Heart-way

Girls know it's not fun

To tell on someone

Boys don't find it a bit amiss
To frolick in the mud, with utmost joy and bliss

Children can teach us the best lessons

Not learnt, either by rote memory
Or by a new discovery

But by doing things the heart-way

Reaching Across The Table With Kindness

Every morning while Billy used to wait for his morning school bus he used to watch Mrs Marlow, the little old lady who lived alone near the bus stop, bend and struggle to pick up the morning newspaper. One afternoon, after returning from school, Billy saw the old lady’s newspaper was lying on the ground and no one picked it up. Billy felt quite sorry for the old lady, maybe she has given up on fetching the paper. He decided to pick up the paper and go and knock at her front door. When he reached the door he was surprised to hear faint gasps like someone was struggling to breathe. He rushed over to his home and alerted his mother who subsequently called for an ambulance. Apparently, Mrs Marlow had collapsed and could not alert anyone. Billy went to visit her at the hospital, bringing her flowers he had plucked from the field near his home. ‘Such a lovely young man, you are, Billy’, she said, when he gave her the flowers, while she looked at him with luminous eyes, moist with tears. Then, just as casually, she leaned close to him and whispered to him, "You know, you saved my life". Billy’s simple act of kindness and quick action did not go unnoticed, he was awarded a ‘Youth Action Medal’ by the town mayor. But for Billy, he was just happy to see Mrs. Marlow every morning, while he waited for his school bus, and this time she waved as now the paper boy slipped the paper through the front grill door. For Billy it was just good to know that she was all right.

Reaching Across The Table With Friendship

Missy prided herself with her original beadwork collection of earrings, chains and small tote bags which she had done all by herself. Having got all her bead items ready, Missy was now ready to share her work with the world. She had sent out invitations to her friends of her mother and her friends to come visit her stall, which she would have in the no less prestigious location of her mother’s backyard! On the day of the opening of her stall, Missy ran into a snag. She couldn’t reach the top of the tree to hoist the shade cover for her stall. She needed help, but she was too proud to ask for it! Now, while she was trying her utmost best to hoist the shade cover, the boy from the neighbouring home whom she always found very annoying was watching her, and he hollered,’Hey, Missy!, need a hand?’ Given her situation, and since time was running out, Missy relented. ‘Yes, Rob, I could use some help.’ Rob came over and soon the shade cover was nicely set up and the stall was ready. Missy actually hadn’t invited Rob to attend her stall opening and she was slightly ashamed. Rob was very impressed by her pieces and promised to buy something for his mother, when he had the money! Now Missy and Rob are friends and Missy likes to show Rob her latest collection of beadwork over a glass of freshly squeezed lemonade.

Reaching Across The Table With Determination

Performing was a passion of Tricia’s but she had one problem, she was shy! She only sang and danced in her room but never in front of others, including her own family. It just so happened one evening her mother asked her at dinner, “Were you singing or was that the radio in your room? Either way it was good!’ Tricia just blushed and smiled but refused to tell her that she was the one singing. She usually passed the audition posters hung in her school, feeling downcast, but the next morning after her mother’s compliment she felt ready to give it a shot. She signed up for the audition and was given the last slot. While waiting for her number to be called, she began sweating profusely but she refused to give in to her nerves. She clenched her fists and waited till her name was called. When she was called on stage she focused her eye on the far corner of the room, so she wouldn’t be intimidated by the audience. All the hard work, in front of the bathroom mirror, paid off and she was accepted to perform in the school musical. Tricia will always remember that day, as her breakthrough performance, more so because she broke through the barriers she held within herself through sheer determination.

Reaching Across The Table With Compassion

Marcel loved ice-cream and his favourite flavour was butterscotch cream. The ice-cream parlour that he frequents was located at the corner of a busy street. One fine Sunday, he used his chore money to buy himself a double scoop butterscotch cone. He headed home with change clinking in his pocket and his cone precariously balanced between his two hands. As he sauntered along, out of the corner his eye he saw a man drop his cane at the busy intersection. Now Marcel loves his ice-cream, but he dashed across to help the man pick up his cane, and let his cone fall. When the man reached over to thank him and shake his hand, Marcel saw he was blind. He reached into his pocket and pulled out five dollars and with a wink said, ‘Here son, go and buy yourself some ice-cream!’ Marcel was surprised by his actions that day, he never knew he could be compassionate, but he was even more surprised that the man he helped uncannily gave him money for ice-cream- thanks to his ice-cream sticky fingers!

Reaching Across The Table With Enthusiasm

Rummaging through the cupboard Wendell found a new toy, well it was actually an old toy, but it was new to him. He spent hours with it, sliding the toy down the staircase banister and around the dining table. When his father came home, Wendell excitedly showed him his find. ‘Oh, you found the old tram, have you? his father said. ‘Too bad the track for it is missing.’ Wow! Wendell exclaimed, Is it yours? Nothing could dampen Wendell’s enthusiasm! He had found a treasure. At last his father smiled and said, ‘Yes, son it is mine’. Wendell’s enthusiasm was infectious and soon after his father could be seen building paper tracks for Wendell’s tram.

~FRIENDS ADD LOGS TO THE FIREPLACE OF THE SOUL~

Friends add magic to our soul

But don’t forget what you have

A smile to chase the blues away

A spirit that can be geared in anyway

A soul to guide you along the way…

When you give up, it is you

That's what you give away

Don't forget to be your best friend in every way.