Those Frightful Things

TODAY'S QUOTE:
Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.
Henry Ford, 1863-1947, American Industrialist and Founder of Ford Motor Company

Keeping your eyes on a goal makes it seem as if you have fewer obstacles and any you do have are much smaller and more easily managed. We all naturally travel at different speeds. Stride measurements vary in distance spanned and comfort zones are determined by nature; snails cannot travel easily beside horses, so walking in step is an exercise in compromise. We are not always alone, sometimes by circumstance or by design our personal goal is also a group destination.
Obstacles are where the lessons are kept, and if a group works together none encountered can do more than slow down progress. If a collection of souls and hearts unite with one goal in mind there is nowhere they cannot reach. But when even one of the travelers turn their focus upon those frightful things the whole group slows to a crawl. One voice then the next will echo, "Look toward the prize" then a rhythm returns to their footsteps.
Walking alone is much harder. When that echo occurs there is nobody to point toward safety. Responsibility rests with each of us to encourage others when necessary and ourselves when needed. Using force to lift your eyes off of a source of fright onto a source of might makes sense. Act brave even if your knees bang like a drum and before too very long it will be no act. Do a deliberate action before you allow an automatic reaction. Lift your head and point your eyes where you want your feet to tread. Hook your passion, listen for your drum-beat, and follow your dream past the obstacles and proudly claim the prize.

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE

God's Medicine

TODAY'S QUOTE:
Mirth is God's medicine. Everybody ought to bathe in it. Grim care, moroseness, anxiety -- all this rust of life ought to be scoured off by the oil of mirth. It is better than emery. Every man ought to rub himself with it.
Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887)

The greatest stress reliever I can think of is laughter. Faces relax then everything else follows suit and a tide of comfort bursts from deep inside, washing away every negative in its path. Years dissolve from even the most care worn among us. Moods lighten, conflict becomes impossible; laughter is the soul exhaling with enough intensity to shake our frames and free our minds from doom and gloom.
There are places where human congregate to share light moments of hilarity of one measure or another. We have clubs dedicated to its production. We have game sites here on the internet. We have books and websites filled with jokes to read and share. We email or retell the best ones to our best friends in an attempt to pass on positive emotions to the one's we love.
Get the most out of these wonderful places that we set aside in the honor of God's medicine. The measured of joy you experience will be multiplied by how much you give or divided by how much you subtract from the surroundings. Places meant for laughter are not suitable for wars of egos or battles of wills. Spaces built to house laughter are desecrated when rage and blame are used to paint the walls.
Mirth is God's medicine and a priceless gift we can give one another. It is a form of entertainment that each economic class can enjoy to its fullest. It binds us together in such a pure way. No boundaries separate us when we laugh together. Allow your soul to exhale often and as deeply as possible. It is a lot cheaper and saner than trips to the doctor and drug store to find instant relief from the cares we are burdened with and the rush is more wonderful than any man made drug.
The text below came to me in email form and I place it here to remind everyone of the importance of respecting the three feet of personal space of the person next to you. Face-to-face or monitor-to-monitor we owe the same respect to others that we seek for ourselves.


Make sure you read all the way down to the last sentence.
(Most importantly the last sentence.)
There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails
and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back
of the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next
few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily
gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.
Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that
he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally
able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.
The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. " A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE

Wisdom Made

TODAY'S QUOTE:
We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future.
George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950, Irish

Forward motion requires foresight. Any gazing aimed toward your destination encourages safe travel, while looking behind will put you off course within just a few steps. The smart traveler cares more for where they are headed than where they have already been. I have never heard of anyone driving a long journey in reverse, but too many people live that way then act surprised when tomorrow they are not much further along than yesterday.
Once one second ticks into the next it is a forever over moment. The outcome of a gone by day cannot be altered by keeping it within sight, but dwelling on yesterday can sure screw up today. Seems much more civilized to carry as little baggage as possible into the future, packing with deliberation insures that what we burden ourselves with is light weight. Dwelling upon events that cannot be changed binds them to you in a way that anchors you to the point of their origin. Why root yourself to a place and time that most often has such a bleak landscape?
The more you hold onto things the harder it is to let go. A minor irritation can become a huge seeping wound in no time at all. Distaste can mutate into hate if held inside long enough to sour. And ego is the most foolish navigator for getting anywhere worth going to.
Let the past lay in an unmarked grave to remind yourself that revisiting is a waste of precious time. It seems much better to just deal with the present moment as it occurs then let it drift on the winds of change as you go forward into the next moment in time. Managing your moments is really the best defense against having a reason to look with regret upon their passing.
I received the text that follows in an email and loved its gentle reminder. Read it slowly, absorb it fully, and live it wisely.

