amazing love stories

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2009-10-01T13:43:00.004+05:30

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2009-08-11T01:25:00.005+05:30

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Very cheap glasses for your children

2009-07-31T00:56:00.003+05:30

In these hard times and at the middle of a recession, all of us are trying to save some money no matter how little it is. One gets very irritated when his/her child breaks the prescription glasses. But now it is possible to get $8 Rx eyeglasses. Don't believe me? Go check out the video of Zenni Optical on TV!!! Sounds great, right! So let's all of us give a high five to Zenni Optical.
We really have to think of getting out of this recession through saving money on small items. If all of us save money through small efforts then this recession will definitely not last long.

All Over by: Guy de Maupassant

2008-10-26T00:55:00.001+05:30

Comte de Lormerin had just finished dressing. He cast a parting glance at the large mirror which occupied an entire panel in his dressing-room and smiled.
He was really a fine-looking man still, although quite gray. Tall, slight, elegant, with no sign of a paunch, with a small mustache of doubtful shade, which might be called fair, he had a walk, a nobility, a "chic," in short, that indescribable something which establishes a greater difference between two men than would millions of money. He murmured:
"Lormerin is still alive!"
And he went into the drawing-room where his correspondence awaited him.
On his table, where everything had its place, the work table of the gentleman who never works, there were a dozen letters lying beside three newspapers of different opinions. With a single touch he spread out all these letters, like a gambler giving the choice of a card; and he scanned the handwriting, a thing he did each morning before opening the envelopes.
It was for him a moment of delightful expectancy, of inquiry and vague anxiety. What did these sealed mysterious letters bring him? What did they contain of pleasure, of happiness, or of grief? He surveyed them with a rapid sweep of the eye, recognizing the writing, selecting them, making two or three lots, according to what he expected from them. Here, friends; there, persons to whom he was indifferent; further on, strangers. The last kind always gave him a little uneasiness. What did they want from him? What hand had traced those curious characters full of thoughts, promises, or threats?
This day one letter in particular caught his eye. It was simple, nevertheless, without seeming to reveal anything; but he looked at it uneasily, with a sort of chill at his heart. He thought: "From whom can it be? I certainly know this writing, and yet I can't identify it."
He raised it to a level with his face, holding it delicately between two fingers, striving to read through the envelope, without making up his mind to open it.
Then he smelled it, and snatched up from the table a little magnifying glass which he used in studying all the niceties of handwriting. He suddenly felt unnerved. "Whom is it from? This hand is familiar to me, very familiar. I must have often read its tracings, yes, very often. But this must have been a long, long time ago. Whom the deuce can it be from? Pooh! it's only somebody asking for money."
And he tore open the letter. Then he read:
My Dear Friend: You have, without doubt, forgotten me, for it is now twenty-five years since we saw each other. I was young; I am old. When I bade you farewell, I left Paris in order to follow into the provinces my husband, my old husband, whom you used to call "my hospital." Do you remember him? He died five years ago, and now I am returning to Paris to get my daughter married, for I have a daughter, a beautiful girl of eighteen, whom you have never seen. I informed you of her birth, but you certainly did not pay much attention to so trifling an event.
You are still the handsome Lormerin; so I have been told. Well if you still recollect little Lise, whom you used to call Lison, come and dine with her this evening, with the elderly Baronne de Vance, your ever faithful friend, who, with some emotion, although happy, reaches out to you a devoted hand, which you must clasp, but no longer kiss, my poor Jaquelet.
Lise de Vance.
Lormerin's heart began to throb. He remained sunk in his armchair with the letter on his knees, staring straight before him, overcome by a poignant emotion that made the tears mount up to his eyes! If he had ever loved a woman in his life it was this one, little Lise, Lise de Vance, whom he called "Ashflower," on account of the strange color of her hair and the pale gray of her eyes. Oh! what a dainty, pretty, charming creature she was, this frail baronne, the wife of that gouty, pimply baron, who had abruptly carried her off to the provinces, shut her up, kept her in seclusion through jealousy, jealousy of the handsome Lormerin.
Yes, he had loved her, and he believed that he, too, had been truly loved. She familiarly gave him the name of Jaquelet, and would pronounce that word in a delicious fashion.
A thousand forgotten memories came back to him, far off and sweet and melancholy now. One evening she had called on him on her way home from a ball, and they went for a stroll in the Bois de Boulogne, she in evening dress, he in his dressing-jacket. It was springtime; the weather was beautiful. The fragrance from her bodice embalmed the warm air--the odor of her bodice, and perhaps, too, the fragrance of her skin. What a divine night! When they reached the lake, as the moon's rays fell across the branches into the water, she began to weep. A little surprised, he asked her why.
She replied:
"I don't know. The moon and the water have affected me. Every time I see poetic things I have a tightening at the heart, and I have to cry."
He smiled, affected himself, considering her feminine emotion charming--the unaffected emotion of a poor little woman whom every sensation overwhelms. And he embraced her passionately, stammering:
"My little Lise, you are exquisite."
What a charming love affair, short-lived and dainty, it had been and over all too quickly, cut short in the midst of its ardor by this old brute of a baron, who had carried off his wife, and never let any one see her afterward.
Lormerin had forgotten, in fact, at the end of two or three months. One woman drives out another so quickly in Paris, when one is a bachelor! No matter; he had kept a little altar for her in his heart, for he had loved her alone! He assured himself now that this was so.
He rose, and said aloud: "Certainly, I will go and dine with her this evening!"
And instinctively he turned toward the mirror to inspect himself from head to foot. He reflected: "She must look very old, older than I look." And he felt gratified at the thought of showing himself to her still handsome, still fresh, of astonishing her, perhaps of filling her with emotion, and making her regret those bygone days so far, far distant!
He turned his attention to the other letters. They were of no importance.
The whole day he kept thinking of this ghost of other days. What was she like now? How strange it was to meet in this way after twenty-five years! But would he recognize her?
He made his toilet with feminine coquetry, put on a white waistcoat, which suited him better with the coat than a black one, sent for the hairdresser to give him a finishing touch with the curling iron, for he had preserved his hair, and started very early in order to show his eagerness to see her.
The first thing he saw on entering a pretty drawing-room newly furnished was his own portrait, an old faded photograph, dating from the days when he was a beau, hanging on the wall in an antique silk frame.
He sat down and waited. A door opened behind him. He rose up abruptly, and, turning round, beheld an old woman with white hair who extended both hands toward him.
He seized them, kissed them one after the other several times; then, lifting up his head, he gazed at the woman he had loved.
Yes, it was an old lady, an old lady whom he did not recognize, and who, while she smiled, seemed ready to weep.
He could not abstain from murmuring:
"Is it you, Lise?"
She replied:
"Yes, it is I; it is I, indeed. You would not have known me, would you? I have had so much sorrow--so much sorrow. Sorrow has consumed my life. Look at me now--or, rather, don't look at me! But how handsome you have kept--and young! If I had by chance met you in the street I would have exclaimed: 'Jaquelet!' Now, sit down and let us, first of all, have a chat. And then I will call my daughter, my grown-up daughter. You'll see how she resembles me--or, rather, how I resembled her--no, it is not quite that; she is just like the 'me' of former days--you shall see! But I wanted to be alone with you first. I feared that there would be some emotion on my side, at the first moment. Now it is all over; it is past. Pray be seated, my friend."
He sat down beside her, holding her hand; but he did not know what to say; he did not know this woman--it seemed to him that he had never seen her before. Why had he come to this house? What could he talk about? Of the long ago? What was there in common between him and her? He could no longer recall anything in presence of this grandmotherly face. He could no longer recall all the nice, tender things, so sweet, so bitter, that had come to his mind that morning when he thought of the other, of little Lise, of the dainty Ashflower. What, then, had become of her, the former one, the one he had loved? That woman of far-off dreams, the blonde with gray eyes, the young girl who used to call him "Jaquelet" so prettily?
They remained side by side, motionless, both constrained, troubled, profoundly ill at ease.
As they talked only commonplaces, awkwardly and spasmodically and slowly, she rose and pressed the button of the bell.
"I am going to call Renée," she said.
There was a tap at the door, then the rustle of a dress; then a young voice exclaimed:
"Here I am, mamma!"
Lormerin remained bewildered as at the sight of an apparition.
He stammered:
"Good-day, mademoiselle."
Then, turning toward the mother:
"Oh! it is you!"
In fact, it was she, she whom he had known in bygone days, the Lise who had vanished and come back! In her he found the woman he had won twenty-five years before. This one was even younger, fresher, more childlike.
He felt a wild desire to open his arms, to clasp her to his heart again, murmuring in her ear:
"Good-morning, Lison!"
A man-servant announced:
"Dinner is ready, madame."
And they proceeded toward the dining-room.
What passed at this dinner? What did they say to him, and what could he say in reply? He found himself plunged in one of those strange dreams which border on insanity. He gazed at the two women with a fixed idea in his mind, a morbid, self-contradictory idea:
"Which is the real one?"
The mother smiled, repeating over and over again:
"Do you remember?" And it was in the bright eyes of the young girl that he found again his memories of the past. Twenty times he opened his mouth to say to her: "Do you remember, Lison?" forgetting this white-haired lady who was looking at him tenderly.
And yet, there were moments when he no longer felt sure, when he lost his head. He could see that the woman of to-day was not exactly the woman of long ago. The other one, the former one, had in her voice, in her glances, in her entire being, something which he did not find again. And he made prodigious efforts of mind to recall his lady love, to seize again what had escaped from her, what this resuscitated one did not possess.
The baronne said:
"You have lost your old vivacity, my poor friend."
He murmured:
"There are many other things that I have lost!"
But in his heart, touched with emotion, he felt his old love springing to life once more, like an awakened wild beast ready to bite him.
The young girl went on chattering, and every now and then some familiar intonation, some expression of her mother's, a certain style of speaking and thinking, that resemblance of mind and manner which people acquire by living together, shook Lormerin from head to foot. All these things penetrated him, making the reopened wound of his passion bleed anew.
He got away early, and took a turn along the boulevard. But the image of this young girl pursued him, haunted him, quickened his heart, inflamed his blood. Apart from the two women, he now saw only one, a young one, the old one come back out of the past, and he loved her as he had loved her in bygone years. He loved her with greater ardor, after an interval of twenty-five years.
He went home to reflect on this strange and terrible thing, and to think what he should do.
But, as he was passing, with a wax candle in his hand, before the glass, the large glass in which he had contemplated himself and admired himself before he started, he saw reflected there an elderly, gray-haired man; and suddenly he recollected what he had been in olden days, in the days of little Lise. He saw himself charming and handsome, as he had been when he was loved! Then, drawing the light nearer, he looked at himself more closely, as one inspects a strange thing with a magnifying glass, tracing the wrinkles, discovering those frightful ravages, which he had not perceived till now.
And he sat down, crushed at the sight of himself, at the sight of his lamentable image, murmuring:
"All over, Lormerin!"

Across The Way By Robert Grant

2008-10-26T00:53:00.001+05:30

The news that the late Mr. Cherrington's house on Saville Street had been let for a school, within a few months after his death, could not have been a surprise to any one in the neighborhood. Ten years before, when Mr. Cherrington and those prominent in his generation were in their heyday, Saville Street had been sacred to private residences from one end to the other, but the tide of fashion had been drifting latterly. There was already another school in the same block, and there were scattered all along on either side of the street a sprinkling of throat, eye, and ear doctors, a very fashionable dressmaker or two, an up-town bank, and numerous apartments for bachelors.
The news could not have been a surprise even to Mr. Homer Ramsay, but that crusty old bachelor in the seventies brought down his walking-stick with a vicious thump when he heard it, and remarked that he would live to be ninety "if only to spite 'em." This threat, however, had reference, not to Mr. Cherrington's residence, but his own, which was exactly opposite, and which he had occupied for more than forty years. It was a conviction of Mr. Ramsay's that there was a conspiracy on foot to purchase his house, and accordingly he took every opportunity to declare that he would never part with an inch of his land while he was in the flesh. A wag in the neighborhood had expressed the opinion that the old gentleman waxed hale and hearty on his own bile. He was certainly a churlish individual in his general bearing toward his fellow-beings, and violent in his prejudices. For the last ten years his favorite prophecy had been that the country was going to the devil.
Besides the house on Saville Street, Mr. Ramsay had some bonds and stock--fifty or sixty thousand dollars in all--which tidy little property would, in the natural course of events, descend to his next of kin; in this case, however, only a first cousin once removed. In the eye of the law a living person has no heir; but blood is thicker than water, and it was generally taken for granted that Mr. Horace Barker, whose grandmother had been the sister of Mr. Ramsay's father, would some day be the owner of the house on Saville Street. At least, confident expectation that this would come to pass had long restrained Mr. Barker from letting any one but his better half know that he regarded his Cousin Homer as an irascible old curmudgeon; and perhaps, on the other hand, had justified Mr. Ramsay in his own mind for referring in common parlance to his first cousin once removed as a stiff nincompoop who had married a sickly doll. Not that Mr. Horace Barker needed the money, by any means. He was well-to-do already, and lived in a more fashionable street than Saville Street, where he occupied a dignified-looking brown-stone house, from the windows of which his three little people--all girls--peeped and nodded at the organ-grinder and the street-band.
The name of the person to whom Mr. Cherrington's house had been leased was Miss Elizabeth Whyte. She was twenty-five, and she was starting a school because it was necessary for her to earn her own living. She considered that life, from the point of view of happiness, was over for her; and yet, though she had made up her mind that she could never be really happy again, she was resolved neither to mope nor to be a burden on any one. Mr. Mills, the executor of Mr. Cherrington's estate, who believed himself to be a judge of human nature withal, had observed that she seemed a little overwrought, as though she had lived on her nerves; but, on the other hand, he had been impressed by her direct, business-like manner, which argued that she was very much in earnest. Besides, she was vouched for by the best people, and Mrs. Cyrus Bangs was moving heaven and earth to procure pupils for her. It was clearly his duty as a business man to let her have the house.
Until within a few months Elizabeth Whyte had lived in a neighboring town--the seat of a college, where the minds of young men for successive generations have been cultivated, but sometimes at the expense of a long-suffering local community. Her father, who at the time of her birth was a clergyman with a parish, had subsequently evolved into an agnostic and an invalid without one, and she had been used to plain living and high thinking from her girlhood. Even parents who find it difficult to keep the wolf at a respectful distance by untiring economy will devise some means to make an only daughter look presentable on her first appearance in society. Fine feathers do not make fine birds, and yet the consciousness of a becoming gown will irradiate the cheek of beauty. Elizabeth at eighteen would have been fetching in any dress, but in each of her three new evening frocks she looked bewitching. She was a gay, trig little person, with snapping, dark eyes and an arch expression; a tireless dancer, quick and audacious at repartee; the very ideal of a college belle. The student world had fallen prostrate at her feet, and Tom Whittemore most conspicuously and devotedly of all.
Tom was, perhaps, the most popular man of his day; a Philadelphian of reputedly superfine stock, fresh-faced and athletic, with a jaunty walk. There was no one at the college assemblies who whispered so entrancingly in her ear when she was all alone with him in a corner, and no one who placed her new fleecy wrap about her shoulders with such an air of devotion when it was time to go home. She liked him from the very first; and all her girl friends babbled, "Wouldn't it be a lovely match?" But Tom's classmates from Philadelphia, when they became confidential in the small hours of the morning, asked each other what Tom's mother would say. Tom was a senior, and it was generally assumed that matters would culminate on Class-day evening, that evening of all evenings in the collegiate world sacred to explanation and vows. Elizabeth lay awake all that night, remembering that she had let Tom have his impetuous say, and that at the end he had folded her in his arms and kissed her. Not until the next morning, and then merely as an unimportant fact, did it occur to her that, though Tom had told her she was dearer to him than all the world besides, there was no definite engagement between them. It was only when whispers reached her that Tom, who had gone to Philadelphia to attend the wedding of a relation, was not coming back to his Commencement, that she began to think a little. But she never really doubted until the news came that Tom had been packed off by his mother on a two years' journey round the world.
What mother in a distant city would be particularly pleased to have her only son, on whom rested the hopes of an illustrious stock, lose his heart to a college belle? But Elizabeth can scarcely be blamed for not having taken the illustrious stock into consideration. She kept saying to herself, that, if he had only written, she could have forgiven him; and it was not surprising that the partners with whom she danced at the college assemblies during the next five years described her to each other as steely. Indeed, she danced and prattled with such vivacious energy, and her black eyes shone so like beads, that college tradition twisted her story until it ran that she had thrown over Tom Whittemore, the most popular man of his day, and that she had no more heart than a nether millstone. And all the time, just to prove to herself that she had not cared for him, she kept the roses that he had given her on that Class-day evening in the secret drawer of her work-box. It had been all sheer nonsense, a boy and girl flirtation. So she had taught herself to argue, knowing that it was untrue, and knowing that she knew it to be so.
Then had come the deaths of her father and mother within three months of each other, and she had awakened one morning to the consciousness that she was alone in the world, and face to face with the necessity of earning her daily bread. The gentleman who had charge of the few thousand dollars belonging to her father's estate, in announcing that her bonds had ceased to pay interest, had added that she was in the same boat with many of the best people; which ought to have been a consolation, had she needed any. But this loss of the means of living had seemed a mere trifle beside her other griefs; indeed, it acted as a spur rather than a bludgeon. The same pride which had prompted her to continue to dance bade her bestir herself to make a living. Upon reflection, the plan of starting a school struck her as the most practicable. But it should be a school for girls; she had done with the world of men. She had loved with all her heart, and her heart was broken; it was withered, like the handful of dried roses in the secret drawer of her work-box.
* * * * *
Elizabeth was fortunate enough to obtain at the outset the patronage of some of those same "best people" in the adjacent city, who happened to know her story. Fashionable favor grows apace. It was only after hearing that Mrs. Cyrus Bangs had intrusted her little girl to the tender mercies of Miss Whyte that Mrs. Horace Barker subdued the visions of scarlet-fever, bad air, and evil communications which haunted her, sufficiently to be willing to send her own darlings to the new kindergarten. People intimate with Mrs. Barker were apt to say that worry over her three little girls, who were exceptionally healthy children, kept her a nervous invalid.
"I consider Mrs. Cyrus Bangs a very particular woman," she said, with plaintive impressiveness to her husband. "If she is willing to send her Gwendolen to Miss Whyte, I am disposed to let Margery, Gladys, and Dorothy go. Only you must have a very clear understanding with Miss Whyte, at the outset, as to hours and ventilation and Gladys's hot milk. We cannot move from the seaside until a fortnight after her term begins, and it will be utterly impossible for me to get the children to school in the mornings before half-past nine."
It never occurred to Horace Barker, when one morning about ten o'clock, some six weeks later, he called at the kindergarten with his precious trio, that there was any impropriety in breaking in upon Miss Whyte's occupations an hour after school had begun. What school-mistress could fail to be proud of the distinction of obtaining his three daughters as pupils at any hour of the twenty-four when he saw fit to proffer them? He expected to find a cringing, deferential young person, who would, in the interest of her own bread and butter, accede without a murmur to any stipulations which so important a patroness as Mrs. Horace Barker might see fit to impose. He became conscious, in the first place, that the school-mistress was a much more attractive-looking young person than he had anticipated, and secondly, that she seemed rather amused than otherwise at his conditions. No man, and least of all a man so consummate as Mr. Barker--for he was a dapper little person with a closely cropped beard and irreproachable kid gloves--likes to be laughed at by a woman, especially by one who is young and moderately good-looking; and he instinctively drew himself up by way of protest before Elizabeth spoke.
"Really, Mr. Barker," she replied, after a few moments of reflection, "I don't see how it is possible for me to carry out Mrs. Barker's wishes. To let the children come half an hour later and go home half an hour earlier than the rest would interfere with the proper conduct of the school. I will do my best to have the ventilation satisfactory, and perhaps I can manage to provide some hot milk for the second one, as her mother desires; but in the matter of the hours, I do not see how I can accommodate Mrs. Barker. To make such an exception would be entirely contrary to my principles."
Horace Barker smiled inwardly at the suggestion that a school-mistress could have principles which an influential parent might not violate.
"When I say to you that it is Mrs. Barker's particular desire that her preferences regarding hours should be observed, I am sure that you will interpose no further objection."
Elizabeth gave a strange little laugh, and her eyes, which were still her most salient feature, snapped noticeably. "It is quite out of the question, Mr. Barker," she said with decision. "Much as I should like to have your little girls, I cannot consent to break my rules on their account."
"Mrs. Barker would be very sorry to be compelled to send her children elsewhere," he said solemnly, with the air of one who utters a dire threat.
"I should be glad to teach your little girls upon the same terms as I do my other pupils," said Elizabeth, quietly. "But if my regulations are unsatisfactory, you had better send them elsewhere."
Horace Barker was a man who prided himself on his deportment. He would no more have condescended to express himself with irate impetuosity than he would have permitted his closely cropped beard to exceed the limits which he imposed upon it. He simply bowed stiffly, and turning to the Misses Barker, who, under the supervision of a nurse, whom they had been taught to address by her patronymic Thompson instead of by her Christian name Bridget, had been open-mouthed listeners to the dialogue, said, "Come, children."
It so happened that as Mr. Horace Barker and the Misses Barker descended the steps of the late Mr. Cherrington's house, they came plump upon Mr. Homer Ramsay, who was taking his morning stroll. The old gentleman was standing leaning on his cane, glaring across the street; and, by way of acknowledging that he perceived his first cousin once removed, he raised the cane, and, pointing in the line of his scowling gaze, ejaculated:
"This street is going to perdition. As though it weren't enough to have a school opposite me, a fellow has had the impudence to put his doctor's sign right next door to my house--an oculist, he calls himself. In my day, a man who was fit to call himself a doctor could set a leg, or examine your eyes, or tell what was the matter with your throat, and not leave you so very much the wiser even then; but now there's a different kind of quack for every ache and pain in our bodies."
"We live in a progressive world, Cousin Homer," said Mr. Barker, placing his eyeglass astride his nose to examine the obnoxious sign across the way. "Dr. James Clay, Oculist," he read aloud, indifferently.
"Progressive fiddlesticks, Cousin Horace. A fig for your oculists and your dermatologists and all the rest of your specialists! I have managed to live to be seventy-five, and I never had anybody prescribe for me but a good old-fashioned doctor, thank Heaven! And I'm not dead yet, as the speculators who have their eyes on my house and are waiting for me to die will find out." Mr. Ramsay scowled ferociously; then casting a sweeping glance from under his eyebrows at the little girls, he said, "Cousin Horace, if your children don't have better health than their mother, they might as well be dead. Do they go there?" he asked, indicating the school-house with his cane.
"I am removing them this morning. Anabel had concluded to send them there, but I find that the young woman who is the teacher has such hoity-toity notions that I cannot consent to let my daughters remain with her. In my opinion, so arbitrary a young person should be checked; and my belief is that before many days she will find herself without pupils." Whereupon Mr. Barker proceeded on his way, muttering to himself, when at a safe distance, "Irrational old idiot!"
Mr. Ramsay stood for some moments mulling over his cousin's answer; by degrees his countenance brightened and he began to chuckle; and every now and then, in the course of his progress along Saville Street, he would stand and look back at the late Mr. Cherrington's house, as though it had acquired a new interest in his eyes. His daily promenade was six times up and six times down Saville Street; and he happened to complete the last lap, so to speak, of his sixth time down at the very moment when Miss Whyte's little girls came running out on the sidewalk for recess. Behind them appeared the school-mistress, who stood looking at her flock from the top of the stone flight.
Elizabeth knew the old gentleman by sight but not by name, and she was therefore considerably astonished to see him suddenly veer from his ordinary course, and come slowly up the steps.
"You're the school-mistress?" he asked, with the directness of an old man who feels that he need not mince his words.
"Yes, sir. I'm Miss Whyte."
"My name's Ramsay; Homer Ramsay. I live opposite, and I've come to tell you I admire your pluck in not letting my cousin, Horace Barker, put you down. I'll stand by you, too; you can tell him that. Break up your school? I should like to see him do it. Had to take his three little girls away, did he? Ho, ho! A grand good joke that; a grand good joke. What was it he asked you to do?"
"Mr. Barker wished me to change some of my rules about hours, and I was not able to accommodate him, that was all," answered Elizabeth, who found herself eminently puzzled by the interest in her affairs displayed by this strange visitor.
"I'll warrant he did. And you wouldn't make the change. A grand good joke that. I know him; he's my first cousin once removed, and the only relation I've left. And he is going to try and break up your school. I'd like to see him do it."
"I don't believe that Mr. Barker would do anything so unjust," said Elizabeth, flushing.
"Yes, he would. I had it from his own lips. But he shan't; not while I'm in the flesh. What did you say your name was?"
"Whyte--Elizabeth Whyte."
"And what made you become a school-teacher, I should like to know?"
"I had to earn my living."
"Humph! In my day, girls as pretty as you got married; but now the rich ones are those who get husbands, and those who are poor have to tend shop instead of baby."
"I know a number of girls who were poor, who have excellent husbands," said Elizabeth quietly, spurred into coming to the rescue of the sex she despised. "But," she added, "there are many girls nowadays who are poor who prefer to remain single." She was amused at having been led into so unusual a discussion with this queer old gentleman.
"Bah! That caps the climax. When pretty girls pretend that they don't wish to be married, the world is certainly turned upside down. Well, I like your spirit, though I don't approve of your methods. I just dropped in to say that if Horace Barker does cause you any trouble, you've a friend across the way. Good-morning."
And before Elizabeth could bethink herself to say that she was very much obliged to him, Mr. Ramsay was gone.
That very day after school, while Elizabeth was on her way across the park which lay between Saville Street and the section of the city where her rooms were, she dodged the wrong way in a narrow path, so that she ran plump into the arms of a young man who was walking in the opposite direction. Most women expect men to look out for them when they dodge, but Elizabeth's code did not allow her to put herself under obligations to any man. To tell the truth, she was in such a brown study over the events of the morning that she had become practically oblivious of her surroundings. When she recovered sufficiently from her confusion at her clumsiness to take in the details of the situation, she realized that the individual in question was a young man whom she was in the habit of passing daily at this same hour. Only the day before he had rescued her veil which had been swept away by a high wind; and here she was again, within twenty-four hours, forcing herself upon his attention. She, too, of all women, who had done with men forever!
But Elizabeth's confusion was slight compared with that manifested by her victim, who, notwithstanding that his hat had been jammed in by her school-bag (which she had raised as a shield), was so profuse in the utterance of his apologies and so willing to shoulder all responsibility, that her own sensibilities were speedily comforted. She found herself, after they had separated, much more engrossed by the fact that he had addressed her by name. Although they had been passing each other daily for over two months, it had never occurred to her to wonder who he might be. But it was evident that she was not unknown to him. She remembered now merely that he was a gentleman, and that he had intelligent eyes and a pleasant, deferential smile. The recollection of his blushing diffidence made her laugh.
On the following day, when they were about to pass as usual, she was suddenly confronted in her mind by the alternative whether to recognize him or not. A glance at him as he approached told her that he himself was evidently uncertain if she would choose to consider their experience of the previous day as equivalent to an introduction, and yet she noticed a certain wistfulness of expression which suggested the desire to be permitted to doff his hat to her. To acknowledge by a simple inclination of her head the existence of a man whom she was likely to pass every day seemed the natural thing to do, however unconventional; so she bowed.
"Good afternoon, Miss Whyte," he said, lifting his hat with a glad smile.
How completely our lives are often appropriated by incidents which seem at the time of but slight importance! For the next few months Elizabeth was buffeted as it were between the persistent persecution of Mr. Horace Barker and the persistent devotion of Mr. Homer Ramsay. With Mr. Barker she had no further interview, but not many weeks elapsed before the influence of malicious strictures and insinuations circulated by him concerning the hygienic arrangements of her school began to bear their natural fruit. Parents became querulous and suspicious; and when calumny was at its height, a case of scarlet-fever among her pupils threw consternation even into the soul of Mrs. Cyrus Bangs, her chief patroness. But, on the other hand, she soon realized that she possessed an ardent, if not altogether discreet, champion in her enemy's septuagenarian first cousin once removed, who sang her praises and fought her battles from one end of Saville Street to the other. Mr. Ramsay no longer railed against electric cars and specialists; all his fulminations were uttered against the malicious warfare which his Cousin Horace and that blood relative's sickly wife were waging against the charming little Miss Whyte, who had hired Mr. Cherrington's house across the way. What is more, he paid Elizabeth almost daily visits, during which, after he had discussed ways and means for confounding his vindictive kinsman, he was apt to declare that she ought to be married, and that it was a downright shame so pretty a girl should be condemned to drudgery because she lacked a dowry. This was a point on which the old gentleman never ceased to harp; and Elizabeth labored vainly to make him understand that teaching was a delight to her instead of a drudgery, and that she had not the remotest desire for a husband. And by way of proving how indifferent she was to the whole race of men, she continued to bow to the unknown stranger of her daily walk without making the slightest effort to discover his name.
Pneumonia, that deadly foe of hale and hearty septuagenarians, carried Mr. Homer Ramsay off within forty-eight hours in the first week of May. And very shortly after, Elizabeth received a letter from Mr. Mills, the lawyer, requesting her to call on a matter of importance. She supposed that it concerned her lease. Perhaps her enemy had bought the roof over her head.
Mr. Mills ushered her into his private office. Then opening a parchment envelope on his desk, he turned to her, and said: "I have the pleasure to inform you, Miss Whyte, that my client, the late Mr. Homer Ramsay, has left you the residuary legatee of his entire property--some fifty or sixty thousand dollars. Perhaps," he added, observing Elizabeth's bewildered expression, "you would like to read the will while I attend to a little matter in the other office. It is quite short, and straight as a string. I drew the instrument, and the testator knew what he was about just as well as you or I."
Mr. Mills, who, as you may remember, was a student of human nature, believed that Miss Whyte lived on her nerves, and he had therefore planned to leave her alone for a few moments to allow any hysterical tendency to exhaust itself. When he returned, he found her looking straight before her with the document in her lap.
"Is it all plain?" he asked kindly.
"Yes. But I don't understand exactly why he left it to me."
"Because he liked you, my dear. He had become very fond of you. And if you will excuse my saying so," he added, with a knowing smile, "he was very anxious to see you well married. He said that he wished to provide you with a suitable dowry."
"I see," said Elizabeth, coloring. She reflected for a moment, then looked up and said, "But I am free to use it as I see fit?"
"Absolutely. I may as well tell you now as any time, however," Mr. Mills added smoothly, "that Mr. Ramsay's cousin, Mr. Horace Barker, has expressed an intention to contest the will. He is the next of kin, though only a first cousin once removed."
Elizabeth started at the name, and drew herself up slightly.
"You need not give yourself the smallest concern in the matter," the lawyer continued. "If Mr. Barker were in needy circumstances or were a nearer relative, he might be able to make out a case, but no jury will hesitate between a first cousin once removed, amply rich in this world's goods, and a--a--pretty woman. I myself am ready to testify that Mr. Ramsay was completely in his right mind," he added, with professional dignity; "and as for the claim of undue influence, it is rubbish--sheer rubbish."
Elizabeth sat for a few moments without speaking. She seemed to pay no heed to several further reassuring remarks which Mr. Mills, who judged that she was appalled by the idea of a legal contest, hastened to let fall. At last she looked straight at him, and said with firmness, "I suppose that I am at liberty not to take this money, if I don't wish to?"
"At liberty? Bless my stars, Miss Whyte, anybody is at liberty to refuse a gift of fifty thousand dollars. But when you call to see me again, you will be laughing at the very notion of such a thing. Go home, my dear young lady, and leave the matter in my hands. Naturally you are overwrought at the prospect of going into court."
"It isn't that, Mr. Mills. I cannot take this money; I have no right to it. I am no relation to Mr. Ramsay, and the only reason he left it to me was--was because he thought it would help me to be married. Otherwise he would have left it to Mr. Barker. I have no intention of marrying, and I should not be willing to take a fortune under such circumstances."
"The will is perfectly legal, my dear. And as to marrying, you are free to remain single all your days, if you wish to," said Mr. Mills, with another knowing smile. "Indeed, you are overwrought."
Elizabeth shook her head. "I am sure that I shall never change my mind," she answered. "I could never take it."
Elizabeth slept little that night; but when she arose in the morning, she felt doubly certain that she had acted to her own satisfaction. What real right had she to this money? It was coming to her as the result of the fancy of an eccentric old man, who, in a moment of needless pity and passing interest, had made a will in her favor to the prejudice of his natural heir. Of what odds was it that that heir had ample means already, or even that he was her bitter enemy? Did not the very fact that he was her enemy and that she despised him make it impossible for her to take advantage of an old man's whim so as to rob him? She would have no lawsuit; he might keep the fifty thousand dollars, and she would go her way as though Mr. Homer Ramsay and Mr. Horace Barker had never existed. Mr. Ramsay had left her his money on the assumption that she would be able to marry. To have taken it knowing that she intended never to marry would have been to take it under false pretences.
Mr. Mills consoled himself after much additional expostulation with the reflection that if a woman is bent on making a fool of herself, the wisest man in the world is helpless to prevent her. He set himself at last to prepare the necessary papers which would put Mr. Horace Barker in possession of his cousin's property; and very shortly the act of signal folly, as he termed it, was completed. Tongues in the neighborhood wagged energetically for a few days; but presently the birth of twins in the next block distracted the public mind, and Elizabeth was allowed to resume the vocation of an inconspicuous schoolmistress. From the object of her bounty, Mr. Horace Barker, she heard nothing directly; but at least he had the grace to discontinue his persecutions. And parental confidence, which, in spite of scarlet-fever, had never been wholly lost, was manifested in the form of numerous applications to take pupils for the coming year. For the first time for many weeks Elizabeth was in excellent spirits and was looking forward to the summer vacation, now close at hand; during which she hoped to be able to fit herself more thoroughly for her duties after a few weeks of necessary rest.
One evening, about a fortnight before the date when the school was to close, she noticed that the print of her book seemed blurred; she turned the page and, perceiving the same effect, realized that her vision was impaired. On the following morning at school she noticed the same peculiarity whenever she looked at a book. She concluded that it was but a passing weakness, the result of having studied too assiduously at night. Still, recognizing that her eyes were all-important to her, she decided to consult an oculist at once. It would be a simple matter to do, for was there not one directly opposite in the house next to Mr. Ramsay's? The sign, Dr. James Clay, Oculist, had daily stared her in the face. She resolved to consult him that very day after school. To be sure she knew nothing about him individually, but she was aware that only doctors of the best class were to be found in Saville Street.
She was obliged to wait in an anteroom, as there were three or four patients ahead of her. When her turn came to be ushered into the doctor's office, she found herself suddenly in the presence of the unknown young man whom she was accustomed to meet daily on her way from school. Her impulse at recognizing him, though she could not have told why, was to slip away; but before she could move, he looked up from the table over which he was bent making a memorandum.
"Miss Whyte!" he exclaimed with pleased astonishment and some confusion, advancing to meet her. "In what way can I be of service to you?"
"Dr. Clay? I should like you to look at my eyes; they have been troubling me lately."
Elizabeth briefly detailed her symptoms. He listened with gravity, and then after requesting her to change her seat, he examined her eyes with absorbed attention. This took some minutes, and when he had finished there was something in his manner which prompted her to say:
"Of course you will tell me, Dr. Clay, exactly what is the matter."
"I am bound to do so," he said, slowly. "I wished to make perfectly sure, before saying that your eyes are quite seriously affected--not that there is danger of a loss of sight, if proper precautions are taken--but--but it will be absolutely necessary for you to abstain from using them in order to check the progress of the disease."
"I see," she said, quietly, after a brief silence. "Do you mean that I cannot teach school? I am a school-teacher."
"I knew that; and knowing it, I thought it best to tell you the whole truth. No, Miss Whyte; you must not use your eyes for at least a year, if you do not wish to lose your sight."
"I see," said Elizabeth again, with the hopeless air of one from whom the impossible is demanded. "I thank you, Dr. Clay, for telling me the truth," she added, simply. "Have I strained my eyes?"
"You have evidently overtaxed them a little; but the disease is primarily a disease of the nerves. Will you excuse me for asking if at any time within the last few years you have suffered a severe shock?"
"A shock?" Elizabeth hesitated an instant, and replied gently: "Yes; but it was a number of years ago."
"That would account for the case, nevertheless."
A few minutes later Elizabeth was walking along the street, face to face with despair. She had not been able to obtain permission from the doctor to use her eyes even during the ten days which remained before vacation. He had said that every moment of delay would make the cure more difficult. She must absolutely cease to look at a book for one whole year. It would be necessary at first for her to visit him for treatment two or three times a week. He had said--she remembered his exact words--"I cannot do a very great deal for you; we can rely only on time for that; but believe me, I shall endeavor to help you so far as it lies in human power. I hope that you will trust me--and--and come to me freely." Kind words these, but of what avail were they to answer the embarrassing question how she was to live? She must give up her school at least for a year; that seemed inevitable. How was she to earn her daily bread if she obeyed the doctor's orders? Would it not be better to use her eyes to the end, and trust to charity to send her to an infirmary when she became blind? Why had she been foolish enough to refuse Mr. Ramsay's property? But for a quixotic theory, she would not now have been at the world's mercy.
It was the sting of shame which this last thought aroused, following in the train of her bitter reasoning, that caused her to quicken her pace and clinch her hands. That same pride, which had been her ally hitherto, had come to her rescue once more. She said to herself that she had done what she knew was right, and that no force of cruel circumstances should induce her to regret that she had not acted differently. She would prove still that she was able to make her own way without assistance, even though she were obliged to scrub floors. A shock? The shock of a betrayed faith which had arrayed her soul in bitterness against mankind. Must she own that she was crushed? Not while she had an arm to toil and a heart to strive.
The next ten days were bitter ones. Elizabeth, after disbanding her school, began to plan and contrive for the future. Schemes bright with prospect suggested themselves, and faded into smoke at the touch of practicability. She had a few hundred dollars, which would enable her to live until she had been able to devise a plan, and she determined that the world should not think that she was discouraged. The world, and chiefly at the moment Dr. Clay, whose kindness and earnest attention during the visits which she paid him suggested that he felt great pity for her. Pity? She wished the pity of no man.
One evening while she was alone in her parlor, wrestling with her schemes, the maid entered and said that a gentleman wished to see her. A gentleman? She could think of none who would be likely to call upon her, but she bade the girl show him in; and a moment later she was greeting Dr. Clay. Presently, while she was wondering why he had come, she found herself listening to these words: "I am a stranger to you to all intents and purposes, but you are none to me. For months I have dogged your footsteps unknown to you, and haunted this house in my walks because I knew that you lived here. The memory of your face has sweetened my dreams, and those brief moments when we have passed each other daily have been sweeter than any paradise. I know the story of your struggle with that coward and of your noble act of renunciation. It cut into my heart like a knife to speak to you those necessary words the other day, and I have been miserable ever since. I said to myself at last that I would go to you and tell you that I could not be happy apart from you; and that your happiness was mine. This seems presumptuous, intrusive: I wish to be neither. I have merely come to ask that I may be free to call upon you and to try to make you love me. I am not rich, but my practice is such that I am able to offer you a home. Will you allow me to come to see you, at least to be your friend?"
The silence which followed this eager question seemed to demand an answer. Elizabeth, who had been sitting with bent head, looked up presently and answered with a sweet smile:
"I have no friends, Dr. Clay. I think it would be very pleasant to have one."
A few minutes later when he was gone, Elizabeth sat for some time without moving, with the same happy smile on her lips. He had asked nothing more and she had given him no greater assurance. Why was it that at last she buried her face in her hands and sobbed as though her bosom would break? Why was it, too, that before she went to bed that night she took a handful of withered flowers, mere dust and ashes, from the secret drawer of her work-box, and, wrapping them in the paper which had enclosed them, held them in the flame of the lamp until they were consumed? Why? Because love, unwatched for, unbidden had entered her heart, which she thought sere as the rose-leaves, and restored light to the sunshine and joy to the world.

