The Thinker, Rodin
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The Thinker, Rodin |
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A few thoughts (some profound, some not) that may be of interest to you. If you have any thoughts that you would like to share with your Wynford Tower neighbours, please send them to webmail@wynfordtowerresidents.ca We'll show your name unless you say no. |
> Subject: Fwd: What Does Love Mean? When you need to feel good, read this. > A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, 'What does love mean?' The answers they got were broader, deeper, and more profound than anyone could have ever imagined! > > 'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore... So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.' Rebecca - age 8 > > 'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.' Billy - age 4 > > > 'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.' Karl - age 5 > > > 'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.' Chrissy - age 6 > > > 'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.' Terri - age 4 > > 'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.' Danny - age 8 > > > 'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and just listen.' Bobby - age 7 (Wow!) > > > 'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.' Nikka - age 6 > (we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet) > > > 'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it every day.' Noelle - age 7 > > > 'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.' Tommy - age 6 > > > 'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.' Cindy - age 8 > > > 'My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.' Clare - age 6 > > > 'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.' Elaine - age 5 > > > 'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.' Chris - age 7 > > 'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.' Mary Ann - age 4 > > 'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.' Lauren - age 4 > > > 'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.' (what an image!) Karen - age 7 > > > 'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross...' Mark - age 6 > > > 'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.' Jessica - age 8 > > > And the final one: The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, 'Nothing, I just helped him cry.' |
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An Obituary printed in the London Times.....Absolutely Dead Brilliant!! Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
- Why the early bird gets the worm; - Life isn't always fair; - And maybe it was my fault. Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion. Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault. Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement. Common Sense was preceded in death,
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You may have seen this, I had, but it's worth reading again. At a fund-raising dinner for a school that serves children with learning disabilities, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that will never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its Dedicated staff, he offered a question: 'When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does, is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?' The audience was stilled by the query. The father continued. 'I believe that when a child like Shay, who was mentally and physically disabled, comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.' Then he told the following story: Shay and I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' I knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as a father I also understood that if my son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps. I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team, and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning.' Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my joy at my son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as I waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base, and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat. At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball. However, as Shay stepped up to the Plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact. The first pitch came, and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher. The game would now be over. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all teammates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, 'Shay, run to first! Run to first!' Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled. Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!' Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball. The smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team. He could have thrown the ball to the second baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home. All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay' Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, 'Run to third! Shay, run to third!' As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! Run home!' Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team 'That day', said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world'. Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy, and coming home and seeing his mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day! AND NOW A LITTLE FOOT NOTE TO THIS STORY: We all send thousands of jokes through e-mail without a second thought, but when it comes to sending messages about life choices, people hesitate. The crude, vulgar, and often obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion about decency is too often suppressed in our schools and workplaces. If you're thinking about forwarding this message, chances are that you're sorting out the people in your address book who aren't the 'appropriate' ones to receive this type of message. Well, the person who sent you this believes that we all can make a difference. We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to help realize the 'natural order of things.' So many trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice: Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity, or do we pass up those opportunities and leave the world a little bit colder in the process? A wise man once said “Every society is judged by how it treats it's least fortunate amongst them. ” You now have two choices: 1. Delete 2. Forward May your day be a Shay Day. MAY GOD BLESS EVERYONE WHO DECIDES TO PASS THIS ON ! |
