Happy New Year Wishes

New year is the time to forget every bad memory of the past year and start your life afresh. So, get up and hug a friend with whom you had a fight lately, get up and hug you parents and promise them you will not hurt them anymore, give a self hug and promise to yourself that come what may you would remain truthful to yourself, hug a poor kid and tell her that she is not alone, Help the needy and abolish the greedy from your life. 

So, just forget all your grudges and send these wonderful new year wishes to your loved ones. Cheers to 2012!! 

Read more »

Be Good To Yourself

Be yourself - truthfully.
Accept yourself - gratefully.
Value yourself - joyfully.
Forgive yourself - completely.
Treat yourself - generously.
Balance yourself - harmoniously.
Bless yourself - abundantly.
Trust yourself - confidently
Love yourself - wholeheartedly.
Empower yourself - confidently.
Give yourself - enthusiastically.
Express yourself - radiantly.





                                                                             ~ Anon ~

Read more »

Opportunity.....

Once upon a time there was a farmer had a beautiful farm, he also had a very beautiful lake near the farm. One fine day he was farming in his field and a stranger passed by, the stranger asked the farmer that have you seen any diamonds recently, the farmer was surprised and asked the stranger what is a diamond?,the stranger was surprised by his question and said the farmer that if you had a diamond as big as your thumb you can buy a whole village and if you have a diamond a big as your fist you can buy the whole city, getting impressed by this the farmer asked the stranger where we can get diamonds the stranger said you can get lots of raw diamonds in Africa.


The farmer then sold all his farm with the lake and went to explore Africa for diamonds leaving his family at stray and alone. Since more then ten years he was searching for diamonds but he was not able to find anything, but as the farmer sold his farm to the other farmer, the other farmer was sitting beside the lake and saw a very shinny substance, he picked it up & it was a diamond big as his thumb, he took it & kept it as a showpiece in his house.

One fine day that stranger again came to same farm and saw a diamond in that other farmers home and asked that did that first farmer found this diamond, the second farmer said no that farmer sold this farm to me and I found this stone near the lake and the second farmer realized that the stone he found is a diamond and it was one of the most precious and expensive stones of the world.


The moral of the story is- "THERE ARE MANY OPPORTUNITIES VERY NEAR TO US BUT WE TEND TO SEE THE OPPORTUNITIES ON OUR OPPOSITE SIDE"

Read more »

Thoughtful Quote Wallpapers

You have two hands. One to help yourself, the second to help others

I believe in tomorrow when today sucks

When one door closes, another opens

I believe in me, in my view of the world. I believe in my responsibility
 for my own destiny, guilt for my own sins, merit for my own good deeds,
determination of  my own life. I don't believe in miracles. I believe in hard work.

Don't look back because you might fall over what is right infront of you

Those who hate me, motivate me

It's true that we don't know what we'he got until we lose it,
but it's also true that we don't know what we'he been missing until it arrives.

Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they'll love you back!
Don't expect love in returns; just wait it to grow in their heart but if it doesn't,
be content it grow in yours.

To have what you never had, you've got to do what you never did

Read more »

Story That Touches Heart

A Woman was Admitted in Hospital as She was Suffering from Brain Tumor. 
Her Son & Relatives were Around Her, She Died within a few Hours.
Her Son So Cried the whole Day & Became Ill. 





He Returnd Home the Next Day; 
& When He Opened His Moms Cupboard, 


He found some Tablets kept in a Letter,!! 
In that Letter it was Written: 
"TAKE THESE TABLETS DEAR"
I know U Catch Cold Easily after Crying.

Read more »

The Important Things In Life

A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items on the table in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, about 2 inches in diameter.


He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.


So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks.


He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.


The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “Yes.”

“Now,” said the professor, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the important things – your family, your partner, your health, your children – things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.


The pebbles are the other things that matter – like your job, your house, your car.


The sand is everything else. The small stuff.”


“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued “there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life.


If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal.


Take care of the rocks first – the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

Read more »

A Glass of Milk – Paid In Full

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I owe you?” “You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness.” He said, “Then I thank you from my heart.”

As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.


Year’s later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the case.

After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She began to read the following words:


                                                  “Paid in full with one glass of milk”


                                                                 Signed, Dr. Howard Kelly.