**One Flaw In Women **

Women have strengths that amaze men.

They bear hardships and they carry burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy. They smile when they want to scream.

They sing when they want to cry.

They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous.

They fight for what they believe in.

They stand up to injustice.

They don't take "no" for an answer when they believe there is a better solution.

They go without so their family can have

They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.

They love unconditionally.

They cry when their children excel and cheer when their friends get awards.

They are happy when they hear about a birth or a wedding.

Their hearts break when a friend dies.

They grieve at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left.

They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart.

Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.

They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you.

The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning.

They bring joy, hope and love.

They have compassion and ideas.

They give moral support to their family and friends.

Women have vital things to say and everything to give.

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,

IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE

Stormy Oceans

TODAY'S QUOTE:
No one would ever have crossed the ocean if he could have gotten off the ship in the storm.
Charles Kettering

There have been times during my lifetime when jumping ship seemed the only chance for survival. On several occasions I stood trembling against the rail, trying to gather the nerve needed for the leap. I rarely even got a leg over before I chickened out, but the only time I regret staying on board are times when my doing so put others in the direct line of danger. Regret is mostly useless though, like using an umbrella once the rain has stopped.
Even the most negative journey can end up at a positive destination. The lessons I learned about my ability to weather stormy seas are the bounty awarded for the effort given. Each rough crossing, between present and future, earned me more of self than I possessed upon departure. Familiarity breeds contempt so hard trips became much easier with practice makes perfect precision. Deep down I believe we ought to celebrate the lesson, instead of fretting about the bruises we receive while struggling to stay afloat. Bruises heal, but lessons last a lifetime.
I jumped ship yesterday, but am more than willing to reboard as soon as the mutiny is at an end. Nobody likes to ride on a ship that is doing nothing more than circling in place. I do not stress over rough crossings, but when shipmates are at odds it is too much pressure to hang on for dear life and dodge sucker punches at the same time.

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE

Soul sadness

TODAY'S QUOTE:
A sad soul can kill you quicker than a germ.
John Steinbeck, 1902-1968, American Writer and Nobel Prize Winner

I always get such a rush from finding a quote placed upon Journey's End calendar, at least a month in advance, ending up being in the perfect place at just the perfect time. I felt no such joy at discovering this one right in keeping with what is going on around me, but I will use it as best I can to touch as many hearts as possible.
For the ones who came here today looking for some special wisdom to ease an ache we share, I 'spect there will be some disappointment suffered at the lack of any real insight contained in these words. For all the readers without a clue of why a specific group of people are gathered here, read on and maybe get something positive out of the stumble through a place even I do not understand. But do not expect miracles from the sad soul at this keyboard.
There are countless reasons for soul sadness, and one of the worst is inspired by watching friends tear each other to shreds. It does not take much of that to convince any sane person that whatever the reason the cost is much too high. It is a special kind of ache to love members of opposing army's and quite impossible to imagine there being a real victor whichever side wins. Everyone loses as far as I can tell, and I have pondered this equation for much longer than I care to admit.
I stepped out of the line of fire with regret. Staying away until after the last shot is fired and echoes to silence will be difficult, but not nearly as hard as seeing friends destroy each other. My attempt at peacemaking failed so I am leaving them to the war they cannot seem to help fighting. Right now my prayers are for bad aims all around, more weapons than bullets, and larger hearts than egos.

