There was a very young boy, who used to spend time playing by a tree. One day he got bored and he said to the tree, “I’m bored, I’ve played with these toys too many times!” The tree replied, “OK, you can climb up on me and play on my branches.” The boy got really happy with this suggestion and he had a lot of fun playing and sitting high up, on the branches of the tree.

When he started school, he spent more time away from the tree, but one day he came back to it, and the tree was overjoyed to see its young companion, and it encouraged him to climb on, but he refused. “My clothes are going to get dirty if I climb up on you.”

So the tree thought for a while, and said, “OK, bring a rope and tie it to me, and you can use my branches as a swing.” The boy liked that idea, so he did that too, and would come back every other day to sit for a while on that swing. Whenever he used to get hot, the tree told him to rest in its shade.  Read more...

Horror gripped the heart of a World War-I soldier, as he saw his lifelong friend fall in battle.

The soldier asked his Lieutenant if he could go out to bring his fallen comrade back

“You can go,” said the Lieutenant, “but don’t think it will be worth it. Your friend is probably dead and you may throw your life away.”

The Lieutenant’s words didn’t matter, and the soldier went anyway.

Miraculously, he managed to reach his friend, hoisted him onto his shoulder and brought him back to their company’s trench.

The officer checked the wounded soldier, then looked kindly at his friend. “I told you it wouldn’t be worth it,” he said. “Your friend is dead and you are mortally wounded.”

“It was worth it, Sir,” said the soldier.

“What do you mean by worth it?” responded the Lieutenant. “Your friend is dead.”

“Yes Sir,” the soldier answered, “but it was worth it because when I got to him, he was still alive and I had the satisfaction of hearing him say…….  Read more...

Diane,a young Christian university student, was home for the summer. She had gone to visit some friends one evening and the time passed quickly as each shared their various experiences of the past year.

She ended up staying longer than she had planned and had to walk home alone. But she wasn’t afraid because it was a small town and she lived only a few blocks away.

As she walked along under the tall elm trees, Diane asked God to keep her safe from harm and danger. When she reached the alley, which was a shortcut to her house, she decided to take it.

However, halfway down the alley she noticed a man standing at the end as though he were waiting for her. She became uneasy and began to pray, asking for God’s protection. Instantly a comforting feeling of quietness and security wrapped around her, she felt as though someone was walking with her. When she reached the end of the alley, she walked right past the man and arrived home safely.  Read more...

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were very hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil.

In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, ‘ Tell me what you see.’

‘Carrots, eggs, and coffee,’ she replied.  Read more...

I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car. I had just come from the car wash and was waiting for my wife to get out of work.

Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would consider a bum.

From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no money. There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just don’t want to be bothered. This was one of those “don’t want to be bothered times.”

“I hope he doesn’t ask me for any money,” I thought. He didn’t.

He came and sat on the curb in front of the bus stop but he didn’t look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus.  After a few minutes he spoke.  “That’s a very pretty car,” he said.

He was ragged but he had an air of dignity around him. His scraggly beard kept more than his face warm.  Read more...

A young man was getting ready to graduate college.

For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer’s showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car.

Finally, on the morning  of his graduation his father called him into his private   study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and  told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful   wrapped gift box.

Curious, but somewhat disappointed the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible. Angrily, he raised his voice at his father and said, “With all your money you give  me  a Bible?” and stormed out of the house, leaving the holy book.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business.  Read more...

A map of the universe so far by the American Museum of Natural History. It is always good to remember how small we all really are, no matter what your therapist tells you in every session for $50 an hour. And, from this perspective, is healing one tiny, microscopic world really so impossible? Think about it . :)

“Listen to what your higher wisdom has to say about how you can deepen your participation in the global shift–through personal healing, changing your worldview, or finding ways to help others and the environment. This is how you can both heal yourself and help humanity. At their deepest level, the two are joined and ready to awaken to a new world.” ~Edmund Bourne

I’ve learned that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is be someone that can be loved. The rest is up to them.

I’ve learned that no matter how much I care, some people just don’t care back.

I’ve learned that it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it.

I’ve learned that it’s not what you have in your life, but who you have in your life that counts.

