yourvoice

Hey Planeteers! I hope everyone's having a great day. I've been utterly curious about something for years and I wonder how others on here feel. Those of you in the United States will most certainly know what I'm talking about here. Back in 1940 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, an organization was formed calling themselves the National Federation of the Blind. Its membership at the time was much greater than it is today. At this point planeteers might be asking how I know this if I'm not affiliated with any of those organizations myself. Well, I took it upon myself to order the book "People of Vision: A History of the American Council of the Blind." I had read about this book and it sounded quite interesting. So it came on cassette and I read it. But back to the "original" National Federation of the Blind. They had a much greater membership than today as I said, and everyone got along with each other. There may have been some minor disagreements here and there, but this book makes no mention of such disagreements. However, what the book does mention is that things started getting ugly in the late 1950's. People were starting to be expelled from the Federation because they disagreed with its policies. They were expelled left and right, from various states. Eventually, the expulsion of members became so commonplace that a second organization was formed. That all took place in the summer of 1961 in Kansas City, Missouri, and the new organization was known as the American Council of the Blind. Sound familiar? The two organizations--the National Federation of the Blind and the American Council of the Blind--have remained separate ever since that summer day in 1961. They have, to my knowledge, never, ever forgiven and forgotten. There have since been some collaborations between these organizations, but those have been far and few. My question in all this is as follows. Can this honestly be compared to Democrats and Republicans? If so, how? Was there ever a point when Democrats and Republicans were separate organizations with 2 separate presidents, vice presidents, separate White Houses? A White House and a Green House perhaps? I once heard a prominent ACB official compare the ACB/NFB split to Democrats and Republicans and I'm curious to know people's thoughts on this. I'm not saying what party I belong too--Republican or Democratic--but I happen to have friends and know acquaintances from opposite sides of the aisle than me, as it were. We have Presidential and Vice-Presidential elections and so on, but there is only one winner per office. So we only have one President at a time, one VP at a time, and so on. The number of government and state officials--such as Congresspeople and Senators--is greater, but you get my point. I wonder then, what's so hard about the NFB and the ACB reuniting? Germany did it so why can't our two blindness organizations? In closing I'd like to say that if I've offended anybody I do sincerely apologize, but like I said in the beginning this is something which I've been curious about for years. Thanks for reading and enjoy your Inclusive Planet experience! I know I do.

