January 25, 2001
Miscellaneous Subjects #59: Thought-provoking quote from the American Declaration of Independence + A Comment and a Dream from Zimbabwe + Five minutes more + Fish - A good neighbor but a dangerous food + Clemency denied to Leonard Peltier, but the fight is far from over + 2100: A HEAT ODYSSEY + SLOW DOWN, YOU CHEW TOO FAST + JUNGLE LOVE, DRIVIN' ME MAD, MAKIN' ME CRAZY + Vote for "New Media" Heroes + Worst Golfer/Best Friend + The Paradox of our time
Hello everyone
Make sure to take a few minutes to at least read "Five minutes more" below. You won't regret it! Lots of other stuff to be aware of as well below.
Jean Hudon
Earth Rainbow Network Coordinator
http://www.cybernaute.com/earthconcert2000
NOTE: If this material has been forwarded to you from another source, know that to be added to the Earth Rainbow Network e-list and regularly receive such compilations on a wide variety of subjects, you simply need to ask it from globalvisionary@cybernaute.com
From: "Harmony Foster Kieding" <fosterharmony@savethisplanet.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2001
Subject: Re: Miscellaneous Subjects #58: Several Feedbacks on "The Corpocracy Uncovered"
Jean,
With all that's been occurring on the American scene politically, I felt the
urge to re-read my country's Declaration of Independence.
Part of it I shall quote:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that
they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among
these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these
rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from
the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive
of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and
to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing
its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety
and Happiness.
Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not
be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath
shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable,
than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.
But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same
object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their
right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards
for their future security."
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm......*re-reading those last words* Now THOSE are, to quote
Arsenio Hall..."something to go "hmmmmmmmmmmmm" about!!!"
Harmony
From: "Dorothy Wakeling" <piumosso@mweb.co.zw>
Subject: From Zimbabwe
Date: Sat, 20 Jan 2001
Dear Jean
Thank you for a wonderful service. Your emails confirm stuff we intuitively know!
We are living through interesting times in Zimbabwe. We will go the way of Angola if we don't wake up quickly, spiritually, and do something. We have a military dictatorship, not democracy. The order of the day is to put in place chaos and confusion. The dismantling of the fabric of the nation is essential to obtain total control. Zimbabwe's ruling party is merely a business operation for the benefit of a few. We are sitting and watching events unfold with our bottom jaws nailed to the floor!! The agenda seems to be the controlling of the resources of the region - see events of the Congo (Did Mugabe kill Kabila, his unco-operative friend?). We are pillaging that nation. We are living the Illuminati Agenda, whether we like to believe it or not. I feel that the answer on the planet is not political, but spiritual. We are spiritual beings living on a spiritual planet. We know this, and more people are moving in this direction ( thanks to people like yourself for your awareness campaign).
I had this very strong dream the other day.
Somehow I would like it to reach the people of Zimbabwe.
A MESSAGE TO ZIMBABWEANS RECEIVED IN A DREAM
ON FRIDAY 15TH DECEMBER 2000
Today, Zimbabwe is a nation of bullies and victims, abusers and the abused - right from the home to the government. This is the choice of the people. The people must stop blaming others for their problems. They must accept the President, the economy and every facet of this nation as it stands. If they are unhappy, they must think about the alternatives. They cannot expect others to come to their rescue, to bail them out of the mire.
The people have choice. They have the choice to replace the blaming with being responsible for their every action. They can look to themselves to improve their lot - right from their homes all the way to the government and everywhere in between. EACH PERSON IN THIS COUNTRY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STATE OF THE NATION. Each person can replace negative thoughts and actions with positive ones.
Zimbabweans have the choice of being a nation of loving, caring, responsible people no longer dependent, no longer expectant, no longer victims, no longer abused. If each and every individual is in full integrity, then we will be the leading nation on the Planet Earth, guiding the world to a better state of being. Think. What do we have to lose?
We have everything to gain.
End of Message.
