Fables and Tales, II


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Fables and Tales, Book II

Fables and Tales, Book II, will be a compilation of 101 short stories with a message for the transformation of human consciousness towards the Light.  It teaches by example, by using metaphors, as Divine Jesus taught his people.  We follow His Way.

Research and compilation made by Luis Prada, Editor and Publisher of Brother Veritus’ Website.  This is a labor of love done with deep passion and with love for humanity and to contribute to human enlightenment.

This book is also available in Spanish, see Cuentos y Fábulas, Segundo Libro, in Brother Veritus’ Website-Español.  See alsoFables and Tales, Book I, in this Section.

 


 

This e-Book in the making in the form of a webpage will have 101 short stories for children of all ages.  This will be a good start for your child into the realm of spirituality.

All translations to English by Luis Prada.

Index

28 stories

1.When We Have To Face Our Fear
2.House Wife
3.The Intelligent Little One
4. The Complaining Apprentice
5. Fight to Win
6. Death of Old Priest
7. The Wishing Tree
8. Don’t Type The Wrong Email Address!
9. The Lesson of the Butterfly
10. Wake Up, Little Darling
11. Five Lessons to Make You Think About the Way We Treat People
12. The Corrugated Paper
13. Kids in Church
14. One Dollar Work
15.Beware of What You Taste
16.I am a Child of God
17.The Judge, the Thief, the Rich and the King

18. The Little Things
19. The Legend of Eternal Love
20. Jokes
21. Why Women Cry
22. The Little Girl in a Pink Dress
23. The Lessons of the Pencil Maker
24. Aieka or Where Are You?
25. Worries
26. Family
27. Sonata Clair de Lune (Moonlight Sonata)

28. The 10 Commandments of the Slacker and the 10 Commandments of the Anti-Slacker
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When We Have To Face Our Fear
Unknown Author
(Original text in Spanish, Translation)

When Krushev pronounced his famous denounce of the Stalinist Era, it is said that one of the present in the Central Committee said:
— Where were you, Comrade Krushev, when all these innocent people were assassinated?
Krushev stop, looked around throughout the room and said:
— I thank he who said that to have the kindliness to stand up.
The tension could be felt in the room, but nobody stood up.
Then, Krushev said:
— Very well, you have the answer, be whoever he be.  I was in the same place in which you are now.

Circumstances in life put us in a difficult position.  It is important in these moments to have present the principles and values we have, otherwise, we must be accountable in the future for our attitude at the moment.  The fear that comes in these moments must be overcome by using the power to face it, say, to let the being find a method to resolve the situation without putting at risk his or her own ethics.
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House Wife
Unknown Author
(Original text in Spanish, Translation)

On a certain occasion a group of women gathered in an afternoon to drink coffee and brag a little about their professional achievements.

One spoke of the master degree she was studying; other, of the office in an important company; another of her own business and so all were speaking of their promotions and achievements.

Among the group there was a lady, very quiet, who was asked what she did for a living; she, with a tone of ashamedness, answered that was dedicated to her home, she was a House Wife.

A psychologist who was present came out in her defense and said: "What would be of this world if  these valiant Mothers of the Family were extinct?" and she reminded them that the company she was president, general manager and operator could never be compared to.

In the only place a mother is irreplaceable is in her own home.  Profession of a Mother:  She is the builder of the foundation of the society.  Any woman can be replaced in any labor job, but not in their own home.  The consumer society has made that her labor be despised because apparently does not produce income to the family.  There is nothing more wrong, since the mother is the head of the institution that represents the base of the society.  The Enterprise called the FAMILY and its production is no more than all future professional men and women… from the FAMILY comes the future professionals.

When the mother heals the scratches of her child in the knees or is a chauffer for them in the afternoons or goes to the supermarket so that everybody has something to eat, is, at that moment, when she holds the position of "MANAGER OF GENERAL SERVICES".

When we see her explaining to her children difficult divisions with decimals or teaching them education and respect, she holds the position of "MANAGER OF HUMAN RESOURCES".

When she is heard talking about the qualities of her children, she is a "MANAGER OF MARKETING", since nobody believes so much in her product as a mother of her children.

Her schedule: UNLIMITED.  Her work shift starts at dawn with the cry of the baby with hunger, it may continue the rest of the day as she be sure everything functions properly.  In the afternoon, she is chauffer and the teacher of her children.  At night the loving wife that listens and attends to her husband and she can continue awake waiting for her teenage child to come from the party.  When she has time to rest, she does not stop thinking of her functions.  She cannot delegate her work because, when imprinting it with so much loving care, it is almost impossible to find qualified personnel to equal her.  She cannot get a secretary in charge of the transmission of values, morals, principles, nor to send a good-night kiss by fax.

Her salary: UNREACHABLE.  In fact, she herself does not conceive the idea of receiving nothing in return because she does it with love.  Some Mother’s Day she receives a flower, a drawing with brilliant crayons or the little star on her child’s forehead.  With this she feels she was given the best of promotions.

Retirement Pension: Nothing of this will she ever receive, instead after 14 to 18 years of unreachable work she will apparently be laid off, without benefits, when they say to her: please, mom, mind your own business; this is my life".  Supposedly she is fired because only the presence of a mother is important, however in those moments they are not aware of it.

Monument or Diploma:  Where is the monument or diploma for these ENTREPRENEURS who do not get tired of practicing their profession?  The physician, entrepreneur, artist, priest, engineer, lawyer, doctor, the licensed, architect, etc., who give their lives to others have come out from these companies called "FAMILIES".  Those great professionals are their achievements, honors, trophies and diplomas.

MAY GOD BLESS THE EXECUTIVES OF THE HOME!
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  The Intelligent Little One
Unknown Author
(Original text in Spanish, Translation)

You will be surprised!!! If a child can understand this, why can’t we?

One day a 6 year old girl was in the classroom.  The teacher was going to explain the evolution to the children.  Then she asked a kid:
TEACHER: Tommy, do you see that tree out there?
TOMMY: Yes.
TEACHER: Tommy, do you that grass out there?
TOMMY: Yes.
TEACHER: Go out, look up and tell me if you can see the sky.
TOMMY: Alright (He came some minutes later). Yes, I saw the sky.
TEACHER: Did you see God?
TOMMY: No.
TEACHER: That’s my point.  We cannot see God because He is not there.  He does not exist.