As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers. At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise. Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is a joy to be around.." His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle." His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken." Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class." By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume.. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to." After the children left, she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets.." A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling* her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life. Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life. Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer.... The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD. The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together. They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for* believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference." Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you." (For you that don't know, Teddy Stoddard is the Dr. at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.) Warm someone's heart today. . . pass this along. I love this story so very much, I cry every time I read it. Just try to make a difference in someone's life today? tomorrow? Just "do it". Random acts of kindness, I think they call it? "Believe in Angels, then return the favor." |
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The inventor of the treadmill died at the age of 54 The originator of gymnastics died at the age of 57 The past world bodybuilding champion died at the age of 41 The best soccer player in history, Maradona, died at the age of 60 And then . . KFC inventor died at 94 Inventor of Nutella brand died at the age of 88 Cigarette maker Winston died at the age of 102 The inventor of opium died at the age of 116 in an earthquake Hennessy cognac, Irish inventor died at 98 How did doctors come to the conclusion that exercise prolongs life? The rabbit is always jumping, but it lives for only 2 years. The turtle that doesn’t exercise at all, lives 400 years. So . . Have a drink, Take a nap And if you wake up, have bacon and eggs. |
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As long as you feel pain, you're still alive. As long as you make mistakes, you're still human. And as long as you keep trying, There's still hope. Susan Gale |
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Subject: FW: What is "Anosognosia Check out the article below. It is interesting. The one item that jumped out at me is the percentage of people in the world who live to be over 65! If you are reading this email, I guess you are one of the few fortunate people. Read below for all the details. Earth's Population Statistics in Perspective. The population of Earth is around 7.8 Billion. For most people, it is a significant figure. However, if you condensed 7.8 billion into 100 persons, and then into various percentage statistics, the resulting analysis is relatively much easier to comprehend. Out of 100 : 11 are in Europe 5 are in North America 9 are in South America 15 are in Africa 60 are in Asia 49 live in the countryside 51 live in cities 75 have mobile phones 25 do not. 30 have internet access 70 do not have the availability to go online 7 received university education 93 did not attend college. 83 can read 17 are illiterate. 33 are Christians 22 are Muslims 14 are Hindus 7 are Buddhists 12 are other religions 12 have no religious beliefs. 26 live less than 14 years 66 died between 15 - 64 years of age 8 are over 65 years old. If you have your own home, Eat full meals & drink clean water, Have a mobile phone, Can surf the internet, and have gone to college, You are in the minuscule privileged lot. (in the less than 7% category) Amongst 100 persons in the world, only eight live or exceed the age of 65! If you are over 65 years old, be content & grateful. Cherish life. Grasp the moment. If you did not leave this world before the age of 64, like the 92 persons who have gone before you, you are already the blessed amongst humankind. Take good care of your health. Cherish every remaining moment. If you think you are suffering memory loss, read on. Anosognosia, very interesting: In the following analysis, the French Professor Bruno Dubois, Director of the Institute of Memory and Alzheimer's Disease (IMMA) at La Piti -Salp tri re - Paris Hospital addresses the subject in a rather reassuring way: "If anyone is aware of their memory problems, they do not have Alzheimer's." 1. forget the names of families. 2. do not remember where I put some things . It often happens in people 60 years and older that they complain that they lack memory. "The information is always in the brain, it is the "processor" that is lacking." This is "Anosognosia" or temporary forgetfulness. Half of people 60 and older have some symptoms that are due to age rather than disease. The most common cases are: - forgetting the name of a person, - going to a room in the house and not remembering why we were going there, - a blank memory for a movie title or actor, an actress, - a waste of time searching where we left our glasses or keys .. After 60 years most people have such a difficulty, which indicates that it is not a disease but rather a characteristic due to the passage of years .. Many people are concerned about these oversights hence the importance of the following statements: 1."Those who are conscious of being forgetful have no serious problem of memory." 2. "Those who suffer from a memory illness or Alzheimer's, are not aware of what is happening." Professor Bruno Dubois, Director of IMMA, reassures the majority of people concerned about their oversights: "The more we complain about memory loss, the less likely we are to suffer from memory sickness." Now for a little neurological test: Only use your eyes! 1- Find the C in the table below! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 2- If you found the C, then find the 6 in the table below. 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 69999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 3- Now find the N in the table below. Attention, it's a little more difficult! MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNMM MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM If you pass these three tests without problem: - you can cancel your annual visit to the neurologist. - your brain is in perfect shape! - you are far from having any relationship with Alzheimer's |
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"SIX LITTLE STORIES" well worth the 30 seconds to read! {1} Once all villagers decided to pray for rain. On the day of prayer all the people gathered, but only one boy came with an umbrella. That's FAITH. {2} When you throw babies in the air, they laugh because they know you will catch them. That's TRUST. {3} Every night we go to bed without any assurance of being alive the next morning, but still we set the alarms to wake up. That's HOPE {4} We plan big things for tomorrow in spite of zero knowledge of the future. That's CONFIDENCE {5} We see the world suffering, but still we get married and have children. That's LOVE. {6} On an old man's shirt was written a sentence 'I am not 80 years old; I am sweet 16 with 64 years of experience.' That's ATTITUDE. Have a happy day & live your life like the 6 stories. When I was a child, I thought nap time was punishment. Now it's like a mini-vacation. "GOOD FRIENDS ARE THE RARE JEWELS OF LIFE. DIFFICULT TO FIND AND IMPOSSIBLE TO REPLACE! |
