You Reap What You Sow!

Email Forward

Good morning said a woman as she walked up to the man sitting on ground.
The man slowly looked up.

This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new. She looked like she had never missed a meal in her life.

His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many others had done before. "Leave me alone," he growled....

To his amazement, the woman continued standing.

She was smiling -- her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows. "Are you hungry?" she asked.

"No," he answered sarcastically. "I've just come from dining with the president. Now go away."

The woman's smile became even broader..

Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm.

"What are you doing, lady?" the man asked angrily. "I said to leave me alone.

Just then a policeman came up. "Is there any problem, ma'am?" he asked..

"No problem here, officer," the woman answered. "I'm just trying to get this man to his feet.. Will you help me?"

The officer scratched his head. "That's old Jack. He's been a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?"

"See that cafeteria over there?" she asked. "I'm going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile."

"Are you crazy, lady?" the homeless man resisted. "I don't want to go in there!" Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up. "Let me go, officer. I didn't do anything."

"This is a good deal for you, Jack," the officer answered. "Don't blow it."

Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner. It was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived...

The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by his table. "What's going on here, officer?" he asked. "What is all this, is this man in trouble?"

"This lady brought this man in here to be fed," the policeman answered.

"Not in here!" the manager replied angrily. "Having a person like that here is bad for business."

Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. "See, lady. I told you so. Now if you'll let me go. I didn't want to come here in the first place."

The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled. "Sir, are you familiar with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?"

"Of course I am," the manager answered impatiently. "They hold their weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms."

"And do you make a goodly amount of money providing food at these weekly meetings?"

"What business is that of yours?"

I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company."

"Oh."

The woman smiled again. "I thought that might make a difference." She glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a giggle. "Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?"

"No thanks, ma'am," the officer replied. "I'm on duty."

"Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?"

"Yes, ma'am. That would be very nice."

The cafeteria manager turned on his heel, "I'll get your coffee for you right away, officer."

The officer watched him walk away. "You certainly put him in his place," he said.

"That was not my intent. Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this."

She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She stared at him intently. "Jack, do you remember me?"

Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes.. "I think so -- I mean you do look familiar."

"I'm a little older perhaps," she said. "Maybe I've even filled out more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very door, cold and hungry."

"Ma'am?" the officer said questioningly. He couldn't believe that such a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry.

"I was just out of college," the woman began. "I had come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn't find anything. Finally I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked the streets for days. It was February and I was cold and nearly starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get something to eat."

Jack lit up with a smile. "Now I remember," he said. "I was behind the serving counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat. I said that it was against company policy."

"I know," the woman continued. "Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you would get into trouble... Then, when I looked over and saw you put the price of my food in the cash register, I knew then that everything would be all right."

"So you started your own business?" Old Jack said.

"I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I started my own business that, with the help of God, prospered." She opened her purse and pulled out a business card. "When you are finished here, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons...He's the personnel director of my company. I'll go talk to him now and I'm certain he'll find something for you to do around the office." She smiled. "I think he might even find the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live until you get on your feet.. If you ever need anything, my door is always opened to you."

There were tears in the old man's eyes. "How can I ever thank you?" he said.

"Don't thank me," the woman answered. "To God goes the glory. Thank Jesus... He led me to you."

Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the entrance before going their separate ways...

"Thank you for all your help, officer," she said.

"On the contrary, Ms. Eddy," he answered. "Thank you. I saw a miracle today, something that I will never forget. And..And thank you for the coffee."


Have a Wonderful Day. May God Bless You Always and don't forget that when you "cast your bread upon the waters," you never know how it will be returned to you..

Art in Music: Eastern, Central and Southern Africa

William Umbima
Nairobi, 2006.


Background

African music was at its purest during the pre-colonial period when there was minimal foreign influence largely due to geographical and other communication barriers. Unfortunately, literary tradition has only started in the last century, thus most of this purity has not been captured and preserved. The factors that revolutionized the entire scene came with the unconfined opening up of the continent to foreigners. This for most brought literacy, which came with colonial rule and Christian/Muslim missionaries. Missionaries are often condemned - wholesale as the destroyers of African culture. On the contrary, they created most of the earliest records that we rely on today. A further influence came from the Second World War, which exposed Africans to new experiences. At about the same time, the phenomenal growth of the music recording industry also greatly influenced the development of African music.

