Banyan Tree October

Banyan Tree October

Teaching story
A positive disposition

A little girl walked daily to and from school. Though the weather that morning was questionable and clouds were forming, she made her daily trip to school. As the afternoon progressed, the winds whipped up, along with thunder and lightning.
The mother of the little girl felt concerned that her daughter would be frightened as she walked home from school and feared that the electrical storm might harm her child. On hearing the roar of thunder and lightning through the sky and full of concern, the mother quickly got into her car and drove along the route to her child’s school. As she did so, she saw her little girl walking along, but at each flash of lightning, the child would stop, look up, and smile. Subsequent flashes were to follow quickly, each with the little girl stopping, looking up, and smiling.
Finally, the mother called over to her child and asked, “What are you doing?”
The child answered, smiling, “God just keeps taking pictures of me.”

Roy T. Bennet
This, I know

• Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make, makes you. Choose wisely.

• Don't be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart.

• Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create.

• More smiling, less worrying. More compassion, less judgment. More blessed, less stressed. More love, less hate.

• Be brave enough to live the life of your dreams according to your vision and purpose instead of the expectations and opinions of others.

• Life becomes easier and more beautiful when we can see the good in other people.

Inspiration
Life’s Test

Life is just a testing time

While we are here on Earth

The pain and grief, the obstacles

Are all to try our worth

It’s very hard not to succumb

When things are getting tough

But you must fight and overcome

Just coping is not enough

For living is really wonderful

The good times and the bad

Who’d appreciate the happy days

If they’d never known the bad

Listen to the birds at dawn

Or watch a rose unfurl

Gaze on a baby’s sleeping face

Or touch a tiny curl

So when you’re feeling down and out

Your spirit is depressed

Just look around at everything

With which you have been blessed

—Anonymous

ONE-MINUTE WISDOM
A Choice

Once a beggar asked Ibrahim ibn Al Adham for charity, but instead, Ibrahim offered him a job with a trusted merchant and asked him to travel and sell some merchandise in another city.
A few days later, Ibrahim found the beggar still in a miserable condition. Surprised, he asked him about the matter. The beggar informed him: “While travelling, I found a blind eagle in the desert, and I was very curious how it got food though it was blind. I observed it for some time, and, to my big surprise, another eagle came and fed it. Thus, I said to myself: ‘The one who took care of that blind eagle in this desert will also take care of me!’ I returned to the city and gave the merchant back his goods.
Ibrahim, after reflection, asked him, “But tell me, why did you choose to be the blind eagle and not the other one who could fly, chase, and take care of others?”

Just for laughs
COMMANDMENTS
A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five- and six-year-olds. After explaining the commandment to “honour thy father and thy mother,” she asked, “Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?” Without missing a beat, one little boy answered, “Thou shall not kill.”

Quote
The spiritual journey is the unlearning of fear and the acceptance of love. 

—Marianne Williamson