BE A HELPER; NO MATTER YOUR CONDITION

It is better to die for something than to live for nothing

                                                                                                Bob Jones 

Bob Butler lost his legs in a 1965 land mine explosion in Vietnam. Twenty years later, he was working in his garage in a town in Arizona when he heard a woman screaming from a nearby house. He began to roll his wheelchair towards the house but was being slowed down by the dense of flower around the house. He decided to get out of his wheelchair and started to crawl through the dirt and bushes. When he got there, he discovered that a three year old girl was drowning in a swimming pool. He dived in immediately and rescued the girl whose breathe was nearly gone. As he put his mouth over her mouth to commence Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), he told the mother “I was her arms to get her out of the pool, it will be okay. I am now her lungs. Together we can make it.” Seconds afterwards, the little girl coughed, regained consciousness and began to cry.

As they hugged and rejoiced, Mr. Butler told his story. He said, “When my legs were blown off in the Vietnam War, I was all alone in a field till a little Vietnamese girl struggled to drag me into her village. She whispered in broken English ‘its okay. You can live. I be your legs. Together we can make it.’ I’d like to be the same to her.”

Wonderful!! Isn’t it? A cripple had to crawl to save another life. Always have it in mind that no matter your condition or situation in life, you can still be of help to somebody somewhere somehow. Learn to love not just in words but in truth and even in our actions. Yes there are times when someone would need you to be their legs, their arms, lungs, purse, eye and most of all their friend. Learn to be a voice to someone, help someone to laugh, help someone to stay strong in this race called life and you will never lack helpers too!!

 

ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

There are three enemies of personal peace; regrets over yesterday’s mistakes, anxiety over tomorrow’s problems and ingratitude for today’s blessings

                                                                        William A. Ward

 

We will often find compensation if we think more of what life has given us and less of what life has taken away

                                                                                William Barclay

 

I have learnt over time to always have a positive attitude about life. Rather than thinking of what life has taken away from me, or what life has not given me, I have learnt to concentrate more on what life has given. Listen, before you say an unkind word to somebody, always learn to think of those who can’t speak. Whenever you feel like complaining about the kind or taste of food you are eating, learn to think of those who have nothing to eat. Even when you have nothing to eat, don’t complain, think of those who have everything to eat but can not eat it for health reasons! Whenever you want to complain about your spouse, pause and think of those crying bitterly for a companion. Before you complain about how unfair life is to you, think of those who have died untimely. Whenever you get angry with your children and you feel like complaining, remember those who desire to have at least a child yet they have none! If you feel like complaining about the distance you drive everyday, first think of someone who walks the same distance everyday. Whenever you want to complain about the poor state of your house, always remember that there are people living on the streets. When you get pissed off at work and you want to complain about your job, pause and think of the able-bodied who are unemployed and would pray for your job. Whenever depressing thoughts bring you down, always put a smile on your face and give thanks that you are alive and well.

Never forget that no matter what has happened or whatever is happening, learn to be positive! Give thanks always!! Think of all that life has given you rather than what it has taken away and you will never run out of reasons to give thanks. Remember that gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow. Have an attitude of gratitude today and always!

A PROBLEM OR AN OPPORTUNITY; WHAT DO YOU SEE?

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in various overalls; and looks like problems

Thomas Edison



Sometime ago, a London based Nigerian accountant, Mr. Olugbade Babatunde said during an interview “it is easy to become a millionaire in Nigeria. I believe Nigeria is full of opportunities; our people don’t see the opportunities, they see the problems instead.” When you look at a situation, you can see it either as a problem, or as an opportunity. Problems are usually an opportunity to greatness; they come as appointment to destiny. The way you see and treat a test will determine if a testimony or a tear will come out of it.
Makinwa S.I once said “challenges are things that serve as a ladder to link you to where you are going.” The fact that you are facing problems now simply means that there is something great ahead. It is believed that America is the greatest country on earth, yet, it has the greatest murder rate in the world. The citizens of America only see the opportunities and refuse to see the problems. Never forget the words of Thomas Edison “OPPORTUNITY IS MISSED BY MOST PEOPLE BECAUSE IT IS DRESSED IN VARIOUS OVERALLS; AND LOOKS LIKE PROBLEMS.” Reginald Mansel also added “A PESSIMIST IS ONE WHO MAKES DIFFICULTIES OF HIS OPPORTUNITIES, AN OPTIMIST IS ONE WHO MAKES OPPORTUNITIES OF HIS DIFFICULTIES.” Never believe anything is impossible. Be an optimist. Note that out of every test, there is a testimony; and out of every groaning, there is a glory that will shine forth as long as you hold on.