Below is a compilation of emails I've gotten on subjects that matter in life.  Words of wisdom and humor. 

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What It Means To Be Poor...

One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people can be. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?" "It was great, Dad." "Did you see how poor people can be?" the father asked. "Oh Yeah" said the son. "So what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father.

The son answered, "I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.

We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them."

With this the boy's father was speechless. Then his son added, "Thanks dad for showing me how poor we are."

Too many times we forget what we have and concentrate on what we don't have. What is one person's worthless object is another's prize possession. It is all based on one's perspective. Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for all the bounty we have, instead of worrying about wanting more. Take joy in all you have, especially your friends. Pass this message on.

　

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Here's the final word on nutrition and health. It's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting medical studies:
　

The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

The French eat a lot of fat and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

The Japanese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

The French drink red wine every day and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

The Italians drink excessive amounts of red wine and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

The Germans drink a lot of beers and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
　

CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.
　

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There was this Spanish guy, this Korean guy and this Russian guy

all  working for the same construction company. At the beginning of the day

the boss comes out and says to the Spanish guy, "You're in charge of the

cement."

 Then he said to the Russian guy, "You're in charge of the dirt."

 Then he said to the Korean guy, "You're in charge of the supplies."

 Then he said, "I'm gonna be back at the end of the day to check on your

work. It better be good or you're fired."

 So they all go off to go get their work done.

 At the end of the day, the boss comes back to check on their work. He looks

at the big pile of cement and goes, "Good work," to the Spanish guy. Then

he looks at the big pile of dirt and says, "Good work," to the Russian guy.

Then he couldn't find the Korean guy so he asks, "Where the heck is the

Korean guy??"

 All of a sudden, the Korean guy jumps out from behind the big pile of dirt

and yells, " SUPPLIES!"

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A man walking along a California beach was deep in prayer. All of a sudden,
he said out loud, Lord grant me one wish." Suddenly the sky clouded above
his head and in a booming voice the Lord said, "Because you have TRIED to
be faithful to me in all ways, I will grant you one wish."
The man said, "Build a bridge to Hawaii so I can drive over anytime I
want." The Lord said, "Your request is very materialistic. Think of the
enormous challenges for that kind of undertaking. The supports required to
reach the bottom of the Pacific! The concrete and steel it would take! I
can do it, but it is hard for me to justify your desire for worldly things.
Take a little more time and think of another wish, a wish you think would
honor and glorify me."

The man thought about it for a long time. Finally he said, "Lord, I wish
that I could understand women. I want to know how they feel inside, what
they are thinking when they give me the silent treatment, why they cry,
what they mean when they say 'nothing,' and how I can make a woman truly
happy."

The Lord replied, "Do you want lights on that bridge?"

　

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Critical Thinking Test
>
> The following is a test of your critical thinking skills and your ability
> to quickly analyze events. Read and answer each of the questions before
> scrolling down to the answer. Move on to the next question and do the
> same.
> There are four questions.
>
> 1. How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator?
>

> The correct answer is: Open the refrigerator put in the giraffe and close
> the door. This question tests whether you tend to do simple things in an
> overly complicated way.
> ______________________________________
> 2. How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator?
>

>
> Wrong Answer: Open the refrigerator put in the elephant and close the
> refrigerator.
>
> Correct Answer: Open the refrigerator, take out the giraffe, put in the
> elephant and close the door.
>
> This tests your ability to think through the repercussions of your
> previous
> actions.
> ____________________________________
> 3. The Lion King is hosting an animal conference. All the animals attend
> except one. Which animal does not attend?
>

>
> Correct Answer: The Elephant. The elephant is in the refrigerator.
>
> This tests your memory.
>
> OK, even if you did not answer the first three questions correctly, you
> still have one more chance to show your true abilities.
>
> __________________________________________
> 4. There is a river you must cross. But it is inhabited by
> crocodiles. How do you manage it?

>
> Correct Answer: You swim across. All the crocodiles are attending the
> Animal Conference.
>
> This tests whether you learn quickly from your mistakes.

> According to Anderson Consulting Worldwide, around 90% of the
> Professionals
> they tested got all questions wrong. But many preschoolers got several
> correct answers.

　

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BILL Gates' SPEECH TO MT. WHITNEY HIGH SCHOOL Visalia, California.

    Worthwhile reading for anyone.  To anyone with kids of any age, or

anyone who has ever been a kid, here's some advice Bill Gates recently

dished out at a high school speech about 11 things they did not and will not

learn in school.  He talks about how feel-good, politically correct

teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how

this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

  Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it.

  Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect

you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

  Rule 3: You will NOT make $40,000 a year right out of high school.  You

won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

  Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

  Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents

had

a different word for burger flipping -- they called it opportunity.

  Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about

your mistakes, learn from them.

  Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are

now.  They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and

listening to you talk about how cool you are. So before you save the rain

forest from the parasites of your parents' generation, try delousing the

closet in your own room.

  Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life

has not. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll

give

you as many times as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the

slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

  Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and

very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself.  Do that on

your own time.

  Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to

leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

  Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

To my friends....enjoy!  =)

If you should die
before me, ask if you
could bring a friend.

--  Stone Temple Pilots
 

If you live to be a hundred,
I want to live to be
a hundred minus one day,
so I never have to live
without you.

--  Winnie the Pooh

 
 

True friendship is
like sound health;
the value of it is
seldom known
until it is lost.

--  Charles Caleb Colton

A real friend
is one who walks in
when the rest
of the world walks out.


Don't
walk in front of me,
I may not follow.
Don't walk behind me,
I may not lead.
Walk beside me and
be my friend.
-- Albert Camus


Strangers are
just friends waiting to
happen.
Friends are the Bacon
Bits in the Salad
Bowl of Life.


Friendship is one mind
in two bodies.
--  Mencius



Friends are God's way of taking care of us.


I'll lean on you and
you lean on me and
we'll be okay

--  Dave Matthews

 


If all my friends were
to jump off a bridge,
I wouldn't jump with them,
I'd be at the bottom to
catch them.


Everyone hears
what you say.
Friends listen to
what you say.
Best friends
listen to what you don't
say.


We all take different
paths in life,
but no matter where we go,
we take a little of each
other everywhere.;

--  Tim McGraw



My father always used
to say that when you die,
if you've got five real friends,
then you've had a great life.;

--  Lee Iacocca



Hold a true friend with both your hands.;

--  Nigerian Proverb



A friend is someone who knows
the song in your heart
and can sing it back to you
when you have forgotten
the words.;

--  Unknown


Pass this on to all of your FRIENDS,even if it means
sending it to the person that sent it to you.
And if you receive this e-mail many times from
many different people, it only means that you have
many FRIENDS. And if you only get it but once, do not be
discouraged for you will know that you have
AT LEAST ONE GOOD FRIEND. 

　

> > I wish you enough

> > >

> > >   Recently I overheard a father and daughter in their last moments

> > > together.

> > >   They had announced her departure and standing near the security

> > gate,

> > >   they hugged and he said, " I love you. I wish you enough."

> > >

> > >   She said, "Daddy, our life together has been more than enough.

> Your

> > >   love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Daddy."

> > >

> > >   They kissed and she left. He walked over toward the window where I

> > was

> > >   seated. Standing there I could see he wanted and needed to cry. I

> > >   tried not to intrude on his privacy, but he welcomed me in by

> > asking,

> > > "Did

> > >   you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?"

> > >

> > >   "Yes, I have," I replied. Saying that brought back memories I had

> of

> > >   expressing my love and appreciation for all my Dad had done for

> me.

> > >   Recognizing that his days were limited, I took the time to tell

> him

> > >   face to face how much he meant to me. So I knew what this man was

> > >   experiencing.

> > >

> > >   "Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?" I

> > asked.

> > >

> > >   "I am old and she lives much too far away. I have challenges ahead

> > and

> > > the

> > >   reality is, the next trip back would be for my funeral, " he said.

> > >

> > >   "When you were saying good-bye I heard you say, 'I wish you

> enough."

> > >   May I ask what that means?"

> > >

> > >   He began to smile. "That's a wish that has been handed down from

> > other

> > >   generations. My parents used to say it to everyone." He paused for

> a

> > >   moment and looking up as if trying to remember it in detail, he

> > smiled

> > > even

> > >   more.

> > >

> > >   "When we said 'I wish you enough,' we were wanting the other

> person

> > to

> > >   have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them,"

> he

> > > continued,

> > >   and then turning toward me he shared the following as if he were

> > reciting

> > > it

> > >   from memory.

> > >

> > >   "I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.

> > >   I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.

> > >   I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.

> > >   I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear

> much

> > > bigger.

> > >   I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

> > >   I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

> > >   I wish enough "Hello's" to get you through the final "Good-bye."

> > >

> > >   He then began to sob and walked away.

> > >

> > >

> > >   My friends and loved ones, I wish you ENOUGH! Send this to your

> > friends

> > > and

> > >   don't forget to send it back to the one that sent it to you.

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THE "TWO-COW EXPLANATION" OF WHAT MAKES....

A CHRISTIAN:
You have two cows. You keep one and give one to your neighbor.

A SOCIALIST:
You have two cows. The government takes one and gives it to your
neighbor.

A REPUBLICAN:
You have two cows. Your neighbor has none. So what?

A DEMOCRAT:
You have two cows.  Your neighbor has none.  You feel guilty for being
successful.  You vote people into office who tax your cows,
forcing you to sell one to raise money to pay the tax. The people you
voted for then take the tax money and buy a cow and give it to your
neighbor. You feel righteous.

