Please see the trees

I don't always see the trees but I try damn hard. This is worth reading, even though it is a bit long..............Jenni

See the Trees
By William Lambert

I lived in Alabama on a half-acre lot blessed huge oak trees that were 40 feet in diameter. They were HUGE! The house was laid out such that every bedroom faced the backyard. Each bedroom had a large picture window. The view was breathtaking. I enjoyed just looking at the trees. In the fall I would identify a particular leaf that was falling and watched it for what seemed liked 5 minutes before it fell to earth.
One day I invited this married couple over to enjoy the view from the bedroom window. I took them into the bedroom and excitedly pointed to the trees out of the window and exclaimed, "just look"!
After about 20 seconds there was no comment from the couple. I however, noticed a big frown on the woman's face.
I said, "What's wrong". She was reluctant to reply.
I insisted and again said, "What's wrong?"
She relented and said, "Don't you see those fingerprints on the glass?"
I turned and looked and there were what seemed to be fifty or more fingerprints on the glass. I ran for the Windex to clean the glass. The lady "Oh, I didn't mean for you to clean it now."
The morale here is this. That lady never saw the trees. Even when I tried to point them out, She missed it! I didn't see the fingerprints. I was looking through the glass not at it.
When the fingerprints were pointed out to me, I saw them and removed them. The lady never saw the trees. She focused on the fingerprints and she never got passed them.
Life is much like that. There are things in life that are good and things that are bad. You choose which things you want to focus on. I focus on the trees.
What are you focusing on?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
William Lambert has made teaching his life submitted this story for our MDI subscribers. With a Master's degree in Education, from Memphis State University, He is a former teacher in the Memphis City Schools System, where he won the prestigious Distinguished Teacher Award. He has published articles in the education and training arena. Some of the articles are: Liven up the Lecture Method, What You Say Is What You Get, Micro Videotaping and The Madison Avenue Approach (to Teaching). You can reach Mr. Lambert at wlambert7@comcast.net or visit his website http://www.motivateme.com

The measure of a man's real character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.
Macaulay, Thomas B.

Think about it.............. I did

People are always blaming circumstances for what they are. I do not believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they cannot find them, they make them.
George Bernard Shaw

George Bernard Shaw was a man of many talents.

Born
26 July 1856(1856-07-26)Dublin, Ireland
Died
2 November 1950 (aged 94)Hertfordshire, England
Occupation
Playwright, critic, political activist
Nationality
Irish
Genres
Satire, Black comedy
Literary movement
Reformist Socialist
Notable award(s)
Nobel Prize in Literature1925
Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay1938 Pygmalion

The only man to win both Acedemy Award and Noble Prize Literature.

Seems to me he got up and looked for what he wanted

I forgive myself for having believed for so long that...
I was never good enough to have, get, be what I wanted.
Ceanne DeRohan

Having a failed marriage, trouble getting work, keeping up with house work, upset kids was all my fault. I believved. Lately I have to come to realize these things were actually not all my fault.. I was dumped with ton of problems and left by the man I loved not ever having paid a bill, worked on my yard, sad children at mid life. I have stopped blaming me and started accepting I am surviving hard times. Surviving the hard timess is giving me strength.

Live

I could not, at any age, be content to take my place by the fireside and simply look on. Life was meant to be lived. Curiosity must be kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life.
Eleanor Roosevelt

I have had my moments in life when I have shut down and hidden from life, love, the things that make me, me....... But I have come to see how foolish and futile it is. Hiding doesn't bring your husband back, keep your children small, find you job. Hiding simply an escape, and when you come out of hiding (which is difficult) The sadness, sorrow, loss, fear is still there. It's just that much harder to overcome. I try to face life, I do it by living one day at a time. jenni

Roads

Sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason.-Jerry Seinfeld

Not everything you read or write needs to deep and moving. Some things can be simple and put a smile on your face. Jerry is write, there are reasons some roads are less traveled and there are reasons. Simple, true, and put a smile on my face.
Jenn

25 Random things

This is not a quote, but a cool thing to do. A friend asked on Facebook asked me to write 25 random things. Anything. This is what popped in my mind.

ok here are 25 random things:1.poor money manager. 2 need a job 3. love my kids 4. divorced 5. lonily at times 6. Cheerleading rules my life. 7. Popcorn makes me tired 8 have dog lily 9 my mom is my best friend 10. kids grow up quick 11. talking to a friend from my past 12. sleep is messed up 13. coffee and more coffee 14.will quil smoking 15.you only need enough 16. God provides 17. family matters 18. I'm 43 19. I get headaches 20. I love the sun and water 21. I live one day at a time 22. computers are fun 23. American Idol 24. Music makes me feel. 25. sometimes I cry and sometimes I just smile

I would love to see what others would write.

Learn

If I could wish for my life to be perfect, it would be tempting but I would have to decline, for life would no longer teach me anything.
Allyson Jones

I guess I am a lucky person and possibly very smart. My life is so far from perfect............Although I do have some very wonderful things in it. My husband left when I was 39. We share three daughters. I had to teach them and myself about loss and change. I am not able to find a job. Learning that love brings far more joy then money. I guess if we learn one new thing about life, ourselves, those we love and use it well each day our lives will be full. Jenn

Joy is what happens when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.
Marianne Williamson

todays word

what·not
play_w2("W0109600")
(hwtnt, hwt-, wt-, wt-)
n.
1. A minor or unspecified object or article.
2. A set of light, open shelves for ornaments.
pron.

usa

“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be”
Lao Tzu quote

I get so caught up in self pity at times. Why did my husband leave me, why didn't I get that 4th baby, why did loose the life I dreamed of.

Then in this new life, I ask why can't I find a job, why are my kids getting so grown up, why did I get sick...................

I need to stop and be Thankful for the small job I have, the fact I have three amazing daughters, and compared to many I am healthy.

If is ge stuck in the "why me's" , I will never have the motivation I need to become the woman I want to be................

Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word happy would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness. It is far better to take things as they come along with patience and equanimity.
Carl Jung

When I read these words I think of my life and I have known happiness, and great sadness. I do believe we need sadness to have happiness. Think of roller coaster going up, up, up the top the tracks. The excitement and the anticipation. Finally you go flying down. You feel so high and light headed. What if it never stopped. You could not take it. You need to level of and calm down, and be content with your ride...........................

Live

Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out if they've got a second. Give your dreams all you've got and you'll be amazed at the energy that comes out of you.
William James

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!

May it be filled with not just what you want, but more important. What you need. Jenni