With best wishes
Dorothy Wakeling
From: "Tony Budell" <BHA@netcomuk.co.uk>
Subject: Re: 'Brother Anthony'
Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2001
Hello Jean, Some time ago, I sent you an article that I had written, called
"The rape of the Virgin Mary" and the response to this was wonderful. I have
recently written about a little girl and this has been sent out in our
newsletter to over 1500 people. Again, the response has been amazing as it
has touched the hearts of many people and the letters that I have received
have been very moving indeed. One man had been trying for 30 years to tell
his father that he loved him. After reading "Five minutes more," he drove
over to his fathers house and spent a couple of hours talking to him and
eventually told his father that he loved him! His father reciprocated and
they embraced for the first time in those long 30 years. His letter was very
moving because that very night his father died. I hope the article "five
minutes more" can be of use to you.
Yours in love and light,
Tony 'Brother Anthony Budell.
Note from Jean: To review Tony's previous highly inspirational story entitled "The rape of the Virgin Mary", go at http://www.cybernaute.com/earthconcert2000/RapeVirgin.htm where you'll also find another wonderful story, "The Birdies".
Now here is his latest and most poignant story, a true story I'm sure...
"Just five minutes more"
It was a small hospital in a village situated near the border with Bulgaria. The purpose of this hospital was the care of babies and small children suffering from Aids. It wasn't very large, about the size of three houses put together and the term 'hospital' was not very apt, considering the dilapidated state of the outside. The inside was even worse. The stench of urine sodden mattresses assaulted your nostrils as soon the door opened and you stepped inside. The walls were covered in pale green paint, peeling and covered in mould from dampness and neglect. Ones first thought was, "How can they keep children and babies in a dump like this?" But they did. These small innocents were victims of a regime that considered them as an embarrassment and as such, hid them from public scrutiny, not that anyone cared very much anyway.
We were a party of six 'humanitarians' who had been invited, 'in secret', to visit this hospital by an aid worker who did care, who cared immensely, and wanted us to see for ourselves the appalling conditions being endured by these youngsters. We were shown into a small ward containing a dozen cots. Some of the cots had two babies in and others one small child. The stench was appalling and one had difficulty even breathing properly. The only other item in the ward was a table and sitting in front of it, smoking a cigarette, was a woman in a dirty overall, supposedly a 'nurse'. She leaped to her feet and made herself look busy, squashing out her cigarette on the floor and removing her cup of coffee from our view. Amid all this squalor, our eyes met. She was about three years old, lying on her distended tummy in a cot directly opposite me. Two huge brown eyes, the size of two pence pieces, locked onto mine and we were in love. No language invented by man could convey the feelings that flowed between us, for this was a total commitment of unconditional love knowing no barriers of race, colour, creed or social standing. I walked towards the cot, towards those two unblinking gorgeous brown eyes that were captivating my heart in an outpouring of love. As I reached the cot, the 'nurse' suddenly shouted at me in her little bit of broken English, "No touch, no touch". As I turned to look at her, she came over to me carrying a pair of enormous, elbow reaching, gauntlets. She gestured to me that I was to put these hideous things on my hands before attempting to touch the little girl. I looked at the little angel lying in her cot. I looked at the gauntlets. I looked at the 'nurse'. Although knowing very little about Aids, I promptly threw the hideous gauntlets across the room and very gently picked up the little girl. I learnt that her name was Bianca and that she was three and a half years old, although with her terrible illness, she appeared to be only about two.