The first real foreign influence in many parts of Africa was the introduction of recorded Cuban rumba (Columbia GVs) and American folk music carried by the Decca label among others. Earlier, the slave trade and other migrations also introduced new influences. Urbanization which came with colonialism created the necessary marker for recorded music and also served as an inspiration for creative music. One of the best examples of this external musical influences is the copper belt spreading between Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo which has produced some of the most outstanding musicians on the continent.

Indeed, the copper belt is the nucleus, of most of the colonial and post colonial music of east and central Africa. The final influence on the development of African music was the independence from colonial rule starting in the late 1950s and early l960’s. Initially, this loosened Western influence on African music and resulted in a period of experimentation and a partial but conscious return to traditional roots. This was short lived as the massive increase in recording facilities saw the return of foreign influence, especially from the Americas. Proliferation of recording studios also meant that anything could be recorded, regardless of the artistic value. On the negative side, many critics have condemned modern African music as unashamed and inferior imitations of African American norms in particular and Western popular music in general, and lacking inventiveness.

Art in Music

It is not easy to talk about art or tone poetry in African music. Music, like all arts, is part of culture. As such, it must have a context and a definite identity. The elements that define art are determined by the complexity or other cultural practices in society. African culture is not as complicated or multifaceted as Western culture. However, its simplicity has been disrupted by colonial occupation and since then has remained in a transitional state. The ensuing rapid cultural change makes it difficult to identify solid cultural norms. At its simplest, art is skill. This can be expanded to include: knowledge and cultural compositions/performances and preservation in all forms, taste and the (intellectual?) expression of feelings (beauty/happiness and thoughtfulness/sadness). Each musical instrument has its own rules. A good example is the chord system on the guitar. No art is possible without following these rules. So much of what the topic would cover remains unknown as African ethnomusicology has only a very short and incomplete tradition. Moreover, no firm methodology exists for classifying it. Hardly any of the African instruments have the breadth and versatility of the piano or the organ, for example. Rarely does it have parallels with Western music in terms of instruments and idioms. The ultimate difference between the two is Western classical music which probably has no equivalent any other culture. The contrast is exemplified by the well defined norms in Western music which are easy to understand: symphonies, concertos, sonatas, chamber music, etc. No such categorization can be made about African music.
The exception is the Spanish guitar which has become central to most African music. Here you occasionally, find established Western forms such as rondo and descant (see Rycroft on Jean Bosco).The other exception is music played on African traditional instruments. Despite the simplicity of the instruments, gifted musicians make the most of what the instruments can offer. Some of the east African lyres and kwela music from central Africa fall in this category (see, for example, Moya Aliya Malamusi). It is in this light that we can talk about art in African music and the examples selected in this presentation conform to this.
The three regions have been put together as they have many traditions in common. The first is the rumba form which has survived until today with local variations here and there. In Kenya, the localized version of rumba is known as benga. Vula matambo (see Kubik on Malawi) which originated in the southern half of the continent is another dominant feature. It affects even the so-called gospel music of these areas. Examples are to be found in Zulu vocal music past and present, George Sibanda, Jean Bosco Mwenda (especially Gallotone GB 1781 - Mwami and Gallotone CO 93 - Walumendo), Brenda Fassie and many others. The regions also share many traditional instruments: flutes, xylophones, the one stringed "violin", drums, lyres, kayamba, ete. The guitar, real and improvised, has become the central musical instrument since the European colonial invasion.

Some examples of art in African music

The music presented here is only a small selection. It covers music played on traditional instruments, vocal/choral music combined with Western instruments and guitar music of the colonial and post colonial period. The colonial period is, in many ways, the golden period of artistic music in most parts of east and central Africa. This is the era in which both local and foreign norms have fused in a successful way. Early musicians throughout the three regions learned and obeyed the rules governing the newly introduced instruments: guitars, trumpets, saxophones, accordions, flutes, etc. In the early recordings, there are many examples where African musicians copy the contemporary popular music styles of the West, especially America. As Rycroft has observed, gifted musicians were then able to express their own (African) ideas on the new instruments. What is noticeable as art in these early songs are the simple but deft melodies and a credible mixture of voice and instruments within cultural settings. They are based on a genuine local idiom with influences from church music and contemporary western popular styles. It has not been possible to deal with steel band music of colonial and post-colonial periods in this presentation as very little scholarly analysis has been devoted to that. Nevertheless, some of the musicians involved, especially from the Democratic Republic of Congo such as Nico
Kasanda, Leon Bukasa, Jonny Bokelo, Franco, etc. must be mentioned.
In recorded traditional music, distortions are inevitable especially where cameras are present. In general, however, the vocal element is dominant. In some traditional songs vocal arrangements are spontaneous and for a particular occasion. Beer songs fall in this category. The songs are natural expressions of people who are happy or sad under the influence of alcohol. The art is in the various moods of the performers and also in the (accidental?) presence of some western forms such as rounds. Henry Anyumba has some very inspiring recordings of this nature.
Instrumental music is also often dominated by the vocal element. Here the instruments simply accompany the voice. In most cases the voice is in plain song mode and variation - a major manifestation of art - is limited. In other cases (talking drums, some of the lyres, etc.) the instruments provide the main form of the art with welcome variations in the tonal presentations. In yet another case, when drums, voice and dancers are mixed, art can be discerned in all three. Similarly, when an instrument is used to express an idea, art is present in the music. A perfect example is a selection from Moya Aliya Malamusi's Malawi productions in which the human voice and the traditional wind instrument imitate or converse with each other in a most intriguing manner.

