"The Broken Crayons"

 

 

THE BROKEN CRAYONS

 

A little boy from a wealthy family had so many old and broken crayons. At some point, he realized he didn't need them any longer. So, he told his mother.

"Mum, I want all my broken crayons discarded. They are useless and make my bedroom look very messy"

The rich mother would do everything for her kid, so she packed all the broken crayons into a box and threw them out.

The following day, she saw her son in a sulky mood. She asked him.

"What's wrong with you, son?"

The little boy responded.

"I no longer like the smell of the air fresheners and fragrance oil in my room. Can we throw them all out? They make me want to puke"

The mother didn't seem to have a problem with that. She gathered all the bottles of the fragrances and disposed of them. Later on, she bought new scents for her son.

One evening, the mother was driving her son home from the grocery store. As they drove along the road, the boy looked through the car window and saw something very astounding. He saw a poor boy selling some very colourful candles which he called 'the heavenly candles'. One of the candles was burning very brightly and emitting pleasant scents that filled the air. A lot of people gathered to admire and price the expensive and unique candles sold by a poor boy.

At that moment, the rich kid stopped his mother.

"Mum, look! The candles are very nice and lovely. They would make my bedroom look and smell very exceptional. Please buy for me"

The mother wanted to make her son happy. But as they alighted from the car and approached the candle boy, he said.

"I'm sorry ma'am, there are no more left"

All the candles had been sold out already. The rich boy's face fell in disappointed. When his mother noticed his sad expression, she asked the candle boy.

"Where did you buy those special candles? I would like to buy for my son?"

The candle boy replied humbly.

"I didn't buy them. I made them all by myself"

She was very surprised and she inquired.

"But how were you able to make such wonderful candles all by yourself? What materials did you use?"

The boy paused for a moment and said.

"I once saw a woman throw away a box of broken crayons. I was happy and I took them all. Then the next day, I found some bottles of fragrances in the same waste bin the woman discarded the crayons. I took them home as well. I melted all the broken crayons and mixed the wax with some fragrances. It was with the mixture that I created those heavenly candles".

 

Don't be upset when people reject or look down on you like the broken crayons. In actual fact, they just can't see your hidden potential. Stay focused and positive, and allow time change everything about you. Just like the abandoned broken crayons which later on, turned out to become very amazing candles admired by everyone including the one who rejected them. However, he didn't get another chance to own them. Always have hope for a better tomorrow.

Author:    Chima Dickson

 

 

Turn on the Lights you switched off

 

 

Turn on the Lights you switched off

 

Yesterday I visited a friend of mine, who is blind. And because it was night he did something that taught me a lesson.

Upon entering the house, he switched on the light.

And I asked him "why did you put on the light yet you can't see?"

He laughed for a long time, switched off the light and went to the kitchen.

After a short while he came with a pot of tea and eggs, placed them perfectly well on the table and switched on the light again.

What he said made me shed tears because he said to me, Mr. G ..... “I did not put on the light for my own sake or because I needed it, I did it for you because you needed it since you are not blind like me".”

Then he asked me, Mr. G,

How many times have you switched off the light for other people and denied them an opportunity to see light just because you yourself do not need it ?

I thought about that so deeply, and now I am asking you the same question today.

How many times have you put off your lights and denied others an opportunity to see the light while they are in darkness?

 

Why would you let your accounts grow to millions and even billions while your brother's child is going barefooted?

Why would you put clothes you don't wear in the bin while someone out there is almost going naked?

Why would food rot in your house while there is someone out there sleeping hungry?

Why will you see a business opportunity and hide it without sharing with your friends when you know you won’t use it?

Why will you be in a position to help someone get a promotion or a new job and you keep it because the person is not from your family, tribe or religion?

Why will you defame your brother or sister just because you don't want someone to help them?

 

Each of the questions above is equivalent to switching “Off The Light”

These are the things we should be mindful of as human beings.

This is true religion, helping the needy and being there for those who do not have a voice.

Please turn on the lights you switched Off !

 

" the War " by Rachel Akkoç

 

