A Father's Special Day

“Papa, what a real man you are. Since the day I started to observe things around me, I saw you waking up before sunrise, going to work in the farm alone, and then returning home after sunset. “I came to know that you work under direct exposure to the sun, heat, humidity, dust and cold. You do all of that to spend your hard-earned money on me and my other three sisters. “I love you Papa.” I wrote that to my father when I was 12 years old. Now I am mature enough, and I realize the full value of my father’s sacrifice even though I’m not yet a father.

My father is still alive, so I have gotten the chance to take care of him the way he did for me. Now, as I recall what I wrote at age 12, I have the same feeling. “pTo my father, I know you love me and my three sisters. I know you sacrificed to put food in our mouths and smiles on our faces. No one ever made a certificate of recognition for the great sacrifice you made. No institution could accommodate your credentials. I am really proud of you.”

With those words, I try to express my feelings to all those who work with dignity especially to those fathers working abroad. Most of them have children back home, awaiting their return. So I call everyone to treat the workers all around us with full dignity as they sacrifice to earn every single cents of money. To all the fathers in the whole world, HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!!!

Do we need to care?

Do we need to care?

Every day, we hear about the problems

of our friends, neighbors and relatives. How should we react to problems that don’t affect us directly? Let me tell you a story: A mouse looked through a crack in a wall to see the farmer and his wife opening a package. He was shocked when he found it to be a mouse trap. The mouse warned the farmyard animals, “There is a mouse trap in the house! There is a mouse trap in the house!” The chicken said, “I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me.” The goat told him, “I am so sorry, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured that you are in my prayers.” The cow made fun of him: “A mouse trap? I am in grave danger!” So the mouse returned to the house to face the mouse trap alone. That night, when everybody was sleeping, a sound was heard throughout the house. The farmer’s wife rushed to see what happened. In the darkness, she did not see that the trap had caught a poisonous snake. The snake bit the farmer’s wife, and the farmer rushed her to the hospital. She returned home with a fever. Everyone knows you treat a fever with chicken soup, so the farmer slaughtered the chicken. His wife’s sickness continued, and friends and neighbors came to sit with her. To feed them, the farmer butchered the goat. The farmer’s wife did not get well. In fact, she died, and many people came for her funeral. So the farmer killed the cow to provide meat for them to eat. So the next time someone is facing a problem and you think it does not concern you, remember that when the least of us is threatened, we are all at risk.

SMILE

I’ve been wondering about what lies behind a smile, what it means and where it comes from. Sometimes I find myself smiling at people I don’t even know, and I ask myself, “Is it because I’m happy, or is it because they’re easy to smile at?” Then I think, “Does it really matter what the cause is if it makes someone happy?” I didn’t think so. It’s a simple facial expression that could chase away the darkness from someone’s life in that moment and make the day brighter. A smile could change the world’s atmosphere if it was truly from the heart.

It sends out a great vibration that most people get affected by, and it’s a proven technique that is used medically and psychologically. A smile comes spontaneously when you take a deep breath and just let it be.

We tend to smile at people who have touched our hearts in one way or another, whether we know them or not. It all starts with eye contact, followed by a moment of silence in which you feel like it’s hard to breathe. Finally, you realize that your face is glowing, and all that happens because of a smile. What’s best about it is that it’s even easier to do when you’re smiling at kids; in their eyes you can see both innocence and mischief behind their smiles. No matter how bad your day has gone, when you come home to the people you love and the first thing they do is welcome you home with a smile, you can’t beat that. It makes your day! A smile is a sign of happiness and relief. Studies have shown that it lowers the blood pressure. So take a deep breath, close your eyes and smile.

Attitude: A Matter of Choice

Think of your attitude as the mental filter through which you experience the world. Some people see the world through the filter of optimism. Others see life through a filter of pessimism. Although attitude plays an important role in everyone’s life, many people don’t know its meaning or realize the influence it has on their performance at work and on their relationships. We have two choices: a “good attitude” that invites good people, harmonious surroundings and projects optimism, or a “bad attitude” that sends negative feelings to others and sets a bad mood for oneself. The attitude you carry around makes an incredible difference in your life. It can be a powerful tool for positive action, or it can be a poison that cripples your ability to fulfill your potential. Sometimes, we are not aware as we go along that we show more bad attitude than good attitude.

I’d like to share some simple tips to transform your bad attitude into a good one:

• Smile – Research has shown that smiling has both psychological and physiological effects. So put a smile on your face, and you’ll be on your way to a change. It’s free, so give it away.

• Change your actions – It is hard to change your attitude if you keep doing the same things the same way. To start thinking differently, do things differently. Be creative in your own way.

• Help others – One of the fastest ways to change your attitude is to take your mind off yourself and help others in need.

• Immerse yourself – Read informative materials that help you understand and adopt the new attitude. Watch films or listen to music that inspires you and encourages you to change. We can enjoy life with a good attitude, but with a bad one, I don’t think so.



Which one do you prefer? It’s a matter of choice

Let's Learn to Live in Peace & Harmony

People are killing people everywhere. The drums of war are loud and clear. Violence, vengeance, exploitation, discrimination, grudges, hostilities and international terrorism and political unrest (especially in Arab world) are everyday vocabulary. Where is the good news? Has humanity lost its way? Have we failed to tame the beast within us? Have we given over control of our actions and responses to evil? Aren’t we entrusted with this earth and asked to keep it safe and secure? Humanity has not forgotten the two wars it once waged that left untold sorrow, pain and suffering for years. History tells us, if we read it right, that fanning flames of prejudice, hatred and arrogance leads to destruction.

How beautiful is the language of the U.N. Charter’s preamble! It captures the dreams of all humans, regardless of nation, color, race or religion: “We the people of the United Nations have determined to save succeeding generations from the scourges of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind … to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbors, to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security.” Many problems could be done away with if we think like one global family, under one sky, sharing one earth. Why can’t we replace hate with love, conflict with harmony and war with peace? Instead of escalating hostilities, let’s escalate tolerance and forgiveness. Those who have should help those who have not to drain the swamps of poverty and exploitation that breed bitter feelings of hatred and maybe terrorism. Dr. Martin Luther King famously said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hatred cannot drive out hatred; only love can do that.” Let the cries of the dying bring mercy to hearts, awaken consciences and help handcuff the brute within us. Let peace prevail.