As for guitar music, there is a greater inventiveness as the instrument offers more versatility than most African instruments. The twin cradle for artistic music appears to be the copper belt we referred to earlier and the rich vocal tradition kept by the Zulu south of the Zambezi River. From both the two finger guitar style and the melodious Zulu style of singing spread to the rest of the regions. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, musicians such as Jean Bosco Mwenda, Abelo, Kazembe, Masengo were the flag bearers while George Sibanda, combining the rich vocal tradition and the guitar, led the southern group. Simultaneously Frank Hamblick from Tanzania blazed the East African trail composing and playing songs in a very unique guitar style. Of course there were many more outstanding musicians than the ones mentioned here. One such example is the little known Faustino Okelo whom Kubik discovered in Uganda in the 1960s. Many more remain undocumented. Bosco must be singled out for both for his handling of the guitar and his creative genius that produced a mini- music world that is unequalled even today. In all, he composed and recorded over 100 songs in which he was composer and performer, single-handedly. His music includes forms resembling early European music (David Rycroft, 1961).
There are also elements of Johann Sebastian Bach's style, particularly the toccatas and fugues. This is obviously a coincidence as we know that Bosco had no connection with Western music of that nature. His compositions show elements that are rare in African music before and during his time. A good example is an introductory phrase and a finale or coda in many of his songs. His compositions usually have a definite form that is interspersed with unusual variations or explorations. He also composed and produced songs for two guitars with the player of the second guitar usually remaining anonymous (e.g. Gallotone CO 113B and Gallotone CO 123B). David Rycroft, John Low and Gerhard Kubik have attempted a serious analysis of Bosco's music. Kubik found that it is
difficult to pinpoint with certainty the influences that went into Bosco's compositions.
Nevertheless, he is probably a unique example of an African genius who used a European instrument in a simple way to express African ideas built on African traditional instruments.
Here is a brief description of a very small fraction of African artistic music .
Joshua Omwami who plays an east African lyre is one of the greatest virtuosos of this instrument. He mastered the instrument so well that he was able to modify it by adding an eighth string. The selection from Moya's production on Malawi is simply unique with the voice, rattles and flutes engaging each other. On the guitar side, the three musicians presented are among the most inventive of African musicians. Both George Sibanda and Frank Hamblick are in a class of their own with their beautiful and harmonious tunes on the guitar. The four songs by Bosco are a small but representative sample of the genius, concluding with "Masanga", the solo guitar song that made him immortal. Bosco at one
time launched into steel band music which had taken the Democratic Republic Congo by storm in the late 1950s (Leon Bukasa, Franco, Bokelo, Rochereau, Nico, etc.). Although he recorded a number of songs using this band (Gallotone COs 168-193, all published in 1958), this experiment was not so successful and he was forced to return to his single instrument style of the earlier days.
A final example, combining voice, local linguistic effects and Western instruments, is a reminder of the eternal nature of Vula matambo, as presented by Brenda Fassie. Like most modern music, the song is presented from live shows and DVDs. As already indicated, all the examples given in this lecture are only a tiny fraction of African artistic music. As more and more studies are carried out, no doubt more and more artistic music will emerge.