I held her to my chest and kissed her little cheek, whilst she in turn reached out and took hold of the forefinger of my left hand, so tightly that I was amazed that she had so much strength to do so. For perhaps half an hour, I held her in my arms, talking to her and being totally captivated by those huge brown eyes that never, for one minute, stopped staring at me. It was obvious that she was terribly ill and yet her smile, her love, her beauty, touched something deep within me. I thought of how cruel life can be to give a beautiful child such a debilitating disease as full blown Aids, how awfully cruel. When at last it was time to leave, I carried her back to her cot and tried to place her gently on her mattress, now covered in a clean sheet since our arrival! Bianca held onto my finger so tightly that I had to literally prise it off and all the time, those big brown eyes locked onto mine. I eventually managed this and kissed her on the forehead. As I walked to the door, I knew that I could not turn round because if I did, I would never leave her. I knew that those lovely big brown eyes were staring at the back of my neck and walked out of the room, my eyes filled with tears and longing. I wanted to take her home with me, I wanted to care for her for the rest of her short life but because of the bureaucracy of the regime, I knew that this would take months, even years to accomplish. We were billeted in a small hovel of a hotel in the village and were preparing to leave the next morning. I couldn't sleep, spending the night thinking about poor little Bianca and of what, if anything, we could do for her and the other babies and children like her. In the morning, as we prepared to leave, I decided to go back to the hospital and spend just five minutes more with Bianca, just five minutes more. Her cot was empty. I learnt that Bianca had died just two hours after I placed her back into her cot. I went outside and cried my eyes out and in my anguish pleaded with God, "Oh God, dearest God, couldn't I have had just five minutes more with her? Just five minutes more?"
---
Dear friends, please tell your loved ones today that you love them. It might have been months since you told your wife, your husband, your children, your loved ones, that you loved them and although by your everyday actions, they probably know it anyway, just for me, just for your own minds sake, do it. Leave a note where your loved one will find it when they come home from work, with the words, "I thought I'd leave a note just to say I love you". None of us knows what our tomorrows will bring. We make our plans and have our dreams, but in reality, we really don't know, so just for me, please do it.
We will never know when it is we who is asking, "Oh God, couldn't I have had five minutes more, just five minutes more?"
Bless you.
Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2001
From: "Jackie Alan Giuliano, Ph.D." <jackie@deepteaching.com>
Subject: Fish - A good neighbor but a dangerous food
Hello all,
At the same time that the "Journal of the American Medical Association"
has published a study recommending that women eat fish two to four times
a week to cut the risk of stroke, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
released a warning to limit fish intake. Last week, the FDA issued a
warning that pregnant women should not eat shark, swordfish, king
mackerel, and tilefish because they could contain enough mercury to harm
an unborn baby's developing brain.
Read about this troubling contradiction in this week's Healing Our World
commentary entitlted "Fish - A good neighbor but a dangerous food,"
available on the Environment News Service at
http://www.ens.lycos.com/ens/jan2001/2001L-01-19g.html.
It is estimated that 60,000 babies born each year are effected by
mercury poisoning from their mothers' eating contaminated fish.
Countless others are having their own nervous systems harmed from this
contamination.
Time and time again, evidence surfaces that eating meat from any
commercially processed animal is dangerous. As our ecosystems become
more and more polluted, these cases are on the rise. Mass producing such
foods and putting profit over safety cannot be tolerated. Since the
industries and government agencies that are responsible consider
thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of illnesses acceptable, the
best course of action is to take charge ourselves and change our dietary
choices. An infinite variety of non-animal foods exist that will keep
you and your children healthy, excited about food, feeling better, and
safe.
Thank you for your time and efforts and I wish you peace in trying to
craft a safer, more compassionate diet for yourself and your family.
Don't hesitate to contact me if I can help in any way.
All the best.
Jackie
--
Jackie Alan Giuliano, Ph.D.
http://www.healingourworld.com
From: "Leti Guerra" <letiguerra@hotmail. com>
Subject: Clemency denied to Leonard Peltier, but the fight is far from over
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2001
Clinton will not face prosecution. His lies under oath will not be punished. A slap on the wrist this leader gets.
This is fine.
A man sits in prison. Twenty-five years of his life stolen away from him like the land that was taken away from his grandfathers. A family not known to him the way he should know them. Illness gripping his ageing yet unrelenting body. No evidence against him. Hundreds, thousands, millions crying for his release into the hands of justice. Hope and Truth, his friends, could not break the bars that hold him, much less the lies that bind him. He and silence sit alone in a cell.
This is not fine.
Truth, however, has not left his side. Nor has Hope left his heart.
We must continue . . . as does he.
