Happy Christmas

"Tonight I want to tell you the story of an empty stocking.

Once upon a midnight clear there was a child's cry. A blazing star hung over a stable and wise men came with birthday gifts.

We haven't forgotten that night down the centuries. We celebrate it with stars on Christmas trees, with the sound of bells and with gifts. But especially with gifts. You give me a book, I give you a tie. Aunt Martha has always wanted an orange squeezer and Uncle Henry could do with a new pipe. For we forget nobody, adult or child. All the stockings are filled. All that is except one. And we have even forgotten to hang it up. The stocking for the child born in a Manger.

It's his birthday we're celebrating. Don't let us ever forget that. Let us ask ourselves what He would wish for most. And then let each put in his share, loving kindness, warm hearts and a stretched out hand of tolerance. All the shining gifts that make Peace on Earth."

Bishop Henry Brougham (David Niven) The Bishop's Wife - 1947

How Much Do You Know About Christmas?

I'm feeling a little despondant at the moment as am off work having sprained my bi-lateral knee ligaments, ouch!! This resting business is tedious so I'm reduced to Blogthings and a hope that it mends soon or I may go mad.

You Know a Lot About Christmas

You got 8/10 correct You know tons about the history and traditions surrounding Christmas. When you celebrate the holidays, you never forget their true meaning - or all the little fun details. Random Christmas fact: Some people believe that all animals can speak on Christmas Eve. But it's bad luck to test this superstition.

How Much Do You Know About Christmas?

Remembrance

We Shall Keep the Faith

Oh! you who sleep in Flanders Fields,
Sleep sweet - to rise anew!
We caught the torch you threw
And holding high, we keep the Faith
With All who died.

We cherish, too, the poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led;
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies,
But lends a lustre to the red
Of the flower that blooms above the dead
In Flanders Fields.

And now the Torch and Poppy Red
We wear in honor of our dead.
Fear not that ye have died for naught;
We'll teach the lesson that ye wrought
In Flanders Fields.
Moina Michael, November 1918

The Three Bears

http://www.nurserycrime.co.uk/

Baby bear goes downstairs, sits in his small chair at the table. He looks into his small bowl. It is empty.

'Who's been eating my porridge?' he squeaks.

Daddy Bear arrives at the big table and sits in his big chair. He looks into his big bowl and it is also empty.

'Who's been eating my porridge?!?' he roars.

Mummy Bear puts her head through the serving hatch from the kitchen and yells, 'For God's sake, how many times do I have to go through this with you idiots?
It was Mummy Bear who got up first.
It was Mummy Bear who woke everyone in the house.
It was Mummy Bear who made the coffee.
It was Mummy Bear who unloaded the dishwasher from last night and put everything away.
It was Mummy Bear who swept the floor in the kitchen.
It was Mummy Bear who went out in the cold early morning air to fetch The newspaper and croissants.
It was Mummy Bear who set the damn table.
It was Mummy Bear who walked the bloody dog, cleaned the cat's litter tray, gave them their food, and refilled their water.
And now that you've decided to drag your sorry bear-asses downstairs and grace Mummy Bear with your grumpy presence, listen carefully, because I'm only going to say this once....

I HAVEN'T MADE THE %$#<*?@ PORRIDGE YET!!!'

What Your Handwriting Says About You.....

You are a fairly energetic person. You know how do pace yourself, and you deal well with stress. You are reserved and not very outgoing. You are deeply thoughtful and introspective. You have a lot of control over your actions and emotions. You are very detail oriented and meticulous. You are a careful thinker and a true intellectual. You need a bit of space in your life, but you're not a recluse. You expect people to give you a small amount of privacy, and you respect their privacy as well. You are conservative, old fashioned, and a little stubborn. You are resistant to change. You are a good communicator. You work hard to get your ideas across effectively.

What Does Your Handwriting Say About You?

Funny!!

These men are installing bollards to stop cars parking on the pavement outside an Irish sports bar. They are cleaning up at the end of the day.

How long do you think it will be before they realise?

Tall Ships Regatta - Cornwall

I must go down to the seas again,
To the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship
And a star to steer her by..."

John Masefield

"No more beautiful sight can be imagined than a morning at sea, with these magnificent vessels racing in mid-ocean, perhaps two or three of them in sight at one; the sun rising among golden clouds; the dark blue sea flecked with glistening white caps; long, low black hulls cleaving a pathway of sparkling foam; towering masts, and yards covered with snowy canvas which bellies to the crisp morning breeze as if sculptured in marble..."

