|
THIS
PAGE IS GRAPHICALLY INTENSIVE — PLEASE HAVE PATIENCE WHILE IT DOWNLOADS
... IT'S TRULY WORTH THE WAIT
Our
weekly single-feature newsletters are enhanced once each month with the
Inspiration Line Know & Grow Magazine —
filled with uplifting stories, articles, travelogues, humor, fascinating
facts, computer tips and more...
...
CREATE A MEANINGFUL LIFE ...
 CLICK
HERE for OUR FREE LANGUAGE TRANSLATOR or TO SHARE WITH FRIENDS & FAMILY
©
Connecting 50 U.S. States & 213 Countries Worldwide
|
Know
& Grow Monthly Magazine
“Great
opportunities to help others seldom come,
but small ones surround us everyday.”
~ Sally Koch ...
July 28, 2008
|
|
TODAY'S TUNE [ON/OFF]
"Long
Distance Information,
give me Memphis, Tennessee"
If
the song doesn't play, simply:
ENTER
HERE to open a media window.
^FREE DOWNLOADS^
THIS WEEK'S ISSUE
From the Inside Out...
Touching
Lives
Fascinating Facts...
Nature's Fireworks
Words from the Wise...
Thoughts Become Things
Yes You Can!...
Discover
That Less Is More
Far Horizons...
Fiji: The
Isles of Smiles
Just for YOU...
Announcements
& Treats
Untangling the Web...
Computer-Ease
Uplifting News Stories...
A Ladder of Love
Has 6,000 Steps
Online All the Time...
Featuring Weekly
Films
and Daily Quotes
BE the World
You Want to See!
|
Touching
the lives of others is best explained by Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr.: "Everybody can be great ... because anybody
can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve.
You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve.
You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love."
|
~ Chelle Thompson, Editor
GO
HERE TO FIND OUT HOW
... you can help people all
around the
world without a bit of risk to yourself!
|
From the Inside Out
TOUCHING
LIVES
When I was quite young, my father had one of the first telephones
in our neighborhood. I remember well the polished old case fastened
to the wall. The shiny receiver hung on the side of the box. I was
too little to reach the telephone, but used to listen with fascination
when my mother used to talk to it.
Then
I discovered that somewhere inside the wonderful device lived an
amazing person — her name was Information Please, and
there was nothing she did not know. Information Please could
supply anybody's number and the correct time.
My
first personal experience with this genie-in-the-bottle came one
day while my mother was visiting a neighbor. Amusing myself at the
tool bench in the basement, I whacked my finger with a hammer. The
pain was terrible, but there didn't seem to be any reason in crying
because there was no one home to give sympathy.
I walked around the house sucking my throbbing finger, finally arriving
at the stairway — the telephone! Quickly I ran for the footstool
in the parlor and dragged it to the landing. Climbing up I unhooked
the receiver in the parlor and held it to my ear. "Information
Please," I said into the mouthpiece just above my head.
A click or two and a small clear voice spoke into my ear. "Information."
"I
hurt my finger. . ." I wailed into the phone. The tears
came readily enough now that I had an audience. "Isn't your
mother home?" came the question. "Nobody's home
but me," I blubbered. "Are you bleeding?"
"No," I replied. "I hit my finger with
the hammer and it hurts."
"Can
you open your icebox?" she asked. I said I could. "Then
chip off a little piece of ice and hold it to your finger."
After
that I called Information Please for everything. I asked her for
help with my geography and she told me where Philadelphia was. She
helped me with my math, and she told me my pet chipmunk I had caught
in the park just the day before would eat fruits and nuts.
And
there was the time that Petey, our pet canary died. I called Information
Please and told her the sad story. She listened, then said the usual
things grown-ups say to soothe a child. But I was unconsoled. Why
is it that birds should sing so beautifully and bring joy to all
families, only to end up as a heap of feathers, feet up on the bottom
of a cage?
She
must have sensed my deep concern, for she said quietly, "Paul,
always remember that there are other worlds to sing in."