short love story

2008-10-18T17:10:00.004+05:30

I was a very simple man who was never intrested in finding true love.All I wanted was money.My entire life had been spent studying very hard so that I can clear IIT-JEE(the most fiercely contested entrance exam in my country).I cleared it and after passing out from that institute I got a top notch job and was happy with my life.I felt as if I had everything I could desire for.One day I was hanging out with my friends when I saw a beautiful simple girl.At that time I was in New Delhi.At one moment I fell in love with her.But at that time I was walking on road and was watching nothing except that girl.I was hit by a car and was rushed to hospital.Thank God, the car had almost stopped before hitting me and I survived with only 2 fractures.
After that I spent 1 year finding her but it was useless.After that I lost all hope and when my company offered me to go to Mumbai,I accepted at once and left for Mumbai.My parents wanted me to get married but I had considered that mysterious girl as my wife.One night I was hanging out in a disco when I saw that girl with her friends in MUMBAI!!!!!Yes that's right,I saw her in Mumbai,in a pub.At once I wanted to befriend her.I first befriended one of her friends named Akanksha.Then I met her friend everyday and one day I told her that I was actually in love with her friend.She felt sad because I think she had started to love me.But she was a good person and at once gave me her phone number and told me that her name was Pooja.She also told me about a mall where I can meet Pooja the next day and told me that she would introduce me to Pooja.I felt extremely happy.The next day when I met Pooja,I was not able to speak a word and she thought that I was a psycho case.But then my meeting with Pooja incresed and she realized that I actually loved her.One day I decided to propose her.I bought an expensive ring and went upto her and proposed her.She declined and told me that she considered me as her friend and was not ready for marriage.I felt terribly sad and was about to cry.I turned away and thought that that actually I didn't deserve her.(She was very rich and I got a handsome salary but was still not able to buy a home.She was extremely beautiful,whereas I was the exact definition of ugly.She was a model and was earning much more than what I could even dream of.) But when I turned back she was there holding a rose and said sorry for hurting me.She said that she loved me and knew that even I loved her and was just joking a bit.We finally got married and today is our first wedding anniversary.We have had some usual fights but are extremely happy with each other.
-Rahul

Unspoken feelings-A true story by Wei Er

2008-07-30T21:49:00.001+05:30

Thoughts of her will still make me well up with tears despite that she has already passed away for 4 years, the pain of losing her, the unspoken feelings I had for her… It was during my secondary school days that I got to know her, I was 16, and she was 14. We were introduced to each other by a mutual friend. Being courteous I stood up and offer a handshake, introducing myself. She was like the others, laughing at my weird name.Soon we were spending time together despite that we spoke very little to each other. And I realized that we had quite a number of mutual friends. Over time my feelings for her developed, her smile, and her sweetness attracted me a lot. She became my source of motivation, for I strive hard in my studies. From scoring borderline marks for all subjects to a top scorer in my class. Due to being small size, I was often bullied by my classmates; going to school became rather depressing. But she changed it all, I looked forward to our meetings at the library after classes ended.One day when I couldn’t sleep, I then wonder if I should confess my feelings to her. I was hoping to get to know her further, not rushing into a bgr relationship. But then I realized that I was not good enough for her, she was a top scorer in class where all the elites were. I was in a class that was notorious for being trouble makers. I don’t think that I am good enough for her, no looks no brains, kind of useless. It would be disgraceful and that I should be content with that she would even be friends with me. I tossed a coin which indicated that I should tell her how I felt.Coincidentally I really did saw her the next day. I told her that I got something that I would like to tell her, but then no words came out of my mouth. I got cold feet, for thoughts that I am not good enough for her came to my mind. In the end I left saying that I had forgotten what I wanted to say. I was upset hence I decided to concentrate on my studies instead. For that period I really forgotten about her, for what was on my mind was to be number 1 in class.Soon it was time for a major examination; I prayed hard that I could score well for it. When the results came out, I was number 1 in my level with the best score. I wanted to share the joy with her and perhaps that it might seem a good time to confess to her. Sadly I never met her.When the next academic year came, I anxiously searched for her but I couldn’t find her. Her classmates guess that she might be sick.Later that day 2 of our mutual friends came to me and brought me the news that she had already passed away. I was devastated, tears just flow. Neither did I get to attend her funeral due to objections from my mother who was quite superstitious. All that I had as a memory of her was a sweet wrapper which she gave me, which is still in my wallet till this day.I pray that she would rest in peace… If you asked me why I chose not to let her know how I feel. It is because I don't think I will be able to be there for her, I rather she would be happily being with the guy she likes. For her happiness is all that matters to me, so long I am able to stay by her side as a friend, that would be good enough. At least I still get to see her. Love is not about possession, it never was. Till today she still remains in my heart. My only regret was that I was not around to help her, to give her support. I know I could change it, she could have been alive today. To all people out there, though saying words to your love ones may be hard, do not hide your feelings. Express it in other ways.

My love story on the terrace of my office

2008-07-29T00:27:00.003+05:30

In my young age,I used to work in an office as an accountant.I had a crush on my receptionist.It was not a general crush,I really loved her from the bottom of my heart.Whenever boss used to scold her I went mad in myself and all the night I kept tossing on my bed thinking ill things about my boss.One day I went to the terrace of my office sipping a cup of coffee and chatting with my friends.She also came there Sipping coffee and standing alone.She was looking very sad.I asked her why was she so sad.She replied that she was sad because the person she loved was not intrested in her..I was utterly shocked.I asked her how is his love.She replied he is a tall and handsome man whom she started to love from the very first meeting.Then we went back to work and in the evening I asked her if I can drop her home.She agreed at once to my surprise.I told her that if your love is not intrested in you,you should tell him at once that you love him.She said that it might feel awkward and hurt her love.But I insisted her to say it but she refused.Then after dropping her home when I was going away from her house,I was very sad because I actually loved her and she was not intrested in me.I shouted loudly in anguish "I love you Jennifer".She replied "I love you too".I had not realized that she had actually followed me from her house and it was me about whom she was talking about.After that we have been married happily for 10 years.

You are that guy

2008-07-14T13:43:00.000+05:30

Inspired by Mr Brown who was inspired by Mercer Machine who inspired a whole lot of bloggers.You are the boy who spent your school fees on $10 worth of chicken wings thereupon getting a spanking from your mother.You are the boy who grew up to play games every week with fellow boys.You are the boy who got a Playstation 2 as an engagement present.You are the boy who would eat like a boy if you lived alone, living on potato chips and Pepsi.You are the boy who would like it very much if he didn't have to grow up.But you are a boy who is also a guy.
You are that guy that she met at the pre-departure talk, who insulted her baby blue mobile phone in an attempt to get her phone number.You are the guy that commented on how she stood like a dancer with her feet turned flat out.You are that guy that apparently dedicated music to her over the radio and staked out the uni just hoping you catched a glimpse of her.You are the guy that got lucky when you bumped into her at the traffic just outside uni on the first day of school.You are the guy that repeated her phone number all the way home just in case you forgot it and missed the chance again.You are the guy that she out ate on your first date.You are the guy that had to bear all the crap when she couldn't decide who she liked better, you or some other guy back home.You are the guy that won her heart by buying her gummi bears and walking her home from ballet in the cold.You are the guy that she impressed by eating through half a bucket of fried chicken and then sat back and asked what's for desert.You are the guy that had to be taught what relationships were and in turn taught her how to work hard in a relationship.You are the guy that put your thesis on the back burner while she wigged out about her own thesis through the year.You are the guy who proposed to her on the plane back to Melbourne and made her dizzy.
You are the guy that wanted to wear Bata shoes to the wedding and refused to be put into ill-fitting Kenneth Coles.You are the one who got up there during your wedding and sang to your bride.You are the guy that endured the pillows hurled at you in her sleep.You are the guy who will go out there and look for yak's milk from Yemen if she ever demanded it.You are the guy that buys her flowers and burns her cds just to make her smile.You are the guy that believes, trusts and prays even when she has given up hope.You are the guy of her dreams and her greatest fear is to live without you.
Who are you? You are that guy and I am that girl.

A beautiful heart

2008-07-14T13:42:00.000+05:30

The more hurt and pain you have gone thru in life, the stronger and morebeautiful your heart will be.....
One day a young man was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley.
A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart for it was perfect. There was not a mark or a flaw in it. Yes, they all agreed it truly was the most beautiful heart they had ever seen. The young man was very proud and boasted more loudly about his beautiful heart.
Suddenly, an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said, "Why your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine." The crowd and the young man looked at the old man's heart. It was beating strongly, but full of scars, it had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in, but they didn't fit quite right and there were several jagged edges. In fact, in some places there were deep gouges where whole pieces missing.
The people stared. How can he say his heart is more beautiful?? they thought. The young man looked at the old man's heart and saw its state and laughed. "You must be joking," he said. "Compare your heart with mine, mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears."
"Yes," said the old man, "Yours is perfect looking but I would never trade with you. You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love - I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they give me a piece of their heart which fits into the empty place in my heart, but because the pieces aren't exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we shared. Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away, and the other person hasn't returned a piece of his heart to me. These are the empty gouges - giving love is taking a chance. Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these people too, and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?"
The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks. He walked up to the old man, reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart, and ripped a piece out. He offered it to the old man with trembling hands.
The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart and then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man's heart. It fit, but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges.
The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man's heart flowed into his.
They embraced and walked away side by side.

Puppies for sale

2008-07-14T13:41:00.000+05:30

A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell. He painted a sign advertising the 4 pups. And set about nailing it to a post on the edge of his yard. As he was driving the last nail into the post, he felt a tug on his overalls. He looked down into the eyes of little boy.
"Mister," he said, "I want to buy one of your puppies."
"Well," said the farmer, as he rubbed the sweat off the back of his neck, "These puppies come from fine parents and cost a good deal of money."
The boy dropped his head for a moment. Then reaching deep into his pocket, he pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the farmer.
"I've got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?"
"Sure," said the farmer. And with that he let out a whistle. "Here, Dolly!" he called Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran Dolly followed by four little balls of fur.
The little boy pressed his face against the chain linkfence. His eyes danced with delight.As the dogs made their way to the fence, the little boy noticed something else??stirring inside the doghouse. Slowly another little ball appeared, this one noticeably smaller. Down the ramp it slid Then in a somewhat awkward manner, the little pup began hobbling toward the others, doing its best to catch up....
"I want that one," the little boy said, pointing to the runt.
The farmer knelt down at the boy's side and said, "Son, you don't want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like theseother dogs would."
With that the little boy stepped back from the fence, reached down, and began rolling up one leg of his trousers.In doing so he revealed a steel brace running down bothsides of his leg attaching itself to a specially made shoe.Looking back up at the farmer, he said, "You see sir, Idon't run too well myself, and he will need someone who understands."
With tears in his eyes, farmer reached down and picked up the little pup.Holding it carefully handed it to the little boy.
"How much?" asked the little boy. "No charge," answered the farmer, "There's no charge for love."

Three words

2008-07-14T13:36:00.001+05:30

Girl: Do you really love me?
Boy: Of course I do.
Girl: I wanna hear you say it.
Boy: I don’t have to.
Girl: Why not?
Boy: Because...
Girl: I just want to hear you say it in words.
Boy: I can’t...The girl started to cry softly and said:Then you don't love me...
The two continued to walk in silence. They reached the girls home.
Girl: Why?
Boy: Do you really want to know?
Girl: (hesitantly) Yes.
He hugged her gently, kissed the tip of her noseand whispered in her ear,"Because three words are not enough..."

I love you

2008-07-03T19:13:00.000+05:30

I have a boyfriend who grew up with me. His name is Jin. I always thought of him as a friend until last year, when we went to a trip from a club. I found that I fell in love with him. Before that trip was over, I took a step and confessed my love for him. And soon, we became a pair of lovers, but we loved each other in different ways. I always concentrated on him only, but by his side, there were so many other girls. To me, he was the only one, but to him, maybe I was just another girl…
“Jin, do you want to go watch a movie?” I asked.“I can’t”“Why? You need to study at home?” I felt disappointment grabbing me.“No… I am going to meet a friend…”
He was always like that. He met girls in front of me, like it was nothing. To him, I was just a girlfriend. The word ‘love’ only came out from my mouth. Since I knew him, I had never heard him say ‘I love you’ before. To us, there weren’t any anniversaries at all. He didn’t say anything from the first day and it continued till 100 days…200days… Everyday, before we say goodbye, he would just hand me a doll, everyday, without fail. I don’t know why…
Then one day…
Me: Um, Jin, I …Jin: What…don’t drag, just say..Me: I love you.Jin: ……you….um, just take this doll and go home.That was how he ignored my ‘three words’ and handed me the doll. Then he disappeared, like he was running away. The dolls I received from him everyday, filled my room, one by one. There were many…Then one day came, my 15th year old birthday. When I got up in the morning, I pictured a party with him, and stranded myself in my room, waiting for his call. But… lunch passed, dinner passed… and soon the sky was dark… he still didn’t call. It was already tiring to look at the phone anymore. Then around 2am in the morning, he suddenly called me and woke me from my sleep. He told me to come out of the house. Still, I felt joy and I ran out happily.Me: Jin…
Jin: Here…take this…Again, he handed me a little doll.Me: What’s this?Jin: I didn’t give it to you yesterday, so I am giving it to you now. I’m going home now, bye.Me: Wait, wait! Do you know what today is?Jin: Today? Huh?I felt so sad, I thought he would remember my birthday. He turned around and walked away like nothing had happen.Then I shouted… “Wait…”Jin: You have something to say?Me: Tell me, tell me you love me…Jin: What?!Me: Tell meI put my pathetic self behind and clung on to him. But he just said simple cold words and left.“I don’t want to say…that I love someone so easily, if you are desperate to hear it, then find someone else.”That was what he said. Then he ran off. My legs felt numb… and I collapsed to the ground. He didn’t want to say it easily… How could he…. I felt that… Maybe he is not the right guy for me…After that day, I stranded myself at home crying, just crying. He didn’t call me, although I was waiting. He just continued handing me a little doll every morning outside my house. That’s how those dolls piled up in my room… everyday.
After a month, I got myself together and went to school. But what made the pain resurface was that… I saw him on a street… with another girl… He had a smile on his face, one that he never showed me…as he touched the doll… I ran straight back home and looked at the dolls in my room, and tears fell… Why did he gave these to me… Those dolls are probably picked out by some other girls…In a fit of anger, I threw the dolls around. Then suddenly, the phone rang. It was him. He told me to come out to the bus stop outside my house. I tried to calm myself down and walked to the bus stop. I kept reminding myself that I am going to forget him, that… it’s going to end. Then he came into my sight, holding a big doll.
Jin: Jo, I thought you were pissed, you really came?I couldn’t help hating him, acting like nothing had happen and joking around. Soon, he held out the doll as usual…Me: I don’t need it. Jin: What….why…I grabbed the doll from his hands and threw it on the road.Me: I don’t need this doll, I don’t need it anymore!! I don’t want to see a person like you again!I spitted out all the words that were inside me. But unlike other days, his eyes very shaking.“I’m sorry” He apologized in a tiny voice. He then walked over to the road to pick up the doll…Me: You stupid! Why are you picking up the doll?! Just throw it away!!!
But he ignored me and just went to pick the doll. Then…
Honk~ Honk~With a loud honk, a big truck was heading towards him.“Jin! Move! Move away!” I shouted… But he didn’t hear me, he squatted down and picked up the doll.“Jin, move!” HONK~!! “Boom!” That sound, so terrifying.That’s how he went away from me. That’s how he went away without even opening his eyes to say one word to me.After that day, I had to go through everyday with guiltiness and the sadness of losing him… And after spending two months like a crazy person… I took out the dolls.
Those were the only gifts he left me since the day we started going out. I remembered the days I spent with him and started to count the days… when we were in love…
“One…two… three…” That was how… I started to count the dolls…“Four hundred and eighty four… four hundred and eighty five…” It all ended with 485 dolls.I then started to cry again, with a doll in my arms. I hugged it tightly, then suddenly…
“I love you~, I love you~” I dropped the dolls,shocked.
“I….lo..ve…you??” I picked up the dolls and pressed its stomach.
“I love you~ I love you~” It can’t be! I pressed all the dolls’ stomach as it piled on the side.“I love you~”“I love you~”“I love you~”Those words came out non-stop. I…love you… Why didn’t I realize that….That his heart was always by my side, protecting me. Why didn’t I realize that he love me this much… I took out the doll under the bed and pressed it’s stomach, that was the last doll, the one that fell on the road. It had his blood stain on it. The voice came out, the on that I was missing so much…
“Jo…Do you know what today is? We’ve been loving each other for 486 days. Do you know what 486 is? I couldn’t say I love you…. Um… since I was too shy… If you forgive me and take this doll, I will say that I love you… everyday… till I die… Jo… I love you…”
The tears came flowing out of me. Why? Why? I asked god, why do I only know about all this now? He can’t be by my side, but he loved me until his last minute…
For that… and for that reason… to me… it became courage… to live a beautiful life.

Story of regret

2008-07-03T19:12:00.000+05:30

There was this guy who believed very much in true love and decided to take his time to wait for his right girl to appear. He believed that there would definitely be someone special out there for him, but none came.
Every year at Christmas, his ex-girlfriend would return from Vancouver to look him up. He was aware that she still held some hope of re-kindling the past romance with him. He did not wish to mislead her in any way. So he would always get one of his girl friends to pose as his steady whenever she came back. That went on for several years and each year, the guy would get a different girl to pose as his romantic interest. So whenever the ex-girlfriend came to visit him, she would be led into believing that it was all over between her and the guy. The girl took all those rather well, often trying to casually tease him about his different girlfriends, or so, as it seemed! In fact, the girl often wept in secret whenever she saw him with another girl, but she was too proud to admit it. Still, every Christmas, she returned, hoping to re-kindle some form of romance. But each time, she returned to Vancouver feeling disappointed.
Finally she decided that she could not play that game any longer. Therefore, she confronted him and professed that after all those years, he was still the only man that she had ever loved. Although the guy knew of her feelings for him, he was still taken back and have never expected her to react that way. He always thought that she would slowly forget about him over time and come to terms that it was all over between them. Although he was touched by her undying love for him and wanted so much to accept her again, he remembered why he rejected her in the first place-she was not the one he wanted. So he hardened his heart and turned her down cruelly. Since then, three years have passed and the girl never return anymore. They never even wrote to each other. The guy went on with his life..... still searching for the one but somehow deep inside him, he missed the girl.
On the Christmas of 1995, he went to his friend's party alone. "Hey, how come all alone this year? Where are all your girlfriends? What happened to that Vancouver babe who joins you every Christmas?", asked one of his friend. He felt warm and comforted by his friend's queries about her, still he just surged on.Then, he came upon one of his many girlfriends whom he once requested to pose as his steady. He wanted so much to ignore her ..... not that he was impolite, but because at that moment, he just didn't feel comfortable with those girlfriends anymore. It was almost like he was being judged by them. The girl saw him and shouted across the floor for him. Unable to avoid her, he went up to acknowledge her.
"Hi......how are you? Enjoying the party?" the girl asked.
"Sure.....yeah!", he replied.She was slightly tipsy..... must be from the whiskey on her hand. She continued,"Why...? Don't you need someone to pose as your girlfriend this year?" Then he answered, "No, there is no need for that anymore......"Before he can continue, he was interrupted, "Oh yes! Must have found a girlfriend! You haven't been searching for one for the past years, right?" The man looked up, as if he has struck gold, his face beamed and looked directly at the drunken girl. He replied, "Yes......you are right! I haven't been looking for anyone for the past years."With that, the man darted across the floor and out the door, leaving the lady in much bewilderment. He finally realized that he has already found his dream girl, and she was.....the Vancouver girl all along! The drunken lady has said something that awoken him.
All along he has found his girl. That was why he did not bother to look further when he realized she was not coming back. It was not any specific girl he was seeking! It was perfection that he wanted, and yes.....perfection!!Relationship is something both parties should work on. Realizing that he had let away someone so important in his life, he decided to call her immediately. His whole mind was flooded with fear. He was afraid that she might have found someone new or no longer had the same feelings anymore..... For once, he felt the fear of losing someone.
As it was Christmas eve, the line was quite hard to get through, especially an overseas call. He tried again and again, never giving up. Finally, he got through......precisely at 1200 midnight. He confessed his love for her and the girl was moved to tears. It seemed that she never got over him! Even after so long, she was still waiting for him, never giving up.
He was so excited to meet her and to begin his new chapter of their lives. He decided to fly to Vancouver to join her. It was the happiest time of their lives! But their happy time was short-lived. Two days before he was supposed to fly to Vancouver, he received a call from her father. She had a head-on car collision with a drunken driver. She passed away after 6 hours in a coma.The guy was devastated, as it was a complete loss. Why did fate played such cruel games with him? He cursed the heaven for taking her away from him, denying even one last look at her! How cruel he cursed! How he damned the Gods...!! How he hated himself....for taking so long to realize his mistake!! That was in 1996.
The moral of this story is :Treasure what you have...Time is too slow for those who wait;Too swift for those who fear;Too long for those who grief;Too short for those who rejoice;But for those who love...Time is Eternity.
For all you out there with someone special in your heart, cherish that person, cherish every moment that you spend together that special someone, for in life, anything can happen anytime. You may painfully regret, only to realise that it is too late.

A silent love

2008-07-03T19:11:00.000+05:30

From the very Begining, the girl's family objected strongly on her dating this guy. Saying that it has got to do with family background & that the girl will have to suffer for the rest of her life if she were to be with him.
Due to family's pressure, the couple quarrel very often. Though the girl love the guy deeply, but she always ask him: "How deep is your love for me?"
As the guy is not good with his words, this often cause the girl to be very upset. With that & the family's pressure, the girl often vent her anger on him. As for him, he only endure it in silence.
After a couple of years, the guy finally graduated & decided to further his studies in overseas. Before leaving, he proposed to the girl: "I'm not very good with words. But all I know is that I love you. If you allow me, I will take care of you for the rest of my life. As for your family, I'll try my best to talk them round. Will you marry me?"
The girl agreed, & with the guy's determination, the family finally gave in & agreed to let them get married. So before he leave, they got engaged.
The girl went out to the working society, whereas the guy was overseas, continuing his studies. They sent their love through emails & phone calls. Though it's hard, but both never thought of giving up.
One day, while the girl was on her way to work, she was knocked down by a car that lost control. When she woke up, she saw her parents beside her bed. She realised that she was badly injured. Seeing her mum crying, she wanted to comfort her. But she realized that all that could come out of her mouth was just a sigh. She has lost her voice......
The doctors says that the impact on her brain has caused her to lose her voice. Listening to her parents' comfort, but with nothing coming out from her, she broke down.
During the stay in hospital, besides silence cry,.....it's still just silence cry that companied her. Upon reaching home, everything seems to be the same. Except for the ringing tone of the phone. Which pierced into her heart everytime it rang. She does not wish to let the guy know. & not wanting to be a burden to him, she wrote a letter to him saying that she does not wish to wait any longer.
With that, she sent the ring back to him. In return, the guy sent millions & millions of reply, and countless of phonecalls,.. all the girl could do, besides crying, is still crying....
The parents decided to move away, hoping that she could eventually forget everything & be happy.
With a new environment, the girl learn sign language & started a new life. Telling herself everyday that she must forget the guy. One day, her friend came & told her that he's back. She asked her friend not to let him know what happened to her. Since then, there wasn't anymore news of him.
A year has passed & her friend came with an envelope, containing an invitation card for the guy's wedding. The girl was shattered. When she open the letter, she saw her name in it instead.
When she was about to ask her friend what's going on, she saw the guy standing in front of her. He used sign language telling her "I've spent a year's time to learn sign language. Just to let you know that I've not forgotten our promise. Let me have the chance to be your voice. I Love You. With that, he slipped the ring back into her finger. The girl finally smiled.

The missing rib

2008-07-03T19:10:00.000+05:30

A girl in love asked her boyfriend.
Girl: Tell me. Who do you love most in this world?
Boy: You, of course!
Girl: In your heart, what am I to you?
Boy: The boy thought for a moment and looked intently in her eyes and said, "You are my rib. It was said that God saw that Adam was lonely, during his sleep, God took one of Adam's rib and created Eve. Every man has been searching for his missing rib, only when you find the woman of your life, you'll no longer feel the lingering ache in your heart."
After their wedding, the couple had a sweet and happy life for a while.
However, the youthful couple began to drift apart due to the busy schedule of life and the never-ending worries of daily problems, their life became mundane.
All the challenges posed by the harsh realities of life began to gnaw away their dreams and love for each other. The couple began to have more quarrels and each quarrel became more heated.
One day, after the quarrel, the girl ran out of the house. At the opposite side of the road, she shouted, "You don't love me!"
The boy hated her childishness and out of impulse, retorted, "Maybe, it was a mistake for us to be together! You were never my missing rib!"
Suddenly, she turned quiet and stood there for a long while. He regretted what he said but words spoken are like thrown away water, you can never take it back. With tears, she went home to pack her things and was determined in breaking-up.
Before she left the house, "If I'm really not your missing rib, please let me go." She continued, "It is less painful this way. Let us go on our separate ways and search for our own partners."
Five years went by...
He never remarried but he had tried to find out about her life indirectly. She had left the country and back. She had married a foreigner and divorced. He felt anguished that she never waited for him.
In the dark and lonely night, he lit his cigarette and felt the lingering ache in his heart. He couldn't bring himself to admit that he was missing her.
One day, they finally met. At the airport, a place where there were many reunions and good byes. He was going away on a business trip. She was standing there alone, with just the security door separating them. She smiled at him gently.
Boy: How are you?
Girl: I'm fine. How about you? Have you found your missing rib?
Boy: No.
Girl: I'll be flying to New York in the next flight.
Boy: I'll be back in 2 weeks time. Give me a call when you are back. You know my number. Nothing has changed.
With a smile, she turned around and waved good bye.
Good bye...
One week later, he heard of her death. She had perished in New York, in the event that shocked the world.
Midnight, once again, he lit his cigarette. And like before, he felt the lingering ache in his heart. He finally knew. She was the missing rib that he had carelessly broken.
Sometimes, people say things out of moments of fury. Most often than not, the outcome could be disastrous and detrimental. We vent our frustrations 99% at our loved ones. And even though we know that we ought to "think twice and act wisely", it's often easier said than done.
Things happen each day, many of which are beyond our control. Let us treasure every moment and everyone in our lives.
Tomorrow may never come. Give and accept what you have today

Life together

2008-06-25T14:46:00.000+05:30

One fine day, an old couple around the age of 70, walks into a lawyer's office. Apparently, they are there to file a divorce.
Lawyer was very puzzled, after having a chat with them, he got their story....This couple had been quarreling all their 40 over yrs of marriage nothing ever seems to go right.
They hang on because of their children, afraid that it might affect their up-bringing. Now, all their children have already grown up, have their own family, there's nothing else the old couple have to worry about, all they wanted is to lead their own life free from all these years of unhappiness from their marriage, so both agree on a divorce....
Lawyer was having a hard time trying to get the papers done, because he felt that after 40 yrs of marriage at the age of 70, he couldnt understand why the old couple would still want a divorce..
While they were signing the papers, the wife told the husband.."I really love u, but i really cant carry on anymore, I'm sorry..""Its o.k, i understand.." said the husband. Lookin at this, the lawyer suggested a dinner together, just 3 of them,wife thought, why not, since they are still gonna be friends..
At the dining table, there was a silence of awkardness.The first dish was roasted chicken, immediately, the old man took the drumstick for the old lady.."take this, its your favourite.."
Looking at this, the lawyer thought maybe theres still a chance, but the wife was frowning when she answer.."This is always the problem, you always think so highly of yourself, never thought about how I feel, dont you know that i hate drumsticks?"
Little did she know that, over the years, the husband have been trying all ways to please her, little did she know that drumsticks was the husband's favourite. Little did he know that she never thought he understand her at all, little did he know that she hates drummsticks even though all he wants is the best for her.
That night, both of them couldnt sleep, toss and turn, toss and turn...after hours, the old man couldnt take it anymore, he knows that he still loves her, and he cant carry on life without her, he wants her back, he wants to tell her, he is sorry, he wanted to tell her "i love you"...
He picks up the phone, starting dialing her number....ringing never stops..he never stop dialing....
On the other side, she was sad, she couldn’t understand how come after all these years, he still doesnt understand her at all, she loves him a lot, but she just cant take it anymore....phone's ringing, she refuses to answer knowing that its him..."whats the point of talking now that its over...i have ask for it and now i wanna keep it this way, if not i will lose face.."she thought...still ringing...she have decided to pull out the cord...
Little did she remember, he have heart problems...
The next day, she received news that he had passed away...she rushed down to his apartment, saw his body, lying on the couch still holding on to the phone...he had a heart attack when he was still trying to get through her phone line....
As sad as she could be...she will have to clear his belongings...when she was looking thru the drawers, she saw this insurance policy, dated from the day they got married, with the beneficiary being her... And together in those file, there was this note...

"To my dearest wife, by the time you're reading this, I'm sure I'm no longer around, I bought this policy for you, though the amount is only $100k, I hope it will be able to help me continue my promise that i have made when we got married, I might not be around anymore, I want this amount of money to continue taking care of you, just like the way I will if I could have live longer. I want you to know Iwill always be around, by your side... I love you"
Tears flowed like river......
"When you love someone, let them know... You never know what will happen the next minute.... Learn to build a life together.. Learn to love each other. For who they are.. not what they are..."

