FOOD FOR THOUGHT (A Message by George Carlin)

Hi Friends, it's been a while. Thanks for visiting. I hope I read your commentaries a lot, tho.

This is a master piece! If you have not read it, take the time to read it now. If you have read it, take time to read it again! Isn't it amazing that George Carlin - comedian of the 70's and 80's - could write something so very eloquent...and so very appropriate?

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbour. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.

It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit DELETE...

Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.
Remember , say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment, for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
If you don't share this with as many people as possible, who cares?
George Carlin

CADAVER

The long decay now prevalent
In a system void of resuscitation
Of evil wrought ever evince
The sickness of hearts
5. Devoid of hope longed for
A holocaust of a stable bed for growth
And now….
Neglected societal scums
Now avaricious in sudden wealth
10 the aftermath of unasked for opportunities
the uncomfortable haves
clothed with supposed integrity;
a mask for the gentle pen swindlers
smiling promises and plundering spoils.
15. The irony of deep-seated ravens
Who to care is to create care-needs,
Seemingly holy in circle of concerns
An acceptable norm now adulterated;
A deception to the lower leveled yokel
20. still crispy to the undeciphering loyalists
till deprived of burial rites
reality becomes too late because dead;
a closure of history for goodly lucidity
an evidence for evil continuum
25. What hope lies in man, O heaven?
…. The study of the dead for living rectifications
Is preemption unto deathly witchcraft
Say, these gloomy drooling eyes
Littered clinical pictures of illusive hope ever
30. Yet, the cozy desentivity of heads
Disconnected from necks and bodies
For the due cocoon, unopen'd, festers smells…..
Or so, the disenchanted body
Seeking hope in unpromised promises
35. Of a tomorrow never conceived
To a today, shockingly attired
Reeding round our gods in intertwining semblances
Of ourselves in few instances
Of accusations to thieves but one
40. Four fingering back our hearts
But we must cry; we are not them
We are receivers, not leaders
We are responsibly frustrated
Uneducated to responsible frustrations
45. So we must cry
On the slab flat
At the mercy of the surgeon's
But the saviour of a people
Born in a palace or a ghetto
50. Is, thru' the repulsive processes,
Only hardened and beautifully segregated
Savingly active-
At last, then, hope;
A living hope would emerge.
-12.4.2000.

WHERE LOVE SINGS

Hi friends, one of my few pieces for your reclined pleasures... Ciao.





Where love sings
The angels dance
Hovering over to brace
The significant triumph



Where love sings
Lovers chime face-to-face
One mocking, the other shy
Teasing themselves to sleep




Where love sings
The streams flow in unison
Sprite and clean to spring
Cleansing the sinner’s sin



Where love sings
Lullaby is rehearsed
This time with deeper perfection
For love doth make things perfect



Where love sings
Tonight your love and mine
Will meet in fathom grace
To make us one flesh



Ah... ow sweet love is...indeeeed!!!
-Emmanuel Enesi Ajanah

Putting a Bow on 2010: A Proper Perspective

Hi Friends,
It’s been a worthwhile 2010, so much so that I must regret to announce, with apologies to y’all that I couldn’t visit the site with promised articles and write-ups. But that’s in the past. Yours sincerely is back and greatly ready to juice things up for your reading pleasure. And I believe it will proper to start with what to do with the year gone past. The amazing attitude is: IT IS PAST! Ha ha ha! You can only look forward, dear. Everyday, you’ll have new challenges, blessings, favours, His mercies (which are new every morning), His grace, etc. Make the best of your life. It’s your choice; but remember, help is available…and yours for the asking. Enjoy this piece by John C. Maxwell.