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Subject: Environmental truths Checking out at the store, the young cashier suggested to the much older lady that she should bring her own grocery bags, because plastic bags are not good for the environment. The woman apologized to the young girl and explained, "We didn't have this 'green thing' back in my earlier days." The young clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations." The older lady said that she was right our generation didn't have the "green thing" in its day. The older lady went on to explain: Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled. But we didn't have the "green thing" back in our day. Grocery stores bagged our groceries in brown paper bags that we reused for numerous things. Most memorable besides household garbage bags was the use of brown paper bags as book covers for our school books. But, too bad we didn't do the "green thing" back then. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks. But she was right. We didn't have the "green thing" in our day. Back then we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throw away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy-gobbling machine burning up 220 volts. Wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that young lady is right; we didn't have the "green thing" back in our day. Back then we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana. Ed Note: In my day, we did not know there was such a thing as TV. In the kitchen we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity. But she's right; we didn't have the "green thing" back then. Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service in the family's $45,000 SUV or van, which cost what a whole house did before the "green thing." We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 23,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest burger joint. But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the "green thing" back then? |
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Gas Prices - a different way to view them and these examples do NOT imply that gasoline is cheap; it just illustrates how outrageous some prices are. You might be really shocked by the last one (at least, I was)!!! Think a gallon of gas is expensive? This makes one think, and also puts things into perspective.
Starbuck's Reg. Coffee 16 oz, $2.10... $16.80 per gallon! Lipton Ice Tea, 16 oz , $1.19... $9.52 per gallon! Gatorade, 20 oz , $1.59... $10.17 per gallon! Ocean Spray, 16 oz , $1.25... $10.00 per gallon! Brake Fluid, 12 oz , $3.15... $33.60 per gallon! Vick's Nyquil, 6 oz , $8.35... $178.13 per gallon! Pepto Bismol, 4 oz, $3.85.. $123.20 per gallon! Whiteout, 7 oz , $1.39... $25.42 per gallon! Scope, 1.5 oz , $0.99.. $84.48 per gallon! And this is the REAL KICKER. Evian water, 9 oz , $1.49... $21.19 per gallon! $21.19 for a gallon of WATER!! and the buyers don't even know the source!! (Evian spelled backwards is Naive.) Ever wonder why computer printers are so cheap? So they can hook you for the ink. Someone calculated the cost of the ink at $5,200 a gallon. $5200 A GALLON!! So, the next time you're at the pump, be glad your car doesn't run on water, Scope, Whiteout, Pepto Bismol, Nyquil, or, God forbid, printer ink!!!! |
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I hired a plumber to help me restore an old farmhouse, and after he had just finished a rough first day on the job: a flat tire made
him lose an hour of work, his electric drill quit and his ancient one-ton truck refused to start. While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. On arriving, he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands. When opening the door he underwent an amazing transformation... His face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss. Afterward, he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier. 'Oh, that's my trouble tree,' he replied 'I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure, those troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and the children... So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home and ask God to take care of them. Then in the morning, I pick them up again.' 'Funny thing is,' he smiled,' when I come out in the morning to pick 'em up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before. |
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Preamble, added 2021.10.30 A writeup by a Jim Bissell describes the humane treatment provided to non-indigenous people by religious teachers, and can be compared to the treatment of indigenous people at Residential schools, where the outlook of staff followed in the traditions of the Crusades and the Inquisition, in which people of other faiths were treated as heathen, to be taught the True Faith by force (or death in the two examples). All without recognition of the fact that the indigenous religions and philosopy were more Christ-like than that of the Christian Church attempting to convert them. An interesting result of Googling Jim Bissell is that the Bissell Centre (Bissell Centre.org) in Edmonton was funded through a legacy gift by a Mr. Torrance E. Bissell. A quote from the website says, "Because of its history with Aboriginal people, Bissell Centre was presented with an Eagle Staff in April 2009. This is one of the highest honours the First Nations people bestow, and it is because of Bissell Centre s acceptance, promotion, respect and interest in Aboriginal people that it was gifted with an Eagle Staff". It is not known at this time if there is any family connection between the two Bissells. End Premble) Following is a slant on residential schools different from most in the news these days. The author is not indigenous, but grew up surounded by indigenous people. He attended schools run by the Catholic Church, but not Residential schools, so his viewpoint may not be representative of those who did. This is a bit long, but interesting. Here is a letter by an indigenous-related person named Jim Bissell, which he wrote in reply to a Sun columnist related to the Residential schools that is leading to church terrorism (by non-native people). Below that is one account by a survivor of a residential school that does not support Mr. Bissell's feelings. 2021.10.31: Article deleted because it was offensive to some people. The following excerpts from the Truth and Reconciliation Report give a different outlook (Ref. Residential School Survivors) I thought that I was the only one that it was happening to. In keeping with this instruction, this report does not identify or name alleged perpetrators of sexual or physical abuse. In instances where Survivors spoke of individuals who have been convicted of abuse, those names have been included. While reports of sexual abuse were common, it was far from being the only type of abuse experienced by students. In many cases, a single student described many dierent types of abuse they experienced. Jean Pierre Bellemare, who attended the Amos, Qu bec, school, said he had been subjected to physical violence, verbal violence, touchings, everything that comes with it. Andrew Yellowback was at the Cross Lake, Manitoba, school for eight years. During that time, I was sexually, physically, emotionally, and mentally abused by both the sisters and brothers. Some students were abused at more than one school. Students reported assaults from sta members of both the opposite sex and the same sex as themselves. For many students, abuse, fear, and violence dominated their school experience. Sheila Gunderson recalled there being a lot of physical abuse and sexual abuse at Lapointe Hall, the Roman Catholic hostel in Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories, in the 1960s. Given the power relations in a residential school, no sexual relationship between a sta member and student could be considered consensual. Many former students spoke of having been raped at school.542 Stella Marie Tookate, who attended the Fort Albany, Ontario, school, said, I didn t enjoy myself when I was in school because I was too much abused. I didn t learn anything; that s what I was feeling. Her words echo the experiences of many former students. |
