A Beautiful View: The Gift of True Sight

This article was written by Unkown

I received this nice story in an email and thought I would share it.

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man
was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help
drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only
window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The
men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families,
their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service,
where they had been on vacation.

Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he
would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he
could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where
his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and
color of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played
on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers
walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the
city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man
on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the
picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by.

Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it. In his
mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive
words.

Days and weeks passed.

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only
to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died
peacefully in his sleep She was saddened and called the hospital
attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be
moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and
after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first
look at the real world outside.

He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.

It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled
his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside
this window.

The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the
wall.

She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."

Epilogue:

There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own
situations.

Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.

If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money
can't buy.

"Today is a gift, that's why it is called the present."

The origin of this story is unknown, but it brings good luck to
everyone who passes it on.

Do not keep this to yourself.

Just forward it to your friends to whom you wish good luck.

Everyone deserves happiness.

A Lesson from the Eagle

This article was written by Jonathan R Taylor

USA Today had an interesting article on J.K Rowling, who will be publishing the 6th book of her Harry Potter series next week. Last year, Rowling appeared on the Forbes list of the richest people in the world. Her estimated net worth is $1 billion. This puts her in front of the queen of England whose worth was listed at $660 million. What's more interesting is that in less than a decade, she's gone from a struggling single mother to a billionaire who is known all over the world.

Barry Cunningham, her first editor gave her what he now sees as some really terrible advice. When first approached by Rowling about the Harry Potter series, Cunningham told her that there was no money to be made in children's books and suggested that she try to get a day job. Since then, her first five books have sold an estimated 270 million copies world wide.

You can always count on those nay-sayers who tell you why your dreams just aren't realistic. Imagine the results if Thomas Edison had listened to all his critics after his first thousand attempts at the incandescent light bulb.

My wife and I went to see the movie "Cinderella Man" a few weeks ago at the theatre. At one point in Jim Braddock's career there were people telling him that he needed to retire from boxing, that he was all washed up and, of course, the worst insult in those days- that he was a bum.

Braddock didn't listen to the critics who told him he didn't have a chance against the heavy weight champ Max Baer, a man who had already beaten one previous opponent so bad that he died in the ring. He was told he wouldn't last past the 1st round.

Most successful people are those that don't buy into everything the world tells them. They don't make their decisions based on what everyone else thinks or what the news says.

Have you ever noticed that unlike most birds, eagles don't fly in flocks? You can't find them in clusters because they don't conform to other activities of their own kind. They always fly solo. What about you? Are you going with the flow... buying in to what the majority tells you? Are you listening to all those who tell you that your ideas just won't work, that you need to just get a steady, secure job instead of finding a career you truly love?

"Strength of numbers is the delight of the timid. The valiant in spirit glory in fighting alone." - Mahatma Gandhi

About the Author

Find out why Dave Ramsey recommends the program that we teach. Visit www.careercalling.com!

How to Use Harry Potter to Teach Your Children About Bravery

The following article was written  by Cliff Kuhn, M.D.

Harry Potter provides the perfect antidote to the seriousness that engulfs our children as they become young adults. Whether we are doing it intentionally or not, our children learn to believe what we believe because they watch what we do even more than listen to what we say.In this article, Dr. Kuhn teaches you how to use a lesson his son stumbled upon.

If a child's fun comes naturally why do they quickly learn to be afraid as they grow older? We adults are responsible. We, of course, are merely teaching our children the "rules" as we were taught; passing along our fears to our children comes as naturally for us as being too serious (and being too serious, in turn, comes from our fear).

Watch children. Left to their own devices a child's fun comes naturally, they are not inclined to be afraid. We instill it in them. I'm not referring to being afraid to cross a street, touch a hot iron, or play with matches. Those are good, healthy fears that our children need. The fear I refer to is the illusionary variety; fears like scarcity, failure, and unworthiness only exist in our mind and, therefore, are only real if we decide they are.

Seriousness Holds Us All Back...and Eventually Kills Us

Fear is the root cause of the single greatest debilitating force in our society - seriousness. Seriousness is all about taking yourself too seriously and it is a deadly habit deeply ingrained, unfortunately, in a majority of our society. The major symptom of seriousness is stress and, to be convinced, one only need see that over 80% of all doctor's appointments are now stress related. In fact every major disease plaguing western civilization (depression, heart disease, high blood pressure, chronic pain, obesity, arthritis, cancer, etc.) is directly related to stress.

Fortunately, my decades of research and medical practice have identified the single most effect treatment for seriousness - The Fun Factor. My own experience with The Fun Factor has revealed the deceivingly simple but powerful nature of this lifesaving tool. I have helped patients use The Fun Factor for decades, with results people rave about. I now share The Fun Factor with people all over the world. Its rapid success formula is just what the doctor ordered.

