Build Happy Earth Links!

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"We are born into a vast room whose walls consist of a thousand doors of possibility. Each door is flung open to the world outside, and the room is filled with light and noise. We close some of the doors deliberately, sometimes with fear, sometimes with calm certainty. Others seem to close themselves, some so quietly that we do not even notice."
---Terry Teachout, City Limits
When I read this for the first time, I realized that my whole life was in this quote. I did not want to do things because I feared failure, and other things I did because I knew I could succeed. But because I didn't take a risk and prove to myself that I would not fail, I will never have the chance to realize what could have happened. But then there are those that I took, that I will never regret in my whole life, and that's when the other doors close so quietly behind you that you don't even notice.

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The 26-year-old mother stared down at her son who was dying of terminal leukemia. Although her heart was filled with sadness, she also had a strong feeling of determination. Like any parent she wanted her son to grow upand fulfill all his dreams. Now that was no longer possible. The leukemia would see to that. But, she still wanted her son's dreams to come true. She took her son's hand and asked, "Billy, did you ever think about what you wanted to be once you grew up? Did you ever dream and wish what you would do with your life? "

"Mommy, I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up."

Mom smiled back and said, "Let's see if we can make your wish come true. "

Later that day she went to her local fire department in Phoenix, Arizona, where she met Fireman Bob, who had a heart as big as Phoenix. She explained her son's final wish and asked if it might be possible to give her six year old son a ride around the block on a fire engine. Fireman Bob said, "Look, we can do better than that. If you'll have your son ready at seven o'clock Wednesday morning, we'll make him an honorary fireman for the whole day. He can come down to the fire station, eat with us, go out on all the fire calls, the whole nine yards! And if you'll give us his sizes, we'll get a real fire uniformfor him, with a real fire hat- not a toy one, but one with the emblem of the Phoenix Fire Department on it, a yellow slicker like we wear and rubber boots. They're all manufactured right here in Phoenix, so we can get them fast."

Three days later Fireman Bob picked up Billy, dressed him in his fire uniform and escorted him from his hospital bed to the waiting hook and ladder truck. Billy got to sit on the back of the truck and help steer it back to the fire station. He was in heaven. There were three fire calls in Phoenix that day and Billy got to go out on all three calls. He rode in the different fire engines, the paramedic's van, and even the fire chief's car. He was also videotaped for the local news program.

Having his dream come true, with all the love and attention that was lavished upon him, so deeply touched Billy that he lived three months longer than any doctor thought possible. One night all of his vital signs began to drop dramatically and the head nurse, who believed in the hospice concept that no one should die alone, began to call the family members to the hospital. Then she remembered the day Billy had spent as a fireman, so she called the Fire Chief and asked if it would be possible to send a fireman in uniform to the hospital to be with Billy as he made his transition.

The chief replied, "We can do better than that. We'll be there in five minutes. Will you please do me a favor? When you hear the sirens screaming and see the lights flashing, will you announce over the PA system that there is not a fire? It's just the fire department coming to see one of its finest members one more time. And will you open the window to his room?

About five minutes later a hook and ladder truck arrived at the hospital, extended its ladder up to Billy's third floor open window and 5 firefighters climbed up the ladder into Billy's room. With his mother's permission, they hugged him and held him and told him how much they loved him. With his dying breath, Billy looked up at the fire chief and said, "Chief, am I really a fireman now?" "Yes, Billy, you are a fireman now," the chief said.

With those words, Billy smiled and closed his eyes one last time. He passed away later that evening.

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I walked into the grocery store not particularly interested in buying groceries. I wasn't hungry. The pain of losing my husband of 37 years was still too raw. And this grocery store held so many sweet memories.

Rudy often came with me and almost every time he'd pretend to go off and look for something special. I knew what he was up to. I'd always spot him walking down the aisle with the three yellow roses in his hands. Rudy knew I loved yellow roses.

With a heart filled with grief, I only wanted to buy my few items and leave, but even grocery shopping was different since Rudy had passed on. Shopping for one took time, a little more thought than it had for two.