Read more »

Your Thought Determines Your Action - Inspirational Story

Henry Ford (1863-1947) once said, "thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason so few people engage in it." Today I would like to share some thoughts with you on the important subject of "thinking" and I've titled this column "Thinking On A Higher Plane. The Roman Emperor Marcus Arelius once said, "A man becomes what he thinks about all day long." Back in 1957, the late Earl Nightingale wrote and recorded a motivational message titled "The Strangest Secret", which became the only one of its kind to ever sell a million copies. The Strangest Secret is that "We Become What We Think About." It was my good fortune to work personally with Mr. Nightingale for several years.

Yes, from King Solomon on down through the ages, the most successful writers, teachers and philosophers have all come to the same conclusion: It is the quality of our thinking that will ultimately determine the quality of our life. At this point, it might be in order to ask you some very pertinent questions. What do you think about most of the time? Is most of your thinking done on a higher plane? That is, do you reach for the stars in your thinking or is most of your thinking done in the gutter? The truth is, we have only to look about us to see where we are and to see what we have to see the fruits of our thinking.


For fear that I may be misunderstood, I want to make it very clear that we don't have to be a religious person to desire a good, decent, honest and moral life. Sometimes we forget that the greatest have as citizens of this free country is the power to choose. Regardless of who we are or what we have done in the past, we can choose the quality or level of our own thinking. Isn't it great to be able to say, "the past is gone" and I can't do anything about it but from this point forward I'm going to improve my life by improving the quality of my thinking? As I said a moment ago, the choice is yours. What is so tragic for me to realize is that millions of people could have more and be much happier if they only knew it.

While its an individual thing, you may ask, "how do I go about it?" While it's not easy, it's very simple. Station a guard at the entrance of your mind. You must be very careful when you select the television programs you watch, the books and magazines you read and the people with whom you associate. In short, if we are to improve the quality of our thinking, we must be very selective as to where we get our information.


It took several years for me to come to the realization that if I'm going to improve my life, when a filthy program comes on T.V., or even the radio, I just turn it off Its a choice I make because I now realize what it will do to my thinking. How about you? Have you ever given any serious thought to this before? Remember please that "birds of a feather flock together" and you may have people tell you that it does not make any difference what you watch or read or who you spend your time with. But it does. We can trust the words of King Solomon here: "As a man thinketh in his heart so is he."

Read more »

Truth Behind Mullaiperiyaar Dam

முல்லைப் பெரியாறு பற்றி அகில இந்திய அளவில்
புயலைக் கிளப்பிவிட்டு – தமிழ் நாட்டை
பைத்தியக்காரர்கள் வசிக்கும் இடம் என்று பேச
வைப்பதில் வெற்றி பெற்று விட்டனர் கேரளத்தவர்.


மீடியாக்களில்,டெல்லியில், அகில இந்திய அளவில்
கேட்கிறார்கள் -பலமாகக் கேட்கிறார்கள் !


“116 வருட சுண்ணாம்பு அணை – இன்னும்
எவ்வளவு நாள் தாங்கும் ?


தங்கள் இடத்திலேயே -
தங்கள் செலவிலேயே -
புதிய அணையைக் கட்டி,
தமிழ் நாட்டிற்கு அதே அளவு தண்ணீரைத் தருவதாக
கேரளா சொல்கிறதே – ஒப்பந்தம் எழுதிக்
கொடுக்கிறோம் என்கிறார்களே.
இதை ஏற்றுக் கொள்ள தமிழ் நாடு ஏன் மறுக்கிறது ?
இது என்ன வீண் பிடிவாதம் ?
இது என்ன பைத்தியக்காரத்தனம் ?”


இங்கு தான் தமிழ்நாடு ஏமாந்து கொண்டிருக்கிறது.
கேரளா இதுவரை செய்த அநியாயங்கள்,
புதிய அணை கட்டி இனி செய்ய
உத்தேசித்திருக்கும் அயோக்கியத்தனங்கள் -


இவை எதுவுமே வெளி உலகுக்குத் தெரியவில்லை.
ஏன் தமிழ் நாட்டிலேயே – சென்னையிலேயே கூட,
படித்தவர்கள் பலருக்கு கூட தெரியவில்லை !


புதிய அணை கட்டுவதில் என்ன தவறு ? -அதான்
அதே அளவு தண்ணீர் தருகிறேன் என்கிறார்களே
என்று தமிழர்களே கேட்கிறார்கள்.
தமிழ் நாளிதழ்களும், அரசியல் கட்சிகளும்
தொலைக்காட்சிகளும் கூட தமிழ் மக்களை
தயார் படுத்துவதில் தவறி விட்டன என்று தான்
சொல்ல வேண்டும்.
இனியாவது விழித்துக் கொள்ள வேண்டும்.