A little girl asked her permission to make some questions to the child.  The teacher accepted and the little girl asked:
LITTLE GIRL: Tommy, do you see that tree out there?
TOMMY: Yes.
LITTLE GIRL: Tommy, do you see that grass out there?
TOMMY: Yessssssss… (Tired of all those questions.)
LITTLE GIRL: See the sky?
TOMMY: Yessssssss…
LITTLE GIRL: Tommy, do you see the teacher?
TOMMY: Yes…
LITTLE GIRL: See her brain?
TOMMY: No.
LITTLE GIRL: Then, according to what we have learned today with the teacher, she has no brain!
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The Complaining Apprentice
Unknown Author

An aging Hindu master grew tired of his apprentice complaining, and so, one morning, sent him for some salt.  When the apprentice returned, the master instructed the unhappy young man to put a handful of salt in a glass of water then to drink it.

“How does it taste?”, the master asked.
“Bitter,” spit the apprentice.

The master chuckled, and then asked the young man to take the same size handful of salt and put it in the lake.  The two walked in silence to the nearby lake, and once the apprentice swirled his handful of salt in the water, the old man said, “Now drink from the lake.”

As the water dripped down the young man’s chin, the master asked, “How does it taste?”
“Fresh,” remarked the apprentice.
“Do you taste the salt?”, asked the master.
“No,” said the young man.

At this, the master sat beside this serious young man who so reminded him of himself and took his hands, offering: “The pain of life is pure salt; no more, no less. The amount of pain in life remains exactly the same.  However, the amount of bitterness we taste depends on the container we put the pain in.  So when you are in pain, the only thing you can do is to enlarge your sense of things.  Stop being a glass.  Become a lake.”
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  Fight to Win
Unknown Author
(Original text in Spanish, Translation)

In a little rural school there was a very antiquated and old coal oven.  A little one has assigned the task of arriving to school early everyday to light the fire and warm the classroom before his teacher and classmates arrive.

One morning they arrived and found the school wrapped in flames.  They took the kid out unconscious and more dead than alive from the building.  He had serious burns in the lower part of his body and was urgently taken to the county hospital.

Inhisbedthechildhorriblyburnedand semi-unconscious, heard to physician speaking to his mother.  He said that indeed his son would die, that it was the best it could happen, really, since the fire had destroyed the lower part of his body.

Butthe valiant kid did not want to die.  He decided he would survive.  Somehow, for a great surprise of the doctor, he survived.

Oncethedanger of death was overcome he again heard his mother and the doctor talking softly.  Taking into consideration that the fire had damaged in great manner the lower extremities of his body, the doctor told the mother, it would have been much better if he would die since he was condemned to be invalid all his life without the possibility of using his legs.

Once again the courageous child took a decision.  He would not be invalid.  He would walk.  But unfortunately, from the waist down, he had no motor capability.  His thin legs hanged lifeless.

Finally, the hospital discharged him.  Everyday his mother massaged his legs but there was no sensation, no control, nothing.  Nevertheless, his determination of walking was stronger than ever.

When he was not in bed he was confined to a wheelchair.  One sunny morning the mother took him to the patio to take some fresh air.  That day instead of remaining sitting he threw himself from the chair.  He pushed himself over the grass dragging his legs.  He arrived to the white post fence that surrounded his house garden.  With great effort he climbed up the fence.  There, post by post, he started to advance at the fence determined to walk.

He started to do the same everyday until he made a small track near the fence.  Nothing he wanted more than to give life to those two legs.

At last, thanks to the fervent prayers of his mother and her daily massages, his iron persistence and his resolute determination, he developed the capacity, first of standing up, then of stumbling walking and finally of walking alone and then of running.

He started to go walking to school, then running, for the simple pleasure of running.  Later in the university he was part of the running-over-track team.

And even later in the Madison Square Garden this young boy that had no hopes of surviving, who would never walk, who would never have the possibility of running, this determined youth, Glenn Cunningham, came to be the United State athlete who run the world’s fastest kilometer!

Moral: Do what you can and God will do what you cannot.
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    Death of Old Priest
Unknown Author

An old priest was dying. He sent a message for an Australian Tax Office agent and his Lawyer to come to the Rectory.  When they arrived, they were ushered up to his bedroom.  As they entered the room, the priest held out his hands and motioned for them to sit on each side of the bed. The priest grasped their hands, sighed contentedly, smiled and stared at the ceiling. For a time, no one said anything.

Both the ATO agent and Lawyer were touched and flattered that the old priest would ask them to be with him during his final moment. They were also puzzled because the priest had never given any indication that he particularly liked either one of them.

Finally, the Lawyer asked, "Father, why did you ask the two of us to come?"

The old priest mustered up some strength, then said weakly, "Jesus died between two thieves, and that’s how I want to go, too."
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  The Wishing Tree
Unknown Author
(Original text in Spanish, Translation)

A very tired wayfarer sits under the shade of a tree unaware that he was going to find a magic tree, "The Tree that converts wishes into reality".

Sat on the hard ground he thought it would be very nice to find a soft bed.  Instantly this bed appeared by his side.

Astounded the man got inside and said that the height of happiness would be reached if a girl would come and massage his crippled legs.  The girl appeared and massaged him in a very nice way.

—I’m hungry —said the man— and eating in this moment would be certainly a delight.  A table sprang out loaded with succulent food.  The man got happy.  He eats and drinks.  His head leans forward a little.  His eyelids, due to the influence of wine and fatigue, got shut.  He left himself fall along the bed and thought now in the marvelous events of this extraordinary day.

—I’m going to sleep for an hour or two —he said to himself.  The worst thing would be if a tiger would pass by here while I sleep.

A tiger appeared right way and devoured him.

  

You have in yourself a Wishing Tree that awaits your orders.  But beware, it also can make your negative thoughts and fears come true.  It can become polluted from them and become blocked.  This is the mechanism of worries.

I wish you, heartily, a life free of worries, of negative thoughts and fears, at the shade of your own Wishing Tree!
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  Don’t Type the Wrong Email Address!
A lesson to be learned from typing the wrong email address!
Unknown Author

A Minneapolis couple decided to go to Florida to thaw out during a particularly icy winter. They planned to stay at the same hotel where they spent their honeymoon 20 years earlier.

Because of hectic schedules it was difficult to coordinate their travel schedules. So, the husband left Minnesota and flew to Florida on Thursday, with his wife flying down the following day.

The husband checked into the hotel. There was a computer in his room, so he decided to send an email to his wife. However, he accidentally left out one letter in her email address, and without realizing his error, sent the email.