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE

Treat People

TODAY'S QUOTE:
"Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them to become what they are capable of being."
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

This is more than just a pretty little quote, it is a creed I live by. I have practiced it for years and can think of only three people who ever resisted its gentle encouragement, and I have not given up on the notion that someday they will live up to the promise I see so clearly. I would feel like I assisted in any failure they suffered if I withdrew my belief. Unconditional love does not demand that we condone bad behavior, but it does ask us to love in spite of it.
Loving the lovable is a breeze. When no effort is necessary it is a comfort for the heart to swell, but when it takes real muscle the delight is magnified. A perfect analogy is the difference between store bought and homemade ice cream. They are both ice cream, both delicious, but homemade is special, richer on the tongue, and well worth the effort.
Seeing the best in other's is easy if you do not use judgmental eyes when you gaze their way. Responding to the best highlights it, and the mirror of pleasure they see in your response can change the way they view themselves. There is nothing quite as encouraging to the human spirit as basking in the beam of approval. Shine that light on the ones who need it the most and before long they evolve into the ones who constantly merit it.
Remember that it is much easier for them to imagine themselves capable if they see that you think so too. If they do something noble just for your sake it is still their deed and still noble. If for a time all acts are performed so that they can live up to your greater expectations the result is the same. And when they travel past the point of doing just for you and begin doing it for their own sake it is a victory for you both.

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE

True Credit

TODAY'S QUOTE:
It is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points out how the strong stumbled or where the doer of the deed could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes up short again and again. Who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumphs of high achievement; and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat.
Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919), "The Strenuous Life" (speech)

There are always people ready to point out shortcomings, so every step taken is bound to be critiqued by someone with issues. I try not to take to heart things said by anyone who elects themselves judge and jury over me. I worry more about how I will view my own face in the mirror than I do about what someone so narrow-minded will think, or say, or do.
I believe the world is heaped full of wounded warriors, each battling to take, re-take, or over-take the pieces of fractured self that become misplaced so easily upon the battlefield. The one's struggling with reclaiming parts of their own being and growing in wisdom deserve as much credit as any other soldier fighting for freedom anywhere. More often than not all they receive is censure aimed at slowing them down or new obstacles put in the way by people who are threatened by any show of strength.
Any worthy cause deserves your all, and I cannot think of any cause more worthy or just than investing in yourself. Once a warrior is strong he can struggle on to fight for something grander, but if he never enters the battle at all he never knows real freedom. The possibility of failure is an asinine reason to refuse to fight. If nothing is ventured then failure is certain. Frankly, it makes no sense to dread something on the one hand while creating it with the other. I am instantly respectful toward any human being who drags themselves out of their rut to travel a higher road. I gladly fight beside such warriors who may not win every battle, but always win the war. They are more beautiful to me with all their scars and seeping wounds than the fairest of the rut walkers.
Dare to climb the walls that keep you plodding upon the same old tired path. Care not if you win or lose, focus upon the delight you feel at winning the freedom to really live. That is the real war, and well worth any wounds suffered to win a victory.

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE

A Single Man's Vision

TODAY'S QUOTE:
A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I have had occasion to watch this at work on a smaller than cathedral level. I listened to a man, holding a turtle shell caked with dirt tell of the things he was going to make with what I could only view as trash. When he was talking his eyes were lit with an almost magical light that said he was envisioning those things as he gazed at what he viewed as treasure.
That was many years ago, but I remember the way the air popped and crackled with energy produced by his recounting of his vision. He made the things he spoke of, transforming a dirty turtle shell with craftsman hands using blue prints only he could see. I never forgot that lesson and have had many occasions to flash upon it when I noticed that same passion in someone else.
Then once upon a time I looked at a pile of empty paper and inside my brain burned things that needed said. It led to use of a computer, which led to an empty website. I hooked my vision to someone else's and a home was erected. I believe each of us has such a vision center inside of us. What triggers its use varies, and the fact that it does not surface in some people is the depth of thought possible inside the life they live.
Look around carefully and you just might find your pile of cathedral stones. And follow any blueprints stamped on your brain without fear and create a vision. There is simply nothing quite like it.
The link below is to a new flash movie I found in my email this morning. I loved it upon site and put it here as a perfect example of what I have been talking about. Words written by a source unknown sparked the vision of a stranger. The world is a gentler place because of two minds meeting at that sacred space. Enjoy it, I certainly did.
http://www.inspiringthots.net/movie/train-life.php

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE

Whatever

TODAY'S QUOTE:
Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.
Napoleon Hill

