Life lessons - An Inpirational Story By Fatimah Musa

Ju was physically abused as a child. She lived with a mother who was diagnosed with post depression and a father who was a wife abuser. Her parent divorced and left six of them with her mother. She left school at 15 and went to work waiting tables to help her mother feed them all. At 18 she met and fell in love and was married soon after. Then she found out that her husband drank too much, slept around with other women, a wife abuser and took drugs. She was divorced at age 20 with two children. Her husband took their son away and handed him to his friend. He was sent to jail for an offence with the law. Her husband's friend did not want to hand the boy over to her and demanded money in exchange. The child had scars on his chest due to burnt from cigarette butts. That was what he got for crying out for food. She finally managed to get her son back. She left her children in her mother's care while she left to find a job. At 28 she had an accident. Her dress caught fire and she suffered 2nd degree burns. With that her self-esteem and self-confidence went down the pit. She was depressed. She attempted suicides several times and was given psychiatric treatments. After a major surgery and lots of counseling and support from relatives and friends, she started her life all over again even with one partly deformed hand and fingers. Her anxiety was all the time still present. It was tougher to find a job. She felt like a disabled person. The one thing that kept her going in spite of her misfortune was her will to be able to feed herself and sent money for her children. She did not want to ask for financial support. At 38 she was diagnosed with cancer of the cervix. That was a big blow to her. She went through another depression episode. "Why me?" was the question she repeatedly asked. Of course when she asked that question, she got all the wrong answers. She felt more depressed. She blamed her father, her mother and everyone for what brought her sufferings. Worst, she blamed herself. She agreed to go for the treatments, chemotherapy and cesium, because she did not want to go through the pains. This was when she took the time to look within her. She thought that she might not live long enough so she decided to reconnect with her children. It was not easy especially with her son who had gone through his own childhood trauma. She turned to her family for moral support and she turned to God. Now eight years later, she is still alive. Waking up and able to breathe for another day is a gift for her. She has two grandchildren whom she adores and that give her much joy. She takes some jobs every now and then when her health permits and rests when she needs it. Her question has changed. She now asks what is it she could do to get more out of what is left? Things happen and happen to us all. Life does not play favorites. Everyone has a story to tell. It is how we handle it that matters. We do not have to wait until a major catastrophe interrupts us to think of what we should do with our lives. It is up to us to make or break us. No one can tell our brain and mind what to do. No one can tell us what to think of and what to put inside our head. We have the power to think what we want to think. To forget past hurts or to linger with them. We can decide, plan and take action on what we want to have, do or be. At least when the universe intervenes, we know that we have done our best.

Interesting Essay

This is an actual essay written by a college applicant, when applying to NYU where he now attends. 3A. ESSAY IN ORDER FOR THE ADMISSIONS STAFF OF OUR COLLEGE TO GET TO KNOW YOU, THE APPLICANT, BETTER, WE ASK THAT YOU ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION: ARE THERE ANY SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCES YOU HAVE HAD, OR ACCOMPLISHMENTS YOU HAVE REALIZED, THAT HAVE HELPED TO DEFINE YOU AS A PERSON? I am a dynamic figure, often seen scaling walls and crushing ice. I have been known to remodel train stations on my lunch breaks, making them more efficient in the area of heat retention. I translate ethnic slurs for Cuban refugees, I write award-winning operas, I manage time efficiently. Occasionally, I tread water for three days in a row. I woo women with my sensuous and godlike trombone playing, I can pilot bicycles up severe inclines with unflagging speed, and I cook Thirty-Minute Brownies in twenty minutes. I am an expert in stucco, a veteran in love, and an outlaw in Peru. Using only a hoe and a large glass of water, I once single-handedly defended a small village in the Amazon Basin from a horde of ferocious army ants. I play bluegrass cello, I was scouted by the Mets, I am the subject of numerous documentaries. When I'm bored, I build large suspension bridges in my yard. I enjoy urban hang gliding. On Wednesdays, after school, I repair electrical appliances free of charge. I am an abstract artist, a concrete analyst, and a ruthless bookie. Critics worldwide swoon over my original line of corduroy evening wear. I don't perspire. I am a private citizen, yet I receive fan mail. I have been caller number nine and have won the weekend passes. Last summer I toured New Jersey with a traveling centrifugal-force demonstration. I bat . 400. My deft floral arrangements have earned me fame in international botany circles. Children trust me. I can hurl tennis rackets at small moving objects with deadly accuracy. I once read Paradise Lost, Moby Dick, and David Copperfield in one day and still had time to refurbish an entire dining room that evening. I know the exact location of every food item in the supermarket. I have performed several covert operations for the CIA. I sleep once a week; when I do sleep, I sleep in a chair. While on vacation in Canada, I successfully negotiated with a group of terrorists who had seized a small bakery. The laws of physics do not apply to me. I balance, I weave, I dodge, I frolic, and my bills are all paid. On weekends, to let off steam, I participate in full-contact origami. Years ago I discovered the meaning of life but forgot to write it down. I have made extraordinary four course meals using only a mouli and a toaster oven. I breed prizewinning clams. I have won bullfights in San Juan, cliff-diving competitions in Sri Lanka, and spelling bees at the Kremlin. I have played Hamlet, I have performed open-heart surgery, and I have spoken with Elvis. But I have not yet gone to college.

