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15,000 STORIES:

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Latest Activity: Feb 4, 2016

LOTS of questions
and not a lot of answers

some say don't ask them
others don't want to

I need to know....
that is how I am made

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free hugs

Started by maureen. Last reply by Jane Young Jul 12, 2010. 4 Replies

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Comment by Masha Marojevic on January 12, 2009 at 5:02pm
The BEAUTIFUL STORY ABOUT FATHER AND SON is truly beautiful. And carries a very important message.To fix the world, you must fix the man first.... Well done....
Comment by Mitsuyoshi Mark on January 12, 2009 at 1:07pm
I remember a very humbling experience I had when I visited the Basilica Di San Marco in Venice years ago.

I love Europe and the way history is so alive and tangible there. It was such a thrill being in the old city. To be able to touch the old stonework and admire the beauty of true old world craftsmanship at every turn. No CARS! Wonderful!

Anyway, my girlfriend at the time and I went to visit the historic church on our second day there. It was very dark, yes, Gothic inside. She was Catholic, so she lit candles at some of the prayer stations. I'm not Catholic. I like finding wisdom and the Divine from all faiths when their teachings resonate with me. I have respect for all the world's great religions, but am not a member of any organized faith. I hope I don't offend when I say I believe they all hold great wisdom, but no one has yet found the Complete Truth.

Well I was to experience a great truth in that room, and it was so simple. Would've been easy to miss actually...

I watched a very old woman walk in, saying prayers softly, and holding her Rosary as she lit a candle at every altar in the church. She was a little hunched over, and looked to be quite strong willed. Very conservative with a shawl and scarf over her hair. Then it struck me that she had probably done this all her life. Right here in this very room.

She was old enough to have seen many hardships. To have experienced life under Mussolini, the war and the privation it brings...What she found in this room gave her the strength to go on no matter what came her way. This room and its meaning gave her joy, courage, and hope. And she was just one worshipper I had seen. There must be thousands more at any given moment. Then I thought of those thousands multiplied by the centuries that the church had been standing. How many had forged such strong foundations in that one room?

Yes, the weight of this old woman's simple faith and the strength of a thousand years of millions of worshippers' hope made all my high minded spiritual musings and insights feel really really SMALL!

Flea-like.

Tiny.

Microbial.

Very very diminutive.

I'm talking small here.

It seems its not that important what label or name we attach to our faith. What's important, I think is that we have (Find, Create) that foundation; whether it be Hindu, Catholic, Jewish or Muslim. Or not defined by any of the above. Perhaps the Tao, or a faith in the Hawaiian Akua...and they are ALL valid. as long as we can be as sincere as that humble but oh so strong old lady I saw in that ancient Basilica.


Peace.
Comment by Stephanie on January 12, 2009 at 11:31am
True story that is perfect for these days.

When I was young (still feel I am now) I went to Israel. I was with two Israeli friends and it was late and we needed to find a place to sleep. My friends spoke to a Palestinian, and the next thing I knew is that we were in the house of this newly met person. The house was not like anything I knew growing up in Los Angeles - the house looked dirty and cockroaches were running all over the floor. The family, a wife, husband and three children gave up two small beds for us to sleep in and the 5 of them slept on the floor in the other room, on one large mattress. I remember seeing them smile at me when I had to walk through their room, they seemed happy and content.
Is Is that not a life lesson? I had remembered a lesson my father had told me about giving.....and as soon as I got back to America I sent them a care package filled with little gifts. But the story isn't about what I did, but about what THEY did. This story stays with me always. In these times especially.
Comment by Gautam Kumar chaudhury on January 12, 2009 at 3:48am
I am immpressed with this noble thougt & intersted to be associated.I am orthopaedically challenged
Comment by Stephanie on January 12, 2009 at 2:04am
PLEASE
almost 15,000 people x 1 story each is.....just a minute now, let me figure this out....15,000 STORIES
JUST LIKE THE TITLE SAYS!!!
So......just start in, tell a little story about you, your past, your special people
but always something that will make us smile. OK? OK!!
Comment by Stephanie on January 12, 2009 at 1:46am
THE FOLLOWING STORY EASY PUT ON TODAY under discussion forum. I just wrote him after deciding to not use the discussion forum here. Anyhow, there is his charming photo right underneath.
Steph

as Easy wrote.....