Standing by the meat, I searched for the perfect small steak and remembered how Rudy had loved his steak. Suddenly a woman came beside me. She was blond, slim and lovely in a soft green pantsuit. I watched as she picked up a large pack of T-bones, dropped them in her basket, hesitated, and then put them back. She turned to go and once again reached for the pack of steaks.

She saw me watching her and she smiled. "My husband loves T-bones, but honestly, at these prices, I don't know." I swallowed the emotion down my throat and met her pale blue eyes. "My husband passed away eight days ago," I told her. Glancing at the package in her hands, I fought to control the tremble in my voice. "Buy him the steaks. And cherish every moment you have together." She shook her head and I saw the emotion in her eyes as she placed the package in her basket and wheeled away.

I turned and pushed my cart across the length of the store to the dairy products. There I stood, trying to decide which size milk I should buy. A quart, I finally decided and moved on to the ice cream section near the front of the store. If nothing else, I could always fix myself an ice cream cone. I placed the ice cream in my cart and looked down the aisle toward the front.

I saw first the green suit, then recognized the pretty lady coming towards me. In her arms she carried a package. On her face was the brightest smile I had ever seen. I would swear a soft halo encircled her blonde hair as she kept walking towards me, her eyes holding mine. As she came closer, I saw what she held and tears began misting in my eyes.

"These are for you," she said and placed three beautiful long stemmed yellow roses in my arms."When you go through the line, they'll know these are paid for." She leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on my cheek, then smiled again.

I wanted to tell her what she'd done, what the roses meant, but still unable to speak, I watched as she walked away, tears clouding my vision. I looked down at the beautiful roses nestledin the green tissue wrapping and found it almost unreal. How did she know? Suddenly the answer seemed so clear. I wasn't alone.

"Oh, Rudy, you haven't forgotten me, have you?" I whispered, with tears in my eyes. He was still with me, and she was his angel.

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"Will" is what creates the energy and courage to create. "Want," by itself, just isn't enough. Being "willing", moves you beyond your limitations and into greatness. Birds fly, fish swim and humans create. This is our nature. At the end of the day, both optimists and pessimists are always right. Why wait when you can create? When you take your success for granted, you don't give yourself the chance to learn from the process and apply it in other areas of your life. Failure is simply a result that differs from the one we expected. You can have success now, or you can have it later. It's entirely up to you. Success is waiting, here and now. It doesn't care where you came from, what you're doing or what you did previously. It's available to anyone who wants it and is prepared to go out and take it.

"You can't always get what you want" makes a great song lyric, but it's a terrible motto for life. The more you practice creating success in one area, the easier it becomes to create success somewhere else. If you're attempting to create something perfect, I have three words of advice for you: Get over it! To be successful, you have to care about what you're doing. Creating success is all about fulfilling or manifesting the purpose for which you were born. When your mind is sharp, attentive and ready for use, you'll find that you can create anything you are willing to have. Our mind gives us the power to both create and destroy.

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Why do we need pain or emotional pain?

When you accidentally bite your tongue, it's hard to see "pain" as something positive.

The same goes for a blister on your big toe. Who needs a throbbing foot?

But what if you felt no pain? How often would you bite off bits of your tongue - or burn your backside in the bath?

Physical pain is a marvelous alarm system that prevents further damage.

It tells us: "You'd better change what you're doing!"

Emotional pain gives us a similar message, eg. "You'd better change how you're thinking!"

It's normal to get angry or jealous or a bit resentful - temporarily.

But if those feelings become permanent the message may be:

"Don't expect to control other people."
"Don't expect other people to behave like you."
"Don't depend on other people to make you happy!"

While we keep thinking the same thoughts, we keep feeling the same pain.

(And then we say "But I'm right!" Unfortunately being "right" doesn't help!)

A blister on your foot is a message to change our shoes.

With emotional pain, which feels like a blister on the brain, the message is usually to change our thinking.

In a Nutshell

With both physical and emotional pain, when we keep doing the same thing, it keeps hurting!

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Spreading Happiness Far and Near

* True happiness is a choice YOU have to make. It is a state of being only you can create.
* What is happiness? How do you define it? How do you increase it? Does true happiness really exist?
* Seek the tools to help create true happiness from within.

