The Son

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.

When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands.

He said, "Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art." The young man held out this package. "I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this."

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. "Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift."

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.

On the platform sat the painting of the son The auctioneer pounded his gavel. "We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?"

There was silence.

Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, "We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one."

But the auctioneer persisted. "Will somebody bid for this painting Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?"

Another voice angrily. "We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!"

But still the auctioneer continued. "The son! The son! Who'll take the son?"

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. "I'll give $10 for the painting." Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.

"We have $10, who will bid $20?"

"Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters."

"$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?"

The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.

The auctioneer pounded the gavel. "Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!" A man sitting on the second row shouted, "Now let's get on with the collection!" The auctioneer laid down his gavel. "I'm sorry, the auction is over."

"What about the paintings?"

"I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything!"

God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on the cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: "The son, the son, who'll take the son?" Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD
HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON,
WHO SO EVER BELIEVETH,
SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE...
THAT'S LOVE.

Dear Mommy

4 years ago, an accident took my beloved away and very often I wonder, how does my wife, who is now in the heavenly realm, feel right now? She must be feeling extremely sad for leaving a husband who is incapable to taking care of the house and the kid. 'coz that is the exact feeling that I have, as I feel that I have failed to provide for the physical and emotional needs of my child, and failed to be the dad and mum for my child.

There was one particular day, when I had an emergency at work. Hence, I had to leave home whilst my child was still sleeping. So thinking that there was still rice leftovers, I hastily cooked an egg and left after informing my sleepy child.

With the double roles, I am often exhausted at work as well as when I am home. So after a long day, I came home, totally drained of all energy. So with just a brief hug and kiss for my child, I went straight into the room, skipping dinner. However, when I jumped into my bed with intention of just having a well-deserved sleep, all I heard and felt was broken porcelain and warm liquid! I flipped open my blanket, and there lies the source of the 'problem'... a broken bowl with instant noodles and a mess on the bedsheet and blanket!

Boy, was I mad! I was so furious that I took a clothes hanger, charged straight at my child who was happily playing with his toy, and give him a good spanking! He merely cried but not asking for mercy, except a short explanation:

"Dad, I was hungry and there wasn't anymore leftover rice. But you were not back yet, hence I wanted to cook some instant noodles. But I remembered you reminding me not to touch or use the gas stove without any adults around, hence I turned on the shower and used the hot water from the bathroom to cook the noodles. One is for you and the other is for me. However, I was afraid that the noodles will turn cold, so I hid it under the blanket to keep it warm till you return. But I forgot to remind you 'coz I was playing with my toys... I am sorry Dad..."

At that moment, tears were starting to run down my cheeks... but I didn't want my son to see his dad crying so I dash into the bathroom and cried with the shower head on to mask my cries. After that episode, I went towards my son to give him a tight hug and applied medication on him, while coaxing him to sleep. Then, it was time to clear up the mess on the bed. When everything was done and well past midnight, I passed my son's room, and saw that he was still crying, not from the pain on his little buttock, but from looking at the photograph of his beloved mommy.

A year has passed since the episode, I have tried, in this period, to focus on giving him both the love of his dad and mom, and to attend to most of his needs. And soon, he is turning seven, and will be graduating from kindergarten. Fortunately, the incident did not leave a lasting impression on his childhood memories and he is still happily growing up.

However, not so long ago, I hit my boy again, with much regret. This time, his kindergarten teacher called, informing me of my son's absence from school. I took off early from work and went home, expecting him to explain. But he wasn't to be found, so I went around our house, calling out his name and eventually found him outside a stationery shop, happily playing computer games. I was fuming, brought him home and whack the hell out of him. He did not retaliate, except to say, 'I am sorry, Dad'. But after much probing, I realized that it was a 'Talent Show' organized by his school and the invite is for every student's mommy. And that was the reason for his absence as he has no mommy.....

Few days after the caning, my son came home to tell me, the kindergarten has recently taught him how to read and write. Since then, he has kept to himself and stayed in his room to practice his writing, which I am sure, would make my wife proud, if she was still around. 'coz he makes me proud too!

Time passes by very quickly, and soon another year has passed. It's winter, and its Christmas time. Everywhere the Christmas spirit is in every passer-by... Christmas carols and frantic shoppers....but alas, my son got into another trouble. When I was about to knock off from the day's work, the post office called. Due to the peak season, the post master was also on an edgy mood. He called to tell me that my son has attempted to post several letters with no addressee. Although I did make a promise never to hit my son again, I couldn't help but to hit him as I feel that this child of mine is really beyond control. Once again, as before, he apologized, 'I'm sorry, Dad' and no additional reason to explain. I pushed him towards a corner, went to the post office to collect the letters with no addressee and came home, and angrily questioned my son on his prank, during this time of the year.

