A Story to Live By

What Special Someday Are We Saving For?

My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister's bureau and lifted out a tissue-wrapped package.


"This," he said, "is not a slip. This is lingerie."

He discarded the tissue and handed me the slip. It was exquisite: silk, handmade and trimmed with a cobweb of lace. The price tag with an astronomical figure on it was still attached.


"Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, at least eight or nine years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion. Well, I guess this is the occasion."


He took the slip from me and put it on the bed with the other clothes we were taking to the mortician. His hands lingered on the soft material for a moment. Then he slammed the drawer shut and turned to me.


"Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you're alive is a special occasion."


I remembered those words through the funeral and the days that followed when
I helped him and my niece attend to all the sad chores that follow an unexpected death. I thought about them on the plane returning to California from the Midwestern town where my sister's family lives. I thought about all the things that she hadn't seen or heard or done. I thought about the things that she had done without realizing that they were special.


I'm still thinking about his words, and they've changed my life. I'm reading more and dusting less. I'm sitting on the deck and admiring the view without fussing about the weeds in the garden. I'm spending more time with my family and friends and less time in committee meetings.

Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experiences to savor, not endure. I'm trying to recognize these moments now and cherish them.

I'm not "saving" anything; we use our good china and crystal for every special event--such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, the first camellia blossom.

I wear my good blazer to the market if I feel like it. My theory is if I look prosperous, I can shell out $28.49 for a small bag of groceries without wincing.
I'm not saving my good perfume for special parties; clerks in hardware stores and tellers in banks have noses that function as well as my party-going friends.
"Someday" and "one of these days" are fighting a losing battle to stay in my vocabulary. If it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now.


I'm not sure what my sister would have done had she known that she wouldn't be here for the tomorrow we all take for granted. I think she would have called family members and a few close friends. She might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend fences for past squabbles. I like to think she would have gone out for a Chinese dinner, her favorite food. I'm guessing--I'll never know.


It's those little things left undone that would make me angry if I knew that my hours were limited. Angry because I put off seeing good friends whom I was going to get in touch with--someday. Angry because I hadn't written certain letters that I intended to write--one of these days. Angry and sorry that I didn't tell my husband and daughter often enough how much I truly love them.
I'm trying very hard not to put off, hold back or save anything that would add laughter and luster to our lives.


And every morning when I open my eyes I tell myself that this is a special occasion.

Ann Wells

Ann Wells penned the column a couple of years after her sister unexpectedly died, and several years before she would lose her husband. Her work somehow made its way to the Internet, where it moves by email and chain letters, compliments of the forward button, and has been renamed "A Story to Live By." Wells, a retired secretary and occasional freelancer, was stunned that the essay, first published in The Los Angeles Times in April 1985, has been zipping through cyberspace. She doesn't even have email. "I'm as surprised as anyone," Wells said.

Triple Filter Test.

In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"

"Hold on a minute," Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."

"Triple filter?"

"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say. That's why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"

"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and."

"All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not.

Now let's try the second filter, the filter of goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"

"No, on the contrary..."

"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left: the filter of usefulness.

Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"

"No not really …”

"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"

This is why Socrates was a great philosopher & held in such high esteem.

The Best Manager

One stormy night many years ago, an elderly man and his wife entered the lobby of a small hotel in Philadelphia . Trying to get out of the rain, the couple approached the front desk hoping to get some shelter for the night.

"Could you possibly give us a room here?" the husband asked.

The clerk, a friendly man with a winning smile, looked at the couple and explained that there were three conventions in town. "All of our rooms are taken," the clerk said. "But I can't send a nice couple like you out into the rain at one o'clock in the morning. Would you perhaps be willing to sleep in my room? It's not exactly a suite, but it will be good enough to make you folks comfortable for the night."

When the couple declined, the young man pressed on. "Don't worry about me, I'll make out just fine," the clerk told them.

So the couple agreed.

As he paid his bill the next morning, the elderly man said to the clerk, "You are the kind of manager who should be the boss of the best hotel in the United States.

Maybe someday I'll build one for you."

The clerk looked at them and smiled. The three of them had a good laugh. As they drove away, the elderly couple agreed that the helpful clerk was indeed exceptional, as finding people who are both friendly and helpful isn't easy.

Two years passed. The clerk had almost forgotten the incident when he received a letter from the old man. It recalled that stormy night and enclosed a round-trip ticket to New York , asking the young man to pay them a visit.

The old man met him in New York , and led him to the corner of Fifth Avenue and 34th Street . He then pointed to a great new building there, a pale reddish stone, with turrets and watchtowers thrusting up to the sky.

"That," said the older man, "is the hotel I have just built for you to manage."

"You must be joking," the young man said.

"I can assure you I am not," said the older man, a sly smile playing around his mouth.

The older man's name was William Waldorf-Aster, and that magnificent structure was the original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. The young clerk who became its first manager was George C. Boldt. This young clerk never foresaw the turn of events that would lead him to become the manager of one of the world's most glamorous hotel.