புதிய அணை கட்டுவதாகச் சொல்வதில் இருக்கும்
சதி பற்றி விவரமாக அகில இந்திய அளவில்
எடுத்துச் சொல்ல வேண்டும்.


இந்த வலைத்தளத்தைப் படிப்பவர்களுக்காக -
நான் எனக்குத் தெரிந்ததை சுருக்கமாக
கீழே தருகிறேன்.

முல்லைப் பெரியாறு அணை கட்டப்பட்டது
பிரிட்டிஷ் ஆண்ட காலத்தில் - 1895ல்.
அப்போது இந்த அணை கட்டும் இடம் திருவாங்கூர்
சமஸ்தானத்தின் கட்டுப்பாட்டில் இருந்ததாக
கருதப்பட்டது (உண்மை அது அல்ல.தமிழ் நாட்டின்
வரையரைக்குள் தான் இருந்தது)
எனவே பிரிட்டிஷார்- திருவாங்கூர் மஹாராஜாவுடன்
இந்த அணை கட்டப்படும், மற்றும் அதன் நீர்ப்பிடிப்பு
பகுதியான சுமார் 8000 ஏக்கர் நிலத்தை
999 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு குத்தகைக்கு எடுத்து (ஆண்டுக்கு
ரூபாய் 40,000/- குத்தகைப் பணம் ) இந்த
அணையை 1887ல் கட்ட ஆரம்பித்து 1895ல்
கட்டி முடித்தனர்.


இதில் வேடிக்கை என்னவென்றால், இதில்
அடிப்படையான பெரியாறு உற்பத்தியாவது
தமிழ் நாட்டில் தான். அணையும் தமிழ் நாட்டிற்கு
சொந்தமானது. அதை நிர்வகிப்பதும் தமிழ் நாடு தான்.
ஆனால் இடம் மட்டும் கேரளாவிற்கு சொந்தம்.
அதிகாரம் செலுத்துவதும் அவர்களே !


இந்த அணையின் உயரம்-கொள்ளளவு -152 அடி.
இதன் மூலம் பாசனம் பெறும் நிலம் –
சுமார் 2,08,000 ஏக்கர்.
மதுரை, தேனி, சிவகங்கை, ராமநாதபுரம் ஆகிய
4 மாவட்டங்களைச் சேர்ந்த 10 லட்சம் விவசாயிகள்
பாசனத்திற்கும், 60 லட்சம் மக்கள் குடிநீருக்கும்
இந்த அணையை நம்பி இருக்கிறார்கள்.
இந்த அணை பறிக்கப்பட்டால் – இத்தனை இடங்களும்
பாலைவனங்கள் ஆகும். இத்தனை ஜனங்களும்
பிழைப்பு பறிபோய் – பிச்சைக்காரர்கள் ஆவார்கள்.


பிரச்சினை ஆரம்பித்தது எப்படி ? எப்போது ?


கேரளா, இதற்கு சுமார் 50 கிலோமீட்டர் கீழே,
இடுக்கியில் 1976ல் ஒரு அணையும் நீர்
மின்நிலையமும் கட்டியது. பின்னர் தான்
ஆரம்பித்தன அத்தனை தொல்லைகளும்.


பெரியாறு அணையின் மொத்த கொள்ளளவே
15.66 டிஎம்சி தான்.அதிலும் சுமார் 10 டிஎம்சியை
தான் பயன்படுத்த முடியும்.
(104 அடி வரை டெட் ஸ்டோரேஜ் .)


ஆனால் இடுக்கி இதைப் போல் 7 மடங்கு பெரியது.
கொள்ளளவு 70 டிஎம்சி.
பெரிய அணையைக் கட்டி விட்டார்களே தவிர அது
நிரம்பும் வழியாகக் காணோம். 3 வருடங்கள்
பொறுத்துப் பார்த்தார்கள். பெரியாறு வருடாவருடம்
நிரம்பிக் கொண்டு இருந்தது. ஆனால் இடுக்கி
நிரம்பவே இல்லை.