To All my relations
Leti
----Original Message Follows----
From: "LPDC" <lpdc@idir. net>
Subject: Clemency denied, but fight far from over
Date: Sat, 20 Jan 2001
DAY OF SHAME :
WE MUST STAY TOGETHER AND KEEP ON FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE FOR LEONARD
January 20, 2001
Dear Friends,
Today is a grim and shameful day. We must confirm that President Clinton, despite all his good words this week about racialunity, "One America", and healing historical injustices, has denied clemency to Leonard Peltier. We do not know why. Yet disturbing questions are obviously raised by the last minute "deal" on the Monica Lewinsky perjury issue.
Leonard himself has asked that we thank each and every one of you for your phenomenal efforts on his behalf during the last year. Towards the end the world support had turned into a literal human rights tidal wave, with every high level leader and organization calling or writing to President Clinton on Leonard's behalf. Yet somehowit was not enough to outweigh the outright terror the FBI was able to instill in our government leadership.
We are all hurting badly just now, and we ask that you turn your prayers and thoughts towards Leonard himself today. Send him letters of support and stay with us. We must remain tightly organized.
We will be in a huddle with lawyers and organizers for the next several days working on new plans and proposals. We will have to work out a very new strategy, as President Bush's government will be quite different from Clinton's. (or perhaps not so different after all). Bear with us while we reorganize and do some new thinking. and of course send us your ideas and thoughts as well.
We know you want to keep up the fight and we know that this must be done. The future of our society depends on our point blank insistence on justice for all.
Please watch our web site and keep checking in. We will have some new strategies and battle plans ready to go very soon. We must never leave Leonard behind, but we can only bring him home if we keep working together.
This network has grown to amazing new levels of strength and commitment this year. We must take a breather now but we must not fall apart orgive up. Leonard is depending on us. If he can keep up his sacrificing then so must we.
Here is the address by which you can write to Leonard Peltier and send him words of encouragement:
USPL Leonard Peltier
89637-132 PO Box 1000
Leavenworth, KS 66048
In Solidarity, LPDC
Today will be remembered as but another day of U. S. government shame and betrayal of Native people.
Leonard Peltier Defense Committee
PO Box 583 Lawrence,
KS 66044 785-842-5774
www.freepeltier.org
------------------
The majority of American voted for one man. Their voices were not listened to. An extraordinairy number of people supported executive clemency for one man. Their voices were not listen to.
At times like these, when despair and hopelessness want to creep in, we must fight ever stronger. We must not give up as long as just one person suffers. As Martin Luther King Jr said "Injustice anywhere is a threat to Justice Everywhere. "Let us remember that there is a purpose to all, no matter how difficult it may be to see it at times. We must perservere.
-Leti
DAILY GRIST
22 Jan 2001
Environmental news from GRIST MAGAZINE
http://www.gristmagazine.com
1.
2100: A HEAT ODYSSEY
By 2100, the average world temperature could rise between 2.5 and
10.4 degrees Fahrenheit, according to a report released today in
Shanghai by the U.N.-sponsored Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change. This estimate is significantly higher than the 1.8- to
6.3-degree rise predicted by the IPCC in 1995. The Shanghai report,
the third such assessment by the IPCC, asserts more strongly than in
the past that humans have "contributed substantially" to the warming
of the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels. International
negotiations over what to do about global warming have stalled,
mostly because of U.S. obstinacy. IPCC Chair Robert Watson couldn't
help but take a dig at the U.S.: "A country like China has done
more, in my opinion, than a country like the United States to move
forward in economic development while remaining environmentally
sensitive."
Ft. Lauderdale Sun Sentinel, Associated
Press, Joe McDonald, 22 Jan 2001
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/daily/detail/0,1136,36000000000163966,00.html
Los Angeles Times, Reuters, Tiffany Wu, 22 Jan 2001
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environ/20010122/tCB00a7800.html
Grist Magazine: More climate change news -- in our Heat Beat section
http://www.gristmagazine.com/grist/heatbeat/thisjustin011101.stm
Take action on climate change
http://www.gristmagazine.com/grist/dogood/climate.stm
DAILY GRIST
24 Jan 2001
1.