End of A Divorce.

A newly married couple Sam and Windy completed their first year of marriage without any problem.  At the beginning of the second year, small fights were started between them. At the end of the second year, it was difficult for the both to live together.  They fight each other every day for silly matters.  And on a fine day Windy decided to leave his husband and returned to her parents.

Their parents intervened but failed to get them together.

Then they started the court proceedings for the divorce.  The court proceedings were going on. 

One day the husband got a letter from Windy. Sam opened the letter with much amusement. It read:

Dear Sam,

After my departure, I had thought about our relations.  I remember our first few months.  It was great.  I know how much you loved me.  Then I thought about the problems in our marriage.  When I deeply thought about the fights, I realized one thing.  I was wrong and was creating problems for you.  I demanded more time from you.  I made complaints about your income.  I was asking more money from you.  I was not doing my duty.  I spent time watching TV and did not do household work and complained that you are not helping me.  I was not obeying you. I did all the mistakes. I am ashamed of it.

Now I know how much I troubled you.  I was miserable and a nightmare for you.  I am sorry for what I did.  I voluntarily begging pardon for the misdeeds. Please forgive me.  I know how much you loves me.   I don't want to give any more troubles to you.  I promise, I would a nice and obedient wife to you through out our life.  I request you to come and take me home next Sunday.

However, I don't want to make any more trouble to you.  So next Sunday afternoon I'll catch a taxi and will be coming home.

With lots of love

Your wife,

Windy.
PS:  Dear Sam, I Congratulate you for winning the lottery for  $25 million

Elephant and the beggars

There were two beggars who sit in front of a famous Church. A pilgrimage site where worshipers come from different parts of the country. Every day these beggars used to sit in front of the church and beg. People give pennies in anticipation of God's blessing.

 One was blind, and the other was lame. One day there was rain and the streets were empty. They didn't get enough for the day. In the evening while they were returning home the lame saw an elephant and its mahout was coming against them. The blind beggar listened to the sound of the chain of the elephant and asked his friend whether it's an elephant passing by.

 The lame confirmed that it's an elephant. Then the blind beggar asked in a loud voice to the mahout "Hay, Do you want to gift the elephant to us". The mahout went on his way without answering the beggars.

 After a while, the lame beggar asked the blind. Are you mad? Why have asked for the elephant? Do you think he will give it to us?

 To that, the blind replied: "We don't know whether the mahout is kind enough to give us the elephant. If he give us the elephant, we would get a lot of money by selling the elephant. Even if he is not willing to give us the elephant, we have nothing to lose but a word.

 Many times our prayers are like this. We don't know whether we would get the things for which we had prayed. We don't know whether we are worthy to receive the thing to which we have prayed. Still, we pray. Without faith. Without any assurance.

Sales Hypocracy

We had an uncle who was very bold and courageous enough to raise his voice even in the middle of the crowd.   One day as our local church was celebrating its annual festival, and there comes a medicine seller who was thin and skinny.  In the street corner he placed his box.  Upon the box he displayed medicine bottles along with two pictures of a guy, before and after using the medicine.

He was calling people and telling them the qualities of the medicine.  One picture shows the photo of a man with skinny and thin body taken before using the medicine.  Another photo shows the healthy body of the same guy after using the medicine.  The medicine seller was calling people and many were gathered around him to listen about the medicine.  He was claiming that if you use the medicine for a month or two your body will turn healthy enough to do any hard work just as in the picture.

Our uncle also came there and was listening his claims.  After listening him for a few minutes, uncle attracted the attention of the crowed by clapping his hands and told the crowd and the medicine seller that first the medicine seller should use the medicine and prove that the medicine will work in his body then we will buy the medicine.  Everyone gathered around agreed the suggestion of the uncle and left immediately.  Sadly medicine seller also packed his things and left.  I remember the incident very often. 

I know president

There was a group of friends who gather together every evening in the street corner after their day's work. They talk about different issues and problems. Do some gossip. Share their knowledge etc. One evening Mr. Albert told his friends that He knows the President and named some important figures and told that he know them very well.

While returning Mr. Bob thought that "my son has done his graduation and is jobless. My friend Mr. Albert  knows the President and many important people in the society.  Let me ask Mr. Albert for a favour.  If he makes a request to the President, perhaps by the recommendation of President, my son could get a job in a good organization.

The other day Mr. Bob met Mr. Albert and said: "You know President and other important persons in the society very well. So could I ask you to do me a favour.  My son did his graduation and jobless.  I am sure, if you ask the president, he could arrange a job for my son.

Mr. Albert Replied: "My friend Mr. Bob. I know President and many influential people in the society but the truth is that they don't know me.

There are people around us who boast themselves that they have good connections with those who are in power. When you approach them for a help, they will show their helplessness. They will turn you down.

But there is one who is there to help you, who controls the universe. Who knows everything. He is God. He will not turn you down when you approach Him for a help. He will show you the way. He will guide you, lead you and counsel you.

Let us go to His feet in prayer. The help is sure.