Exclusions from the inclusive mind set.
The need to focus on the exclusions from our inclusive mind set arise from the fact that most of us are unable to think from the perspective of people who are not able like the most and who are referred as disabled. Our so-called inclusive policies often exclude these group from the public sphere.
The unequal citizens of India are deprived of their rights. Violations are many but we will limit ourselves to the two most important of them namely education and employment because they hold the key to anyone’s life.
The elementary education that is the education up to secondary school is conducted mostly in Special schools which are created to cater to the various needs of differently abled. These institutions are often run by government and private in various parts of India.
The problem of elementary education of physically challenged starts from the unawareness of parents about the existence of these schools. The quality of education imparted in these schools are also often questioned.
The magnitude of problem is more in the area of higher education of the physically challenged. The first and foremost is the lack of opportunities that these students confront while selecting subjects in higher studies. Inaccessibility and ignorance about their potentiality are the cited reasons.
The number of physically challenged entering the higher education is very miniscule. The more dark side of story is that these minorities undergo a sense of deprivation in the existing system which does not make a congenial atmosphere for them to cope with their physical challenge.
The Indian Parliament, for the first time, has legally endorsed the right of access for people with disability to education, vocational training and employment through the Persons with Disability (Equal Opportunity, Protection of Rights and full Participation) Act, 1995. The Act establishes the responsibility of society to make adjustments, so that people with disability are able to overcome various practical hurdles, either created by their disability or by society itself. The Act places people with disability at par with other citizens of India, in respect to education, vocational training, and employment.
Even fifteen years after the passing of this act our universities and colleges struggle to facilitate the inclusion of differentially abled in holistic manner. It was at this background that the UGC in its policy paper on education stated that differentially abled should not be ignored in the field of higher education and gave the following guidelines
1. Encourage Universities /Colleges of Education in India to promote teacher preparation programmes in the field of special education.
2. Provide equal education opportunities and experiences to disabled persons in higher education institutions.
3. Create awareness among the functionaries of higher education about the specific educational needs of persons with disabilities.
4. Equip the higher education institutions with the facilities to provide access to disabled persons.
5. Provide appropriate financial assistance to disabled individuals to increase their sustainability in higher education.
6. Explore suitable placement for the educated disabled graduates in public as well as private sector enterprises.
7. Monitor the implication of all existing and future legislation and policies pertaining to higher education of persons with disabilities.
These guidelines are very crucial, for example there is no meaning in providing reservation for differentially abled in educational institution without providing physical accessibility facilities like ramps, rails, differentially abled friendly toilets, and other necessities. It is not possible to have a better education without proper mobility. Imagine the condition of paraplegics in our educational institutions. Most of our universities do not have special differentially abled units which come under UGC guidelines.
The employment of differentially abled in India is very fragile. The primaryt fact that should be understood is that most of them are either unskilled or semiskilled and are employed in the unorganized sector. The Government of India included disability as a category in Census 2001. According to Census 2001, over 21 million people in India suffer from one or other kind of disability. This is equivalent to 2.1 per cent of the population. The unofficial data records the amount of differentially abled population in India at a much higher level.
A survey carried out in 1999 by the National Centre for Promotion of Employment of Differentially abled People found that despite the 5 per cent reservation, the percentage of the differentially abled in the workforce ranged from 0.01 per cent to 0.99 per cent. Multinational companies showed the abysmal figure of 0.05 per cent. The public sector fared little better, with differentially abled people constituting only 0.54 per cent of its workforce.

Clause 41 of Chapter 6 (entitled “Employment”) of the Disability Act states that incentives should be given “to employers both in the public and private sectors to ensure that at least 5 per cent of their workforce is composed of persons with disabilities”. But the government has not yet proposed any such incentive plans.
The exclusions of differentially abled exists in many other spheres too. For instance, the U.N. convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities ,which India ratified on October first 2007 talks of sign language as an official language that needs to be developed and recognized. The Indian Disability Act does not take this into account. Most web sites in India are still not differentially abled-friendly even though the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has come out with guidelines on the subject. Most buildings and public transport are still not accessible to the differentially abled people despite government regulations.


The problem is unawareness and ignorance on the part of officials and layman. The issues of differentially abled are also the issues of the administrative efficiency, information transparency and societal ethics.
The situation of differentially abled should be taken as a yardstick while considering the development of a nation.
The Aam Admi also include differentially abled people although they are politically unorganized and demographically scattered. The NGOs and government has done a lot to improve the plight of physically challenged in India. What we require to streamline the differentially abled is an attitudinal change. This is not a laborious task and is only the acceptance of fact that what they require is not charity but fulfilling their rights.
What we want is a paradigm shift in the way of looking the problem of differentially abled.Rather than looking persons with disability as disabled , time has come to view them as differentially abled. As progressive citizens it is our duty to give recognition for their rights, and reward for their ability.

Hey friend, didn’t I accept your helping hand?
Then you said, “It may vanish some day”.
I began to cry and you asked me not to,
Didn’t I agree?
Well, I didn’t cry!

The other day, you said you’d leave the town,
I couldn’t hide my frown,
You asked me not to lament,
Didn’t I agree?
Well, I didn’t cry!

You said you’d die some day,
I didn’t want you to speak that way,
Didn’t you say “accept practicality?”
Didn’t I agree?
Well, I didn’t cry!