Meanwhile, somewhere in Houston, a widow had just returned home from her husband’s funeral. He was a minister who was called Home, to glory, following a heart attack. The widow decided to check her email expecting messages from relatives and friends. After reading the first message, she screamed and fainted.

The widow’s son rushed into the room, found his mother on the floor, and saw the computer screen which read:

To: My Loving Wife
Subject: I’ve Arrived
Date: October 16, 2004
I know you’re surprised to hear from me. They have computers here now and you are allowed to send emails to your loved ones. I’ve just arrived and have been checked in. I see that everything has been prepared for your arrival tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you then!
Hope your journey is as uneventful as mine was.
P.S. Sure is freaking hot down here.

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  The Lesson of the Butterfly
Unknown Author
(Original text in Spanish, Translation)

One day a small opening appeared in a cocoon.  A man sat and observed for several hours how the butterfly was struggling to get her body pass through that little hole.

Then it seemed as though she was not able to achieve any progress.  It seemed she had gone the farthest she was able to in her attempt and could not advance any farther.

Then the man decided to help the butterfly: he took a pair of scissors and cut the rest of the cocoon.  The butterfly then came out easily.  But her body was atrophied, was small and had her wings flatten.  The man continued observing her since he expected that, at any moment, her wings would open and shake to be able to sustain her body, the one which, in turn, would be taking shape.

Nothing happened!  In truth the butterfly spent the rest of her life dragging along her deformed body and atrophied wings.  She never was able to fly.  What the man, in his kindliness and willingness to help, did not understand was that the tight cocoon and the necessary effort of the butterfly to pass through the small aperture was the way in which God made possible that the fluid of the butterfly’s body would reach the wings, in such a way as to have her ready to fly once she would be free from the cocoon.

Sometimes the effort is just what we need in our lives.  If God allows us to pass through our lives without obstacles, He would leave us crippled.  We would not be as strong as we would have been and never would be able to fly.

I asked for strength… and God gave me difficulties to make me strong.  I asked for wisdom… and God gave me problems to solve.  I asked for prosperity… and God gave me a brain and muscle to work.  I asked for courage… and God gave me obstacles to overcome.  I asked for love… and God gave me people to help.  I asked for favors… and God gave me opportunities.

"I received nothing I asked for… but I received all I required."
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  Wake Up, Little Darling
Unknown Author
(Original text in Spanish, Translation)

Wake up, little darling, that dawn is coming out!
Look at her, how beautiful she comes with her luminous mantle.
Smile, dear of mine, and open right now your clear eyes! that all the nymphs of the forest are happily singing to you.
You have crowned my forehead with an unknown brilliance.
Tell me, treasure, are you all mine?, or are you just a passing gift?  With whom did you dream at night, little darling?
Tell me, my child, who did you kiss in the heavens that today you wake up so clear?

Mommy! I have played with bright stars, I befriended the Sun, and he taught me his song that sea and wind sing.
But I knew it already… It was your voice, so dear, that one that sounded in the high, the same one that I would hear snuggled up here, in your lap.

Is that true, my life?  I learned it in the Silence, cradling you slowly when your were very little.
But today you have grown, your walk pace goes so fast…!
Little darling!  My child!  Dear of mine!  I am mommy… I loved you so then and I love you so now.  Feel me always by your side.

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  Five Lessons to Make You Think About
the Way We Treat People

Unknown Author

1 – First Important Lesson — Cleaning Lady.

During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions until I read the last one:

"What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?" Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name?

I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.

 "Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say "hello."

 I’ve never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

2. – Second Important Lesson — Pickup in the Rain

One night, at11:30 p.m., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance, and put her into a taxicab.

She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man’s door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached.  It read:

"Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirit. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband’s bedside just before he passed away… God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others."
Sincerely,
Mrs. Nat King Cole.

3 – Third Important Lesson — Always Remember Those Whom You Serve.

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.

“How much is an ice cream sundae?”, he asked.
"Fifty cents," replied the waitress.
The little boy pulled is hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.
"Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired.
By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient.
"Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied.
The little boy again counted his coins.
"I’ll have the plain ice cream," he said.

The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies.

You see, he couldn’t have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

4 – Fourth Important Lesson. — The Obstacle in Our Path.

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand!  Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

5 – Fifth Important Lesson — Giving When it Counts…

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare & serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.

I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes, I’ll do it if it will save her." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded.

He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?"

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.

Most importantly, "Work like you don’t need the money, love like you’ve never been hurt, and dance like you do when nobody’s watching."
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  The Wrinkled Paper
Unknown Author
(Original text in Spanish, Translation)

My impulsive character made me outburst into anger at the slightest provocation.  Most of the time, after one of these incidents, I felt ashamed and forced myself to comfort whom I had hurt.

One day a psychologist, who saw me giving excuses after an explosion of anger, gave me a smooth paper.

And then he said to me: “Crumple it up.” Astonished, I obeyed and made a ball with the paper.

Then he said to me: “Now put it as it was before.” Of course I couldn’t leave it the way it was.  As hard as I tried, the paper was left full of wrinkles.

Then the psychologist said: “The heart of people is like that paper.  The impression that you leave in that heart you hurt will be so hard to erase as those wrinkles in the paper.  Though we try to attempt to rectify the error, it was already "marked."

Impulsively we do not control ourselves and without thinking we throw out words full of hate and resentment and then, when we think about that, we repent.  But we cannot go back, we cannot erase what was left recorded.  And the saddest part is that we leave "wrinkles" in many hearts.


Translation: (Left column, from top to bottom), Neighbors, friends, spouses, colleagues.  (Right column, from top to bottom), brothers and sisters, employees, children, parents, family

From today on be more comprehensive and more patient.  When you feel like exploding remember "The wrinkled paper."  It is the advice I give you.
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Kids in Church
Unknown Author

1. Jesus’ Dad’s Name:
A Sunday school teacher asked her class, "What was Jesus’ mother’s name?"  One child answered, "Mary."
The teacher then asked, "Who knows what Jesus’ father’s name was?" A little kid said, "Verge."
Confused, the teacher asked, "Where did you get that?"
The kid said, "Well, you know, they are always talking about Verge ‘n’ Mary.”

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2. 3-year-old, Reese: "Our Father, Who does art in heaven, Harold is His name.  Amen."

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3. A little boy was overheard praying:  "Lord, if you can’t make me a better boy, don’t worry about it. I’m having a real good time like I am."