அப்போது போடப்பட்ட சதித்திட்டம் தான் -
பெரியாறு அணைக்கு ஆபத்து என்கிற
குரல் -கூக்குரல்.
சுண்ணாம்பு அணை உடைந்து விடும்.
அதிலிருந்து வெளிவரும் நீரால் 35 லட்சம்
மக்கள் செத்துப் போவார்கள். எனவே
உடனடியாக புதிய அணை கட்டுவதே தீர்வு !


புதிய அணையினால் அவர்களுக்கு என்ன லாபம் ?
மேலே இருக்கும் பழைய அணையை இடிப்பதால்,
நீர்பிடிப்பு பகுதியிலிருந்து அத்தனை நீரும் நேராக
இடுக்கிக்கு வந்து அதை நிரப்பும்.


சரி நிரம்பட்டுமே. நல்லது தானே !
அதான் தமிழ்நாட்டுக்கு இதே அளவு
தண்ணீர் தருகிறேன் என்று சொல்கிறார்களே
என்று உடனே மக்கள் கேட்கிறார்க்ள்.


அங்கே தான் இருக்கிறது அவர்கள் சாமர்த்தியம்.
பெரியாறு அணை இருப்பது கடல் மட்டத்திலிருந்து
2709 முதல் 2861 அடி உயரம் வரை. இதிலிருந்து
மலையைக் குடைந்து குகைப்பாதை வழியாக
தண்ணீர் தமிழ் நாட்டை நோக்கி கொண்டு வரப்படுகிறது.


புதிய அணையை கட்டப்போவது 1853 அடி
உயரத்தில்.இந்த அணை கட்டப்படும் உயரத்திலிருந்து
தமிழ் நாட்டிற்கு தண்ணீரைத் திருப்பி விட முடியாது.
நமக்கு பெரியாறு அணையிலிருந்து நீர் எடுத்து வரும்
பாதை இதை விட உயரத்தில் ஆரம்பித்து, ஒரு கிலோ
மீட்டர் பயணத்திற்கு பிறகு 5704 அடி நீளமுள்ள -
மலையைக் குடைந்த குகை வழியாக திசை மாறி
வந்து பின்னர் கீழே வைகையில் கலக்கிறது.
அணையைக் கட்டிய பிறகு,
இவர்கள் உண்மையாகவே விரும்பினாலும் நீரைத்
திருப்ப முடியாது. மேலும் புதிய அணையிலிருந்து
ஆண்டு முழுவதும் நீர்மின்சாரம் உற்பத்தி செய்ய
நீரை வெளியேற்றிக் கொண்டே இருக்கப் போகிறார்கள்.
எனவே அணை எப்போதுமே முழுவதுமாக நிரம்பி
இருக்காது.தமிழ் நாட்டிற்கு தண்ணீர் நிச்சயமாக
கிடைக்காது.


புதிய அணையினால் தமிழ் நாட்டிற்கு பயன் இல்லை -
புரிகிறது.


ஆனால் பழைய அணை சுண்ணாம்பு அணை -
எப்போது வேண்டுமானாலும் உடைந்து விடும்.
35 லட்சம் மக்கள் செத்து விடுவார்கள் என்கிறார்களே -
பயம் உண்மையானது போல் தோன்றுகிறதே ?


அயோக்கியத்தனம்.
வடிகட்டிய அயோக்கியத்தனம்.


முதலாவதாக -
பெரியாறு அணை உடைந்தால் தண்ணீர் -
மலைப் பள்ளத்தாக்குகள் வழியாகப் பாய்ந்து -
நேராக கீழே உள்ள இடுக்கி அணையைத் தான்
வந்தடையும்.
பெரியாறு அணையிலிருந்து அதன் முழு நீரும்
(10 டிஎம்சி) ஒரே நேரத்தில் வெளியேறினாலும்,
நேராக அதைப்போல் 7 மடங்கு கொள்ளளவு
உடைய இடுக்கி அணையைத் தான் வந்தடைய
போகிறது. இடையில் எந்த நாடு, நகரமும் இல்லை.
வாதத்திற்காக இடுக்கி அணை ஏற்கெனவே நிரம்பி
இருந்தாலும் – வெளியேறும் நீர் பெரியாறு
அணையிலிருந்து இடுக்கி வந்து சேர 4 மணி நேரம்
ஆகும். அதற்குள்ளாக இடுக்கியிலிருந்து
தேவையான நீரை வெளியேற்றி விட முடியும் !
எனவே வெள்ளத்தால் பொதுமக்கள் பாதிக்கப்படுவார்கள்
என்கிற பேச்சே அபத்தமானது.