Somehow I felt better. Another day I was on the telephone. "Information,"
said the now familiar voice. "How do you spell 'fix'?"
I asked
All this took place in a small town in the pacific Northwest. Then
when I was 9 years old, we moved across the country to Boston. I
missed my friend very much. Information Please belonged in that
old wooden box back home, and I somehow never thought of trying
the tall, shiny new phone that sat on the hall table. Yet as I grew
into my teens, the memories of those childhood conversations never
really left me; often in moments of doubt and perplexity I would
recall the serene sense of security I had then. I appreciated now
how patient, understanding, and kind she was to have spent her time
on a little boy.
A
few years later, on my way West to college, my plane put down in
Seattle. I had about half an hour or so between planes, and I spent
15 minutes or so on the phone with my sister, who lived there now.
Then
without thinking what I was doing, I dialed my hometown operator
and said, "Information Please." Miraculously, I
heard again the small, clear voice I knew so well, "Information."
I hadn't planned this but I heard myself saying, "Could
you tell me please how-to spell fix?"
There was a long pause. Then came the soft spoken answer, "I
guess that your finger must have healed by now." I laughed,
"So it's really still you," I said. "I
wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me during that
time."
"I
wonder," she said, "if you know how much your calls
meant to me. I never had any children, and I used to look forward
to your calls." I told her how often I had thought of her
over the years and I asked if I could call her again when I came
back to visit my sister. "Please do, just ask for Sally."
Just
three months later I was back in Seattle. . . A different voice
answered Information, and I asked for Sally. "Are you a
friend?"
"Yes,
a very old friend," I said. "Then I'm sorry to
have to tell you. Sally has been working part-time the last few
years because she was sick. She died five weeks ago."
I
was startled, but before I could hang up she said, "Wait
a minute. Did you say your name was Paul?"
"Yes,"
I replied.
"Well,
Sally left a message for you. She wrote it down. Here it is I'll
read it....
'Tell him I still say there are other worlds to sing in. He'll
know what I mean'."
I thanked her and hung up. I DID know what Sally meant.
Never
underestimate the impression you may make on others. Whose life
have you touched today?
~
By Paul Villiard "Information Please"
First published in 1966 in Reader's Digest
(Contributed
by Mary Lynn in Peoria, Illinois)
*Other
Stories & More*
|
|
Fascinating
Facts
NATURE'S FIREWORKS
|
|
Is it true that opals contain
water and fossils?
CHECK HERE FOR ANSWER:
|
|
|
|
Words
from the Wise
THOUGHTS BECOME THINGS
Online
Short Movies Starring Amazing People
(From
Filmmaker Nic Askew)
Many
of us hear 'thoughts become reality' and nod gently
in agreement but perhaps don't take on board its profound
nature. What if it was actually the way it works? What
is it that you're thinking and what have you created
around you?
Author of 'Notes from the Universe'
... Mike
Dooley
is an adventurer who travels the world teaching
people how thoughts become things.
 WATCH
MIKE'S ENCOURAGING FILM HERE
(Always
let videos download once, for smooth second viewing.)
|
|
|
Yes You Can!
DISCOVER THAT
LESS IS MORE
There
is a strange addiction in our society today. I call it the
addiction to more... more... more. Sound familiar? More
clothes. Bigger houses. Fancier cars. Exhausting! You may
think that excessive accumulation is a characteristic only
of the rich. Not so! I have visited many homes of rich and
poor alike, and I am struck by the excess of "things"
that seem to be everywhere. I would suggest that our need
to accumulate more...more...more is not improving our lives;
rather it is bringing the quality of our lives down... down...
down.
If
you think about it, our lives would be so much easier if
we would focus on getting rid of things instead of accumulating
things. By definition, our addiction to "more"
creates a need to work so hard that true enjoyment of life
becomes impossible. There is no time to stop and smell the
proverbial roses.
We become prisoners of responsibility. We struggle to relax.