SLOW DOWN, YOU CHEW TOO FAST
The Slow Food movement, which strives to save foods that are produced
locally and organically, has taken root in the U.S., with some 4,000
members participating in 50 chapters across the country. It seeks to
put people in touch with food and the farmers who produce it. Some
60,000 people worldwide in 35 countries now view themselves as part
of the movement, which began in Italy in response to the opening of a
McDonald's restaurant. Jordan Vannini, a member in Los Angeles,
said, "I see it as a kind of food activism. I'm excited about the
idea that there's a counterforce out there to a society that has
become dependent and interdependent on mass food production."
Christian Science Monitor, Sara Terry, 24 Jan 2001
http://www.csmonitor.com/durable/2001/01/24/p11s1.htm
read it only in Grist Magazine: A day in the life of Stacy Mitchell,
Institute for Local Self-Reliance
http://www.gristmagazine.com/grist/week/mitchell100400.stm
CLIP
5.
JUNGLE LOVE, DRIVIN' ME MAD, MAKIN' ME CRAZY
Brazil's Science and Technology Ministry is disputing the science
behind a study published last week in the journal Science that gave a
gloomy outlook on the future of the Amazon rainforest. The study
said that as little as 5 percent of the forest will remain pristine
by 2020 if Brazil proceeds with a plan to invest $40 billion on
development projects in the Amazon Basin; the best-case scenario,
researchers said, has only 28 percent of the forest destroyed or
heavily damaged. The ministry claims, however, that the scientists
didn't take into account current practices in Brazil to avoid
deforestation, and that in the absolute worst case, only 25 percent
of the Amazon will be destroyed. A spokesperson said, "We cannot
treat the Amazon as an untouchable sanctuary. There are 20 million
Brazilians living there."
CNN.com, Reuters, 22 Jan 2001
http://www.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/americas/01/22/environment.brazil.amazon.reut/index.html
From: "Virginia Heick" <vheick@nci.netonecom.net
Subject: Vote for "New Media" Heroes
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2001
Vote for "New Media" Heroes
http://www.alternet.org/heroes
Dear Friend,
The staff of AlterNet.org invites you to cast your vote for "New Media"
Heroes -- for those media activists and issue advocates who are best
using new technologies to make the world a better place.
Since 1991, AlterNet has been presenting Media Hero awards, recognizing
people who are combating the negative effects of media concentration and
distorted media images. After a brief hiatus, we are presenting the
awards again, but now for "new media" heroes.
The award is based on the proposition that the Internet offers many
creative and efficient ways of overcoming the incredibly high costs of
producing traditional media, and also offers new models for reaching
people with ideas and ways to organize around important issues. Some
nominees are producers of new media content; others advocate policies to
ensure the democratic potential of the Internet.
Media activists who participated in AlterNet's portal beta test or who
read the AlterNet column Media Mash selected most of the nominees. Based
on our experience, the AlterNet staff also made several nominations. The
final award winners will be chosen by you. In February, we will announce
these top five New Media Heroes, and a number of runners-up, on
AlterNet.org.
Go to http://www.alternet.org/heroes to read a description of each
nominee and get directions for casting your vote.
Nominees
John Aravosis, StopDrLaura.com
Becky Bond, WorkingForChange.com
Jeffrey Chester, Center for Media Education
Farai Chideya, Pop and Politics
James Garcia, Politico: The Magazine for Latino Politics and Culture
Chip Giller and Lisa Hymas, Grist
David Irons and Tom Schmitz, Ascribe the Public Interest Newswire
Josh Karliner, CorpWatch
Matt King, OpenVoice
Josh Knauer, EnvironLink Network and Greenmarketplace.com
Andrew Levy, Mediachannel.org
Art McGee, Black Radical Congress
Carrie McLaren, Stay Free! Magazine
Nipun Mehta, CharityFocus
Dan Merkle, Independent Media Centers
John Moyers, TomPaine.com
Bill Pease, Scorecard.org
Amy Richards, Ask Amy @ Feminism.com
Mark Ritchie, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
Mark Rotenberg, Electronic Privacy Information Center (E.P.I.C.)
