There is nothing better that having good friends. Having those special people that we can go and share our thoughts, concerns, as well as the good and bad times we experience, are simply priceless. That’s why, I believe, that whenever we can, we should take the time to honor our friends. friends truly are a blessing!
Today’s little poem is actually a toast. It is a nice little thing that you can share the next time you have the opportunity to make a toast and give a nice, small toast of thankfulness to your friends 🙂
Make new friends,
But keep the old;
The new are silver,
The old ones are gold.
New made friends
Like new made wine;
With age doth mellow,
It and refine.
But unlike age,
that turneth gray;
Old friendship,
Never doth decay.
So, make new friends,
But keep the old;
The new are silver,
The old are gold.
It is so foolish to believe that anyone is better than someone else. Sometimes our pride gets in the way so much, that we don’t realize what other people are really like. There are times individuals put themselves on such a high pedestal, that I believe that some people may be very surprised one day when they get to heaven.
The following poem is a good reminder of the foolishness of judging others. Let it serve as a reminder to us all.
Judge Not
I was shocked, confused, bewildered
As I entered Heaven’s door,
Not by the beauty of it all,
Nor the lights or its decor.
But it was the folks in Heaven
Who made me sputter and gasp–
The thieves, the liars, the sinners,
The alcoholics and the trash.
There stood the kid from seventh grade..
Who swiped my lunch money twice.
Next to him was my old neighbor
Who never said anything nice.
Herb, who I always thought
Was rotting away in hell,
Was sitting pretty on cloud nine,
Looking incredibly well.
I nudged Jesus, ‘What’s the deal?
I would love to hear Your take.
How’d all these sinners get up here?
God must’ve made a mistake.
‘And why’s everyone so quiet,
So somber – give me a clue.’
‘Hush, child,’ He said, ‘they’re all in shock.
No one thought they’d be seeing you.’
I have always enjoyed discovering heartwarming, inspirational, and motivational stories and anecdotes for my blog. Every once in a while, I like to “change gears” and read poems and quotes written by others. I have always been fascinated by how every individual writes poetry in their own special way.
I recently came across a few poems on a friend of mine’s blog, “Timeless Classics“, in which the poetry and prose are written by Ana Daksina herself. If you like different kinds of poetry, then I recommend you check out her site…I think you’ll love it.
Today, I would like to share one of her poems with you named, “Perhaps I Never Will.”
“Perhaps I Never Will”
We came back to the farm that day
Where dogs had in our absence been
Describe to you the scene we found
I could not e’en begin
The custom in deep country is
If you let your dog get away
For someone else’s chickens
Ducks and geese prepare to pay
Nor will you seeing be
That dog ever again
The farmer has the given right
To shoot it there and then
Walking our farm I understood
They willing were to take one out
For feathered wildlife full of blood
Was strewn that ground all round about
Not even eaten — just destroyed
In malice and in sport
I might myself unto a rifle
Given chance had had resort
That cataclysm did provide
As cataclysms sometimes do
A most amazing story
Which I will tell to you:
Of all the carcasses that lay
About the farmstead strewn —
An aftermath of genocide
Upon a sunny afternoon —
A single goose survived
But did so with a broken wing
Being a goose there’d be no way
To put it in a sling
At that time but a callow girl
Sixteen years of age
And city bred, this in my life
Turned an untouched page
The closest I had ever been
To one of Nature’s creatures when
My sister’d got a hamster
Around the age of ten
The other people on that farm
To save the bird did not agree
They walked away and left
Its healing or its death to me
I sat down there beside it
Stroked its head and murmured low
That if it wished to live
That mangled wing would have to go
And that I really hated
What I’d have to put it through
And asked the goose what it prefer
That I prepare to do
Looking back, I should have been
In that moment more amazed
That when I lifted it to move
It didn’t get all crazed
But quietly lay in my arms
And let me take it to
The bathroom and into the tub
To see what I could do
Anyone skilled in medicine
Would hate me for the blundering
Ineptitude with which I cut
From that poor goose its wing
But strange to say, the bird itself
Not only didn’t hate me, it
Didn’t even slightly twitch
As I ministered to it
But settled down as though to help
A partner in a team of two
Me operating surgic’lly
The goose quietly pulling through
And pull through ‘gainst all odds
And expectation’s what it did
I always will be happy that I
Did as my good conscience bid
But sometimes stop to wonder:
How did that goose stay so, so still?
I still don’t understand it
Perhaps I never will
**If you enjoyed this poem and would like to read others, I would ask you to please visit Ana’s page, “Timeless Classics.”
Have you ever tried to help other people and do something thoughtful and kind, yet become discouraged, disheartened, or upset when the outcome didn’t turn out the way you expected? There are times throughout our lives, when may t to accomplish certain goals, overcome negative or hurtful situations, and fall short. It can become very dispiriting, demoralizing, or down-right depressing.
There are two things that a can do when they face a difficult circumstance: 1) dwell on the negative, become bitter, lose focus, and quit the things that they were trying to accomplish, or, 2) maintain a single-mindedness desire to accomplish a goal, dream, or to help others. What decision would you make?
A few days ago, I came the following little sonnet (Author Unknown) which I found to be a good source of encouragement to me. It is my wish that it will motivate you to stay positive and focused in your quest to make others happy and when you chase your dreams.
“Do It Anyway”
People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered:
FORGIVE THEM ANYWAY.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish and ulterior motives:
BE KIND ANYWAY.