I can remember the years when I did not dare to dream. Simple survival took so much energy back then, wistful notions just intensified my melancholy to unmanageable limits. Hopelessness had me by the short hairs, plodding footsteps carried me from one heartache to the next. Hope hurt. Wishes wounded. I had no space for such things inside a mind overburdened with worry and fear.
I finally reached the point of no return. One moment I was totally defeated, the next I was enraged beyond belief. In the time it took to blink twenty years of suppressed emotions sprang to life in an overwhelming torrent that shook me soul deep. I was suddenly certain that if I did not make a stand I would be dooming myself to be forever satisfied with the status quo.
I believe the notion of being at a crossroads where there would be no turning back made it impossible to choose the wrong path. How could anyone possibly opt for pain without end when another road was so clearly highlighted? I took responsibility for my part in the drama and altered the role I was willing to play from eternal victim to wounded warrior. I was suddenly fighting for more than the simple right to survive, I was battling for the chance to thrive.
At first the things dreamed of were simple and direct. Most of the footsteps taken have been clearly illuminated by understanding of cause and effect. Once a destination was chosen the pathway did not become any easier, in fact it became much harder. When times get brutal I often remind myself that a difficult journey to somewhere worth reaching is much better than mindless travel anywhere else.
Simply knowing you are walking through a mine field is no protection, but mapping the danger insures more confident passage. Find your strengths and exercise them. Search out your weakness and avoid places where they will be tested. Failure is often self-inflicted, because success can prove to be such a frightening force to be reckoned with.
Dreaming no longer wounds me as it once did. Dreams fuel my every footstep, notions brought to life are joyous endeavors nowadays. The only differences between having a dream or possessing a reality are the actions necessary to create it. First you have to see it then you can be it. Never stop dreaming, because dreams are what a life worth living is made of.

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE

The Joy Of The Climb

TODAY'S QUOTE:
Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb.
Sir Winston Churchill

I believe this whole heartedly, which may seem odd since I envisioned a website and helped in its construction then named it Journey's End. The site itself is a perfect example of the ever lengthening, ascending, and improving path that the quote speaks of, finding it was my Journey's End. Traveling it is a constant series of new beginnings, each rooted in the conviction that we each have a life path and a rebirth just waiting for discovery.
I love the fact that it is a journey without end. I cannot envision what I would do if I reached a stopping point. The finding of my rightful place makes sense of all the clutter and soothes every agony, living without it would be a half life at best. Nothing could top it and a life spent wandering around searching for something even remotely similar is too depressing to contemplate.
The discovery of this lifepath was my salvation. Brutal years proceeded the time I first placed my feet so firmly here. Abuse, hopelessness, murder, suicide, cancer, and widowhood all played their separate roles in directing me here. My life is far from carefree nowadays, but my ability to adjust to reality and overcome obstacles is equal to every task it is given. Not in a perfect fashion; imperfection is a universal human trait, but after all I have been through any trial for the sake of this journey seems worthwhile.
I stepped on this road for my sake but I follow it for yours. Find your path then journey on with confidence that equals its purpose. Balance, symmetry, and peace come from inside then travel out from their place of origin. Give back more than you take away and everyone wins.

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE

What We Look Through

TODAY'S QUOTE:
Love looks through a telescope; envy, through a microscope.
Josh Billings, 1815-1885, American Humorist and Lecturer

Love forgives shortcomings; envy uses them as weapons. Love grades on the curve; envy flunks for spite. Love heals all wounds; jealousy is a cancer that destroys healthy tissue. One moves mountains, while the other builds them out of any handy mole hill. Once we allow a negative emotion to invade it torments us to pass it on, but that only increases our agony.
Gazing gently upon our fellowman should come quite naturally, even the ones who have not earned our affection deserve a measure of our concern. I do not care as much for some people as I do for others, it would be an odd thing to blanket everyone with the same emotion. I worry about the ones who expend so much energy and waste so much time on such foolish things.
If cancer was sold from a shop at bargain prices I like to think there would be no buyers. But some of us willingly embrace cancer of the soul at a price no sane person would pay. Negative emotions are costly, taking all you possess then demanding more. Spend your love wisely and invest in something that will benefit all.

