What Animals and Apples Can Teach Us about Love

Prana, our beautiful golden retriever whose name means "breath of life," isn't with us anymore. She died of cancer several years ago. But, while sharing our home, she brought such joy and love into our lives that we still miss her. 

 There are so many wonderful stories about the love in this dog, but my favorite is one that created an indelible image of how to graciously give what is needed without reserve. 

 It was an autumn day in Minnesota. But, the weather didn't seem to know the difference between fall and winter. Unexpectedly, we were hit with a big snow fall for which no one was prepared. We have two apple trees in our backyard. Prana loved apples. When she went outside, she'd grab an apple, stick it far back in her mouth, and sneak it into the house to save for nibbling on later. The apples had been on the ground and were often muddy so I wasn't always happy that Prana had brought them into the house. Sensing my disapproval, she would turn her head so I wouldn't see her hidden treasure. It was our little game. On the day that it snowed too early in the season, Prana went outside and I watched her from the window. I noticed that she was frantically digging holes and bringing the apples to the surface so they could be seen above the snow. I wondered why she was doing this. She seemed to be intensely occupied with some kind of mission to dig up as many apples as possible during her yard time. When I called her back into the house, she had her usual one apple in her mouth. 

About five minutes later, I looked outside. The yard was completely covered with birds. Prana had dug up all those apples for her bird and squirrel friends to eat. She knew that they wouldn't have stored enough food to survive such an early winter! Tears sprung to my eyes as I witnessed this beautiful act of unconditional love from an animal who taught us how to serve life with such grace. 

Linda Anderson, "Live, Love & Laugh with Golden Retrievers"

You don't need money to change the world... ( you somewhat do) Just feed one person at the time if you can't feed the world.

Post by The Logical Indian.

Cows, monkeys, dogs and human lives...

( Not to be taken seriously... LOL)

According to an old tale:

On the very first day, God created the cow. He said to the cow, "Today I have created you! As a cow, you must go to the field with the farmer all day long. You will work all day under the sun! I will give you a life span of 50 years." The cow objected, "What? This kind of tough life you want me to live for 50 years? Let me have 20 years, and the 30 years I'll give back to you." So God agreed.

On the second day, God created the dog. God said to the dog, "What you are supposed to do is to sit all day by the door of your house. Any people that come in, you will have to bark at them! I'll give a life span of 20 years." The dog objected, "What? All day long to sit by the door? No way! I give you back my other 10 years of life!" So God agreed.

On the third day, God created the monkey. He said to the monkey, "Monkeys have to entertain people. You've got to make them laugh and do monkey tricks. I'll give you 20 years life span." The monkey objected. "What? Make them laugh? Do monkey faces and tricks? Ten years will do, and the other 10 years I'll give you back." So God agreed.

On the fourth day, God created man and said to him, "Your job is to sleep, eat, and play. You will enjoy very much in your life. All you need to do is to enjoy and do nothing. This kind of life, I'll give you a 20 year life span." The man objected. "What? Such a good life! Eat, play, sleep, do nothing? Enjoy the best and you expect me to live only for 20 years? No way, man... why don't we make a deal? Since the cow gave you back 30 years, the dog gave you back 10 years, the monkey gave you back 10 years, I will take them from you! That makes my life span 70 years, right?" So God agreed.

AND THAT'S WHY.... In our first 20 years, we eat, sleep, play, enjoy the best and do nothing much. For the next 30 years, we work all day long, suffer and get to support the family. For the next 10 years, we entertain our grandchildren by making monkey faces and monkey tricks. And for the last 10 years, we stay at home, sit by the front door and bark at people!

The Tiger By William Blake

 

TIGER, tiger, burning bright  

In the forests of the night,  

What immortal hand or eye  

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?  

In what distant deeps or skies         5

Burnt the fire of thine eyes?  

On what wings dare he aspire?  

What the hand dare seize the fire?  

And what shoulder and what art  

Could twist the sinews of thy heart?  10

And when thy heart began to beat,  

What dread hand and what dread feet?  

What the hammer? what the chain?  

In what furnace was thy brain?  

What the anvil? What dread grasp  15

Dare its deadly terrors clasp?  

When the stars threw down their spears,  

And water'd heaven with their tears,  

Did He smile His work to see?  