My son, Greg, has become an expert with my unique prescription, The Fun Factor, using it to banish the killer seriousness that fear produces. Free from seriousness, he is employing fun to escape the illusionary fears that have haunted him since young adulthood. Just as it did for me, The Fun Factor has opened doors of opportunity that he never dreamed possible. Primarily the opportunity to live a life of love, hope, and abundance instead of a life of fear and seriousness.

Greg, in turn, wants to pass the gift of The Fun Factor to his three children - my grandchildren. Recently, my grandchildren's love of the Harry Potter book series gave Greg a great idea that his sons have embraced. I hope this report will help you introduce this concept from Harry Potter just as Greg has done. Imagine the successful life that awaits a child who has grown up with the keys to escape having seriousness and fear instilled in them!

How Can Harry Potter Teach Us About The Fun Factor?

In the third Harry Potter book we are introduced to scary creatures called Dementors. Dementors are as frightening as their name implies. Invisible apparitions capable of more than merely haunting you; Dementors will suck out your soul, leaving you worse than dead. Don't Harry Potter's Dementors sound just like our illusionary fears? Our fears haunt us just like Dementors, appearing without invitation and leaving us despondent and immobilized.

Also in the third Potter book, Harry Potter learns a powerful spell called the Patronus, which is capable of chasing away Dementors. When Harry chants the incantation and thinks a positive, happy thought, a beautiful, helpful spirit appears from his magic wand to banish whatever Dementors are bothering him. Harry's ability to conjure powerful Patronus' increases the more he practices this spell.

Doesn't Harry Potter's spell remind you of how I teach you to use the powerful natural medicine of humor? In The Fun Factor, I reveal not only your power and ability to think positive thoughts, but also your responsibility to do so. As you learn to use your humor nature to develop positive attitudes, you are, literally, conjuring a Patronus to dispel your seriousness and fear. Harry Potter's Patronus is a real thing!

It's Easy to Use Harry Potter's Magic

As adults we can revel in two pieces of great news:

We cannot hold two conflicting thoughts simultaneously.

Since our fears and seriousness are illusions, we can easily replace those thoughts if we choose to.

As a child's fun exemplifies, wouldn't you love to live a life where fear and seriousness didn't dictate your choices and decisions? Learning to use more productive and effective attributes like your sense of humor, self-awareness, and imagination is as simple as using The Fun Factor. As simple as deciding to change what you're thinking about on a moment-to-moment basis. Are you willing to conjure Harry Potter's Patronus today rather than suffer from a haunting, immobilizing, and imaginary fear?

You know from past experience that a Patronus is a real thing, in the sense that a positive attitude dispels a negative outlook. What a gift you can give to supercharge your child's fun by teaching him/her this skill at an early age! And Harry Potter is a great, and easy, way to do it.

The Introduction of the Harry Potter Lesson

According to Greg, his introduction of the Harry Potter concept to my grandsons went like this:

Greg: Hey guys, do you remember the Patronus spell from Harry Potter?

Jordan and William: Yes.

Greg: What does it do?

J & W: The Patronus comes out and chases away the Dementors.

Greg: What is Harry's Patronus?

J & W: The spirit of Harry's dad.

Greg: That's right. Harry's Patronus is a beautiful memory he has of something very important to him.

Greg: Did you know that the Patronus spell is real?

J & W: What?!

Greg: Yes. When you are being bothered by fears or worries of any kind, if you think about something you love, or are excited about, or that makes you happy, your worries or fears will disappear.

Greg: What are some things that you love or that make you happy to think about?

J & W: You and Mommy...Christmas...Halloween...Nanny and Pop Pop, Grandgapop and Baba (Grandparents)...our kitties...Ms. Hardin and Ms. Miller (teachers)...our cousins...our friends...our toys...going to the movies...going on vacation...etc.

Greg: Those are all wonderful thoughts. Anytime you are scared or worried, if you think about things like that - you are actually performing a magic spell! You are conjuring a Patronus! Because your worries and fears are just like Dementors and thinking about Mommy and Daddy will make the Dementors go away.

J & W: You mean, like if we have to go to the bathroom at night and we think there is a monster in the hallway? All we have to do is think about something we really love and we won't be scared anymore?

Greg: Exactly! Or if you're worried about what someone thinks about you or if you're scared that something bad is going to happen to you. Almost all of your worries and fears are of imaginary things. And if you think about something you love, that imaginary thing scaring you will go away.

Greg: And remember how Harry's Patronus got more powerful each time he cast the spell?

J & W: Yes.

Greg: Your Patronus will get more powerful too, each time you do it!

I have had numerous follow-up conversations with my grandsons about this topic and they have really taken the lessons of Harry Potter's Patronus to heart. I hope you can use this powerful lesson with your children and start them on the road to fun, success, health, and vitality.