John Doe Menangis

Hari ni lepas solat asar kat bilik aku, aku terpandang sesuatu yg pelik.Terbaring di tempat letak kaki basikal senaman kat bilik tu, aku ternampak seekor kucing kelabu berbelang2 ni terlentok baik dgn kepala dia memandang kepada aku. Kucing ni nama dia JOHN DOE. Dia dah bersama dgn family aku dah dekat 8 tahun dah. Kami mmg tidak pernah bela kucing ni. Cuma tak la plak halau dia. Sbb dia ni kucing bebas, sumer benda dia kena berdikari. Nak makan ke nak tidur ke, tak ada siapa yg peduli.Tapi, kalau org tak tau, sumer org ingat kucing ni kucing bela. Sbbnya, dia lepak kat rumah ni 24x7.Cuma kekadang dia keluar jenjalan tapi pastu mesti balik tidur kat rumah.Tapi, sbb kucing ni kucing yg tak menyusahkan org, aku tgk mak aku pun tak kisah sgt samada kucing ni patut ada kat rumah ke tidak..Dia tak penah lagi buang air kecik atau besar kat mana2 bahagian rumah kecuali kat tandas. Pastu, satu lagi, aku rasa kucing ni bisu sbb dia tidak penah mengeluarkan sebarang bunyi walau dlm apa keadaan pun…Mmg aku tak penah dgr. Tapi tadi, selepas memberi salam ketika menyudahkan solat, aku terpandang muka kucing niyg tgh memandang kosong kea rah aku. Nampak jelas di kelopak mata John Doe ni air mata bergenangan. Entah dia sedih ker, dia sakit aku tak tau la plak…Hanya dia dan Allah jer la yg tau
Mungkin dia sedih sbb bulan puasa dah nak abis…mungkin jugak dia sedih sbb dia sakit. Tapi sbb kecian kat dia, aku amik bagi dia makan ikan yg lebih dari sahur smlm…

Dan aku dah pesan kat anak buah aku supaya bg ikan kat kucing ni sekurang2nya sekali sehari sepeninggalan aku lepas raya ni. Mungkin akhirnya, kucing ni akan dibela jugak.Sbb peristiwa tadi aku jadi kecian kat makluk sekor ni.Ye la, kalau nak bagi rating, kucing ni walaupun tak cantik macam kucing siam lain, tapi perangai dia ok.Pastu sbb dia dah dlm kategori tua dan tak cergas mcm kucing2 lain, ada baiknya juga kalau dia dapat makan tanpa perlu bersusah payah lagi. Lagipun, aku tak rasa kucing ni boleh hidup lebih dari 2 tahun lagi. Setahu aku, usia kucing biasanya sekitar 10-12 tahun jer. Tu pun kalau yg cukup zat.

