When the going gets tough

I borrowed this from Roger @ his blog "There's Always Something"


When the Going Gets Tough...


"A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule 'braying' or whatever mules do when they fall into wells. After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened, and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery. Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back, a thought struck the mule. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back, he should shake it off and step up! This he did, blow after blow. "Shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up!" he repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought "panic" and just kept right on shaking off the dirt and stepping up. It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well. What seemed like it would bury him, actually blessed him, all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.

That's life. If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity, the adversities that come along to bury us usually have within them the potential to benefit and bless us. Remember that forgiveness, faith, prayer, praise and hope are all excellent ways to "shake it off and step up" out of the wells in which we find ourselves."

-- Father Joe Sica


click on title of post to visit Roger's blog "There's Always Something

Autumn Nostalgia

Fall is in the air. Today is a beautiful sunny day. Slight breeze, mild temperature. Autumn always makes me nostalgic. I remember when my children were small and this was the time of year to buy new clothes and send them off to school again. And then the leaves would begin to turn lovely colors and before we knew it they covered the ground to be raked up or blown away.


Autumn Memories.

Remember the pure joy of a beautiful, sun kissed fall day when you raked the leaves
And your small children watched in delight as the pile of leaves grew to tower height .

They ran down the slope as fast as they could, squealing and jumping into the big leaf pile
Burrowing deep into the brown, red and golden days of autumn.



What are some of your favorite Autumn memories

Joke Time

A little levity is in order. Enjoy.

GOTTA LOVE THE DRUNK

A man and his wife are awakened at 3 o'clock in the morning by a loud
pounding on the door.
The man gets up and goes to the door where a drunken stranger, standing
in the pouring rain, is asking for a push.
'Not a chance,' says the husband. 'It is 3 o'clock in the morning'. He
slams the door and returns to bed.
'Who was that?' asked his wife. 'Just some drunk guy asking for a push!'
'Did you help him?' she asks.
'No. I did not. It is 3 o'clock in the morning and it is pouring rain
outside!'
His wife said, 'Can't you remember about three months ago when we broke
down and those two guys helped us? You should be ashamed of yourself!'
The man dutifully shamed, gets dressed and goes out into the pouring
rain.
He calls out into the dark, 'Hello. Are you still there?'
'Yes,' comes back the answer.
'You still need a push?' calls out the husband.
'Yes! Please!' comes the reply from the darkness.
'Where are you?' asks the husband.
'Over here on the swing!' replies the drunk.

In Concert

It was 1979, and I had never heard of Luciano Pavarotti when my classmate at Georgia State University, Julius, asked me if my husband liked music. I was trying to think of something special for my husband, Sam, for his 50th birthday. I casually mentioned the occasion to Julius, a delightful and. friendly fellow who was himself a vibrant 70 year old student auditing the Philosophy class under a program of free classes for those over 65 years of age. I was nearing 50 at the time myself and was delighted to find another wise head in the sea of 19 to 25 year olds which surrounded us.

I told Julius that my husband adored music, had an excellent tenor voice himself and sang in the church choir. Julius then suggested a fine idea for a birthday surprise.

"Luciano Pavarotti is in concert at the Fox Theater here in Atlanta on this coming Saturday night. Why don't you get tickets and take your husband to hear him. Pavarotti has one of the finest tenor voices of the century and is quite a showman."

I always enjoy any concert at the Fox Theater which was built in 1929 and is one of the last remaining "grand old theaters " remaining in the US. The acoustics there are the best anywhere providing near perfect sound for any musical concert.

I decided to take a chance on the suggestion Julius made and I ordered tickets to the Pavorotti concert.

Sam and I were overwhelmed and overjoyed to be in the audience at the Fox Theater that night.There is no way to adequately describe Pavarotti's voice and stage presence and pure joy of singing and sharing of his rare talent.

We were blessed.

We ran into Julius, my classmate, in the lobby of the Fox as we were leaving the concert. Julius took me my the arm and said.
"Don't leave yet!! Pavarotti always comes back on stage and sings many, many encores."

We rushed back to our seats and basked in the wonder of Pavarotti singing, among other numbers, " Ave Maria."

The memory of that night lingers on....We ARE blessed.

But now that magnificent voice is stilled and silent.

Goodnight Sweet Prince. Sing with the Angels.

CLICK ON TITLE OF THIS POST FOR LINK TO YOUTUBE AND PAVAROTTI SINGING.

Music, the common denominator

I got a kick out of this from today's New York Times "Metropolitian Diary". I think you might like it too.



September 3, 2007
Metropolitan Diary

DEAR DIARY:

"I had on my iPod when I entered Dan’s Key Food supermarket in Riverdale several weeks ago, bopping as I grabbed a food cart.

A woman who looked to be around 70 years old, also with an iPod, tapped my shoulder. Smiling at me, she asked: “What are you listening to? I see you bopping and it makes me want to bop too.”

I told her that I was listening to the Black Eyed Peas.

She said, “I love them.”

I asked her, “And you?”

“The Gipsy Kings.”

She took off an earpiece and passed it to me, and I took of one of my earpieces and passed it to her. Smiling with nods of approval, we then switched iPods and shopped together. When we got to the cash register, we returned our respective iPods. She told me that she had enjoyed my music, and I said that I had also enjoyed hers and would look to pick up a CD. She made a few suggestions.

I hope to be as spry as this woman when I am 70, as she gave “elderly” new meaning. Age is just a number."

Marie Torrisi