If you are successful, you will win false friends:
SUCCEED ANYWAY.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you:
BE HONEST AND FRANK ANYWAY.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight:
BUILD ANYWAY.
If you find serenity and happiness, others may be jealous:
BE HAPPY ANYWAY.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow:
DO GOOD ANYWAY.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough:
GIVE THE WORLD THE BEST YOU HAVE ANYWAY.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God:
The speed and pace of today’s world is absolutely incredible. It seems as though time is flying by quicker and quicker, and we find ourselves with less time to do the things that we once did. The Technology Age, computers, the internet, social media, etc., has made it so that information can be found instantly and at the touch of a button.
Unfortunately, statistics also show us that people are under more stress, have less social skills, and are more out of shape, then ever before. How often do we desire to do something with our loved ones, family or friends…then “put it off”, and never get to do it?
The following poem, “Slow Dance,” written by David Weatherford, is an awesome reminder of the importance of spending our time wisely. Using our limited time here on Earth, to enjoy friendships, the beauty of the world, the joy of life, etc. It is my hope that the following words touch your heart and inspire you to understand the sweet importance of time and how we should use it.
“SLOW DANCE” by DAVID WEATHERFORD
Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round
Or listened to rain slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly’s erratic flight
Or gazed at the sun fading into the night?
You better slow down, don’t dance so fast,
Time is short, the music won’t last.
Do you run through each day on the fly?
When you ask, “How are you?” do you hear the reply?
When the day is done, do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores running through your head?
Millions of people around the world believe in a greater, powerful being. For the individuals that don’t share that belief, then, unfortunately, today’s poem is not for you…or is it? There are many things that we don’t know about God but we do believe that He takes care and loves us unconditionally. The following poem is meant to give you something to think about and well as be thankful for the blessings that have.
What if, GOD couldn’t take the time to bless us today because
we couldn’t take the time to thank Him yesterday?
What if, GOD decided to stop leading us tomorrow because
we didn’t follow Him today?
What if, we never saw another flower bloom because
we grumbled when GOD sent the rain.
What if, GOD didn’t walk with us today because
we failed to recognize it as His day?
What if, GOD took away the Bible tomorrow because
we would not read it today?
What if, GOD took away His message because
we failed to listen to the messenger?
What if, GOD didn’t send His only begotten Son because
He wanted us to be prepared to pay the price for sin.
What if, the door of the church was closed because
we did not open the door of our heart?
What if, GOD stopped loving and caring for us because
we failed to love and care for others?
What if, GOD would not hear us today because
we would not listen to Him yesterday?
What if, GOD answered our prayers
the way we answer His call to service?
What if, GOD met our needs
the way we give Him our lives???
May your stuffing be tasty May your turkey plump, May your potatoes and gravy Have nary a lump. May your yams be delicious And your pies take the prize, And may your Thanksgiving dinner Stay off your thighs!
When an old man died in a nursing home, nurses found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed them, it was spread throughout the nursing home and afar. The old man’s sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas editions of magazines around the country and appearing in magazines for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his poem. And this old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this ‘anonymous’ poem winging across the Internet.
————————
Cranky Old Man
What do you see nurses?
What do you see?
What are you thinking…
When you are looking at me?
A cranky old man,
Not very wise,
Uncertain of habit
With faraway eyes?
Who dribbles his food
And makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice…
“I do wish you’d try!”
Who seems not to notice…
The tings that you do.
And forever is losing…
A sock or a shoe?
Who, resting or not…
Let’s you do as you will,
While bathing and feeding…
The long day to fill?
Is that what you’re thinking?
Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse…
You’re not looking at me.
I’ll tell you who I am…
As I sit here so still,
As I do all your bidding,
As I eat your will.
I’m a small child of Ten…
With a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters…
Who love one another.
A young boy of sixteen…
With wings on his feet,
Dreaming that soon now…
A lover he’ll meet.
A groom at twenty…
My heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows…
That I promised to keep.
At twenty-five, now…
I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide…
And a secure happy home.
A man of thirty…
My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other…
With ties that will last.
At forty, my young sons…
Have grown and are gone,
But my woman is beside me….
To see I don’t mourn.
At fifty, once more,
Babies play ‘round my knee,
Again, we know children…
My loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me…
My wife is now dead.
I look to the future…
I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing…
Young of their own.
And I think of the years…
And the love that I’ve known.
I’m now an old man…
And nature is cruel.
It’s jest to make old age…
Look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles…
Grace and vigor, depart.
There is now a stone…
Where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass…
A young man still dwells,
And now and again…
My battered heart swells.
I remember the joys…
I remember the pain.
And I’m loving and living…
Life over again.
I think of the years,
All too few…gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact…
That nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people…
Open and see.
Not a cranky old man…
Look closer…see…ME!
—————
Remember this poem when you meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the soul within. Remember, we will all, one day, be there, too!
The verses below reportedly were written on the wall of Mother Teresa’s home for children in Calcutta, India, and are widely attributed to her.
Some sources say that the words below were written on the wall in Mother Teresa’s own room. In any case, their association with Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity has made them popular worldwide, expressing as they do, the spirit in which they lived their lives.
They seem to be based on a composition originally by Kent Keith, but much of the second half has been re-written in a more spiritual way. Both versions are shown
The version found written on the wall in Mother Teresa’s home for children in Calcutta:
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
– this version is credited to Mother Teresa
—————————————
The Original Version:The Paradoxical Commandmentsby Dr. Kent M. Keith:
People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.
People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.
Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.