We work so hard on the upkeep of our lives that we have
little time for pleasure and play. Our self-created burdens
are very heavy, indeed. As I say in my book:
End
the Struggle and Dance with Life: How to Build Yourself
Up When the World Gets You Down (Get book HERE)
... "The clutter in our lives makes us
feel as though we are going through life carrying a watermelon
and an overloaded suitcase! It's time to drop these tremendous
weights and learn how to live in the freedom that simplicity
allows."
Let
me introduce you to three new words to help you break your
addiction to more... more... more. Those three words are
simply... "LESS... LESS... LESS." Right
now say these powerful words to yourself over and over again..."LESS
... LESS ...LESS." As
you keep repeating these words, I predict that you will
soon feel a sense of release ... of freedom. Breathing space
at last!
I
speak from experience. When Mark and I sold our large house,
we moved into a very small apartment just to give us time
to find ourselves a new house more suited to our needs.
An acquaintance bought our excess furniture thus saving
us the hassle of putting it all in storage. We figured we
would start fresh and buy new furniture when we found our
new house. Strangely as I watched our much loved "stuff"
being carted away, instead of feeling sadness, it was as
though a big load was being lifted from our lives. It was
a wonderful introduction to the land of less... less...
less. And it felt great.
We
took a 6 month lease on our little apartment with the idea
of soon finding our new home. Another surprise! We fell
in love... love... love with our little space. As I write
this, we've now been here, not 6 months, but 6 years! And
neither one of us has any desire to move! It's cozy and
romantic and comfortable. It is also easy... easy... easy.
A perfect example of less being more.
And
something else: When we moved into our little apartment,
I had to get rid of so many clothes since closet space was
very limited, and once again, I felt a sense of freedom.
Why did I need all those clothes to begin with? I didn't!
Some of the clothes I gave away I hadn't worn in years!
And because I realize that I need less clothes, I am saving
so much money. Again, less is turning out to be so much
more.
Yes,
we are certainly blessed when we have "enough."
But today as I look around this big wide wonderful world
of ours, enough doesn't seem to be enough! We live with
a poverty mentality. It's hard to imagine that even wealthy
people can have an intense poverty mentality, but many do!
I call them "the affluent poor." Or we are competitive
with others. We act as though we are fearful we will fall
behind in our ability to outdo everyone else! I see it all
around me.
It's
interesting that we all put a premium on "filling"
our lives. But I think so many of us have missed the point.
It makes for a much richer life to let go of the external
trappings that smother us and instead "fill" our
lives with those riches that take us to a higher place.
And
what are those riches? Beautiful times with friends and
family, relaxing time to read books and experiment with
life, fulfilling time to contribute to the world, and so
on. It is not about filling our lives with "stuff",
but filling our lives with those experiences that bring
us joy. I'm left with the conclusion that ... raising our
standard of living is truly about accumulating less and
enjoying more!
One
way we can break our addiction to more...more...more
is to begin giving all the excess "stuff" away.
In
the beginning, it may be difficult letting go. Especially
letting go of that belt you haven't worn for 10 years! (Trust
me on this one!) To help you feel better about giving your
stuff away, I suggest that you donate your excess clothes
and dishes and furniture and books ... and so on ... to
others who truly do need what is truly excessive and unnecessary
in your life.
As
you do this, you realize that you have made someone else's
life a little easier. You become a source of abundance to
them. You make a difference in this world. You become the
"giver" instead of the "taker." You
ultimately feel lighter and fresher and better able to see
what you really need. This is what I imagine "spring
cleaning" is truly about.
So
look around and start giving things away. Make a game out
of it and discard as many unnecessary "weights"
as you can in your home and office. My rule is this: Use
and enjoy that which enriches your life; let go of that
which is just excess baggage. You will be surprised at how
much excess baggage you will be giving away! And, importantly,
you will be joyful knowing how you have enriched the lives
of others.
And
something very... very... very important to think about:
You will be doing so much to help the survival of the planet
as you consume less...less...less. Wow! That should be enough
of a grand motivator to get us all going!