To the nice guys

2008-06-25T14:45:00.000+05:30

This is for that time she left 40 urgent messages on your cell phone, and when you called her back, she spent three hours painstakingly dissecting two sentences her boyfriend said to her over dinner. And even though you thought her boyfriend was a chump and a jerk, you assured her that it was all ok and she shouldn’t worry about it. This is for that time she interrupted the best killing spree you’d ever orchestrated in Halo2 to rant about a rumor that romantically linked her and the guy she thinks is the most repulsive person in the world. And even though you thought it was immature and you had nothing against the guy, you paused the game for two hours and helped her concoct a counter-rumor to spread around the floor. This is also for that time she didn’t have a date, so after numerous vows that there was nothing “serious” between the two of you, she dragged you to a party where you knew nobody, the beer was awful, and she flirted shamelessly with you, justifying each fit of reckless teasing by announcing to everyone: “oh, but we’re just friends!” And even though you were invited purely as a symbolic warm body for her ego, you went anyways. Because you’re nice like that.
The nice guys don’t often get credit where credit is due. And I wish I could logically explain this trend, but I can’t. From what I have observed on campus and what I have learned from talking to friends at other schools and in the workplace, the only conclusion I can form is that many girls are just illogical, manipulative b**ches. Many of them claim they just want to date a nice guy, but when presented with such a specimen, they say irrational, confusing things such as “oh, he’s too nice to date” or “he would be a good boyfriend but he’s not for me” or “he already puts up with so much from me, I couldn’t possibly ask him out!” or the most frustrating of all: “no, it would ruin our friendship.” Yet, they continue to lament the lack of datable men in the world, and they expect their too-nice-to-date male friends to sympathize and apologize for the men that are jerks. Sorry, guys, girls like that are beyond my ability to fathom. I can’t figure out why the connection breaks down between what they say (I want a nice guy!) and what they do (I’m going to sleep with this complete a** now!). But one thing I can do, is say that the nice-guy-finishes-last phenomenon doesn’t last forever. There are definitely many girls who grow out of that train of thought and realize they should be dating the nice guys, not taking them for granted. The tricky part is finding those girls, and even trickier, finding the ones that are single.
So, until those girls are found, I propose a toast to all the nice guys. You know who you are, and I know you’re sick of hearing yourself described as ubiquitously nice. But the truth of the matter is, the world needs your patience in the department store, your holding open of doors, your party escorting services, your propensity to be a sucker for a pretty smile. For all the crazy, inane, absurd things you tolerate, for all the situations where you are the faceless, nameless hero, my accolades, my acknowledgement, and my gratitude go out to you. You do have credibility in this society, and your well deserved vindication is coming.

All the good things

2008-06-25T14:44:00.001+05:30

He was in the first third grade class I taught at Saint Mary's School in Morris, Minn. All 34 of my students were dear to me, but Mark Eklund was one in a million. Very neat in appearance, but had that happy-to-be-alive attitude that made even his occasional mischievousness delightful.
Mark talked incessantly. I had to remind him again and again that talking without permission was not acceptable. What impressed me so much, though, was his sincere response every time I had to correct him for misbehaving. "Thank you for correcting me, Sister!" I didn't know what to make of it at first, but before long I became accustomed to hearing it many times a day.
One morning my patience was growing thin when Mark talked once too often, and then I made a novice-teacher's mistake. I looked at him and said, "If you say one more word, I am going to tape your mouth shut!"
It wasn't ten seconds later when Chuck blurted out, "Mark is talking again." I hadn't asked any of the students to help me watch Mark, but since I had stated the punishment in front of the class, I had to act on it.
I remember the scene as if it had occurred this morning. I walked to my desk, very deliberately opened my drawer and took out a roll of masking tape. Without saying a word, I proceeded to Mark's desk, tore off two pieces of tape and made a big X with them over his mouth. I then returned to the front of the room. As I glanced at Mark to see how he was doing he winked at me. That did it! I started laughing. The class cheered as I walked back to Mark's desk, removed the tape and shrugged my shoulders. His first words were, "Thank you for correcting me, Sister."
At the end of the year I was asked to teach junior-high math. The years flew by, and before I knew it Mark was in my classroom again. He was more handsome than ever and just as polite. Since he had to listen carefully to my instructions in the "new math," he did not talk as much in ninth grade as he had in the third.
One Friday, things just didn't feel right. We had worked hard on a new concept all week, and I sensed that the students were frowning, frustrated with themselves - and edgy with one another. I had to stop this crankiness before it got out of hand. So I asked them to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name. Then I told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down.
It took the remainder of the class period to finish the assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed me the papers. Charlie smiled. Mark said, "Thank you for teaching me, Sister. Have a good weekend."
That Saturday, I wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper, and I listed what everyone else had said about that individual. On Monday I gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class was smiling. "Really?" I heard whispered. "I never knew that meant anything to anyone!" "I didn't know others liked me so much!"
No one ever mentioned those papers in class again. I never knew if they discussed them after class or with their parents, but it didn't matter. The exercise had accomplished its purpose. The students were happy with themselves and one another again.
That group of students moved on. Several years later, after I returned from vacation, my parents met me at the airport. As we were driving home, Mother asked me the usual questions about the trip, the weather, and my experiences in general. There was a light lull in the conversation. Mother gave Dad a side-ways glance and simply says, "Dad?" My father cleared his throat as he usually did before something important. "The Eklunds called last night," he began. "Really?" I said. "I haven't heard from them in years. I wonder how Mark is."
Dad responded quietly. "Mark was killed in Vietnam," he said. "The funeral is tomorrow, and his parents would like it if you could attend."
I had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before. Mark looked so handsome, so mature. All I could think at that moment was, Mark, I would give all the masking tape in the world if only you would talk to me.
The church was packed with Mark's friends. The pastor said the usual prayers, and the bugler played taps. One by one those who loved Mark took a last walk by the coffin and sprinkled it with holy water.
I was the last one to bless the coffin. As I stood there, one of the soldiers who had acted as pallbearer came up to me. "Were you Mark's math teacher?" he asked. I nodded as I continued to stare at the coffin. "Mark talked about you a lot," he said.
After the funeral, most of Mark's former classmates headed to Chucks farmhouse for lunch. Mark's mother and father were there, obviously waiting for me. "We want to show you something," his father said, taking a wallet out of his pocket. "They found this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might recognize it."
Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded many times. I knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which I had listed all the good things each of Mark's classmates had said about him. "Thank you so much for doing that." Mark's mother said. "As you can see, Mark treasured it."
Mark's classmates started to gather around us. Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said, "I still have my list. It's in the top drawer of my desk at home." Chuck's wife said, "Chuck asked me to put this in our wedding album." "I have mine too," Marilyn said. "It's in my diary." Then Vicki, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group. "I carry this with me at all times," Vicki said without batting an eyelash. "I think we all saved our lists."
That's when I finally sat down and cried. I cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never see him again.

The purpose of this story is to encourage everyone to compliment the people you love and care about. We often tend to forget the importance of showing our affections and love. Sometimes the smallest of things, could mean the most to another. Please spread this story around and spread the message and encouragement, to express your love and caring by complimenting and being open with communication. The density of people in society is so thick, that we forget that life will end one day and we don't know when that one day will be. Tell them, before it is too late.

Mad at you

2008-06-25T14:39:00.002+05:30

Girl: Hey baby i want to show you....
Boy: ( cutting her off ) Ugh I'm so mad
Girl: Why? Whats wrong ?
Boy: Ugh everything
Girl: Explain baby
Boy: Just lost a championship game,parents flipped out on me for no reason,and im catching a cold
Girl: Well hey there will always be other games,you know I'll take care of you when your sick,what your parents flip about ?
Boy: They are making me pay them for a car repair
Girl: Is it a lot of money
Boy: No it just sucks
Boy: But hey I dont feel well I'm going to go lay down
Boy: Bye
Girl: Wait I want to give you some...
Boy: Can't It wait 'til tommorow ?
Girl: Yeah, sure
Girl: Bye
Boy: Bye
2 hours later a friend of hers asks her to go for a drive ...shegoes.....
Her friend swerved to avoid a truck....hitting a tree instead
Her friend was killed instantly....she's in critical condition
This is the conversation between her sister and her boyfriend.....
Sister: Omg ( crying )
Boy: What? Whats wrong ?
Sister: My sister...your girlfriend was involved in a major car wreck
Boy: Is she OK??????
Sister: She's in critical condition
Boy: I'll be there in 10 minutes
He shows up to the hospital room ...standing outside the door going over the last conversation in his mind over and over as he heard the machines beep and beep and breathing tubes pump oxygen into her lungs
Boy: She wanted to give me something or tell me something
Girls mom: Yeah this...
It was an envelope smelling like she sealed it with a kiss in lipstick
He opened it.....
It said ..... You're everything to me....I love you with everything I am and everything I have...I want to spend the rest of my life with you

Sealed in it was a ripped movie ticket from the first movie they went to...
...and the first picture they took together
He kissed the picture as a tear fell from his face onto the picture
It looked as if in the picture she was crying
Then the machines flatlined....3 minutes later she was pronounced dead

A racer's anniversary

2008-06-25T14:38:00.002+05:30

It's been 3 months that we've been dating. Ever since 9th grade, we've always dreamed of being together. I use to give him love letters everyday when we were in high school. I'm in love with one of the best racers in the city. That gives me a good reputation. Well ever since hes got that car, hes been working on it 24/7. We barely have any alone time anymore. Our last month anniversary i bought him a new part for his car. He would always promise me that he would get me something better if i wait...so i do. He told me not to buy him anymore things for him cuzz he said its his job to buy me things so i stopped and waited for our anniversaries.
- A Month Later
It's August 1st, and its our 4th anniversary. I see this beautiful necklace in a catalog i got in the mail. He walks in and puts his tools down to get a drink...
Mark: Hey babe, what are u doing?Angelica: Looking at some jewelry.Mark: O cool.Angelica: By the way babe...do u know what day it is?Mark: Is it race night?Angelica: No...nevermind forget it
Mark: Ok (walks back into the garage to work on the car)
I stare at the catalog and touch the picture while a tear drop falls on the page. I go in the room and cry for about 2 hours straight. He didn't even notice how i felt that night. He has never gotten me anything for any of our anniversaries. I've waited for 4 months and still nothing.
- Another Month Later
It's September 1st, and its our 5th anniversary. I'm flipping through the channels and i find the first movie that we ever watched together. Once again hes working on his car as usual. He walks in to wash his hands...
Mark: Hey babe, what are u doing?Angelica: Watching the first movie that we ever watched together.Mark: O I remember that...(smiles and walks out)Angelica: Wait...Mark: (walks in again) Yes babe?Angelica: Do u know what day is today?Mark: Yeah it's friday...why?Angelica: Nothing...nevermindMark: O Ok (walks back in the garage)
I turn the TV off and i run to my room and cry for 3 hours this time. He still didn't notice it. He has never gotten me anything for any of our anniversaries. I've waited 5 months and still nothing.
- Another Month Passes
It's October 1st, and it's our 6th anniversary. I'm reading the love letters that he wrote to me when we were still in high school. He walks in and gives me a kiss on the cheek...
Mark: Hey babe, what are u doing?Angelica: Reading your old love letters from high school.Mark: (giggles of embarassment) I remember those...those were so silly.Angelica: By the way...where did u put the love letters that i gave u?Mark: Uhhh???... in the car...Angelica: O "i stood there in disbelief"Mark: Well anyways...Guess what day it is today babe.Angelica:(Smiles with all her joy) What day is it today?...In my mind- "He finallyremembered what day it is"Mark: Today is the day my new tires come in that i ordered online (smiles)Angelica: O yeah i remember....(frowns)...In my mind- "He still doesn't know"Mark: It's gonna come this afternoon. I'll go wait for it outside. (Runs outside)
I tried to open the last letter but it was too wet of tears. I run to the room and cry for 4 hours this time. He still didn't notice it. He has never gotten me anything for any of our anniversaries. I've waited 6 months and still nothing.
- Another Month Gone By
It's November 1st, and it's our 7th annversary. I wait for him inside. "If he doesn't remember this time, then it's over". He walks in...

Mark: Hey babe, what are u doing?Angelica: Nothing jus waiting for you.Mark: Why?Angelica: Do you know what today it is?Mark: Well it's saturday...Angelica: HOW COULD U KEEP FORGETTING!?!?!Mark: Forget bout what?Angelica: OUR ANNIVERSARY!!!Mark: O I forgot...I must have been busy working on the...Angelica: GET OUT!Mark: Babe why?Angelica: NOW!Mark: but babe I...Angelica: GO NOW!Mark- Walks outside
I slam the door on his back and i fall on my knees crying for about 5 hours. I hear the car turn on and blast out of the driveway. The last thing i heard was his tires skidding on the garage ground. I was so heart broken that i past out and fell asleep.
- 3 days later (November 4th)
I didn't hear from him since that day. He would usually come back to apologize. I called his family but they said he never came home at all. He has no where to stay so i call his cell. It's not in service...I get very worried that i once again i run up to my room and start crying. I cried for 6 hours this time. I fall asleep on the floor.
I have a nightmare while i was sleeping...
We're in his car and we're speeding on a 2 lane road. I'm in the passenger seat screaming. I see him driving and crying at the same time. I try my best to tell him to slow down but he jus won't hear me. Then i see a turn coming up. It's a very tight corner and it’s on the edge of a hill. We lose control and spin out and fall down the hill facing back words. The last thing i saw was a sign that said "SLOW DOWN - 10FT DROP"
I wake up, before we crash, and I’m sweating...and i stop and stare for about 10 minutes. I ask myself "Why didn't i wake up earlier?". I'd usually wake up before I get scared in my dreams. My friend walks it and I quickly get up pretending as if nothing happened.
Jenn: Wake up sleepy head...say...were gonna go to the view and look at all the lights from on top the mountains.Angelica: Cool, I'm there...jus let me get ready.Jenn: Ok, but hurry upAngelica: How long was i asleep?Jenn: About 2 hours
I look at the clock and it said 7:00 pm on the dot. Then I go to the bathroom and wash my face and i change my shirt. I'm still wondering about my dream. "It felt so real"
- In the car
We're goin up the mountain and the 4 lane road turns into 2 lanes. Me and Jenn are jus talking bout going to a concert next week. Then theres a strange silence in our conversation. Then up the road i see a sign that says "SLOW DOWN - 10FT DROP" then I gasp and i yell at Jenn "STOP!!!" and she slams the brakes and we stop in the middle of the road. Luckily theres no traffic so we're alone.
I step out of the car and look at the edge of the turn and i see skid marks on the ground leading to the edge of the hill and i see that theres a big gap in the guard rail as if some one had run straight into it. Then i look down at the edge of the hill to see his car laying there crushed under a tree. I drop to my knees and i just stare at it for about 2 minutes. Jenns surprised to see how i found the car.
I run to the wreck to see him laying there with his head down. I check his pulse only to find out that hes dead. I cry and while crying i see his hand is touching the glove compartment of the dash board. I walk around the car, to the other side and i open it. There... i found a box with a lock on it. It was a key lock but there was no key to be found. I see a paper sticking out from under the seat. I pull it and to my surprise....it was the first letter that i wrote to him. I was more curious but even more heart struck. I kicked the seat and it broke off and under it was all of the letters that i wrote to him. Every single one was there. then under all the papers was a key. I looked at it and then looked at the box. I stuck the key in and twisted it. CLICK It pops open and i jus drop to my knees again in more tears to see the necklace that i was looking at 4 months ago in the catalog. I looked at it and put it on. But that wasn't it....under the necklace was a pillow and under that pillow was a ring. A diamond ring and under that was a letter...
Dear Angelica,
I've been waiting for a long time for this moment and I think it's the perfect time. We've been together for 8 months and that was enough time for me to find out that u were the right one for me. The whole time I've been working on my car, I've also been planning on how I was gonna tell u this. All i can say now is that I really love you. I want u to be mine and only mine. I will always feel this way no matter what happens to me or u. So in conclusion...will u accept this ring for me and wear it till u die. As long as u have it on, I will always be with you.
Always Love; Forever,Mark
P.S. - I will still love you and I'll make up all my mistakes even when I die.

I just loose my heart at that moment i finished reading the last words. My tears start to smear the writing and then suddenly the words dissappear from the moisture. I notice that I am covering a part of the letter with my finger. I move my finger slowly to read the piece of writing. I read it closely...and it says..."November 4th - 5:00pm" I just stopped and thinked…then I jus noticed that 5:00pm was when I fell asleep and had the dream... i cried that whole night regretting my every word that I said to him. Till today, I wear the same ring. Now im working on his car that he died in. I'm planning to fix it up on my own. I know that he is still in that car. So I've deciding to keep the car with me till I die. As long as I have this car, I'll always have him.

I love you not

2008-06-25T14:38:00.001+05:30

Boy: Baby, we need to talk.Girl: Ricardo, what do u mean?Boy: Something has come up...Girl: What? What's wrong? Is it bad?Boy: I don't want to hurt you, baby.Girl: *Thinks* Oh my God, I hope he doesnt break up with me... I love him so much.Boy: Baby, are you there??Girl: Yeah, I'm here. What is so important??Boy: I'm not sure if I should say it..Girl: Well, you already brought it up, so please just tell me.Boy: I'm leaving...Girl: Baby, what are u talking about?? I don't want you to leave me, I love you.Boy: Not like that, I mean I'm moving far away.Girl: Why? All of your famliy lives over here.Boy: Well, my father is sending me away to a boarding school far away.Girl: I can't believe this.[FATHER: (Picks up the other phone, interrupts & yells furiouslyERICA!, what did I tell you about talking to boys?!!!... Get off thedamn phone!! (And hangs up).]
Boy: Wow, your father sounds really mad.Girl: You know how he gets, but anyways, I dont want you to go.Boy: Would you run away with me?Girl: Baby, you know I would, I would do anything for you, but I can't... You don't know what would happen if I did. My dad would kill me!Boy: *Sad* It's okay.. I understand, I guess..Girl: *Thinking*I can't believe what's going on.Boy: I need to give you something tonite, because I am leaving onflight 1-80 in the morning, so I need to see you now.Girl: Okay, I will sneak out & meet you at the park.Boy: Okay, I'll meet you there in 20 minutes.[They meet at a nearby park, they both hug eachother. And he givesher a note.]Boy: Here you go, this is for you. I gotta go.Girl: *Tear* (Begins to cry.)Boy: Baby, dont cry, you know I love you... But I have to go.Girl: Okay (Begins to walk away.)[They both go back home. And Erica begins to read the letter he gave her]It says..."Erica,
You probably already know that I'm leaving, I knew this would be better if I wrote a letter explaining the truth about how much I care about you. The truth is, is that I never loved you, I hated you so much, you are my bitch and dont you ever forget that. I never cared about you, and never wanted to talk to you, and be around you. You really have no clue how much I hate you. Now that I'm leaving I thought you should know that I hate you, bitch. You never did theright thing, and you were never there. I didnt think I could hate someone as much as I hate you. And I never want to see you, for the rest of my life, I will never miss kissing you like before, I never want to cuddle up, how we used to. I will not miss you and that's a promise. You never had my love, and I want you to remember that. Bitch, you keep this letter because this may be the last thing you have from me. Fuck, I hate you so much. I will not talk to you soon bitch... Goodbye.- Ricardo"[ Erica begins to cry, she throws the paper in tha garbage & crys for hours ]... A day passes, she is sad, depressed and she feels so lonely... Then she gets a phone call....Friend: How are you feeling?Girl: I just cant believe this happened.. I thought he loved me.Friend: Oh, about that. Ricardo left me a message. A few days ago. He told me to tell you to look in your jacket pocket or something...Girl: Umm.. okay.[She finds a piece of paper in the jacket,It says:"Baby I hope you find this before you read my letter. I knew your dad might read it, so I switched a few words...Hate = LoveNever = AlwaysBitch = BabyWill not= will.... I hope you didn't take that seriously because I love you with all my heart, and it was so hard to let you go thats why I wanted you to run away with me... -Ricardo"]Girl: Oh my God! It's a letter.. Ricardo does love me!!, he must of slipped it into my pocket when he hugged me. I can't believe how stupid I am!!

Friend: lol Okay but I g2g... Call me later.Girl: *happy*okay, bye, I'll be at home waiting for my baby to call me!... Erica turns the T.V. on......[Breaking news] "An airplane has crashed. Over 47 young boys died, we are still searching for survivors... This is a tragedy we will never forget, this plane was flight 1-80... it was on its way to an all boys boarding school..." the Reporter says.[ She turns off the t.v. ... 3 days later, she kills herself, because of the fact that Ricardo was dead & she had nothing to live for... ]... A day after that the phone rings. Nobody answers. It was Ricardo, he called to leave a message. "Its Ricardo, I guess you're not home so, I called to let you know that I'm alive, I missed my flight because I had to see you one last time. So, I hope your not worried. I am staying for good

Text Pal

2008-06-25T14:34:00.001+05:30

My cellphone's beeping sound woke me up one night. Used to receiving important messages only, I grabbed my cell and sleepily pushed the keys and read the message.
"Hi there! Care 2 b my txtmate?"
Not knowing who the sender was, I deleted the message right away and placed the phone on my bedside table, I tried to go back to sleep.
I had just closed my eyes when I heard the message tone again.
"Hi there, again! Care 2 b my txtmate?" again, the message said.
"Who the hell could this be asking for txtmate at the wee hours of the night?" I asked myself.
Again, without bothering to reply I deleted the message.
I was never a 'textmaniac' - someone who enjoys texting anyone and everyone even at the wee hours of night, not to mention during the day. My parents, who were always out of the country forced me to own a cellphone. They told me that having one was more convenient - they could monitor me even if they're miles away.
I wanted to turn the unit off, but since my mother was fond of calling me at night, just to check if I was safe at home, I decided not to.
Just as I was to close my eyes and return to my dreamless sleep, the phone beeped again.
Same number...Such determination!
"Ply reply 2 dis msg & b an angel & save me frm dis abyss of emptiness!!!"
I never knew why, but the message struck me. I got up and pushed the keys... I just realized I was replying to the message.
"Im not an angel, n f u want som1 2 save u, m not superman... I'm just a simple prson who u wake up at dis r of my nyt!!! Nway, do I know u?" I typed.
Seconds later came the reply.
"Nope. U don't know dis lonely soul. Nor does she know u. But I want 2 b ur frnd. I'm Mikaella Cervantes. U?"
"Just call me Julius. How'd u get my no.?" I sent back.
"Hi Julius, nice 2 meet u. Just shuffled the last two digits of mine," she replied.
That was the first and maybe the last time I met someone over the cellphone.
We exchanged messages and learned so much about each other that night. We only said goodbye when my alarm clock rang at 5:00 AM! I had to prepare for school!
And that was also how it all started. A day would not pass without it loving and thoughtful messages from her. It was only then I had learned to appreciate text messages and become eager and excited everytime my phone beeped, hoping it would be her.
Mikaella brought out something about me that I never knew I had; I realized I could also be a romantic person... even if it's just through text messaging.
"Keep me as a frnd & I will keep u in my heart. Lock it up & throw away d key so dat no1 can evr tke u away from me..."One day, she sent this message to me.
I replied: 'In life, we seldom find a true prson & f u evr find 1, hold on & nvr let go... value dat prson coz it's lyf's gift worth keeping & holdin on..."
I never knew why, but her response sent shivers to my spine, " Value d people hu hav touched ur life bcoz u will never know just wen dey will walk out of ur lyf & nvr come back again."
I couldn't understand what I felt that moment, but one thing I was sure though... I could not go on a day without a single word from her. I'd become used to having her, eventhough we had not met personally. But truly, she already occupied a space, a large one, in fact in my life.
I texted her back. "Dont come close f l8r ull jst pass by; don't touch me f l8r ull jst let me cry; dont luv me f l8r ull jst leave me and won't stay..."
I didn't know why I sent her that message, but somehow I felt, every word came from my heart. In the short span of time we were sending messages to each other, I knew, I was starting to keep her in my heart.

I called her once. The voice on the other end was like an angel's. Soft, kind, full of love. Yet, there was something in it I couldn't define. We only talked for a few minutes. Before she hung up, she told me not to call again. According to her, it would be better if we would just text each other.
But the voice kept ringing, not only in my head, but in my heart, I'd long to hear it once more. I tried to call her again, but she never answered the phone. She just kept on sending messages and quotations, which I copied in a little notebook. Hopeless romantic? I didn't know. All I could say was that all the messages she sent me were wonderful, they came from the heart and cut through the heart.
"Though we r miles apart, u r always n my heart. I close my eyes & der u r. Even f I'll see u never, I'll always b hir 2 care 4 u, far longer dan 4ever..."
One December night, she sent me this message. By that time we had been exchanging messages for more than a month. God knew how happy I was. She was right. Although we had not seen each other, what we felt was enough to make us both realize what was keeping us together.
I sent her another message, "Loving u secretly is a hard thing 4 me 2 do,hoping, wondring that u will feel d same way 2, but I can't read r mind f u luv me 2. But whatever it is, I'll still be loving u."
"How I wish I cud really tell u how much u mean 2 me, but m afraid 2 love, scared 2 get hurt... I hope dat u will wait 4 me & pray dat u will not get tired of loving me...=)" was her reply.
And then I replied again. " The reason y I met u is bcoz of destiny but f destiny will suggest dat I'll live w/o u, den, I'll lie not by destiny but of free will."
Whenever I asked her when we would meet personally, she always answered, "Soon...soon, love...soon."
Not seeing each other did not lessen, even a bit, what I felt for her...rather, it even grew deeper and stronger each day. And I was sure, she felt the same way, too. Love messages continued to flow through our lines, between our hearts, which made us go on each day with the thought that sooner, we would see each other, face to face, heart to heart.
Just a few days before Christmas. She stopped sending messages. At first I just though she had ran out of prepaid.
But there was something that kept bothering me... I couldn't understand what was it, but it made me fell nervous. I tried to call her but she wouldn't answer. Nevertheless, I continued sending messages.
Suddenly one night, just three days before our Lord's birthday. I heard my phone's message tone again... at last!It was from her!
"Oftentyms we say gudbye 2 d 1 we luv w/o wanting 2. Though dat doesn't mean dat we stopped loving dem or we stopped 2 care. Sometyms, GOODBYE is a painful way 2 say I LOVE YOU."
I was dumfounded. I didn't know what to think of. What did she mean? I texted her back, searching for answers, but found nothing. I called her but she would not answer.
For the first time in my life, I felt so miserable...desperate... empty. I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to lose her. I had learned to love her. And I wanted to be with her forever.
The following days I felt nothing but emptiness. It seemed that Mikaella took the life out of me. I missed her so much...her messages...The tones that would tell me she'd sent another loving message. Nothing around me could feel the emptiness I felt.
Tut...tut...tut...tut...tut...just a day before Christmas, my cell beeped again. It was her!
"Meet me at d café, 10 AM 2day," I read aloud, making sure the message was true, then I jumped with joy upon hearing from her again. Hurriedly, I got myself ready and I went to the mall. I knew it was still early, but I wanted to be there before she arrived.
I arrived at the meeting place ten minutes earlier. I was surprised to see her already there, smiling at me. She was very beautiful, Black, deep-set eyes that spoke a thousand words; small, kissable lips; a nose perfectly chiseled and long black hair - everything in her was beautiful. And yes, her eyes radiated kindness and love...but there was a flicker of something in them...sadness?
"Hi, Julius," said the angelic voice I had been dreaming of each night. The voice that I had waited to hear for so long. "Please sit down." "I am very pleased to meet you, Mikaella," I said, as I took my seat and gave the roses I brought for her.
"Thanks, Julius," she smiled, obviously pleased with the roses. I knew she loved pink roses.
"You are always welcome, Love" "Julius, I can't stay," she said, sadness in her voice, or was it tears? "I really must go."
"But we just met, Mikaella. Can't we talk a little longer?" I asked, pleadingly.
"I can't really. I just came here to see you and thank you for the time you shared with me. Thank you for everything, Julius. I will never forget you...you will always be here in my heart."

She was looking at me straight into the eyes, and I could really feel the sadness in her voice and I swear, there was something in her voice and I swear, there was something in those lovely yet lonely eyes...
She got up and smiled at me, lovingly.
"Tomorrow morning, please come and visit me," he said and gave me a piece of white linen paper.
I read what was written and when I looked up, she was gone. The following day, Christmas, I woke up early and excitedly readied myself,thinking of her. I hurriedly went to flower shop and bought a dozen pink roses - for Mikaella.
They lived in an exclusive subdivision.
Upon reaching their house, I told the guard who I was and that I was looking for Mikaella.
The guard stared at me, sadness and amazement in his eyes and told me to wait as he called the owner of the house. As I looked at him while he was going inside the house, only then I noticed that the house was brightly lit.
A woman went out and walked towards me, smiling sadly.
"Hi, I'm Maria, Mikaella's mother. Please come inside, Julius." While we were walking towards the mansion, she explained to me why she knew me very well - Mikaella had always been talking about her friend, Julius. I hardly understood what she was saying. I was busy thinking why Mikaella's mother was crying while talking to me.
As we came near the great hall of the house, it dawned on me that there was a wake inside, Maybe, a relative passed away, I thought. But deep in my heart, I was trembling and afraid.
As we entered the hall where so many people were silently mourning while others were praying, shaking, I asked her mother. "Where is Mikaella?"
She held my hand and silently, led me to the coffin which was surrounded by flowers - pink roses, nothing but pinkroses.
No words could explain how I felt when I gazed at the coffin and saw who was lying there. The same beautiful girl I met...
A man came beside me, I knew he was Mika's father.
"We are so glad you came, Julius. Mika talked of you all the time. She even asked that her phone be buried with her.
She said that in that way, you could still send her messages and you would always be with her."
I couldn't believe everything... My mind was in limbo.
"But how can this be? We just saw each other yesterday."
"That can't possibly be. She passed away three days ago. She had been suffering from a heart disease since she was a child," said her father.
"But..." I couldn't find the words to say.
"She told us not to bother reaching you, "her mother said, still in tears," she said you will come, and here you are.
Pain and bitterness overwhelmed me. I cried silently beside her, staring at her lovely face, memorizing every line of my friend's face, a face I knew I would never forget while I was still alive.
After the internment that afternoon, I went to the chapel she hadtold me she went everyday.
Sitting there praying and crying to God, I held my phone and typed: "U taught me how 2 care; u taught me how 2 b kind; u shwd me how 2 lyk som; u shwd me how 2 luv; but ders 1 thing didnt teach me & it hurts mor - u didnt teach me how 2 let go. I LOVE YOU"
I sent the message, and though I knew she wouldn't be able to hold her CP again, I knew in my heart she would get my message. I never expected a reply, yet as my phone beeped again,felt a shiver down my spine. The sender's number did not appear on the screen, and tears rolled down my cheeks as I read the message.

"Let go of d hand of d person u love, but dont let go of God's hand. 4 if u hold 2 his hand. He may b holding d person u love n d ader hand 2 let u hold each other again."
"I will never forget you, Mikaella and will never let go..." I vowed to her and to myself as I left the church.

A boy's love

2008-06-24T23:57:00.001+05:30

A good reminder: "Take time to appreciate what you have now." --Dont miss reading this one
On the last day before Christmas, I hurried to go to the supermarket to buy theremaining of the gift I didn't manage to buy earlier.
When I saw all the people there, I started to complain tomyself,"It is going to take forever here and I still have so many other places to go.Christmas really is getting more and more annoying every year.How I wish I could just lie down, go to sleep and only wake up after it..."
Nonetheless, I made my way to the toy section, and there I started to curse the prices, wondering if after all kids really pla ywith such expensive toys.
While looking in the toy section, I noticed a small boy of about 5 years old, pressing a doll against his chest. He kept on touching the hair of the doll and looked so sad. I wondered who was this doll for. Then the little boy turned to the old woman next to him, "Granny, are you sure I don't have enough money?"
The old lady replied, "You know that you don't have enough money to buy this doll, my dear."
Then she asked him to stay here for 5 minutes while she went to look around. She left quickly. The little boy was still holding the doll in his hand.
Finally, I started to walk toward him and I asked him who did he want to give this doll to."It is the doll that my sister loved most and wanted so much for this Christmas. She was so sure that Santa Claus would bring it to her."
I replied to him that may be Santa Claus will bring it to her, after all, and not to worry. But he replied to me sadly.
"No, Santa Claus can not bring it to her where she is now. I have to give the doll to my mother so that she can give it to her when she goes there."
His eyes were so sad while saying this.
"My sister has gone to be with God. Daddy says that Mummy will also go to see God very soon, so I thought that she could bring the doll with her to give it to my sister."

My heart nearly stopped. The little boy looked up at me and said, "I told daddy to tell mummy not to go yet. I asked him to wait until I come back from the supermarket."
Then he showed me a very nice photo of him where he was laughing. He then told me, "I also want mummy to take this photo with her so that she will not forget me."
I love my mummy and I wish she doesn't have to leave me but daddy says that she has to go to be with my little sister."
Then he looked again at the doll with sad eyes, very quietly.I quickly reachedfor my wallet and took a few notes and said to the boy, "What if we checkedagain, just in case if you have enough money?"
"Ok," he said. "I hope that I have enough."
I added some of my money to his without him seeing and we started to count it.There was enough for the doll, and even some spare money.
The little boy said, "Thank you God for giving me enough money."
Then he looked at me and added,"I asked yesterday before I slept for God tomake sure I have enough money to buy this doll so that mummy can give it to my sister. He heard me.""I also wanted to have enough money to buy a white rose for my mummy, but I didn't dare to ask God too much. But He gave me enough to buy the doll and the white rose."
"You know, my mummy loves white rose."
A few minutes later, the old lady came again and I left with my trolley. Ifinished my shopping in a totallydifferent state from when I started. I couldn't get the little boy out of mymind.
Then I remembered a local newspaper article 2 days ago, which mentioned of a drunk man in a truck who hit a car where there was one young lady and a little girl. The little girl died right away, and the mother was left in a critical state. The family had to decide whether to pull the plug on the life-assisting machine, because the young lady would not be able to get out of the coma.
Was this the family of the little boy?
Two days after this encounter with the little boy, I read in the newspaper that the young lady had passed away.I couldn't stop myself and went to buy a bunch of white roses and I went to the mortuary where the body of the young woman was exposed for people to see and make last wish before burial.

She was there, in her coffin, holding a beautiful white rosein her hand with the photo of the little boy and the doll placed over her chest. I left the place crying, feeling that my life had been changed forever. The love that this little boy had for his mother and his sister is still, to that day, hard to imagine. And in a fraction of a second, a drunk man had taken all this away from him.