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4. After the christening of his baby brother in church, Jason sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car. His father asked him three times what was wrong.  Finally, the boy replied, "That preacher said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home, and I wanted to stay with you, guys."

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5. I had been teaching my three-year old daughter, Caitlin, the Lord’s Prayer for several evenings at bedtime, she would repeat after me the lines from the prayer.  Finally, she decided to go solo.  I listened with pride as she carefully enunciated each word right up to the end of the prayer: "Lead us not into temptation," she prayed, but deliver us some E-mail.  Amen."

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6. One particular four-year-old prayed, "And forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets."

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7. A Sunday school teacher asked her children as they were on the way to church service, "And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?" One bright little girl replied, "Because people are sleeping."

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8. Six-year-old Angie and her four-year-old brother Joel were sitting together in church.  Joel giggled, sang, and talked out loud.  Finally, his big sister had had enough. "You’re not supposed to talk out loud in church."
"Why? Who’s going to stop me?" Joel asked.
Angie pointed to the back of the church and said,
"See those two men standing by the door?  They’re hushers."

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9. A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin, 5, and Ryan, 3.  The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake  Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson.  "If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, ‘Let my brother have the first pancake, I can wait.’"  Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, "Ryan, you be Jesus!"

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10. A father was at the beach with his children when the four-year-old son ran up to him, grabbed his hand, and led him to the shore where a seagull lay dead in the sand. "Daddy, what happened to him?” the son asked. "He died and went to Heaven," the Dad replied.
The boy thought a moment and then said, "Did God throw him back down?"

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11. A wife invited some people to dinner.  At the table, she turned to their six-year-old daughter and said, "Would you like to say the blessing?""I wouldn’t know what to say," the girl replied."Just say what you hear Mommy say," the wife answered.The daughter bowed her head and said, "Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?"
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One Dollar Work
Unknown Author
Editor’ Note:  In the electronic and computer technology it is common to have printed circuit boards that contain potentiometers or variable resistors that have a tiny screw which needs to be adjusted to get a referenced value for the circuit to work properly.  It is adjusted at the factory but over time it may require readjustment.  The trick is to know which screw to adjust.

Sometimes it is a mistake to judge the value of the activity simply for the time that it takes to do it.  A good example is the case of an engineer that was called in to fix a very big computer, extremely complex, a computer that cost 12 million dollars.

Sittingin front of the screen, he pressed quite a number of keys, nodded, mumbled something to himself and turned off the machine. He proceeded to take out a small screwdriver from his pocket and rotated a tiny screw one and a half times.  Then he turned on the computer and verified that it was working perfectly.

The president of the company was delighted and offered him to pay the invoice at once.

— How much do I owe you? —he asked.
— One thousand dollars, if you please.
— One thousand dollars? One thousand dollars for some minutes of work? One thousand dollars to fasten a simple little screw? I already know that my computer cost 12 million dollars, but one thousand dollars is an absurd amount!I will pay you only if you send me an invoice, perfectly detailed, that justifies it.

The engineer nodded affirmatively and left.  The next morning the president received the invoice, he read it carefully, shook his head and proceeded topay at once, without saying a word.  The invoice read:

Services provided:
       Turned a screw ————————— 1 dollar
        To know which screw to turn —- 999 dollars

Send thise-mail to all those professionals that day-after-day face the lack of consideration of those who through ignorance cannot understand them, and gift them with a least a moment of humor. REMEMBER: "YOU EARN MONEY FOR WHAT YOU KNOW, NOT FOR WHAT YOU DO."
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Beware of What You Taste
Unknown Author
(Original text in Spanish, Translation)

The Day of the Teacher the children brought gift to their teacher.  The son of the baker brought her a very delicious cake; the son of the owner of a plant nursery brought her a beautiful plant;the daughter of the owner of the fruit shop brought her a basket full of fruits, then came the moment of opening the gift of the son of the owner of the liquor store.

The teacher picked up the box so heavy and noticed that something was spilt.  She tasted it and said… "Is it wine?", and the child answered, "no". Then the teacher tasted again and said: "Is it champagne?", and the child said, “no”. Then the teacher said, “I give up, what is it?” And the child answered: “It’s a little dog."

And the morale is: Beware of what you taste.
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I am a Child of God
Unknown Author

A seminary professor was vacationing with his wife in Gatlinburg, TN. One morning they were eating breakfast at a little restaurant hoping to enjoy a quiet, family meal. While they were waiting for their food, they noticed a distinguished looking, white-haired man moving from table to table, visiting with the guests. The professor leaned over and whispered to his wife, “I hope he doesn’t come over here.”

But sure enough, the man did come over to their table.

—Where are you folks from?, he asked in a friendly voice.
—Oklahoma, they answered.
—Great to have you here in Tennessee, the stranger said, what do you do for a living?
—I teach at a seminary, he replied.
—Oh, so you teach preachers how to preach, do you? Well, I’ve got a really great story for you.
And with that, the gentleman pulled up a chair and sat down at the table with the couple.  The professor groaned and thought to himself, "Great. Just what I need… another preacher story!"

The man started:
—See that mountain over there? (Pointing out the restaurant window). Not far from the base of that mountain, there was a boy born to an unwed mother. He had a hard time growing up because every place he went he was always asked the same question, “Hey boy, Who’s your daddy?” Whether he was at school, in the grocery store or drug store, people would ask the same question, “Who’s your daddy?”
—He would hide at recess and lunchtime from other students. He would avoid going into stores because that question hurt him so bad. When he was about 12 years old a new preacher came to his church. He would always go in late and slip out early to avoid hearing the question, “Who’s your daddy?”
—But one day the new preacher said the benediction so fast that he got caught and had to walk out with the crowd.  Just about the time he got to the back door the new preacher, not knowing anything about him, put his hand on his shoulder and asked him, “Son, who’s your daddy?”
—The whole church got deathly quiet!  He could feel every eye in the church looking at him. Now everyone would finally know the answer to the question, “Who’s your daddy?”  This new preacher, though, sensed the situation around him and using discernment that only the Holy Spirit could give, said the following to that scared little boy:
—"Wait a minute! I know who you are! I see the family resemblance now. You are a child of God."  With that he patted the boy on his shoulder and said: “Boy, you’ve got a great inheritance. Go and claim it.”
—With that, the boy smiled for the first time in a long time and walked out the door a changed person. He was never the same again. Whenever anybody asked him, “Who’s your Daddy?”, he’d just tell them, “I’m a Child of God.”

