Any day we wish; we can discipline ourselves to change it all.
Any day we wish; we can open the book that will open our mind
to new knowledge. Any day we wish; we can start a new activity.
Any day we wish; we can start the process of life change. We
can do it immediately, or next week, or next month, or next year.

We can also do nothing. We can pretend rather than perform. And
if the idea of having to change ourselves makes us uncomfortable,
we can remain as we are. We can choose rest over labor,
entertainment over education, delusion over truth, and doubt over
confidence. The choices are ours to make. But while we curse the
effect, we continue to nourish the cause. As Shakespeare uniquely
observed, "The fault is not in the stars, but in ourselves." We
created our circumstances by our past choices.

We have both the ability and the responsibility to make better
choices beginning today. Those who are in search of the good life
do not need more answers or more time to think things over to reach
better conclusions. They need the truth. They need the whole truth.
And they need nothing but the truth.

We cannot allow our errors in judgment, repeated every day, to lead
us down the wrong path. We must keep coming back to those basics
that make the biggest difference in how our life works out. And
then we must make the very choices that will bring life, happiness
and joy into our daily lives.

And if I may be so bold to offer my last piece of advice for someone
seeking and needing to make changes in their life - If you don't like
how things are, change it! You're not a tree. You have the ability to
totally transform every area in your life - and it all begins with
your very own power of choice.

He was kind of scary. He sat there on the grass with his cardboard
sign, his dog (actually his dog was adorable) and tattoos running up
and down both arms and even on his neck. His sign proclaimed him to
be "stuck and hungry" and to please help. I'm a sucker for anyone
needing help. My husband both hates and loves this quality in me.

I pulled the van over and in my rear-view mirror, contemplated this
man, tattoos and all. He was youngish, maybe forty. He wore one of
those bandanas tied over his head, biker/pirate style. Anyone could
see he was dirty and had a scraggly beard. But if you looked closer,
you could see that he had neatly tucked in the black T-shirt, and his
things were in a small, tidy bundle. Nobody was stopping for him. I
could see the other drivers take one look and immediately focus on
something else - anything else. It was so hot out. I could see in
the man's very blue eyes how dejected and tired and worn-out he felt.
The sweat was trickling down his face. As I sat with the
air-conditioning blowing, the scripture suddenly popped into my head.
"In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these, my brethren,
so ye have done it unto me."

I reached down into my purse and extracted a ten dollar bill. My
twelve-year old son, Nick knew right away what I was doing. "Can I
take it to him, Mom?" "Be careful, honey." I warned and handed him
the money. I watched in the mirror as he rushed over to the man, and
with a shy smile, handed it to him. I saw the man, startled, stand
and take the money, putting it into his back pocket. "Good," I thought
to myself, "now he will at least have a hot meal tonight." I felt
satisfied, proud of myself. I had made a sacrifice and now I could
go on with my errands. When Nick got back into the car, he looked at
me with sad, pleading eyes. "Mom, his dog looks so hot and the man is
really nice." I knew I had to do more. "Go back and tell him to stay
there, that we will be back in fifteen minutes," I told Nick. He
bounded out of the car and ran to tell the tattooed stranger. We then
ran to the nearest store and bought our gifts carefully.

"It can't be too heavy," I explained to the children. "He has to be
able to carry it around with him." We finally settled on our purchases.
A bag of "Ol' Roy" (I hoped it was good - it looked good enough for me
to eat! How do they make dog food look that way?); a flavored chew-toy shaped like a bone; a water dish, bacon flavored snacks (for the dog); two bottles of water (one for the dog, one for Mr. Tattoos); and some people snacks for the man.

We rushed back to the spot where we had left him, and there he was,
still waiting. And still nobody else was stopping for him. With hands
shaking, I grabbed our bags and climbed out of the car, all four of my
children following me, each carrying gifts. As we walked up to him, I
had a fleeting moment of fear, hoping he wasn't a serial killer, I
looked into his eyes and saw something that startled me and made me
ashamed of my judgment. I saw tears. He was fighting like a little
boy to hold back his tears. How long had it been since someone showed this man kindness?

I told him I hoped it wasn't too heavy for him to carry and showed him
what we had brought. He stood there, like a child at Christmas, and I
felt like my small contributions were so inadequate. When I took out
the water dish, he snatched it out of my hands as if it were solid gold
and told me he had had no way to give his dog water. He gingerly set it
down, filled it with the bottled water we brought, and stood up to look
directly into my eyes. His were so blue, so intense and my own filled
with tears as he said "Ma'am, I don't know what to say." He then put
both hands on his bandana-clad head and just started to cry. This man, this "scary" man, was so gentle, so sweet, so humble. I smiled through my tears and said "Don't say anything." Then I noticed the tattoo on his neck. It said "Mama tried." As we all piled into the van and drove away, he was on his knees, arms around his dog, kissing his nose and smiling. I waved cheerfully and then fully broke down in tears.

I have so much. My worries seem so trivial and petty now. I have a
home, a loving husband, four beautiful children. I have a bed. I wondered where he would sleep tonight. My step-daughter, Brandie turned to me and said in the sweetest little-girl voice, "I feel so good." Although it seemed as if we had helped him, the man with the tattoo gave us a gift that I will never forget. He taught that no matter what the outside looks like, inside each of us is a human being deserving of kindness, of compassion, of acceptance. He opened my heart. Tonight and every night I will pray for the gentle man with the tattoos and his dog. And I will hope that God will send more people like him into my life to remind me what's really important.