At this stage, the punctuation you put on 2010 will not depend as much on what you do but on your point of view. As you look back on the past year, you likely experienced highs and lows, encountered blessings and victories alongside hardship and heartache. As you wrap up 2010, be sure your attitude toward the last twelve months is providing you with the healthy perspective needed to finish strong.
Here are three suggestions to help you adopt a mindset that makes the most of 2010.
1) See the lessons in every setback.
Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.
~ John Wooden
As you think back on the past year, don't be ashamed by the mistakes you made. Failures are stepping-stones to success, not proof of inadequacy. If you're not stumbling from time to time, then chances are you're not going anywhere worthwhile.
Failures are not fun, but neither are they fruitless. Opportunities to learn and grow are embedded in every setback we undergo. Instead of dwelling on the disappointment of things going wrong, seize the insights of the experience. By doing so, you'll emerge as a stronger person.
2) Show gratitude for the blessings you've received.
Gratitude is not only the greatest of all virtues but the mother of all the rest.
~ Cicero
To cultivate gratitude, Oprah recommends keeping a gratitude journal:
"Every night, list five things that happened this day that you are grateful for. What it will begin to do is change your perspective of your day and your life. If you can learn to focus on what you have, you will always see that the universe is abundant; you will have more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never have enough."
In addition to writing down what you're thankful for, take action to show gratitude to the people who have helped you over the course of the past year. Expressing thankfulness to others encourages them, strengthens your relationship with them, and positions you to receive their goodwill again in the future.
3) Turn the page on the past and take joy in today.
Hoping to get a glimpse into history, an interviewer asked an 87-year old woman, "What was the world like back in your days?" "Hmph!" she responded, "This is my day!" I love her attitude. Instead of being wistful about the years behind her, the elderly lady's mindset was on making the most of the day in front of her.
The close of the calendar year can be a time of reflection. We think back to the happenings of 2010 and assess where we are in life. Although life can only be understood looking backwards, it can only be lived moving forward. No matter what has transpired this past year, today is a blank slate. So set aside any regrets you may have about 2010, enjoy the holiday season, and look forward to a fresh new year.
Have a remarkable day.

Ajanah.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?

Hi, it's been a hectic week. I hope you find this piece by Andy Rooney interesting! Be nice this weekend, dearie!




I've learned.... That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

I've learned.... That when you're in love, it shows.

I've learned.... That just one person saying to me, 'You've made my day!' makes my day.


I've learned.... That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.


I've learned.... That being kind is more important than being right.
I've learned.... That you should never say no to a gift from a child.

I've learned.... That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.

I've learned.... That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

I've learned.... That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.

I've learned.... That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.

I've learned.... That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I've learned... . That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.

I've learned.... That money doesn't buy class.

I've learned.... That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I've learned... That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I've learned.... That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

I've learned.... That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

I've learned.... That love, not time, heals all wounds.

I've learned.... That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.

I've learned.... That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.


I've learned.. That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.

I've learned... That life is tough, but I'm tougher.

I've learned.... That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.

I've learned.... That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

I've learned.... That I wish I could have told my Mom that I love her one more time before she passed away.

I've learned.... That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.

I've learned.... That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

I've learned.... That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.


I've learned.... That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.

I've learned .... That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

Written by Andy Rooney , a man who has the gift of saying so much with so few words.

KEEP AT IT

Hello friends, I love the spirit of being passionate about doing what you truly believe in regardless. How about some tips from Kenyon for this week's update. Remain sweet.





“How did you ever do it? I can’t see how anyone could do a thing like that.”
We were in a curio shop. On the table there was a whole army of little figures that had been whittled out by hand.
What hours of work must have been spent on them.
This friend of mine stood there, and looking at them said, “How did you ever do it?”
The man smiled and said, “I just kept at it.”
I went out of the door.
I walked the street and I heard those three words, “Kept at it, kept at it, kept at it.”
How they rang through my soul.
That man had “Kept at it.”
He had put life into it.
He had made a success.
People were coming from all parts of the country to see the effect of that cultivated, trained genius.
All that man has done was to train his mind and hand, and then whittle his dreams out of wood, of soft stone and ivory.
I was thrilled through and through at the possibilities that were wrapped up in common folk like you and me.



