Attitude = everything

READ THIS. LET IT REALLY SINK IN. THEN CHOOSE. Michael is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!" He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Michael was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation. Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Michael and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?" Michael replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or ... you can choose to be in a bad mood. " "I choose to be in a good mood." "Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. " Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or... I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life. "Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested. "Yes, it is," Michael said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live your life." I reflected on what Michael said. Soon hereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it. Several years later, I heard that Michael was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Michael was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back. I saw Michael about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins ! Wanna see my scars?" I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place. "The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be born daughter," Michael replied. "Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or...I could choose to die. "I chose to live." "Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked. Michael continued, "the paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read 'he's a dead man'. I knew I needed to take action." "What did you do?" I asked. "Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Michael. "She asked if I was allergic to anything. 'Yes', I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Gravity'. Over their laughter, I told them, "I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead." Michael lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is everything. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34. After all today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday. You have two choices now: 01. Delete this. 02. Forward it to the people you care about. You know the choice I made. God Bless, and smile, it could be contagious. ~an* P.S: Names were left as it is from the email. The poster holds no connection to any part of the article above.

The Gift

Email from Kai - thanks for it~! I luv these little inspiring stories. Tells you about human nature. Thought I'd share this with you... I received this from a good friend who had a choice to make. It said that I had a choice to make too. I've chosen. Now it's your turn to choose. "The story goes that some time ago a man punished his 5-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of expensive gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and he became even more upset when the child pasted the gold paper so as to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree. Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift box to her father the next morning and said, "This is for you, Daddy." The father was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his anger flared again when he found the box was empty. He spoke to her in a harsh manner, "Don't you know, young lady, when you give someone a present there's supposed to be something inside the package?" The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said, "Oh, Daddy, it's not empty. I blew kisses into it until it was full." The father was crushed. He fell on his knees and put his arms around his little girl, and he begged her to forgive him for his unnecessary anger. An accident took the life of the child only a short time later and it is told that the father kept that gold box by his bed for all the years of his life. Whenever he was discouraged or faced difficult problems, he would open the box and take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there. In a very real sense, each of us as human beings have been given a golden box filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children, family, friends and God. There is no more precious possession anyone could hold. You now have two choices. You can: * 1- Pass this on to your friends, or * 2- Delete it and act like it didn't touch your heart. As you can see, I took choice No. 1. * Friends are like angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly. * **Think positive and act.** This is nice - finding something positive out of every negative which we don't always manage to do. * For my teenage son/daughter who is complaining about doing dishes, because that means she is at home & not on the streets. * For the taxes that I pay, because it means that I am employed. * For the mess to clean after a party, because it means that I have been surrounded by friends. * For the clothes that fit a little too snug, because it means I have enough to eat. * For my shadow that watches me work, because it means I am out in the sunshine. * For a floor that needs mopping, and windows that need cleaning, because it means I have a home. * For all the complaining I hear about the government, because it means that we have freedom of speech. * For the parking spot I find at the far end of the parking lot, because it means I am capable of walking and that have been blessed with transportation. * For the pile of laundry and ironing, because it means I have clothes to wear. * For weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day, because it means I have been capable of working hard. * For the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours, because it means that I am alive. AND FINALLY... * For too much e-mail, because it means I have friends who are thinking of me. Send this to someone you care about. I JUST DID!!!! **THINK POSITIVE!! ** (Thank you fer surviving the long read. Thank you fer the person who wrote the message on the end. I hear the story before, but I didn't here the bit after the child was afar. Thank you to you, coz I'm sharing it wif u. A much better way than chain letters.) ~an*

I love the layering of landscape pix... 

An insipiring poem about success/life 

ok ok, a personal "update"

Just to let people out there's I'm alive, and not just chucking random stuff into the site. I know the site's a bore, but I just haf a normal/boring/don't-wana-disclose life. I also haf a tendency NOT to put ppl in my photos...so if ur looking forward to ppl photos, ASK!!! update on me: Finished reading: The 5 people you meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom (it's so touching!!! and so simple a story...) 再忍一下，夢想就要成真 - 成田真由美 (autobiography/reflection of her struggles in life) Gweilo - Martin Booth (memoir of childhood of foreigner in HK) Emma - Jane Austen (for English skool work!! *yawn*) Now reading: {hmm I duno wat to read now... I got abot 10 books on my shelf... I've started them all, but hafn't got through much yet...} Contents of my mug: "Healthy" Tea (Mum shared it out..) Feeling: BORED STIFF!!! (sori didn't mean ta yell...just wana get it out....) Thinking: of what to write next, also the cold cold night... currently Song echoing in head: 友共情 古巨基 (slightly old now, but still semi-classic) I'll attach the lyrics here...luvin' it~!! 友共情 曲/編:陳光榮 詞:周禮茂 ＊下雨天　總掛念從前 球場上那可愛片段 突然又已一年　祈望再會面 舊朋友　就算心永未遙遠 但這刻渴望見　即使重聚再短 ＃時光可變　世界可變 人情亦許多都變遷 友共情不變　那種真找不到缺點 你我再次相見　隨年和月　身心雖秏損 友共情從難扭轉 心內那熱暖 仍是純真未變 ＋NOW AND THEN THINK OF YOU AND ME FOREVER FRIENDS, FOREVER WE'LL BE TIME IS CHANGIN' BUT NOTHING'S TO BE BLAMED CAUSE OUR HEART FOREVER SING 重唱　＊,＃,＋,＃ Quote: The future is a mystery, the past is history, that's why today's the present !!! Thought of the Day: Release your fears and GO! ACTION!!! To Do: -BusS - type up stuff n notes -Bio - format, print, cut&paste notes -Maths - write report!!! --> any questions? -piano practice -do a piece of sth fer Eng... For those curious ppl in life who like to poke around into other ppl's lives, here's it. So now go off ta other places, for bored ppl like me. Orisinal http://www.orisinal.com - flash games that are good quality AsiaDog http://www.asiadog.com - Chinese/English webgames with a LOT of choices - Cute games recommended!! That's games sites - hope it gets rid of some of ur boredom. ~an*