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Subject: Fwd: Wisdom from Dubai The founder of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid, was asked about the future of his country, and he replied, "My grandfather rode a camel, my father rode a camel, I ride a Mercedes, my son rides a Land Rover, and my grandson is going to ride a Land Rover...but my great-grandson is going to have to ride a camel again." Why is that, he was asked? And his reply was, "Hard times create strong men, strong men create easy times. Easy times create weak men, weak men create difficult times. Many will not understand it, but you have to raise warriors, not parasites." And add to that the historical reality that all great empires...the Persians, the Trojans, the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans, and in later years, the British...all rose and perished within 240 years. They were not conquered by external enemies; they rotted from within. America has passed that 240-year mark, and the rot is starting to be visible and accelerating. We are past the Mercedes and Land Rover Years. Camels are on the horizon. |
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Note: The beautiful flowers between each verse in Annie's email are omitted here. We never get what we want, We never want what we get, We never have what we like, We never like what we have. And still we live & love. That's life... The best kind of friends, Is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, Never say a word, And then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had. It's true that we don't know What we've got until it's gone, But it's also true that we don't know What we've been missing until it arrives. Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they ll love you back! Don't expect love in return; Just wait for it to grow in their heart, But if it doesn't, be content it grew in yours. It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, An hour to like someone, And a day to love someone, But it takes a lifetime to forget someone. Don't go for looks; they can deceive. Don't go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile, Because it takes only a smile to Make a dark day seem bright. Find the one that makes your heart smile! May you have Enough happiness to make you sweet, Enough trials to make you strong, Enough sorrow to keep you human, And enough hope to make you happy Always put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, It probably hurts the other person, too. The happiest of people Don't necessarily have the best of everything; They just make the most of everything that comes along their way. Happiness lies for Those who cry, Those who hurt, Those who have searched, And those who have tried, For only they can appreciate the importance of people Who have touched their lives. When you were born, you were crying And everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so that when you die, You're the one who is smiling And everyone around you is crying. Please send this message To those people who mean something to you, To those who have touched your life in one way or another, To those who make you smile when you really need it, To those that make you see the brighter side of things When you are really down, To those who you want to know That you appreciate their friendship. And if you don't, don't worry, Nothing bad will happen to you, You will just miss out on the opportunity to brighten someone's life with this message... |
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Love is . . . What Love means to 4-8 year old kids ... Slow down for three minutes to read this. A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, 'What does love mean?' The answers they got were broader, deeper, and more profound than anyone could have ever imagined ! See what you think: 'When my grandmother got arthritis , she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time , even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.' Rebecca- age 8 'When someone loves you , the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.' Billy - age 4 'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.' Karl - age 5 'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.' Chrissy - age 6 'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.' Terri - age 4 'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.' Danny - age 8 'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and just listen.' Bobby - age 7 (Wow!) 'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate. ' Nikka - age 6 (we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet) 'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.' Noelle - age 7 'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.' Tommy - age 6 'During my piano recital , I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.' Cindy - age 8 'My mommy loves me more than anybody You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.' Clare - age 6 'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.' Elaine-age 5 'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.' Chris - age 7 'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.' Mary Ann - age 4 'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.' Lauren - age 4 'When you love somebody , your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.' (what an image) Karen - age 7 'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross..' Mark - age 6 'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.' Jessica - age 8 And the final one: The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry , the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard , climbed onto his lap , and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor , the little boy said, 'Nothing , I just helped him cry' |
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Hi. You may have seen this before but if your mind is as fuzzy as mine from the heat and stress of the news it might be
refreshing to know you aren't losing it. I certainly did! Cheers. In the following analysis the French Professor Bruno Dubois, Director of the Institute of Memory and Alzheimer's Disease IMMA) at La Piti -Salp tri re - Paris Hospitals, addresses the subject in a rather reassuring way: "If anyone is aware of his memory problems, he does not have Alzheimer's".