The distinguished gentleman got up from the table and said,
—Isn’t that a great story?
The professor responded that it really was a great story!
As the man turned to leave, he said,
—You know, if that new preacher hadn’t told me that I was one of God’s children, I probably never would have amounted to anything!  And he walked away.

The seminary professor and his wife were stunned. He called the waitress over and asked her,
—Do you know who that man was, the one who just left that was sitting at our table?’
The waitress grinned and said:
—Of course.  Everybody here knows him. That’s Ben Hooper. He’s the former governor of Tennessee!
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The Judge, the Thief, the Rich and the King
Unknown Author
(Original text in Spanish, Translation)

It happened some time ago in any place.  A king appointed as judge a wise man.  He was a Taoist.  The king trusted that the sage would solve with justice many problems.

The first case of the judge seemed quite simple.  It was about a thief that had confessed and was caught “in fraganti” or red-handed.  So the sage condemned the thief to a year in prison.  But he also condemned the rich.

 —How come? —said the rich.  I was the victim, and you arrest me?
—Yes, answered the judge.  You are as responsible as him, if you had not accumulated so much wealth, he would not have stolen, all you accumulation is responsible of his hunger.

When the king found out about this, he immediately removed the judge from office because he thought thus:  “If this man continues his reasoning he will arrive at me.”

That is a very current story.

The principles of this civilization are incompatible with love that is the only capable force to bring us happiness.  The system encourages fastness, competition, consumption of the artificial and superfluous.  Love needs patience, solidarity, union and the cultivation of the natural and essential.  The economic value is before the human value.

As in the case of the judge, the social unbalance that multiplies generates violence, the solution is found in redistribution.  The economy is in ruins by the accumulation of the free flow of money.  It is that we confuse the means with the aims: Money is a mean, only buys what is cheap, it does not buy love, neither the smile of a child, nor the fresh air.
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The Little Things
Unknown Author

As you might know, the head of a company survived 9/11 because his son started kindergarten. Another fellow was alive because it was his turn to bring donuts.  One woman was late because her alarm clock didn’t go off in time.  One was late because of being stuck on the NJ Turnpike because of an auto accident. One of them missed his bus.  One spilled food on her clothes and had to take time to change.  One’s car wouldn’t start.  One went back to answer the telephone. One had a child that dawdled and didn’t get ready as soon as he should have. One couldn’t get a taxi.

The one that struck me was the man who put on a new pair of shoes that morning, took the various means to get to work but before he got there, he developed a blister on his foot. He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid. That is why he is alive today.

Now when I am stuck in traffic, miss an elevator, turn back to answer a ringing telephone… all the little things that annoy me, I think to myself, this is exactly where I am supposed to be at this very moment.

Next time your morning seems to be going wrong, the children are slow getting dressed, you can’t seem to find the car keys, you hit every traffic light, don’t get mad or frustrated. Someone is at work watching over you.  May you continue to be blessed with all those annoying little things and may you remember their possible purpose.  Pass this on to someone else, if you’d like.  There is NO LUCK attached.  If you delete this, it’s okay:  Love and good luck is Not Dependent On E-Mails!! (That’s the cool part.)
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The Legend of Eternal Love
AnIndian Story

Unknown Author
(Original text in Spanish, Translation)

Several times in life, in love, conflicts spring up because of lovers’ little freedom.  This story teaches us many truths that we are unable to see before our eyes.

One day the son of a brave warrior fell in love with a beautiful maid and both decided to marry after getting their parents’ consensus.

Since they loved each other so much, and knowing the dangers of living together, they decided to visit the tribe’ witch to prepare for them a spell that would make their love and their alliance really eternal.

The witch told the warrior:
—Go to the Mountains of the North and climb to the highest one you find and when you are at the top search for the most vigorous hawk, the strongest and most valiant of all.  You must hunt it and bring it here alive.

Then addressing the beautiful girl he said:
—You go to the Mountains of the South and search in the cordillera for the best hunting eagle, the one that flies the highest and has the deepest stare.  You alone must hunt her and bring her here alive.

After several days of walking in the mountains, the warrior and the girl got their objectives and came back to the witch highly satisfied with the beautiful birds.

— ¿What should we do with them? —they asked him.
— These birds are beautiful and strong, aren’t they? —asked them the witch.
— Yes, they responded. They are the best there are and cost us a great deal to capture them.
— Did you see them fly very high and fast? —asked them the witch again.
— Yes. They flew higher and faster than anyone else —answered both of them.
— Very well. Now I want you to tie each other by their feet.

The youngsters did so and, following the instructions of the witch, released them then.  The poor birds tried to fly but since they were tied to each other, they hindered each other and could not do it.  The only thing they were able to do was to stumble upon each other and hurting each other they knocked themselves down on the floor.

— ¿Do you see what happens to these birds? —the witch said to them— Tied to each other none of them is capable of flying although when they were alone they did it very high.  This is the spell I give to you for your love to be everlasting:

May your alliance not be an attachment for any of you but force and breath to grow and improve as people.
May your love not create dependencies but that it manifest the affection and solidarity of those who share the same bread.
Respect each other as people and let each one be able to fly freely to go learning to fly together by the wide sky.
If you act like this your love could be really eternal because never will be a limitation but a stimulus for each one to be able to grow.
True is that everything that limits the soul dies sooner or later in this life because our supreme law is to grow and evolve as people.
Dies an unhappy love that clamps lovers down and oppresses them as people.  Dies with happiness as when somebody suddenly comes out free of a jail where his soul was a prisoner.
But also dies a happy love although it dies with pain.  Dies when softens the lovers and makes them more vulnerable and dependent upon each other as people.
The only love that never dies, the only love that overcomes even death is that sacred pact of the souls by which both help each other in their evolution, for which they respect each other so they can be free and at the same time supportive to each other.
If you want your love to be really immortal, do not stifle with your arm the freedom of your lover and so that your pact be always the one of mutual growth.
May your love give you strength to fly very high as the eagles in the sky, to fly together tracing circles in the sky and also to know to fly in solitaire without attachments and without fears.
Only so your love will be able to be really everlasting because not only it will be nourishment and joy for the body, but strength for the spirit.
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Jokes
Unknown Author
(Original text in Spanish, Translation)

CHILD SPANKED BY A NEIGHBOR

A child was spanked by a neighbor and the furious mother went out to ask her for an explanation:
—Why did you spank my son?
—For bad mannered, he called me fat.
—And do you think that by spanking him you get slim down?