The Challenges

Research on African music has lagged behind related disciplines (painting, sculpture, etc) in spite of the proliferation of universities and similar institutions on the continent. There is still a dearth of serious scholars among Africans for the simple reason that such careers are not attractive in terms of remuneration at the individual level. This explains why, so far, most of the quality work already has been done by non-Africans. African institutions which provide opportunities for research are still very week indeed. In addition, in most African countries, there is very little appreciation of history beyond condemnation of colonialism and western imperialism/neo-colonialism, and over-glorification of a hitherto neglected past. As a result, preservation, an essential ingredient for scholarly studies, is neglected. To give an example, in Kenya all the streets in the towns bearing the names of people of non-African origin of the colonial era have been replace by names of Africans, mostly politicians. This gives the impression that white people or westerners have nothing to do with modern Kenya and that all this history has been made by the blacks on their own. This contradiction remains a big dilemma in all African studies. Finally, another serious impediment is the rapid cultural change which wipes out new cultural traits before they are clearly discernible for documentation and scholarly interpretation. There is still much work to be done in recording, preserving and analysing African music. Examples of outstanding work are still too few and of foreign origin. This is not a bad thing in itself. But for a deeper understanding of the subject, Africans themselves will have to become involved more than today. A real campaign similar to the one that was waged on wildlife preservation will be required to promote a culture of preserving the past and the present for posterity.

Refernces

Kubik, Gerhard
1991 Mwenda Jean Bosco (J 930-1990): songs with guitar, ShabalZaire. CD
Ethnologische Abteilung des Museums fur Volkerkunde Berlin.

Low, John
1982 " A history of Kenyan guitar music 1945 -1980." African Music 6(2): 17-36.
1982 Shaba diary: a trip to rediscover the 'Katanga' guitar styles and songs of the
1950's and '60''s. Wien-Fohrenau: Stiglmayr.

Malamusi, Moya Aliya
1999 African Music from Lake Malawi to the Zambezi. CD Frankfurt/Main:
Gunter Gatz.

Owuor-Anyumba, Henry
1964 "The nyatiti lament songs." In East Africa, past and present, 187-198. Paris:
Ed. Presence Africaine.

Rycroft, David
1961 "The guitar improvisations of Mwenda Jean Bosco." African Music 2(4):
81- 98.
1962. "The guitar improvisations of Mwenda Jean Bosco (part II)." African Music
3(1): 86-102.

Francis Oundo Guy-Never-Die-Lumbe –Born –For Trouble

In 1990 we moved to our home in Westlands, on church road, for those of you who are familiar with area. This was the home that my father had bought in the late sixties. He told us years later that the home was originally owned by the colonialist settlers and this guy (let’s call him Frank because I do not remember his name) had taken a liking to my father and really wanted dad to buy the house. So dad had two options, to either purchase the home in westlands or a home in Lavington. Needless to say, dad settled for the home in Westlands at the price of Kshs. 160,000 (can you believe it!)and in 1990 we moved in. I understand that Kshs. 160,000 was a lot of money those days. I loved the place and that is where I grew up. I was 7/8 at the time and this was every child’s dream. There were trees to climb, fruit trees to pick fruit from, and just green land to play on.

Enter: Francis Oundo Guy-Never-Die-Lumbe –Born –For Trouble. Francis was originally hired as our gardener. He was 24 when he was hired. Turns out that Francis was more than a gardener. For those of you who know me, you know that my first 8 years of primary education was in the Kenyan 8-4-4 system. The 8-4-4- system was something else… (That story is for another day)… Anyway, Francis ended up being my “bestest” friend. He taught me how to ride a bike, did my woodwork and metalwork homework (8-4-4!), cried with me when I fell down from the trees, taught me how to make homemade firecrackers and light them when people were passing by to scare the hell out of them! So much fun!

He was our “gardener”, (and I put gardener in quotes because he became part of our family) for 11 years. He was quite a character. He is a Luhya but raised in the Luo region of Kenya. He was very particular about everything he did. He had a bicycle(black mamba) that had a Mercedes emblem on it and he would occasionally wear a suit to work even though he was a gardener. Francis had pride, or rather a self confidence fitting for him. Francis Oundo Guy-Never-Die-Lumbe –Born –For Trouble was his self attributed nickname. I thought and still think it was hilarious because it gave him character.

I chose to write this article because Francis was a significant part of my early childhood years. His sincerity and kindness overwhelm me in a good way and through the years I have learnt that people like him are very rare.

So, to all my “shamba boys”, gardeners, helpers, workers, drivers, Mingi Luv. I also want to acknowledge akina Ruth’s helper, Ndegwa, and akina Marions driver, Wanyoike.

Take care folks,
Mboone.