Thinking of you

2008-06-24T23:56:00.000+05:30

Sophie's face faded into the gray winter light of the sitting room. She dozed in the armchair that Joe had bought for her on their fortieth anniversary. The room was warm and quiet. Outside it was snowing lightly.
At a quarter past one the mailman turned the corner onto Allen Street. He was behind on his route, not because of the snow, but because it was Valentine's Day and there was more mail than usual. He passed Sophie's house without looking up. Twenty minutes later he climbed back into his truck and drove off.
Sophie stirred when she heard the mail truck pull away, then took off her glasses and wipe her mouth and eyes with the handkerchief she always carried in her sleeve. She pushed herself up using the arm of the chair for support, straightened slowly and smoothed the lap of her dark green housedress.
Her slippers made a soft, shuffling sound on the bare floor as she walked to the kitchen. She stopped at the sink to wah the two dishes she had left on the counter after lunch. Then she filled a plastic cup halfway with water and took her pills. It was one forty-five.
There was a rocker in the sitting room by the front window. Sophie eased herself into it. In a half-hour the children would be passing by on their way home from school. Sophie waited, rocking and watching the snow.
The boys came first, as always, runnng and calling out things Sophie could not hear. Today they were making snowball as they went, throwing them at one another. One snowball missed and smackd hard into Sophie's window. She jerked backward, and the rocker slipped off the edge of her oval rag rug.
The girl dilly-dallied after the boys, in twos and threes, cupping their mittened hands over their mouths and giggling. Sophie wonder if they were telling each other about the valentines they had received at school. One pretty girl with long brown hair stopped and pointed to her face behind the drapes, suddenly self-consious. When she looked out again, the boys and girls were gone. It was cold by the window, but she stayed there watching the snow conver the children's footprints
A florist's truck turned onto Allen Street. Sophie followed it with her eyes. It was moving slowly. Twice it stopped and started again. Then the driver pulled up in front of Mrs. Mason's house next door and parked.Who would be sending Mrs. Mason flowers? Sophie wondered. Her daughter in Wisconsin? Or her brother? No, her brother was very ill. It was probably her daughter. How nice of her.
Flowers made Sophie think of Joe and, for a moment, she let the aching memory fill her. Tomorrow was the fifteenth. Eight months since his death.
The flower mans was knocking at Mrs. Mason's front door. He carried a long white and green box and a clipboard. No one seemed to be answering. Of course! It was Friday - Mrs. Mason quilted at the church on Friday afternoons. the delivery man looked around, then started toward Sophie's house.
Sophie shoved herself out of the rocker and stood close to the drapes. The man knocked. Her hands trembled as she straightened her hair. She reached her front hall on the third knock.
"Yes?" she said, peering around a slightly opened door. "Good afternoon, ma'am," the man said loudly. "Would you take a delivery for your neighbor?"
"Yes," Sophie answered, pulling the door wide open. "Where would you like me to put them?" the man asked politely as he strode in.
"In the kitchen, please. On the table." The man looked big to Sophie. She could hardly see his face between his green cap and full beard. Sophie was glad he left quickly, and she locked the door after him.
The box was as long as the kitchen table. Sophie drew near to it and bent over to read the lettering: "NATALIE'S Flowers for Every Occasion." The rich smell of roses engulfed her. She closed her eyes and took slower breaths, imagining yellow roses. Joe had always chosen yellow. "To my sunshine," he would say, presenting the extravagant bouquet. He would laugh delightedly, kiss her on the forehead, then take her hands in his and sing to her "You Are My Sunshine."
It's was five o'clock when Mrs. Mason knocked at Sophie's front door. Sophie was still at the kitchen table. The flower box was now open though, and she held the roses on her lap, swaying slightly and stroking the delicate yellow petals. Mrs. Mason knocked again, but Sophie did not hear her, and after several minutes the neighbour left.
Sophie rose a little while later, laying the flowers on the kitchen table. Her cheeks were flushed. She dragged a stepstool across the kitchen floor and lifted a white porcelain vase from the top corner cabinet. Using a drinking glass, she filled the vase with water, then tenderly arranged the roses and greens, and carried them into the sitting room.
She was smiling as she reached the middle of the room. She turned slightly and began to dip and twirl in small slow circles. She stepped lightly, gracefully, around the sitting room, into the kitchen, down the hall, back again. She danced till her knees grew weak, and then she dropped into the armchair and slept.
At a quarter past six, Sophie awoke with a start. Someone was knocking on the back door this time. It was Mrs. Mason.
"Hello, Sophie," Mrs. Mason said. "How are you? I knocked at five and was a little worried when you didn't come. Were you napping?" She chattered as she wiped her snowy boots on the welcome mat and stepped inside. "I just hate snow, don't you? The radio says we might have six inches by midnight, but you can never trust them, you know. Do you remember last winter when they predicted four inches, and we hand twenty-one? Twenty-one! And they said we'd have a mild winter this year. Ha! I don't think it's been over zero in weeks. Do you know my oil bill was $263 last month? For my little house!"
Sophie was only half-listening. She had remembered the roses suddenly and was turning hot with shame. The empty flower box was behind her on the kitchen table. What would she say to Mrs. Mason?
"I don't know how much longer I can keep paying the bills. If only Alfred, God bless him, had been as careful with money as your Joseph. Joseph! Oh, good heavens! I almost forgot about the roses."Sophie's cheeks burned. She began to stammer an apology, stepping aside to reveal the empty box.

"Oh, good," Mrs. Mason interrupted. "You put the roses in water. Then you saw the card. I hope it didn't startle your to see Joseph's handwriting. Joseph had asked me to bring you the roses the first year, so I could explain for him. He didn't want to alarm you. His 'Rose Trust,' I think he called it. He arranged it with the florist last Apirl. Such a good man, your Joseph..."
But Sophie had stopped listening. Her heart was pounding as she picked up the small white envelope she had missed earlier. It had been lying beside the flower box all this time. With trembling hands, she removed the card.
"To my sunshine," it said. "I love you with all my heart. Try to be happy when you think of me. Love, Joe."

Chain of love

2008-06-24T23:54:00.000+05:30

He was driving home one evening, on a two-lane country road. Work, in this small Midwestern community, was almost as slow as his beat-up Pontiac. But he never quit looking. Ever since the factory closed, he'd been unemployed, and with winter raging on, the chill had finally hit home.
It was a lonely road. Not very many people had a reason to be on it, unless they were leaving. Most of his friends had already left. They had families to feed and dreams to fulfill. But he stayed on. After all, this was where he buried his mother and father. He was born here and knew the country. He could go down this road blind, and tell you what was on either side, and with his headlights not working, that came in handy.
It was starting to get dark and light snow flurries were coming down. He'd better get a move on. You know, he almost didn't see the old lady, stranded on the side of the road. But even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her. Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe, he looked poor and hungry.
He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was that chill which only fear can put in you. He said, "I'm here to help you ma'am. Why don't you wait in the car where it's warm? By the way, my name is Bryan."
Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt. As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was only just passing through. She couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid. Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk.
She asked him how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She had already imagined all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped. Bryan never thought twice about the money. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were plenty who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way. He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance that they needed, and Bryan added "...and think of me."
He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight. A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant.
Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The cash register was like the telephone of an out of work actor. It didn't ring much. Her waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn't erase. The lady noticed that the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude. The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan.
After the lady finished her meal and the waitress went to get change for her hundred dollar bill, the lady slipped right out the door. She was gone by the time the waitress came back. She wondered where the lady could be, and then she noticed something written on a napkin. There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote. It said:
"You don't owe me anything, I have been there too. Somebody once helped ME out, the way I'm helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you."
Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another day. That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard. She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, "Everything's going to be all right, I love you, Bryan."

Please note that this story is an expanded version of the song Chain Of Love by Clay Walker. All rights for this story belong to its respective owners and Love Fate Destiny does not owe any rights to this story.

Men are from mars,Women are from venus

2008-06-24T23:53:00.001+05:30

You know that book "Men are from Mars, Women from Venus"? Well, here's a prime example of that. The unverified claim is that this was turned in as an actual English assignment.
Today we will experiment with a new form called the tandem story. The process is simple. Each person will pair off with the person, sitting to his or her immediate right. One of you will then write the first paragraph of a short story. The partner will read the first paragraph and then add another paragraph to the story. The first person will then add a third paragraph, and so on back and forth. Remember to re-read what has been written each time, in order to keep the story coherent. The story is over when both agree a conclusion has been reached.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rebecca [last name deleted] and Gary [last name deleted]English 44ASMUCreative WritingProf. MillerIn-class Assignment for Wednesday
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------At first, Laurie couldn't decide which kind of tea she wanted. The camomile, which used to be her favorite for lazy evenings at home, now reminded her too much of Carl, who once said, in happier times, that he liked camomile. But she felt she must now, at all costs, keep her mind off Carl. His possessiveness was suffocating, and if she thought about him too much, her asthma started acting up again. So camomile was out of the question. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Meanwhile, Advance Sergeant Carl Harris, leader of the attack squadron now in orbit over Skylon 4, had more important things to think about than the neuroses of an air-headed asthmatic bimbo named Laurie, with whom he had spent one sweaty night over a year ago. "A.S. Harris to Geostation 17," he said into his transgalactic communicator. "Polar orbit established. No sign of resistance so far ..." But before he could sign off a bluish particle beam flashed out of nowhere and blasted a hole through his ship's cargo bay. The jolt from the direct hit sent him flying out of his seat and across the cockpit. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------He bumped his head and died almost immediately, but not before he felt one last pang of regret for psychically brutalizing the one woman who had ever had feelings for him. Soon afterwards, Earth stopped its pointless hostilities towards the peaceful farmers of Skylon 4. "Congress Passes Law Permanently Abolishing War and Space Travel," Laurie read in her newspaper one morning. The news simultaneously excited her and bored her. She stared out the window, dreaming of her youth -- when the days had passed unhurriedly and carefree, with no newspapers to read, no television to distract her from her sense of innocent wonder at all the beautiful things around her. "Why must one lose one's innocence to become a woman?", she pondered wistfully.

I'm sorry I lied

2008-06-24T23:52:00.000+05:30

Jenny was so happy about the house they had found. For once in her life that was on the right side of town. She unpacked her things with such great ease. As she watched her new curtains blow in the breeze. How wonderful it was to have her own room. School would be starting, she would have friends over soon. There will be sleep-overs, and parties. She was so happy. It's just the way she wanted her life to be.
On the first day of school, everything went great. She made new friends and even got a date! She thought, "I want to be popular and I'm going to be, because I just got a date with the star of the team!" To be known in this school you had to have a clout, and dating this guy would sure help her out. There was only one problem stopping her fate. Her parents had said she was too young to date. "Well I just won't tell them the entire truth. They won't know the difference. What's there to lose?"
Jenny asked to stay with her friends that night. Her parents frowned but said, "All right." Excited, she got ready for the big event. But as she rushed around like she had no sense, she began to feel guilty about all the lies, but what's a pizza, a party, and a moonlight ride? Well the pizza was good, and the party was great, and the moonlight ride would have to wait, for Jeff was half drunk by this time.
But he kissed her and said that he was just fine. Then the room filled with smoked and Jeff took a puff. Jenny couldn't believe he was smoking that stuff. Now Jeff was ready to ride to the point, but only after he'd smoked another joint.
They jumped in the car for the moonlight ride, not thinking that he was too drunk to drive. They finally made it to the point at last, and Jeff started trying to make a pass. A pass is not what Jenny wanted at all (and by a pass, I don't mean playing football.) "Perhaps my parents were right. Maybe I am too young. Boy, how could I ever, ever be so dumb?" With all of her might, she pushed Jeff away, "Please take me home, I don't want to stay."
Jeff cranked up the engine and floored the gas. In a matter of seconds they were going too fast. As Jeff drove on in a fit of wild anger, Jenny knew that her life was in danger. She begged and pleaded for him to slow down, but he just got faster as they neared the town. "Just let me get home! I'll confess that I lied. I really went out for a moonlight ride."
Then all of a sudden, she saw a big flash. "Oh God, Please help us! We're going to crash!" She doesn't remember the force of impact. Just that everything all of a sudden went black. She felt someone remove her from the twisted rubble, and heard, "Call an ambulance! These kids are in trouble!" Voices she heard, a few words at best. But she knew there were two cars involved in the wreck.
Then wondered to herself if Jeff was all right, and if the people in the other car was alive. She awoke in the hospital to faces so sad. "You've been in a wreck and it looks pretty bad." These voices echoed inside her head, as they gently told her that Jeff was dead. They said "Jenny, we've done all we can do. But it looks as if we'll lose you too." "But the people in the other car?" Jenny cried. "We're sorry, Jenny, they also died."

Jenny prayed, "God, forgive me for what I've done. I only wanted to have just one night of fun." "Tell those people's family, I've made their lives dim, and wish I could return their families to them." "Tell Mom and Dad I'm sorry I lied, and that it's my fault so many have died. Oh, nurse, won't you please tell them that for me?"
The nurse just stood there. She never agreed. But took Jenny's hand with tears in her eyes. And a few moments later Jenny died. A man asked the nurse, "Why didn't you do your best to bid that girl her one last request?" She looked at the man with eyes so sad. "Because the people in the other car were her mom and dad."

A teacher's lesson

2008-06-24T23:51:00.000+05:30

There is a story many years ago of an elementary teacher. Her name was Mrs. Thompson. And as she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same.
But that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he didn't play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. And Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.
At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.
Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners. He is a joy to be around."
His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."
His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."
Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class."
By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present which was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag.
Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist.
Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to." After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, and writing, and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children.
Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets."
A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer - the letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D.
The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he'd met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the place at the wedding that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.

They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference."
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."

Follow your heart

2008-06-24T23:49:00.001+05:30

Billy loved Katie with all his heart. But he never told a Single soul. Katie secretly loved him too. But she thought she would never have a chance with him. Billy asked his friends what they think of her and his friends thought she was gay. They didn't like her at all. So Billy just went along with them. They all made fun of her and made her feel really bad. Katie was so upset.
One day they followed her home from school making fun of her the whole way home. Once she got inside her house she dropped to the floor cringe. She had a crush on Billy since 3rd grade. She didn't know what to do. When Billy got home he felt real bad about what he had done. So he decided to go to Katie's house to tell her he was sorry and that he really loves her.
When he got there he knocked on the door no one answered.
The door was open so he walked in. He walked into the living room and found Katie lying dead on the floor. She had slit her wrists. Billy was so up set . He knew it was his fault she killed her self. And now he could never tell her how he really felt.
The lesson of this story is: Don't wait to until the last minute to tell someone how you really feel. Because it just might be too late. And don't always go by what your friends say, follow your heart.

A diary from a guy

2008-06-24T23:45:00.000+05:30

*January 2*
Do you still remember the first time we met? It was the first day in school. I was hurriedly entering the school gate when I bumped into you as you stepped out of a luxurious Volvo. The books you were holding fell all over the ground. I quickly picked up the books and returned them to you along with words of apology, but all you showed me was your intimidating look. My first impression of you was thatyou were a wilful girl born with a golden sthingy in the mouth. I had rejected you completely and had hoped not to meet you again, but surprisingly you turned out to be my classmate.
*March 22*
I started to know more about you as days passed and my opinion of you changed for the better on each passing day. I realised that you were from a wealthy family but definitely not a wilful girl. You were nice and friendly. You got angry that day we first met because I had left a footprint marking on the poetry collection you loved dearly. We met often during lunch break and I found something in you that was different from the rest of the girls - your passion for Chinese poetry. Often you would mumble something to yourself. Initially, I thought that you were humming a pop song butlater I realised that you had been reciting Chinese poems from great poets. You were so knowledgeable that you knew every poet and which poems they composed. I was very impressed indeed.
*April 5*
I met you again in the study area. That day you were reading the Chinese classics "Romance of the 3 kingdom". Your ability to appreciate Chinese classics left me with admiration. You were indeed unique in many ways.
*May 5*
From then on, we would often meet in the study area to discuss about the good and bad things of the character in these Chinese classics. Do you still remember the time when we a! lmost br oke off because we could not agree on whether Jia BaoYu hurt Lin Dai Yu? Our argument was so fierce that we never talked for that week. But when Friday came, we still met in the study area and laughed over the incident. After which, another argument started.
*Aug 7*
I could not deny it. It was a feeling I could not identify accurately. Wenever you laughed over a joke with other guys, that emotion filled my senses. It took me a while before identified it. I was in love; the feeling was jealousy. I felt the need to express it. But, I was afraid...that you would dismiss my feeling, that you and I would be stuck in an embarrassing situation, that our long nurtured friendship would crumble...therefore, I kept quiet.
*Oct 1*
The news came as a shock to me. I was so worried when I learnt that you had fainted in the canteen. I was struggling to keep my worried face in control as I looked at the ambulance that carried you away.
*Oct 2*
It was drizzling that day. Our form teacher sadly announced that you had got cancer. As she finished her last sentence, outside the classroom, it seemed to me that the drizzle had turned into a downpour. I could only hear the sound of the rain, nothing more. I rushed to NUH ICU to see you immediately after lesson. Your face was whitish in colour, showing no trace of red. I learnt that you had just undergone an operation. The life-support system was just beside you with tubes piercing mercilessly into your left wrist. "I am all right, it is just a serious case of anemia. Believe me, my parents told me that". you said convincingly. I knew fully well what you were thinking, you did not want me to be worried. "Are you comforting yourself or comforting the fears and hopelessness that was written all over my face?", I thought to myself. I was not strong enough to disagree with you and I nodded my head with a forced smile. You responded with a smile too-with gre! at effor t.
*Oct 5*
It was a ordinary day but to me, it was an important day. I felt an impulse to express my love. I walked over to the side of your bed, holding your hand. I told you the story of how an ordinary guy fell in love with a girl who likes poetry and Chinese classics. As I told my story, my eyes started to flood with water, and uncontrollably my voice started to choke, and finally I broke into tear But you held my head against your body and with watery eyes, said: "I understand such a love, so did the girl." I returned my eyes to her and at that moment, her tears dropped, and for the first time, I saw some redness on her lips.
*Oct 26*
It was the last day of examination and I rushed to NUH to continue my story. When I reached there, I only saw the nurse arranging the bed you once slept on. When I asked about you, the nurse told me expressionlessly that you had passed away. It was a bolt from the blue for me. I stood motionless for a long time. I hated myself for spending the last few days preparing for the last examination paper. I hated myself for not staying longer the last time I visited you. I hated myself so much...but you were gone...... I can't remember how I got home that day. When I woke up, I was already in my room. The pillow I slept on was wet. The next day, I went for the funeral. I heard from your father that on the day you passed away, you were still reading the Poetry collection I gave you as a gift for your birthday. Standing in front of Your portrait, I had no tears, they were used up on the day of your death. All I knew was sadness, my heart was like shattered into pieces and died.
*Jan 2*
A new girl has taken over your seat. She does not like poetry, but she likes to hum pop songs. When I asked her if she knows Jia Bao Yu, she replied: "What talking you." Yes, you were gone. But to me, the seat is still unoccupied, and maybe no one will ever occupy it......
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is a true story that happened 10 years ago!!!! Now then Can fully understand what the author means by "A PERSON WILL KNOW WHAT IS PAIN ONLY WHEN HE HAS BEEN THROUGH IT...." To cut the whole story short...jus wanna tell u pple that.....
IF U TRULY LOVE THAT SOMEONE... JUS GO RIGHT UP TO HIM OR HER OR GIVE A PHONE CALL RIGHT NOW TO SAY "I lUV U " AND EXPRESS YOUR FEELINGS FOR THAT PERSON B4 IT'S TOO LATE!!!!!
A Guy would rather shed blood than shed tears but that's because he has yet experience sadness. The moral of the story is to treasure your love ones coz they might not be always around. Share this story to those you cherish most and let them feel their "presence" are important as they are part of our lives too!!

The salty coffee

2008-06-24T23:44:00.000+05:30

He met her at a party. She was so outstanding, many guys chasing after her, while he was so normal, nobody paid attention to him.
At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him, she was surprised but due to being polite, she promised. They sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything, she felt uncomfortable, and she thought to herself, "Please, let me go home..."
Suddenly he asked the waiter, "Would you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in my coffee." Everybody stared at him, so strange! His face turned red but still, he put the salt in his coffee and drank it. She asked him curiously, "Why you have this hobby?" He replied, "When I was a little boy, I lived near the sea, I liked playing in the sea, I could feel the taste of the sea, just like the taste of the salty coffee. Now every time I have the salty coffee, I always think of my childhood, think of my hometown, I miss my hometown so much, I miss my parents who are still living there." While saying that tears filled his eyes. She was deeply touched. That's his true feeling, from the bottom of his heart. A man who can tell out his homesickness, he must be a man who loves home, cares about home, has responsibility of home... Then she also started to speak, spoke about her faraway hometown, her childhood, her family.
That was a really nice talk, also a beautiful beginning of their story. They continued to date. She found that actually he was a man who meets all her demands; he had tolerance, was kind hearted, warm, careful. He was such a good person but she almost missed him! Thanks to his salty coffee! Then the story was just like every beautiful love story, the princess married to the prince, and then they were living the happy life... And, every time she made coffee for him, she put some salt in the coffee, as she knew that's the way he liked it.
After 40 years, he passed away, left her a letter which said, "My dearest, please forgive me, forgive my whole life's lie. This was the only lie I said to you---the salty coffee. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous at that time, actually I wanted some sugar, but I said salt. It was hard for me to change so I just went ahead. I never thought that could be the start of our communication! I tried to tell you the truth many times in my life, but I was too afraid to do that, as I have promised not to lie to you for anything... Now I'm dying, I afraid of nothing so I tell you the truth, I don't like the salty coffee, what a strange bad taste... But I have had the salty coffee for my whole life! Since I knew you, I never feel sorry for anything I do for you. Having you with me is my biggest happiness for my whole life. If I can live for the second time, still want to know you and have you for my whole life, even though I have to drink the salty coffee again."
Her tears made the letter totally wet. Someday, someone asked her, "What's the taste of salty coffee?" She replied, "It's sweet."

Pass this to everyone because love is not to forget but to forgive, not to see but understand, not to hear but to listen, not to let go but HOLD ON!!!!

The love letter

2008-06-24T23:43:00.000+05:30

I was always a little in awe of Great-aunt Stephina Roos. Indeed, as children we were all frankly terrified of her. The fact that she did not live with the family, preferring her tiny cottage and solitude to the comfortable but rather noisy household where we were brought up-added to the respectful fear in which she was held.We used to take it in turn to carry small delicacies which my mother had made down from the big house to the little cottage where Aunt Stephia and an old colored maid spent their days. Old Tnate Sanna would open the door to the rather frightened little messenger and would usher him-or her - into the dark voor-kamer, where the shutters were always closed to keep out the heat and the flies. There we would wait, in trembling but not altogether unpleasant.She was a tiny little woman to inspire so much veneration. She was always dressed in black, and her dark clothes melted into the shadows of the voor-kamer and made her look smaller than ever. But you felt. The moment she entered. That something vital and strong and somehow indestructible had come in with her, although she moved slowly, and her voice was sweet and soft.She never embraced us. She would greet us and take out hot little hands in her own beautiful cool one, with blue veins standing out on the back of it, as though the white skin were almost too delicate to contain them.
Tante Sanna would bring in dishes of sweet, sweet, sticky candy, or a great bowl of grapes or peaches, and Great-aunt Stephina would converse gravely about happenings on the farm ,and, more rarely, of the outer world.When we had finished our sweetmeats or fruit she would accompany us to the stoep, bidding us thank our mother for her gift and sending quaint, old-fashioned messages to her and the Father. Then she would turn and enter the house, closing the door behind, so that it became once more a place of mystery.
As I grew older I found, rather to my surprise, that I had become genuinely fond of my aloof old great-aunt. But to this day I do not know what strange impulse made me take George to see her and to tell her, before I had confided in another living soul, of our engagement. To my astonishment, she was delighted."An Englishman,"she exclaimed."But that is splendid, splendid. And you,"she turned to George,"you are making your home in this country? You do not intend to return to England just yet?"She seemed relieved when she heard that George had bought a farm near our own farm and intended to settle in South Africa. She became quite animated, and chattered away to him.After that I would often slip away to the little cottage by the mealie lands. Once she was somewhat disappointed on hearing that we had decided to wait for two years before getting married, but when she learned that my father and mother were both pleased with the match she seemed reassured.
Still, she often appeared anxious about my love affair, and would ask questions that seemed to me strange, almost as though she feared that something would happen to destroy my romance. But I was quite unprepared for her outburst when I mentioned that George thought of paying a lightning visit to England before we were married."He must not do it,"she cried."Ina, you must not let him go. Promise me you will prevent him."she was trembling all over. I did what I could to console her, but she looked so tired and pale that I persuaded her to go to her room and rest, promising to return the next day.When I arrived I found her sitting on the stoep. She looked lonely and pathetic, and for the first time I wondered why no man had ever taken her and looked after her and loved her. Mother had told me that Great-aunt Stephina had been lovely as a young girl, and although no trace of that beauty remained, except perhaps in her brown eyes, yet she looked so small and appealing that any man, one felt, would have wanted to protect her.She paused, as though she did not quite know how to begin.
Then she seemed to give herself, mentally, a little shake. "You must have wondered ", she said, "why I was so upset at the thought of young George's going to England without you. I am an old woman, and perhaps I have the silly fancies of the old, but I should like to tell you my own love story, and then you can decide whether it is wise for your man to leave you before you are married."

"I was quite a young girl when I first met Richard Weston. He was an Englishman who boarded with the Van Rensburgs on the next farm, four or five miles from us. Richard was not strong. He had a weak chest, and the doctors had sent him to South Africa so that the dry air could cure him. He taught the Van Rensburg children, who were younger than I was, though we often played together, but he did this for pleasure and not because he needed money.
"We loved one another from the first moment we met, though we did not speak of our love until the evening of my eighteenth birthday. All our friends and relatives had come to my party, and in the evening we danced on the big old carpet which we had laid down in the barn. Richard had come with the Van Rensburgs, and we danced together as often as we dared, which was not very often, for my father hated the Uitlanders. Indeed, for a time he had quarreled with Mynheer Van Rensburg for allowing Richard to board with him, but afterwards he got used to the idea, and was always polite to the Englishman, though he never liked him."That was the happiest birthday of my life, for while we were resting between dances Richard took me outside into the cool, moonlit night, and there, under the stars ,he told me he loved me and asked me to marry him. Of course I promised I would, for I was too happy to think of what my parents would say, or indeed of anything except Richard was not at our meeting place as he had arranged. I was disappointed but not alarmed, for so many things could happen to either of us to prevent out keeping our tryst. I thought that next time we visited the Van Ransburgs, I should hear what had kept him and we could plan further meetings…"So when my father asked if I would drive with him to Driefontein I was delighted. But when we reached the homestead and were sitting on the stoep drinking our coffee, we heard that Richard had left quite suddenly and had gone back to England. His father had died, and now he was the heir and must go back to look after his estates.
"I do not remember very much more about that day, except that the sun seemed to have stopped shining and the country no longer looked beautiful and full of promise, but bleak and desolate as it sometimes does in winter or in times of drought. Late that afternoon, Jantje, the little Hottentot herd boy, came up to me and handed me a letter , which he said the English baas had left for me. It was the only love letter I ever received, but it turned all my bitterness and grief into a peacefulness which was the nearest I could get, then, to happiness. I knew Richard still loved me, and somehow, as long as I had his letter, I felt that we could never be really parted, even if he were in England and I had to remain on the farm. I have it yet, and though I am an old, tired woman, it still gives me hope and courage."
"I must have been a wonderful letter, Aunt Stephia,"I saidThe old lady came back from her dreams of that far-off romance."Perhaps," she said, hesitating a little, "perhaps, my dear, you would care to read it ?""I should love to , Aunt Stephia,"I said gentlyShe rose at once and tripped into the house as eagerly as a young girl. When she came back she handed me a letter, faded and yellow with age, the edges of the envelope worn and frayed as though it had been much handled. But when I came to open it I found that the seal was unbroken."Open it ,open it,"said Great-aunt Stephia, and her voice was shakingI broke the seal and read.
It was not a love letter in the true sense of the word, but pages of the minutest directions of how"my sweetest Phina"was to elude her father's vigilance, creep down to the drift at night and there meet Jantje with a horse which would take her to Smitsdorp. There she was to go to "my true friend, Henry Wilson",who would give her money and make arrangements for her to follow her lover to Cape Town and from there to England ," where, my love, we can he be married at once. But if, my dearest, you are not sure that you can face lift with me in a land strange to you, then do not take this important step, for I love you too much to wish you the smallest unhappiness. If you do not come, and if I do not hear from you, then I shall know that you could never be happy so far from the people and the country which you love. If, however, you feel you can keep your promise to me, but are of too timid and modest a journey to England unaccompanied, then write to me, and I will, by some means, return to fetch my bride."
I read no further."But Aunt Phina!"I gasped. "Why…why…?"The old lady was watching me with trembling eagerness, her face flushed and her eyes bright with expectation."Read it aloud, my dear,"she said."I want to hear every word of it. There was never anyone I could trust…Uitlanders were hated in my young days…I could not ask anyone."

"But, Auntie, don't you even know what he wrote?"The old lady looked down, troubled and shy like a child who has unwittingly done wrong."No, dear," she said, speaking very low."You see, I never learned to read.

Myanmar love story

2008-06-24T23:41:00.001+05:30

10th grade
As I sat there in English class, I stared at the girl next to me. She was my so called"best friend". I stared at her long, silky hair, and wished she was mine. But she didn't notice me like that, and I knew it.
After class, she walked up to me and asked me for the notes she had missed the day before and handed them to her. She said "thanks" and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I wanted to tell her, I want her to know that I don't want to be just friends, I love her but I'm just too shy, and I don't know why.
11th grade
The phone rang. On the other end, it was her. She was in tears, mumbling on and on about how her love had broke her heart. She asked me to come over because she didn't want to be alone, so I did. As I sat next to her on the sofa, I stared at her soft eyes, wishing she was mine. After 2 hours, one Drew Barrymore movie, and three bags of chips, she decided to go to sleep.
She looked at me, said "thanks" and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I want to tell her, I want her to know that I don't want to be just friends, I love her but I'm just too shy, and I don't know why.
Senior year
The day before prom she walked to my locker. "My date is sick" she said; he's not going to go well, I didn't have a date, and in 7th grade, we made a promise that if neither of us had dates, we would go together just as "best friends". So we did. Prom night, after everything was over, I was standing at her front door step! I stared at her as she smiled at me and stared at me with her crystal eyes. I want her to be mine, but she isn't think of me like that, and I know it. Then she said "I had the best time, thanks!" and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I want to tell her, I want her to know that I don't want to be just friends, I love her but I'm just too shy, and I don't know why.
Graduation Day
A day passed, then a week, then a month. Before I could blink, it was graduation day. I watched as her perfect body floated like an angel up on stage to get her diploma. I wanted her to be mine, but she didn't notice me like that, and I knew it. Before everyone went home, she came to me in her smock and hat, and cried as I hugged her. Then she lifted her head from my shoulder and said, "you're my best friend, thanks" and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I want to tell her, I want her to know that I don't want to be just friends, I love her but I'm just too shy, and I don't know why.
A Few Years Later
Now I sit in the pews of the church. That girl is getting married now. I watched her say "I do" and drive off to her new life, married to another man. I wanted her to be mine, but she didn`t see me like that, and I knew it. But before she drove away, she came to me and said "you came!". She said "thanks" and kissed me on the cheek. I want to tell her, I want her to know that I don't want to be just friends, I love her but I'm just too shy, and I don't know why.
Funeral
Years passed, I looked down at the coffin of a girl who used to be my "best friend". At the service, they read a diary entry she had wrote in her high school years. This is what it read:

I stare at him wishing he was mine, but he doesn't notice me like that, and I know it. I want to tell him, I want him to know that I don't want to be just friends, I love him but I'm just too shy, and I don't know why. I wish he would tell me he loved me!
I wish I did too... I thought to my self, and I cried.
I Love You
Send this to all the people that you love! Even if you dont love someone send it to them....just to let them no that your thinking about them!!

The hardest thing I had to say

2008-06-24T23:38:00.003+05:30

It all started when I was 6 years old. While I was playing outside on my farm in California, I met a boy. He was an average kind of boy who teased you and then you chased them and beat them up. After that first meeting in which I beat him up we kept on meeting and beating each other up at the fence. That only lasted for a little while though. We would meet at the fence all the time and we were always together.
I would tell him all my secrets. He was very quiet he would just listen to what I had to say. I found him easy to talk to and I could talk to him about everything. In school we had separate friends but when we got home we would always talk about what happened in school. One day I said to him that a guy I liked hurt me and broke my heart. He just comforted me and said everything would be okay. He gave me words of encouragement and helped me get over him. I was happy and thought of him as a real friend. But I knew that there was something else about him that I liked. I thought of it that night and figured it was just a friend kinda thing that I was feeling.
All through high school and even through graduation we're always together and of course I thought of it as being friends. But I knew deep inside that I really felt differently. On graduation night even though we had different dates to the prom I wanted to be with him. That night after everybody went home I went to his house and wanted to tell him that I wanted to see him. Well, that night was my big chance and all I did was just sit there with him watching the stars and talking about what I was going to do and what he was going to do. I looked into his eyes and listened to him talk about what his dream was. How he wanted to get married and settle down. He said how he wanted to be rich and successful. All I could do was to tell him my dream and cuddle next to him.
I went home hurting because I didn't tell him how I was feeling. I wanted to tell him so bad that I loved him but I was too scared and frightened. I let my feelings go and told myself that someday I would tell him just how I felt. All through college I wanted to tell him but he always had someone with him. After graduation he got a job in New York, I was happy for him but at the same time I was sad to see him go. I was sad also because I didn't tell him how I felt. But I couldn't let him know now that he was leaving for his big job. So I just kept it to myself and watched him go on the plane. I cried as I hugged him for what I felt was going to be the last time. I went home that night and cried my eyes out. I felt hurt that I didn't tell him what I had inside my heart.
Well, I got a job as a secretary and then worked my way to a computer analyst. I was proud of what I had accomplished. One day I got a letter with an invitation to a marriage. It was from him, I was happy and sad at the same time. Now I know that I could never be with him and that we could only be friends. I went to the wedding the next month. It was a big occasion. The big church wedding and the reception at the hotel. I met the bride and of course him. I fell in love one more time. But I held back so it wouldn't spoil what should be the happiest day in his life. I tried to have fun that night but it was killing me inside watching him being so happy and me trying to be happy covering up my sadness tears inside of me.
I left New York feeling that I did the right thing. Before I left on the flight, he came running out of nowhere and said his good-byes and how he was very happy to see me. I came home and just tried to forget about what went on in New York. I had to go on with my life. As the years went on, we wrote to each other on what was going on and how he had missed talking to me. On one occasion he never wrote back to me at all. I was getting worried as to why he hadn't written anything for a long time after I had already written 6 letters to him. Well, just when everything seemed hopeless and sad in my life, I got a note that said: "meet me at the fence where we used to talk about things". I went and saw him there. I was happy to see him, but he was broken-hearted and sad inside. We hugged until we couldn't breathe anymore.
Then he told me about the divorce and why he hadn't written for a long time. He cried until he couldn't cry anymore. Finally, we went back to the house and talked and laughed about what I had been going and to catch up on old times. But in all of this, I couldn't tell him how I felt about him. In the days that followed, he had fun and forgot about all his problem and his divorce. I fell in love again with him. When it came time for him to leave back to New York, I went to see him off and cried. I hated to see him leave. He promised to see me every time he could get a vacation. I couldn't wait for him to come so I could be with him. We would always have fun when we were together.
One day he didn't show up like he said he would. I figured that he might have been busy. The days turned into months and I just forgot about it. Then I got a call one day from a lawyer in New York. The lawyer said that he had died in a car accident going to the airport. And that it took this long till everything was settled. It broke my heart. I was shocked about what took place. Now I knew why he didn't come that day. Again, I was broken-hearted. I cried that night, cried tears of sadness and heartache. Asking questions why did this happen to a kind guy like him?
I gathered my things and went to New York for the reading of his will. Of course, things were given to his family and his ex-wife. I finally got to meet her since the last time we met at the wedding. She explained to me how he was and how he always provided. But he was always unhappy. She would always try everything but she couldn't get him happy, as he was that night at their wedding. When the will was read, the one thing that was given to me was a diary. It was a diary that of his life. I cried as it was given to me. I didn't know what to think. Why was this given to me? I took it and flew back to California. As I flew on the plane I remembered the good times that we had together. I started reading the diary and what was written.
The diary was started with the day we first met. I read on till I started to cry. The diary told of him saying that he had fallen in love with me that day I was broken-hearted. But he was too afraid to tell me what he had felt. That is why he was so quiet and liked to listen to me. It told of how he wanted to tell me so many times, but was too afraid to say anything. It told of when he went to New York and fell in love with another. How the happiest time he had was seeing me and dancing with me at the wedding. He said he imagined it was our wedding. How he was always unhappy till he had no choice but to divorce his wife. How the best time in his life was to read the letters written to him by me. Finally, the diary ended when it said, "today I will tell her I love her". It was the day he was killed. The day I was going to finally find out what was really in his heart.