Captain Arthur H. Clark

Job Done

I thought I'd share with you the lovely bouquet I received when my contract finished this week. It was such a lovely thought.

My latest job.

I thought I'd share with you some pics from my 'office'!

This is the Grosvenor House Apartments in Park Lane, London and I am the temporary Site Secretary. Not something I've had any experience with but I'll try anything. The only downside is the trek to London every day, on the Tube in 30 degrees is not fun and I'm not sure it's something I would want to do long term, but for now it's another interesting part of life's rich tapestry.

Dancing in the Rain

It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80's arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00am. I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.

While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's Disease. As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late.

He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now. I was surprised, and asked him, 'And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?'

He smiled as he patted my hand and said, 'She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is.'

I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought,'That is the kind of love I want in my life.'

True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be. With all the jokes and fun that are in e-mails, sometimes there is one that comes along that has an important message. This one I thought I could share with you. The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have. I hope you share this with someone you care about. I just did. 'Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.'

Holiday 2008 - Inverness, Scotland

The first holiday pic. The Cairngorm Mountain range, Britain's newest National Park. Breathtaking views and a bit chilly too.

Thank you.

Today is the second Birthday of the year for me, because this day in 1967 I was adopted by Joan and Derek and so was reborn.

I am blessed with very special parents, both those that are with me now and those I had before and will always be eternally grateful for all they have done for me and continue to do.

LEGACY OF AN ADOPTED CHILD

Once there were two women who never knew each other

One you do not remember, the other you call Mother

Two different lives shaped to make you one

One became your guiding star, the other became your sun

The first one gave you life, and the second taught you to live it

The first gave you a need for love, the second was there to give it

One gave you a nationality, the other gave you a name

One gave you a talent, the other gave you aim

One gave you emotions, the other calmed your fears

One saw your first sweet smile, the other dried you tears

One made an adoption plan, that was all that she could do

The other prayed for a child, and God led her straight to you.

Now, which of these two women, Are you the product of?

Both, my darling, Both, Just two different types of love.

Unknown

Birth of a Poppy

Summer set lip to earth's bosom bare,

And left the flushed print in a poppy there:

Like a yawn of fire from the grass it came,

And the fanning wind puffed it to flapping flame.

With burnt mouth, red like a lion's, it drank

The blood of the sun as he slaughtered sank,

And dipped its cup in the purpurate shine

When the Eastern conduits ran with wine.

Till it grew lethargied with fierce bliss,

And hot as a swinked gipsy is,

And drowsed in sleepy savageries,

With mouth wide a-pout for a sultry kiss.

Francis Thompson

Do we make a difference?

"To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest citizens and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give of one's self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived - this is to have succeeded." Ralph Waldo Emerson

How many of us can say we make that much difference? Do we not go through life never looking left or right, just intent on our own problems? It's only when our lives are impacted by the actions of others that these questions come to the fore. I have called the police and ambulance service for a suicide attempt this week whilst keeping that person talking on the phone. I have called time on a friendship this week. But how much have I brought to those lives? Could I have done things differently?

I thought I'd share with you the beautiful Wisteria from my garden which has just finished flowering. I love the Spring with its myriad of colours, fresh and new with the promise of new hope for the year. Sometimes this new hope is just a mirror, reflecting what could be but not necessarily what is.

Congratulations Joan & Derek

Joan and Derek (Mum and Dad) have been married 48 years today.

"Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads which sew people together through the years. That is what makes a marriage last." Simone Signoret

Corel Painter

I've been ta(n)g(o)ed

Go raibh míle maith agat goes to Wellied On Life for tagging me (^_~).

I have updated the list with the first question that got kind of overlooked in the mêlée.

Things I was doing 10 years ago:

I was pursuing my Heraldic Art & Calligraphy career whilst enduring chronic back pain. This culminated in 1998 with my third spinal fusion. My brother left his wife and new son that year and never went back, leaving her to bring up two little boys alone.

'The young have aspirations that never come to pass, the old have reminiscences of what never happened.' H. H. Munro

Five things on my To-Do list today:

1. Walk the dogs.

2. Fill in Tax Return.

3. Check work timesheet figures against payslips (I know that sounds a no-brainer but I'm new to this proper pay packet thing and hadn't thought that it might be wrong)

4. Try website building in Dreamweaver.

5. Go out for dinner.

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:

1. As per WoL, pay off any debts and those of my family and friends. generally make life easier for them.

2. Buy an art gallery and workshops in order to set up a cooperative of newly qualified Jewellery and Silversmithing students providing them with a means to both make and sell.