Do not short change yourself

By Mboone Umbima

I recently had a discussion with a parent who felt that her children were doomed to not find jobs. What I found strange was that this is in the United States… The land of opportunity. The funny thing is that I have learnt that whatever you think in your mind will manifest in reality and if you short change yourself in the mind you will short change yourself in reality. So we must not be afraid to dream, and we should dream big. At the same time we must be careful to control our minds and not the other way round which is the default for most people, our minds control us. Eckhart Tolle says that the mind is a tool, thought process is a tool but it is not our entirety and so if you learn to master your mind your can master your life.

Wet Pants

Email Forward

Come with me to a third grade classroom.... There is a nine-year-old kid sitting at his desk and all of a sudden, there is a puddle between his feet and the front of his pants are wet. He thinks his heart is going to stop because he cannot possibly imagine how this has happened. It's never happened before, and he knows that when the boys find out he will never hear the end of it. When the girls find out, they'll never speak to him again as long as he lives.


The boy believes his heart is going to stop; he puts his head down and prays this prayer, 'Dear God, this is an emergency! I need help now! Five minutes from now I'm dead meat.'


He looks up from his prayer and here comes the teacher with a look in her eyes that says he has been discovered.


As the teacher is walking toward him, a classmate named Susie is carrying a goldfish bowl that is filled with water.


Susie trips in front of the teacher and inexplicably dumps the bowl of water in the boy's lap.


The boy pretends to be angry, but all the while is saying to himself, 'Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord!'


Now, all of a sudden, instead of being the object of ridicule, the boy is the object of sympathy.. The teacher rushes him downstairs and gives him gym shorts to put on while his pants dry out. All the other children are on their hands and knees cleaning up around his desk. The sympathy is wonderful. But as life would have it, the ridicule that should have been his has been transferred to someone else - Susie ...

She tries to help, but they tell her to get out. 'You've done enough, you klutz!'


Finally, at the end of the day, as they are waiting for the bus, the boy walks over to Susie and whispers, 'You did that on purpose, didn't you?' Susie whispers back, 'I wet my pants once too.'


May God help us see the opportunities that are always around us to do good......

WHO ARE YOU?

Discovering who you are is important but success lies in defining who you are. Don’t let others do it for you. On a very basic level, if you are right on the inside then you will be alright on the outside. Self awareness allows us to know what we are good at and what we are not. If you don’t know why you are doing what you are doing, then you shouldn’t be doing it at all.

“You can’t give out what you don’t have– You can’t give away 12 oranges if you do not have 12 oranges – first you have to get the oranges then give them out” (Wayne Dyer). The point is you can’t give compassion if you are not compassionate, you can’t tell what is the right thing to do if you don’t know what is right. And on a deeper level, you can’t give the gifts of who you are if you have not defined what your gifts are.

Roger McGrath (Professor at Queens University of Charlotte) told us in one class, that being a good person first starts on a subconscious level, you have to already have decided what the difference between good and bad is so that when you are faced with situations where you have to make a tough choice, you are already prepared. He said you must practice being good just as sportsman/woman practices their sport. He said, on your first job – don’t rush to buy a BMW, save your money so that you have the freedom to leave if you don’t agree with what is being done within your organization. When you purchase that BMW and you have the payments, you have been compromised.. (no offense to BMW - Great car!)


Bill Berry (Professor at Queens University of Charlotte) said to us, lead with compassion and common sense. If something is too complex for you to understand, question it! Be compassionate to those that are different from you and don’t lose sleep over people that are nasty to you – they are simply not worth it. The problem is with them and not you.

Finally from my father, William Umbima, don’t waste time trying to impress others. Believe me when I tell you that when they go home they don’t talk about how impressive you are unless you really are. Don’t be concerned with the glory and fame, be concerned with doing the best you can at whatever you are doing. Martin Luther King said, “If a man is called to be a street-sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street-sweeper who did his job well." - Those people were not looking for glory and fame, they were just doing their job well...

Thought for the day

Email Forward

RED MARBLES

I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas. I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh greenpeas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes. Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me.

'Hello Barry, how are you today?'

'Hello, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank you. Jus' admirin' them peas. They sure look good.'

'They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?'

'Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time.'

'Good. Anything I can help you with?'

'No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas.'

'Would you like to take some home?' asked Mr. Miller.

'No, Sir. Got nothing' to pay for them with.'

'Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?'

'All I got's my prize marble here.'

'Is that right? Let me see it' said Miller.