PROPERTY DISTRIBUTION
Two friends reunite after many years.
—I got married, divorced and already did the property distribution.
—And the children?
—The judge decided that they would stay with who got more property.
—Then will they stay with the mother?
—No, they will stay with our lawyer.

DIET TO LOSE WEIGHT
—Doctor, what do I do to lose weight?
—It is enough to move the head from left to right and from right to left.
—How many times, doctor?
—Every time they offer you food.

EMERGENCY
The electrician goes into the room of the Unit of Intensive Care of a hospital, looks at the patients connected to various types of apparatuses and tells them:
—Breathe deeply in: I am going to change a fuse…

CONFESSION
The condemned man to death waits for the hour of execution when the priest arrives:
—Son, I bring the word of God for you.
—You waste your time, Father.  Within short time I am going to speak with him personally.  Any message for him?

FUNERAL SERVICE
The old man just died.
The priest in the funeral ceremony over praises him:
—The deceased was a good husband, excellent Christian, an exemplary father!!…
The widow turned towards one of her children and says to him in his ear:
—Go to the coffin and check if the one inside is your father…

PRIEST POLITICIAN
A donkey dies in front of a church.  At about a week later the body still remains there, so the priest decides to call the Prefect.
—Prefect, I have a donkey, dead for about a week, in front of the church!
The Prefect, great political adversary of the priest, answers:
—But, Father, is it not the Lord’s duty to take care of the dead?
—That’s right! But it is also my obligation to inform the relatives!

THE GENIE
An arab walked in the desert when he found a lamp.
When he opened it, surprise!, there appeared a genie:
—Hello! I am a genie of a single wish, at your command.
—Then I want peace in the Middle East.  See this map: may all these countries live in peace!

The genie looked at the map and says:
—Be real, friend. These countries wage war to each other since five thousand years ago! And to tell you the truth, I am good, but not as good as for that. Ask for something else.
—Well… I never found the ideal woman. You know… I’d like a woman that has a sense of humor, that likes to clean the house, do laundry, iron, that is not talkative, that likes football soccer, that appreciates beer, faithful, joyous, pretty, affectionate, and that she doesn’t matter that I do not have money.

The genie sighs deeply and says:
—Let me see that map again…!!!
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Why Women Cry
Unknown Author

A little boy asked his mother, “Why are you crying?”
“Because I’m a woman,” she told him.
“I don’t understand,” he said.
His Mom just hugged him and said, “And you never will.”

Later the little boy asked his father, “Why does mother seem to cry for no reason?”
“All women cry for no reason,” was all his dad could say.

The little boy grew up and became a man, still wondering why women cry.

Finally he put in a call to God. When God answered, he asked, “God, why do women cry so easily?”

God said: “When I made the woman she had to be special. I made her shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the world, yet gentle enough to give comfort.

“I gave her an inner strength to endure childbirth and the rejection that many times comes from her children.

“I gave her a hardness that allows her to keep going when everyone else gives up, and take care of her family through sickness and fatigue without complaining.

“I gave her the sensitivity to love her children under any and all circumstances, even when her child has hurt her very badly.

“I gave her strength to carry her husband through his faults and fashioned her from his rib to protect his heart.

“I gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never hurts his wife, but sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him unfalteringly.

"And finally, I gave her a tear to shed. This is hers exclusively to use whenever it is needed.”

"You see, my son,” said God, “‘the beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.

“The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart —the place where love resides.”

Please send this to any beautiful women you know today.  If you do, something good will happen.  You will boost another woman’s self-esteem!
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The Little Girl in a Pink Dress
Unknown Author

Don’t let your day go on without reading this first, no matter how busy you may be!!! There was this little girl sitting by herself in the park. Everyone passed by her and never stopped to see why she looked so sad. Dressed in a worn pink dress, barefoot and dirty, the girl just sat and watched the people go by. She never tried to speak. She never said a word.

Many people passed by her, but no one would stop.

The next day I decided to go back to the park in curiosity to see If the little girl would still be there. Yes, she was there, right in the very spot where she was yesterday, and still with the same sad look in her eyes. Today I was to make my own move and walk over to the little girl.

For as we all know, a park full of strange people is not a place for young children to play alone. As I got closer I could see the back of the little girl’s dress. It was grotesquely shaped. I figured that was the reason people just passed by and made no effort to speak to her.

Deformities are a low blow to our society and, heaven forbid if you make a step toward assisting someone who is different.

As I got closer, the little girl lowered her eyes slightly to avoid my intent stare. As I approached her, I could see the shape of her back more clearly. She was grotesquely shaped in a humped over form.

I smiled to let her know it was OK; I was there to help, to talk. I sat down beside her and opened with a simple, ‘Hello’. The little girl acted shocked, and stammered a ‘hi ‘; after a long stare into my eyes. I smiled and she shyly smiled back.

We talked until darkness fell and the park was completely empty. I asked the girl why she was so sad. The little girl looked at me with a sad face and said, ‘Because, I’m Different…’

I immediately said, ‘That you are!’ and smiled. The little girl acted even sadder and said, ‘I know.’

Little girl,’ I said, ‘you remind me of an angel, sweet and innocent.’ She looked at me and smiled, then slowly she got to her feet and said, ‘Really?’

Yes, you’re like a little Guardian Angel sent to watch over all the people walking by.’  She nodded her head yes, and smiled.

With that she opened the back of her pink dress and allowed her wings to spread, then she said ‘I am.’ ‘I’m your Guardian Angel,’ with a twinkle in her eye.

I was speechless, sure I was seeing things.

She said, ‘For once you thought of someone other than yourself, my job here is done’.

I got to my feet and said, ‘wait, why did no one stop to help an Angel?’

She looked at me, smiled, and said, ‘You’re the only one that could see me,’ and then she was gone.