You did die at last,
Leaving behind all the moments,
Didn’t I remember your words?
Didn’t I agree?
Well, I didn’t cry!

Your words came true,
That I’d find someone resembling you,
This pal did conversed like you,
Didn’t I agree?
Well, I didn’t cry!

Your words however,
Expressed that I’d loose this pal never,
Now, as per the future,
I have this fear,
These words would be true, never!

Hey friend, where ever you are,
Please help me dear,
I wish to be here,
With no tear or fear,
As a simple planeteer.

Mr. Disappointment, I am very much disappointed with you!
Mrs. Unexpected, let’s see what dishes out now!
Your child hatred is trying to seed a poison tree within everyone!
And this is the lighter side of me!

All three of you are trying to suppress,
A trait within me, known as express,
But what if you get unforeseen like suppose?
An expression of response that you weren’t exposed?

This is my voice within your voice,
The poetry world that encourages further,
Speak out all three within the planet!
Let’s play write in the game zone!

You cannot understand,
For, this is something beyond book, beyond barriers!
Thus, should be given special education,
Not in terms of languages and linguistics,
Nor the famous politics and international [foes or friends] relations,
Or even the policy research and legal change.

Not necessary to get online news about your deeds,
All that you do is analyse through distanced gender studies.
If this is all about cultural studies,
You better know your past!
And Remember, we are the budding managers!

To improve your law resources,
Better join cool school USA!
Computer science and computer world have emerged successfully,
Hence, alter your operating systems rule!

Well, you have given travel tips to stay out of home,
In the form of words through travel guide.
Just curious about your reaction to I-opener,
Well, this is not something like Shakespeare studies.

Humph! If you think this to be weird writings,
There are many who say this to be creative writing!
Courage and friends are making me stand on the front foot,
Thus, you can do nothing except attending the online classes!

You better listen to listeners' club,
Or even opinionate in the book club!
People and parents support the support forum,
And so, better redesign your style of watch.

You people can come just behind me,
But the community is there with me!
All that you can manipulate is the human body,
And so, why me worry?

Want to kill?
Go ahead with all your zeal!
Cause I am in an ecstatic feel,
That I have better skill!
Like the promise I made to my friend a month ago,
That I shall leave and face life,
Survive! I will!!
Just see if it isn’t true!

How dare you ask me to liberate the home?
You can’t curb this right from me.
Are you three stronger than the welcoming arms?
Well, try your luck in sending back again!!

Oh, now you shall report right?
Please do it by all means!
Here are audiographers who will record,
And broadcast it in the blue radio!

Oh oh, sour heart, I am not threatening you,
The inspector gadget has already suspected you.
The blogger's and content writers will update the ongoings,
In the built accessible and non-accessible websites.

Accessibility 24 by 7 makes it easy!
For this information to reach your superiors;
They are known as unity and expression!
Now, don’t ignore, pay attention!

Vote among yourselves,
Decide your next go,
If you people wish to still remain,
Then liberate from ill-intention!

Join the training curriculum,
Understand physics, math, and English literature through fun with screen reader,
Get to know the meaning of civility through social science subjects and a habit a day,
Learn to love actually and not pretend!

If you are still stubborn,
Then you are shameless of course!
Our accessible sheet music band is all set to perform,
Let’s take a chance with a wild dance!

Just blow the bugle through announcements!
I am very much ready!
The cards are on the table,
Now deal directly!!

Hey Planeteers,

I have a question. How do you guys remember the names of people when they introduce themselves for the first time? I always face this problem when I meet people at a conference or a large gathering. I find it difficult to remember names. And as a result, after about 10 minutes into the conversation I again ask their name, and kind of feel embarrassed when I ask :)

Please note that I have no issues in remembering names of people during subsequent meetings. Its during the first meeting is I have the most difficulty. Looking forward to you tips on how I could remember names when people introduce themselves to me?

Prescribed by the Great Physician
*****************************
The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, just remember...

Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
Peter denied Christ (3 times!)
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
Mary Magdalene was the Samaritan woman who was divorced, more than once...
Zaccheus was too small
Paul was too reli gious
Timothy had an ulcer...

AND
Lazarus was dead!

Now! No more excuses!
God can use you to your full potential.
Besides, you aren't the message, you are just the
messenger.

In the Circle of God's love, God is waiting to use your full potential.

1. God wants spiritual fruits, not religious nuts.
2. "Dear God : I have a problem. It's me.
" My Dear Child: I have the solution. It's Me! !"
3. Growing old is inevitable ... growing UP is optional.
4. There is no key to happiness. The door is always open.
5. Silence is often misinterpreted but never misquoted.
6. Do the math .. count your blessings.
7. Faith is the ability to not panic.
8. Laugh every day. It's like inner jogging.
9. If you worry, you didn't pray. If you pray, don't worry.
10. As a child of God , prayer is kind of like calling home every day.
11. Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape.
12. The most important things in your house are the people! ..
13. When we get tangled up in our problems, be still. God wants us to be still so He can untangle the knot.
14. A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.
15 He who dies with the most toys is still dead.
Have a great day!!! The SON is shining and He can certainly use you!

ONE. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

TWO. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.

THREE. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.

FOUR. When you say, "I love you," mean it.

FIVE. When you say, "I'm sorry," look the person in the eye.

SIX. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.

SEVEN. Believe in love at first sight.

EIGHT. Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much.

NINE. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.

TEN. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.

ELEVEN. Don't judge people by their relatives

TWELVE.. Talk slowly but think quickly.

THIRTEEN. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?"

FOURTEEN. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

FIFTEEN. Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.

SIXTEEN. When you lose, don't lose the lesson

SEVENTEEN. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.

EIGHTEEN. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

NINETEEN. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

TWENTY. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.

TWENTY-ONE. Spend some time alone.

One of our lovely young lady friends has sent me an e-mail, asking me about my passions, and I thought you may be interested in my responses;

PASSIONS
Some of you may be under the impression that I am just a silly joker… Not so, I am actually a very serious person, who believes in getting the job done, as soon as possible, as good as possible, no matter what the job is. Life is a serious business to me, and being able to look for [and find] the funniness in every situation, helps me to survive. We are all very funny; every situation has its funny side.
> > >
> > > As for the passion part; I feel the passion in a person’s life is probably the most important thing in his/her life; a person without any passion isn’t much of a person!
> > >
> > > Now, what are my passions? Hell, there are so many! Of course, one of my first passions was the Technology, which started with Electricity, increased to Electronics and then further developed into computer science. Of course, Technology includes machines, of which motorcars are a large part.
> > >
> > > Then there has also been the passion for reading and writing, all my life. I know only two languages, Afrikaans and English. At the beginning, I wrote much in Afrikaans [my home language] but I soon developed a passion for the English language. I really love the way different people write things. I like reading novels, science fiction, adventure and real romantic things. I must say, however, I see no use for some unreal crap some people seem to write these days, things like “weirdoes” “panthers” or such things that only exists in the minds of funny people. I don’t need such nightmares in my life; life is difficult enough.
> > >
> > > And, then I also have a degree in Social Word, as well as a post-graduate in Communications, which should give you a good idea of some of my many other passions. So, I like people, love them, but have too often been terribly disappointed by their selfishness. Often, I get the feeling that animals are actually better than the human animal; mainly as result of selfishness, which you find more in humans.
> > >
> > > And then I have always been a believer in having hobbies; I have had many, and enjoyed each with a passion. Of these, woodwork was probably the most important; I still have my workshop, and I can go there anytime, to create anything I can think of.
> > >
When it comes to sport; I like cricket best. It's a sport for the thinking person, the sport of the gentleman. And the only sport I really took part in, was skydiving. At first, I had to be trained to do it, and this is where I learned to fall!! So now, whenever I fall, I don't fall too hard. In 1979, I became the first blind person to do a solo blind parachute jump. Others have done it after me, but they were mostly strapped to the back of an experienced skydiver, as far as I know.