His answer, amidst his sobbing, was : The letters were for Mommy.

My eyes grew teary, but I tried to control my emotions and continued to ask him: " But why did u post so many letters, at one time?" My son's reply was: "I have been writing to mommy for a long time, but each time I reach out for the post box, it was too high for me, hence I was not able to post the letters. But recently, when I went back to the postbox, I could reach it and I sent it all at once..."

After hearing this, I was lost. Lost at not knowing what to do, what to say....

I told my son, "Son, mommy is in the heavenly kingdom, so in future, if you have anything to tell her, just burn the letter and it will reach mommy." My son, on hearing this, was much pacified and calm, and soon after, he was sleeping soundly. On promising that I will burn the letters on his behalf, I brought the letters outside, but couldn't help opening the letter before they turn to ash.

And one of the letters broke my heart....

Dear Mommy,

I miss you so much! Today, there was a 'Talent Show' in school, and the school invited all mothers for the show. But you are not around, so I did not want to participate as well. I did not tell Dad about it as I was afraid that Dad would start to cry and miss you all over again. Dad went around looking for me, but in order to hide my sadness, I sat in front of the computer and started playing games at one of the shops. Dad was furious, and he couldn't help it but scolded and hit me, but I did not tell him the real reason.

Mommy, everyday I see Dad missing you and whenever he think of you, he is so sad and often hide and cry in his room. I think we both miss you very very much. Too much for our own good I think. But Mommy, I am starting to forget your face. Can you please appear in my dreams so that I can see your face and remember you? I heard that if you fall asleep with the photograph of the person whom you miss, you will see the person in your dreams. But mommy, why haven't you appear?

After reading the letter, I can’t stop sobbing. 'coz I can never replace the irreplaceable gap left behind by my wife....

The Email

A Minneapolis couple decided to go to Florida to thaw out during a particularly icy winter. They planned to stay at the same hotel where they spent their honeymoon 20 years earlier.

Because of hectic schedules, it was difficult to coordinate their travel schedules. So, the husband left Minnesota and flew to Florida on Thursday, with his wife flying down the following day.

The husband checked into the hotel. There was a computer in his room, so he decided to send an email to his wife. However, he accidentally left out one letter in her email address, and without realizing his error, sent the email.

Meanwhile, somewhere in Houston , a widow had just returned home from her husband's funeral. He was a minister who was called home to glory following a heart attack.

The widow decided to check her email expecting messages from relatives and friends. After reading the first message, she screamed and fainted. The widow's son rushed into the room, found his mother on the floor, and saw the computer screen which read:

To: My Loving Wife
Subject: I've Arrived
Date: October 16, 2005

I know you're surprised to hear from me. They have computers here now and you are allowed to send emails to your loved ones. I've just arrived and have been checked in. I've seen that everything has been prepared for your arrival tomorrow.

Looking forward to seeing you then!!!!

Hope your journey is as uneventful as mine was.

P.S. Sure is freaking hot down here!!!!

If All Else Fails

By Byron Pulsifer, © 2009

You need to be able to move forward in life without carrying a huge amount of baggage. One of the greatest obstacles to getting what you want is to remember past failures as if they foretell the future.

Far too many people assume, and assume wrongly, that failure in the past means failure in the future. They seem to adopt the attitude that they have tried and failed so there is absolutely no reasonable requirement to ever try again. They think that trying again can only set them up for more failure, for more disappointment, and for more ridicule by their friends.

And, there is something that is even more interesting when failure arises. Failure doesn't mean that you sit down and never throw in another attempt because throwing in the towel only means that you quit for this time not for all time.

There is, after all, no light without knowing darkness, and therefore, there is no success without first failure. Excess baggage of failure in the past means that you haven't properly processed what has gone before and turned this baggage into a positive. The natural question, at this point, is to say how can failure be a positive? Let me put this positive turning of baggage another way.

Take a failure as a crucial part of growth; as a crucial part of learning; and as a valuable chapter full of a host of learning tools. Failure properly dissected with 'learning from mistakes' as its focus will resurrect the positive aspects of the attempt and highlight what to change on the next attempt.

When all else fails, revisit failure as your best teacher, your master of learning, and put aside forever any notion that failure means quitting. The old adage rings true in that 'quitters never win, and winners never quit'. Nothing worth having, doing, or accomplishing comes pre-packaged with foolproof steps that guarantee success.