The Boy Who Scored 4D’s

PMR results are out and again the media will be extolling the teenagers who did well, who scored A’s. But it is not just the media doing it. Parents and the public are equally guilty. The media portray these A’s as if they are marks of great achievement. Our exams, however, only test a natural ability to remember and solve some “puzzles”. They do not determine a person’s worth or true achievements. Nonetheless, many teenagers will be disappointed and hurt today. They are the perceived “failures” both by society and by themselves, if they did not score. I wish the media would instead portray the real achievers, like the boy who scored 4 D’s. This young man struggled against the system and his own limitations. He was not born with a gifted brain. He had a learning disorder that was not addressed by the education system. He really worked hard. He was placed in the “worst” class with disinterested teachers and his parents had no money for tuition. Despite it all, he scored 4 D’s! Now that shows determination and is worth shouting about. However, he will not even rate a small paragraph on page 10.
Courtesy;
Dr AMAR-SINGH HSS, Consultant Community Paediatrician & Head of Paediatric Department,

Whats Better Than..?

Recently came across a brilliant speech given by Butch Jimenez who is the Head of PLDT's Media and Strategic Communications Department. He delivered this speech at the UP Diliman Class 2003 commencement exercises.
One of the best speeches i have ever read in recent times ....
Happy Reading.

What's better than ..... - By Butch Jimenez

As college students, you're just about to set sail into the real world. As you prepare for the battleground of life, you'll hear many speeches, read tons of books and get miles of advise telling you to work hard, dream big, go out and do something for yourself, and have a vision.
Not bad advise, really. In fact, following these nuggets of truth may just bring you to the top. But as I've lived my life over the years, I have come to realise that it is great to dream big, have a vision, make a name, and work hard. But guess what : There's something better than that -
So my message today simply asks the question, what's better than ...?
What's better than being negative?
Let's start off with something really simple.
What's better than a long speech? No doubt,a short one. So, you guys are in luck because I intend to keep this short.
Now, let me take you through a very simple math exam. I'll rattle off a couple of equations, and you tell me what you observe about them. Be mindful of the instruction. You are to tell me what you observe about the equations.
Here it goes : 3+4=7, 9+2=11, 8+4=13 and 6+6=12.
Tell me, what do you observe ?
Every time I conduct the test, more than 90 percent of the participants immediately say, 8+4 is NOT 13, it's 12. That's true and they are correct. But they could have also observed that the three other equations were right. That 3+4 is 7, that 9+2 is 11, and that 6+6 is 12.
What's my point? Many people immediately focus on the negative instead of the positive. Most of us focus on what's wrong with other people more than what's right about them. Examine those four equations. Three were right an only one was wrong. But what is the knee-jerk observation? The wrong equation.
If 10 people you didn't know were to walk through that door, most of you would describe those people by what's negative about them. He's fat. He's balding. Oh, the short one. Oh, the skinny girl. etc.
Get the point? It's always the negative we focus on and not the positive.
You'll definitely experience this in the Corporate World. You do a hundred good things and one mistake-guess what? Chances are, your attention will be called on that one mistake..
So what's better than focusing on the negative?
Believe me, it focusing on the positive. And if this world could learn to focus on the positive more than the negative, it would be a much nicer place to live in.
What's better than working hard?
We have always been told to work hard. Our parents say that, our teachers say that, and our principal say that. But there's something better than merely working hard. It's working SMART.
It's taking time to understand the situation, and coming out with an effective and efficient solution to get more done with less time and effort. As the Japanese say, "There's always a better way."
One of the most memorable case studies I came across with as I studied Japanese management at Sophia University in Tokyo was the case of the empty soap box, which happened in one of Japan's biggest cosmetic companies. The company received a complaint that a customer had bought a box of soap that was empty. It immediately isolated the problem to the assembly line, which transported all the packaged boxes of soap to the delivery department. For some reason, one soap box went through the assembly line empty.
Management tasked its engineers to solve the problem. Post-haste, the engineers worked hard to devise an X-ray machine with high-resolution monitors manned by two to ensure they were not empty. No doubt, they worked hard and they worked fast. But a rank-and-file employee that was posed the same problem came out with another solution. He bought a strong industrial electrical fan and pointed it at the assembly line. He switched the fan on, an as each soap box passed the fan, it simply blew the empty boxes out of the line. Clearly, the engineers worked hard, but the rank-and-file employee worked smart. So what's better than merely working hard? It's working smart.