இரண்டாவதாக -


1976ல் இடுக்கி அணையை கட்டினார்கள்.
1979ல் பெரியாறு அணை உடையப்போகிறது
என்று குரல் எழுப்பினார்கள்.
பயத்தைக் கிளப்பினார்கள்.
சுப்ரீம் கோர்ட் வரை போனார்கள்.
2000ஆவது ஆண்டு சுப்ரீம் கோர்ட் நிபுணர் குழுவை
அமைத்தது. நிபுணர் குழுவின் ஆலோசனைப்படி
அணை அனைத்து விதங்களிலும் பலப்படுத்தப்பட்டது.


கேரளா சொல்வது போல்
இது வெறும் சுண்ணாம்பு அணை அல்ல.
ஏற்கெனவேயே முதல் தடவையாக 1933ல்
40 டன் சிமெண்ட் கலவை சுவரில் துளையிட்டு உள்ளே
செலுத்தப்பட்டது. மீண்டும் 1960ல் 500 டன் சிமெண்ட்
உள் செலுத்தப்பட்டது.


2000ஆவது ஆண்டு சுப்ரீம் கோர்ட் சென்ற பிறகு -
நிபுணர் குழுவின் ஆலோசனைப்படி -
லேடஸ்ட் தொழில் நுட்பங்களைப் பயன்படுத்தி,
கேபிள் ஆன்கரிங் முறையில் அணையுள் கான்க்ரீட்
கலவை செலுத்தப்பட்டது. வெளிப்புறமாக -
ஒரு கவசம் போல், கிட்டத்தட்ட புது அணையே போல்,
கான்க்ரீட் போடப்பட்டு, ஒரு புத்தம்புதிய கான்க்ரீட்
அணையே உருவாக்கப்பட்டு விட்டது.


கீழே உள்ள வரைபடத்தைப்
பார்த்தால் நன்றாகப் புரியும்.


இதன் பிறகு தான், 27/02/2006 அன்று,
சுப்ரீம் கோர்ட், இனி அணைக்கு எந்த ஆபத்தும் இல்லை
என்பதை நிபுணர் குழுவின் மூலம் உறுதி செய்துகொண்டு -
156 அடிவரை தண்ணீர் தேக்கிக் கொள்ளலாம்
என்று அனுமதியே கொடுத்தது.


விட்டார்களா நமது கேரள சகோதரர்கள் ?
மீண்டும் சதி. ஒரு மாதத்திற்குள்ளாக,
கேரள சட்டமன்றத்தில் புதிய சட்டம்
இயற்றி, சுப்ரீம் கோர்ட் உத்திரவையே செல்லாததாக்கி
விட்டார்கள்.


வழக்கம் போல் தமிழன் இளிச்சவாயன் ஆகி விட்டான்.


மீண்டும் கோர்ட் பின்னால் அலைகிறோம்.
இப்போது, இன்னும் வழக்கு சுப்ரீம் கோர்ட்டின்
பரிசீலனையில் இருக்கும்போதே -
தீர்ப்பு அவர்களுக்கு பாதகமாக
இருக்குமோ என்கிற தவிப்பில் - மீண்டும் நாடகம்
ஆடுகிறார்கள். அணைக்கு ஆபத்து -புதிய அணை
கட்ட வேண்டும் என்று.


பாராளுமன்றத்தில் குரல் கொடுக்கிறார்கள்.
பிரதமரை போய்ப் பார்க்கிறார்கள்.
உண்ணாவிரதம் இருக்கிறார்கள்.
பந்த் நடத்துகிறார்கள்.
இப்போதைக்கு அவர்கள் குரல் தான் பலமாகக்
கேட்கிறது. வெளிமக்கள் அவர்கள் பக்கம் நியாயம்
இருக்கிறது என்று நினைக்கத் தொடங்கி விட்டார்கள்.


தமிழ் நாடு ஏமாந்தது போதும்.


-ஆர்யா 

Read more »

Coca cola CEO Bryan Dyson Motivational Speech

Read more »

You are Blessed

If we could shrink the earth's population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look something like the following.  There would be:


57 Asians


21 Europeans


14 from the Western Hemisphere, both north and south


8 would be Africans


52 would be female


48 would be male


70 would be non-white
30 would be white


70 would be non-Christian
30 would be Christian


89 would be heterosexual
11 would be homosexual


6 people would possess 59% of the entire world's wealth and all 6 would be from the United States.