3. Buy a large enough house with grounds so I can't see my neighbours .

4. Buy two properties in County Kerry, Eire. One for get aways and the other for my Mother.

5. Purchase the car of my dreams, a classic Mini Cooper S in British Racing Green.

6. Continue to work - "Happiness lies not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort." Franklin D Roosevelt.

Three of my bad habits:

1. Disorganised (but God knows I try so hard not to be)

2. I get sidetracked easily.

3. Dreaming.

Five places I've lived:

This one proved a bit tricky as I haven't travelled far from home.

1. Essex (place of birth)

2. Hertfordshire (but in 3 different houses)

Five jobs I've had:

Again this proved tricky.

1. Heraldic Artist & Calligrapher.

2. Jewellery Designer/Maker

3. Academic Support Worker.

Five books I've read recently:

1. An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963

2. The Golden Compass , The Amber Spyglass & The Subtle Knife from the His Dark Materials trilogy.

3. Norman Rockwell - A Life.

4. Dreamweaver CS3 - The Missing Manual.

5. Flash CS3 - The Missing Manual.

Five people or communities I'm going to tag:

1. Mazza

2. The Storyteller

3. Sleepy Bear Hollow

4. Sx

5. The Gamekeeper.

Is this Heaven?

A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead.
He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.
After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight.
When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side.
When he was close enough, he called out, 'Excuse me, where are we?'

'This is Heaven, sir,' the man answered.

'Wow! Would you happen to have some water?' the man asked.

'Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up.'
The man gestured, and the gate began to open.
'Can my friend,' gesturing toward his dog, 'come in, too?' the traveler asked.
'I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets.'
The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog.

After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.

'Excuse me!' he called to the man. 'Do you have any water?'

'Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on in.'

'How about my friend here?' the traveler gestured to the dog.

'There should be a bowl by the pump.'
They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it.
The traveler filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, then he gave some to the dog.
When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree.
'What do you call this place?' the traveler asked.

'This is Heaven,' he answered.

'Well, that's confusing,' the traveler said. 'The man down the road said that was Heaven, too.'

'Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's hell.'

'Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?'

'No, we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind.'

Why we love children.

A nursery school pupil told his teacher he'd found a cat, but it was dead.

'How do you know that the cat was dead?' she asked her pupil.

'Because I pi**ed in its ear and it didn't move,' answered the child innocently.

'You did WHAT?' the teacher exclaimed in surprise.

'You know,' explained the boy, 'I leaned over and went 'Pssst' and it didn't move'

A small boy is sent to bed by his father.

Five minutes later.....'Da-ad....'

'What?'

'I'm thirsty. Can you bring a drink of water?'

'No, You had your chance. Lights out.'

Five minutes later: 'Da-aaaad.....'

'WHAT?'

'I'm THIRSTY. Can I have a drink of water??'

'I told you NO! If you ask again, I'll have to smack you!!'

Five minutes later......'Daaaa-aaaad.....'

'WHAT!'

'When you come in to smack me, can you bring a drink of water?'

An exasperated mother, whose son was always getting into mischief, finally asked him 'How do you expect to get into Heaven?'

The boy thought it over and said, 'Well, I'll run in and out and in and out and keep slamming the door until St. Peter says, 'For Heaven's sake, Dylan, come in or stay out!''

One summer evening during a violent thunderstorm a mother was tucking her son into bed. She was about to turn off the light when he asked with a tremor in his voice, 'Mummy, will you sleep with me tonight?'

The mother smiled and gave him a reassuring hug. 'I can't dear,' she said. 'I have to sleep in Daddy's room.'

A long silence was broken at last by his shaky little voice: 'The big sissy.'

It was that time, during the Sunday morning service, for the children's sermon.

All the children were invited to come forward.

One little girl was wearing a particularly pretty dress and, as she sat down, the minister leaned over and said, 'That is a very pretty dress. Is it your Easter Dress?'

The little girl replied, directly into the minister's clip-on microphone, 'Yes, and my Mum says it's a bi*ch to iron.'

When I was six months pregnant with my third child, my three year old came into the room when I was just getting ready to get into the shower.

She said, 'Mummy, you are getting fat!'