The heart is a garden
That always has room
For the flowers of kindness
And friendship that blooms!
You have just entered a very special place. This is where the flowers of friendship grow and flourish.
The beauty of friendship, like the beauty of flowers, is very hard to describe in words. There are many kinds of friends ... just as there are lots of different flowers, and yet each has it's own unique beauty to offer.
There are friends who share our paths briefly at different points in our lives, while others stay close to us ... year after year.
Some are vibrant and admired for their strength, while others are delicate whispers of color ... whose gentleness always has a special place in our hearts.
We all meet many different kinds of friends along the path of life, each adding color and joy and beauty to our days.
My life has been blessed by the many wonderful friends in it. They are the full and beautiful blossoms in my garden. Just letting them know how I feel about them and how special I think they are.
I am very lucky to have each of them in my garden of life and I love
them all.

-- Unknown

People need people and friends need friends
And we all need love for a full life depends
Not on vast riches or great acclaim,
Not on success or on worldly fame,
But just in knowing that someone cares
And holds us close in their thoughts and prayers-
For only the knowledge that we're understood
Makes everyday living feel wonderfully good,
And we rob ourselves of life's greatest need
When we "lock up our hearts" and fail to heed
The outstretched hand reaching to find
A kindred spirit whose heart and mind
Are lonely and longing to somehow share
Our joys and sorrows and to make us aware
That life's completeness and richness depends
On the things we share with our loved ones
and friends.

--Helen Steiner Rice

Patrick Henry was born on May 29, 1736. Mr Henry was an American patriot best known for never having been able to make up his mind. Asked the simplest question, Mr Henry found himself befuddled for days. It therefore came as no surprise to anyone who knew him when, given the choice between liberty and death, he famously pronounced that either would be welcome. History records his vow at St. John's Church in March of 1775 as "Give me liberty or give me death!" Eyewitnesses and other contemporaries claim he actually said, "Liberty, death, whatever, let's just wrap this thing up."

John F. Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917, and is best remembered for telling Americans they had nothing to fear but fear itself, an axiom that many Americans found problematic in the face of increasing cold war tensions, imminent nuclear war, an escalating presence in Vietnam, the troubled state of race relations, and the ubiquitous threat of poisonous snakes. Born on the same day but several centuries earlier (in 1630), was King Charles II of England, best known for the saying, "Give me back my throne."

Born on May 29: Annette Bening (1958), Al Unser (1939), John F. Kennedy (1917), T.H. White (1906), Bob Hope (1903), Patrick Henry (1736), and King Charles II, England (1630).

May 29 is Flag Day in Finland

On May 28, 1743, Joseph Ignace Guillotine was born in France. Later he became a doctor. As a politically active humanitarian, he was understandably disturbed by the grisly executions of the French Revolution. He was sure people could be killed more efficiently, and he invented a device to do just that.

His machine sliced the victim's head off by means of a heavy, suspended blade rushing down a pair of siderails onto (or more accurately through) the victim's neck. Not only was it quick and painless: in those dull years before cable, it was also great entertainment. Dr Guillotine enjoyed watching the youngsters scampering playfully about the machine, fighting for the severed head.

During the rough weather that followed the French Revolution (known to meteorologists as "The Rain of Terror") it became necessary to purge the Republic of all obstacles to the welfare of its people. Sadly, most of those obstacles were people themselves, and there were a damned lot of them.

Drunk with power (a lingering effect of the Bourbon era) and armed with Dr Guillotine's new invention, the government succeeded in eliminating thousands of such obstacles quickly and effectively, in a way that made the children laugh and sing right up to the moment that their own heads were sliced off.

Dr Guillotine himself was eventually guillotined, suggesting the possible existence of a moral to his story. (Readers seeking morals, however, are advised as always to conduct their searches elsewhere.)

Born on May 28: Sir Rudolph Giuliani (1944), Gladys Knight (1944), Ian Fleming (1908), Jim Thorpe (1888), and Joseph Guillotine (1738).

May 28 is Republic Day in Armenia and Independence Day in Azerbaijan

Hi...

I am fumbling my way around getting a passport and registering Joshua's birth. I have had a look on the SouthAfricaHouse website, and there it says I must send away for some forms, but when I phoned they said it is all on download. Now call me blond, but I need :help: Please! Can I not just go to SA House and apply same day? If so, what do I need to take with me?

Has anyone else done this? :confused: :confused:

It has been a while but the last news I had was asking for sponsorship/donations regarding a London to Paris cycle challenge that I had to organise for work colleagues.

I thought I'd give you an update...

Although the planning was extremely stressful, it was very worthwhile and am proud to say that the event was a success and enjoyed by all participants.

Almost £5000 was raised which was way above expected!

Unfortunately, I had to pull out at the last minute to undergo treatment for Cervical Cancer (how Ironic) with the purpose of the cycle challenge being for Macmillan Cancer Relief!

Thanks to all who donated money!

Today is the birthday of Henry Kissinger (1923), Hubert Humphrey (1911), Vincent Price (1911), Dashiell Hammett (1894), Isadora Duncan (1878), and Wild Bill Hickock (1837).

It's Heroes' Day in Uganda.

Not much really ad:

Not really much it seems

It's Independence Day in Georgia (the country) and in Guyana. It's the birthday of Sally Ride (1951), Stevie Nicks (1948), Brent Musburger (1939), John Wayne (1907), and Al Jolson (1886).