> > > Well, I think that’s enough of my passions for the moment. What’s yours? I’m sure you can share it with all of us; the more other people you can share your passions or pains with, the better it is for everybody around. Sharing a passion increases the enjoyment of it; sharing your pains with others, relieves all pain. > >

THE PASSION FOR READING
Reading seems to be a passion of you all. Keep it up; it makes the mind grow, and, after all, the mind is the most important part of a human. The more you read, the more amazing ways of writing you will discover, the more one learns, the better one’s comprehension of that language becomes, the easier it becomes to express yourself. Although it takes time to read, it becomes more pleasurable.

Have you noticed that English is NOT the first language of most of us on the Planet? Yet, have you seen how brilliantly so many of them writes? Is because they write about their feelings, what’s in their hearts. And there are many others who have always felt the same, but were too scared to bring it out. There’s absolutely no reason to be scared of one’s feelings; the Planet is there for us to share all that hurts us, makes us happy. I make a lot of spelling and grammar errors [WHO NOTICES?], but that doesn’t matter at all; the important thing about writing is to get the message across. And, as we are the users of that language, we have the right, no the duty, to make new words, think up new phrases, and other interesting and humorous ways to say things. That is what makes writing fun; not trying to write a perfect English. We learn all the spelling, language rules at school, so that we can know how to break them; for, when one writes something with deliberate mistakes in it, it becomes a hit! Most of us are not English teachers; most of us love communicating, so language is a tool to this effect. And, we are all different to each other; that’s what makes life fun!

And, we who are using the language, making errors and so on, are helping to make the language grow. And that’s what’s keeping it alive! There are some “dead” languages, in which you can write perfectly, but what’s the fun of Latin, for example?

So, you’d better start writing, too, and share it with the rest of us on the Planet! Although shyness makes a young lady more attractive, she should never be afraid to share her feelings with others, especially as most of them will probably never meet her. The important thing, however, is to communicate, so let’s not look for errors in the writings of others. And, most of us are using screen readers, so we only hear what it sounds like, we don’t look at words, and so we can see how it’s supposed to be spelled.

Well, I myself am not used to communicating with young ladies on the Net, but that doesn’t scare me at all! You see, to me, it’s about a soul, not a body, where age matters little. Age only gives a Social scientist an idea of which age group this person may be, at what stage of life, and so on. I have always liked young people, have many young friends. Their intelligence, wit and so on amazes me, and there’s such a lot to share with them. And they seem to like me, also….

Guess what, I don’t have much time for philosophy either, although it has thought me in a funny way to thing differently. So, there may be some use for it, after all. But these days, I wouldn’t waste my time on it. And, how many times have I channelized my thoughts into imagination? Often in the past have I found myself as the best person to talk to.

Now, let us see what YOU wish to talk about on the Planet!!

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED:

Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour?

Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?

Why didn't Noah swat those two mosquitoes?

Why do they sterilize the needle for lethal injections?

You know that indestructible black box that is used on airplanes? Why don't they make the whole plane out of that stuff?!

Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?

If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?

Nobody really loves you!

No wonder, you, so long ago, started loving only yourselves; if you didn’t, who would?

That’s why you receive such a high salary; your name is so high on your “organogram”. That’s why everybody pretends to like you so much, why they pretend to listen when you speak, that’s why they approve everything you ask for. They want to be in your “good books”, they are all hoping you may actually do something for them, some time. They want your Job. If you do something corrupt, they will look the other way.