And with that my life was changed dramatically. So, when you think you’re all you have, remember, your angel is Always watching over you.
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The Lessons of the Pencil Maker
Unknown Author

A pencil maker told the pencil 5 important lessons just before putting it in the box:

1. Everything you do will always leave a mark.

2. You can always correct the mistakes you make.

3. What is important is what is inside of you.

4. In life you will undergo painful sharpening which will only make you better.

5. To be the best pencil, you must allow yourself to be held and guided by the hand that holds you.


The letters of the alphabet of picture on the right are pencil-lead carvings into the tip. The art of Dalton Ghetti

We all need to be constantly sharpened.  This parable may encourage you to know that you are a special person, with unique God-given talents and abilities. Only you can fulfill the purpose which you were born to accomplish. Never allow yourself to get discouraged and think that your life is insignificant and cannot be changed and, like the pencil, always remember that the most important part of who you are is what’s inside of you and then allow yourself to be guided by the hand of God.
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Aieka or Where Are You?
What Have I Done to Improve the Portion of the World Assigned to Me?
By Gabriel Amar
(Original text in Spanish, Translation)

Gabriel Amar lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he is writer, philosopher and Jewish thinker. Besides that, he is an entrepreneur in successful projects in the area of Kosher food.

Notes of Editor
1. Article taken from the Spanish section of the website
www.Chabad.org and adapted from the original text. Excerpt.
2. In biblical Hebrew the question Where Are You? is translated as a single word, Aieka. It refers to how are you feeling, what’s going on with your life, how is your soul. It is the first question that God made to the first man. In Hebrew the question mark is written at the beginning of the word but since this particular word has an ample meaning, we do not place the question mark.
3. Torah means knowledge.

Old Jewish Man by RembrantThe cold half-lit aisle brings the sound of military boots approaching. The men in the room shake, they know, by the determined way of walking that must be any of "the bosses" that comes in. Exactly some seconds later comes into the barely lit precincts a minister of the Czar. The jailers tremble again and adjust as they can their worn-out shirts. However, the minister has fixed his eyes since he came in on the only man that has remained impassible in that place. His face, denoting a solid inner peace, looks austere but calm. He is an old man with a big gray beard that descends on his chest bestowing upon him an aspect of great majesty.

He is a Rebe, a spiritual leader of hundreds of thousands of Jews, perhaps of millions around the world. He is in prison for publicly spreading the Torah in each corner of the czarist Russian territory without absolutely not fearing the furious anti-Semitism of that obscurantist and ruthless regime that has plunged almost all the population into misery and terror. They have accused him, even, of sending money to the Turks to support an insurrection against the Russian empire. Obviously he is sunk in deep thoughts because seems not to notice the presence of the wardens, nor looks like his delicate situation would affect him in his introspection.

It is not the first time the minister visits the Old Rebe. Thus is how his followers affectionately call him, the Alter Rebe. Rebe poses his powerful look on the eyes of the minister, and now is that Russian of enormous influence in the court of the Czar, the one who trembles. He is full of respect and admiration for this holy man, and he has already had the opportunity to do for him several favors, and still will do more, to benefit him in the future. God, mysteriously, has made of this man a secret ally of the Rebe.

—I come to make a question to the Rebe —he breaks the silence with a respectful tone looking away to the floor as a sign of respect.
—Make your question that with the help of God I will try to answer you —said the Rebe.

The minister is an enthusiastic scholar of the biblical texts and had already the opportunity of knowing, from previous conversations, this rabbi as a scholar of matchless knowledge in this matter. Gathering courage turns his gaze to the Rebe who has remained immutable observing the minister with kind gesture although severe.

—Rebe —he finally says already definitely averting his gaze— I come to ask you a question. There is a point in particular in the Pentateuch or, as you call it, the “Torah”, to which I have found no answer, and as much as I have consulted with the greatest scholars of our time, still I have not found an explanation that satisfies me.

The man cleared his throat a little and held his breath inflating his chest.

—In the book of Genesis —he started— it is narrated that after Adam sinned by eating of Tree of Knowledge against the divine mandate, he and his wife noted they were naked, and for that reason they hid fearing God would find them and chastise them. In the biblical text says that God strolling by the Garden of Eden and not seeing Adam, He asked: “Where are you?” What is the meaning of this question?

The minister finished looking around without wanting it for the approval of the jailers who nodded with gestures without circumstance, although understanding nothing. The Alter Rebe observed the minister at length. His face giving off a kind of invisible light. In the silence of that instant, the minister seemed to listen to his heart throbbing. The Alter Rebe told the minister of the Czar something like this:

—Minister: Do you believe the Torah is eternal, immutable and indistinctively applicable at all times and circumstances?
—Yes, I do believe! —answered the minister.

—Then, you must know that God’s question is a question that He makes at all times to each generation and to each man. What Hashem [God] is asking to Adam Harishon [the first man] is, ¿where were you with respect to your place in life, your situation before God? What God wanted was that Adam be obliged to answer is what had he done to refine himself and to refine the world he was assigned to live in. Aieka, says the sacred tongue, at the beginning of the Book of Genesis, as you call it, where are you? That was the first question of God to Adam, the first man, and, of course, to Hava [Eva], the first woman.

—Minister, you have so and so many years, so and so months and so and so days (he said the correct number), you have children, you have fortune and have all you wish. You are important. But, what have you done of your life? You perhaps think you have gone a long way, but, have you asked yourself where are you in your relationship with the Creator?, what have you done with the years, the days, the seconds that Hashem has given you of life and what will you do with the time that still remains of life on this world?, the good you did, and the good that you have left to do? And this is the question that each human being must make to himself: Where am I? Aieka. What have I done to improve the portion of the world that was assigned to me and to improve myself, to fulfill the commitment of my life on Earth?
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Worries
Unknown Author
(Original text in Spanish, Translation)

A psychologist in a group session raised a glass of water, everybody was expecting the typical question: “Is it half full or half empty?”  However, he asked:
— How much does the glass weigh?
The answers varied from between 200 and 250 grams.  The psychologist answered:
— The absolute weight is not important, it depends on how much I hold it. If I hold it for 1 minute, it’s not a problem.  If I hold it for one hour, my arm will hurt.  If I hold it for 1 day, my arm will go numb and paralyze.  The weight of the glass does not change, but when I hold it for a longer time, it becomes heavier, more difficult to support.
And he continued:
— Worries are like the glass of water.If you think on them for a while, nothing happens.  If you think a little longer, they start to hurt, and if you think on them all day long, you end up feeling paralyzed, unable to do anything.

Remember to let go of the glass!
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Family
Unknown Author

I ran into a stranger as he passed by,
"Oh, excuse me, please", was my reply.
He said, "Please, excuse me too;
I wasn’t watching for you."
We were very polite, this stranger and I.
We went on our way and we said goodbye.
But at home a different story is told:
How we treat our loved ones, young and old.