If you love someone, don't wait till tomorrow to tell him/her. Maybe that next day will never come at all.

The wedding vows

2008-06-24T23:38:00.001+05:30

"When I was six years old I met him in the playground and he came up to me with a daisy, just the one, and knelt on both knees and asked me to marry him. So I pushed him over then ran away. Two days later he came over and asked if he could play cops and robbers with me and from that day on we played everyday.
At 11 on my first day of Secondary school I was so nervous but at lunch time he came to find me, and we sat down and ate lunch together. We did this everyday for an entire year. You were the first person I told about everything, about my crushes, about my lessons and about all the people I hated, and when I was 13 and thought I was the only one who had never been kissed, you offered to show me how, and by the tree in your backgarden we shared our first kiss.
At 15 we went to our first proper house party, and I got drunk. Even though I made a fool of myself you were there to help me stand strong. You didnt judge and you didnt make fun.
Over the next year we began to seperate, made different friends. I got my first serious boyfriend and you went through quite a few girlfriends. And then it got to May and that meant the prom. Everything had been arranged, I'd been getting my outfit for months and then the day before I found out my boyfriend had cheated on me. The first person I turned to was you. You turned up at my door with a bouquet of roses and a vintage 1950's car.
I laughed that nightI cried that night
We had three glorious yars together, when everyday I would smile. Even on the last when your mother stood up, in the church infornt of your coffin and began reading from your diary:
"I saw you when I was six stood by the bench in a blue checked dress and daisy shoes and I needed to give an other daisy just because.... Becuase i loved you from that day on"
His wedding vows written the day after prom, that I will never get to hear."

Tragic Love story

2008-06-24T23:37:00.001+05:30

Once upon a time, there was once a guy who was very much in love with this girl. This romantic guy folded 1,000 pieces of papercranes as a gift to his girl. Although, at that time he was just a small executive in his company, his future doesn't seemed too bright, they were very happy together. Until one day, his girl told him she was going to Paris and will never come back. She also told him that she cannot visualise any future for the both of them, so let's go their own ways there and then... heartbroken, the guy agreed.
When he regained his confidence, he worked hard day and night, slogging his body and mind just to make something out of himself. Finally with all these hardwork and with the help of friends, this guy had set up his own company...
"You never fail until you stop trying." he always told himself. "I must make it in life!"One rainy day, while this guy was driving, he saw an elderly couple sharing an umbrella in the rain walking to some destination. Even with the umbrella, they were still drenched. It didn't take him long to realise those were his ex-girlfriend's parents. With a heart in getting back at them, he drove slowly beside the couple, wanting them to spot him in his luxury sedan. He wanted them to know that he wasn't the same anymore, he had his own company, car, condo, etc. He had made it in life!
Before the guy can realise, the couple was walking towards a cemetary,and he got out of his car and followed them...and he saw his ex-girlfriend, a photograph of her smiling sweetly as ever at him from her tombstone... and he saw his precious papercranes in a bottle placed beside her tomb. Her parents saw him. He walked over and asked them why this had happened. They explained, she did not leave for France at all. She was stricken ill with cancer. In her heart, she had believed that he will make it someday, but she did not want her illness to be his obstacle ... therefore she had chosen to leave him.
She had wanted her parents to put his papercranes beside her, because, if the day comes when fate brings him to her again he can take some of those back with him. The guy just wept ...the worst way to miss someone is to be sitting right beside them but knowing you can't have them and will never see them again.The End."
A tragic story that perhaps happens only in the movies. At the end of the day, money is money is money but love is divine. In our quest for our material wealth, take time to make time for our loved ones. There will be a time when we have only memories to cling to.Take this weekend to show our "love" to all that are close to us

Only Love

2008-06-24T23:34:00.002+05:30

It's a cold February night. People are bustling through the streets, either pulling up their coat collars or wrapping scarves around their necks, trying to stay warm.
It's so cold today.I'm standing at my window, looking at the people moving like little dots. Standing in a heated room, I'm beginning to pity those people. Why don't they go home? Do they plan on wandering until morning?
"Almost time to go home! My boyfriend must be going crazy." One of the nurses breathe a sign of relief. "Still needs to work overtime on Valentine's Day. It's so unfair!"
"You are fortunate." Another nurse says. "Some people don't have anyone waiting for them."
"You mean Dr. Shu?"Like Sherlock Holmes, my ears perk up when I hear my name."Do you remember how she lost control on this day last year?""Of course I do." A nurse shudders. "I've never seen Dr. Shu like that. Crying and yelling, like she was crazy."They are talking about how I was last year. They are correct. I was out of control, like they said."You can't blame Dr. Shu. If my boyfriend died in front of my eyes, I would probably go crazy as well.""Keep it down. She hasn't left work yet. She might hear you." The two nurses are too late. I heard the entire conversation through the canvas wall."Dr. Shu, what are you doing standing here?"
Just as I was deciding whether or not to reveal myself, another nurse exposed me. I awkwardly step out. The 2 nurses who discussed me start to blush. Their faces became redder than the bow on Valentine's Day chocolates.
"I'm waiting to go home." I pretend that I didn't hear anything."Dr. Shu, you must have gotten too involved in your work. It's already past time to go home. See you tomorrow. Happy Valentine's Day!" She waves goodbye.
"Happy Valentine's Day." I wave back and watch the 2 nurses hurry away.
That's fine. I was ready to go home anyway. Even though no lover is waitingfor me, at least there's a lazy cat waiting for me to feed.
After I come home, the first thing I do is feed the cat. I forgot when I first had the cat. Probably since last year's Valentine's Day. At that time, I was like an abandoned cat, with eyes filled with despair. Cats don't cry, I do. That's the only difference.
"Better drink all the milk or I'll skin you." I threatened the cat. Her name is Christine, my least favorite English name. I don't know why I named the cat Christine. Christine meowed once to let me know she heard me, but her eyes are complaining about my severity. Her eyes remind me of someone I used to know, standing in front of me with eyes of rebellions.
An year ago today, I had lunch with my boyfriend and took the opportunity to complain to him.
"Today is Valentine's Day. Why didn't you give me any flowers?"
He raised his eyebrow. "Why should I give you flowers? You are not my anyone."
"Then... you should at least give me a card!" I pouted my lips, hurt by his tone.
"I know, I know. After lunch, I'll send you an e-card."
E-card. That sounds so impersonal, but that's the way he is. "You have to e-mail it to me. I'll be waiting." I excitedly smiled and planned to sneak home after lunch to check e-mail. Even though he wouldn't use any romantic words, I still looked forward to the card.
"I can't stand you women. Why do you make such a big deal out of Valentine's Day??" He grumbled while eating his food. His comment induced me to fight with him again.
"You are not romantic at all!! Don't you watch any Japanese drama?"
"Japanese drama? I only watch Discovery Channel."
"Your life is so boring." I made a face at him. "One recent drama was really good. You should have watched it."
"What's that drama called?" He didn't believe in the love portrayed in TV and movies. He always thought they were lies.
"It's called 'Story of A Century'." I gladly answered.
"What kind of trashy plot did it have?"
"What do you mean trash?? Show some respect!" I was so angry. "That drama was very touching, and the theme song was beautiful as well. It's called 'Only Love', performed by Nana Mouskouri." I wonder if he knew who Nana was.
"Nana, I know her. A Greek singer with really expensive albums."
"Her voice is worth it." Even though I secretly agreed with him, I couldn't bring myself to admit it.
"Whatever." He glanced at his watch. "I'll give you 5 minutes to tell me the plot. After that, I'm leaving."
I tried hard to explain 6 hours worth of story in just 5 minutes. The drama portrayed the love stories of 3 generations of women spanning 100 years, from 1901 to 2000. Each generation was portrayed by the same actress. The story was tear-jerking.
"What's so touching about it?" He asked, after listening to the story.
"Don't you think each generation's story is wonderful? If I have such great screen writing ability, I wouldn't be a doctor anymore. I would become a screenwriter."
"If you become a screenwriter, I bet no one would watch the show. The TV station can go out of business." He quickly interjected.
"I'm going back to work. Hurry and send me the card!" I was so mad that I went home immediately, not even finishing my coffee.
As soon as I walked in my door, I turned on my computer and go online.

Staring at the empty in-box, I began to reminisce about how we met. Maybe no one will believe me, but my boyfriend and I were actually neighbors. Our homes were only 1 wall away. Ever since we were kids, we liked to fight with each other all day long. I still remember when I moved to the country that year. Used to the city life, I couldn't get used to the simple life in the country. After school, I would just go home and do nothing. Whenever that happened, he would always come over to tease me.
"Why are you staring off into space??" He loved to pull on my hair. "You're so ugly when you're doing nothing. But you're also not pretty when you smile." In other words, I'm really ugly.
"You're the one who's ugly!" I pull back my hair. "If you think I'm so ugly, why do you visit me??"
"Can't help it. My home is right next to your home." He argued.
"Then I'll move!" The next day, I drew a line in the ground using some white chalk. A line that I forbid him to cross.
That year, we were both in the 5th grade. We couldn't stand each other and hoped the other would move away. But 5 years passed, and neither of us moved. Not only that, we got into the same high school and into the same class.
"You're that infamous couple." All the students and teachers in the school would say whenever they saw us.
"We're not!" I always tried to explain. "We're only neighbors." At that time, I hated my parents for making us live next to him."My standard is not that low." He would say. "Who wants her to be a girlfriend?? It's not like I don't have eyes."
"Yes, I know your eyes are on top of your head." I really disliked him. "Better than having eyes on the bottom of my head like you." He implied that I couldn't judge guys. At that time, I had a crush on a senior.
I didn't think that his sarcasm had a hidden meaning. After a while, I found out that the senior student had lots of girlfriends. When I cried about it, he silently passed me a handkerchief and awkwardly held me in his arms.
"I told you he wasn't any good." He roughly comforted me. I cried in his arms the whole night, and began to see him in a different way. Things began to change between us. We still fought all the time, but he started to look at me differently. And I blushed and my heart beat faster when he was near. We both knew: we fell in love with each other.
Even with this knowledge, neither of us said anything. Even though we wouldnot be able to resist and kissed each other constantly. Even though we cared about each other's every moves. Both of us refused to admit our love.
Time flew by quickly, and it was time to face separation. I chose to study medicine, and he chose physics. Yet we still couldn't separate from each other. Our parents worried that we didn't know anyone in Taipei, so they forced us to live in the same apartment building. Once again, we became neighbors. We still fought, but sometimes we fought into the bedroom. Alright, we became lovers, but we still wouldn't say we loved each other. We didn't even spend Valentine's Day together until he saw me share dinner with a man one Valentine's Day. That night, he waited for me in front of my door and said that he would take me out to dinner on Valentine's Day from then on. I have to say that he was very arrogant. But I nodded and accepted his request. Since then, we spent every Valentine's Day together. After graduation, I became an intern. He started a small computer company with some friends and became a programmer. We were busy with our own lives and had no time for a relationship. Three years later, I became a doctor, and his business began to boom. We separately moved to biggerapartments and stopped being neighbors. On the surface, we left each other. In reality, we were still together. We spent every Valentine's Day together but each year became more dreary than the next because he never told me he loved me even with all my hints.
Facing the empty in-box, I suddenly grew very angry. He wouldn't say it and wouldn't send me a card. What did he mean? Who did he think I was? I called his cell phone.
"Hello." He picked up the phone.
"I didn't receive the card." I immediately showed my displeasure.
"You didn't receive it?" He seemed really busy. "But I sent it."
He was really busy but I didn't care. "I didn't receive it. Send it again."
"Okay, I'll send you 100 times. Is that good enough??" He said with impatience. His tone further infuriated me. Is that how lovers speak to each other?
"Don't bother sending it to me. And you don't have to pick me up tonight.
I'll eat dinner by myself."
"Don't be childish, ok? I'm really busy."
"I AM childish!" I hung up the phone and tears rolled down my cheeks.
Childish?? Why didn't he consider the situation? We've gone out for so many years and spent countless Valentine's Day together. I never received any flowers nor cards from him. Now, I just want a little e-card. Is that too much to ask for??
I unplugged the phone from the wall and turned off my cell phone. I didn't want to hear his explanations. After I returned to the hospital, I instructed the receptionist not to forward me any phone calls. I wanted to concentrate on work.
Because there were so many emergencies today, I was sweating 1 hour later and forgot about our argument.
"Dr. Shu, please take a look at that patient."
As I was collecting my equipment, the shrill sound of an ambulance sounded outside the ER. When I stepped out the door, the emergency medics hurriedly wheeled in a gurney.
"What happened to him?" I asked the 1st medic. Everyone else were trying to help put the patient on the gurney. He was covered with blood.

"Car accident." The medic replied. "Very serious. He may die."
I nodded and ran to the operating room with them. When I arrived, the nurses told me that the man had already stopped breathing and also his heartbeat also stopped
"Prepare for shock." I calmly instructed the nurses. Saving people is our duty. We can't lose our calm.
But when I saw who laid on the operating table, I lost my calm. That person was my boyfriend!
"No..." I stood in shock. "NO!!!" I grabbed the paddles and continuously shocked his body. His body bounced up and down from the shocks. The scared nurses went to find another doctor, to tell him that I was crazy.
I didn't know if I was crazy or not. I just wanted to save my lover. Even though we fought all the time. Even though he never showed me his love. I still wanted to save him. He still owed me a card. He couldn't die! I threw away the paddles and began to press on his heart. I pressed with all my strength, hoping it would revive him, but he didn't wake up. He didn't even say "It hurts". He just laid there with his eyes closed, punishing me with his silence.
Dr. Jian angrily pushed me away. By that time, I couldn't see clearly anymore. I cried. I wailed. I bowled until no sounds could come out of my mouth.
"It's too late, Dr. Shu. He's already dead. I'm sorry." Dr. Jian patted me on the shoulder. They knew each other and ate together once. I introduced them.
"He can't die." I shook my head. "He can't die!!" I struggled to run to him.
"Dr. Shu, control yourself!" Dr. Jian slapped me. "I understand what you're going through, but you're a doctor."
Yes, I'm a doctor, but I'm also a regular person. How can Dr. Jian understand how I feel? I've loved him for so many years that it's become a habit. How can I just throw away a habit? Besides, he still owed me a card. "I want him to live! I want him to live!" I ran to him again and tried to knock the life back into his body.
"Take her away!" That day, I lost my control and my professionalism.
And that day happened to be Valentine's Day.
Afterwards, I asked his co-workers why he left work early that day.
They told me that after I hung up the phone, he tried to call me several times but couldn't reach me. Worried, he drove to the hospital to find me and got hit by a large truck on the way.
When I heard this, I froze. My tantrum killed him. Just because of an unmailed card, he died. After that, I lost my privilege to be childish.
Like an abandoned cat, I couldn't even cry anymore. After his death, I couldn't cry anymore, regardless of how touching the plot or how tear-jerking the dialogue. They didn't affect me anymore.
Now, I'm only left with a cat and a seldomly used computer. Stepping over the cat, I turned on the computer. Even though I know no one will send me a mail, I still hoped that someone will remember me on this day.
Meow, meow. I looked at Christine to see what's wrong. She finished her milk. I went into the kitchen to get her more milk then came back to look at the computer screen.
I have.... 100 emails! Who would be bored enough to send me 100 junk mail?
I was just about to delete them all when I received another mail, and this one said: "Because of system error, we could not send these until today.
We apologize for the delay." The sender was my ISP.
I looked at the 1st mail. It showed the send date is last year's Valentine's Day. My heart began to beat fast. Could he have sent these?
With a trembling hand, I opened the mail. The first thing that popped up was a gorgeous red rose set against green leaves. Then a beautiful melody began to play.... "Only Love". I couldn't believe it. The rose was so beautiful and the music was so dreamy. I almost thought I was in a fantasy. Most touching of all were the words underneath the rose, because the words read like a beautiful poem.
"Hwei."
That's my name.
"Knowing you so many years, I've never sent you any flowers. Today I send you a rose."
I received it and it's so beautiful.
"You know we are always fighting. We can never really open our hearts and tell each other how we feel."
Yes, but it's all your fault for being so distant.
"I know I always make you mad by the things I say."
Good that you're admitting it.
"But today I want to say to you: I'm sorry, and I love you."
I waited so many years for those words.
"And I want to tell you a good news. I finally saved enough money."
You already have enough money. Why did you need so much?
"So Hwei, let's get married!! I was afraid to propose to you, because I didn't trust in my ability to give you the good life you deserve. But now I've saved enough money so we don't have to wait anymore."
Who wanted you to wait? I'm already yours."Today, I use this card to propose to you. Will you marry me, Hwei? Will you?"
That's the content of the whole card. Like a fool, I kept reading his words and talking to him. It's like I can hear his voice and see him again.
As if it's back to 1 year ago with us constantly fighting.
The song played over and over. Repeating Nana's heartbreaking voice.
Only love can make a memory. Only love can make a moment last. You were there and all the world was young and all it's songs unsung. and I remember you then when love was all, all you were living for,and how you gave that love to me...."
The lyrics of this song fits our love so closely. When he was alive, my world was so young. Every day, I could find a something different to fight with him about. But after he left, my life is only left with memories and coldness that will never go away.
"Will you marry me?"
When I read these words, my tears unconsciously came, wetting the keyboard.
Will I? If he's in front of me, I will definitely kick him and call him a big fool. If I wasn't willing, I wouldn't have waited until today.
So I moved the cursor over the "Reply" box, and typed the response that I've already prepared for so many years - "I will."
I will - be by his side for the rest of my life. I will - fight with him forever. That is how I answered him, but the only response I got was the repeating song "Only Love."

Nevertheless, I opened every single letter, accepted every singled rose, and typed the same response: "I will."
I replied 100 times, and "Only Love" played 100 times. In this cold Valentine's night, the line that's been broken for 1 year finally got reconnected.
I answered you. What about you?

A beautiful love story

2008-06-24T17:42:00.000+05:30

Here is an amazing love story . Read on..!He met her on a party. She was so outstanding, many guys chasing after her, while he so normal, nobody paid attention to him. At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him, she was surprised, but due to being polite, she promised. They sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything, she felt uncomfortable, she thought, please, let me go home.... suddenly he asked the waiter. "would you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in my coffee." Everybody stared at him, so strange! His face turned red, but still, he put the salt in his coffee and drank it. She asked him curiously; why you have this hobby? He replied: "when I was a little boy, I was living near the sea, I like playing in the sea, I could feel the taste of the sea, just like the taste of the salty coffee. Now every time I have the salty coffee, I always think of my childhood, think of my hometown, I miss my hometown so much, I miss my parents who are still living there". While saying that tears filled his eyes. She was deeply touched.That's his true feeling, from the bottom of his heart. A man who can tell out his homesickness, he must be a man who loves home, cares about home, has responsibility of home. Then she also started to speak, spoke about her faraway hometown, her childhood, her family. That was a really nice talk, also a beautiful beginning of their story. They continued to date. She found that actually he was a man who meets all her demands; he had tolerance, was kind hearted, warm, careful. He was such a good person but she almost missed him! Thanks to his salty coffee! Then the story was just like every beautiful love story , the princess married to the prince, then they were living the happy life... And, every time she made coffee for him, she put some salt in the coffee e, as she knew that's the way he liked it. After 40 years, he passed away, left her a letter which said: "My dearest, please forgive me, forgive my whole life lie. This was the only lie I said to you---the salty coffee. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous at that time, actually I wanted some sugar, but I said salt It was hard for me to change so I just went ahead.I never thought that could be the start of our communication! I tried to tell you the truth many times in my life, but I was too afraid to do that, as I have promised not to lie to you for anything.. Now I'm dying, I afraid of nothing so I tell you the truth: I don't like the salty coffee, what a strange bad taste.. But I have had the salty coffee for my whole life! Since I knew you, I never feel sorry for anything I do for you. Having you with me is my biggest happiness for my whole life. If I can live for the second time, still want to know you and have you for my whole life,even though I have to drink the salty coffee again". Her tears made the letter totally wet.Someday, someone asked her: what's the taste of salty coffee?It's sweet. She replied.Love is not 2 forget but 2 forgive, not 2 c but 2 understand, not 2 hear but 2 listen, not 2 let go but 2 HOLD ON !!!! Don't ever leave the one you love for the one you like, because the one you like will leave you for the one they love. Find a guy, who calls you beautiful instead of hot. Who calls you back when you hang up on him. Who will stay awake just to watch you sleep. Who holds your hand in front of his friends.Wait for the one who is constantly reminding you of how much he cares about you and how lucky he is to have you. Wait for the one who turns to his friends and says, "...that's her."

A love story by Trevor Wolosek

2008-06-12T13:12:00.000+05:30

This is my story about love. This story starts at a football game on October 20, 2006, SPASH High School, i saw my friend hanging around with these two girls, one Alyssa and the other i did not know here name. I ended up putting my arm around them both, not even knowing who she was. After some time, Alyssa had said something about my Jr. High football team sucking and then Samantha (i found out here name) backed me up saying the my Jr. High was truly better. My arm was just around Samantha then, and I felt her shaking, because it was actually pretty cold out so I ended up hugging her from behind thinking maybe i will warm her up. Everyone in the circle said that Samantha looked weirded out by me doing that. The game was finally over and it was friday (Slap butt friday), so I slapped Samantha there and we went our seperate ways (lol). I went home and Samantha was picked up by her mother and she was with her brother as well. I wore a good amount of Curve Cologne and the stench was strong and Samantha had told me that her mother had asked her how many guys she was with. Samantha histarically replied, i was only with one. Her mother told her that the cologne smelt amazing. for the next month or so we talked two maybe three times. In that month I had a run in with the law and today i still am in trouble. Anyways, on December 2, 2006, Samantha's Jr. High, which is just across town from mine, was having a Formal. I wasn't sure or not if my dad would let me go because of the crime i commited, but he ended up letting me go. I ended up going to my friend Ross's house before the formal and then his parents took us to Samantha's house. We took pictures and everything, but the funny thing is in one of the pictures, Samantha is sitting on my lap with her hand on my hand, and that picture is in my wallet as i type. The guys, three guys, took a seperate vehicle to formal, and Samantha's mother drove the three girls to Formal. We the guys, arrived at formal and the driver drove way over the speed limit and yet the girls still beat us. Oh well, we arrived and went in, gave the person at the door our ticket and proceeded on in. Samantha did her thing and visited everyone and what not. Five out of the six people sat on the couch, Samantha sat on my lap and I played with her nails for some odd reason. Just letting the reader know, Samantha at this point, we're not dating. My friend Ross's date, left him and went off with some other guy. For most of the night Ross, Jason and I pretty much played jokes on Ross's date. Those were some funny moments. More towards the end of the night, Samantha and I slowed dance a lot. On the last songe of the night, we dance so ellgantly and after the song, she started to walk away. Then out of nowhere I asked her, "Where is my kiss?" I shocked myself completely when i said that. I am not the kind of person that usually asks for that. The weird part is at 11:11, that night I told Samantha to make a wish. To this day it shocks me that she wished for us to be together and that she wanted a kiss at the end of the night. After that my sister picked me up and before I left, I planted a kiss right on her cheek. The next day, we spent three hours on the phone together. We obtained information about one another and found out about each other. I spent most of that time hinting to Samantha that I wanted to go out with her. Finally, at 5:25pm on December 3, 2006, I asked Samantha out and I told her give it sometime to think about it. Right out she told me yes, and I was completely shocked and could not belive what I heard and I was so happy! From that day on, I was so thankful and even to today I still am thankful I am with her. We have gone through so much together. We are perfect for eachother! She eventually found out how I got in trouble with the law and what I did. She knew something was up before she was going out with me, yet she still said yes to me. Lord I do not know why. She stuck with me through my court time and she kept me going strong. She is an amazing person and if I was not with her today I have no idea where I would be. If anything I would be depressed and I wouldn't be fighting against, getting my life back. I have given her so much grief and so much pain and I have given her love and I have treated her like a queen. Right no I am currently living with my mother who is an hour away from Samantha. Once I get back with living with my dad Samantha and I will be better than ever. My life when I started dating Samantha was crap and I got even worse, until we figured out that we wanted our relationship to be meaningful and we wanted the relationship to last. We have ever since been trying to work everything out and get through our problems. Samantha has been keeping the relationship as straight as she can and I have just been messing things up. I do not know why she keeps coming back to me, but she does and with time I will be a better and more reliable and loving and devoted boyfriend and even someday husband to her. We share so many things together and each of those things are special to us. I have put our relationship on a roller coaster and lost all of Samantha's trust in me and I hope to gain that back when I move back to my father's. Tomorrow on June 3, 2008, we will be dating for 1 year and 6 months. For the average teenage relationship that is actually really good. Samantha and I want to remain together and eventually graduate as high school sweet hearts. I for one believe in that! I love her with all of my heart and I would not want it any other way. We are perfect for eachother and we complete one another so well. We know what the other is going through and we help the other with our problems. We express our feelings to other and try to get a long as good as we can. We have future plans together, but we are no concentrated on those plans so much. We are concentrated on getting through our lives day by day and love each other. We have put in a lot of time and effort into the relationship and we hope that one day we will end up like one of Samantha's Aunt Magie and Uncle Jeff. They met at the age of 16 and married at like 17 or 18 and to this day they are still together. We have inspiration all around us and we just need to take it in and help one another through each day.

A legacy of love

2008-04-11T00:38:00.002+05:30

As I entered womanhood, Mom sat me down and told me that no matter what happened and no matter what I did, I could always come home. Because of what those words meant to me, I said the same thing to my sons.
My childhood was filled with affection—lots of kisses, lots of hugs, lots of spoken I love yous. I never wanted for physical affection, and because of what that affection meant to me, I gave the same thing to my sons.
I grew up in a home where love was openly talked about and warmly expressed. I can still picture myself in my attic bedroom, sitting on my bed and fuming at my parents. They had been mean to me and were totally unreasonable—at least that was my evaluation of the situation. They hadn't understood that I was a teenager and should be allowed certain freedoms. With eyes closed, lips taut and hot tears streaming down my face, I leaned back against the wall and planned how I would get even with them for hurting me. What would be the worst thing I could do to punish them and show how much they had hurt me? It didn't take long to figure it out—I would never kiss them again. That would do it! They'd see then!
That's how important physical expressions of love were in my home. And those physical expressions of love were indicative of the singularly greatest thing I appreciate about my mother. She loved me unconditionally while expecting me to live according to her rules, not mine. From her example, I also learned not to focus on myself or wallow in pity parties.
Both my parents came from broken homes and had difficult childhoods; yet they never dwelt on how dysfunctional their families were. They were both survivors, but not survivors at someone else's expense. In my mother, I saw love's ability to forgive.
I saw my sweet Mom love my real grandfather, even though he had abandoned her and my grandma and failed to provide for their needs. I never saw Mother treat Grandpa Miller any way but lovingly, even though he was far from lovable. I learned how love behaves and forgives because I saw what a woman can do and be if she wants to—if she is not willing to let her past determine her future.
I watched my mother take care of my hundred-year-old grandmother who, in her blindness, deafness and feebleness, needed almost total care. When I was in her home, I heard what I've heard all my life: "I love you, Mother." They would tell each other this a minimum of five times a day—when Mom would get Grandma up, tuck her in or prepare her meals. And I would hear love's response as Grandma said, "And I love you, too, Leah."
Love forgives and moves on, focusing not on what might have been, what could have been or what we wish were different. Instead, love's focus is on what needs to be done now and on doing it the best we can.
My mother taught me to love; she taught me to press on, forgetting what is behind, and she demonstrated forgiveness. I wonder if she knew then that she was demonstrating principles of life that my heavenly Father would teach me in His Word.
The transition from my parents' arms to God's arms was easier because of what Mother did. No matter the hurts, the pain, the skinned knees—I now know enough to get up, go to my Heavenly Father and listen as He says, "Press on. Don't faint. Run with endurance the race that is set before you. I love you with an everlasting love."
This Week Make sure the three words, "I love you," are always a part of your conversation. Sharing your legacy of love—unconditional love—will bless families for generations.
Prayer Our heavenly Father, help us to love as You love. Helps us to forgive and move forward no matter what hurts or disappointments we may have experienced in the past. We praise you for a legacy of love that will bless our children and grandchildren and future generations into eternity.
By Kay Arthur (from "Words Of LIFE" devotional)

The most beautiful heart

2008-04-11T00:38:00.001+05:30

One day a young man was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley.
A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart for it was perfect. There was not a mark or a flaw in it. Yes, they all agreed it truly was the most beautiful heart they had ever seen. The young man was very proud and boasted more loudly about his beautiful heart.
Suddenly, an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said, "Why your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine." The crowd and the young man looked at the old man's heart. It was beating strongly, but full of scars, it had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in, but they didn't fit quite right and there were several jagged edges. In fact, in some places there were deep gouges where whole pieces were missing.
The people stared "How can he say his heart is more beautiful?" they thought.
The young man looked at the old man's heart and saw its state and laughed. "You must be joking," he said. "Compare your heart with mine, mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears."
"Yes," said the old man, "Yours is perfect looking but I would never trade with you. You see, every scar represents a person to whom have given my love - I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they give me a piece of their heart which fits into the empty place in my heart, but because the pieces aren't exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we shared."
"Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away, and the other person hasn't returned a piece of his heart to me. These are the empty gouges - giving love is taking a chance. Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these people too, and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?"
The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks.
He walked up to the old man, reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart, and ripped a piece out. He offered it to the old man with trembling hands. The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart and then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man's heart. It fit, but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges.
The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man's heart flowed into his.
They embraced and walked away side by side.
Author: Unknown

A great life

2008-04-11T00:36:00.000+05:30

I've heard the saying, "The best gift parents can ever give to their children is to love each other."
I've had the pleasure of witnessing the truth of this statement for over 40 years. From as far back as I can remember my Mom and Dad were a team. A great partnership. They were more than just a partnership. It was as if they were one person.
Sure, they argued, but there was never any doubt in our minds that any disagreements would be worked through and resolved. Mom and Dad began their married life poor, but they worked hard and, over the years, built a very successful business. They each had their strengths and weaknesses, but the way they worked together, you never saw the weaknesses, just the strengths.
Dad was the outgoing, more public person with whom people met and fell in love with right away. Everyone knew Dad! Then, when they got to meet Mom, they felt the exact same way about her as well. Mom, although not at all shy, was more comfortable being the person behind the scenes. More detail oriented, she ran the books and, according to Dad, was the one who really made the business work.
The biggest lesson about love and marriage that my mom and dad taught us kids was how to talk "about" your spouse. Have you ever heard husbands and wives, when speaking to others, make unkind remarks about their spouses? It's one of those things people just seem to do. Sure, they're "only kidding," or maybe they are not. But words matter. And words teach, whether positively or negatively.
You would never hear such a thing from my mom and dad. Dad always speaks of Mom in the most complimentary, glowing terms. As does she of him.
This lesson made such an impression on me. I still remember when I was age 12 and we were getting carpet installed in our home. The crew boss was one of those stereotypical beer guzzling, hard-living guys, who would have probably belonged to Ralph Kramden's Raccoon Lodge from the old Honeymooner's TV show. For lunch, my folks bought pizza for the crew. Dad went to talk with the boss about the job. I was around the corner listening.
The boss said, "This is an expensive job. Women will really spend your money, won't they?" Dad responded, "Well, I'll tell you, when they were right there with you before you had any money, it's a pleasure to do anything for them you possibly can."
This wasn't the answer the carpet installer expected to hear. He was looking for negative banter about wives which, to him, was natural. He tried again: "But, gee, they'll really play off that and spend all they can, won't they?" Dad replied, as I knew he would, "Hey, when they're the reason you're successful, you want them to do the things they enjoy. There's no greater pleasure." Strike two.
The crew boss tried one more time, "And they'll take that as far as they can, huh?" Dad responded, "She's the best thing that ever happened to me. I'd do anything to make her happy."
I was trying not to laugh. I knew he wanted Dad to give in just a little bit and say, "Yeah, I guess that's true." But it wouldn't happen... not in a million years!
Finally, the installer gave up and went back to work, probably shaking his head in bewilderment. Witnessing my dad in that moment taught me more about loving and respecting your wife than anything he could ever have told me about the subject.
Mom and Dad are now retired and enjoying their life together, just hanging out, reading, and visiting their children and grandchildren. They recently celebrated their 43rd wedding anniversary.
They still hold hands, and they are more in love than ever. Throughout the years, whenever Mom would remind me that I should be looking to get married, I'd say, "Ma, I have plenty of time." She'd jokingly reply that I don't have "that" much time. My Dad would then look at me in that wisdom-filled, city streets bred way of his and say, "Hey, you take all the time you need. If you marry someone just half the woman your mother is, you'll have a great life."
I should only be so lucky.
Author Unknown