* Finding happiness is like finding yourself. You don't find happiness, you make happiness. You choose happiness. Self-actualization is a process of discovering who you are, who you want to be and paving the way to happiness by doing what brings YOU the most meaning and contentment to your life over the long run.
- David Leonhardt, The Happy Guy

* A Happiness Poem:

If a happiness poem could bring forth a smile,
Then my face would always dress in style.

If my ears could hear my computer screen,
From one to another, they, too, would grin.

My keyboard types for my eyes not my tongue
This happiness poem will never be sung.

But what of my eyes? Don't they shine?
Yes, but not from this poem of mine.

The pen is mightier than the sword,
But a pen can write only words.

The feelings I sense and the senses I feel
For keyboard and screen remain far too real.

My ears and my nose remain at rest.
My cheeks and hairline are doing their best.

But if this happiness poem could make my mouth smile,
My face would forever dress up in style.

- David Leonhardt


Visit:
http://www.thehappyguy.com/

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Spreading Happiness ...Six Years' Old William’s Ideas ... ‘Spreading Happiness’

Of course, I would add to William’s ‘Spreading Happiness’ list:

(10.) “When children have a Synthetic Phonics teacher!”

- Debbie Hepplewhite
Visit:
http://www.rrf.org.uk/53%20Spreading%20Happiness.htm

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"A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and honest people are screwed first."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275BC)


"Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous."


"The biggest guru-mantra is: Never share your secrets with anybody.It will destroy you."


"Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions- Why am I doing it, What the results might be and Will I besuccessful. Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions,go ahead."


"As soon as the fear approaches near, attack and destroy it."


"The world's biggest power is the youth and beauty of a woman."


"Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected everywhere.Education beats the beauty and the youth."


"Once you start a working on something, don't be afraid of failureand don't abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest."

"The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the direction of thewind. But the goodness of a person spreads in all direction."


"God is not present in idols. Your feelings are your god. The soul is your temple."


"A man is great by deeds, not by birth."




"Treat your kid like a darling for the first five years. Forthe next five years, scold them. By the time they turn sixteen, treatthem like a friend. Your grown up children are your best friends."


"Books are as useful to a stupid person as a mirror is useful to a blind person."

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Say a Prayer

I was taking my usual morning walk when a garbage truck pulled up beside me. I thought the driver was going to ask for directions. Instead, he showed me a picture of a cute little five-year-old boy.

"This is my grandson, Jeremiah," he said. "He's on a life-support system at a Phoenix hospital."

Thinking he would next ask for a contribution to his hospital bills, I reached for my wallet. But he wanted something more than money.

He said, "I'm asking everybody I can to say a prayer for him. Would you say one for him, please?"

I did. And my problems didn't seem like much that day.

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One night, at 11:30 pm, an older African-American woman was standing on the side of a Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rain storm. 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 taxi cab. She seemed to be in a big hurry! She wrote down his address, thanked him and drove away. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant combination console color TV and stereo record player were delivered to his home. A special note was attached. The note read:

Dear Mr. James: Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes but my spirits. 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.

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HAPPINESS IS INSIDE YOU

HAPPINESS IS INSIDE YOU

In the end it’s the same,
Whether you’re rich or not…
We’ll all end the same way
Give it a thought!

You can be rich, but still poor…
You’re never happy, is it true?!
Because you seek the wrong way
Happiness is inside you.

The happiness we all talk about
Is to be pleased with the way you are,
To be able to get and able to give
To get closer…but you are far.

Enjoy a flower and a new day,
Enjoy the autumn and love the spring,
Forgive and forget….
This is the only happiness
One can ever get…
- Adriana Iosub Caras

Visit:
http://www.agonia.net/index.php/poetry/88674/

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A Thought on Happiness

A Thought On Happiness


"How many of us go through our days parched and empty, thirsting after happiness, when we're really standing knee-deep in the river of abundance?"

- Sarah Ban Breathnach - Hold That Thought- Warner Books

Visit:
http://www2.oprah.com/spiritself/insp/t ... 0301.jhtml

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