Email: Parent n Children issues

I found this in my Junk Email Box from a mailing list I didn't even subscribe to. Nevertheless, I think it's a valuable piece to share with parents and children alike. Parent and Children Interaction and its effects on children. If we aren't spending time with our young children, we aren't loving them enough. Practically all parents consider their children as their most important asset. So we send them for additional lessons in music, art, computer, speech and drama, dance, ballet, tennis, etc. We also buy for them expensive toys, computer games, etc. to keep them occupied. We think that by doing so we are giving them a head start in life. But we seldom stop to ask ourselves whether we have equipped them for a life of self-worth and confidence. Why do I say that? It has been said that by the time a child is seven years old; his attitude is virtually set for life. And when our young child constantly pelts us with his questions, (and we are hard pressed by our furiously competitive jobs) how do we normally respond? Have we stopped and reflected on our attitude towards his insatiable questioning? Now consider for a moment, a child coming into a room to ask Dad or Mom questions or to invite Mom or Dad to play with him or to request spending time with Dad or Mom, but the parent frequently says, I'm too busy now. What does that signal to the child? To the child the message is perceived as : To Dad, I am not as important as the newspaper he is reading or the time he spends doing his work at the computer. To Mom, I am not worth as much as her soap opera on television. We forget that children rarely want to spend much time in conversation with their parents. Yes, they ask lots of questions and when they get the answers, they then move on to the next thing that captures their attention. They may sit close a while, perhaps give or receive a hug, and then they are off. If you are a parent, I would encourage you to make time for your child when your child needs a moment. Most chores can be postponed for a few seconds or minutes. Most activities can be interrupted without you suffering harm or losing out on important information. If you must delay your response to your child for a minute or two, call your child to your side and put your arm around him so that you convey the message: I want you close to me. I like being with you. I am not rejecting you, merely delaying my response to your question for a few moments. We don't think of the harm we are doing to their adult life when we fail to give them the time they need. Imagine what it is like whenever we go and talk to our boss and our boss frequently has no time for us. Our confidence will be shattered and our self-worth will plunge drastically. What about the child when we unthinkingly do the same? Have we spent time reflecting on this? Have I unconsciously sent a message to my child that might be summed up, What I want to do is vastly more important than whatever pain I cause you. This message will be internalized by the child as: I am not worth being around. I am not worthy to be appreciated and noticed; and it will show up later in his life as a lack of self-worth. Parents, who make time to informally tutor their child and not scold them whenever the child asks question, will give the child a very strong sense of self-identity and self-worth. They affirm their child. They encourage their child. They give their attention to their child. They acknowledge to the child that he is important and worth listening to. The child will have this intuitive sense that: I am important to my parents. I am so important that they want the very best for me, including the very best education they believe they can give to me. I am so important that they are willing to spend time and energy with me. My parents believe I have the ability to learn and are willing to teach me, and therefore, I must be able to learn well. A cycle is created: the child is encouraged, the child feels worthy, and the child makes an even bigger effort in learning as a result of the feelings of self-worth. So the child achieves more and learns more. Through his accomplishments and the resulting praises and cheers from the parents, the child has an enhanced feeling of self-worth and the cycle goes round again. Unfortunately today, we have a mantra that many parents repeat by saying, I spend quality time with my child and I don't need quantity time with my child. They delude themselves! A child, who often does not feel he has access to his parents when he needs the access, does not feel he is loved. He will feel ignored, shunned, insecure and of less worth. Such a child will inevitably have problem with his sense of self-worth later on in life. The essence of our love for our children is not what we provide for them, but how much we give of ourselves to them. Men, in particular, often don't understand this. Many have said: I don't understand my children. I provide them with everything they need. They don't appreciate my hard work for them. What more do they want?? They want you! Your ears, your attention, your presence --- and, Yes, your time. That must be a joke. Where do I find the time in my stressful life?? you'd say. Our most precious gift is our time. Only when we give up our (leisure, computer, game, social, TV, etc) time, do we truly prove our love for our children. Whenever we give our time, we are making a sacrifice, and sacrifice is the essence of love. Thus, we show our love in action and not in words only. Recommended to all parents (especially Asians!!) :P