I’ve learned that you shouldn’t compare yourself to the best others can do.

I’ve learned that you can do some thing in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I’ve learned that it’s taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I’ve learned that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I’ve learned that you can keep going long after you can’t.  Read more...

I was sent this link by one of our readers and I have to tell you it helped me keep the faith in our species for at least one more holiday season. I like to think of myself as a positive person and I have a lot of faith; but, there are times (especially when watching or reading the news) that I find myself wondering if we really can save ourselves and change our world.

Robbie Goodrich, at left holding daughter Julia, with some of the moms who have nursed Moses, in center back.

This story shows how one group of women did change the world of one small baby, one family, and, since all is connected – our world. My prayer is that blessings flow to all of them. ~Dee

The day Charles Moses Martin Goodrich entered the world, a new community was conceived.

As the newborn breathed in life, his mother, Susan Goodrich, began to die. Less than 12 hours after having her son, the 46-year-old mother of four was gone.  Read more...

The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in determination. ~Tommy LaSorda

In 1883, a creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island.

However bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea. It just could not be done. It was not practical. It had never been done before.

Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. He thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done. He just had to share the dream with someone else. After much discussion and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up and coming engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built.

Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome. With great excitement and inspiration, and the headiness of a wild challenge before them, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.  Read more...

My hope is that this true story of Faith will touch your heart, help you to rediscover your own joy and gratitude and inspire you this holiday season as it has done for myself and my family. ~Dee (P.S. – Click photos to see the larger versions)

This sweet pup was born on Christmas Eve in the year 2002.  He was born with three  legs – two healthy hind legs and one abnormal front leg which had to be  amputated.

He of course could not walk when he was born. Even his mother did not want him.

His first owner also did not think that he could survive and he was thinking of ‘putting him to sleep’.  But then, his present owner, Jude Stringfellow, met him and wanted  to take care of him.

She became determined to teach and train this little dog to walk by himself.

She named him ‘Faith’.  Read more...

by Michael Jackson

I wanted to change the world, so I got up one morning and looked in the mirror. That one looking back said, “There is not much time left. The earth is wracked with pain. Children are starving. Nations remain divided by mistrust and hatred. Everywhere the air and water have been fouled almost beyond help. Do something!”

That one in the mirror felt very angry and desperate. Everything looked like a mess, a tragedy, a disaster. I decided he must be right. Didn’t I feel terrible about these things, too, just like him? The planet was being used up and thrown away. Imagining earthly life just one generation from now made me feel panicky.

It was not hard to find the good people who wanted to solve the earth’s problems. As I listened to their solutions, I thought, “There is so much good will here, so much concern.” At night before going to bed, that one in the mirror looked back at me seriously, “Now we’ll get somewhere,” he declared. “If everybody does their part.”  Read more...

A blind girl hated herself because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She told her boyfriend, ‘If only I could only see the world, I will marry you.’

One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend. He asked her, ‘Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?’

The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind.

The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn’t expected that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him.

Her boyfriend left her in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying: “Take good care of your eyes, my dear; before they were yours, they were mine”.

This is how the human brain often works when our ‘status changes’. Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who was always by their side in the most painful situations.  Read more...

It is true that this world is full of suffering, disease and pain – but mingled in the midst of the darkness are points of light which shine very brightly. Kristen is one of these lights. In order to raise money for children with cancer, Kristen will be shaving her head on March 20, 2010. In this  ‘Appearance is Everything’ culture where women spend *billions* on beauty products, this courageous lady will  shear her locks to help raise money to save a child. Read her story and then make a donation – even $1 will help fund the research to save the lives of thousands of little ones who are battling this deadly disease. ~Dee

In Kristen’s own words…

I can’t imagine watching one of my four children dying. Even worse, I can’t imagine watching them suffer before they passed away.  I can’t fathom watching one of my sons or daughters lying in a bed…unable to move…spitting up blood and screaming in pain.  I don’t think any parent can .  Read more...

In His Own Words…

My name is Jake Hytken, I am 18 years old, and I have a story to tell. I was born with an undiagnosable form of Muscular Dystrophy and the doctors were in the dark about what to expect.