A good lesson

2008-04-11T00:33:00.000+05:30

A young man, a student in one of our universities, was one day taking a walk with a professor, who was commonly called the students' friend, from his kindness to those who waited on his instructions. As they went along, they saw lying in the path a pair of old shoes, which they supposed to belong to a poor man who was employed in a field close by, and who had nearly finished his day's work.
The student turned to the professor, saying: "Let us play the man a trick: we will hide his shoes, and conceal ourselves behind those bushes, and wait to see his perplexity when he cannot find them."
"My young friend," answered the professor, "we should never amuse ourselves at the expense of the poor. But you are rich, and may give yourself a much greater pleasure by means of the poor man. Put a coin into each shoe, and then we will hide ourselves and watch how the discovery affects him."
The student did so, and they both placed themselves behind the bushes close by. The poor man soon finished his work, and came across the field to the path where he had left his coat and shoes. While putting on his coat he slipped his foot into one of his shoes; but feeling something hard, he stooped down to feel what it was, and found the coin. Astonishment and wonder were seen upon his countenance. He gazed upon the coin, turned it round, and looked at it again and again. He then looked around him on all sides, but no person was to be seen. He now put the money into his pocket, and proceeded to put on the other shoe; but his surprise was doubled on finding the other coin. His feelings overcame him; he fell upon his knees, looked up to heaven and uttered aloud a fervent thanksgiving, in which he spoke of his wife, sick and helpless, and his children without bread, whom the timely bounty, from some unknown hand, would save from perishing.
The student stood there deeply affected, and his eyes filled with tears. "Now," said the professor, "are you not much better pleased than if you had played your intended trick?"
The youth replied, "You have taught me a lesson which I will never forget. I feel now the truth of those words, which I never understood before: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
Author unknown, retold by Artin Tellalian

May be life really is

2008-04-10T05:10:00.001+05:30

It was done in shades of blue with a touch of peach here and there and when I first saw it, tears sprang to my eyes.
Something about the painting made me see beauty in something that had previously been just another duty. The child was sound asleep in his mother’s arms, his head on her shoulder, her cheek resting against his curly hair. Light from a nearby window was just beginning to chase the dark shadows away.
The rocking chair in the background was empty. Whatever his need, she had taken him in her arms without waiting to get to a more comfortable spot.
The quilt she held him in was further evidence of someone’s love. The little patchwork pieces so patiently arranged in design and so warmly healing.
I knew just what had happened as I drank in the picture. She had heard his cries, wrapped him tightly in the warm quilt, told him everything would be OK now, and rocked him gently until his fears and tears were quieted and he was once again safe and warm and asleep.
But though he sleeps, she does not. And as she holds him snugly, the faraway look in her eyes is evidence that she too is at peace.
I cut out the picture from the magazine, had it mounted, double-matted and framed and hung it right next to the door that leads from my room. When I get up in the night to calm tears, I pass it in the dark and know that what I’m doing isn’t a terrible inconvenience at all.
It took two years before my youngest slept through the night. I listened to all the advice from outsiders — let him cry, feed him yogurt or oatmeal, skip a nap, and on and on. Then I realized that every moment during the day, we were surrounded by one or two or three others and their wants and needs and troubles. At night, just the two of us were together. My son and I.
It was then I decided that those few minutes together were not a chore or a pain or a sacrifice. They were an act of love, a sweet service. And then, as the woman in the painting in shades of blue, I felt peace.
Author: Louise R. Shaw

Cry for help

2008-04-10T05:09:00.002+05:30

Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, and all of the others, including Love.
One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all repaired their boats and left.
Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to persevere until the last possible moment.
When the island was almost sinking, Love decided to ask for help.
Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said, "Richness, can you take me with you?" Richness answered, "No I can't..There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place for you here."
Love decided to ask Vanity, who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel, "Vanity, please help me!" "I can't help you Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat," Vanity answered.
Sadness was close by so Love asked for help, "Sadness let me go with you." "Oh...Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!"
Happiness passed by Love too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her!
Suddenly, there was a voice, "Come Love, I will take you." It was an elder. Love felt so blessed and overjoyed that he even forgot to ask the elder her name.
When they arrived at dry land, the elder went her own way. Love, realizing how much he owed the elder, asked Knowledge, another elder, "Who helped me?"
"It was Time", Knowledge answered.
"Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?
Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how great Love is."
Author: Unknown

Marble trader

2008-04-10T05:09:00.001+05:30

During the waning years of the Depression in a small southeastern Idaho community, I used to stop by Mr. Miller's roadside stand for farm-fresh produce as the season made it available. Food and money were still extremely scarce and bartering was used, extensively. One particular day, Mr. Miller was bagging some early potatoes for me. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily appraising a basket of freshly picked green peas.
I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes. Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller and the ragged boy next to me. "Hello Barry, how are you today?"
"H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas......sure look good." "They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?"
"Fine. Gittin' stronger alla'time."
"Good. Anything I can help you with "
"No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas."
"Would you like to take some home?"
"No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with."
"Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?"
"All I got's my prize aggie, best taw around here."
"Is that right? Let me see it."
"Here 'tis. She's a dandy."
"I can see that. Hmmmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?"
"Not 'zackley .....but, almost."
"Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red taw."
"Sure will. Thanks, Mr. Miller."
Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With a smile she said, "There are two other boys like him in our community. All three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble, or an orange one, perhaps."
I left the stand, smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to Utah, but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys and their bartering.
Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community, and while I was there, I learned that Mr. Miller had just died. They were having his viewing that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them.
Upon our arrival at the mortuary, we got into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could. Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an Army uniform and the other two had short haircuts, wore dark suits and white shirts, looking like potential or returned missionaries.
They approached Mrs. Miller, standing smiling and looking composed, by her husband's casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket. Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one, each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary, awkwardly, and wiping his eyes.
Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and mentioned the story she had told me about the marbles. Eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket. "This is an amazing coincidence," she said. "Those three young men that just left, were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim "traded" them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size...they came to pay their debt. We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world," she confided, "but, right now, Jim would have considered himself the richest man in Idaho." With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three magnificently shiny, red marbles.
W. E. Petersen, (October 1975, Ensign Magazine)

A christmas story

2008-04-10T05:06:00.000+05:30

In the very early 1800's, a young boy about 14 years old named John lived in an orphanage in Old England along with several other children. Orphanages were dreaded. Orphan meant unwanted and unloved. The orphanage was administered by a master and his wife who were results of meager backgrounds themselves and were short on love but high on discipline. No childlike play, no expression of compassion, no understanding.
Every day of the year was spent working. They worked in gardens, cleaned, sewed, and cooked sometimes for wealthy children. They were up at dawn and worked until dark and usually received only one meal a day. However, they were very grateful because they were taught to be hard workers. John had absolutely nothing to call his own. None of the children did.
Christmas was the one day of the year when the children did not work and received a gift. A gift for each child - something to call their own. This special gift was an orange. John had been in the orphanage long enough to look forward with delight and anticipation of this special day of Christmas and to the orange he would receive. In Old England, and to John and his orphan companions, an orange was a rare and special gift. It had an unusual aroma of something they smelled only at Christmas. The children prized it so much that they kept it for several days, weeks, and even months - protecting it, smelling it, touching it and loving it. Usually they tried to savor and preserve it for so long that it often rotted before they ever peeled it to enjoy the sweet juice.
Many thought were expressed this year as Christmas time approached. The children would say, "I will keep mine the longest." They always talked about how big their last orange was and how long they had kept it.
John usually slept with his next to his pillow. He would put it right by his nose and smell of its goodness, holding it tenderly and carefully as not to bruise it. He would dream of children all over the world smelling the sweet aroma of oranges. It gave him security and a sense of well being, hope and dreams of a future filled with good food and a life different from this meager existence.
This year John was overjoyed by the Christmas season. He was becoming a man. He knew he was becoming stronger and soon he would be old enough to leave. He was excited by this anticipation and excited about Christmas. He would save his orange until his birthday in July. If he preserved it very carefully, kept it cool and did not drop it, he might be able to eat it on his birthday.
Christmas day finally came. The children were so excited as they entered the big dining hall. John could smell the unusual aroma of meat. In his excitement and because of his oversized feet, he tripped, causing a disturbance. Immediately the master roared, "John, leave the hall and there will be no orange for you this year." John's heart broke violently wide open. He began to cry. He turned and went swiftly back to the cold room and his corner so the small children would not see his anguish.
Then he heard the door open and each of the children entered. Little Elizabeth with her hair falling over her shoulders, a smile on her face, and tears in her eyes held out a piece of rag to John. "Here John," she said, "this is for you." John was touched by her youth and innocence as he reached for the bulge in her hand. As he lifted back the edges of the rag he saw a big juicy orange all peeled and quartered. . . and then he realized what they had done. Each had sacrificed their own orange by sharing a quarter and had created a big, beautiful orange for John.
John never forgot the sharing, love and personal sacrifice his friends had shown him that Christmas day. John's beginning was a meager existence, however, his growth to manhood was rewarded by wealth and success.
In memory of that day every year he would send oranges all over the world to children everywhere. His desire was that no child would ever spend Christmas without a special Christmas fruit!
author unknown

Moe and Mirvat's story

2008-04-08T19:33:00.000+05:30

My Name is Moe am 27 years old, I live in United Arab Emirates, in Abu Dhabi, and 14 years ago when I was like 13 yearsMoe and Mirvat old, I was in love with a girl she used to live next door, every day I used to stay 9 hours just waiting for school to finish so I can go and wait her to come from school just to look at her sweet lovely eyes.So when the school bus drop me home I just go running to the bathroom to take a shower, put on my perfume, and put on the best clothes I have every single day.I go call my best friend and ask him to go out waiting with me, her maid used to wait her too, with her small little brother and his name is Moe too, he was 2 years old that time he used to be so cute, I used to spend all the time playing football (a game I hate) with him just to see her kissing him when she arrived from school and I stayed this way months without even telling her about my feelings.At the summer time I went to my country for a vacation, I got her a gift with the letter M as the first letter of her name (and by the way Her name is Mirvat) and I decided to go to her house and knock the door and give her the gift just like that.And I finally knocked her door and she opened, but there was one problem that she opened the door like she was going to kill me for bothering her while she was sleeping or something, anyways she was angry and her eyes were on fire, so I freaked out and I couldn’t think what to do, finally I told her I just got this gift to your brother Moe, and I was like :S .That was the last day I ever saw her, they traveled for a vacation and then we moved from that aria, and I never been able to meet the girl I love again.So before 3 months I was surfing the net and I was searching in a nice website called Facebook, I saw a lovely girl who is single and she’s 27 years old , she looked so beautiful I liked her profile picture and it’s the only picture I could see because she’s not in my friends list, I add her to my list and she accepted and I never got the time to go to her profile and see her pictures, after a while she left a comment on 1 of my pictures I loved the comment then I replied back, I added her to my MSN Messenger and we started to chat, after along adult chat she told me that she saw my face somehow or somewhere before, and that made me go to her profile to have a look at her pictures, and when I saw them I was shocked I was going to have a heart attack, is she the same girl I used to love 14 years ago?I asked her a lot of a questions and all of them made me sure that she’s my dream, I was strong enough just to tell her that I used to love her long time ago. I told her that I played too much football just for you and just to see you, and that gift was for you not your brother but she couldn’t remember it, she smiled and couldn’t believe all this.We talked that day on the Internet more than 13 hours , was so amazing no story such as this one, and we met the day after that, and we are in love now with each other and we are planning to be engaged soon.This is my story and I just feel so happy sharing it with everyone.Yours,Moe & Mirvat

Love story of Hinemoa and Tutanekai

2008-04-08T19:29:00.001+05:30

Hinemoa was a Chieftainess of a tribe,who lived in a village of Owhata,located by the shores of lake Rotorua.On lake Rotorua there is the Island of Mokoia,four kilometers across the water from Owhata.On this Island there lived another well born but unfortunately illegitimate young man named Tutanekai.The tribes of the two young lovers would sometimesvisit together for special occasions, so it was during these times that Hinemoa and Tutanekai would come toknow one another and fall in love with each other.The love of Hinemoa and Tutanekai would growstronger and stronger with each passing day,and there were times in the evening whenTutanekai would declare his love for Hinemoa from the Island of Mokoia.
Tutanekai would sit on the verandah of his house,which was on a hillside overlooking the Lake,and he would play his flute.A gentle breeze in the evening would carry the sounds thatTutanekai played drifting across the waters of lake Rotorua.Hinemoa as she stood on the shores of the lake wouldlisten intently, embracing the music fromTutanekai as he declared his love for her.However as often as it happens in life Hinemoa`srelatives suspected that she had fallenin love with Tutanekai and although he wasconsidered a nice young man, it was notthe wishes of the tribe that the two should unite together in marriage.Every night they would ensure that all the canoes werebeached up so that Hinemoa would not be able to pullthe canoe into the water and make her way across the laketo be with her lover Tutanekai.One evening as Hinemoa stood on the shores of the lake with herheart so heavy and eyes full of tears, listening to the melody of Tutanekai`s flute, she felt she could bear it no longer.She lashed together six gourds in order to keep her afloat and waded herself out intothe lake, being guided along by the music of Tutanekai,she swam the long journey to Mokoia Island.When she finally reached the island after hours of exhaustion,she came across a hot pool and entered it.She was trembling with cold from the journeybut her heart was full of joy.Sometime later Hinemoa could hear footsteps coming andshe saw what appeared to be the shadow of a man filling a cala bash with water from a cold spring next to the hot pool.At that moment Hinemoa imitated the sound of a mans voice andcalled out loudly “Who is that for!”“I am the servant of Tutanekai, this water is for my master”, came the reply.Hinemoa`s heart was glad knowing that she was so closeto Tutanekai`s home. She then seized the calabash from the servant and broke it on the rocks.The servant then raced back to his master Tutanekai andreported to him the strange incident that occurredat the hot pool, but Tutanekai was too tired and heart broken to do anything.The servant once again returned to fill the calabash with water and again Hinemoa seized thewater calabash and broke it on the rocks.This would happen time and time again untilTutanekai finally decided to dosomething about the matter himself.Taking hold of his club he quickly hurried down to the pool to kill this stranger thathad insulted him. Calling out for the intruder to identify himself, Tutanekai quickly madehis way around the hot pool reaching aroundthe edges, until finally he grabbed the armof the adversary pulling him out of the water into the moonlight.“Tutanekai” she whispered, “It is I Hinemoa”Tutanekai surprised as he was, stood and stared at her in the moonlight, they thenembraced each other as the two young lovers made their way back to Tutanekai`s house.No longer would they be separated from each other again.The next morning as the two lovers slept in late,Tutanekai`s father sent his servant off to wake him,it was then reported by the servant that as he approached the door ofTutanekai`s house, as he looked into the room he could seetwo pairs of feet and not one lying in Tutanekai`s bed.After that Hinemoa and Tutanekai emerged together embracing one another.From that moment on their union and love for one another wasaccepted by their relatives and tribes.

Love beneath the pacific tides

2008-04-04T04:31:00.002+05:30

When I stepped off the plane in Maui, I smelled flowers, teriyaki sauce barbecue, and coconut suntan lotion. I was on Spring Break, traveling with a scuba driving group from college. The dive master planned seven days, a tight scuba schedule, and then back to rainy Oregon. While that was the main reason for the trip, I'd been thinking about a romantic agenda. In a couple of days, almost everyone in my group had met someone to go out with, everyone except me. Nights on the beach, I sipped pineapple cocktails and watched couples walking arm and arm along gentle waves. Still no luck. There was a girl I liked who joined our dive group late, but I hadn't a chance to spend much time with her. Her name was Bonnie and she had dark brown hair and blue eyes. When she smiled, you could hear the angels singing. If only I could get her away from the group so we could spend some time together. By the fifth day, still nothing.Our group took a high speed launch from Maui to dive at Cathedrals, an underwater reef formation off the coast of Molakai. The crossing was rough, with big swells breaking on the bows. The dive master drew names to see who would be paired up as dive buddies. I caught Bonnie looking at me and flashed a glance back, smiling, but she turned away. Please, please, please pair me up with Bonnie, I wished, secretly crossing my fingers. But the diver master didn't pair us up. Instead I was assigned to Todd, an inexperienced, pimply faced sophomore who seemed accident prone. I glanced back at Bonnie who gazed down at the deck, disappointed when the dive master called out Todd. Had she wanted to go with Todd? Had she wanted to go with me? Not this time. I exhaled deeply, a barely audible sigh. With only two days left on our dive trip, I guessed it just wasn't meant to be. Our dive boat drew closer to dropping anchor in the warm turquoise waters off Molokai. Todd looked ashen and then suddenly darted for the rail on the starboard side of the boat, leaning over hard. He'd gotten sea-sick from the boat ride over from Maui and was in no condition to go diving. That left me without a dive buddy. Bonnie looked over to me and then over to the dive master. I was about to ask if she wanted to go with me, but before the words came out of my mouth I heard, "Can I go with Ken?" There it was. She said it and the dive master nodded over in my direction. In a few moments the Bonnie and I were in the water and making our way down, 70 feet below the surface to a gothic coral formation--the Cathedrals. Sun shown through the coral like light through blue and purple stained glass church windows. Three manta rays glided by in a triangle formation like brown velvet archangels. From across the channel I could hear the calling of humpback whales underwater. Bonnie grabbed my hand and took her regulator from her mouth. At first I thought she was in trouble and needed my air. I took a deep breah, removed my regulator from my mouth, and offered it to her. She shook her head no and her long brown hair rose around her like a soft beacon. She closed her eyes and kissed me with her soft salty lips. We held hands for the rest of the dive and kicked our legs in unison, dancing, floating, spiraling around the coral like dolphins. It's said that diving in Hawaii is among the best in the world. Now I knew way.After a day of diving, we returned to Maui. Couples went off on their own. The two of us walked along the white sand beach back at Maui and sat down to watch the sunset. I put my arms around her and hugged her tightly to me. She pulled her knees up to her chest and we rocked back and forth, listening to the music of the waves and watching the last ember of the sun sinking into the vast Pacific. The sand, the soft starlit sky, the smell of coconuts, flowers, and teriyaki. If you aren't in love in Hawaii, you soon will be. I know because it happened to me at 70 feet below the surface, near a coral reef formation called the Cathedrals.

Rich in love

2008-04-04T04:31:00.001+05:30

I was born poor, dirt poor. My mother could barely make ends meet to support six small children on her full-time job as a housekeeper at a motel. Because I grew up poor I had an unquenchable thirst to make a lot of money. It became my obsession. Somewhere in the back of my mind I told myself, money first, then maybe love. I vowed not to get into any serious relationship with a woman until I had achieved my goal, because I viewed love as a major distraction. Being uneducated I knew I would have to work twice as hard. I dropped out of high school when I was 17 and joined the Army. Immediately I was stationed in Germany. I got to see places in Europe that people only dream about or read about in magazines. I used my military experience to get a free education. When my service was over I earned a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration. Within 6 months I was hired on at a company as a Manager. Within 2 years I became Vice President of Operations. 2 years after that I quit the company to start my own business. A year later and I had finally done it. I had achieved my lifelong dream. But I wasn't happy. I couldn't understand why I wasn't more excited about it. Then a trip to Hawaii with a friend changed it all for me.My friend Doug and I took a trip to Maui over the Christmas Holiday in 2002. He was trying to cheer me up because I had told him about my predicament. We did the typical tourist thing and attended a luau the first night. Sitting next to me was this gorgeous, but quiet woman. I tried talking to her and every time I did she said nothing. A lady at the other end of the table, who turned out to be her sister, began talking to her in sign language. She was deaf. All through dinner I thought about how I could convey my attraction for her. Being outgoing I decided to try something silly. While hula dancers performed for us I scooped her up from the table and began to hula dance. She giggled the whole time. Before we knew it everyone at our table sprung from the table and began hula dancing too. After dinner I took her hand and pointed to the beach with my other one. She smiled and nodded her head, "Yes". We walked barefoot under the stars along the beach that night, both of us silent and unable to communicate to the other. I couldn't take my eyes off her. I felt the happiest I had in years. As I glanced up at the moon I thought about my life up until that point. What I thought I wanted was the thing I didn't need, and what I thought I didn't need was the thing I now, truly wanted, love. I'm rich in love.

Love atop halekala

2008-04-04T04:24:00.000+05:30

ThenIt was just before dawn on the great Hawaiian island of Maui where Ray and Carol stood alongside the railing of the crater of Haleakala. They were both eager to see the sunrise while literally standing among the clouds atop the 9,740 foot high dormant volcano. Tour books and travel agents could not come close to expressing this most anticipated show of natural beauty and awe. Ray and Carol were not the only ones awaiting this spectacular view. No less than a hundred or so people dotted the railing encircling the highest end of the crater. In the cold and dark pre-dawn hour, Ray stood behind Carol – wrapping his arms around her as they both looked ahead at the suddenly lightening horizon."It's hard to believe we're finally in Hawaii!" said Ray while rubbing his hands up and down Carol's arm in a near futile attempt of warming her."Yes," Carol responded with her head slightly leaning back onto her boyfriend's chest, "everything has been so perfect here. I don't want to leave.""I know. Paradise on Earth has a price: you eventually have to go back home."They stood quietly as a sharp glimpse of a red-balled sun began emerging from the sky. They finally realized that the clouds were actually below them.NowCarol and Ray stood facing each other exactly two years later … at that very crater … as the entire railing was surrounded by their wedding guests. As Carol and Ray looked deeply, lovingly into each other's eyes, they continued exchanging their personally written wedding vows as the sun slowly slipped up from its dark blanket of night."And I," reciting Carol, "promise not a day shall pass without you in my heart and head. For I have found my love. Without you, I would be a mere shell of a person. With you as my husband … I am whole. Forever happy … and forever thankful."Some tears fell from a few wedding guest. Mostly from Carol's mother who never thought her daughter looked more beautiful as the first glimmering rays of the sun shined behind Carol's head. She knew her daughter was truly happy and that generated tremendous tears of joy.There were, of course, other tears of joy … by Ray's mother as she listened to the end of her son's vows to Carol. "From the moment we stood atop this crater and saw the glory of this view … as everyone is seeing now … I knew we were destined for each other. You make me happy! You complete me … as this rising sun completes the moon at night. We are one … always and forever."They kissed as their vows were completed. A wild ruckus from the crowd ensued as the entire crater became enveloped in the sun. The best man walked over to the maid of honor and said, "Quite the wedding! Imagine what their anniversaries will be like!"

Lucky in love

2008-04-04T04:23:00.000+05:30

It was my cousin's wedding in the summer of '89 and I almost didn't make it. I had to actually pay someone to take my shift or I definitely would have missed it.I sat at the reception which followed after the ceremony and wished I could be up there dancing and having fun; but had no partner. I was looking around the room and spotted someone coming down the stairs into the hall. He was tall and not just good looking; but very handsome and I couldn't take my eyes off him. I found myself staring for the longest time and wondering who he was? He didn't sit with any of the brides relatives, so I guessed that he must be a friend of my cousin's.He sat across the table from me and started chatting to a few people at the table who must have known who he was. I was desperately hoping for an introduction when my cousin's drunken best man Dean stumbled over and said hello and asked if we knew each other? Upon hearing that we did not, he said, "Well then, in that case, Martin this is Kara and Kara this is Martin" and staggered away, happy he had done us a service. He was comical.Introductions made, Martin & I started talking and found we had lots of things to talk about and he asked me to dance numerous times. We both wanted to travel someday to romantic Hawaii as well as other destinations of unmatched beauty. We were having so much fun that at one point, we went outside for some fresh air and spoke some more. I didn't want the night to end. It was like I had met my match, my soulmate and I felt like I couldn't let this one get away.The end of the evening drew nearer and my parents, who I had come with, were ready to leave. In hopes of seeing him again somehow, I wrote my name, address and number on a slip of paper and went to sadly say goodbye. He understood and when I said it was nice to have met him and went to shake his hand, he flipped my hand over and kissed it very gently; but firmly. I knew he was it, as no guy from my hometown would have ever done something like that! I felt his kiss on my hand making my legs buckle and quickly left before either falling down or attacking him there on the spot.I thought of him all the way home and only a few days after returning home; I received a letter in the mail from him, that he wrote that same night after he returned home. We obviously had left quite an impression on each other from our first meeting.Letters and phone calls and birthday and Christmas visits with one another eventually led to a marriage of our own, with Dean serving again as our best man and 3 beautiful daughters and 15 years later, here we are; just as happy and in love as the first day we met! Martin is ever the romantic and still keeps that slip of paper, that I gave him that first night, tucked away in his wallet. I love this man so much and will forevr and always!

Love walk

2008-04-04T04:22:00.000+05:30

I met this guy on the internet. We talked for about 6 months and then finally decided to meet. He lived only a few miles south of me so we met at a near by mall. We clicked immideitly. It was wonderful! i knew this might be something very special. We went on a few more dates and became "official" boyfriend-girlfriend. He started spending the night at my house, we became very close!. We thought a trip to Hawaii would be increadibly romantic and so we made plans to visit for a week. The flight over there was long, but amazing sitting next to him! By the time we touched down in the aloha state we both knew eachothers life stories. The first night we were there we went out to eat at a beachfront restaraunt. It was right at sunset and the food was delicious!!! We talked some more...about everything. He looked deep into my eyes and told me that he thought i would be the one he could spend the rest of his life with. I cried. It was beautiful. The rest of the week went the same way. Walks on the beach at sunset. One late afternoon he was holding me in his arms as we watched the sun sink into the ocean. He asked me how i felt about our relationship. I did't even have to think about it. I said "i think i love you" and he said "im glad our feelings are the same becuase im about to ask you a very important question". He got up and got on one knee. He told me to look in the pocket of the bag we had with us. I pulled out a tiney blue velet box and started crying. He opened it and slipped it on my finger. "will you marry me?" YES!!! then from behind, beautiful hawaiian music started playing. We both just hugged and kissed and cried. it was so amazing....we have been married for 3 years now and we have a beautiful baby girl!

My only love

2008-04-04T04:21:00.002+05:30

I met my only love at a high school dance. I never dated before this dance. I saw this most wonderful looking boy in the world. He caught my eye as soon as I saw him. He didn't see me. My girlfriend I was with, went up to this boy and asked him if he would like to meet me. He told her yes. He came over to where I was standing, my whole body shook with joy. We exchanged hi's. He then left and said he would be back. I thought that he did not like me or what I looked like. I was so sad, because I loved him,with no explanation. He did come back to see me. I was so over joyed. He was 14yrs at the time, I was 15 yrs. We married when he was 17 yrs, I 18yrs. We have now been married for 31 yrs, to be 32 yrs on Sept 8,1973. We never had a honeymoon, and would love to go to a beautiful place as Hawaii. This would be a wonderful first romantic trip we have ever taken. He is a kind, sincere, thoughtful, and caring man, not only to me, but also to his 2 grown sons. We love each other so much and would not know what to do without one another

Love prevails

2008-04-04T04:21:00.001+05:30

I was only 11 years old and totally in LOVE with George whom was 17 years old. I would admire him from afar and he knew that I was crazy about him but, he knew he was much to old for me. We traded smiles and a few kisses over the next few years and then he went on with his life. I met someone else, fell in love and was married to him for 20 years and had 2 children with him, but could nerver get George out of my mind. Finally one day I saw him at his parents house and I stopped to talk with him. He recently had divorced and we started seeing each other and we dated for about a year and a half and today, we have been happily married for 3 and one-half years. I just recently turned 45 and him 50. We are the best of friends and lovers. After all those years, nothing could keep us apart. Love definately prevails.Winning a trip to Hawaii as a 2nd honeymoon would be a dream come true. Nothing would compare. Hopefully, we could make up for lost time.Kathy Majefski

Link exchange

2008-04-04T04:07:00.001+05:30

If you would like to exchange link with me,just link to me and leave a comment over here.I would link back to your site no matter how crap your site is.

Love at first sight

2008-04-03T22:05:00.001+05:30

I was amazed when i came to your Apartment and met my date as you got my drink and came with snacks into the Living Room i could tell you were nervous. I notice you couldn't take your eyes off me it seem like we knew each other for years and years and we were made for each other you made me happy and free that night we were set on a blind date and we ending up in each others arms the next morning the sunlight was coming into the room somehow he knew that we were made for each other the morning i awoke that morning i couldnt believe this his how love felt never really been loved totally untill that night i never wanted to leave his site i was over joyed with love when i left to go back to my apartment with my friend she was dating his roommate i almost decided to cancell the date because of the unknown not knowing what i would find a night in shining armour that i would have missed my chance for happiness if i wouldnt have to a chance. Today im happily married to the man i met that night we were ment to be and our soul well be with each other i get to wake up to the man i love every morning dreams do come true. I hope my marriage stays as beautiful as the island of hawaii is forever.

Captured my heart

2008-04-03T22:04:00.000+05:30

My name is Angela and in August of 2004, I met the man of my dreams. HIs name is Rafael and he is the sweetest, most loving man I have ever met. When he and I met I didn't have a penny to my name and no direction in my life. He showed me how much value I really have and loved me despite my shortcomings. He encouraged me to do well in school and now I am on my way to graduating. He works very hard for the both of us and he tells me everyday how beautiful I am and how much he loves me. I have never loved any man the way I love Rafael. He is the reason why I get up everyday and try my absolute hardest at everything I do. He really is my first and true love. Rafael is my everything and my whole world. My dream is to get married on the island of Hawaii near the gorgoeus water. Even as a little girl I dreamed of marrying the man of my dreams near the oceans of Hawaii.

Waiting for you

2008-04-03T22:02:00.002+05:30

I never expected to be planning a honeymoon to Hawaii next year with my you. We met close to four years on a ski trip. I was invited by a new friend to join a group of young people for a weekend skiing. You were there as well. You just started dating Alan.Our first encounter wasn't all that special. We talked together awkwardly as we ascended the hill on a ski lift. I don't remember this, but at the top you knocked me over unintentionally as we dismounted from the lift. You tell me about that all the time. We became friends. I always liked you, but assumed that you were going to marry Alan. I remember the one time we sat next to each other at church after going into the sanctuary late. It felt nice sitting next to you. You asked me to play on your softball team. Do you remember the one time my parents came and my mom asked if the catcher (you) was available? I had to laugh and tell my mother you were dating the pitcher (Alan). I remember my heart skipping a beat when I found out you two broke up. We went on another ski trip last year, but you were dating Jeremy. That's where I first noticed you as more than just a friend. But, I waited. I wasn't the type to steal a woman from another guy. That relationship didn't last long. When you became abailable again, I knew that my chance of romancing you might not last long. I called, sent E-mails, and stayed near you during group outings as much as possible. I finally summoned enough courage to ask you out. Our first date was wonderful. I still remember the outfit you were wearing, the way your hair was styled, and the light in your brown eyes. Our conversation was easy and relaxed. I learned so much about you. It was weird at first to think about dating you after being friends for over three years. I've often thought back to memories of us as friends not knowing we were going to fall in love and laugh. I have no regrets. You are the love of my life, the one I want to be with for all time. One of my greatest decisions of my life was asking you out. Julie, I love you.

Love at 15

2008-04-03T22:02:00.001+05:30

i moved to queensland due to peers i didt wanna come this caused some tears i meet you at the local store you were so gorgous to hard to egnore you stood out from all your other mates its amazing the feeling that love creates well were mates for months just getting to no you i loved you then cos of the things wed do we didt talk much until one nite i cheatd on my boy friend and got in a fight i was a discrace with pain and tears running down my face i was walking around for hours with no one there so i went to your house sat on your bed and all i could do was stair into your gorgous brown eyes with confussion in them i told you every thing from start to stop the first time you said i love you i havt forgot im so glad i went to your house that day i no now queensland with you is were i wanna stay brennan i love you i really do its wired you no cos im 16 but it feels so right forever baby me and you forever and ever were closer then tight.wel marry one day i dream it all the time im yours for ever and your all mine we will surf the word and do it all ive got you i want nothing more well go to hawaii and call it home put it this way youll never be alone....

Whom I'm thankful for my love

2008-04-03T22:01:00.001+05:30

I am thankful for my boyfriend Yangshi. I am thankful for him because he is the one I love. He's the one and only, the first person to show me what love is.Today, January 6, 2005 is our 8th month anniversary. Even though sometimes he says things he doesn't mean when he's mad, I know deep inside he loves me very much. He's often short tempered, which teaches me to be a long tempered person. To me, there can not be two short tempered people, if there are, the relationship could be a disaster. He taught me about life and about what is right and what is wrong. He is the one who encourages me to be a good person and helps me to make the right decisions sometimes. I am also grateful for him because he took me in when I had nowhere else to go and bought me food when I was hungry. We've had our ups and down just like any other relationship, but we always stood by each other.I go on everyday because of him. He gives me something to look forward to each day. Though there are things about him that I don't like, I've learned to accept him for who he is and what he does. For me, I have learned so much from him in 8 months, than in my whole lifetime. I have the most fun time with him, yet, I've also had the worst time with him. What really counts is the love. What I love about him are the good qualities; sweet, nice, funny, and protective.

My greatest first love

2008-04-02T23:41:00.000+05:30

on the first day of my service,i went to the my office very fast.suddenlly at the bus stand i saw the girl who sat at the bus-stand.for a sort time i only saw that girl.i saw her's eyes which looks like stars.ofen when,i went to the office, i saw that beautiful girl.I don't sleep very well,i don't work porperally.one day i decied,i meet that girl& talk with her.After that day we mat every day&talk with each other for a long time.one i invite her to my house for a tea.we took tea& i saw her my house.After one year i feel that i love her.so,i decied that i tell her.I went to at her home &i bell her home'door.she opend the door.I tell her my feelings about her.I cleen tell her "I LOVE YOU".she also replied me that"I LOVE YOU "also.After than two months we married.we went for honeymoon at hawaii the paradise of love.

Love conquers all

2008-04-02T23:40:00.000+05:30

After 40 years of never being in love and thinking I would never be fortunate enough to have love come my way, I met Lynn. At the age of 40, I put my profile on a dating web site for the first time ever and got a response that very night from my Lynn. We emailed for months and then finally met. My heart skipped a beat the moment I laid eyes on her beauty and instantly fell in love with her. For the last 2 years we have been together and she has made me smile like never before. With me being disabled, Lynn has put up with many things in her life that she never expected and has never hesitated in her patience with my physical disability. Of course being on a fixed income, I can't afford to take her to my dream vacation spot of Hawaii. Lynn soo deserves to have one week in Hawaii for me to show my appreciation for bringing true love to my life. Love does Conquer all. Especially a disability.

