posted December 20, 2001 09:08 PM         

There is an old fable in which the mighty oak tree which stood for over one hundred years, was finally blown over by a storm. The tree fell into a river that floated it downstream until it came to rest among the reeds growing along the riverbank. The fallen giant asked the reeds in amazement, "How is it that you were able to weather the storm that was too powerful for me, an oak tree, to withstand?"

The reeds replied, "All these years you stubbornly resisted the winds that swept your way. You took such pride in your strength that you refused to yield, even a little bit. We, on the other hand, have not resisted the winds, but have always bent with them. We recognized the superior power of the wind and so, the harder the wind blew the more we humbled ourselves before it."

Always remember to bend with the wind,
and you won't be blown over by the storm!

posted December 31, 2001 11:26 AM           

One day, he passed a wealthy merchant’s house and through the open gateway saw many fine possessions and important visitors. “How powerful that merchant must be!” thought the stonecutter. he became very envious, and wished that he could be like the merchant. Then he would no longer have to live the life of a mere stonecutter.

To his great surprise, he suddenly became the merchant, enjoying more luxuries and power than he had ever dreamed of, envied and detested by those less wealthy than himself. But soon a high official passed by, carried in a sedan chair, accompanied by attendants, and escorted by soldiers beating gongs. Everyone, no matter how wealthy, had to bow low before the procession. “how powerful that official is!” he thought. “I wish that I could be a high official!”

Then he became the high official, carried everywhere in his embroidered sedan chair, feared and hated by the people all around, who had to bow down before him as he passed. It was a hot summer day, and the official felt very uncomfortable in the sticky sedan chair. He looked up at the sun. It shone proudly in the sky, unaffected by his presence. “How powerful the sun is!” he thought. “ I wish that I could be the sun!”

Then he became the sun, shining fiercely down on everyone, scorching the fields, cursed by the farmers and labourers. But a huge black cloud moved between him and the earth, so that his light could no longer shine on everything below. “How powerful that storm cloud is!” he thought. “ I wish that I could be a cloud!”

Then he became the cloud, flooding the fields and villages, shouted at by everyone. But soon he found that he was being pushed away by some great force, and realized that it was the wind. “How powerful it is!” he thought. “I wish that I could be the wind!”

Then he became the wind, blowing tiles off the roofs of houses, uprooting trees, hated and feared by all below him. But after a while, he ran up against something that would not move, no matter how forcefully he blew against it -- a huge, towering stone. “How powerful that stone is!” he thought. I wish that I could be a stone!”

posted December 28, 2002 07:21 PM         

"A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy. "It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. This same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

posted December 29, 2002 10:54 AM         

Bissie, you don't like the Oak story? I do because I have incredible strength, even if I do have Pisces rising. However, your strengths are your weaknesses, so sometimes I have trouble bending in the wind. It's a weakness I've been working on, but still haven't mastered.

posted January 10, 2003 03:14 AM         

There's a tree out in the backyard,
That never has been broken by the wind,
and the reason it's still standing,
it was stro-ong enough to bend

When you say something that you can't take ba-ack,
A big wind blows and you hear a little cra-ack
When you say 'Hey! Well I might be wro-ong
We'll be swaying in the wind till the storm is gone.

Like the tree out in the backyard,
That never has been broken by the wind,
We will something something together
If we're stro-ong enough to bend

posted January 29, 2003 02:09 AM         

I'm telling you, I'm and "I KNOW"