In addition to MD, I also have Gaucher’s Disease, a Jewish genetically inherited disease that my brother has as well.

I always thought my medical condition through my eyes was relatively easy to handle during my earlier years. I was weak, walked with a wobble, and was exhausted by the end of the day.

I could not run, climb or play with my friends on a baseball team, or any sports teams at all, much less, go to sleep away camp.

I didn’t understand what the big deal was and why my mom wouldn’t let me go. I thought I was ‘normal.” A young kid only sees things as black and white, and I was oblivious to the shades of grey that were the reality of my illness.  Read more...

When a group of St. Louis, MO.,  junior high school students decided it was time to get involved in their community, they took the commitment seriously.

Thirteen-year-old Justin Gellman, along with his buddies, Jake Bensky, Michael Wienlansky, Brian Coulter and Jake Brown have made it their mission to support and raise awareness for a local organization called Lift For Life.

According to Justin, it only took one visit to the Lift For Life facility to know that this was the charity that he and his friends should support for their Bar Mitzvah. “Once I visited the amazing facility I immediately knew that this was going to be the charity I was going to help for my bar mitzvah,” Justin said.

Justin says that participating in an endeavor to benefit his community for Bar/Bat Mitzvah means that he’s helping to give back to his community “not just by donating money, but by giving my time to make others feel good.”

But why did Justin and his friends choose Lift For Life?  Read more...

My youngest 3 children: Kaitlyn, CJ and Jessica

It seems like I set out in this life to do things my own way and in my own time – no matter what was wise or prudent or tried, tested and true. And, regardless of the advice I give my own daughters, I continue to ‘grow up backwards.’

To my daughters I say things like:

“You have all the time in the world, enjoy now, figure out what you want and who you are before you begin to think about starting a family.”

“Take your time – get into a relationship because you WANT to, not because you feel you NEED to.”

“Listen to your gut, your ‘inner bell’. Do what makes you feel full of life and secure in the knowledge that you’re where you need to be at this moment.”

“Don’t look for a man to complete you – look for a man to complement you.”

“Learn how to make yourself happy – never expect another human being to take on that responsibility.”  Read more...

The Smiles for Healing Project is one of Healing Our World Net’s own initiatives with the simple mission of bringing people of all ages, races, creeds and lifestyles a smile to brighten their day, lift their spirits and promote peace, compassion and kindness in our world.

It may not seem like much, but a smile CAN make a difference in someone’s day and even in someone’s life. As Mother Teresa so eloquently stated: Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing. We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do. Peace begins with a smile.

How We Try to Give Smiles to Strangers

Our small ‘kindness army’ leaves small gifts on porch steps, on cars in parking lots, on bus seats, in taxis, public restrooms, on planes, on merchant’s countertops, in pizza delivery bags – really anywhere we can. The gifts are things like beautiful aromatherapy candles with affirmation cards, reflexology tools, aromatherapy massage rollers and inhalers, boxes of fancy coffee, and a myriad of other small, thoughtful and smile-inducing gifts.  Read more...

Spirit Jump is a grassroots non-profit organization with a mission to provide hope and comfort to the many men, women and children battling cancer. Spirit Jump accomplishes this by providing uplifting cards and inspirational gifts during this most difficult time. Visit our website (www.spiritjump.org) to read ALL the Jumpee stories. You can request an address anytime by emailing volunteer@spiritjump.com with the name of the person you want to send a Spirit Jump to.

Bob Needs A Spirit Jump

Bob, 74, is an artist retired from ATT. His book, Star Walker, was dedicated to his youngest son Mark who died in 2004 at 36. Mark had battled schitzophrenia since 19. We began Bob’s move to Fairhope, AL Mother’s Day weekend, 2008 then returned to Atlanta where I lived.

8/3/8 I took Bob to the ER saying something was horribly wrong, Bob was lost while driving. We spent an hour with a neurologist, CT scan completed; “depression/anxiety, go home”. We did, then drove back to AL 8/6…Bob became worse; we saw a young doc who did an MRI: dual lobe brain cancer.  Read more...