'Here 'tis. She's a dandy.''I can see that. Hmmmmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?' the store owner asked.

'Not exactly but almost..''Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip thisway let me look at that red marble'.

Mr. Miller told the boy.'Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller.'

Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With asmile she said, 'There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store.'

I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to Colorado , but I never forgot the story of thisman, the boys, and their bartering for marbles.Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died.They were having his visitation that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them.

Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offerwhatever words of comfort we could.Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform andthe other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts...all veryprofessional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed andsmiling by her husband's casket.

Each of the young men hugged her,kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to thecasket.Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one, each young manstopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand inthe casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.

Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and reminded herof the story from those many years ago and what she had told me abouther husband's bartering for marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket.'Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about.They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim 'traded' them.

Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color orsize....they came to pay their debt.''We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world,' sheconfided, 'but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man inIdaho 'With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.

The Moral : We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the momentsthat take our breath..Today I wish you a day of ordinary miracles ~ A fresh pot of coffee youdidn't make yourself....An unexpected phone call from an oldfriend...Green stoplights on your way to work...The fastest line at thegrocery store...A good sing-along song on the radio...Your keys foundright where you left them.

IT'S NOT WHAT YOU GATHER, BUT WHAT YOU SCATTER THAT TELLS WHAT KIND OFLIFE YOU HAVE LIVED'When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.'

A Black Girl Escorted to School

Email Forward

THEN: A Black girl escorted to school - 1960

On November 14, 1960, nearly 49 years ago, 6 year old Ruby Bridges faced hostile crowds, and had to be escorted by U.S. Marshalls , because she was the first black child to attend previously all-white William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans , Louisiana Ruby was 6 years old. (The Great Norman Rockwell cr eated the painting above depicting that event.)That morning, she had only been told by her mother that she was going to be attending a new school that day and 'had better behave.' Little did little Ruby know that she would be bombarded with jeers and even death threats; and that she would end up being the sole child in her first grade class because all the other children were kept home by their parents. All because Ruby was Black.

NOW: A Black girl escorted to school - 2009


















On January 5, 2009, nearly 49 years after Ruby attended her school, 7 year old Sasha Obama, faced cheering schoolmates as she is escorted by her Mother and U.. S. Secret Service Agents to Sidwell Friends Elementary School in Washington , DC . Her Mother, the current First Lady of the United States of America , had Secret Service escort because Sasha's daddy is now the 44th President of the United States , Barack Obama.



GLORY BE TO GOD, FOREVER MORE!

HANDBOOK 2009

Email Forward

Health:

1. Drink plenty of water
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
5. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, and prayer.
6. Play more games.
7. Read more books than you did in 2008.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk every day. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:

1. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
2. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
3. Don't overdo. Keep your limits.
4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
5. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
6. Dream more while you are awake.
7. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
8. Forget issues of the past.. Don't remind your partner of his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
9. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
10. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
11. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
12. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
13. Smile and laugh more.
14. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Society:

1. Call your family often.
2. Each day give something good to others.
3. Forgive everyone for everything.
4. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
5. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
6. What other people think of you is none of your business.
7. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch
   

Life:

1. Do the right thing!
2. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
3. GOD heals everything.
4. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
5. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
6. The best is yet to come.
7. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
8. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy. Last but not the least:

share this with whomever you care to :)

LINK: http://mbooneumbima.blogspot.com/2009/03/handbook-2009.html

Laws Newton forgot

Email Forward

LAW OF QUEUE: If you change queues, the one you have left will start to move faster than the one you are in now.

LAW OF TELEPHONE: When you dial a wrong number, you never get an engaged one.

LAW OF MECHANICAL REPAIR: After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch.

LAW OF THE WORKSHOP: Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.

LAW OF THE ALIBI: If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tyre, the next morning you will have a flat tyre.

BATH THEOREM: When the body is immersed in water, the telephone rings.

LAW OF ENCOUNTERS: The probability of meeting someone you know increases when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.

LAW OF THE RESULT: When you try to prove to your boss that a machine won't work, it will!

LAW OF BIOMECHANICS: The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach

LAW OF COFFEE: As soon as you sit down for a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.

English is not that easy :)

Email Forward

You think English is easy?
Check out the Following:
1) The bandage was wound around the wound.
2) The farm was used to produce produce .
3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4) We must polish the Polish furniture.
5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time topresent the present
8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10) I did not object to the object.
11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row ...
13) They were too close to the door to close it.
14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.
15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

Let's face it - English is a crazy language.