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE

Stress Is

TODAY'S QUOTE:
Stress, in addition to being itself and the result of itself, is also the cause of itself.
Hans Selye

We live in a world that seems to be mostly spinning on stress, fueled by humans who are all too often running on empty from a constant struggle to keep up, or catch up when they fall behind. Just one misstep can make us lose momentum, which causes more stress and a cycle of endless nervous energy and tension is born.
I cannot make myself believe that we are supposed to rush through life at hyper speed. I cannot travel like that without fracturing into a million pieces. I refuse to struggle to keep up in a race I cannot hope to ever win, my aim is to encourage others to slow down a bit. Who are we racing, anyway? If you look closely you might realize that most often we are just trying to outrun ourselves.
Problems and issues do not go away just because we run from them. We drag them behind where they pick up debris and only grow heavier as time goes on. Consider slowing down enough to rid yourself of any burden that is being dragged along then you will be able to gather speed when you travel on. Once the journey is begun again consider keeping it at a more peaceful pace. Contentment breeds upon itself the same way stress does, seems a no-brainer to choose the former and abandon the latter. The choice is yours alone, ease up on the throttle and you will be astonished at the improvements in the ease of travel.

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE

An Email I Received From A Friend--Click On Title To Read More

A Tale of Six Boys

Each year I am hired to go to Washington, DC, with the eighth grade class from Clinton, WI. Where I grew up, to videotape their trip. I greatly enjoy visiting our nation's capitol, and each year I take some special memories back with me. This fall's trip was especially memorable.
On the last night of our trip, we stopped at the Iwo Jima memorial. This memorial is the largest bronze statue in the world and depicts one of the most famous photographs in history -- that of the six brave soldiers raising the American Flag at the top of a rocky hill on the island of Iwo Jima, Japan, during WW II.
Over one hundred students and chaperones piled off the buses and headed towards the memorial. I noticed a solitary figure at the base of the statue, and as I got closer he asked, "Where are you guys from?"
I told him that we were from Wisconsin "Hey, I'm a cheese head, too!
Come gather around, Cheese heads, and I will tell you a story."
(James Bradley just happened to be in Washington, DC, to speak at the memorial the following day. He was there that night to say good night to his dad, who has since passed away. He was just about to leave when he saw the buses pull up. I videotaped him as he spoke to us, and received his permission to share what he said from my videotape. It is one thing to tour the incredible monuments filled with history in Washington, D.C., but it is quite another to get the kind of insight we received that night.)
When all had gathered around, he reverently began to speak. (Here are his words that night.)
"My name is James Bradley and I'm from Antigo, Wisconsin. My dad is on that statue, and I just wrote a book called "Flags of Our Fathers" which is #5 on the New York Times Best Seller list right now. It is the story of the six boys you see behind me.
"Six boys raised the flag.
The first guy putting the pole in the ground is Harlon Block. Harlon was an all-state football player. He enlisted in the Marine Corps with all the senior members of his football team. They were off to play another type of game A game called "War." But it didn't turn out to be a game.
Harlon, at the age of 21, died with his intestines in his hands. I don't say that to gross you out, I say that because there are people who stand in front of this statue and talk about the glory of war. You guys need to know that most of the boys in Iwo Jima were 17, 18, and 19 years old.
(He pointed to the statue) "You see this next guy? That's Rene Gagnon from New Hampshire If you took Rene's helmet off at the moment this photo was taken and looked in the webbing of that helmet, you would find a photograph... A photograph of his girlfriend. Rene put that in there for protection because he was scared. He was 18 years old. Boys won the battle of Iwo Jima. Boys. Not old men.
"The next guy here, the third guy in this tableau, was Sergeant Mike Strank. Mike is my hero. He was the hero of all these guys. They called him the "old man" because he was so old. He was already 24. When Mike would motivate his boys in training camp, he didn't say, 'Let's go kill some Japanese' or 'Let's die for our country.' He knew he was talking to little boys. Instead he would say, 'You do what I say, and I'll get you home to your mothers.'
"The last guy on this side of the statue is Ira Hayes, a Pima Indian from Arizona. Ira Hayes walked off Iwo Jima. He went into the White House with my dad. President Truman told him, 'You're a hero.' He told reporters, 'How can I feel like a hero when 250 of my buddies hit the island with me and only 27 of us walked off alive?' So you take your class at school, 250 of you spending a year together having fun, doing everything together. Then all 250 of you hit the beach, but only 27 of your classmates walk off alive. That was Ira Hayes. He had images of horror in his mind. Ira Hayes died dead drunk, face down at the age of 32 .. Ten years after this picture was taken."
The next guy, going around the statue, is Franklin Sousley from Hilltop, Kentucky. A fun-lovin' hillbilly boy. His best friend, who is now 70, told me, 'Yeah, you know, we took two cows up on the porch of the Hilltop General Store. Then we strung wire across the stairs so the cows couldn't get down. Then we fed them Epsom salts. Those cows crapped all night. Yes, he was a fun-lovin' hillbilly boy. Franklin died on Iwo Jima at the age of 19. When the telegram came to tell his mother that he was dead, it went to the Hilltop General Store. A barefoot boy ran that telegram up to his mother's farm. The neighbors could hear her scream all night and into the morning. The neighbors lived a quarter of a mile away.
"The next guy, as we continue to go around the statue, is my dad, John Bradley from Antigo, Wisconsin, where I was raised. My dad lived until 1994, but he would never give interviews When Walter Cronkite's producers, or the New York Times would call, we were trained as little kids to say, 'No, I'm sorry, sir, my dad's not here. He is in Canada fishing. No, there is no phone there, sir. No, we don't know when he is coming back.' My dad never fished or even went to Canada. Usually, he was sitting there right at the table eating his Campbell's soup. But we had to tell the press that he was out fishing. He didn't want to talk to the press.
"You see, my dad didn't see himself as a hero. Everyone thinks these guys are heroes, 'cause they are in a photo and on a monument. My dad knew better. He was a medic. John Bradley from Wisconsin was a caregiver. In Iwo Jima he probably held over 200 boys as they died. And when boys died in Iwo Jima, they writhed and screamed in pain."
When I was a little boy, my third grade teacher told me that my dad was a hero. When I went home and told my dad that, he looked at me and said, 'I want you always to remember that the heroes of Iwo Jima are the guys who did not come back. Did NOT come back.'”
"So that's the story about six nice young boys. Three died on Iwo Jima, and three came back as national heroes. Overall, 7,000 boys died on Iwo Jima in the worst battle in the history of the Marine Corps. My voice is giving out, so I will end here. Thank you for your time."
Suddenly, the monument wasn't just a big old piece of metal with a flag sticking out of the top. It came to life before our eyes with the heartfelt words of a son who did indeed have a father who was a hero. Maybe not a hero for the reasons most people would believe, but a hero nonetheless.
We need to remember that God created this vast and glorious world for us to live in, freely, but also at great sacrifice. Let us never forget from the Revolutionary War to the current War on Terrorism and all the wars in-between that sacrifice was made for our freedom. Remember to pray praises for this great country of ours and also pray for those still in murderous unrest around the world. STOP and thank God for being alive and being free at someone else's sacrifice.
God Bless You and God Bless America.
REMINDER: Everyday that you can wake up free, it's going to be a great day.

