[JOYnet] Good one.........read this.......
The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being. She said, "Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I'm 87 years old. Can I give you a hug?" I laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of course you may!" and she gave me a giant squeeze. "Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?" I asked. She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, have a couple of children, and then retire and travel." "No seriously," I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age. "I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!" she told me. After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake. We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk non-stop. I was always mesmerized listening to this "time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with me. Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up. At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor. Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said "I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know." As we laughed she cleared her throat and began: "We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. "You have to laugh and find humor every day." "You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it!" "There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight. Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding the opportunity in change." "Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets." She concluded her speech by courageously singing "The Rose." She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the year's end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago. One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be. GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY, GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL. === This mail is generated from JOYnet, a Jesus Youth mailing list. For more info on the list visit http://www.jesusyouth.org/joynet To unsubscribe from the list send a mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe to the list visit http://www.jesusyouth.org/joynet/join In case of any issue related to the mailing list contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] ===
Re: [JOYnet] good one!
Dear Friends, Yesterday was not one of the good days. Yes it was defintely a pleasant day...it rained well and the day at the office was also smooth and not very tiring. Then I enjoyed being in the presence of the Lord during Mass and was enthralled by the beautiful & meaningful sermon by Fr. Barthol. As Mass concluded I was in high spirit as I felt the awesome presence of the Lord. Then as I was leaving the Church, I met one of my Aunty from the neighbourhood and she gave me this sad news about the demise of a young boy. I was shocked to hear what she related to meshocked & sad to listen that a life had to end this way.a life which was just blooming. I didn't know this person very well but I did knew his brother wellhe was my student (I teach catechism in my parish).I use to like this child since he was very obedient and attentive in my class plus brilliant. But I had never interacted with the other members of his family...never felt the need I suppose. The young fellow who died yesterday afternoon had fell down from the terrace of his building, no one knows whether it was an accident or an attempted suicide. He had given his final year examination and had failed in 5 subjects. This had caused major depression in his life. I don't know what is the reality and neither am I interested in knowing what caused his death. The only thought that is bothering me is that if only would I have had visited this family ..maybe made a little extra effort then probably this wouldn't have happened..maybe he would have been alive. There may be so many around us who need a listening ear, who need our presance, our assuring words. My only prayer to my Lord yesterday was to be able to reach out to people who need me..need us...there are many...who need us. We as a group of youngsters together reaching out to these needful people can make a little difference in their livesin each other's lives. I know we canif we can give a little of our time...& with God's help we can save a soul. I was reminded of the words of Fr. Barthol in situations like these what we are suppose to do is emphathize with the person. And I tried doing that, and being in his shoes I felt maybe the depression was too intense and the suffocation very heavy...and no one who can helpno one to turn to and the only way out seemed death. All memories came as a flashbackI have been through situations like thesefrankly speaking even I had thoughts of ending up my life when situations grew worse. I had only 2 choices. to Live and go through the pain and sorrow or to Die and escape. I chose to live maybe not because I decided to face the situation but I was too scared to die. Many say that only cowards take the step to die...but I wonder are they really cowards..is the step of ending your own life is so easy??? After experiencing the Love of Christ personally these thoughts don't disturb me now. I have understood now that our suffering has a meaning.a purpose. It's God's way of making us perfect and strong. Just as St. Paul says in his 2nd letter to the Corinthians : 12 : 9. St. Paul is pleading to God to remove a particular sorrow from his life which he :says is like a thorn but God speaks to him and says "My Grace is sufficient for you, for My strenght is made perfect in weakness". What a powerful statement and if we claim this word of God in our lives specially in moments and area of weakness, we will see that we will be strenghtened...I have experienced it. What I was before and what I am now is a best example. Maybe the parable which Monisha has send about the Tale of Tea cup makes it more clear. Have a Great Day !! Love & Prayers Jennifer P.s. - This mail has become too long. I just felt like sharing with you all. Please pray for the soul of the young fellow I have mentioned above. Monisha Rebello wrote: > The Tale of the Tea Cup: There was this couple who used to go to shop in the >beautiful stores. This was their 25th Wedding Anniversary. They both liked antique >and pottery, especially teacups. One day in a beautiful shop, they saw this beautiful >teacup. One said, May I see that? I never have seen one quite so beautiful. As the >lady handed it to him, suddenly the teacup spoke, you dont understand, it said, I >havent always been a teacup. There was a time when I was red and I was clay. > My master took me and rolled me and patted me over and I yelled out, Let me alone. >But he only smiled, Not yet. Then I was placed on a spinning wheel. The teacup >said, and suddenly I was spun around and around and around and around. Stop it, Im >getting dizzy, I screamed. But the master only nodded and said, Not yet. Then he >put me in the oven. Id never felt such heat! I wondered
[JOYnet] good one!
The Tale of the Tea Cup: There was this couple who used to go to shop in the beautiful stores. This was their 25th Wedding Anniversary. They both liked antique and pottery, especially teacups. One day in a beautiful shop, they saw this beautiful teacup. One said, May I see that? I never have seen one quite so beautiful. As the lady handed it to him, suddenly the teacup spoke, you dont understand, it said, I havent always been a teacup. There was a time when I was red and I was clay. My master took me and rolled me and patted me over and I yelled out, Let me alone. But he only smiled, Not yet. Then I was placed on a spinning wheel. The teacup said, and suddenly I was spun around and around and around and around. Stop it, Im getting dizzy, I screamed. But the master only nodded and said, Not yet. Then he put me in the oven. Id never felt such heat! I wondered why he wanted to burn me. I yelled! I knocked at the door. I could see him through the opening and I could read his lips as he shook his head, Not yet. Finally the door opened, he put me on the shelf and I began to cool. There thats better, I said. Then he brushed me and painted me all over. The fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag. Stop it! Stop it! I cried. He only nodded, Not yet. Then suddenly he put me back into the oven, not like the first one. This was twice as hot and I knew I would suffocate. I begged. I pleaded. I screamed. I cried. All the time I could see him through the opening nodding his head, saying, Not yet. Then I knew there wasnt any hope I would never make it. I was ready to give up. But the door opened and he took me out and placed me on the shelf. One hour later, he handed me a mirror and said, Look at yourself, and I did, and I said, thats not me, that couldnt be me, its beautiful. Im beautiful! I want you to remember then, he said, I know it hurt to be rolled and patted, but if I just left you, youd have dried up. I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled. I know it hurt and it was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadnt put you there, you would have cracked. I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadnt done that, you never would have hardened. You would not have had any color in your life, and if I hadnt put you back in that second oven, you wouldnt survive for very long because the hardness would not have held. Now you are a finished product. You are what I had in mind when I first began with you. Thats life, friends. Thats my life and it is your life. Some of you are in the oven, screaming and hollering, Let me out of here! Some of you are getting painted and the fumes are bothering you and driving you crazy. Some of you are spinning around and you dont know where you are. Youre saying, Whats going on? Its a mess here, and the Master keeps looking and saying, Not yet, not yet. You see, youve got to trust Him. - Anonymous Sign-up for Video Highlights of 2002 FIFA World Cup This mail is generated from JOYnet, a Jesus Youth mailing list. To unsubscribe, send a mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe to this mailing list, visit http://www.jesusyouth.org/joynet For automatic help, send a mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] In case of any issue related to the mailing list contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