I
suggest that starting today ... together ... we all begin
dropping "the watermelon and the overloaded suitcase"
and enter the world of less... less... less. We'll be helping
the world in so many ways. Whew! I can hear the sighs of
relief coming to me from all over the world! Amazing!
~©
2008 Susan Jeffers, Ph.D., is the best-selling author of many
internationally renowned books.
She has also created many audiocassettes on fear, relationships,
and personal growth.
(Contributed
by Michelle who lives in Monterrey, Mexico)
|
|
"THE
most effective self-help book ever written, in my
opinion." ~Chelle
A phenomenal classic
that has changed the lives of millions now in audio:
Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway 8-CD set:
Dynamic Techniques for Turning Fear, Indecision,
and
Anger into Power, Action, and Love
Do
you have difficulty making decisions . . . asking
your boss for a raise, committing to or leaving a
relationship, going on an interview, facing the future?
Does fear keep you from jumping into life with energy
and excitement? Now, Susan Jeffers, who has helped
millions turn their lives around, can help you become
more powerful in the face of your fears. Dynamic and
inspirational, this book is filled with concrete techniques
for turning passivity into action. With understanding
and humor, Dr. Jeffers will teach you: The
vital ten-step process that helps you outtalk the
negative “Chatterbox” in your brain; How
to move from “victim” to “creator”;
The secret of making “no-lose” decisions;
How to create more meaning in your life!
FEEL
THE FEAR ... AND DO IT ANYWAY (Get her original book
HERE)
By
Susan Jeffers, Ph.D.
|
|
|
Far
Horizons
FIJI: THE
ISLES OF SMILES
Scuba to see spectacular lion fish show off their colors in the
Fijiian reefs.
|
People
visualize Fiji as an island paradise — tropical and
romantic with a wide range of upscale lodging choices waiting
to pamper you during your sojourn. However, most don't realize
that Fiji consists of more than 330 islands and only about
1/3 of them are inhabited. It is small but a culturally
diverse country with significant Fijian, Indian, Chinese,
Polynesian and European communities retaining their ancestral
cultures. Fiji's unspoiled beauty and tranquility present
some spectacular scenery, both coastal and hinterland. Due
to the mountainous nature of the Islands, there are numerous
streams and waterfalls creating crystal clear ponds, ideal
to have a swim and cool off in. Snorkeling and scuba diving
are very popular. With large coral reefs teeming with life,
the waters surrounding Fiji have some of the world's most
magnificent reef habitats with many species of marine life
The
Fijians are pretty easy-going, but if you are invited into
a village, wear modest clothing and take off your hat (wearing
one is an insult to the chief). To respect the local customs,
it is always best for women to cover knees and shoulders.
Leave your shoes outside the door when entering a home and
keep in mind that it's also insulting to touch someone's
head. Busy shopping districts, markets and villages offer
plentiful local arts, paintings and traditional crafts to
take home. Fijians are known for their bartering, so if
you want to practice your bargaining skills, head for Cummings
Street in Suva where you will find it quite an art form.
If you are looking for less pushy salespeople, try Lautoka
and Savusavu for your shopping experience. You won't want
to miss the traditional outdoor Fijian feast called Lovo.
Also important to the Fijian culture is the Kava
ritual. Yoqona or Kava is made from the root
of the Kava plant, a type of pepper plant. It is pounded
into a powder and mixed with water then drunk from a bilo
(half coconut shell). It is believed to have healing properties,
curing ailments such as tooth decay and respiratory disease.
Kava is not considered an intoxicating drink, but does give
you a mild feeling of euphoria.
There
are many festivals in Fiji, reflecting the varied ethnic
and religious make-up of the country. However, the three
most popular events are during July, August and September
known as the City Festivals — Bula Festival
in Nadi, Hibiscus Festival in Suva and the Sugar
Festival in Lautoka. These are celebrated with street
parades, bands, rides, stalls and the crowning of the Festival
Queen. Ceremonial dances are an important part of the Fijian
culture, handed down from generation to generation for hundreds
of years. Colorful costumes are made before each dance from
the dense jungle foliage that surrounds the villages. Music
is woven into the fabric of Fiji and the Meke embraces
traditional song and dance to tell of legends, love stories,
history and spirits of the islands. It can vary from a blood-curdling
spear dance to a gentle and graceful fan dance is an ongoing
tradition that enacts local stories and legends. The arrangement
of the group and every subtle movement has significance.