TODAY'S QUOTE AND POST FOLLOWS

Never Miss An Opportunity

TODAY'S QUOTE:
Never miss an opportunity to make others happy, even if you have to leave them alone in order to do it.
Source Unknown

There are moments in every lifetime that we want nothing more than to be left alone. Sometimes it is due to a need to regain our balance, at others it is a need to maintain it that inspires our retreat. We travel as far from hurt or the possibility of it in self defense. Most times we do not intend hurt to anyone; all we seek is peace within our three square feet of personal space. I understand this all too well in all its many forms and fashions, having had occasion to periodically play the role of avoider or avoided to regain my footing or allow someone else to do the same.
I do not take offence and give whatever space is necessary for their repair. A time may come when reconnecting is possible or it may not, depending upon the parties involved. I never close a door completely and locking someone out is not in my nature although I draw boundaries when necessary.
I cannot fault someone else for needing space when I often have a similar need myself. I cannot resent or hate anyone for trying to protect their peace of mind. How can I walk away when I love someone but realize that my presence in their space is painful? It is not an easy task. Love does not simply disappear because it is not endlessly voiced. Silent acknowledgement of its value can best be given by respecting their wishes. Loving from afar is much better than face-to-face indifference, which is often all you get if you force yourself into places where you are not invited.

THINK ABOUT IT

LET IT GROW

THEN DECIDE

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