 Later that day, cooking the evening meal,
My son stood beside me very still.
When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.
"Move out of the way," I said with a frown.
He walked away, his little heart broken.
I didn’t realize how harshly I’d spoken.

 While I lay awake in bed,
God’s still small voice came to me and said:
"While dealing with a stranger
Common courtesy you use,
But the family you love
You seem to abuse.
Go and look on the kitchen floor,
You’ll find some flowers there by the door.
Those are the flowers he brought for you.
He picked them himself: Pink, yellow and blue.
He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise.
You never saw the tears that filled his little eyes?"

 By this time, I felt very small,
And now my tears began to fall.
I quietly went and knelt by his bed;
"Wake up, little one, wake up", I said.
"Are these the flowers you picked for me?"
He smiled, "I found ’em, out by the tree.
I picked ’em because they’re pretty like you.
I knew you’d like ’em, especially the blue."
I said, "Son, I’m very sorry for the way I acted today;
I shouldn’t have yelled at you that way."
He said, "Oh, Mom, that’s okay. I love you anyway."
I said, "Son, I love you too,
And I do like the flowers, especially the blue."

FAMILY.  Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days?  But the family we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than into our own family, an unwise investment indeed, don’t you think?  So what is behind the story?

Do you know what the word FAMILY means?: FAMILY = (F)ather (A)nd (M)other, (I) (L)ove (Y)ou.
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Sonata Clair de Lune (Moonlight Sonata)
Unknown Author
(Original text in Spanish, Translation)

Sit Comfortably and Enjoy the Beautiful Sonate Clair de Lune (Moonlight Sonata). Learn about the life of its author: Ludwig Van Beethoven

(Look for this sonata in Internet and play it while reading this message)

Who has not had moments in life of intense grief? Who has not had, at some point in life, the desire to give up? Who has not felt lonely… extremely lonely and having the sensation of having lost any hope? Not even the famous people, rich and important, are exempt of having moments of loneliness and deep sadness.

That was exactly what happened to one of the most important composers of all times, Ludwig Van Beethoven, who was born in Bonn, Germany, in 1770, and died in Vienna, Austria, in 1827.

Beethoven was going through one of those somber moments and was very sad and depressed for the death of a German prince who was his benefactor and was, at the same time, as a second father to him.

The young composer suffered of an enormous lack of affection. His father was a drunk who beat him up and who died of alcoholism on the street.

His mother died very young. His biological brother never helped him and, above all, felt that his illness was getting worse. The symptoms of deafness started to affect him, changing him into a nervious and irritable person.

Beethoven only could hear using a sort of horn. Always he carried with himself a notebook where people could write to him and communicate with him but they did not have pacience for that, nor he to read their lips.

Being aware that nobody understood nor wanted to help him, Beethoven shut himself up, avoiding people. From there he gained the fame of being a misanthrope. For all these reasons the composer fell into a deep depression and even prepared his testament, saying that perhaps it would be better for him to commit suicide.

But since there is no child that be forgotten by God, the saving hand that Beethoven needed came through a young blind woman that lived in the same building than him, and one night told him yelling at his ears: “I would give anything to be able to see the light of the moon.”

When listening to her… Beethoven bursted in tears. After all… he could see! After all… he could compose music and write it on paper!

Suddently, a strong desire to live invaded Beethoven and took him to compose one of the most beautiful musical pieces of all times: The “Sonate Clair de Lune”.

In the central theme of the sonata the melody imitates and reproduces the slow steps of people, possibly of the self-same Beethoven and other persons carrying the casket of the German prince, his friend, master and benefactor.

Observing the sky silvered by the moonlight and remembering the young blind woman, Beethoven seems to question the reasons of the death of his dear friend and he enters into a profound and enriching meditation.

Some music scholars say that the notes that repeat insistently in the central theme of the first movement of the sonata could be the syllables of the word “Warum? Warum?” (why?… why?…) or some other German word of similar meaning.

Years later after overcoming his anguish, sadness and grief, came the incomparable “Ode to Joy” of the Ninth Symphony, his magnum work: With that he crowned the work of an extraordinary composer. Beethoven personally conducted the premiere of the Ninth Symphony, in 1824, being completely deaf… But he could hear the applause of an excited audience.

One of the musicians of the orchestra gently spinned Beethoven around so that he could see the house and the attendees, full of emotion and happiness giving euphoric applauses and waving their hats. It is said that the “Ode to Joy” expresses the gratitude of Beethoven to life and God for not having committed suicide.

And all of that thanks to that young blind woman who inspired in him the desire to translate, in musical notes, the moonlight: The rays of the light of the moon waving by themselves in a marvelous and most beautiful melody.

Utilizing his sensitivity, Beethoven, the composer who could not hear, portrayed through a beautiful melody, the beauty of the moonlight so that the girl, who could not see with her physical eyes, could “see” it.
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 The 10 Commandments of the Slacker and the 10 Commandments of the Anti-Slacker

The 10 Commandments of the Slacker
Unknown Author
(Original text in Spanish, Translation)

1.-  We are born tired and we live to rest
2.-  Love your bed as yourself.
3.-  If you see somebody resting, help him.
4.-  Rest during the day so you can sleep at night.
5.-  Work is sacred, do not touch it.
6.-  That which you can do tomorrow, don’t do it today.
7.-  Work the least you can, what you have to do let other do it.
8.-  Calm down! Nobody ever died of resting.
9.-  When you feel the desires of working, sit down and wait to let them pass away.
10.- If work is health, let the work for the sick.

Sincerely,
The Slacker

The 10 Commandments of the Anti-Slacker
By Luis Prada, Editor and Publisher of Brother Veritus’ Website
(Original text in Spanish, Translation)

1.- We are born rested and ready to start living, working and improving ourselves.
2.- As much as you love yourself, love what you do that brings you satisfaction and progress.
3.- If you see somebody resting, teach him something useful to improve himself.
4.- Rest at night so you be able to work during the day.
5.- Work is sacred, seek to work in what earns you a salary and brings you satisfaction.
6.- What you can do tomorrow, do it today.
7.- Work enough to live well and the extra time use it to help others, study and rests.
8.- Calm down! Nobody died of resting but did die of wrong thinking. Use you mind for the good, exercise it.
9.- When you feel desires to work, stand up and put your hands to work with diligence.
10.- If work is health, let thehealthy and the sick work.

Sincerely,
The Diligent

Which one of the two sets of commandmentsyou would rather choose to live your life?
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