Did He who made the lamb make thee?  20

Tiger, tiger, burning bright  

In the forests of the night,  

What immortal hand or eye  

Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

Test of Three

Test of Three

In ancient Greece (469 - 399 BC), Socrates was widely lauded for his wisdom. One day the great philosopher came upon an acquaintance, who ran up to him excitedly and said, "Socrates, do you know what I just heard about one of your students?" "Wait a moment," Socrates replied. "Before you tell me, I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Test of Three."
"Test of Three?"

"That's correct," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my student let's take a moment to test what you're going to say." "The first test is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"

"No," the man replied, "actually I just heard about it."

"All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second test, the test of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my student something good?"

"No, on the contrary..."

"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him even though you're not certain it's true?"

The man shrugged, a little embarrassed. Socrates continued, "You may still pass though because there is a third test - the filter of usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my student going to be useful to me?"

"No, not really..."

"Well," concluded Socrates, "If what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"

The man was defeated and ashamed and said no more.

This is the reason Socrates was a great philosopher and held in such high esteem. Keep this philosophy in mind the next time you hear or are about to repeat a rumor.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

( Thank God for God's Love which is unconditional... Human love is just like I am scratching your back and you are scratching mine... Poem to ponder and weight Agape vs Eros)

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

I want you to know
one thing.

You know how this is:
if I look
at the crystal moon, at the red branch
of the slow autumn at my window,
if I touch
near the fire
the impalpable ash
or the wrinkled body of the log,
everything carries me to you,
as if everything that exists,
aromas, light, metals,
were little boats
that sail
toward those isles of yours that wait for me.

Well, now,
if little by little you stop loving me
I shall stop loving you little by little.

If suddenly
you forget me
do not look for me,
for I shall already have forgotten you.

If you think it long and mad,
the wind of banners
that passes through my life,
and you decide
to leave me at the shore
of the heart where I have roots,
remember
that on that day,
at that hour,
I shall lift my arms
and my roots will set off
to seek another land.

But
if each day,
each hour,
you feel that you are destined for me
with implacable sweetness,
if each day a flower
climbs up to your lips to seek me,
ah my love, ah my own,
in me all that fire is repeated,
in me nothing is extinguished or forgotten,
my love feeds on your love, beloved,
and as long as you live it will be in your arms
without leaving mine.

The Definition of Success

The Definition of Success

SUCCESS

To laugh often and much 

to win the respect of intelligent people 

and affection of children; to earn the 

appreciation of honest critics and 

endure the betrayal of false friends;

to appreciate beauty, to find the best

in others; to leave the world a bit 

better, whether by a healthy child

a garden patch or redeemed

social condition; to know even

one life has breathed easier because

you have lived. This is to have 

succeeded.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Definition of Success
Excerpted from Zig Ziglar's 'Born to Win!'

What Success Is: 

1. Success is knowing that you did a great job when you close the door to your office at the end of each workday and head for home. 
2. Success is having a home and people to love who love you in return. 
3. Success is having the financial security to meet your obligations each month and the knowledge that you have provided that security for your family in the event of your demise. 
4. Success is having the kind of faith that lets you know where to turn when there seems to be no place to turn. 
5. Success is having an interest or hobby that gives you joy and peace. 
6. Success is knowing who you are, and Whose you are. 
7. Success is taking good care of you and waking up healthy each day. 
8. Success is slipping under the covers at the end of the day and realizing with gratitude that, “It just doesn’t get much better than this!” You see from this list that success is defined by more than one sentence. Success involves the whole person, and if you skimp on one area, you will limit your success. 

Now, let’s take a look at what success isn’t: 

What Success Isn’t: 

1. Success isn’t missing dinner with the family several times a week because of working excessively. 
2. Success isn’t rushing home from work and hiding out with the TV thinking, “After the day I’ve had, I need my space!” 
3. Success isn’t about how to make more money when you already have more money than you can spend. 
4. Success isn’t about going to church and ignoring everything you hear. 
5. Success isn’t all work and no play. 
6. Success isn’t about being so busy that you live on unhealthy fast food, served to you through little windows. 
7. Success isn’t spending mental energy worrying about late projects, being home on time, your health, missing your child’s school play, being able to pay your bills, or finding joy in your life. 
8. Success isn’t texting while you drive to catch up on your overloaded schedule. -