Having said that,it is still important to work hard. If you could combine both working hard and working smart, you would possess a major factor toward success.
What's better than dreaming big ?
I will bet my next month's salary that many have encouraged you to dream big. Maybe even to reach for the stars and aim high. I sure heard that about a million times right before I graduated from this university. So I did. I did dream big. I did aim high. I did reach for the stars. No doubt,it works. In fact, the saying is true "If you aim for nothing, that's exactly what you'll hit: nothing."
But there's something better than dreaming big.
Believe me, I got shocked myself. And I learned it from the biggest dreamer of all time Walt Disney. When it comes to dreaming big. Walt is the man. No bigger dreams were fulfilled than his. Every leadership book describes him as the ultimate dreamer. In fact, the principle of dreaming and achieving is the core message of the Disney hit song, "When You Wish Upon a Star". "When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are; anything your heart desires will come to you. If your heart is in your dream, no request is too extreme. When you wish upon a star, as dreamers do, " as Jiminy Cricket sang. But is that what he preached in Disney company? Dream?
Imagineering...Well, not exactly. Kinda , but not quite. The problem with dreaming is if that's all you do, you'll really get nowhere. Infact, you may just fall asleep and never wake up. The secret to Disney's success is not just dreaming, it's IMAGINEERING.
You won't find this word in a dictionary. It's purely a Disney word. Those who engage in imagineering are called imaginers. The word combines the words "imagination" and "engineering". In the book " Imagineers," Disney's CEO, Michael Eisner, claims that "imaginers turn impossible dreams into real magic." Walt Disney explained there is really no secret to this approach. They just keep moving forward-opening new doors and doing new things, because they are curious. And it is this curiosity that leads them down new paths. They always dream, explore and experiment. In short, imagineering is the blending of creative imagination and technical know-how. Eiser expounds on this thought by saying that "Not only are imaginers curious, they are courageous, outrageous, and this creativity is contagious."
The big difference with imaginers is that they dream an then they DO ! So don't just be a dreamer, be an imagineer.
What's better than vision?
You must have all been given a lecture at one time or another about the importance of having a vision. Even leadership expert John Maxwell says that an indispensable quality of a leader is to have a vision. It is also very clear that without vision, people perish." So no doubt about it, having a vision is important to success. But surprise ! There's something more potent than a vision. It's a CAUSE. If all you're doing is trying to reach your vision an you're pitted against someone fighting for a cause, chances are you'll lose. The Vietnam War is a classic example. Literally with sticks and stones, the Viet Cong beat the heavily armed US Army to surrender, primarily because the US has a vision to win the war, but the Vietnamese were fighting for a cause.
In the realm of business, many leaders have visions of making their company No. 1, or grabbing market share, or forever increasing profits.Nothing really wrong with that vison, but take the example of Sony founder Akio Morita. He did not just have a vision to build the biggest electronics company in the world. In his biography, " Made in Japan" he reveals that the real reason he set up Sony was to help rebuild his country, which had just been bettered by war. He had a cause he was fighting for. His vision to be an electronics giant was secondary.
What's the difference between a vision and a cause?
Here's what sets them apart.
• No one is wiling to die for a vision. People will die for a cause.
• You possess a vision. A cause possesses you.
• A vision lies in your hands. A cause lies in your heart.
• A vision involves sacrifice. A cause involves the ultimate sacrifice.
Just a word of caution. You must have the right vision, and you must be fighting for the right cause. In the end, right will always win out. It may take time, and it may take long. But if you have the right vision and are fighting for the right cause, you will prevail. If not, no matter how sincere you are, if you are not fighting for what is right, you will ultimately fail.
It is said : "To whom much is given, much is required."
Having been given the opportunity to study in UP, no doubt, much has been given to you in terms of an excellent education. Don't forget that in return, much is now required of you to use that education not just for yourself, but for others. And as you move up and start reaching the pinnacle of success, even more will be required of you to look at the welfare of others, of society and of the country.
A final review :
• What's better than focusing on the negative ?
Focus on the positive
• What's better than working hard ?
Its working smart
• What's better than doing something for yourself ?
Doing something for your country
• What's better than a vision ?
A cause
• What's better than a long speech ?
Definitely, a short one