But, when last have you stopped to ask yourself “why” you are here: what the PURPOSE of your life is? Are you and I here on Earth to try everything in our power to get as rich as possible, as soon as possible; are we here to go up to the top of the ladder? Are all the other people inferior to us, should they be happy to have us here? How many people reached the top of that ladder, only to find out that it was leaning against the wrong wall, all the time? Can all of us become rich and famous, or do we need some “village idiots” around us, too, people who actually have to do the job? Did you reach ALL of your achievements via honesty? How many other people have you hurt, tramped on, on your way through life? Looking back, are you and I sure we were actually worth anything to Society? How much has our selfishness, our corruptness, cost our Society? Did you REALLY need that million-Rand, luxury, official, car to do your job well, and if so, what is your job actually? Was that overseas trip REALLY official, REALLY necessary? Do your children REALLY need all that luxury, the big houses, and the expensive cars? You could argue that it was bought using your own money, but was it really? And, all the times you planned your leave and sick leave so well, were you ACTUALLY sick, every time you “booked off”, or were you just making sure that you would get off every minute you are “entitled” to? Was that high salary not enough for you; do you REALLY need an “official” car, cell phone or computer? Was it impossible for you to buy something useful for yourself; to use at your work, or did Society REALLY need to buy you these things, stating that it is “part of your remuneration”? How many times, exactly, did you appoint or promote some one, not for his/her merit, but because he/she is related to you; being family of yours, or a friend of yours, or, maybe, had the same skin color as yours? Was it your own, personal money that got wasted by such miss-appointments?

Do you need the love of anyone? How can anyone love you as much as you love yourself? More and more people love themselves enough for the both of us, so they don’t need my love, I found…
How many of us have ever tried to evaluate what the cost of our existence is to Society; and how cost effective we actually are?

How does it feel to have so much more than you are actually worth? How does it feel not to have a conscience? Does anyone still believe that you can take all your riches with you when you die, or are there some people who believe that they will never die?

Has any one of us ever asked ourselves “what WE can do for our Country”?

And, in spite of all this, GOD still loves us all! Now, isn’t THAT what LOVE is?

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED:

Why women can't put on mascara with their mouth closed?

Why don't you ever see the headline 'Psychic Wins Lottery'?

Why is 'abbreviated' such a long word?

Why is it that doctors call what they do 'practice'?

Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor, and dishwashing liquid made with real lemons?

Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?

Where Do You Underestimate What You Are Capable Of?

No doubt you have your own share of challenges to deal with. Perhaps it's uncertainty about the future of your job, maybe you are battling an illness,
struggling to pay your mortgage, ensuring your kids don't go off the rails, resolving conflict in your marriage or workplace, dealing with aging parents,
or just maintaining some semblance of balance in your overscheduled life...whatever your challenges are, how might the way you are handling things differ
if you were to trust in yourself more fully, that whatever happens, you can handle it.

It is my belief that we human beings have a tendency to underestimate what we are capable of. When we hear of someone who has been struck by some adversity,
people often say "Oh, I could never handle something like that." But it's just not the case. Ask anyone who has been struck by adversity and come out the
other side of it and they will likely tell you that through the experience they discovered themselves to be more capable, more resilient and more resourceful
than they'd previously imagined.

Last year my older brother Frank became a paraplegic as the result of a motorbike accident. As much as I'd like to tell you otherwise, Frank is still in
a wheel chair; but he is also still smiling, still cheerful and still able to enjoy his life. Of course it's not to say that he's enjoyed the challenges
of the last 9 months nor that he's excited about the challenges that lie ahead this year as he returns to his engineering job, but he has certainly not
allowed his disability to keep him from living his life fully. Frank's courage has been inspiring, and he's provided me and countless others with a profound
example of what it means to live powerfully: consciously choosing one's attitude in the face of unwanted circumstances.

But it's not about just trusting yourself to deal with unwanted challenges. It's also about trusting yourself to take on new challenges - challenges that
inspire you but simultaneously stretch you or challenges that require you stepping away from the familiar and beyond the realm of 'guaranteed to succeed
' in which most people like to stay (for obvious reasons!).