2. I do not remember where I put some things. It often happens in people 60 years and older that they complain that they lack memory. "The information is always in the brain, it is the "processor" that is lacking." Half of people 60 and older have some symptoms that are due to age rather than disease. The most common cases are
- going to a room in the house and not remembering why we were going there, - a blank memory for a movie title or actor, an actress, - a waste of time searching where we left our glasses or keys.
"Those who suffer from a memory illness or Alzheimer's, are not aware of what is happening." "The more we complain about memory loss, the less likely we are to suffer from memory sickness." Now, for a little neurological test.....Only use your eyes. . 1- Find the C in the table below! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 2- If you have already found the C, then find the 6 in the table below. 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 69999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 3- Now find the N in the table below. Attention, it's a little more difficult! MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM If you pass these three tests without a problem:
- your brain is in decent working shape! - you are far from having any relationship with Alzheimer's. |
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A young couple moved into a new neighborhood. The next morning while they were eating breakfast, the young woman saw her neighbor hanging the washing outside. "That laundry is not very clean; she doesn t know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs better laundry soap." Her husband looked on, remaining silent. Every time her neighbor hung her washing out to dry, the young woman made the same comments. A month later, the woman was surprised to see a nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband, "Look, she s finally learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who taught her this?" The husband replied, "I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows." And so it is with life What we see when watching others depends on the clarity of the window through which we look. So don t be too quick to judge others, especially if your perspective of life is clouded by anger, jealousy, negativity or unfulfilled desires. "Judging a person does not define who they are. It defines who you are." Jonathan Kestenbaum. |
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Toronto Star, 14 June 2020 The most effective weapon in the war on COVID-19 is as plain as the mask on your face, U.S. researchers find. Patty Winsa By Patty WinsaData Reporter Sat., June 13, 2020timer4 min. read Wearing a mask is the most effective way to prevent transmission of the coronavirus in public settings, and together with other measures such as social distancing and contact tracing represents the most likely fighting opportunity to stop the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study by a team of U.S. researchers. Other mitigation measures, such as social distancing implemented in the United States, are insufficient by themselves in protecting the public, they wrote. The study by experts from Texas A&M University, the University of Texas at Austin, University of California and California Institute of Technology compared transmission of the virus and preventative measures in New York City and Italy, where mask-wearing became mandatory part way through the pandemic. They found that after masks were required, New York reduced infections by 66,000 from April 17 to May 9. In Italy, they were reduced by 78,000 from April 6 to May 9. What we believe is that if you impose the use of face masks and you do it properly, it is potentially a way to control the pandemic, said Mario Molina, a distinguished professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of California, who shared the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1995. After masks became mandatory, New York reduced infections by 66,000 from April 17 to May 9, according to a team of researchers from Texas A&M University, the University of Texas at Austin, University of California and California Institute of Technology. In charting the number of cases in New York City and Italy over time, Molina said the line was headed straight up until it began to bend on the exact day that mandatory mask policies came into effect. It is extremely clear that it is much more important to make the use of masks mandatory than just isolating and social distancing, (because) you can decrease cases much more efficiently, Molina said. Unlike social distancing, masks protect against inhaling droplets as well as virus-bearing aerosols, which can hang in the air for hours, added Molina, lead author of the study along with Renyi Zhang, a distinguished professor in atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M. Molina said an upcoming study that compares the impact of wearing masks in U.S. states where they have been mandated shows the same clear pattern, and he believes it should be compulsory in all public settings until the virus is wiped out. The peer-reviewed study was published in the National Academy of Sciences journal in the U.S. In Ontario, meanwhile, more than 200 doctors have signed an open letter from #Masks4Canada asking for mandatory face coverings in places where