The instruments are percussion (hardwood gongs, bamboo tubes,
beating sticks etc.). The male dance is called the meke
moto and the female dance is called the seasea.
 See
Video — Awesome Adventures in Fiji HERE
(Always let videos fully download once, for smooth second
viewing.)
|
In meke moto dances men wear skirts made from thin strips
of the vau tree trunk.
FIND
MORE TRAVEL ARTICLES:  
|
|
Just
for YOU
ANNOUNCEMENTS & TREATS
Fundraising
Update
69
Kind Readers Have Contributed $1,057
...
$843
SHORT OF COVERING ANNUAL EXPENSES ...
YOU CAN SHOW YOU CARE ABOUT
INSPIRATION
LINE WITH A $2.00 DONATION
($2.00 per year = 4 cents per issue)
— Please make contributions
through PayPal or Amazon.com —
By visiting the link below for our secure
donation form:
http://www.InspirationLine.com/BEWorld/DonationForm.htm
INSPIRATION LINE IS FREE TO ALL. ... DONATIONS ARE STRICTLY
VOLUNTARY
( NEW SUBSCRIBERS — DON'T SEND
MONEY JUST SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT INSPIRATION LINE! )
|
RECOMMENDED
GOODIES
|
|
Untangling the Web
COMPUTER-EASE
WHAT A SITE!
Links
to Enhance Your Life & Enrich Your Spirit
"Don't Forget Your Toothbrush"
This site is the ONLY customizable travel checklist with
an interactive option.
It is completely free and everyone gets a Gold Membership
which allows you to create fully printable reminder and
packing lists. The site will send you e-mails at preset
intervals so you won't forget the really vital "things
to do" before your leave such as: pre-ordering any
special medication; getting the dog booked at the kennels;
canceling the newspapers in good time; ad infinitum.
www.DontForgetYourToothbrush.com
|
|
|
|
Uplifting News Stories
A LADDER OF LOVE HAS 6,000 STEPS
Liu
and Xu at the top of the 6000 steps.
This
cave was their home for more than 50 years.
|
BEIJING
— An incredible love story came out of China two years
ago and managed to touch the world. The tale of a 70-year-old
Chinese man who hand-carved more than 6,000 stairs up a mountainside
for his 80-year-old wife won the award for China’s greatest
love story of 2006.
Over
50 years ago, Liu Guojiang a 19 year-old boy, fell in love
with a 29 year-old widowed mother named XU Chaoqin. In a twist
worthy of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, friends and relatives
criticized the relationship because of the age difference
and the fact that XU already had children. At that time, it
was unacceptable and immoral for a young man to love an older
woman. Desperate to escape market gossip and the scorn of
their communities, the pair eloped to live in a cave in Jiangjin
county, which is in southwest China’s Chongqing municipality.
In the beginning, life was harsh as they had nothing, no electricity
or even food. They had to eat grass and roots they found in
the mountain. XU felt that she had tied Liu down and repeatedly
asked him, 'Are you regretful?' Liu always replied,
'As long as we are industrious, life will improve.'
In the second year of living in the mountain, Liu began and
continued for over 50 years, to hand-carve the steps so that
his wife could get down the mountain easily.
In
2001, a group of adventurers were exploring the forest and
were surprised to find the elderly couple and the over 6,000
hand-carved steps. In 2006, their story became one of the
top 10 love stories from China, collected by the Chinese Women
Weekly. Liu and his wife were not present at the award ceremony
due to their age, but their son Liu Mingsheng came with a
kerosene lamp that his father had made from an ink bottle.
