Inspire Me (January 2007)

True stories, quotes and information on inspiration, leadership and kindness to provide hope and direction in your life.

PRICELESS GIFTS

THE GIFT OF LISTENING:

No interrupting, no daydreaming, no planning your responses.
Just listen.

THE GIFT OF AFFECTION:

Be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, pats on the back, and handholding.

THE GIFT OF LAUGHTER:

Share articles, positive news, funny stories, and cartoons to tell someone,
"I love to laugh with you."

THE GIFT OF A COMPLIMENT:

A simple and sincere "You look great in red," "You did a super job," or "That was a wonderful meal" can make someone's day.

THE GIFT OF SOLITUDE:

Be sensitive to the times when others want nothing more than to be left alone.

THE GIFT OF A CHEERFUL DISPOSITION:

The easiest way to feel good is to extend a kind word to someone, even if it's just saying hello or thank you.

THE GIFT OF A PRAYER:

Let your friends and loved ones know you pray for them.

THE GIFT OF FRIENDSHIP:

Without friends life would hardly be worth living, let your friends know just how much they mean to you today.

THE GIFT OF YOUR SMILE:

A simple smile breaks all the barriers of language and culture.

Smile and the world smiles with you!

--Rod Chaplin

When You Thought I Wasn't Looking

Written by a former child
Author Unknown

A message every adult should read, because children are watching you and doing as you do, not as you say.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my favorite cake for me and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn't looking I heard you say a prayer, and I knew there is a God I could always talk to and I learned to trust in God.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of your time and money to help people who had nothing and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don't.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come from your eyes and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked at you and wanted to say, 'Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.'

Each of us (parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, teacher or friend) influences the life of a child. How will you touch the life of someone today?

What It Takes To Be NUMBER ONE
By Vince Lombardi (Legendary Coach of The Green Bay Packers)

"Winning is not a sometime thing; it's an all the time thing.
You don't win once in a while; you don't do things right once
in a while; you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit.
Unfortunately, so is losing.

There is no room for second place. There is only one place in my
game, and that's first place. I have finished second twice in
my time at Green Bay, and I don't ever want to finish second
again. There is a second place bowl game, but it's for losers.

It is, and always has been, an American zeal to be first in
anything we do, and to win, and to win, and to win.

Every time a football player goes to ply his trade he's got to
play from the ground up - from the soles of his feet right up
to his head. Every inch of him has to play. Some guys play with
their heads. That's OK.

You've got to be smart to be number one in any business. But more
importantly, you've got to play with your heart, with every fiber
of your body. If you're lucky enough to find a guy with a lot of
head and a lot of heart, he's never going to come off the field second.

Running a football team is no different than any other kind of
organization - an army, a political party or a business. The
principles are the same. The object is to win - to beat the other guy.
Maybe that sounds hard or cruel. I don't think it is.

It is a reality of life that men are competitive and the most
competitive games draw the most competitive men. That's why
they are there - to compete. The object is to win fairly,
squarely, by the rules, but to win.

And in truth, I've never known a man worth his salt who in the long
run, deep down in his heart, didn't appreciate the grind, the discipline.
There is something in good men that really yearns for discipline and
the harsh reality of head to head combat.

I don't say these things because I believe in the "brute" nature of
man or that men must be brutalized to be combative. I believe in God,
and I believe in human decency. But I firmly believe that any man's
finest hour - his greatest fulfillment to all he holds dear - is the
moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies
exhausted on the field of battle - victorious".