InspireMail No 120 - October 22, 2007

I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble
Helen Keller

InspirEmail No 120 - October 22, 2007
'Inspirational messages to refresh the spirit and boost the emotional bank account'

Celebrating You

An old story tells of an unhappy and discontented stonecutter. One day he came upon a merchant and was awe-struck by all of the marvellous goods the man had for sale. 'I wish I were a merchant,' said the stonecutter and, quite amazingly, his wish was granted.

Not long afterward he saw a parade pass his little shop. Spying a prince dressed in splendour such as he had never before seen, he said, 'I wish I were a prince.' And he became one.

But it wasn't too many days later that he stepped outside and felt the discomfort of the hot summer sun beating down upon his head. 'Even a prince cannot stay cool in the sun,' he said. 'I wish I were the sun.' This wish, too, was granted.

He was happy being the sun until, one day a cloud came between him and the earth. 'That cloud overshadows me,' he said. 'I wish I were a cloud.'

Again, his wish was granted and he was happy until he came to a mountain that he could not rise above. 'This mountain is greater than I,' he said. 'I wish I were a mountain.'

As a tall and mighty mountain he looked down upon the affairs of humans and felt that he was finally happy. But one day a stonecutter climbed up his side and chipped away at rock and there was nothing he could do about it. 'That little man is more powerful than I,' the mountain said. 'I wish I were a stonecutter.'

So the circle was completed and now the stonecutter knew that he would always be happy just being himself. He would never dress like a prince, shine like the sun nor rise as tall as a mountain, but he was happy to be who he was.

A sure way to unhappiness is to compare yourself to others. Like someone aptly said, 'The grass may be greener on the other side of the fence, but it still has to be mowed.'

You are who you are and that is to be celebrated.

Written by Steve Goodier

Steve Goodier publishes This is Your Life Support System, a free e-newsletter sharing life, love and laughter. You can visit Steve's website at . . . lifesupportsystem >>>

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It Takes Courage

It takes strength to be firm and it takes courage to be gentle.

It takes strength to conquer and it takes courage to surrender.

It takes strength to be certain and it takes courage to have doubt.

It takes strength to fit in and it takes courage to stand out.

It takes strength to feel a friend's pain and it takes courage to feel your own pain.

It takes strength to endure abuse and it takes courage to stop it.

It takes strength to stand alone and it takes courage to lean on another.

It takes strength to love and it takes courage to be loved.

It takes strength to survive and it takes courage to live.

Author Unknown

My thanks to Fran Briggs for sharing this message.

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