I replied, 'Yes, honey, remember Mummy has a baby growing in her tummy.'

'I know,' she replied, but what's growing in your bum?'

A little boy was doing his math homework.

He said to himself, 'Two plus five, that son of a bi*ch is seven. Three plus six, that son of a bi*ch is nine....'

His mother heard what he was saying and gasped, 'What are you doing?'

The little boy answered, 'I'm doing my math homework, Mum.'

'And this is how your teacher taught you to do it?' the mother asked

'Yes,' he answered.

Infuriated, the mother asked the teacher the next day, 'What are you teaching my son in math?' The teacher replied, 'Right now, we are learning addition.'

The mother asked, 'And are you teaching them to say two plus two, that son of a bi*ch is four?' After the teacher stopped laughing, she answered, 'What I taught them was, two plus two, THE SUM OF WHICH, is four.'

One day the first grade teacher was reading the story of Chicken Little to her class.

She came to the part of the story where Chicken Little tried to warn the farmer.

She read, '.... and so Chicken Little went up to the farmer and said, 'The sky is falling, the sky is falling!'

The teacher paused then asked the class, 'And what do you think that farmer said?'

One little girl raised her hand and said, 'I think he said: 'Holy Sh * t! A talking chicken!''

The teacher was unable to teach for the next 10 minutes.

A certain little girl, when asked her name, would reply, I'm Mr. Sugarbrown's daughter.'

Her mother told her this was wrong, she must say, 'I'm Jane Sugarbrown.'

The Vicar spoke to her in Sunday School, and said, 'Aren't you Mr. Sugarbrown's daughter?'

She replied, 'I thought I was, but mother says I'm not.'

A little girl asked her mother, 'Can I go outside and play with the boys?'

Her mother replied, 'No, you can't play with the boys, they're too rough.'

The little girl thought about it for a few moments and asked, 'If I can find a smooth one, can I play with him?'

A little girl goes to the barber shop with her father. She stands next to the barber chair, while her dad gets his hair cut, eating a snack cake

The barber says to her, 'Sweetheart, you're gonna get hair on your muffin.'

She says, 'Yes, I know, and I'm gonna get boobs too.'

More Brrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!

You'd think they'd not seen snow before.

Brrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!

This is what we've woken up to today.

Murphy's Lesser Known Laws

1. Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

2. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.

3. Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't.

4. Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.

5. The 50-50-90 rule: Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability you'll get it wrong.

6. If you lined up all the cars in the world end to end, the guy at the back would be stupid enough to try to pass them, five or six at a time, on a hill, in the fog.

7. The things that come to those who wait will be the scraggly junk left by those who got there first.

8. The shin bone is a device for finding furniture in a dark room.

9. A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.

10. When you go into court, you are putting yourself into the hands of 12 people who weren't smart enough to get out of jury duty.

Never Lie To A Woman

A man called home to his wife and said, "Honey I have been asked to go fishing up in Canada with my boss & several of his friends . We'll be gone for a week. This is a good opportunity for me to get that promotion I've been wanting, so could you please pack enough clothes for a week and set out my rod and fishing box, we're leaving from the office & I will swing by the house to pick my things up"

"Oh! Please pack my new blue silk pyjamas."

The wife thinks this sounds a bit fishy but being the good wife she is, did exactly what her husband asked.

The following weekend he came home a little tired but otherwise looking good. The wife welcomed him home and asked if he caught many fish?

He said, "Yes! Lots of Salmon, some Bluegill, and a few Swordfish. But why didn't you pack my new blue silk pyjamas like I asked you to do?"

The wife replied, "I did. They're in your fishing box ..."

Come share my Birthday

A birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun.

Easter

Talented

I thought that I would share with you the work of my very perceptive and accomplished friend and Coppersmith Siân Elizabeth Evans. As you can see she manages to combine great, unique design with the warmth and glow of lustrous Copper. The most important thing that Siân brings to her highly individual work is the ability to merge creative energy with her fabulous sense of style. This is a master-craftswoman who knows and understands the very essence of the Copper and can manipulate it to her will.

To see more of Siân's work please follow the link

http://www.coppersmithing.co.uk/

Sláinte

I know it's been moved by the Pope this year but raise a glass of the black stuff for a Happy St Patrick's Day.

Happy 20th Wedding Anniversary.

'In a time when nothing is more certain than change, the commitment of two people to one another has become difficult and rare. Yet, by its scarcity, the beauty and value of this exchange have only been enhanced.' Robert Sexton.