it s impossible to social distance including public transit and any indoor space outside the home. The TTC announced this past week that masks would become mandatory for transit users as of July 2. But the province did not adopt the requirement when it announced stage two of its reopening, which means people can socialize without masks on restaurant patios in some parts of Ontario, as well as gather in groups of 10, as long as they socially distance. Premier Doug Ford said it s up to municipalities to mandate masks, which they have the right to do under section 22 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act when there is the immediate risk of an outbreak of a communicable disease. Dr. Nicola Mercer, medical officer of health for Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph, issued the order soon after the stage two reopening was announced, requiring businesses in the area to prohibit customers who aren t wearing masks. That health unit has ongoing modest evidence of community transmission of the virus, but Mercer added there were signs of physical distancing fatigue and declining mask use within the businesses that had remained open. As more commercial establishments (and other amenities) in our region open under Phase 2, it was important to look at all measures that can be implemented to keep the population safe while supporting the reopening of the economy until there s a vaccine, Mercer said in an email. She also pointed to the growing body of evidence looking at the impact of face coverings on the COVID-19 pandemic in addition to other important measures such as physical distancing, hand hygiene, extensive testing and case and contact tracing. |
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-----Original Message----- From: cjfitzgerald Sent: Friday, June 12, 2020 5:36 PM To: WynfordTower Webmail Cc: Bill Lynn Subject: Covid-19 and Technology It was said that covid-19 would accelerate the development and use of technology. And it is doing so. Regarding ZOOM It so happens, a boy living in Bermuda, in third grade, doing online studies and activities, doing math, learning chess and other activities and projects. A couple of weeks ago, the class was told they were soon to learn about bees. Well, one family member, living in Toronto, is a bee keeper as a hobby. He was invited to give a presentation about bees, to the classroom, in Bermuda - via ZOOM. By chance, the day before zooming was to take place, it was Jeff s turn to look after the bees, on top of the Royal York Hotel, and the Science Centre, in Toronto. He was stung twice but said they were small stings. The bees are animated in springtime because bees from other hives are flying around trying to join other colonies. They have to get along. He even took a video of bees in action. Presentation day - this boy Kai, in Bermuda, had the honour of introducing his Uncle Jeff, in Toronto. The children were fascinated and were not swarming around the room at all. At question time, Jeff thought all questions were sensible and easily answered, except one if there is a queen, how come there is no king? They were told something to the effect that Queen bee rules the nest and all the other smaller bees are worker bees. The kids were most interested in travelling bees. They go out to find flowers that have syrup on their petals. The bees suck up this sweet stuff into little pouches. They bring this back to make honey. The pollen is collected is small baskets on their body. This little experience would certainly happen in future, and it will, but not last week. Technology has accelerated, thus changing the world and enriched my life. Also is said technology was blamed for promoting isolation, now is lauded for enabling socializing. Cecile Fitzgerald |
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Life is a journey and as we travel
our experiences create memories. Memories make us who we are. Our experiences may be burdened with challenges. If, however we overcome these challenges with grace and integrity we can turn our experiences into stepping stones. So as we travel through the journey of life let us create memories of which we can be proud. |
| Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them? |
| Winston S. Churchill "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others." |
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"Believe those who seek the truth. Doubt those who find it." Andr Gide, quoted in the Montreal Gazette, Dec. 24, 2000 |
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Someone has said that membership in every organization is made up of four
kinds of bones: 1. There are the Wishbones, who spend all their time wishing someone else would do all the work. 2. There are the Jawbones, who do all the talking but very little else. 3. There are the Knucklebones who knock everything that everyone else tries to do. 4. Finally, there are the Backbones who get under the load and do the work. |
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"Politeness is half good manners and half good lying." Mary Wilson Little as quoted in The Montreal Gazette Aug. 17, 2001 (www.montrealgazette.com). |
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"Everything is related to the circle, the wheel of life. It's the unity of nations. No religion is better than another, no culture is better than another." |