It was April and a tribe of indigenous Australians in a remote part of Western Australia asked their new elder if the coming winter was going to be cold or mild.

Since he was an elder in a modern community he had never been taught the old secrets. When he looked at the sky he couldn't tell what the winter was going to be like. Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, he told his tribe that the winter was indeed going to be cold and that the members of the tribe should collect firewood to be prepared.

But being a practical leader, after several days he had an idea. He walked out to the telephone booth on the highway, called the Bureau of Meteorology and asked, 'Is the coming winter in this area going to be cold?'

The meteorologist responded, 'It looks like this winter is going to be quite cold.'

So the elder went back to his people and told them to collect even more wood in order to be prepared. A week later he called the Bureau of Meteorology again asked, 'Does it still look like it is going to be a very cold winter?'

The meteorologist again replied, 'Yes, it's going to be a very cold winter.'

The elder again went back to his community and ordered them to collect every scrap of firewood they could find. Two weeks later the elder called the Bureau again asked, 'Are you absolutely sure that the winter is going to be very cold?'

'Absolutely,' the man replied. 'It's looking more and more like it is going to be one of the coldest winters ever.'

'How can you be so sure?' the elder asked.

The weatherman replied, "There are reports that a tribe of indigenous Australians are collecting firewood like crazy, and that's always a sure sign.'

Author Unknown

Many thanks to my good friend Irene Branscombe, for sending this story to me.

As the story goes, they built a new church building and people came from far and wide to see it. They admired its beauty! Up on the roof, a little nail heard the people praising everything about the lovely structure-except the nail! No one even knew he was there, and he became angry and jealous.

'If I am that insignificant, nobody will miss me if I quit!' So the nail released its hold, slid down the roof and fell in the mud.

That night it rained and rained, and the wind blew hard! Soon, the shingle that had no nail blew away, and the roof began to leak. The water streaked the walls and the beautiful murals. The plaster began to fall, the carpet was stained, and the pulpit was badly damaged by water.

All this because a little nail decided to quit!

But what of the nail? While holding the shingle, it was obscure, but it was also useful. Buried in the mud it was just as obscure, but now it was useless and would soon by eaten up by rust!

So we should always remember that every human being is important. Like the nail, you may feel obscure at times, but just like the nail, your absence is felt. When you are not present in other's lives, in some way they hurt.

Author Unknown

Many thanks to my good friend Kathy Baker, for sending this story to me.

- Inspirational Quote -

The most unknown, unused and unrecognised tool of the human mind,
is the recognition that attitude is always a choice
Mark Horton

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