You have immense potential in you; you just need to garner it right. Do you think that people like us who have made a name in the world of music are any different from you? No, we are also like you; the only difference is that you are yet to become famous. Lady luck shall surely smile on you if you continue to persevere. Don't give up. In this field, one is always a learner; even we are still learning. The road is tough but it's not impossible to conquer. I wish you luck. You have my blessings, be happy."

The rest of the contestants went through their turns of listening to the opinions of the judges on their respective performances. What struck the audience was not the final result, but the attitude of the judges.As the audience walked out of the auditorium, a few were discussing the participants and the results. Do you know what most of them were discussing? They were discussing who the best judge was!

Encouragement and appreciation are tonics that are always in short supply.

It is not the critic who is important. Important are those who have had the guts to enter the arena. There is no greatness in pointing out where and how great men stumbled. For not all people have the guts to try; make mistakes and then get up and try again! A winner is one who after a long journey of sweat and perspiration has the strength to make it to the end. Even if he fails, at least he has had the experience of the journey. He has had the spirit of adventure. He has had the strength to submit himself to a verdict of success or failure.

Life they say is a rocky road. The challenge is to let it not grind you into dust, but polish you into a brilliant gem!

We seek happiness in the wrong places and in the wrong form. The primary cause of unhappiness is simply wanting too much, overemphasizing the material things...Happiness begins where selfishness ends.

Strategy to find happiness is to make and keep nine promises:

PROMISE to talk about health, happiness, and prosperity as often as possible.

PROMISE to make all your friends know there is something in them that is special and that you value.

PROMISE to think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best in yourself and others.

PROMISE to be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

PROMISE to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

PROMISE to forget the mistakes of the past and press on to greater achievements in the future.

PROMISE to wear a cheerful appearance at all times and give every person you meet a smile.

PROMISE to give so much time improving yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

PROMISE to be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit trouble to press on you.

A TRUE STORY

Spend some time to read this! Really touching!

I was walking around in a Big Bazar store making shopping, when I saw a Cashier talking to a boy couldn't have been more than 5 or 6 years old. The Cashier said, 'I'm sorry, but you don't have enough money to buy this doll. Then the little boy turned to me and asked: ''Aunty, are you sure I don't have enough money?''

I counted his cash and replied: ''You know that you don't have enough money to buy the dolll, my dear.'' The little boy was still holding the doll in his hand. Finally, I walked toward him and I asked him who he wished to give this doll to. 'It's the doll that my sister loved most and wanted so much . Iwanted to Gift her for her BIRTHDAY. I have to give the doll to my mommy so that she can give it to my sister when she goes there.' His eyes were so sad while saying this. 'My Sister has gone to be with God. Daddy says that Mommy is going to see God very soon too, so I thought that she could take the doll with her to give it to my sister.'' My heart nearly stopped. The little boy looked up at me and said: 'I told daddy to tell mommy not to go yet. I need her to wait until I come back from the mall.' Then he showed me a very nice photo of him where he was laughing. He then told me 'I want mommy to take my picture with her so my sister won't forget me.' 'I love my mommy and I wish she doesn't have to leave me, but daddy says that she has to go to be with my little sister.' Then he looked again at the doll with sad eyes, very quietly.

I quickly reached for my wallet and said to the boy. 'Suppose we check again, just in case you do have enough money for the doll?'' 'OK' he said, 'I hope I do have enough.' I added some of my money to his with out him seeing and we started to count it. There was enough for the doll and even some spare money. The little boy said: 'Thank you God for giving me enough money!' Then he looked at me and added, 'I asked last night before I went to sleep for God to make sure I had enough money to buy this doll, so that mommy could give It to my sister. He heard me!'' 'I also wanted to have enough money to buy a white rose for my mommy, but I didn't dare to ask God for too much. But He gave me enough to buy the doll and a white rose. My mommy loves white roses.'

I finished my shopping in a totally different state from when I started. I couldn't get the little boy out of my mind.. Then I remembered a local news paper article two days ago, which mentioned a drunk man in a truck, who hit a car occupied by a young woman and a little girl. The little girl died right away, and the mother was left in a critical state. The family had to decide whether to pull the plug on the life-sustaining machine, because the young woman would not be able to recover from the coma. Was this the family of the little boy?

Two days after this encounter with the little boy, I read in the newspaper that the young woman had passed away.. I couldn't stop myself as I bought a bunch of white roses and I went to the funeral home where the body of the young woman was exposed for people to see and make last wishes before her burial. She was there, in her coffin, holding a beautiful white rose in her hand with the photo of the little boy and the doll placed over her chest. I left the place, teary-eyed, feeling that my life had been changed for ever. The love that the little boy had for his mother and his sister is still, to this day, hard to imagine. And in a fraction of a second, a drunk driver had taken all this away from him.



PLEASE DO NOT DRINK & DRIVE.


Now you have 2 choices:

Forward this message & spread awareness

OR

Ignore it as if it never touched your heart.

For those who prefer to think that God is not watching over us....
go ahead and delete this. For the rest of us... pass this on.



THE VALUE OF A MAN OR WOMAN RESIDES IN WHAT HE OR SHE GIVES, NOT IN WHAT HE OR SHE IS CAPABLE OF RECEIVING.

Slow down for three minutes to read this. It is so worth it.Touching words from the mouths of babes. 