The War    by Rachel Akkoç

A sea of purple there before my eyes

The sun sets low on Letterkenny skies

Five thousand candles light a pathway in the night

We gather on the grass in love and cheer

We celebrate the ones no longer here

No matter what it takes, we won’t give up the fight, the fight

And maybe, someday we’ll find a way to beat this

And in the night when you feel hopeless

I’ll be your warrior of light

A beacon, to all who hear the words unspoken

Our bodies battered, bruised, and broken

We won’t give in, though we are sore

We may not win the battle, but today we win the war

We greet the morning with a hopeful heart

We walk together from the very start

Each step reminds us of the ones we lost at home

And if you feel too weak to carry on

Fearing the future, and tomorrow’s dawn

I’m right beside you, know that you are not alone, alone

And maybe, someday we’ll find a way to beat this

And in the night when you feel hopeless

I’ll be your warrior of light

A beacon, to all who hear the words unspoken

Our bodies battered, bruised, and broken

We won’t give in, though we are sore

We may not win the battle, but today we win the war

With you beside me, there is nothing I can’t do

Don’t lose the faith, some time we’re gonna find a cure

Until that day, you’ve got to spread your wings and fly, fly high

And some day, we’ll overcome and we’ll get through this

We’ll light a candle in the darkness

A guiding light will see us through

And maybe, someday we’ll find a way to beat this (Maybe there’s a way)

And in the night when you feel hopeless (Don’t lose hope and pray)

 

I’ll be your warrior of light (I will be your guide)

A beacon, to all who hear the words unspoken (Look towards the light)

Our bodies battered, bruised, and broken (Don’t give up the fight)

We won’t give in, though we are sore (You are not alone)

We may not win every battle, but today we win the war

No, we can’t win every battle, but some day we’ll win the war

The War by Rachel Akkoç

Wisdom from a tomatoe farmer

 

THE OLD FARMER   - Moral Story Of The Day.

There was a successful old farmer who grew tomatoes for many years. One day, his grandson told him.

"Grandfather, I want to achieve great things in life and make all of my dreams come true. What are the things I should avoid?"

The farmer paused for a moment and said.

"First of all, you should avoid procrastination. Secondly, you should never be afraid to fall. Thirdly, don't ever fool yourself. But the most important of them all, I won't tell you yet"

The boy asked.

"Why grandfather?"

The farmer responded.

"I will tell you at the appropriate time"

One week later, the farmer took his grandson to his tomato field for the first time. He showed him a large portion of land where he grew some of his tomatoes. When the farmer saw how amazed the little boy was, he asked him.

"How do you see them?"

The boy replied.

"They look very healthy. Their stems are solid, their leaves are green and their fruits are smooth and red"

The farmer smiled. Then he took him to a separate small portion of his tomato plants, and said to him.

"How about these ones? Can you compare them to the others?"

The boy shook his head and said.

"They don't look healthy. Their stems are weak, their leaves are yellow and they haven't developed any fruit yet. What do you think is the reason?"

The farmer uttered.

"That's because they are surrounded by unwanted plants called weeds. These weeds compete with the main plants for nutrients in the soil, leading to stunted growth for the plants"

 

Then the farmer held his grandson on his shoulders, looked at him in the eye, and said.

"Now is the appropriate time to answer your question completely.

The most important thing you should avoid to become successful in life are negative people. These people are like the weeds and they would stunt your development and stop you from reaching your dreams. They have nothing to offer as they wallow in their problems and fail to focus on solutions. They are energy suckers and you will feel drained being around them. So you shouldn't surround yourself with such kind of people. Be around people who bring a smile to your face, fill your heart with joy and push you toward greatness.                                                                                                

 Choose your friends wisely and they will never put you down.

Phrases to share with your family

 

40 phrases to share with  to your sons and daughters so they can be more resilient, successful, and confident in life.

1. Where there's a will, there's a way.

2. Good manners don't cost anything.

3. Always ask. They can only say no.

4. You're not marrying one; you're marrying the whole family.

5. Find the good in everybody.

6. Don't cry before you try.

7. There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers.

8. Pretty is as pretty does.

9. Treat others as you would like to be treated.

10. You can't control what others do, only your own reactions.

11. Don't buy what you can't afford.

12. Remember that things don’t make you happy, people do.

13. You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

14. Two wrongs don't make a right.

15. Watch what you step in.

16. Cow turds are a cattlemen's dollar signs. It all depends on how you look at it.

17. Teamwork makes the dream work.

18. Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.

19. What we think determines what happens to us, so if we want to change our lives, we need to stretch our minds.

20. Fair? The fair is two weeks in the fall.

21. One man's trash is another man's treasure.

22. The greatest day in your life is when you take total responsibility for your attitudes. That's the day you truly grow up.

23. True freedom is understanding that we have a choice in who and what we allow to have power over us.

24. You're only as old as you feel.

25. A rolling stone gathers no moss.

26. Early to bed and early to rise makes you healthy, wealthy, and wise.

27. Happiness is not by chance but by choice.

28. If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.

29. A rising tide lifts all boats.

30. Don't judge a book by its cover.

31. You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.

32. The early bird catches the worm.

33. Each day comes bearing its gifts. Untie the ribbon.

34. Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are a good person is a little like expecting the bull not to attack you because you are a vegetarian.