Do You Know It All

By Byron Pulsifer, © 2008

There is an odd anomaly here on this planet, and it isn't the fact that the earth has been recently struck by a meteor from a distant galaxy. Nor is it that the notion that you can't teach old dogs new tricks.

The real anomaly is that old dogs don't necessarily want to learn new tricks, or they don't want to learn some new tricks because those that are doing the teaching were once their students. Some of this attitude may be one of self-confidence, or it may be that we have forgotten that "we don't know it all", and never will.

Maybe, there is also the question mark whether some of us can muster enough brain cells to learn some new tricks.

What all of this really says, however, is that we should always be open to learn, and to use that parlance often used in corporate worlds, we have to engage in continuous learning. These words, though, are sometimes easier to say than to allow us to openly grasp them with vigour. Is it that we have forgotten how to learn, or is it simply that we think that age and life experience allows us to somehow skip over this aspect of life?

Sometimes, familiarity breeds the notion that we can carry on as we always have. Or, often we assume that skills and knowledge once tested on a daily or weekly basis by an uninviting environment, need not be tested any longer because of more friendly atmospheres or more forgiving colleagues. The real truth, of course, is that there is no final plateau one reaches that gives one the leg up, so to speak, on anyone else or on any given situation or challenge.

Life continues to evolve every second; our knowledge needs to be caressed, re-built, added to, and multiplied less we find ourselves slipping further down the slope that sees us less than adequate, less than needed, or less than valued. As life evolves so should we on a continuous basis.

Age and Happiness

By Catherine Pulsifer © 2008

Age and happiness, do the two go together?

I know some very unhappy 75-year-old people, and I know some very happy ones as well. In the same vein, there are a lot of 25-year-old people who are very unhappy with their lives, and others who couldn't be happier.

The difference is not in age, but in their attitude towards life.

When I was younger, my mother had a saying she used when I was feeling disappointed, sad, or dissatisfied. She would say: "There are others who are a lot worse off than you." I can now appreciate how true that saying is.

No matter what happens in my life, and no matter how old I am, happiness in life does come down to your attitude towards it.

I recently was reading a book that reflected the thoughts of people who have achieved happiness in their life and the common theme with all of these people is their attitude. They always had a goal, they always looked for the good in every situation, and they always had more they wanted to achieve.

So no matter what your age, young or old, remember it is not your age,
but your attitude towards life that will bring happiness.

Always remember age is only a date and you determine your own fate.

Everything I Needed

Poet Unknown

I asked for strength and
God gave me difficulties to make me strong.

I asked for wisdom and
God gave me problems to solve.

I asked for prosperity and
God gave me brawn and brains to work.

I asked for courage and
God gave me dangers to overcome.

I asked for patience and
God placed me in situations where I was forced to wait.

I asked for love and
God gave me troubled people to help.

I asked for favors and
God gave me opportunities.

I received nothing I wanted
I received everything I needed.

My prayers have all been answered.

LIFE

"Life is a one-way street. No matter how many doors you take, none of it will lead you back. So, enjoy every moment of your life, because none of them will happen the same way - again."

More Than A Dead Letter

By Phillips Brooks

The Bible is like a telescope.
If a man looks through his telescope,
then he sees the worlds beyond;
but if he looks at his telescope,
then he does not see anything but that.
The Bible is a thing to be looked through,
to see that which is beyond;
but most people only look at it;
and so they see only the dead letter.


Quotes to Reflect On:

"I am a creature of a day.
I am a spirit come from God, and returning to God.
I want to know one thing: the way to heaven.
God himself has condescended to teach me the way.
He has written it down in a book. Oh, give me that book!
At any price give me the book of God. Let me be a man of one book."
by John Wesley

"Bible reading is an education in itself."
by Lord Tennyson

"It is not at all incredible, that a book which has been so long in the possession of mankind should contain many truths as yet undiscovered."
by Bishop Butler

"The Bible is worth all other books which have ever been printed."
by Patrick Henry

What We Believe

by Catherine Pulsifer

Many successes can be attributed to those who dream. Dreaming is a gift where you can
see things not as they are, but as they could be.

People who never dream, or never set goals, let life go by day by day letting others determine their destiny.

Without dreams, you don’t set goals; you are forced to accept what you have today.

As children, we had lots of dreams. When we get older, some of us lose our dreams and our ambitions, and are content to accept mediocrity.

Everything that has ever been accomplished, every skyscraper, every bridge, every invention, every medical breakthrough, all started with a dream!

