Hello all! I've been abundantly blessed by my virtual coffee chats with so many of you in this wonderful forum on Books and Literature! (The Relationship forum is fun too, but this is where inspiration comes from... "the stuff dreams are made of" )

Anyways... We all have favorite quotes, quotes that have touched a chord in our hearts and minds, quotes that have influenced our decisions, inspired us to go that extra mile, give us courage to face the day, and shown us what real living is like.

Lets share these divine inspirations with our little world here - on this little posting. I'll start with one of my all-time favorites....

Being a star-gazer myself and being the proud owner of a tempestuous personal history, this is one of my favorites - it reminds me that no matter what is swirling around me at a given time, I can get through it.

"The most tempestuous wind cannot disturb the quiet of the stars."

Literary wishes and Shakespearean dreams,
HistorianChick

friend4u178

This may make you cry but it is an inspiring little story so thought I would share.


Sally jumped up as soon as she
saw the surgeon come out of the operating room. She
said: "How is my little boy? Is he going to be all
right? When can I see him?"

The surgeon said, "I'm sorry. We did all we could,
but your boy didn't make it."

Sally said, "Why do little children get cancer?
Doesn't God care any more? Where were you, God, when
my son needed you?"

The surgeon asked, "Would you like some time alone
with your son? One of the nurses will be out in a
few minutes, before he's transported to the
university."

Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she
said good-bye to son. She ran her fingers lovingly
through his thick red curly hair.

"Would you like a lock of his hair?" the nurse
asked.

Sally nodded yes. The nurse cut a lock of the boy's
hair, put it in a plastic bag and handed it to
Sally. The mother said, "It was Jimmy's idea to
donate his body to the university for study. He said
it might help somebody else. "I said no at first,
but Jimmy said, 'Mom, I won't be using it after I
die. Maybe it will help some other little boy spend
one more day with his Mom." She went on, "My Jimmy
had a heart of gold. Always thinking of someone
else. Always wanting to help others if he could."

Sally walked out of Children's mercy Hospital for
the last time, after spending most of the last six
months there. She put the bag with Jimmy's
belongings on the seat beside her in the car. The
drive home was difficult. It was even harder to
enter the empty house. She carried Jimmy's
belongings, and the plastic bag with the lock of his
hair to her son's room. She started placing the
model cars and other personal things back in his
room exactly where he had always kept them. She laid
down across his bed and, hugging his pillow, cried
herself to sleep.

It was around midnight when Sally awoke. Laying
beside her on the bed was a folded letter. The
letter said:


"Dear Mom, I know you're going to miss me; but don't
think that I will ever forget you, or stop loving
you, just 'cause I'm not around to say I LOVE YOU. I
will always love you, Mom, even more with each day.
Someday we will see each other again. Until then, if
you want to adopt a little boy so you won't be so
lonely, that's okay with me. He can have my room and
old stuff to play with. But, if you decide to get a
girl instead, she probably wouldn't like the same
things us boys do. You'll have to buy her dolls and
stuff girls like, you know. Don't be sad thinking
about me. This really is a neat place. Grandma and
Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me
around some, but it will take a long time to see
everything. The angels are so cool. I love to watch
them fly. And, you know what? Jesus doesn't look
like any of his pictures. Yet, when I saw Him, I
knew it was Him. Jesus himself took me to see GOD!
And guess what, Mom? I got to sit on God's knee and
talk to Him, like I was somebody important. That's
when I told Him that I wanted to write you a letter,
to tell you good-bye and everything. But I already
knew that wasn't allowed. Well, you know what Mom?
God handed me some paper and His own personal pen to
write you this letter. I think Gabriel is the name
of the angel who is going to drop this letter off to
you. God said for me to give you the answer to one
of the questions you asked Him 'Where was He when I
needed him?' "God said He was in the same place with
me, as when His son Jesus was on the cross. He was
right there, as He always is with all His children.

Oh, by the way, Mom, no one else can see what I've
written except you. To everyone else this is just a
blank piece of paper. Isn't that cool? I have to
give God His pen back now. He needs it to write some
more names in the Book of Life. Tonight I get to sit
at the table with Jesus for supper. I'm, sure the
food will be great.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I don't hurt
anymore. The cancer is all gone. I'm glad because I
couldn't stand that pain anymore and God couldn't
stand to see me hurt so much, either. That's when He
send The Angel of Mercy to come get me. The Angel
said I was a Special Delivery! How about that?
Signed with Love from: God, Jesus &Me.

friend4u178

Comments on this post
HistorianChick agrees: M, you gave me a gift with that story... a gift that you probably had no idea you were giving. I lost my Dad to cancer not that long ago - thank you for these beautiful tears. I'm printing this off to have my own "letter."

Hey "J" I know exactly what you mean , I lost my Dad to cancer as well , it's the most horrible thing to see someone you love have to go through.

And glad you liked the story , you know what a cry baby I am :-)

HistorianChick

It means even more, knowing that you understand exactly how precious it is. Again, thank you. You've touched my heart.

life1973happened

I lost my mom to cancer.

life1973happened

My Dearest Allie,
I couldn't sleep last night because I know that it's over between us. I'm not bitter any more, because I know that what we had was real. And if in some distant place in the future we see each other in our new lives, I'll smile at you with joy and remember how we spent the summer beneath the trees, learning from each other and growing in love. The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds, and that's what you've given me. That's what I hope to give to you forever. I love you. I'll be seeing you.

Noah

~ A scene from The Notebook.

(and women everywhere sighed)

mafiaangel180

LMAO!!!!! This is great. Too bad I have to spread the love...

HistorianChick

When you get to the end of all the light you know and it's time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen: either you will be given something solid to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly.
Edward Teller (1908 - )

mafiaangel180

I've always loved this...



Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)
A PSALM OF LIFE

WHAT THE HEART OF THE YOUNG MAN
SAID TO THE PSALMIST

TELL me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream ! —
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal ;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way ;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us farther than to-day.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle !
Be a hero in the strife !

Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant !
Let the dead Past bury its dead !
Act,— act in the living Present !
Heart within, and God o'erhead !

Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time ;

Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate ;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.

jolienoire

A man drove me to drink and I didn't have the decency to thank him! If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There's no point in being a damn fool about it.”"
Anonymous

friend4u178

So is this a book I should read "K" ?? Or would it be too girly :-)