I travel all over the country (USA) with my job as a photographer and I thought you would get a lesson from this little story.

I have visited a lot of places in the last 5 years and learned a lot from just being myself. I visited a city in Northern Michigan last summer that was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. I always arrive early to get a feel for the area where I will be working and this day was no different. I have the uncanny ability to feel people and know my surroundings very easily. I am usually very happy and it takes a lot to get a reaction from me.

This particular town and this story is amazing. I was walking through one of the main stores in town an a little girl of 5 or 6 walks up to me and grabs my hand. She then asks me am I okay. Puzzled, I asked her what did she mean ? She told me I had got burned and wanted to know if I was alright.

About this time I noticed a lady and a man standing close with their mouths hanging open in surprise. I asked her if she had ever seen another person like me and she said no. I have been in towns and cities where the were no black people before but nothing like this. Trying to figure out how to handle this so she would understand what I was trying to say was a little challenging at the moment. I asked her if she watched t v. She said no she wasn't allowed to. She could only watch videos that were picked out by her parents.

Then I remembered Dora the explorer , i asked if she knew who that was and she said yes. Then I said do you remember the princess ? Yes was the response. I said okay Did you notice that the Princess and Dora were different but the same ? What do you mean she asked me ? I told her that the Princess was close to her color and Dora was close to mine and did she see that we are all different but the same. She said I got it and ran to her dad and started to tell him what I said.

Her mother walked up to me and asked if I was offended by her daughters comment. I told her no, because She was innocently expressing concern for another person. I told her that she was raising a good child but that she needed to be exposed to more than just cartoons. She was really surprised that I was talking to her very calmly and said that she expected me to lose my mind and blow up at her.

Now I was starting to understand myself what was going on. This town had very little if any interaction with a black person and only knew what they read or saw on television.

My little visit made an impact on just about everybody in the town. When it was time to setup and do my shots just about everyone in town had heard about what had happened, knew my name and it was just a great experience. The Manager of the area where I was set up was even surprised. He told me later that he had never seen anything like this before. The feeling in this place was very warm and welcoming for the rest of my time there.

I guess what I am trying to say is don't shelter your children, Hatred ,prejudice,selfishness and anger are Not in children when they are born. They are taught to them by their surroundings. Educate them. Let them know the truth and show them We are all the same no matter how different we are. There is good and there is bad everywhere. Don't assume that because you think something that, that is the way it is. Don't judge everybody by one person, for that matter don't judge anyone. accept them for who they are. If you can't do that then they aren't the problem, YOU ARE.

One person can make a difference.
Comment by Easy on January 12, 2009 at 1:07am
Thank You for inviting me. I have a few stories to tell. I will start with a short one. They are all true stories
Comment by Stephanie on January 12, 2009 at 1:05am
Barbara
a wonderful friend of my mother's and her daughter a wonderful friend of mine was known for this story.
Barbara was a beautiful young woman, tall, blond and just wonderful. Once someone made a negative comment, a racist comment about blacks, Afro-Americans. Barbara, angry said "Hey, don't talk like that my GRANDMOTHER was black".
I always loved this story, loved Barbara. Funny and coincidental, her other daughter lived for years in Africa Barbara ended up living there for many years before coming back recently to the States.

Now please tell us about your stories!!
Comment by Sandra Reis on January 11, 2009 at 11:41pm
Thanks for the invite. Let´s share ours stories.....
See you on the next chapter...:-)))
big hug for all
Comment by Habsah61 on January 11, 2009 at 11:07pm
Thanks for the invitation.
Well, I will share my true story next time.
All the Best and Success in year 2009.
 

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