80 would live in substandard housing


70 would be unable to read


50 would suffer from malnutrition


(ONE)1 would be near death;


(ONE)1 would be near birth;


(ONE)1 (yes, only 1) would have a college education;


(ONE)1 (yes, only 1) would own a computer.


When one considers our world from such a compressed perspective, the need for acceptance, understanding and education becomes glaringly apparent.


And, therefore . . .


If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.


If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.


If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.


If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.


If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.


As you read this and are reminded how life is in the rest of the world, remember just how blessed you really are!

Read more »

God' plan

At a fund-raising dinner for a school that serves learning-disabled children, the father of one of the school's students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question. "Everything God does is done with perfection. Yet, my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is God's plan reflected in my son?" The audience was stilled by the query. 

The father continued. "I believe," the father answered, "that when God brings a child like Shay into the world, an opportunity to realize the Divine Plan presents itself. And it comes in the way people treat that child." Then, he told the following story: Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, "Do you think they will let me play?" Shay's father knew that most boys would not want him on their team. But the father understood that if his son were allowed to play it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging. Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance from his teammates. Getting none, he took matters into his own hands and said, "We are losing by six runs, and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and I'll try to put him up to bat in the ninth inning." In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. At the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the outfield. Although no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base. Shay was scheduled to be the next at-bat. Would the team actually let Shay bat at this juncture and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that this was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball. However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher moved a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least be able to make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly toward Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball to the pitcher. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could easily have thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have ended the game. Instead, the pitcher took the ball and threw it on a high arc to right field, far beyond reach of the first baseman. Everyone started yelling, "Shay, run to first. Run to first." Never in his life had Shay ever made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled. Everyone yelled "Run to second, run to second!" By the time Shay was rounding first base, the right fielder had the ball. He could have thrown the ball to the second baseman for a tag. But the right fielder understood what the pitcher's intentions had been, so he threw the ball high and far over the third baseman's head. 

Shay ran towards second base as the runners ahead of him deliriously circled the bases towards home. As Shay reached second base, the opposing shortstop ran to him, turned him in the direction of third base, and shouted, "Run to third!" As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams were screaming, "Shay! Run home." Shay ran home, stepped on home plate and was cheered as the hero, for hitting a "grand slam" and winning the game for his team. "That day," said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face," the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of the Divine Plan into this world."

Read more »

What he valued most

A young man learns what's most important in life from the guy next door.
 It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, girls,
 career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across
 the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy
 life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to
 spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing
 could stop him.

 Over the phone, his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night. The
 funeral is Wednesday." Memories flashed through his mind like an old
 newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.


 "Jack, did you hear me?"
 "Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought of
 him. I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago," Jack said.


 "Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were
 doing. He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of
 the fence' as he put it," Mom told him.


 "I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said.


 "You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make
 sure you had a man's influence in your life," she said.


 "He's the one who taught me carpentry," he said. "I wouldn't be in this
 business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me
 things he thought were important...Mom, I'll be there for the funeral,"
 Jack said.


 As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his
 hometown. Mr. Belser's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no
 children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.


 The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to
 see the old house next door one more time.
Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing
 over into another dimension, a leap through space and time. The house
 was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture,
 every piece of furniture....Jack stopped suddenly.


 "What's wrong, Jack?" his Mom asked.


 "The box is gone," he said.


 "What box? " Mom asked.


 "There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I
 must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell
 me was 'the thing I value most,'" Jack said.


 It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered
 it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had
 taken it.


 "Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said. "I better
 get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom."


 It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning home from
 work one day Jack discovered a note in his mailbox. "Signature required
 on a package. No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within
 the next three days," the note read.


 Early the next day Jack retrieved the package. The small box was old and
 looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was
 difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention.


 "Mr. Harold Belser" it read.


 Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package. There 
 inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack's hands shook as he read
 the note inside.


 "Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack
 Bennett. It's the thing I valued most in my life." A small key was taped
 to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes, Jack
 carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold
 pocket watch. Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing,
 he unlatched the cover.


 Inside he found these words engraved: "Jack, Thanks for your time!
 Harold Belser."


 "The thing he valued most...was...my time."


 Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and
 cleared his appointments for the next two days. "Why?" Janet, his
 assistant asked.

 "I need some time to spend with my son," he said.


 "Oh, by the way, Janet...thanks for your time!"

Read more »