Food for Thought:

"Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." by Edgar Allan Poe

"The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score." by Bill Copeland

"That some achieve great success, is proof to all that others can achieve it as well." by Abraham Lincoln

"Sometimes, people use age as a convenient excuse. 'I'm to old too start something new', or, 'I couldn't learn that at my age.' Other people, though, go on to achieve their greatest accomplishments in life in later years." by Catherine Pulsifer

Don't Let Go Of ...

by Catherine Pulsifer

Don't let go of your dreams. If you have determination and belief in your dreams, you will succeed in spite of your desire to let go.

One notable person who demonstrated this attitude was Washington Roebling. He and his father had a dream of building a suspension bridge. Not long after starting construction, his father died. Washington carried on but was struck with the paralyzing caisson disease. It was impossible for him to go to the site. But possessed with a dream, a strong desire, and with the help of his wife, Emily, he was able to complete the Brooklyn Bridge.

This story has many themes in it: determination; your dreams; and choice.

Here was a man who suffered the death of his father and became paralyzed, yet, because he was determined he did not give up on his dreams!

In every situation we have a choice. We can either choose the negative or we can choose the positive --- the choice is ours. In Washington's situation he could have felt sorry for himself and gave up on his project. He chose, however, to continue with the help of others.

In situations you are confronted with which do you choose. . .
the positive or the negative?

Food For Thought:

"Set out each day believing in your dreams. Know without a doubt that you were made for amazing things." by Josh Hinds

"If you can dream it, you can do it. Always remember this whole thing was started by a mouse." by Walt Disney

"Cherish your visions and your dreams, as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements." by Napoleon Hill

Self-Confidence: Believe In Yourself

by Byron Pulsifer © 2007

"When a man has put a limit on what he will do, he has put a limit on what he can do."
Charles M. Schwab

As a child, we are not limited by preconceptions. Children attempt to do what they want without being burdened by the concept of failure.

Adults tend to suppress their imagination, and are too quick to give up their dreams. Don't let the child in you disappear - imagine, dream, and believe in yourself. With determination and belief, you will be surprised at what you accomplish.

"When you develop yourself to the point where your belief in yourself is so strong that you know you can accomplish anything you put your mind to, your future will be unlimited." by Brian Tracy

Imagine what you could accomplish if there was no such thing as failure. Have you ever met someone who succeeds no matter what they attempt? These people use their imagination; they don't let failure stop them. They keep moving forward learning as they go, full of determination on their way to reach success.

"An invincible determination can accomplish almost anything and in this lies the great distinction between great men and little men." by Dr. Thomas Fuller

Your accomplishments will give you satisfaction and enhance your self-confidence. A person with a strong sense of self-confidence is happier with their life because they believe in themselves!

"There is no man living who isn't capable of doing more than he thinks he can do." by Henry Ford

Just for today

By Kenneth L. Holmes

Just for today, I will try to live through this day only, and not tackle my whole life problem at once. I can do something for twelve hours that would appall me if I felt that I had to keep it up for a lifetime.

Just for today, I will be happy. This assumes to be true what Abraham Lincoln said, that most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.

Just for today, I will try to strengthen my mind. I will study. I will learn something useful. I will not be a mental loafer. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration.

Just for today, I will adjust myself to what is, and not try to adjust everything to my own desires. I will take my "luck" as it comes, and fit myself to it.

Just for today, I will exercise my soul in three ways: I will do somebody a good turn, and not get found out. I will do at least two things I don't want to--just for exercise. I will not show anyone that my feelings are hurt; they may be hurt, but today I will not show it

Just for today, I will be agreeable. I will look as well as I can, dress becomingly, talk low, act courteously, criticize not one bit, not find fault with anything and not try to improve or regulate anybody except myself.

Just for today, I will have a program. I may not follow it exactly, but I will have it. I will save myself from two pests: hurry and indecision.

Just for today, I will have a quiet half hour all by myself, and relax. During this half hour, sometime, I will try to get a better perspective of my life.

Just for today, I will be unafraid. Especially I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful, and to believe that as I give to the world, so the world will give to me.

Choices

by Byron Pulsifer

Choices. We all make them everyday. Some are good, and some are not so good. You can surrender your destiny to the desires of others, or you can make your own. The point is that we can make choices that help us to move forward through adversity, or we may make choices that assist others to move beyond or through some of life's issues.

"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice;
it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved." by William Jennings Bryan

Choices are within everyone's command. No one has to do, or is obligated to live their lives as others live.

On the other hand, inevitably at some point in our lives, we witness, first-hand, choices that other people, friends, family members or colleagues make that we can clearly see are leading them down a slippery slope to either immediate devastating consequences, or a future that can be potentially harmful.

