Let There Be peace

A wise old gentleman retired and purchased a modest home near a junior high school. He spent  the first few weeks of his retirement in peace and contentment.........then a new school year began. The very next afternoon three young boys, full of youthful, after-school enthusiasm, came down hi street, beating merrily on every trash can they encounter. The crashing percussion continued day after day, until finally the wise old man decided it was time to take same action.
The next afternoon, he walked out to meet the young percussionists as they banged their way down the street. Stopping them, he said, " You kids are a lot of fun. I like to see you express your exuberance like that. Used to do the same thing when i was your age. Will you do me a favor? Ill give you a each a dollar if you'll promise to come around every day and do your thing."
The kids were elated and continued to do a bangup job on the trash cans. After a few days, the oldtimmer greeted the kids again, but this time he had a sad smile on his face, "This recessions really putting a big dent in my income, "he told them. "From now on I'll be able to pay you 50 cents to beat ont cans." The noisemakers were obviously displeased , but they did accept offer and conitnuedd thier afeternoon ruckus.
A few days later, the will retiree approached them again as that drummed their way down the street. "Look," he said , " I haven't received my Social Securitty check yet, so Im not going to be able to give you more than 25 cents. Will that bew Okay?"
"A lousy quarter?" the drum leader exclaimed." If you think we are going to waste our time beating these cans around for a quarter you are nuts! No way. miser. We quit!" And the old man enjoyed peace and serenity for the rest of days.
                                                                                                         Gentle Spaces News

The Magic Pebbles

One night a group of nomads were preapring to reitre for the evening when suddenly they were surroundewd by a great light. They knew they were in presence of a celestial being. With great anticipation they awaited a heavenly message of great importance that knew must be especially for them.
Finally the voice spoke," Gather as many pebbles as you can. Put them in your saddle bags, travel a days journey and tomorrow night will find you glad and it will find you sad."

After having departed, the nomads shared their disappointment and anger with each other. They had expected the revelation of a great universal truth that would enable them to create wealth, health and purpose for world. But instead they were given a menial task that made no sense to them at all. However the memory of the brilliance of their visitors caused each one top pick up a few pebbles and deposit them into their saddle bags while voicing their displeasure.
They traveled a days journey and that night while making camp, they reached into thir saddle bags and discovered every pebble they had gathered had become a diamond. They were glad they had diamonds. They were sad they had not gathered more pebbles.
                                                                                                                      J.w. teal

Rescue at Sea

Years ago in a small village in Holland, a young boy taught the world about the rewards of unselfish service. Because the entire village revolved around the fishing industry, a volunteer rescue team was needed in case of emergency. One night the winds raged, the clouds burst and a gale force storm capsized fishing boat at sea, Stranded and in trouble, the crew sent out the S.O.S. The captain of the rescue rowboat team sounded the alarm and the villagers assembled in the town square overlooking the bay. While the team launched rowboat and fought their way through the wild waves, the villagers waited restlessly at the beach, holding lanterns to light the way back.
An hour later, the rescue boat reappeared through the fog and the cheering villagers ran to greet them. Falling exhausted on the sand the volunteer reported that the rescue boat could not hold any more passengers and they had to leave one man behind. Even one more passenger would have surely capsized the rescue boat and all would havee been lost.
Frantically the captain called for another volunteer team to go after the lone survivor. Sixteen-year-old Hans Stepped forward. His mother grabbed his arm pleading, " please don't go. Your father died in a shipwreck 10 years ago and your elder brother , Paul has been lost at sea for three weeks. Hans you are all, I have left.
Hans replied,"mother, I have to go. What if everyone said, 'I cant go, let someone else to it?' Mother this time i have to do my duty. When the call for service comes, we all need to take our tun and do our part,", Hans kissed his mother, joined the team and disappeared into the night.