Liu MingSheng, one of their seven children said, “My
parents have lived in seclusion for more than 50 years because
of their love for each other. They had no electricity and
my father made kerosene lamps to light up lives,”
the son said. “My mother seldom goes down the mountain
but my father cut the 6,000-plus stairs for her convenience.
It’s a ladder of love.”
The
couple had lived in peace for over 50 years until July, 2008.
Liu, at 72 years old, returned from his daily farm work and
collapsed in the cave. XU sat and prayed with her husband
as he passed away in her arms. So in love with XU, was Liu,
that no one was able to release the grip he had on his wife's
hand even after he had passed away. 'You promised me you'll
take care of me, you'll always be with me until the day I
died, now you left before me, how am I going to live without
you?' XU spent days softly repeating this sentence and
touching her husband's black coffin with tears rolling down
her cheeks. The local government has decided to preserve the
love ladder and the place they lived as a museum, so this
love story can live forever ... www.david-kilgour.com
Their
love story was recorded by a Chinese TV station HERE
(Always
let videos fully download once, for smooth second viewing.)
(Story contributed
by Liona who lives in Pitlochry, Scotland)
|
Liu
Guojiang with his wife XU Chaoqin
Liu's hand-carved Ladder of Love
|
|
Online All the Time
FEATURING WEEKLY SHORT FILMS and DAILY QUOTES ...
WORDS-FROM-THE-WISE
VIDEOS
AND DAILY INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES
 -
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inspiration
Line—Parents' Wish International Mirrorsite
This touching and poignant slideshow about aging
parents features Josh Groban's "You Raise Me Up"
SHARE THIS BEAUTIFUL GIFT WITH YOUR LOVED ONES:
|
"THE
UNIVERSAL LAW OF CIRCULATION"
"The word
circulation implies that something
is going round and round.
Whether it be money, love or good will, whatever
you spread around
is going to come back to you. In order to
be on the receiving end
of our desires, we must spread around to others
exactly what
we want. In addition, we must do it with a
grateful heart."
~By Adrain Calabrese, Ph.D. Author of
"How
To Get Everything You Ever Wanted" (ENTER
HERE)
NOW ... START
SPREADING IT AROUND:
Find
a meaningful gift HERE at Save Darfur's
Online Store
|
|
HEART
INSPIRED PRESENTATIONS
We have put together some wonderful
gift packages at very special prices
to help you offer presents that will
inspire and uplift your friends, family
and loved ones throughout the year ...
Affirmawrap® affirmation blankets,
Books, CDs & More. Bonus —
You'll receive a Free gift from Heart
Inspired Presentations with any purchase.
|
Bless
All of Your Loved Ones
 
With Inspiration
& Encouragement
|
|
|
|
OR
ENTER HERE for More Languages
Just
copy and paste this issue's
link address
http://www.inspirationline.com/EZINE/28JUL2008.htm
into the Applied Language
translation form
|
|
YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY
WILL THANK
YOU FOR SHARING THIS WITH
THEM ...
|
|
|
|
|
WWW.INSPIRATIONLINE.COM
"The intent of Inspiration Line is to
show What Is Possible — by choosing new perspectives,
we can change ourselves from the inside out to improve our relationships,
our community and our planet."
 |
To
Cancel eSubscriptions Use the Unsubscribe I.D. Link in Your
eMail |
COPYRIGHT
NOTICE: All articles and images shown are believed to be public
domain and, therefore, re-printable material.
We make every attempt to credit original authors and websites,
and do not intentionally infringe on anyone's copyright.
Where a source is available, it has been stated. If you believe
a mistake has been made or know the source of
an unattributed article or image, please write to: Editor@InspirationLine.com
and a correction will be made.
........................................................
Chelle
Thompson, Editor
~
Jane Cate, The TechAngel
This publication originates in Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502
U.S.A.
Copyright © 2008 Inspiration Line -
All Rights Reserved
Please
include "Reprinted from www.InspirationLine.com" whenever
you copy and share Inspiration Line articles.
|
|
**READ CORRESPONDING ARTICLE:
GET
OUR