Love is sweet

2008-04-02T23:39:00.003+05:30

My older sister, Elise, always said she paved the way for me, And she has. She convinced my parents to let me wear lipstick and high heels at age 13, and she found the house that my husband and I presently own. But her greatest achievement, was finding my wonderful husband, Jerry.When Elise was 19 and I was 15 years old, Elise met her husband-to be, Jack. She would often bring her fiance to traditional Friday dinners at my parents'home. Jack enjoyed the dinners so much, that he figured why should his cousin miss out. So shortly, thereafter, cousin Jerry came along and I was smitten… right from the beginning.Since I was in high school and Jerry was in college, the age difference seemed tremendous. Jerry befriended me, not as a date, but rather as a little sister. When I turned 16, he attended my "sweet sixteen" birthday bash and gave me a soft, fluffy stuffed angora kitten.When, I enrolled in the University of Miami, Jerry took me through registration, so it wouldn't be so overwhelming. As the years rolled on, we each dated, and eventually became engaged---but not to each other. As luck would have it, we both broke off our engagements and I started moping around the house. Naturally, Elise intervened and unbeknownst to me, she had a nice long visit with cousin Jerry and subtly suggested he take me out. I was now a senior in college.The month was November. We were engaged in February and married in July. When Elise does a job, she does it well.We have been married for 45 fantastic years, have 2 lovely children, and 4 adorable grandchildren. Jack and Jerry became not only first cousins, but brothers-in-law and partners in business. I'm still smitten with my first love. What a thrill it would be to take him on a romantic, idyllic, fabled island getaway…Hawaii, where the air is filled with romance and the spirit of Aloha. Azure- blue seas, sun-kissed beaches, snow-capped mountains, plunging waterfalls, tropical gardens, all create the intoxicating allure of this island paradise. There is no place on earth like it.I hope I can continue to shower Jerry with the love he so richly deserves, for many more years, but I know I'd be able to do it better in Hawaii.By the way, I still own that angora kitten: the only reminder of that "sweet sixteen" party so long ago. Do you believe in fate?

True love

2008-04-02T23:39:00.001+05:30

It all started when I was 15yrs old,when my eyes met my true love, from the first time I layed my eyes on him I new he would be the one I would be with forever, we were high school sweet hearts when this love story began, he was the one who inspired me to be myself and not get caught up with what others wanted me to be like, he was and is my Prince Charming, after dating for three years, we got engaged, and were married, when we married budget was very small, we had a nice small wedding with no honey moon, on are wedding night he asked me when i'm able to afford to take you somewhere for a honey moon where would you like to go, as I answered right away HAWAII, it's the most magical and romantic place of all, as we are coming up to are ten year anniversary next year, my husband tells me he'll try his best to make sure we get there, but after all these years together, and now that we have three lovely little girls, he works so hard to support us he says we are the four most important women in his life, and he trys giving us the world daily, he puts in up to 60 hours a week in to support us and to make sure we get this we need and want. I would like to give him something very special in return, a big thank you for being that special person in my life, for being the wonderful care giver that he is, and just to tell him how much I love him..He is and will always be my true love...

The first and last one

2008-04-02T23:38:00.001+05:30

The first time I saw Anny, she caught me with her beautiful exotic-Caribbean look. She was this nervous new employee at Miami International Airport. She was assigned to the farer store inside the airport. One day, Anny took her lunch and passed by my store; she wanted to buy something for her headache. I helped her to find the Tylenol pills she was looking. She asked me for my name and when I looked at her in the eyes, I became speechless. For a moment, I believed I was in front of the queen of the world. I had so many strange emotions that I can barely explain. After taking the biggest breath of my life, I answer "Yur…. Yu… Yury". Anny thanked me and walked away with the most gorgeous smile I've ever witnessed. Some days passed and I couldn't stop thinking of Anny, so I decided to look at my boss' agenda and secretly copy Anny's phone number in the palm of my hand. When I went back to my cash machine, Anny was standing by it waiting for me. After greeting each other and making some jokes, Anny realized I got something written on my hand. She grabbed my hand and opened it. I almost die. "Why do you have my number? And how did you get it?"… she asked seriously. I inhale "I…I…got it from my boss agenda" I replied. She said she was going to talk to my boss because that was personal information. I said I was sorry for taking her number and she just looked at me with her eye, with those beautiful eyes and said laughing "next time, make sure to ask me for my phone number, that way I'd have another chance to see you and not just pretend I need Tylenols". We both laughed for about five minutes.The same Friday we went on a date. We wanted to make it simple and casual because we were both 19 years old. After some months of getting to know each other and realize how much we shared in common, we stated having the most loving relationship. Three, five, six and seven months passed faster than ever, until one day, one of our managers saw us holding hands inside the airport. Anny was immediately fired. She looked for other job positions but Miami was so full of people, her rent was so high and her school payments were so expensive that she decided to move to Tampa, where her mom and sister were. I was heart broken. I stayed in Miami for eight months, praying that one day we could save all the money and move together. Almost a year passed when one afternoon Anny surprised me at my door saying her mom and her have bought a house and that I was very much needed and wanted there. I didn't even think about it twice; I packed and we moved the next day. Three years have passed since we mved to Tampa. We are still together, very much in love and still dreaming that one day, soon, we could go to Hawaii and celebrate all the time we stayed on the phone day dreaming… "don't worry, we'll go to Hawaii one day, maybe when I graduate" she says. This year I promised her we'll go to Hawaii; "How?" she asked, "Trust me" I replied and started writing my own story.

My ex boyfriend

2008-04-02T23:36:00.000+05:30

(The Saddest True Story Ever Told By A 12 Year Old.)Me and my boyfriend were perfect together.We always got the best of eachother.His name was Steven.Ourrelationship went on for 116 days until july 25,2005(trust me ive been counting).I think it was all my faultin the first place.I meen i should have never thought about anything.This is how my story goes:(this is thebeginning)Me and steven were good friends in 5th grade until the middle of that school year.My best friend Emily knewhow much i loved him,and she talked to him a couple times and found out that he liked me alot.So like bestfriends,she said she'd get him to go out with me.So at my house she called him.But she said she was at herhouse.We had a plan.i would listen to the whole conversation to see if he liked me or not.Guess what,HE DID!!So i banged on a peice of cardbord to make steven think that someone was at emilys door.Emily started to tellsteven that i was there and he FLIPPED!emily told him to ask me out so he did,i said yes,and we were bothVERY happy.Until one day at Rock St. pool that i seen my ex boyfriend. he wanted to go back out with me.itried to say no but he made a point.for the past 6 months before the pool party,i have not seen steven ortalked to him.only like 5 or 6 times and somtimes at school and wen i got with him on the phone he was alwaysbusy.So when mark a!asked me on the phone the next day i just couldnt help myself.Mark said he loved me,said i was smart,hot andso on.So after i got off the phone with him,i had to call steven to end it between us.I didnt want to but ihad to.Both of us started to cry because we didnt want it to be over.But i thought steven was cheating onme,but he wasn tand after i said that i dumped him i coudnt take those words back.I still feel guilty aboutit.I know he didnt deserve to be treated like that.But wat was i ganna do?Now today is Saturday September24,2005 and steven still hates my guts.All of my friends try to talk to him and tell him how sorry i am butit doesnt work.im losing hope.Steven was my world and all i have left of it is a stuffed monkey,stevenshoody,his jelly braclets,a paper rose and seven notes he wrote to me in school and his picture.Everything hasfallen apart and i want steven to fix it.I love steven so much.i cry at night listening to "we belongtogether"on the radio by ma!riah carey,wondering why im so stupid and why im a worthless n! othing.Icant find anyone else because steven was the perfect person for me.Th is may seen to you like some stupidfantasy that a stupid 11 and a half year old wrote but i want everyone who reads this to help me!!! I triedto listen to my heart and it said he was a cheater but i guess i was wrong.All i ask is a simple favor,pleeztalk to him,email him ,tellhim how much i care.If it takes the whole world to make him believe me thats watill do.Thank you everyone and godbless.

Returned to my childhood sweetheart

2008-04-02T23:35:00.000+05:30

My earliest memory of Alfred is watching him coach my brother with his batting. We played Red Rover, Blind Man's Bluff, Kick the Tin Can, and Hide and Seek in my front yard. Alfred remembers me riding him piggyback. We were neighbors for five years in the early fifties until my family moved again. I missed Alfred. He was a senior; the most handsome guy on campus! During TWIRP week my sophomore year, I asked him out. Four days later we were going steady. We drifted apart after he went off to college and I became involved in the Red Hussar Corps. He married somebody he met while working at the local swimming pool. I married a guy from the new neighborhood.April of 2001, I moved to Honolulu and worked as a school nurse. A knee injury was why I moved back to Texas. A friend of mine convinced me to move back home. Within six weeks of my move, a classmate came to help me unpack. When I learned that she lived in Port Neches, I asked her, "Do you know Alfred Hebert?" She not only knew him, she lived four houses down from him! Their children grew up together. She said his wife had died. I said, "I'll give him time to grieve and then contact him." I also told her that in late 2001, I called Alfred from Hawaii. I contact people when their name comes to my mind or I pray for them. Of course, I was curious if he were single again! Sadly he was still married but he remembered me and asked about my brother. Later I learned, although he was faithful to his wife, he often thought about me. The end of July 2005, while addressing cards to friends in Hawaii, I found one that read, "Just Wanted You To Know." I used it to contact Alfred. On July 30th, he called me. He had been in Austin training for the Triathlon and had me on his mind! When he got home there was my card. He spent two hours reading love poems in my website. I learned he did underwater photography. That intrigued me since I was a photographer while in college. He invited me over for the next afternoon. We have been together every day since. Alfred asked me if I thought I could live the rest of his retirement years with him. I said, "Yes!" He told me that my phone call to him from Hawaii stayed on his mind. A neighbor had tried to set him up with a friend of hers. He told her that he was working on it. In Alfred's own words to me, "I willed you back into my life. I waited for you."

Only love

2008-04-02T23:34:00.000+05:30

It's a cold February night. People are bustling through the streets, either pulling up their coat collars or wrapping scarves around their necks, trying to stay warm. It's so cold today.I'm standing at my window, looking at the people moving like little dots. Standing in a heated room, I'm beginning to pity those people. Why don't they go home? Do they plan on wandering until morning? "Almost time to go home! My boyfriend must be going crazy." One of the nurses breathe a sign of relief. "Still needs to work overtime on Valentine's Day. It's so unfair!" "You are fortunate." Another nurse says. "Some people don't have anyone waiting for them." "You mean Dr. Shu?" Like Sherlock Holmes, my ears perk up when I hear my name. "Do you remember how she lost control on this day last year?" "Of course I do." A nurse shudders. "I've never seen Dr. Shu like that. Crying and yelling, like she was crazy." They are talking about how I was last year. They are correct. I was out of control, like they said. "You can't blame Dr. Shu. If my boyfriend died in front of my eyes, I would probably go crazy as well." "Keep it down. She hasn't left work yet. She might hear you." The two nurses are too late. I heard the entire conversation through the canvas wall. "Dr. Shu, what are you doing standing here?" Just as I was deciding whether or not to reveal myself, another nurse exposed me. I awkwardly step out. The 2 nurses who discussed me start to blush. Their faces became redder than the bow on Valentine's Day chocolates. "I'm waiting to go home." I pretend that I didn't hear anything. "Dr. Shu, you must have gotten too involved in your work. It's already past time to go home. See you tomorrow. Happy Valentine's Day!" She waves goodbye. "Happy Valentine's Day." I wave back and watch the 2 nurses hurry away. That's fine. I was ready to go home anyway. Even though no lover is waiting for me, at least there's a lazy cat waiting for me to feed. After I come home, the first thing I do is feed the cat. I forgot when I first had the cat. Probably since last year's Valentine's Day. At that time, I was like an abandoned cat, with eyes filled with despair. Cats don't cry, I do. That's the only difference. "Better drink all the milk or I'll skin you." I threatened the cat. Her name is Christine, my least favorite English name. I don't know why I named the cat Christine. Christine meowed once to let me know she heard me, but her eyes are complaining about my severity. Her eyes remind me of someone I used to know, standing in front of me with eyes of rebellions. An year ago today, I had lunch with my boyfriend and took the opportunity to complain to him. "Today is Valentine's Day. Why didn't you give me any flowers?" He raised his eyebrow. "Why should I give you flowers? You are not my anyone." "Then... you should at least give me a card!" I pouted my lips, hurt by his tone. "I know, I know. After lunch, I'll send you an e-card." E-card. That sounds so impersonal, but that's the way he is. "You have to e-mail it to me. I'll be waiting." I excitedly smiled and planned to sneak home after lunch to check e-mail. Even though he wouldn't use any romantic words, I still looked forward to the card. "I can't stand you women. Why do you make such a big deal out of Valentine's Day??" He grumbled while eating his food. His comment induced me to fight with him again. "You are not romantic at all!! Don't you watch any Japanese drama?" "Japanese drama? I only watch Discovery Channel." "Your life is so boring." I made a face at him. "One recent drama was really good. You should have watched it." "What's that drama called?" He didn't believe in the love portrayed in TV and movies. He always thought they were lies. "It's called 'Story of A Century'." I gladly answered. "What kind of trashy plot did it have?" "What do you mean trash?? Show some respect!" I was so angry. "That drama was very touching, and the theme song was beautiful as well. It's called 'Only Love', performed by Nana Mouskouri." I wonder if he knew who Nana was. "Nana, I know her. A Greek singer with really expensive albums." "Her voice is worth it." Even though I secretly agreed with him, I couldn't bring myself to admit it. "Whatever." He glanced at his watch. "I'll give you 5 minutes to tell me the plot. After that, I'm leaving." I tried hard to explain 6 hours worth of story in just 5 minutes. The drama portrayed the love stories of 3 generations of women spanning 100 years, from 1901 to 2000. Each generation was portrayed by the same actress. The story was tear-jerking. "What's so touching about it?" He asked, after listening to the story. "Don't you think each generation's story is wonderful? If I have such great screen writing ability, I wouldn't be a doctor anymore. I would become a screenwriter." "If you become a screenwriter, I bet no one would watch the show. The TV station can go out of business." He quickly interjected. "I'm going back to work. Hurry and send me the card!" I was so mad that I went home immediately, not even finishing my coffee. As soon as I walked in my door, I turned on my computer and go online. Staring at the empty in-box, I began to reminisce about how we met. Maybe no one will believe me, but my boyfriend and I were actually neighbors. Our homes were only 1 wall away. Ever since we were kids, we liked to fight with each other all day long. I still remember when I moved to the country that year. Used to the city life, I couldn't get used to the simple life in the country. After school, I would just go home and do nothing. Whenever that happened, he would always come over to tease me. "Why are you staring off into space??" He loved to pull on my hair. "You're so ugly when you're doing nothing. But you're also not pretty when you smile." In other words, I'm really ugly. "You're the one who's ugly!" I pull back my hair. "If you think I'm so ugly, why do you visit me??" "Can't help it. My home is right next to your home." He argued. "Then I'll move!" The next day, I drew a line in the ground using some white chalk. A line that I forbid him to cross. That year, we were both in the 5th grade. We couldn't stand each other and hoped the other would move away. But 5 years passed, and neither of us moved. Not only that, we got into the same high school and into the same class. "You're that infamous couple." All the students and teachers in the school would say whenever they saw us. "We're not!" I always tried to explain. "We're only neighbors." At that time, I hated my parents for making us live next to him. "My standard is not that low." He would say. "Who wants her to be a girlfriend?? It's not like I don't have eyes." "Yes, I know your eyes are on top of your head." I really disliked him. "Better than having eyes on the bottom of my head like you." He implied that I couldn't judge guys. At that time, I had a crush on a senior. I didn't think that his sarcasm had a hidden meaning. After a while, I found out that the senior student had lots of girlfriends. When I cried about it, he silently passed me a handkerchief and awkwardly held me in his arms. "I told you he wasn't any good." He roughly comforted me. I cried in his arms the whole night, and began to see him in a different way. Things began to change between us. We still fought all the time, but he started to look at me differently. And I blushed and my heart beat faster when he was near. We both knew: we fell in love with each other. Even with this knowledge, neither of us said anything. Even though we would not be able to resist and kissed each other constantly. Even though we cared about each other's every moves. Both of us refused to admit our love. Time flew by quickly, and it was time to face separation. I chose to study medicine, and he chose physics. Yet we still couldn't separate from each other. Our parents worried that we didn't know anyone in Taipei, so they forced us to live in the same apartment building. Once again, we became neighbors. We still fought, but sometimes we fought into the bedroom. Alright, we became lovers, but we still wouldn't say we loved each other. We didn't even spend Valentine's Day together until he saw me share dinner with a man one Valentine's Day. That night, he waited for me in front of my door and said that he would take me out to dinner on Valentine's Day from then on. I have to say that he was very arrogant. But I nodded and accepted his request. Since then, we spent every Valentine's Day together. After graduation, I became an intern. He started a small computer company with some friends and became a programmer. We were busy with our own lives and had no time for a relationship. Three years later, I became a doctor, and his business began to boom. We separately moved to bigger apartments and stopped being neighbors. On the surface, we left each other. In reality, we were still together. We spent every Valentine's Day together but each year became more dreary than the next because he never told me he loved me even with all my hints. Facing the empty in-box, I suddenly grew very angry. He wouldn't say it and wouldn't send me a card. What did he mean? Who did he think I was? I called his cell phone. "Hello." He picked up the phone. "I didn't receive the card." I immediately showed my displeasure. "You didn't receive it?" He seemed really busy. "But I sent it." He was really busy but I didn't care. "I didn't receive it. Send it again." "Okay, I'll send you 100 times. Is that good enough??" He said with impatience. His tone further infuriated me. Is that how lovers speak to each other? "Don't bother sending it to me. And you don't have to pick me up tonight. I'll eat dinner by myself." "Don't be childish, ok? I'm really busy." "I AM childish!" I hung up the phone and tears rolled down my cheeks. Childish?? Why didn't he consider the situation? We've gone out for so many years and spent countless Valentine's Day together. I never received any flowers nor cards from him. Now, I just want a little e-card. Is that too much to ask for?? I unplugged the phone from the wall and turned off my cell phone. I didn't want to hear his explanations. After I returned to the hospital, I instructed the receptionist not to forward me any phone calls. I wanted to concentrate on work. Because there were so many emergencies today, I was sweating 1 hour later and forgot about our argument. "Dr. Shu, please take a look at that patient." As I was collecting my equipment, the shrill sound of an ambulance sounded outside the ER. When I stepped out the door, the emergency medics hurriedly wheeled in a gurney. "What happened to him?" I asked the 1st medic. Everyone else were trying to help put the patient on the gurney. He was covered with blood. "Car accident." The medic replied. "Very serious. He may die." I nodded and ran to the operating room with them. When I arrived, the nurses told me that the man had already stopped breathing and also his heartbeat also stopped "Prepare for shock." I calmly instructed the nurses. Saving people is our duty. We can't lose our calm. But when I saw who laid on the operating table, I lost my calm. That person was my boyfriend! "No..." I stood in shock. "NO!!!" I grabbed the paddles and continuously shocked his body. His body bounced up and down from the shocks. The scared nurses went to find another doctor, to tell him that I was crazy. I didn't know if I was crazy or not. I just wanted to save my lover. Even though we fought all the time. Even though he never showed me his love. I still wanted to save him. He still owed me a card. He couldn't die! I threw away the paddles and began to press on his heart. I pressed with all my strength, hoping it would revive him, but he didn't wake up. He didn't even say "It hurts". He just laid there with his eyes closed, punishing me with his silence. Dr. Jian angrily pushed me away. By that time, I couldn't see clearly anymore. I cried. I wailed. I bowled until no sounds could come out of my mouth. "It's too late, Dr. Shu. He's already dead. I'm sorry." Dr. Jian patted me on the shoulder. They knew each other and ate together once. I introduced them. "He can't die." I shook my head. "He can't die!!" I struggled to run to him. "Dr. Shu, control yourself!" Dr. Jian slapped me. "I understand what you're going through, but you're a doctor." Yes, I'm a doctor, but I'm also a regular person. How can Dr. Jian understand how I feel? I've loved him for so many years that it's become a habit. How can I just throw away a habit? Besides, he still owed me a card. "I want him to live! I want him to live!" I ran to him again and tried to knock the life back into his body. "Take her away!" That day, I lost my control and my professionalism. And that day happened to be Valentine's Day. Afterwards, I asked his co-workers why he left work early that day. They told me that after I hung up the phone, he tried to call me several times but couldn't reach me. Worried, he drove to the hospital to find me and got hit by a large truck on the way. When I heard this, I froze. My tantrum killed him. Just because of an unmailed card, he died. After that, I lost my privilege to be childish. Like an abandoned cat, I couldn't even cry anymore. After his death, I couldn't cry anymore, regardless of how touching the plot or how tear-jerking the dialogue. They didn't affect me anymore. Now, I'm only left with a cat and a seldomly used computer. Stepping over the cat, I turned on the computer. Even though I know no one will send me a mail, I still hoped that someone will remember me on this day. Meow, meow. I looked at Christine to see what's wrong. She finished her milk. I went into the kitchen to get her more milk then came back to look at the computer screen. I have.... 100 emails! Who would be bored enough to send me 100 junk mail? I was just about to delete them all when I received another mail, and this one said: "Because of system error, we could not send these until today. We apologize for the delay." The sender was my ISP. I looked at the 1st mail. It showed the send date is last year's Valentine's Day. My heart began to beat fast. Could he have sent these? With a trembling hand, I opened the mail. The first thing that popped up was a gorgeous red rose set against green leaves. Then a beautiful melody began to play.... "Only Love". I couldn't believe it. The rose was so beautiful and the music was so dreamy. I almost thought I was in a fantasy. Most touching of all were the words underneath the rose, because the words read like a beautiful poem. "Hwei." That's my name. "Knowing you so many years, I've never sent you any flowers. Today I send you a rose." I received it and it's so beautiful. "You know we are always fighting. We can never really open our hearts and tell each other how we feel." Yes, but it's all your fault for being so distant. "I know I always make you mad by the things I say." Good that you're admitting it. "But today I want to say to you: I'm sorry, and I love you." I waited so many years for those words. "And I want to tell you a good news. I finally saved enough money." You already have enough money. Why did you need so much? "So Hwei, let's get married!! I was afraid to propose to you, because I didn't trust in my ability to give you the good life you deserve. But now I've saved enough money so we don't have to wait anymore." Who wanted you to wait? I'm already yours. "Today, I use this card to propose to you. Will you marry me, Hwei? Will you?" That's the content of the whole card. Like a fool, I kept reading his words and talking to him. It's like I can hear his voice and see him again. As if it's back to 1 year ago with us constantly fighting. The song played over and over. Repeating Nana's heartbreaking voice. Only love can make a memory. Only love can make a moment last. You were there and all the world was young and all it's songs unsung. and I remember you then when love was all, all you were living for, and how you gave that love to me...." The lyrics of this song fits our love so closely. When he was alive, my world was so young. Every day, I could find a something different to fight with him about. But after he left, my life is only left with memories and coldness that will never go away. "Will you marry me?" When I read these words, my tears unconsciously came, wetting the keyboard. Will I? If he's in front of me, I will definitely kick him and call him a big fool. If I wasn't willing, I wouldn't have waited until today. So I moved the cursor over the "Reply" box, and typed the response that I've already prepared for so many years - "I will." I will - be by his side for the rest of my life. I will - fight with him forever. That is how I answered him, but the only response I got was the repeating song "Only Love." Nevertheless, I opened every single letter, accepted every singled rose, and typed the same response: "I will." I replied 100 times, and "Only Love" played 100 times. In this cold Valentine's night, the line that's been broken for 1 year finally got reconnected. I answered you. What about you?

My best friend

2008-04-02T23:33:00.002+05:30

Was it fate that brought us together or our hearts that loved each other? We met and my heart skipped a beat. I knew you were the one from the beginning. As your eyes glanced my way I felt a sudden rush of excitement. As you walked my way everyone in the room disappeared. Your eyes mesmerized me into a world like no other. As you took my number that night I remember thinking I hope he calls, I know this is the one. Our first date you cried during the movie and I felt such a strong bond towards you. You treated me as though I was your first date and I felt as though I was the luckiest girl in the room. We went from dating to mariage to having two beautiful children and I am still the luckiest girl in the room. First love is meant to last and after five years you are sill the one who tells me you love me and kisses me goodnight. There have been many first loves and Hawaii is a place where first love feelings can be rekindled. I have loved you from our first meeting and will always love you because you are my husband, our childrens father, my best friend, and most of all, MY FIRST LOVE. Love you always and forever, Jess

I love you

2008-04-02T23:33:00.001+05:30

I have a boyfriend who grew up with me. His name is Jin. I always thought of him as a friend until last year, when we went to a trip from a club. I found that I fell in love with him.Before that trip was over, I took a step and confessed my love for him. And soon, we became a pair of lovers, but we loved each other in different ways. I always concentrated on him only, but by his side, there were so many other girls. To me, he was the only one, but to him, maybe I was just another girl… “Jin, do you want to go watch a movie?” I asked. “I can’t” “Why? You need to study at home?” I felt disappointment grabbing me. “No… I am going to meet a friend…” He was always like that. He met girls in front of me, like it was nothing. To him, I was just a girlfriend. The word ‘love’ only came out from my mouth. Since I knew him, I had never heard him say ‘I love you’ before. To us, there weren’t any anniversaries at all. He didn’t say anything from the first day and it continued till 100 days…200days… Everyday, before we say goodbye, he would just hand me a doll, everyday, without fail. I don’t know why…Then one day… Me: Um, Jin, I … Jin: What…don’t drag, just say.. Me: I love you. Jin: ……you….um, just take this doll and go home. That was how he ignored my ‘three words’ and handed me the doll. Then he disappeared, like he was running away. The dolls I received from him everyday, filled my room, one by one. There were many… Then one day came, my 15th year old birthday. When I got up in the morning, I pictured a party with him, and stranded myself in my room, waiting for his call. But… lunch passed, dinner passed… and soon the sky was dark… he still didn’t call. It was already tiring to look at the phone anymore. Then around 2am in the morning, he suddenly called me and woke me from my sleep. He told me to come out of the house. Still, I felt joy and I ran out happily. Me: Jin… Jin: Here…take this… Again, he handed me a little doll. Me: What’s this? Jin: I didn’t give it to you yesterday, so I am giving it to you now. I’m going home now, bye. Me: Wait, wait! Do you know what today is? Jin: Today? Huh? I felt so sad, I thought he would remember my birthday. He turned around and walked away like nothing had happen.Then I shouted… “Wait…” Jin: You have something to say? Me: Tell me, tell me you love me… Jin: What?! Me: Tell me I put my pathetic self behind and clung on to him. But he just said simple cold words and left. “I don’t want to say…that I love someone so easily, if you are desperate to hear it, then find someone else.” That was what he said. Then he ran off. My legs felt numb… and I collapsed to the ground. He didn’t want to say it easily… How could he…. I felt that… Maybe he is not the right guy for me… After that day, I stranded myself at home crying, just crying. He didn’t call me, although I was waiting. He just continued handing me a little doll every morning outside my house. That’s how those dolls piled up in my room… everyday After a month, I got myself together and went to school. But what made the pain resurface was that… I saw him on a street… with another girl… He had a smile on his face, one that he never showed me…as he touched the doll… I ran straight back home and looked at the dolls in my room, and tears fell… Why did he gave these to me… Those dolls are probably picked out by some other girls…In a fit of anger, I threw the dolls around. Then suddenly, the phone rang. It was him. He told me to come out to the bus stop outside my house. I tried to calm myself down and walked to the bus stop. I kept reminding myself that I am going to forget him, that… it’s going to end. Then he came into my sight, holding a big doll. Jin: Jo, I thought you were pissed, you really came? I couldn’t help hating him, acting like nothing had happen and joking around. Soon, he held out the doll as usual… Me: I don’t need it. Jin: What….why… I grabbed the doll from his hands and threw it on the road. Me: I don’t need this doll, I don’t need it anymore!! I don’t want to see a person like you again! I spitted out all the words that were inside me. But unlike other days, his eyes very shaking. “I’m sorry” He apologized in a tiny voice. He then walked over to the road to pick up the doll… Me: You stupid! Why are you picking up the doll?! Just throw it away!!! But he ignored me and just went to pick the doll. Then… Honk~ Honk~ With a loud honk, a big truck was heading towards him. “Jin! Move! Move away!” I shouted… But he didn’t hear me, he squatted down and picked up the doll. “Jin, move!” HONK~!! “Boom!” That sound, so terrifying. That’s how he went away from me. That’s how he went away without even opening his eyes to say one word to me. After that day, I had to go through everyday with guiltiness and the sadness of losing him… And after spending two months like a crazy person… I took out the dolls. Those were the only gifts he left me since the day we started going out. I remembered the days I spent with him and started to count the days… when we were in love… “One…two… three…” That was how… I started to count the dolls… “Four hundred and eighty four… four hundred and eighty five…” It all ended with 485 dolls. I then started to cry again, with a doll in my arms. I hugged it tightly, then suddenly… “I love you~, I love you~” I dropped the dolls,shocked. “I….lo..ve…you??” I picked up the dolls and pressed its stomach. “I love you~ I love you~” It can’t be! I pressed all the dolls’ stomach as it piled on the side. “I love you~” “I love you~” “I love you~” Those words came out non-stop. I…love you… Why didn’t I realize that….That his heart was always by my side, protecting me. Why didn’t I realize that he love me this much… I took out the doll under the bed and pressed it’s stomach, that was the last doll, the one that fell on the road. It had his blood stain on it. The voice came out, the on that I was missing so much… “Jo…Do you know what today is? We’ve been loving each other for 486 days. Do you know what 486 is? I couldn’t say I love you…. Um… since I was too shy… If you forgive me and take this doll, I will say that I love you… everyday… till I die… Jo… I love you…” The tears came flowing out of me. Why? Why? I asked god, why do I only know about all this now? He can’t be by my side, but he loved me until his last minute… For that… and for that reason… to me… it became courage… to live a beautiful life….

Unconditional love

2008-04-02T23:31:00.000+05:30

My story starts about 25 years ago. My mothers best friend since she was five years old and the only person she trusted more than anything on this earth.. my father. After spending 26 years together they had gotten married and had two children with a third on the way. My father whom then choose a life of sin, in the military and never home, he pursued other women (mothers best friend)and left my mother with NO JOB, three kids and a morgage and a broken heart. Gathering every little drop of strength she had to keep her family going she took as many jobs as she could to pay the many bills that piled up over the months of unemployment. Never asking for assistance from ANYONE not even the government because she had to much pride, she eventually lost her battle and had to sell the home. We moved in with my grandparents were she took care of them through many years of illiness until they passed leaving behind there debt in which she had to pay off and is still paying on. Shortly after the passing of my grandparents, her brother-in-laws mother had fallen ill. Of course being the caregiver she is, she bathed her, feed her and read her stories and exercised her every day until she passed. My aunt then shortly passed away of a massive heart attack but a few months later and at the age 54. So, my mother since then has been taking care of my uncle (her brother) and his kids for the last 5 years. She has never gone on a vacation for herself.. let alone left the state.. She is the worlds most loving, caring and understanding individual and I along with my brother and sister would love nothing more then to be able to give her a piece of mind and send her to the most beautiful place in the world, HAWAII - Because she is truly the most beautiful person in this world and it is only right.. Please vote for MY MOM..

Story submissions

2008-03-31T22:55:00.001+05:30

From now onwards I am going to start accepting stories from the readers.So if you have any story you would like to share just mail the story to expertadvisecolumn@gmail.com .If I like the story and it is free of abuse I will publish it on this blog with your name and other details if you want.Thank you!!!!!!!

True love

2008-03-31T16:39:00.000+05:30

I have a friend who is falling in love. She honestly claims the sky is bluer. Mozart moves her to tears. She has lost 15 pounds and looks like a cover girl. "I'm young again!" she shouts exuberantly. As my friend raves on about her new love, I've taken a good look at my old one. My husband of almost 20 years, Scott, has gained 15 pounds. Once a marathon runner, he now runs only down hospital halls. His hairline is receding and his body shows the signs of long working hours and too many candy bars. Yet he can still give me a certain look across a restaurant table and I want to ask for the check and head home. When my friend asked me "What will make this love last?" I ran through all the obvious reasons: commitment, shared interests, unselfishness, physical attraction, communication. Yet there's more. We still have fun. Spontaneous good times. Yesterday, after slipping the rubber band off the rolled up newspaper, Scott flipped it playfully at me: this led to an all-out war. Last Saturday at the grocery, we split the list and raced each other to see who could make it to the checkout first. Even washing dishes can be a blast. We enjoy simply being together. And there are surprises. One time I came home to find a note on the front door that led me to another note, then another, until I reached the walk-in closet. I opened the door to find Scott holding a "pot of gold " (my cooking kettle) and the "treasure" of a gift package. Sometimes I leave him notes on the mirror and little presents under his pillow. There is understanding. I understand why he must play basketball with the guys. And he understands why, once a year, I must get away from the house, the kids - and even him-to meet my sisters for a few days of nonstop talking and laughing. There is sharing. Not only do we share household worries and parental burdens - we also share ideas. Scott came home from a convention last month and presented me with a thick historical novel. Though he prefers thrillers and science fiction, he had read the novel on the plane. He touched my heart when he explained it was because he wanted to be able to exchange ideas about the book after I'd read it. There is forgiveness. When I'm embarrassingly loud and crazy at parties, Scott forgives me. When he confessed losing some of our savings in the stock market, I gave him a hug and said, "It's okay. It's only money." There is sensitivity. Last week he walked through the door with that look that tells me it's been a tough day. After he spent some time with the kids, I asked him what happened. He told me about a 60-year-old woman who'd had a stroke. He wept as he recalled the woman's husband standing beside her bed, caressing her hand. How was he going to tell this husband of 40 years that his wife would probably never recover? I shed a few tears myself. Because of the medical crisis. Because there were still people who have been married 40 years. Because my husband is still moved and concerned after years of hospital rooms and dying patients. There is faith. Last Tuesday a friend came over and confessed her fear that her husband is losing his courageous battle with cancer. On Wednesday I went to lunch with a friend who is struggling to reshape her life after divorce. On Thursday a neighbor called to talk about the frightening effects of Alzheimer's disease on her father-in-law's personality. On Friday a childhood friend called long-distance to tell me her father had died. I hung up the phone and thought, This is too much heartache for one week. Through my tears, as I went out to run some errands, I noticed the boisterous orange blossoms of the gladiolus outside my window. I heard the delighted laughter of my son and his friend as they played. I caught sight of a wedding party emerging from a neighbor's house. The bride, dressed in satin and lace, tossed her bouquet to her cheering friends. That night, I told my husband about these events. We helped each other acknowledge the cycles of life and that the joys counter the sorrows. It was enough to keep us going. Finally, there is knowing. I know Scott will throw his laundry just shy of the hamper every night; he'll be late to most appointments and eat the last chocolate in the box. He knows that I sleep with a pillow over my head; I'll lock us out of the house at a regular basis, and I will also eat the last chocolate. I guess our love lasts because it is comfortable. No, the sky is not bluer: it's just a familiar hue. We don't feel particularly young: we've experienced too much that has contributed to our growth and wisdom, taking its toll on our bodies, and created our memories. I hope we've got what it takes to make our love last. As a bride, I had Scott's wedding band engraved with Robert Browning's line "Grow old along with me!" We're following those instructions. "If anything is real, the heart will make it plain."

