InspirEmail No 106 - April 9, 2007

The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary
Vince Lombardi

InspirEmail No 106 - April 9, 2007
'Inspirational messages to refresh the spirit and boost the emotional bank account'

Listen with Your Eyes

An expert on whales was telling friends about some of the unusual findings he had made. 'For instance,' he said, 'some whales can communicate at a distance of 300 miles.'

'What on earth would one whale say to another 300 miles away?' asked a sarcastic member of the group.

'I'm not absolutely sure,' answered the expert, 'but it sounds something like this: 'Heeeeeeey! Can you hear me nowwww!?'

Hearing well is only part of effective communication. But another, and often more important part, is frequently overlooked. It does not concern the ears, however, but the eyes.

According to Leil Lowndes (Talking the Winners Way, Contemporary Books) - Boston researchers asked opposite-sex individuals to have a two-minute casual conversation. They tricked half their subjects into maintaining intense eye contact by directing them to count the number of times their partner blinked. They gave the other half of the subjects no special eye-contact directions for the chat.

When questioned afterward, the unsuspecting blinkers reported significantly higher feelings of respect and fondness for their colleagues who, unbeknownst to them, had simply been counting their blinks. One might conclude that, for respect and fondness, count blinks!

But the larger message is: good eye contact will dramatically improve your relationships.

Ears are not the only organs essential for great listening. Whether you're talking to a spouse, a colleague, a neighbour, a child or a stranger, eye contact is essential. When eyes are focused away from distractions and onto the speaker, the message you communicate most clearly is, 'I value you.'

Today, listen with your eyes - and 'see' what you've been missing!

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 >>>

April's Featured Inspiration

The Folded Napkins

I try not to be biased, but I had my doubts about hiring Stevie. His placement counsellor assured me that he would be a good, reliable busboy. But I had never had a mentally handicapped employee and wasn't sure I wanted one. I wasn't sure how my customers would . . . read the full story >>>

The Gift

I give to you a fire to light inside your heart, to feel the warm embers glow,
a splash of the sun's bright rays, to melt even winter's snow.

I give to you a piece of a rainbow to colour your world, when all seems totally gray,
some roses for their lovely perfume, to kiss you with a sweet bouquet.

I give to you a sprinkling of some twinkling stars, to wish upon at night,
the morning dew to bless the day, to bask in its delight.

I give to you a summer's breeze to caress your face, to show that someone cares,
the sweet song of the nightingale, to remind you nature's there.

I give to you my lasting friendship and love to hold inside if ever you feel blue,
or just because you need a friend ... this friend, who is always there for you!

Author Unknown

Grandma's Apron

I remember Grandma's Apron ... do you?

The principal use of Grandma's Apron was to protect the dress underneath, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables and after the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the autumn, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

And remember . . . Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool; now her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.

Author Unknown