What does 'Love' mean? 

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, 'What does 'love' mean?' 

The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:
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'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore.

So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.'
Rebecca- age 8

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'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.'
Billy - age 4

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'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.'
Karl - age 5

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'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.'
Chrissie- age 6

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'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.'
Terri - age 4

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'Love is when my mummy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.'
Danny - age 7
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'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more.
My Mummy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss'
Emily - age 8
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'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.'
Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)
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'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,'

Nikka - age 6
(we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)
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'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.'
Noelle - age 7
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'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.'
Tommy - age 6
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'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.

He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.'
Cindy - age 8
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'My mummy loves me more than anybody

You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.'
Clare - age 6
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'Love is when Mummy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.'
Elaine-age 5

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'Love is when Mummy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.'
Chris - age 7
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'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day'
Mary Ann - age 4
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'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.'
Lauren - age 4
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'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.' (what an image)
Karen - age 7
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'Love is when Mummy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.'
Mark - age 6
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'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.'
Jessica - age 8
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And the final one -- Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a con test he was asked to judge.

The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.

The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.

Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.

When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbour, the little boy said,
'Nothing, I just helped him cry'

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know.

I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being.

She said, "Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?"

I laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of course you may!" and she gave me a giant squeeze.

"Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?" I asked. She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, have a couple of children, and then retire and travel."

"No seriously," I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.

"I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!" she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake. We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop.

I was always mesmerized listening to this "time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.

Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor.

Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said "I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know." As we laughed she cleared her throat and began:

"We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success.

You have to laugh and find humor everyday.

You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die.

We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it!

There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight. Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability.

The idea is to grow up by always finding the opportunity in change.

Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets."

She concluded her speech by courageously singing "The Rose." She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives.

At the years end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago. One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.

Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be.

AFFIRMATIONS FOR WISDOM & INNER STRENGTH: 


Affirmations are positive statements to reinforce what you feel about yourself or your day. They are a way of sharpening your focus on areas that need healing or strengthening or bringing conscious awareness to those areas in your lives in which you feel the need for change.

Ancient sayings and teachings inform us that it is our waking thoughts that colour our day. We know that our minds are the most powerful part of us. We are what we think; our bodies are what we eat. It is therefore in our best interest to start the day in a positive and loving manner that will benefit us and all those we encounter through each day of our lives.

Below are a few selected set of affirmations created by Dr. Trisha Ellis, Reiki Master, in her book called AFFIRMATIONSWISE:

**abundance**

The Universe surrounds me with unlimited abundance, it holds everything I need and desire – infinite wisdom supports me as I choose to have abundance in all areas of my life.

The ultimate source always supplies whatever I seek, my own doubts or confusion are the real blocks to having abundance in my life. I choose to cease doubting I draw into my life the abundance I seek as I listen to my inner wisdom all my needs and desires are met.

**achieving**

I utilize my creative power to achieve whatever I desire and I joyfully express what is felt inside of me – laughter, sharing, fun and abundance are really experienced by me.

I know I can achieve whatever I wish this day as I allow my creative power to flow freely – happily drawing to me everything I require. I can and do achieve what I desire each day.

**balance**

I deserve to be balanced in all areas of my life – at all levels of my being. I listen to the messages of my physical form and take steps to come back into balance whenever necessary.

I nourish myself emotionally allowing it to be balanced and at peace each day as I endeavour to balance my needs with the needs of those around me – I gain balance by giving equal time to my physical, emotional, mental and spiritual desires. When balanced I am in harmony and peace with myself and the Creator.


So go ahead and have a wonderful day by starting out with these affirmations to guide you, how can you possibly go wrong…..?

I CAN'T CHANGE YOUR PAST WITH ALL IT'S HEARTACHE AND PAIN, NOR THE FUTURE WITH IT'S UNTOLD STORIES. BUT I CAN BE THERE NOW WHEN YOU NEED ME TO CARE.

I CAN'T KEEP YOUR FEET FROM STUMBLING. I CAN ONLY OFFER MY HAND THAT YOU MAY GRASP IT AND NOT FALL.

YOUR JOYS, TRIUMPHS, SUCCESSES, AND HAPPINESSES ARE NOT MINE, YET I CAN SHARE IN YOUR LAUGHTER.

YOUR DECISIONS IN LIFE ARE NOT MINE TO MAKE, NOR TO JUDGE, I CAN ONLY SUPPORT YOU, ENCOURAGE YOU, AND HELP YOU WHEN YOU ASK.

I CAN'T PREVENT YOU FROM FALLING AWAY FROM FRIENDSHIP, FROM YOUR VALUES, FROM ME. I CAN ONLY PRAY FOR YOU, TALK TO YOU AND WAIT FOR YOU.

I CAN'T GIVE YOU BOUNDARIES WHICH I HAVE DETERMINED FOR YOU, BUT I CAN GIVE YOU THE ROOM TO CHANGE, ROOM TO GROW, ROOM TO BE YOURSELF.

I CAN'T KEEP YOUR HEART FROM BREAKING AND HURTING, BUT I CAN CRY WITH YOU AND HELP YOU PICK UP THE PIECES AND PUT THEM BACK IN PLACE.

I CAN'T TELL YOU WHO YOU ARE, I CAN ONLY LOVE YOU AND BE YOUR FRIEND.