Congratulations to Talking Bear and His Girl Friday on 20 years of hard but rewarding work.

Look out for your ass!

The Pastor entered his donkey in a race and it won. The Pastor was so pleased with the donkey that he entered in a race again, and it won again. The local paper read, "Pastor's Ass Out Front".

The Bishop was so upset with this kind of publicity that he ordered the Pastor not to enter the donkey in another race. The next day the local paper headline read, "Bishop Scratches Pastor's Ass".

This was too much for the Bishop, so he ordered the Pastor to get rid of the donkey. The Pastor decided to give it to a nun in a nearby convent. The local paper, hearing of the news, posted the following headline the next day, "Nun Has Best Ass In Town".

The Bishop fainted. He informed the nun that she would have to get rid of the donkey, so she sold it to a farmer for $10. The next day the paper read, "Nun Sells Ass For $10".

This was too much for the Bishop, so he ordered the nun to buy the donkey back and lead it to a place where it could run wild. The next day the headlines read, "Nun Announces Her Ass Is Wild And Free".

The Bishop was buried the next day.

The moral of this story is....being concerned about public opinion can bring you much grief and misery....and even shorten your life. So be yourself and enjoy life....Stop worrying about everyone else's ass and you'll be a lot happier and live longer!

I wish you enough.

I was sent this little tale recently and thought I'd share it with you.

'Recently I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure.

Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the mother said, "I love you and I wish you enough".

The daughter replied, "Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Mom".

They kissed and the daughter left.

The mother walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see she wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on her privacy but she welcomed me in by asking, "Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?"

Yes, I have," I replied. "Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?"

"I am old and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is - the next trip back will be for my funeral," she said.

"When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I wish you enough'..May I ask what that means?"

She began to smile. "That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone". She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail and she smiled even more. "When we said , 'I wish you enough', we were wantingthe other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them". Then turning toward me, she shared the following as if she were reciting it from memory.

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.

I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.

I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.

I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.

I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

She then began to cry and walked away.

TAKE TIME TO LIVE..... To all my friends and loved ones, I WISH YOU ENOUGH'

Children's Views on Angels

"It's not easy to become an angel! First, you die. Then you go to heaven, then there's still the flight training to go through. And then you got to agree to wear those angel clothes." - Matthew, 9

"I only know the names of two angels: Hark and Harold."- Gregory, 5

"Everybody's got it all wrong. Angels don't wear halos anymore. I forget why, but scientists know all about it now." - Olive, 9

"Angels work for God and watch over kids when God has to go do something else."- Mitchell, 7

"My guardian angel helps me with math, but he's not much good for science." - Henry, 8

"Angels don't eat, but they drink milk from holy cows."- Scooter, 6

"Angels talk all the way while they're flying you up to heaven. The basic message is where you went wrong before you got dead." - Daniel, 7

"When an angel gets mad, he takes a deep breath and counts to ten, and when he lets out his breath, somewhere there's a tornado."- Regan, 5

"Angels have a lot to do and they keep very busy. If you lose a tooth, an angel comes in through your window and leaves money under your pillow. Then when it gets cold, angels go north for the winter. - Sara, 6

"Angels live in cloud houses made by God and his son, who's a very good carpenter."- Jared , 8

"All angels are girls because they gotta wear dresses and boys didn't go for it." - Antonia, 9

"Some of the angels are in charge of helping heal sick animals and pets. And if they don't make the animals get better, they help the kid get over it."- Vicki, 8

"What I don't get about angels is why, when someone is in love, they shoot arrows at them." - Sarah, 7

Athblian shona duit

Happy New Year to you.

What can I wish that this day, that this year, may bring to me?

Nothing that shall make the world of others poorer, nothing at the expense of others; but just those few things which in their coming do not stop with me but touch me rather, as they pass and gather strength:
A few friends who understand me, and yet remain my friends.
A work to do which has real value without which the world would feel the poorer.
A return for such work small enough not to tax unduly anyone who pays.
A mind unafraid to travel, even though the trail be not blazed.
An understanding heart.
A sight of the eternal hills and unresting sea, and of something beautiful the individual hand has made.
A sense of humour and the power to laugh.
A little leisure with nothing to do.
A few moments of quiet, silent meditation. The sense of the presence of God.
And the patience to wait for the coming of these things, with the wisdom to know them when they come."