Consider Barack Obama and the world of new challenges that he stepped into when he became President, challenges that will no doubt stretch him, perhaps
at times may daunt him and most certainly challenges for which he has no guarantee of success. But then the same could have been said of the challenge
he took on when he made the decision to run for President. Indeed, in 2006 his ambition to become America's first African American President would have
been called nothing short of naive by most people; his friends and foes alike. But as we know, Barack Obama, like his hero Martin Luther King Jr. before
him, is not one to shy from creating a very bold vision and sharing it with those around him. The fact that he is now President is a statement for all
about what is possible when you trust in yourself to meet the challenges that come your way, are willing to risk failing and are committed doing whatever
it takes to succeed.

But enough of politics! What about you and your life and your challenges and your dreams and your fear of being inadequate to fulfill them? Where could
you trust yourself more fully? And if you did that, how would it shift your experience of this day today and the actions you will take to address the challenges
that will line your path in the days, months and years ahead? Remember, mastery of life is not the absence of problems; it is mastery of them - however
big!

As Chinese philosopher Loa Tsu observed a few thousand years ago, "We are all capable of much more than we think we are." And yes, that includes you! Don't
shy away from making changes, don't put off taking chances and don't let your fear of 'not having what it takes' keep you from dreaming bigger and acting
bolder.

Trust yourself; you have all the resources you need within you to handle your current challenges and to take on new ones that will enable you to experience
life and love and yourself - and the full extent of your abilities - more fully.

Keep laughing!

We all fear and respect the wrong people. The other day I met a young Priest who told me he was a “Methodist”. Not knowing much about this denomination, I took a chance and asked him: “What’s that?”

This got him going; I received a lesson in all Religions of the World:

“Look, the Pope has just died; the Catholics report to him. The Jews report to the Rabbi,the NG people report to the Moderator……………….and the Methodists report to the Bishop.”

He clearly knew the Religious Orgasmogram, AND ACORDING TO HIS LECTURE, ALL REPORTED TO SOME PERSON, which left me with one question:
“And, who reports to GOD?”

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED:

Why .....do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes at
the front?

Why .....do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries, and a diet coke?

Why ...do banks leave both doors open and then chain the pens to the counters?

Why ......do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage?

Why . .....do they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering?

Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it.
From a distance, each horse looks like any 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 you stand nearby and listen, 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 the
horse's halter is a small bell. It lets the blind friend know where the other
horse is, so he can follow.

As you stand and watch these two friends, you'll see that the horse with
The bell is always checking on the blind horse, and that the blind horse
Will listen for the bell and then slowly walk to where the other horse is,
trusting that he will not be led astray.

When the horse with the bell returns to the shelter of the barn each
evening, it stops occasionally and looks back, making sure that the
blind friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell.

Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just
Because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges.
He watches over us and even brings 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
Of those who God places in our lives.

Other times we are the guide horse, helping others to find their way.. .
Good friends are like that... you may not always see them, but you know
They are always there.

Please listen for my bell and I'll listen for yours. And remember... be
kinder than necessary -everyone you meet is fighting some kind of
battle.

Live simply,

Love generously,

Care deeply,

Speak kindly...

Leave the rest to your God!!!

Here's a lesson for us in the form of a story:
An old man, a boy & a donkey were going to town. The boy rode on the donkey & the old man walked. As they went along they passed some people who remarked
it was a shame the old man was walking & the boy was riding.

The man & boy thought maybe the critics were right, so they changed positions.


Later, they passed some people that remarked, "What a shame, he makes that little boy walk."

They then decided they both would walk! Soon they passed some more people who thought they were stupid to walk when they had a decent donkey to ride. So,
they both rode the donkey.

Now they passed some people that shamed them by saying how awful to put such a load on a poor donkey.

The boy & man said they were probably right, so they decide to carry the donkey. As they crossed the bridge, they lost their grip on the animal & he fell
into the river and drowned.