As caring people, we probably have all made efforts to try and assist other individuals to change or alter a choice so they won't experience what we feel will be negative reactions, rejection, or, worse still, criminal prosecutions. While there is nothing inherently wrong or misguided about our good intentions, the ultimate choice people make is entirely up to them. We can't live other people's lives for them; we don't want to put ourselves in any position that appears or demonstrates that we own their problems or own their choices. These people own their own lives; they make the choices, good or bad.

"Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anyone else expects of you.
Never excuse yourself." by Henry Ward Beecher

Choices. We make hundreds of choices in our lives. Other people make hundreds of choices. We might wish and hope that we can change other peoples' choices so they can avoid potential problems be that drug abuse, alcohol, relationships, parenting and on and on. But, we cannot make choices for others - what we can strive to do is offer constructive opinions or suggestions, when asked, or referrals to professionals who can assist in one's decision-making. A quote by W. Clement Stone may help you, or may help others keep moving forward through the never-ending maze of choices:

"You always do what you want to do. This is true with every act.
You may say that you had to do something, or that you were forced to, but actually, whatever you do, you do by choice.
Only you have the power to choose for yourself."

Before I was a Mom

"Before I was a Mom,
I never tripped over toys
or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not
my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind
and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held down a screaming child
so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night
watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held a sleeping baby just because
I didn't want to put her down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small
could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom,
I didn't know the feeling of
having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel
to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond
between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small
could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night
every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth,
the joy,
the love,
the heartache,
the wonderment
or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,
before I was a Mom."

Happy Mother's Day to all the super Moms out there!

The speeding ticket

Jack took a long look at his speedometer before slowing down: 73 in a 55 zone. Fourth time in as many months. How could a guy get caught so often?

When his car had slowed to 10 miles an hour, Jack pulled over, but only partially.
Let the cop worry about the potential traffic hazard. Maybe some other car will tweak his backside with a mirror. The cop was stepping out of his car, the big pad in hand.

Bob ......Bob from Church !!

Jack sunk farther into his trench coat. This was worse than the coming ticket. A cop catching a guy from his own church. A guy who happened to be a little eager
to get home after a long day at the office. A guy he was about to play golf with tomorrow.

Jumping out of the car, he approached a man he saw every Sunday, a man he'd never seen in uniform.

'Hi, Bob. Fancy meeting you like this.'

'Hello, Jack.' No smile.

'Guess you caught me red-handed in a rush to see my wife and kids.'

'Yeah, I guess.' Bob seemed uncertain. Good.

'I've seen some long days at the office lately. I'm afraid I bent the rules a bit -just this once.'

Jack toed at a pebble on the pavement. 'Diane said something about roast beef and potatoes tonight. Know what I mean?'

'I know what you mean. I also know that you have a reputation in our precinct.'

Ouch. This was not going in the right direction. Time to change tactics.

'What'd you clock me at?'

'Seventy. Would you sit back in your car please?'

'Now wait a minute here, Bob. I checked as soon as I saw you. I was barely nudging 65.' The lie seemed to come easier with every ticket.

'Please, Jack, in the car'

Flustered, Jack hunched himself through the still-open door. Slamming it shut, he stared at the dashboard. He was in no rush to open the window.

The minutes ticked by. Bob scribbled away on the pad. Why hadn't he asked for a driver's license?

Whatever the reason, it would be a month of Sundays before Jack ever sat near this cop again.

A tap on the door jerked his head to the left. There was Bob, a folded paper in hand
Jack rolled down the window a mere two inches, just enough room for Bob to pass him the slip.

'Thanks.' Jack could not quite keep the sneer out of his voice.

Bob returned to his police car without a word. Jack watched his retreat in the mirror. Jack unfolded the sheet of paper. How much was this one going to cost?

Wait a minute. What was this ....... Some kind of joke !!

Certainly not a ticket. Jack began to read:

'Dear Jack, Once upon a time I had a daughter. She was six when killed by a car. You guessed it - a speeding driver. A fine and three months in jail, and the man was free. Free to hug his daughters, all three of them. I only had one, and I'm going to have to wait until Heaven before I can ever hug her again.

A thousand times I've tried to forgive that man. A thousand times I thought I had.
Maybe I did, but I need to do it again. Even now. Pray for me. And be careful, Jack, my son is all I have left.'

'Bob'

Jack turned around in time to see Bob's car pull away and head down the road. Jack watched until it disappeared. A full 15 minutes later, he too, pulled away and drove slowly home, praying for forgiveness and hugging a surprised wife and kids when he arrived.

Life is precious.
Handle with care.
Drive safely and carefully.
Remember, cars are not the only things recalled by their maker.