I heard a girl play the piano. She was not over sixteen. I know something about music. We had a music department in our institution for many years.
I looked into her face and I whispered in my own heart, “Girl, you have spent hours pounding the keys while other girls were walking the street. While others were sleeping and mother was trying to get them out of bed, you were pounding those keys.
“You have lost a heap of good times, but what a musician you are!”
She kept at it. That is why she won.
I stood with a man, overlooking a beautiful farm in Northern Maine.
I said to him, “Who cleared this land? Who stumped it?”
He answered, “Do you see that little log house down there by the creek?”
“I built that, and wife and I moved into it before there was an acre of this land cleared. I vowed that I would clear every acre of it and put it into crops, and I have done it.”
That is the spirit that conquers.
“I vowed I would do it, and I have done it.”
I stood by the loom in the factory as a boy and vowed that I would become an educator. I did not know what it meant, but I knew that within me was a teaching gift, an undeveloped thing.
I vowed I would do it. I did it.
I was handicapped as few men have been handicapped, but I did it.
I am passing it on to you to show that they cannot conquer you if you will do it.
Struggle to improve. In every effort improve the dream.
Every time you play that piece on the piano, play it better than you played it before.



Every time you sit down to that typewriter, make up your mind that you are going to be more efficient than you have ever been.
Make your brain work. It will sweat, but make it work. It will improve. It will develop until you become a wonder to those around you.
Don’t depend on an alarm clock. Don’t depend on mother’s waking you.
Make up your mind that you will have the alarm clock in your soul.
Never depend on another man’s car. Get one of your own.
Be self-reliant.
Be punctual. Be diligent.
Think through on every problem.
Conquer your difficulties as a part of the day’s job.
We are out in the fight and we will win the crown.
© Kenyon.

A HONEST CHARACTER, TODAY'S RARITY

At a time when role models are hard to come by and honesty is in fast decline in the country, a ray of hope recently came from Mr. Job Durojaiye, a student of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State, who was reported to have alerted the authorities of First Bank Plc to the sum of N9.3 billion inadvertently paid into his account.

According to his own account of what happened, Durojaiye, a Higher National Diploma (HND) engineering student said on August 13, he had, upon withdrawing N2, 000 from his account at the bank's branch located in the school, discovered from his Automated Teller Machine (ATM) printout that he had a balance of N9.3 billion, instead of N1000 that should remain in his account.

This development, he said, aroused his curiosity. He decided to withdraw additional N20, 000 from the huge sum found in his account to confirm whether it was real. And it was. Three days later, he went to the bank to narrate his experience. The bank official he spoke to did not believe him until he supplied evidence through the ATM printout. He quickly returned the N20, 000 already withdrawn from the 9.3 billion. The bank took the refund, but did not, according to Durojaiye, give him as much as a pat on the back.

However, the Mountain of Fire and Miracles, a church where Durojaiye worships, has fittingly acknowledged his exemplary character by giving him a car and an undisclosed sum of money, as reward, while the authorities of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, awarded him a scholarship for the remaining part of his education. All of these amply show that honesty is the best policy and truly does have its rewards.
Indeed, the conduct of Mr. Durojaiye provides a good example for our youths and all government officials to emulate. By all standards, the young man richly deserves celebration. His exemplary honesty is rare in the country.



Although some many say he has missed a lifetime chance to be a billionaire, having refused the easy, fast lane to riches, we commend Durojaiye for taking the right decision. Clearly, a life without good virtues to be remembered for is not worth living, and a society without men and women with sterling moral compass, drifts endlessly.

On this score, Durojaiye could be a model for rebranding Nigeria. Coming at a time Nigeria is still savouring its Golden Jubilee celebration, the outstanding conduct ought to serve as a veritable platform to celebrate some of the excellent virtues of Nigerians.

In this era that icons have become a rarity in our country, we urge governments at all levels to hold out exemplary conduct such as that exhibited by Durojaiye for their officials to emulate. One of the ways that the government can prove that governance, indeed, is a human enterprise, is to accord due recognition to citizens who demonstrate uncommon character.

It is regrettable that often, we celebrate frivolities and scoff at good virtues such as honesty, trustworthiness, integrity and fear of God. These qualities are the essence of humanity. Had we, as a nation, prioritized celebration of notable acts of honesty and transparency, perhaps, our search for good leadership would have been much easier, and our country a much better place.



Let’s have your view, God bless you as you do. Shalom