The moral of the story?

If you try to please everyone, you might as well...Kiss your ass good-bye.

Have A Nice Day &Be Careful With Your Donkey

7 STEPS TO BE CONFIDENT

Do you remember that day? Perhaps it was your first job interview.
Perhaps you were speaking to a group for the first time. Maybe you
were starting a challenging new career or meeting a special person for
the first time. Your throat became dry and your knees wanted to shake.

You were about to leave a place of mental and emotional safety. You
were putting your skills on the line and taking a risk. If you were
successful, there could be great reward. However, self-doubt was
trying to discourage you.

Confidence is essential in our lives; without it, we will not make the
first attempt to do what we really want. Confidence allows us to move
forward despite temporary discouragement. So where does confidence
come from, and how can we become and remain confident? Here are seven
actions that will help to develop unshakable confidence.

1. Expand Your Knowledge

Gaining new skills for any endeavor - personal or career - is the
first step toward confidence. Identify key areas where you need more
confidence to be successful. Then expand your knowledge by taking
courses, reading books, and attending learning events. Tele-classes
are enjoyable and convenient for learning and discussing ideas with a
peer group. Continuous learning is essential for maintaining a high
level of confidence.

2. Experience Small Successes

Confidence also comes from experiencing small daily successes. They
are like rewards for putting knowledge into action. They may not be
the final goal. Yet they are important. Even a pat on the back from a
colleague or a compliment for a job well done will boost a person's
level of confidence. Keep track of each small success you experience.
You will begin to feel your confidence grow day by day.

3. Exercise Passionate Faith

Confident people have faith that the Creator has a special plan for
their lives. They appear to know inherently that when they follow this
plan, they will be successful. If you want to achieve something, you
absolutely must believe that it is possible for you. You must believe
firmly in your potential. A passionate faith will lead you to find and
follow that purpose.

4. Enable Firm Resolve

There will be disappointments and set backs. It is natural to become
discouraged at times. However, disappointments are not the end of the
road if we view them as learning tools.

Faith in your abilities will lead you past discouragement into a firm
resolve. Resolve overcomes obstacles because it displays patience.
Instead of giving up, you will meet challenges by continuing through
difficult times. Keep your mind on your intended outcome, not on the
obstacles. Think of reasons why you can, not reasons why you cannot.

With time, talents develop and abilities grow. Then you will get a
taste of what is possible -- a measure of success that leads you
forward with enthusiasm. Enthusiasm keeps you fired up to achieve more
of those small daily successes.

5. Enlist Expert Help

Enlist the help of experts in areas where you need more confidence.
Experts can be found though books, articles, videos, seminars, or via
a phone call. A professional coach will help you stay focused on your
objectives and hold you accountable for taking the necessary actions
to complete your plans.

Confidence also attracts more confidence. Experts will support your
plans and offer to help you in tremendous ways if you are enthusiastic
and believe in your goals. Moreover, when you show confidence in
others, they will show confidence in you.

6. Envision Confidence

Envisioning confidence begins to make confidence real in your
experience. Imagine how you will feel and act if you already had the
confidence you need for a specific situation. See yourself in your
mind's eye, acting with courage and conviction. Hold that picture in
your mind, and your vision will start to become real.

7. Expect to be Confident

Expectation is faith in action. Now that you have imagined how
confidence will feel, act as if you were already confident. Move
assuredly and energetically as you go for your goals. You are now
seeing, feeling, and acting in a confident manner. You will achieve
what you expect. Expect to be confident, and you will become
confident.

Give yourself time to increase your confidence by using these actions
during the next several months. Get a sheet of paper now and write
down how you will apply each of these actions. They can make a
tremendous difference by allowing you to move more quickly and
assuredly toward your objectives. Today, you can begin developing an
unshakable confidence that will bring you joy and success in every
area of your life.