Not all of us were lucky enough to encounter The Fun Factor at an early age; our fun was, to our detriment, quickly replaced by the seriousness of adulthood! Give the gift of The Fun Factor to your young family members and help them hold onto their sense of fun, avoiding the missteps that spring from our adult fear and seriouness.

About the Author

Discover the secrets of a (formerly) stressed-out physician. A psychiatrist, and a stand-up comedian, Cliff Kuhn, M.D., dispenses his unique prescription for using humor to turbo-charge your health, success, and vitality via his website, http://www.natural-humor-medicine.com. Here you will find tons of fun, free ways for you to maximize your sense of humor and enjoy a life others will admire.

The POWER of Reading

This article was written by L.J. Davis

Reading to your child at a young age is one of the most effective tools for expanding his mind and instilling a lifelong love of learning. Reading a good book allows your child to travel to places she has never been, to meet people she has never met, and to develop an understanding of how to deal with a variety of physical and emotional situations.

Reading to your child also helps you develop an emotional connection. Whether you have her cuddle up in your lap, nestle with him while he is winding down for bed, or read to her while waiting for food in a restaurant, you are connecting. Reading to your child from an early age will also help him be successful in school. Reading out loud will help him learn language and become familiar with words. Reading is the foundation for developing an understanding of conceptual information and it sparks imagination!

Your child is never too young to be read to. Frankly, you should begin reading to your child while in the womb. During this time, use reading as a way of familiarizing the baby to your voice. If both parents take turns reading, it is even better. Imagine, before the baby is even born, the act of reading helps you connect and it can help parents reconnect with each other. When your child is born, the adventure begins. During the "easy" phase of infancy when your child is not physically able to explore his/her world, reading to your child helps him feel loved and comforted. Nestled in your arms with a favorite picture book, your baby will, at first, seem unaware of what is going on. But is she?

When my daughters were infants, I would read a series of picture books called the "Find The" board books by Stephen Cartwright. These books have lively illustrations, but no words. Guided by a series of images that included pictures of children and animals, each book asked children to find the piglet, the duck, the teddy, the puppy, the bird, or the kitten. When my daughters were very small, I would hold the book in front of them and while their heads wobbled about, I would ask, "Ceiley, where's the bird." Of course, there was no response, so I would point out where the bird was and, in doing so, I would describe the picture and put it into context. For several months, I would pull out the book and ask, "Where's the piglet!" One day, an interesting thing happened. When I asked the magical question, my daughter lifted a chubby finger and pointed to the piglet. Had she understood what I had been saying all along? I will probably never know but one thing is certain, before the age of one, she knew what a piglet was, what the word "find" meant, and she used her magnificent brain to tell her finger to point to the picture of the pig. All because I read a book. Her mind was indeed a blank slate upon which I could impress ideas and concepts.

Reading to your child should become second nature. Anytime, anywhere is an opportunity to read to your child. During the hectic toddler days, books can be lifesavers in public places. If you have to stand in line at a bank, take a book bag along filled with engaging books that your child enjoys. Before they get fussy, take out a book and start reading. Yes, it is very difficult to read to your child while you are holding him and standing up at the same time! Instead, put her in a stroller and bend down. As you read to your child, you are using your time preciously. By bending down, you are coming down to his level. By reading, you are expanding her knowledge and growing neurons. Make your waiting time, his reading time!

Reading while waiting also works well if you have several children with you. Although my daughters are 11 and 6, my oldest daughter will still lean over and read along to the book I am reading to my youngest, despite carrying along her own stash of Harry Potter and Manga books. The key is that, by making reading part of your child's everyday experiences, she will come to expect that reading is the norm.

If you are not a reader and do not enjoy reading, you have a great obstacle to overcome. If you do not enjoy reading and/or you were not brought up with reading in the home, it will be doubly difficult for you to get in the habit of reading. Please, don't let this stop you! The exciting thing about being human is that you can change anytime. Start slowly. Find a topic that interests you and start reading. Buy a bookcase and make it a goal to slowly fill it up with children's books, classics, or whatever else suits your fancy.

Read to your child. Engage his imagination. Don't assume that children read at a certain age. There are so many things that you can do to prepare them for the day when they start to decipher letters and words on their own. Lay the foundation early in life and your child will reap wonderful rewards.

L.J. Davis is the author of A Simple Brown Leaf, a story for a new generation of children.

"Every child has a purpose. Every child asks the question, 'Who am I going to become.'"

Learn more at ljdavis.com.

©2005 L.J. Davis

About the Author

Born in San Diego, California in the late 60's, L.J. Davis has been writing since she was seven years old. As a writer, her childhood experiences have strengthened her ability to write stories that look at the emotional side of being human. All of her stories explore the connections between self and the environment and self and others. Davis is a graduate from the University of San Diego and holds a B.A. in English and a M.Ed in Counseling.