35. Confession is good for the soul.

36. You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.

37. The grass is greener where you water it.

38. The greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail.

39. There is no single recipe for success. But there is one essential ingredient: Passion.

40. Never lose hope. And never underestimate the power of prayer.

Author Unknown

  

   

" Dusty trails"

 

Dusty trails – Lucius

We been gone for such a long time that I'm almost afraid to go home
A long road is a long, dragged-out imagination where things can go wrong
But we keep rolling on

I know I'm no doctor but if I was guessing I'd say it was just growing pains
And painful as growing is we can't forget it's our ticket to taking the reins
And we'll all be okay, we'll be okay

Dusty trails can lead you to a golden road, I've been told
Can't remember who it was but all she spoke
Will a penny for her thoughts leave me broke?
'Cause everyone's around and I'm still alone
Everyone's around right now and I'm still alone

It's all in the manual that we've been writing, a future instructional guide
If we skip to add to our pre-fulfilled dreams, we'd be lost without our own advice
We'll be alright, we'll be alright

Dusty trails can lead you to a golden road, I've been told
Can't remember who it was but all he spoke
Will a penny for his thoughts leave me broke?
'Cause everyone's around and I'm still alone
Everyone's around right now and I'm still alone

I'm halfway to misery
Some say when you go halfway there's still plenty of time to return
Oh, am I halfway to heaven?
Some may say when you go halfway, you only have halfway to go

Dusty trails can lead you to a golden road, I've been told
Can't remember who it was but all he spoke
Will a penny for his thoughts leave me broke?
'Cause everyone's around and I'm still alone
Everyone's around right now and I'm still alone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLKNGNC1w3M&list=RDMMwLKNGNC1w3M&start_radio=1&ab_channel=PasteMagazine

"Don't let the sun go down on your anger"

 

A long time ago during the reign of the Tokagawa Shogunate a samurai set out on an errand.

Precisely one year ago to the day he had lent 10 koku to a fisherman in a small coastal village nearby, and today was the day the fisherman had promised he would repay the debt. The samurai arrived in the village at noon and upon inquiring at the fisherman's home he was told by the fisherman's wife that he would find the man down at his boat working on his nets. Upon seeing the samurai coming up the beach the fisherman threw himself to the ground and bowed his head to the sand. "Get up," said the samurai, "As agreed it has been one year and I have come to collect the money you owe me." "I have not forgotten my debt to you," said the fisherman, who now stood but with his head still bowed, "but it has been a very bad year for me and I regret that I do not have the money I owe you."

Hearing this the samurai, who was not a man known for his patience, flushed with anger and quickly drew his sword, preparing to kill the fisherman then and there. "Why should I not simply slay you instead?" shouted the samurai as he raised the deadly blade above his head. Fearing that his life was at and end and having nothing to lose the fisherman boldly spoke out. "For some time now I have been studying martial arts," he replied, "and one of the lessons that my master teaches, is never to strike when you are angry." "I beg you," said the fisherman, "give me one more year to pay you what I owe."

Thinking about what the fisherman had just said the samurai slowly lowered his sword. "Your master is wise," said the samurai, "as a student of the art of the sword I too have heard that lesson many times, but sometimes I get so angry I act without thinking." Putting away his sword the samurai spoke in a voice that was used...... to being obeyed. "You shall have another year to repay your debt to me," he said, "but when I return if you do not have all the money you owe me I shall not hesitate to take your life instead." and without another word he turned and walked away.

Having left the village later than he intended to it was already dark by the time the samurai arrived home. Seeing no lights on in the house he crept in quietly not wishing to wake the servants or his wife. As he entered his bed chamber he notice that there were two persons lying on his futon, one he recognized as his wife and the other from their clothing was unmistakably another samurai.

Swiftly he drew his sword and as his anger quickly grew he moved in to slay them both. Just then, as he was about to strike, the fisherman's words came back to him, "never strike when you are angry." This time I shall follow the lesson he thought to himself, pausing he took a deep breath and tried to relax, then on purpose he made a loud noise. Hearing the sound both his wife and the stranger immediately woke up and when his wife had lit a candle he found himself face to face with his wife and his mother who had dressed up in his clothes and another set of swords.

"What is the meaning of this," he demanded, "I almost slew you both." His wife quickly explained that when he had not returned by night fall they decided to dress his mother up in his clothes so that in the event that an intruder entered the home they would be frightened off at the sight of a samurai in the house.

A that moment the samurai realized that his habit of "striking without thinking" had almost cost him the life of his wife and his mother. One year later the samurai again walked down the same beach towards the fisherman. After exchanging the proper formal greetings the fisherman said, "It has been an excellent year my Lord, here is all the money I owe you as promised, and with interest."

"Keep your money," replied the samurai, "You do not know it, but your debt was paid to me long ago."