THANKFULNESS
As a World War II veteran, I served as a dental assistant in hospital that went to Japan a week or so after the bomb was dropped. ... read >
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THE ALOOF FAMILY
We were standing next to my old car, out of gas and out of money. It was three miles to home and five miles to the nearest gas station; the temperature was over 100 degrees. ... read >
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A THANKSGIVING REMEMBRANCE
Mother often quoted the reminder to us, "Don't remember the kindness you do for another, but never forget kindness done for you." ... read >
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SAY A KIND WORD TO SOMEONE ELSE AT LEAST ONCE A DAY
My mom would tell me to say at least one kind word to someone every day. I will admit that it wasn’t always very easy to do. But as soon as you see the look of gratitude in that person’s eyes you just want to do as much as you possibly can. ... read >
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LEARNING TO GIVE
The town in which we stayed, Satu Mare, was filled with gypsies begging on tile streets. The road we traveled on the two hour bus ride to the village was lined with small two-room houses which house entire families. ... read >
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A HELPING HAND
...in a not particularly safe part of town, we heard my car make a funny noise, and then it was shaking violently as we drove along. Quickly, I pulled off to the shoulder and determined a tire had blown out. ... read >
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THE PARKING METER BANK
My mother gave me a gift that day that will last a lifetime. ... read >
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NURSES MATTER
She will never know how much that mattered and it has been 25 years later now. ... read >
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ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE
Only a minute after I stopped on the side of the road, a semi pulled up behind me to see I needed help. I explained to him that I had to make my appointment, and that I was to deliver any day now. ... read >
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SIMPLE ACTS OF GRATITUDE
This summer I directed my first theatre production. When I started, I had no idea how much time and energy such a task would require.
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FINE EXAMPLES
My mother through her fine example instilled within me the desire to help others. She taught me to notice those whom others ignore ... read >
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IN THIS MOMENT, WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT?
Today in the moments of frustration, ask yourself the question, "In this moment, what is most important?" ... read >
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KINDNESS
Before the day of the assembly, I had been trying to better myself by simply being kind to others. After the assembly, I got the idea of just saying thanks to the wonderful staff at my high school. ... read >
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THE SHORTEST FLIGHT
I was flying home after attending my best friend's funeral...dreading the five hours on a plane with nothing but my own thoughts to keep me company. ... read >
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A TRUE FRIEND
My friend is now working on her Master's and needed a good friend to write a short paper on her integrity. She asked me, and this is the story I told in that paper. When she read it, she had no idea how much her efforts had meant to me then, or how much they still mean in my life. To me, that is what a true friend is. ... read >
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A GIFT TO ALL - BUT THE GIFT WAS IN THE GIVING
In 1994, the year after my father-in-law died, I planned a surprise for my husband on our anniversary. My husband didn't know where we were going, only that we were flying to see someone he loved. ... read >
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WHAT
I closed my eyes and as I held her hand I offered my prayer. Then I noticed a tear dropped at the corner of her eye. ... read >
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FLICKERS OF HOPE
I know my purpose now, and that is to help. To help anyone I can because I know what it feels like when you need it and the way your heart feels when receive it. ... read >
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BECOMMING WHOLE AGAIN
We all have our own story filled with chapters about people and events unique to us and I will never forget where my life story took a sudden change of course and brought about my most life altering events with people I’ll never forget.
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TRUE FORGIVENESS
I have FINALLY truly forgiven her. It feels good to lay down the burden I carried for more than 30 years. ... read >
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GOING TO THE ELEVEN
My family was getting ready to sit down to dinner. My son was hopping on one foot and counting to ten. He had me count three times. 1, 2, 3, ...10. He stayed balanced each time. Then he tried his left foot. 1, 2, 3, ...10. He did it again. Then he paused... "This time Mommy. let's go to the..." He thought about it for a long time, "to the eleven." At first I laughed. What great inspired things kids say. ... read >
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AN UNLIKELY GENIUS
It would have been very easy for me just to slack off like almost everyone else there. To tell you the truth, I might have done exactly that if one thing in my life hadn't happened. ... read >
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HELPING THE ELDERLY
To live in a hard-knock place, and see that there are still values that people believe in and live up to, is so rare. ... read >
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IMPARTING WISDOM
My father died on December 18, 2003, when I was 12-years-old. Granted, I was not able to know my father for a big portion of my life, yet I acquired much wisdom from this great man's life and from what he had imparted to me. ... read >
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SHARING IS CARING
So working at camp has taught me so many, many things—especially working at a camp for kids coming from low-income families and neighborhoods. One thing it has taught me is that these kids are not short of kindness and happiness, they just show it differently. ... read >
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LIFE IS LOVE
Life, most people say, is fleeting. It flies right by us and we barely even notice until something horrible happens. My name is Bec and I am sixteen. August 3rd was the fourth anniversary of my mother's death. ... read >
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HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
I have come a long way from riding on the back of a donkey as a child in Portugal in the 50's and 60's, where I grew up. My family was poor; in fact, I recall times when my courageous mother had to literally beg for food to feed four hungry boys. ... read >
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MY PARENTS' LOVE
I lived in Dallas, Texas nearly all my life with my mom, dad and older sister. We were raised to respect others, value education, and get all that we could out of life. "You can be anything you want to be," my parents always say. "Work hard and the world is yours," is often quoted in my house. My parents are never without a helpful word of advice or a bit of encouragement when life gets tough. ... read >
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FORGIVE AND GROW
Forgiving, I feel, is easy. Forgetting the experience that comes prior to the forgiveness, however, always remains with us. Choosing to forgive means choosing to let go of the bad or negative emotions that one experiences so that we can live in peace and harmony. ... read >
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SURGERY
When I was about 13 years old I cut my spleen while I was snowboarding with my friends. It was a bad accident—I was just snowboarding the way I usually do but I caught an edge. I was out of school for a month and couldn’t do anything for 3 months. I couldn’t even get in a car for 2 weeks because it hurt so badly! ... read >
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