A Conservative View

GROWING OLD

Inspirational things to think about . . .

Sitting here today with it raining, forecast to rain for three more days, I was wondering if spring would ever arrive. At 84, and arthritis getting worse my thoughts were focused on how much longer I would enjoy not having to depend on others to just live another day. When the weather allows I now can only play golf on a great small par three course close to my home. My right knee hurts every step I take but I know that exercise is necessary to live that other day. Thankfully my intellect usually overrides my laziness and having lived longer than any male in the history of my family I am in no hurry to depart.

Bored to the bone I decided to read my E mails to pass the time of day. Fortunately I read a message from Mike & Emma Cobb that quickly refocused my priorities. I decided you might also have bad days and may help you if you read the rest of this article.

I intend to save this on my desktop so I can read it every time I need to inspire myself in the future. I have no idea who compiled this information but I decided to share this on my blog. My thanks to the Cobb’s who are old dear friends.

C Brewer

Real life stories that teach you many things in life. Excellent reading these are based on true incidences both wonderful and inspirational. ANON

“Today, I interviewed my grandmother for part of a research paper I’m working on for my Psychology class.  When I asked her to define success in her own words, she said, “Success is when you look back at your life and the memories make you smile.”

“Today, I asked my mentor – a very successful business man in his 70s – what his top 3 tips are for success.  He smiled and said, “Read something no one else is reading, think something no one else is thinking, and do something no one else is doing.”

“Today, after a 72 hour shift at the fire station, a woman ran up to me at the grocery store and gave me a hug.  When I tensed up, she realized I didn’t recognize her. She let go with tears of joy in her eyes and the most sincere smile and said”, “On 9-11-2001, you carried me out of the World Trade Center.”

“Today, after I watched my dog get run over by a car, I sat on the side of the road holding him and crying. And just before he died, he licked the tears off my face.”

“Today at 7AM, I woke up feeling ill, but decided I needed the money, so I went into work.  At 3PM I got laid off. On my drive home I got a flat tire. When I went into the trunk for the spare, it was flat too.  A man in a BMW pulled over, gave me a ride, we chatted, and then he offered me a job. I start tomorrow.”

“Today, as my father, three brothers, and two sisters stood around my mother’s hospital bed, my mother uttered her last coherent words before she died. She simply said, “I feel so loved right now. We should have gotten together like this more often.” This one hit me hard. CB

“Today, I kissed my dad on the forehead as he passed away in a small hospital bed. About 5 seconds after he passed, I realized it was the first time I had given him a kiss since I was a little boy. Ouch! CB

“Today, in the cutest voice, my 8-year-old daughter asked me to start recycling.  I chuckled and asked, “Why?” She replied, “So you can help me save the planet.”  I chuckled again and asked, “And why do you want to save the planet?”  Because that’s where I keep all my stuff,” she said.”

“Today, when I witnessed a 27-year-old breast cancer patient laughing hysterically at her 2-year-old daughter’s antics, I suddenly realized that I need to stop complaining about my life and start celebrating it again.”

“Today, a boy in a wheelchair saw me desperately struggling on crutches with my broken leg and offered to carry my backpack and books for me. He helped me all the way across campus to my class and as he was leaving he said, “I hope you feel better soon.”

“Today, I was feeling down because the results of a biopsy came back malignant. When I got home, I opened an e-mail that said, “Thinking of you today.  If you need me, I’m a phone call away.”  It was from a high school friend I hadn’t seen in 10 years.”

Today, I was traveling in Kenya and I met a refugee from Zimbabwe. He said he hadn’t eaten anything in over 3 days and looked extremely skinny and unhealthy. Then my friend offered him the rest of the sandwich he was eating”. The first thing the man said was, “We can share it”.

“The best sermons are lived, not preached.”  ANON

Today I decided to make sure I did not annoy my wife, Norma, who usually suffers when I can’t play golf. I just cooked her favorite meal of scrambled eggs, sausage, hot biscuits with home grown dark honey from Clem Manuel, another dear friend. As it is supposed to rain all night and again tomorrow I will have this to cheer me up again.

C Brewer