100 Ways to Create Peace

 

1.                Be generous with your smiles.

2.               Be kind.

3.               Respect the Earth.

4.               Walk in a forest.

5.               Plant a tree.

6.               Contemplate a mountain.

7.               Protect the Earth.

8.               Live simply.

9.               Help feed the hungry.

10.            Erase a border in your mind.

11.             Teach peace to children.

12.            Light a candle.

13.            Be honest.

14.            Demand honesty from your government.

15.            Think about consequences.

16.            Commit yourself to nonviolence.

17.            Support nonviolent solutions to global problems.

18.            Speak up for a healthy planet.

19.            Demand reductions in military expenditures.

20.           Be fair.

21.            Pledge allegiance to the Earth and to its varied life forms.

22.           Think for yourself.

23.           Ask questions.

24.           Recognize your unique potential.

25.           Join an organization working for peace.

26.           Be less materialistic.

27.           Be more loving.

28.           Empower others to work for peace.

29.           Oppose all weapons of mass destruction.

30.           Support equality.

31.            Speak out for a nuclear weapons-free world.

32.           Support a Department of Peace.

33.           Listen to your heart.

34.           Help the poor.

35.           Fight against militarism.

36.           Study the lives of peace heroes.

37.           Help create a community peace park or garden.

38.           Commemorate the International Day of Peace.

39.           Help strengthen the United Nations.

40.           Support the International Criminal Court.

41.            Read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

42.           Advance the rights of future generations.

43.           Be a voice for the voiceless.

44.           Join an action alert network.

45.           Be forgiving.

46.           Laugh more.

47.           Play with a child.

48.           Support education and the arts over weapons.

49.           Help educate the next generation to be compassionate.

50.           Take personal responsibility for creating a better world.

51.            Sing.

52.           Write a poem.

53.           Organize a church service on the theme of peace.

54.           Learn about another culture.

55.           Help someone.

56.           Support the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).

57.            Oppose the arms trade.

58.           Clear your mind.

59.           Breathe deeply.

60.           Sip tea.

61.            Express your views on peace to government officials.

62.           Fight for the environment.

63.           Celebrate Earth Day.

64.           Think like an astronaut, recognizing that we have only one Earth.

65.           Be constructive.

66.           Let someone else go first.

67.           Plant seeds of peace.

68.           Work in a garden.

69.           Change a potential enemy into a friend.

70.           Be positive.

71.            Share.

72.           Be a good neighbour.

73.           Send a note of appreciation.

74.           Tell your friends how much they matter.

75.            Say "I love you" more.

76.           Don't tolerate prejudice.

77.            Demand more from your elected officials.

78.           Walk by the ocean, a river, or a lake.

79.           Recognize that all humans have the right to peace.

80.          Respect the dignity of each person.

81.            Be a leader in the struggle for human decency.

82.           Be a friend.

83.           Send sunflowers to world leaders, and call for a world free of nuclear weapons.

84.           Oppose technologies that harm the environment.

85.           Lose an argument to a loved one.

86.           Value diversity.

87.           Walk softly on the Earth.

88.           Appreciate the power of the sun.

89.           Speak out for global disarmament.

90.           Support a democratic order.

91.            Teach non-violence by example.

92.           Remember that "No man is an Island."

93.           Spend time in nature.

94.           Boycott war toys.

95.           Be thankful for the miracle of life.

96.           Seek harmony with nature.

97.           Remind your leaders that peace matters.

98.           Oppose violence in television programming for children.

99.           Relax to music.

100.       Celebrate peace.

 

WORK TO LIVE, NOT LIVE TO WORK

It's 5:00 o'clock in the morning; the alarm sets off. You get out of bed. You take a bath. You have your breakfast. You leave the house. You're ready to face another working day. Or are you?

When I was a kid, I would ask my mom why she and my father had to work. She would always tell me that they had to, so we could have the money to buy food, to pay for the bills, to pay for our schooling (we come from a middle income family). Both my parents worked but I'm really grateful to God; that in spite of that, we were never lacking in love, time, nor care from our parents.

As a matter of fact, my brothers and I grew up to be responsible individuals because our parents really took care of us. Although they were at the office 5 days a week from 8:00am to 5:00pm, they still found time to look after us, and teach us our lessons in the evening.

They made sure that we did our homework. They didn't pressure us to aspire for honours, but we were motivated enough to study hard so we'd get good grades. It was our way of repaying our parents who never complained about working. I guess fate has been really good to my brothers and me because, modesty aside, all of us managed to land in the top of our respective classes.

My parents taught me that one has to work in order for him to live a good life. They stressed, however, that this should not be taken as having to live just to work! They said that work should only be a part of life and it should not occupy one's whole existence.

And they lived this philosophy. At the end of the work day, they would leave all their work-related problems in the office so that at home they could be devoted to us 100%, no less.

I must say that agree with them. To this day, I still hear their message that work should be just a part of life and not life itself. I pity those people who have their way in this game called life. They have forgotten how to really live because they work too hard.