A COMMUNIST
You have two cows. The government seizes both and provides you with
milk.

A FASCIST:
You have two cows. The government seizes both and sells you the milk.
You join the underground and start a campaign of sabotage.

DEMOCRACY, AMERICAN STYLE:
You have two cows. The government taxes you to the point you have to
sell both to support a man in a foreign country who has only one
cow, which was a gift from your government.

CAPITALISM, AMERICAN STYLE:
You have two cows. You sell one, buy a bull, and build a herd of cows.

BUREAUCRACY, AMERICAN STYLE:
You have two cows. The government takes them both, shoots one, milks the
other, pays you for the milk, then pours the milk down the drain.

AN AMERICAN CORPORATION:
You have two cows. You sell one, and force the other to produce the milk
of four cows. You are surprised when the cow drops dead.

A FRENCH CORPORATION:
You have two cows. You go on strike because you want three cows.

A JAPANESE CORPORATION:
You have two cows. You redesign them so they are one-tenth the size of
an ordinary cow and produce twenty times the milk.

A GERMAN CORPORATION:
You have two cows. You reengineer them so they live for 100 years, eat
once a month, and milk themselves.

AN ITALIAN CORPORATION:
You have two cows but you don't know where they are. You break for
lunch.

A RUSSIAN CORPORATION:
You have two cows. You count them and learn you have five cows. You
count them again and learn you have 42 cows. You count them again and
learn you have 12 cows. You stop counting cows and open another bottle
of vodka.

A MEXICAN CORPORATION:
You think you have two cows, but you don't know what a cow looks like.
You take a nap.

A SWISS CORPORATION:
You have 5000 cows, none of which belongs to you. You charge for storing
them for others.

A BRAZILIAN CORPORATION:
You have two cows. You enter into a partnership with an American
corporation. Soon you have 1000 cows and the American corporation
declares bankruptcy.

AN INDIAN CORPORATION:
You have two cows. You worship them.

A TALIBAN CORPORTATION:
You have two cows. You turn them loose in the Afghan "countryside" and
they both die. You blame the godless American infidels.

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> I always liked these type things to help give my life perspective...enjoy!

> >

> > Subject: FIVE GREAT LESSONS

> > These are truly worth reading, even if you have seen them before:

> > 1. Most Important Lesson

> > During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz.

> > I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions,

> > until I read the last one:

> > "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the School?"

> > Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman

> > several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how

> > would I know her name? I handed in my paper,

> > leaving the last question blank.

> > Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would

> > count toward our quiz grade. "Absolutely," said the professor. "In your

> > careers,

> > you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your

> > attention

> > and care, even if all you do is smile and say 'hello'."

> > I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was

> > Dorothy.

> >

> > 2. Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain

> > One night, at 11:30 PM, an older African American woman was standing

> > on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rain storm.

> > Her car had

> > broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided

> > to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her,

> > generally unheard

> > of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety, helped

her

> > get assistance

> > and put her into a taxicab. She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote

> > down his address

> > and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door.

To

> > his

> > surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special

> > note was attached.

> > It read: "Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other

> > night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then

> > you came

> > along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's

bedside

> > just before he

> > passed away. God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving

others."

> >

> > Sincerely,

> > Mrs. Nat King Cole.

> >

> > 3. Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve

> > In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10 year old boy

> > entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass

of

> > water in

> > front of him. "How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked "Fifty cents,"

> > replied the waitress. The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket

and

> > studied

> > the coins in it. "Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he

> > inquired.

> > By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was

> > growing impatient. "Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied."

> > The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream,"

> > he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table

and

> >

> > walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left.

> > When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the

> > table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and

> > five

> > pennies. You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have

> > enough

> > left to leave her a tip.

> >

> > 4. Fourth Important Lesson - The Obstacle in Our Path

> > In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he

> > hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock.

> > Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and

> > simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the

> > roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the

way.

> >

> > Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon

> > approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to

> > move

> > the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he

> > finally

> > succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he

noticed

> > a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse

contained

> > many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was

> > for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant

> > learned what many of us never understand. Every obstacle presents an

> > opportunity to improve our condition.

> >

> > 5. Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts

> >

> > Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to

> > know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious

> > disease.

> > Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from

> > her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease

and

> > had

> > developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.

> > The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked

> > the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I

> > saw him hesitate

> > for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes, I'll do

it

> > if it will

> > save her."

> > As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and

> > smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheek.

> > Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the

> > doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right

away?"

> >

> > Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought

> > he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to

save

> > her. You

> > see, after all, understanding and attitude, are everything.

> >

> > Now you have 2 choices....

> > 1. Delete this email, or

> > 2. Forward it to people you care about.

> > I hope that you will choose No. 2 and remember..... "Work like you

> > don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt, and dance like

you do when nobody's watching."

> >

> > Have a super day.