Don Rojas, The Black World Today
Sam Smith, Progressive Review
Leif Utne, Utne Web Watch Daily
Sasa Vucinic, New Media Development Fund
From: "Ken and Mandy" <kenmandy@iol.ie>
Subject: Fw: Worst Golfer/Best Friend
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2001
----- Original Message -----
From: Ray O. Driskill <rodrisk@hotmail.com>
Golfer: "I've played so poorly all day; I think I'm going to go drown myself in that lake." Caddy: "I don't think you could keep your head down that long."
Golfer: "I'd move heaven and earth to be able to break 100 on this course," Caddy: "Try heaven," advised the caddie. "You've already moved most of the earth."
Golfer: "This is the worst golf course I've ever played on!" Caddy: "This isn't the golf course, sir! We left that an hour ago!"
Golfer: "Well Caddy, How do you like my game?" Caddy: "Very good, Sir! But personally I prefer Golf."
Golfer: "Well, I have never played this badly before! Caddy: "I didn't realize you had played before, Sir."
Golfer: "Caddy, Do you think my game is improving?" Caddy: "Oh yes, Sir! You miss the ball much closer than you used to."
Golfer: "Please stop checking your watch all the time, caddy. It's distracting!" Caddy: "This isn't a watch, Sir, its a compass!"
Golfer: "Caddy, do you think it is a sin to play golf on Sunday?" Caddy: "The way you play, Sir, its a crime any day of the week!"
Golfer: "That can't be my ball, caddie. It looks far too old." Caddy: "It's a long time since we started, sir."
Golfer: "Do you think I can get there with a 5-iron?" Caddy: "Eventually."
Golfer: "You've got to be the worst caddy in the world!" he screamed." Caddy: "I doubt it," replied the caddy. "That would-be too much of a coincidence"
***********
This is worth passing on - for those of us who have read it before - it still carries a wallop!
One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all of his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd." I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.
As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes. My heart went out to him. So I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses I said "Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives".
He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!". There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now. I would have never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play football on Saturday with me and my friends. He said yes.
We hung all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him. Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said, "Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!"
He just laughed and handed me half the books. Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors, we began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship.
Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak. Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him.
Boy, sometimes I was jealous. Today was one of those days. I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!"
He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. "Thanks," he said. As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began.
"Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach...but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story." I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met.
He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile. "Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable."
I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize it's depth.
Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person's life. For better or for worse. God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way. Look for God in others.
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2001
Subject: FW: The Paradox of our time
From: Nita Noor <sraosha@indo.net.id>
Hi Jean, I got this forwarded piece from a friend. Some point did struck a
few chord (my chord anyway!.... We've conquered outer space, but not inner
space; We've split the atom, but not our prejudice; )
mhl, Nita
--------
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but
shorter tempers;
wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints;
we spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy it less.
We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less
time;
we have more degrees, but less sense;
more knowledge, but less judgement;
more experts, but more problems;
more medicine, but less wellness.
We laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry too quickly, stay up too
late, get up too tired, read too seldom, watch TV too much, and pray too
seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life;
We've added years to life, not life to years.
We've been all the way to the moon and back,
but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbour.
We've conquered outer space, but not inner space;
We've done larger things, but not better things;
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul;
We've split the atom, but not our prejudice;
We write more, but learn less;
We plan more, but accomplish less.
We've learned to rush, but not to wait;
We have higher incomes, but lower morals;
We have more food, but less appeasement;
We build more computers to hold more information
to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication;
We've become long on quantity, but short on quality.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion;
tall men, and short character;
steep profits, and shallow relationships.
These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare;
more leisure, but less fun;
more kinds of food, but less nutrition.
These are days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but broken homes.
These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throw away morality,
one-night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer to quiet, to kill.
It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stockroom;
a time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you
can choose either to make a difference, or just turn the page....
- Anonymous