First kiss

2008-03-31T16:38:00.000+05:30

My very first kiss... yes, I remember it well. She had been visiting my family this Sunday afternoon into the early evening. It was in the middle of winter and being in a northern state, it was very cold. Time finally came for her to return to her family a couple of blocks away from where I lived.I helped her on with her coat and she and I stepped through the door onto an uncovered porch. The window in the door was all steamed up from the heat within so no one could see us outside except as a blur. When we stepped outside, we found that is was pouring down snow in very large flakes and starting to gather on the ground.As we were standing there watching the snow, we turned toward each other, no words had been spoken, as if the snow had taken away our ability to talk. We looked into each other's eyes and still without saying a word, we stepped toward each other, we embraced and then our lips met; soft, warm, moist a totally sensual moment, but being so young, we had only the vaguest idea what sensual was. Our lips stayed together a long time, the snow falling in these huge drops around us and on us.Finally we parted and we both knew that THE THING had finally happened for both of us. Our First Kiss. Unforgettable

What is love?

2008-03-31T16:37:00.001+05:30

Diane Ackerman said, "Everyone admits that love is wonderful and necessary, yet no one agrees on just what it is." Over the years, I have been learning what it is.When I first got married, I wanted to show my love to my new wife. I was drawn to romantic stories like one from the time of Oliver Cromwell in England where a young soldier had been tried in military court and sentenced to death. He was to be shot at the "ringing of the curfew bell." His fiancée climbed up into the bell tower. Several hours before curfew time and tied herself to bell's huge clapper. At curfew time, when only muted sounds came out of the bell tower, Cromwell demanded to know why the bell was not ringing. His soldiers went to investigate and found the young woman cut and bleeding from being knocked back and forth against the great bell. They brought her down, and, the story goes, Cromwell was so impressed with her willingness to suffer in this way on behalf of someone she loved that he dismissed the soldier saying, "Curfew shall not ring tonight."That must be love, I thought! That was the kind of commitment I needed to make! I wanted to give my all. To tie myself to the bell for her. To die, if necessary, for her. To sacrifice myself on the altar of true love! I wanted her to know that I’d give it all up for her.But she never wanted me to die for her. Never! Clean the toilets, maybe, but never die. My commitment was to be shown in household chores! (I read that an exhaustive study showed that no woman ever shot her husband while he was doing dishes. What a relief. Washing dishes may lack inspiration, but at least it's safe...)I was never called upon to tie myself to the bell. But I was still called upon to show my love - in little ways, mostly.I was needed to comfort her before we were married when the doctor told her she could never have children…to hold her hand and tell her I wanted her more than I wanted a family.I was called upon to sit by her hospital bed after surgery and encourage her.I was called upon to hold her after her father died and let her cry.I was also called upon to carve out alone time with her as often as possible and to make sure my plans included her as well as me.I was never needed to prove my undying love through a glorious act of self-sacrifice. It was something I was required to do in little ways, through one small act of kindness at a time.And that, I've learned, is love.

Christmas is for love by unknown

2008-03-31T16:33:00.000+05:30

Christmas is for love. It is for joy, for giving and sharing, for laughter, for reuniting with family and friends, for tinsel and brightly decorated packages. But mostly, Christmas is for love. I had not believed this until a small elf-like student with wide-eyed innocent eyes and soft rosy cheeks gave me a wondrous gift one Christmas. Mark was an 11 year old orphan who lived with his aunt, a bitter middle aged woman greatly annoyed with the burden of caring for her dead sister's son. She never failed to remind young Mark, if it hadn't been for her generosity, he would be a vagrant, homeless waif. Still, with all the scolding and chilliness at home, he was a sweet and gentle child. I had not noticed Mark particularly until he began staying after class each day (at the risk of arousing his aunt's anger, I later found) to help me straighten up the room. We did this quietly and comfortably, not speaking much, but enjoying the solitude of that hour of the day. When we did talk, Mark spoke mostly of his mother. Though he was quite small when she died, he remembered a kind, gentle, loving woman, who always spent much time with him. As Christmas drew near however, Mark failed to stay after school each day. I looked forward to his coming, and when the days passed and he continued to scamper hurriedly from the room after class, I stopped him one afternoon and asked why he no longer helped me in the room. I told him how I had missed him, and his large gray eyes lit up eagerly as he replied, "Did you really miss me?" I explained how he had been my best helper. "I was making you a surprise," he whispered confidentially. "It's for Christmas." With that, he became embarrassed and dashed from the room. He didn't stay after school any more after that. Finally came the last school day before Christmas. Mark crept slowly into the room late that afternoon with his hands concealing something behind his back. "I have your present," he said timidly when I looked up. "I hope you like it." He held out his hands, and there lying in his small palms was a tiny wooden box. "Its beautiful, Mark. Is there something in it?" I asked opening the top to look inside. " "Oh you can't see what's in it," He replied, "and you can't touch it, or taste it or feel it, but mother always said it makes you feel good all the time, warm on cold nights, and safe when you're all alone." I gazed into the empty box. "What is it Mark," I asked gently, "that will make me feel so good?" "It's love," he whispered softly, "and mother always said it's best when you give it away." And he turned and quietly left the room. So now I keep a small box crudely made of scraps of wood on the piano in my living room and only smile as inquiring friends raise quizzical eyebrows when I explain to them that there is love in it. Yes, Christmas is for gaiety, mirth and song, for good and wondrous gifts. But mostly, Christmas is for love.

A teacher's lesson

2008-03-31T16:32:00.002+05:30

There is a story many years ago of an elementary teacher. Her name was Mrs. Thompson. And as she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. But that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he didn't play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. And Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers. At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise. Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners...he is a joy to be around." His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle." His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken." Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class." By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present which was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to." After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, and writing, and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children.. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one her "teacher's pets." A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had in his whole life. Then four more years passed and yet another letter came.. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer -- the letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D. The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he'd met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the place at the wedding that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together. They hugged each, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference." Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."

The salty coffee

2008-03-31T16:32:00.001+05:30

He met her at a party. She was so outstanding, many guys chasing after her, while he was so normal, nobody paid attention to him.At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him, she was surprised but due to being polite, she promised. They sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything, she felt uncomfortable, and she thought to herself, "Please, let me go home..."Suddenly he asked the waiter, "Would you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in my coffee." Everybody stared at him, so strange! His face turned red but still, he put the salt in his coffee and drank it. She asked him curiously, "Why you have this hobby?" He replied, "When I was a little boy, I lived near the sea, I liked playing in the sea, I could feel the taste of the sea, just like the taste of the salty coffee. Now every time I have the salty coffee, I always think of my childhood, think of my hometown, I miss my hometown so much, I miss my parents who are still living there." While saying that tears filled his eyes. She was deeply touched. That's his true feeling, from the bottom of his heart. A man who can tell out his homesickness, he must be a man who loves home, cares about home, has responsibility of home... Then she also started to speak, spoke about her faraway hometown, her childhood, her family.That was a really nice talk, also a beautiful beginning of their story. They continued to date. She found that actually he was a man who meets all her demands; he had tolerance, was kind hearted, warm, careful. He was such a good person but she almost missed him! Thanks to his salty coffee! Then the story was just like every beautiful love story, the princess married to the prince, and then they were living the happy life... And, every time she made coffee for him, she put some salt in the coffee, as she knew that's the way he liked it.After 40 years, he passed away, left her a letter which said, "My dearest, please forgive me, forgive my whole life's lie. This was the only lie I said to you---the salty coffee. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous at that time, actually I wanted some sugar, but I said salt. It was hard for me to change so I just went ahead. I never thought that could be the start of our communication! I tried to tell you the truth many times in my life, but I was too afraid to do that, as I have promised not to lie to you for anything... Now I'm dying, I afraid of nothing so I tell you the truth, I don't like the salty coffee, what a strange bad taste... But I have had the salty coffee for my whole life! Since I knew you, I never feel sorry for anything I do for you. Having you with me is my biggest happiness for my whole life. If I can live for the second time, still want to know you and have you for my whole life, even though I have to drink the salty coffee again."Her tears made the letter totally wet. Someday, someone asked her, "What's the taste of salty coffee?" She replied, "It's sweet."Pass this to everyone because love is not to forget but to forgive, not to see but understand, not to hear but to listen, not to let go but HOLD ON!!!!

A girl who felt ignored

2008-03-31T16:31:00.001+05:30

This story is about a girl who felt ignored..I have a boyfriend who grew up with me. His name is Jin.I always thought of him as a friend until last year, when we went to a trip from a club, I found out that I fell in love with him.Before the trip was over, I took a step and confessed my love for him.And soon, we became a pair of lovers, but we loved each other in different ways.I always concentrated on him only, but by his side, there was so many other girls.To me, he was the only one, but to him, maybe I was just another girl..."Jin, do you want to go watch a movie?" I asked."I can't""Why? You need to study at home?" I felt disappointment grabbing me."No... I am going to meet a friend..."He was always like that.He met girls in front of me, like it was nothing.To him, I was just a girlfriend. The word 'love' only came out of my mouth.Since I knew him, I had never heard I'm say 'I love you' before.To us, there weren't any anniversaries at all.He didn't say anything from the first day and it continued till 1O0 days...2O0 days...Everyday, before we say goodbye, he would just hand me a doll, everyday, without fail. I don't know why...Then one day...Me: Um, Jin, I...Jin: What...don't drag, just say...Me: I love you.Jin: ...........you.....um, just take this doll and go home.That was how he ignored my 'three words' and handed me the doll.Then he disappeared, like he was running away.The dolls I received from him everyday, filled my room, one by one.There were many....Then one day came, my 15th year old birthday.When I got up in the morning, I pictured a party with him, and stranded myself in my room, waiting for his call.But... lunch passed, dinner passed...and soon the sky was dark... he still didn't call.It was already tiring to look at the phone anymore.2am in the morning, he suddenly called me and woke me from my sleep. He told me to come out of the house.Still. I felt joy and I ran out happily.Me: Jin...Jin: Here...take this...Again, he handed me a little doll.Me: What's this?Jin: I didn't give it to you yesterday, so I am giving it to you now. I'm going home now, bye.Me: Wait, wait! Do you know what today is?Jin: Today? Huh?I felt so sad, I thought he would remember my birthday.He turned around and walked away like nothing had happened.Then I shouted..."Wait..."Jin: You have something to say?Me: Tell me, tell me you love me...Jin: What?!Me: Tell meI put my pathetic self behind and clung onto him.But he just said simple cold words and left."I don't want to say...that I love someone so easily, if you are desperate to hear it, then find someone else."That was what he said. Then ran off...My legs felt numb...and I collapsed to the ground. He didn't want to say it easily...How could he...I felt that...Maybe he is not the right guy for me...After that day, I stranded myself at home crying, just crying.He didn't call me, although I was waiting.He just continued handing me a little doll every morning outside my house.That's how those dolls piled up in my room... everydayAfter a month, I got myself together and went to school.But what made the pain resurface was that.... I saw him on a street...with another girl...He had a smile on his face, one that he never showed me...as he touched the doll...I ran straight back home and looked at the dolls in my room, and tears fell...Why did he gave these to me...Those dolls are probably picked out by some other girls...In a fit of anger, I threw the dolls around.Then suddenly, the phone rang. It was him.He told me to come out to the bus stop outside my house.I tried to calm myself down and walked to the bus stop.I kept reminding myself that I am going to forget him, that....its going to end.Then he came into my sight, holding a big doll.Jin: Jo, I thought you were pissed, you really came?I couldn't help hating him, acting like nothing had happened and joking around.Soon, he held out the doll as usual...Me: I don't need it.Jin: What....why...I grabbed the doll from his hands and threw it on the road.Me: I don't need this doll, I don't need it anymore!! I don't want to see a person like you again!I spitted out all the words that were inside me. But unlike other days, his eyes were very shaky."I'm sorry" He apologized in a tiny voice.He then walked over to the road to pick up the doll... "You stupid! Why are you picking up the doll?! Just throw it away!!!"But he ignored me and just went to pick the doll.Then...Honk~ Honk~With a loud honk, a big truck was heading towards him."Jin! Move! Move away!" I shouted...But he didn't hear me, he squatted down and picked up the doll."Jin, move!"HONK~!!!"Boom!" That sound, so terrifying.That's how he went away from me.That's how he went away without evening opening his eyes to say one word to me.After that day, I had to go through everyday with guiltiness and the sadness of losing him...And after spending two months like a crazy person...I took out the dolls.Those were the only gifts he left me since the day we started going out.I remembered the days I spent with him and started to count the days... when we were in love..."One...two... three..."That was how... I started to count the dolls..."Four hundred and eighty four... four hundred and eighty five..."It all ended with 485 dolls.I then started to cry again, with a doll in my arms.I hugged it tightly, then suddenly..."I love you~, I love you~"I dropped the dolls, shocked."I....lo..ve...you??"I picked up the dolls and pressed its stomach."I love you~ I love you~"It can't be!I pressed all the dolls' stomach as it piled on the side."I love you~""I love you~""I love you~"Those words came out non-stop.I...love you...Why didn't I realize that.....That his heart was always by my side, protecting me.Why didn't I realize that he love me this much...I took out the doll under the bed and pressed it's stomach, that was the last doll, the one that fell on the road.It had his blood stain on it.The voice came out, the on that I was missing so much..."Jo...Do you know what today is? We've been loving each other for 486 days. Do you know what 486 is? I couldn't say I love you.... Um... since I was too shy... If you forgive me and take this doll, I will say that i love you... everyday... till I die... Jo... I love you..."The tears came flowing out of me. Why? Why? I asked god, why do I only know about all this now?He can't be by my side, but he loved me until his last minute...For that... and for that reason... to me... it became courage... to live a beautiful life...

A couple's heartbreak

2008-03-31T16:30:00.001+05:30

A boy was born to a couple after eleven years of marriage. They were a loving couple and the boy was the apple of their eyes. When the boy was around two years old, one morning the husband saw a medicine bottle open. He was late for work so he asked the wife to cap the bottle and keep it in the cupboard. The mother, preoccupied in the kitchen, totally forgot the matter.The boy saw the bottle and playfully went to the bottle and, fascinated with its color, drank it all. It happened to be a poisonous medicine meant for adults in small dosages. When the child collapsed, the mother hurried him to the hospital, where he died. The mother was stunned. She was terrified how to face her husband.When the distraught father came to the hospital and saw the dead child, he looked at his wife and uttered just four words.What do you think were the four words?The husband just said "I Love You Darling"The husband's totally unexpected reaction is proactive behavior. The child is dead. He can never be brought back to life. There is no point in finding fault with the mother. Besides, if only he have taken time to keep the bottle away, this will not have happened. Nopoint in attaching blame. She had also lost her only child. What she needed at that moment was consolation and sympathy from the husband. That is what he gave her.Sometimes we spend time asking who is responsible or who to blame, whether in a relationship, in a job or with the people we know. We miss out some warmth in human relationship in giving each other support. After all, shouldn't forgiving someone we love be the easiest thing in the world to do? Treasure what you have. Don't multiply pain, anguish and suffering by holding on to forgiveness.If everyone can look at life with this kind of perspective, there would be much fewer problems in the world.Take off all your envies, jealousies, unwillingness to forgive, selfishness, and fears and you will find things are actually not as difficult as you think.

Fate brought us together

2008-03-31T16:29:00.000+05:30

One weekend I was home alone and I was feeling down because I just had a fight with my first son's father. When my best friend called me up and asked me if I wanted to go out with her to a dance club. Not really wanting to go, I accepted the invitation anyway and told her the only way we would go is if we take the initiative at the dance club and take the men out to dance. Well to my surprise we go to the dance club and as we are walking to the back of the dance club, I spotted a tall handsome man dancing. I just knew it in my heart that he was the one for me. My best friend at the time notices that I was eyeing him, she goes in front of his friend and starts dancing with him so the guy that I had my eye on turns around and we started to dance. When we were finished dancing we talked for awhile and exchanged numbers. That same night he called me and we spoke to each other until dawn. There was only one catch to this man. He lived in Virginia and I lived in NY. After speaking with him some more on the phone, he met me at my house before he left to Virginia and as we spent the day together, I started falling in love with him. He decided to stay in NY and spend a whole week with me. We fell in love and I moved to Virginia. Now we are happily married for 4 years and have one child together and raising my first son together. Fate brought us together !!!

A very sad love story

2008-03-31T16:28:00.000+05:30

One night a guy and girl were driving home from the movies. The boy sensed there was something wrong because of the painful silence they shared between them that night. The girl then asked the boy to pull over because she wanted to talk. She told him that her feelings had changed and that it was time to move on.A silent tear slid down his cheek as he slowly reached into his pocket and passed her a folded note. At that moment, a drunk driver was speeding down that very same street. He swerved right into the drivers seat, killing the boy. Miraculously, the girl survived. Remembering the note, she pulled it out and read it." Without your love, I would die."

A story by Jesse Gresl(true story)

2008-03-24T21:45:00.000+05:30

With no one special in my life, it was easy to lean on a stranger that I'd hardly known, but somehow was sure would be part of my future. The place was slightly less romantic than a Kate Hudson movie, but what else could a waitress working double shifts at a dinner expect. I'd been working at this hole-in-the-wall dinner adjacent to a gym and a strip joint, for three years, with no hope for promotion. My boss sucked, and my life sucked, and I was on the verge of a psychotic breakdown. One day, this charming man came into my life, he'd been eating at the dinner regularly for about a week before striking up a conversation with me. A lonely, desperate, and broke waitress, covered in burger grease and the smell of pickles... what did this mystery man want with me? After only dating for two months I fell madly in love with him, and we decided to elope in Vegas. When we arrived in Vegas we didn't have a witness for the wedding ceremony, so we paid a black-jack dealer we met $50 bucks to stand next to us as we read our vows to each other. This black-jack dealer attended our "reception" which was actually a couple drinks at a bar, guest-list including James, the black jack dealer, Adam, my groom, and me. We got stinking drunk, and had the best honeymoon possible. We stayed married for 2 years before Adam was diagnosed with terminal cancer. His conditioned worsened and he eventually had to stop working. I was back doing double shifts at the crappy dinner. Struggling to make ends meat, and trying my best to help Adam, I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders, and went into depression. Adam passed away, and I attempted suicide but never achieved it. Still praying for a miracle, and almost giving up on God, I went into work that day and served a cheese-burger, no lettuce, extra ketchup to a very familiar looking man. Not in all the stars above would I have guessed that the man eating that burger was James, the black-jack dealer who witnessed my wedding, and attended my reception. At first I was furious with God for reminding me of my lost husband when I had finally started to pull myself together again. But James smiled and offered me a bite of his onion-ring, as we talked about the past, and the present, and eventually the future. Not a day goes by that I don't think about my Adam, and the love that we shared, but I will never cease to be amazed by the mystery behind fate, and her plan for me and James to be in love. Not a greater love then the one I had before, not better or worse, but different, new with a shiny silver lining. James is lawyer now, and I quit my job at the dinner to go to college and get a medical degree, he's proposed and we're planning on a big wedding. Adam might not be there when James and I say our vows, but I know he'll be looking down at us, as a witness to another amazing love. I hated that dinner, but it was there that I found both halves of my heart.

A story by an author named Jeannette Gardner

2008-02-17T22:10:00.001+05:30

MIRACLE BY CHANCE© Jeannette Gardner (December, 2007) This is a "true story" about how I met my boyfriend (now spouse) on a dating site on the Internet. It's the story behind it that's truly amazing!
15 YEARS AGO: I used to hang out at a country bar called the "Club Palomino". I loved listening to good bands there, and dancing to their country rock music. I used to drag my friend out to see my favourite band playing called "Cheyenne", who were amazing and always packed the place. My friend and I used to get up and dance to their songs. I was interested in the rhythm guitar player in the band, to me, he was the best looking one, and I loved his voice along with his rhythm guitar sound. Yes, I had the "hots" for him and would goggle eye him playing his guitar/singing while I was on the dance floor, or just standing at the bar listening and staring. I’ve always had this thing for bands as I play guitar too, and always wanted to play in a band. They played there for a long time and were the best band at the "Club Palomino". I would go there as much as I could just to hear them play, and of course, always watching my favourite player. The sad part about it was I used to see him with a short blonde girl, not knowing if she was his girlfriend or wife. After seeing them playing there for a long time, the "Club Palomino" closed down. Yes, the club had been sold. Wouldn’t you know it a huge townhouse sub-division was put up and the club was gone. So were all the bands and my favourite band, "Cheyenne". When I first found out about the club closing down, I wanted to approach "Cheyenne"; particularly the rhythm guitar player and ask where they would be playing in the future. But I didn’t have enough courage to do that. I guess things happen for a reason.
15 YEARS LATER: As time went on I met someone and got married. That was a mistake. Eventually we got a divorce. I starting going out to bars, again, got tired of it and not meeting anyone decent enough. I wasn’t crazy about the bands playing at other bars either. Later, a friend told me to join a particular dating site on the Internet, which I thought I would never do. But, I thought I would check it out for fun as I heard so much about it through people even meeting their soul mates from that site. Surprisingly enough, I had a few dates, meeting in public places, but just didn’t find the right one and thought I never would from a dating site. I sort of gave up on it until one night. After getting home from a bar, which I hated, I went on my computer. For some reason I logged in that site again which I was really glad I did. I got an interesting email from a guy and liked his picture. I was also touched by his email and that he was also interested in my picture and profile. From then on we started emailing each other quite a lot from that site. We seemed to have so much in common through our emails. We continued writing and eventually got on MSN, and chatted for quite some time. He was Bulgarian and I was Hungarian, how common was that! We discovered from our MSN chats that we had so much in common. It was really amazing. Our families even lived in the same town of all places. We chatted every night as often as we could. And then, a miracle happened! We started chatting on our computers about music. Wow…we also liked all the same music and we both wrote songs. I told him I liked country music and used to frequent a particular bar about 15 years ago, which had closed down. Of course he asked me the name of the bar back then. I told him the "Club Palomino". He was really surprised and told me he used to play there. I wasn’t sure whether to believe him or not! He said he would send me a picture of his band that played there. I thought, "yeah right" to myself as I waited patiently in front of my computer for the picture. Low and behold, a huge picture came up on my screen, "CHEYENNE" "CLUB PALOMINO". I freaked! I couldn’t believe it! It was him in the picture with "Cheyenne". The guy I was interested in who was the rhythm guitar player in my favourite band. I was so shocked that I went crazy seeing this picture! It was just unbelievable! Like a miracle happened suddenly! Like a fairy tale! We carried on chatting every moment we had for some time, and eventually he gave me his phone number. We started talking on the phone every night. It was just amazing all the things we had in common about everything! Yes, it was too good to be true! After about 3 weeks of talking on the phone every night, chatting on the computer & exchanging pictures, we decided to meet. I was brave enough for him to pick me up at my mother’s place as I developed this trust in him, by his voice and his honesty. I met him downstairs in front of my mother’s apartment building. He got out of his car, and the first thing we did was look at each other and start laughing, and laughing like crazy, and couldn’t stop laughing! He took me to the local Canadian Legion where we talked, had a drink together (still laughing) and we got more acquainted. Eventually we went into another room and sat down at a table. After a while, he asked me if I didn’t mind if he got up on stage to do a solo. Hey, a man singing with his guitar was like being in heaven. He got up on stage and started playing his guitar and singing in front of an audience. That did it for me. I was hooked! And the guy I admired 15 years ago was performing in front of my eyes, and, was my date! I was in heaven! We dated for about 2 years and it was absolutely wonderful. Eventually we bought a condo and have been living together for 2 ½ years now. Then, the final surprise! After moving into our condo, we looked out the window and to our astonishment what did we see? The office building of the dating site we joined of all things! What a coincidence that was! In March of 2008, it will be 5 years being together, playing music, and still laughing! We are just two peas in a pod! He met my friend who I was with at the Club Palomino 15 years ago, and he also remembered seeing us dancing while his band "Cheyenne" played. He also remembered me standing at the bar at times. I used to watch him go to the bar for his coffee and I know our eyes met each other’s at that time. It sure is strange crossing one another’s paths some 15 years ago - and now, being together in a different time in the future, and remembering! And by the way, that short blonde girl he was with at the Club Palomino, was the girl he eventually married which lasted 8 years. He went through a brutal divorce. He did tell me that when I first saw him at the Club Palomino 15 years ago, that I should have approached him and told him "she was bad news". It’s funny how life is – it just wasn’t meant to be back then. Fate brought us together. We met our "soul mates"! Thanks to the net, we found our true love! Jeannette and Rick

Love Awakened

2007-12-30T09:28:00.000+05:30

Rajeev: Neeru had been my best friend for the last two years. When she joined my group two years back, I did not like her much. But as the time passed by, both of us became good friends. She was a lean and tall attractive girl, with an evergreen smile on her face. With whatever charm she arrive in morning, she would leave the office with the same enthusiasm in the evening as well. Everybody in the office was little envy of her, as we have to honestly accept, she did change the work attitude in our group. After she joined, we started learning little customer orientation. As far as our friendship concerned, I like to share everything with her. In fact she played a major role in making me join the distance education program towards my masters.
Neeru: Rajeev was a funny guy to watch. He was little smart and intelligent when compared to all others in the office. But he was not really aware of his talent. One has to boost him up to bring his real potential out. In the initial days of my joining the group, he didn’t help me quite. But, later I understood that to be his shyness rather than dislike. I took little liberty and used to attack him quite often, to make him straight. Later he became quite a good friend of mine. I believe, we both were good friends. Other colleagues often comment that we both were in love with each other, but neither of us took it serious anytime.
“Hey Rajeev! What happened yesterday?” Neeru barged into Rajeev’s office. As soon as Rajeev saw her coming in, he tried to get up and acted as if he was about to escape her attack. Laughing at his feats, Neeru held him by shoulders and pushed him back into his chair. “You think, you can escape from me that easily?” she pretended little anger. “No” Rajeev hissed and laughed.
“Do you think I have guts to escape from you?” he raised his eyebrows.
“Come on! I am watching you from morning. Are you not trying to elude me?”
“No way! You know I am too busy with the work” he giggled.
“Ok! Let us argue over this later. Now, tell me what happened yesterday?”
He broke his lips indicating ‘Negative sign’. “Again?” she almost shouted. He put his finger cross the mouth, signing her to slow down in pitch.
“Yes. I didn’t like the girl” he quipped and sat calmly. “In the photograph she was looking different and in real, quite different.”
“That’s it. You want to marry Urmila. Am I right?” Neeru clapped her hands in excitement. She had the habit of teasing him for being a fan of Urmila.
Rajeev glanced at his watch and said, “I got to go for a meeting now. We will meet at lunch.” He got up from his seat. “Ok! See you at lunch time then” Neeru also left for her seat.
Rajeev was planning to get married and looking out for a good girl. He always wanted to marry a girl of his dreams. Neeru often makes fun of his taste, by telling him that he might not get married in the lifetime.
***
“I am going to my native village tonight” Rajeev told Neeru across the table, while they were having lunch. “What for?” she asked.
“My parents saw two alliances. Anyway they wanted me to visit my native place once” he tried to explain, “It’s been almost four months since I went to my village.”
“So, what’s going to happen this time” she started smiling.
“You don’t have anything else to do other than pulling my leg” he tried to show his anger.
“Ok Ok! No more teasing, I wish you all the best this time” she tried to calm him down.
Vivek, their colleague, entered the restaurant just then. Noticing Rajeev and Neeru, he walked down to their table. “May I join you guys?” he requested. Rajeev pulled out a chair for him. Neeru asked, “Hey Vivek, didn’t find you in your seat in the morning, think you are quite busy?”
“As a matter of fact, I was. There were some important papers which had to be sent out immediately.”
“But how come you are here now, you always get your lunch from home, isn’t it?” Rajeev said.
“Everybody in the office was wondering where the two love birds had vanished. So, they sent me to find them and so here I am.” Vivek laughed.
Noticing anger on Neeru’s face, he added “Just kidding. I did not bring my lunch box today.”
“Oh God! Is that what everybody think about us in office?” Rajeev cursed in despair.
“You guys! Please calm down. Nothing of that sort really happened. I added it just for fun” Vivek offered excuses.
That day before leaving to home, Neeru dropped into Rajeev’s office and wished him luck for the upcoming venture. Rajeev laughed at her wishes saying he might not like these alliances as well. She warned him for being skeptical even before knowing about the alliances. She gave some tips to him about what to ask the girl on his first personal interview and requested him to bring the photographs of the girls, if he happened to like them.
***
At his village, Rajeev’s mother was showing him the photographs of the girls. She was explaining him their family details and how those families were distantly related to them. Somehow he did not like both the photographs and he said he needed some more time to decide upon the matter. His mother was little upset with him, as this was not the first time he was doing that. She told him that the girls really look different from the photographs and in fact they would look even better in real. Rajeev slowly got up and walked out of the house without saying anything at all.
Outside, his younger cousins were playing cricket. He greeted them with smile. They invited him to play, but he refused. He watched them for sometime. His grandfather came and stood beside him and started telling more details about the two alliances. Rajeev casually asked him couple of questions, for he did not want to hurt the old man. After some time, he decided to take a walk down to the fields to get away from the tensions.
He walked to the village tank and sat on a rock bench facing the waters. Most of the tank was filled with lotus leaves and flowers. Here and there he saw other weeds intertwined with the flowers. At the farther end of the tank, he saw couple of boys swimming in merry.
He sat there for an hour or so. He remembered all the old memories like what all he did around that tank in his childhood. He had grown up in that village till he was ten. After that he went to the town for high school and he used to visit the village only for the summer holidays. Now, only very few friends of his were left in the village.
He peered into the water down below and saw couple of small fishes playing. The sunshine was falling on them and they were glowing like gems in the water. The green leaves and the lotus flowers surrounding them reflected the glare on them and the whole picture was so beautiful to watch. He watched it for a long time.
Then suddenly he remembered Neeru. He remembered her wishes and worried what excuses he had got to offer her. She might scold him if he reject these two alliances also. But what to do, somehow things were not favorable to him. He felt he missed Neeru very much to share his feelings now. He wished she was around to share his feelings.
As he was thinking, he felt how much he had got addicted to her. He loved to share each and everything with her and how he wanted her opinion in every decision he would make. He felt that it was very strange. And he was not thinking ‘that feeling’ to be ‘love’.
He felt he had been cheating himself all the time. For long, he was very much in love with her and he never accepted that. Must have been the same with her as well. All the while, they had been in love with each other and they were escaping to accept the reality. Despite many comments from his colleagues, he always tried to push the idea from his mind. This must have been the strong reason behind his rejections of all the marriage alliances. He cursed himself for being so blind.
At once, the world appeared to be very beautiful to Rajeev. He felt as if he got enlightened. The truth, which was hiding in his own heart just, got revealed to him. He felt very happy and his heart was content and his vagrant mind settled down. He thanked God for making him realize what he was really missing. He sighed and looked at the tank, the flowers and the fishes looked more beautiful than earlier.
He discovered the love of his life, which was there with him all the way. In his walk, there was that confidence, which was bestowed upon the earth by the mountains, asserting their love for the world by their very existence from eons.

Life after..................

2007-12-30T09:25:00.000+05:30

For most people in India, love stories generally happen to people (characters) in Hindi or Indian language movies which involve far fetched love stories, love songs and garish costumes; but I know of a girl whose life was far more exciting than a standard Bollywood film, much more complex and deep. She had elements in her life that only I can narrate to you. Care to listen?
She came from an upper middle class family of eastern India. She loved life like a bee loves honey, and was ever zestful. She had brown hair, brown eyes, coffee cream skin and beautiful lips. But no she wasn’t beautiful. In India we have this notion, like you know what I mean, the Fair and Lovely types- the ones that consider fair as beautiful and the rest ugly. The types that pervade the countryside no matter which side it is.
She was a romantic soul with love in her eyes. Born in a city, she had all the advantages any urban young girl could ask for and then one day she heard her father was going abroad, and lo and behold she was in a new place called the Middle East where she started on her beautiful journey of life, of love.
She was 8 years old when she first fell in love. He was this wonderful 8-year-old boy, in her class. Yes, I’m sure of what I am saying. It was love at first sight and she had never known this feeling before. She never mentioned it to anyone, and never told the boy. Perhaps that was her greatest mistake and her agony. But then time passed by, she grew older and for the first time felt pangs of joy, of hate, of despair, of love, of lust and of anguish. She wanted to be with him so bad. She was 10 then, when all the dreams broke suddenly. Her parents were going back to India. Oh! The rotten pain, she didn’t know what to do. She was so afraid of losing her first love, but then what is there to loose when it’s not yours. At least she knew she loved him but didn’t have the courage to tell him. She didn’t know if he loved her.
She went to India and didn’t know where he was.. Then the story begins. She searched for him. For 9 years she searched for him, every school alumni, every email service provider, every search engine, every common friend she remembered. Still she didn’t find him.
Life went on, considering she was a young woman now, she had her second love coming around the corner, her first boyfriend in high school. She thought she was going to be the luckiest woman but she never forgot her 1st love. The relationship with her boyfriend didn’t last long and they split ways. She graduated from high school and went to college, after the break up, the last thing she needed was another love affair but it happened, very unexpectedly in the form of a colleague during training. She was happy, with this man and slowly it became the best thing in her life…. almost perfect. Notice how I said almost. It’s because she still missed her first love, longed to see him. Ten years had passed searching for her first love and then one fine day….
She found his mailing address and mailed him. He mailed back and they started keeping in touch. That was great, now she had her love, her friend and her happiness, but that’s not the end of it my friends. That was the beginning.
She wanted to meet him and so did he. And more importantly he loved her! But never had the chance to tell her, imagine her shock, the first love of her life was in love with her too but it was too late. She had a love, a man she was about to marry.
But then God was kind, and they met, in the most unexpected of ways, the strangest time, the unlikely meeting. But they met, to be parted again. She took a plane landed in his town and surprised him. Imagine meeting your first love after ten years, can you imagine the happiness she went through? It was love revisited for her. But it was so confusing, two men in love with her and she loving both. But she had to choose one. She chose her other love. One would be surprised; I mean, think about it, if you were given a choice what would you choose? Most of you would say first love.
Try and see the logic though, that’s what I saw, because I never had the chance to ask her why she choose the second, but I know this much that she let it be felt that despite the fact that the first man had taught her what love was, the other taught her the meaning of it and what it took to be in love and fight for it. She’s a married woman now, with two children, she meets her old love now and then and tells me about him. She tells me to make a movie about her, she wants to be a star, but I guess it never will happen. A love that spans more than 2 decades is not new, but then its unique, it’s the story of a woman who fought for her love, overcame her emotions to be with her true love.
She hurt the first man, but he understood. At least I hope he did! Anyway to continue what I was telling you about this woman, who fought for her love and learnt how to keep it without it being hers. I learnt a life’s lesson from her, didn’t you?
I plan to make her life story famous one day, I want to see her happy. I want to be happy myself by seeing her happy. She’s a woman of exceptional beauty; deep within her I saw that charm, to leave what’s important to her so that others could be happy. I wish all of you could meet her. You would enjoy her company and of course her two little babies are lovely. But then you don’t need to, ‘cause you’ve been reading her life