Another hour passed, which seemed to Hans mother like an eternity. Finally the rescue boat darted through the fog with Hans standing up in the boat Cupping his hands, the captain called," Did  you find the lost man?" Barely able to contain himself Hans excitedly yelled back, "yes, we found him. Tell my mother its my older brother Paul!"

Shoes

As Gandhi stepped aboard a train one day, one of his shoes and landed on the track. He was unable to retrieve it as the train was moving. To the amazement of his companions, Gandhi calmly yook off his other shoe and threw it back along the track to land close to the first. Asked by a fellow passenger why did he did so, Gandhu smiled. "The poor man who finds the shoe lying on the track," he replied " will now have a pair he can use."
                                                                                                              Author unknown

The Circus

That best portion of a good mans life his little nameless unremembered acts of kindness and love. William wordsworth
Once when I was a teengaer, my father and I were standing in line to buy tickets for the circus. Finally there was only one family between us and the ticket counter. This family made a big impression on me. There were eight children, all probably under the age of 12. You could tell they didn't have a lot of money. Their clothes were not expensive, but they were clean. The children were well behaved. all of them standing in line, two by two behind their parents, holding hands. They were excitedly jabbering about the clowns, elephants and other acts they would see that night. One couls sense they had never been to circus before. It Promised to be highlighted of their young lives.
My father and mother were at the head of the pack standing proud as could be. The mother was holding her husbands hand, looking up at him as if to say,"You are my knight in shining armor." He was smiling and basking in pride looking at her as if to reply,"You got that right."
The ticket lady asked the father how many tickets he wanted . He proudly responded, " please let me buy eight children tickets and adult tickets so i can take my family to the circus."
The ticket ladsy quoted the price.
The man's wife let go of his hand. her head dropped, The mans lips began to quiver. The father leaned a little closer and asked, " How much did you say."
The ticket lady quoted the price again.
The man didnt have enough money.
How was he supposed to turn and tell his eight kids around that he didnt have enough money to take them to circus.
Seeing what was going on, my dad put his hand into his pocket, Pulled out a $20 bill and dropped it on the ground.(We were not wealthy in any sense oft the word!)
My father reached down, picked up the bill, tapped the man on the shoulder and said,"Excuse me sirthis fell out of your pocket."
The man knew waht was going on. He wasnt begging for a handout but certainly appreciated the hepl in desperate, heart breaknig embrassing situation.He looked straight into my dad's eyes took my dads hands in both of his squezzed tightly onto the 420 bill, and with his lip quivering and a tear streaming down his cheek, he replied, " Thank you, thank you sir. This means a lot to me and my family."
My father and i went back to our car and drove home. We didint go to the circus that night, but we didnt go without.
                                                                  Dan Clark

A 2nd Helping of Chicken Soup for the soul

"As Carl Roggers taught, " That which is most personal is most general,' These beautiful stories uniformly teach most of us the personal level. They uplift and inspire and entertain and edify. As I love good Quotation Books, I Love this book of stories.
                                                                                                                  Dr Stephen R. Covey
"Any Medicine' that has side effects shouls have a warning label and these Chicken Soup bokks are no ecxeption People reading them shouls be cautioned".....
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Warning-- Reading this book will probably cause laughter, tears lumps in the throat and a permanent increase in love, courage and personal responsibility.'  
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"You can never get too much chicken doup, at least that's what Mom always siad. This second helping of Chicken Soup Fot the soul is a kind of medicine that goes down easily........
and leaves a warm and memorable feelinf all day long....
                                                                                    Harvey Mackay
"Jack Canfiled and mark Vicor Hansens collection of stories in Soup has a wonderful blend of wisdom and insight, just a dash of foolishness and smilies, much more than a pinch of foolishness, much more than pinch of kindness, with enogh warmth to light the corners of the glommiest of hearts. its great fireside fare for folks who are happy, troubled, disheartened, sick or anyone who watches "Court TV'. Its nutritios for the soul and good for you. Try it twice Each day and callme in the morning
                                                                                          Steve Allen, Jr. M.D.