There' nothing wrong with striving at work, but people must watch out for signs that they have begun to work themselves to death. Remember that anything in excess is bad. Maybe, they want to achieve something badly, that's why they work so hard. But I believe that success in the workplace doesn't always bring happiness.

To be successful means that you have to sacrifice some things and sometimes, you end up sacrificing your family, your friends, your life; you achieve your professional goals, but you lose yourself. Then you wonder if the loss is worth the gain.

Everybody's wish, in this world, is happiness and there are many ways to be happy. But when we work too hard or worry too much, we often forget that the simple things in life are those that make us happy…. a call from a friend, a smile from a stranger, the sight of a lovely flower, a surprise gift, a filling meal, a pat on the back, etc. It doesn't require much to get these gifts. These gifts are for free, but they provide immeasurable happiness.

Work to live and not live to work. Find time for yourself, for your family, for your friends. Keep in mind that your priority is your loved ones, and not your work. Everybody deserves to be happy and I hope that everyone grows old without any regret in life.

I hope each of us will have a smile on our faces when we reminisce the old times, I hope that everyone finds living exciting, wonderful. It is my wish that we would all find the time to do the things that really matter most.

Let us work hard, not purely for our professional goals, but for a better life.

Author Unknown

" A Gift of Love " - unconditional love

 

A GIFT OF LOVE

"Can I see my baby?" the happy new mother asked. When the bundle was nestled in her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped. The doctor turned quickly and looked out the tall hospital window. The baby had been born without ears. Time proved that the baby's hearing was perfect. It was only his appearance that was marred. When he rushed home from school one day and flung himself into his mother's arms, she sighed, knowing that his life was to be a succession of heartbreaks.

He blurted out the tragedy. "A boy, a big boy...called me a freak." He grew up, handsome for his misfortune. A favourite with his fellow students, he might have been class president, but for that. He developed a gift, a talent for literature and music. "But you might mingle with other young people," his mother reproved him, but felt a kindness in her heart.

The boy's father had a session with the family physician. Could nothing be done? "I believe I could graft on a pair of outer ears, if they could be procured" the doctor decided. Whereupon the search began for a person who would make such a sacrifice for a young man. Two years went by. Then, "You are going to the hospital, son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But it's a secret" said the father.

The operation was a brilliant success, and a new person emerged. His talents blossomed into genius, and school and college became a series of triumphs. Later he married and entered the diplomatic service. "But I must know!" He urged his father. "Who gave so much for me? I could never do enough for him."

"I do not believe you could," said the father, "but the agreement was that you are not to know...not yet." The years kept their profound secret, but the day did come . . . one of the darkest days that ever pass through a son. He stood with his father over his mother's casket. Slowly, tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick, reddish-brown hair to reveal . . . that the mother had no outer ears.

"Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut," he whispered gently, "and nobody ever thought mother less beautiful, did they"?

Real beauty lies not in the physical appearance, but in the heart. Real treasure lies not in what that can be seen, but what that cannot be seen. Real love lies not in what is done and known, but in what that is done but not known.

Author Unknown

" Look within "

 

Look Within

Once there was a farmer in Africa named Hafiz who was happy and content. He was happy because he was content. He was content because he was happy.

One day a wise man came to him and told him about a glory of diamonds and the power that goes along with them. The wise man said, "If you had a diamond the size of your thumb, you could have your own city. If you had a diamond the size of your fist, you could probably own your own country." And with that said, he went away.

That night the farmer couldn't sleep. He was unhappy and he was discontent. He was unhappy because he was discontent and discontent because he was unhappy.

The next morning he made arrangements to sell off his farm, took care of his family and went in search of diamonds.

He looked all over Africa and couldn't find any. He looked all through Europe and couldn't find any. When he got to Spain, he was emotionally, physically and financially broke. He got so disheartened that he threw himself into Barcelona river and committed suicide.

Back home, the person who had bought his farm was watering the camels at a stream that ran through the farm. Across the stream, the rays of the morning sun hit a stone and made it sparkle like a rainbow. He thought it would look good on the mantlepiece. He picked up the stone and put it in the living room.

That afternoon the wise man came and saw the stone sparkling. He asked, "Is Hafiz back?"

The new owner said, "No, why do you ask?"

The wise man said, "Because that is a diamond. I recognize one when I see one."

The man said, "No, that's just a stone I picked up from the stream. Come, I'll show you. There are many more."

They went and picked some samples and sent them for analysis. Sure enough, the stones were diamonds. They found that the farm was indeed covered with acres and acres of diamonds.

What is moral of this story? There are five morals:

1.      When our attitude is right, we realize that we are all walking on acres and acres of diamonds. Opportunity is always under our feet. We don't have to go anywhere. All we need to do is recognize it.

2.      The grass on the other side always looks greener.

3.      While we are eyeing the grass on the other side, there are others who are eyeing the grass on our side. They would be happy to trade places with us.

4.      When people don't know how to recognize opportunity, they complain of noise when it knocks.

5.      The same opportunity never knocks twice. The next one may be better or worse, but it is never the same one.

Author Unknown