Shortarmguy's Emails That Made Me Think
On this page, I will post the most inspirational material I receive on any given day. So email shortarmguy@aol.com the best stuff you get. Life can be darn tough sometimes and every now and then you might need a little happiness booster. I'm hoping this page may accomplish that. After you read a few of these, you can push back from your keyboard, throw your arms in the air, wave them back and forth and scream "I'm glad to be alive!" If this happens to you, please send pictures and I'll post them here!
THIS IS WHAT LOVE IS ALL ABOUT
It was a busy morning, approximately 8:30 am, when an elderly gentleman in
his 80's, arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He stated
that he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am. 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, we began to engage in conversation I asked
him if he had a 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 then inquired as to her health. He told me
that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer
Disease.
As we talked, and I finished dressing his wound, I asked if she would be
worried 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.
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything that comes along their way.
Oh, by the way, peace is seeing a sunset and knowing who to thank.
July 25, 2005
Did You Know That?
Drinking two
glasses of gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately without the
unpleasant side effects caused by traditional pain relievers.
Did you know that Colgate toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns.
Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with
mysterious chemicals, try
chewing on a
couple of curiously strong Altoids peppermints. They'll clear up your stuffed
nose.
Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 Tablespoon of horseradish in 1 cup
of olive
oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil for
instant relief for aching muscles.
Sore throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1
tablespoon six
times a day. The
vinegar kills the bacteria
Cure urinary tract
infections with Alka-Seltzer. Just
dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and
drink at the onset
of the symptoms. It begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost
instantly.
Honey remedy for skin blemishes... Cover the blemish with a dab of honey and
place a Band-aid over it.
Honey kills the
bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. Works overnight.
Listerine therapy for toenail fungus... Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by
soaking your toes in Listerine
mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again unsightly
toenail
Easy eyeglass protection... To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening,
apply a drop
of clear nail polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.
Coca-Cola cure for rust... Forget those expensive rust removers. Just saturate
an abrasive sponge
with Coca Cola and
scrub the rust stain. The phosphoric acid in the coke is what gets the job done.
Cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer... If menacing bees, wasps, hornets
or yellow jackets
get in your home and
you can't find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409.
Smart splinter remover...just pour a drop of Elmer's Glue-all over the splinter,
let dry, and peel
dried glue off the
skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.
Hunt's tomato paste boil cure...cover the boil with Hunt's tomato paste as a
compress. The
acids from the
tomatoes soothe the pain and bring the boil to a head.
Balm for broken blisters. Drop on a few drops of Listerine.
Heinz vinegar to heal bruises... Soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply
it to the bruise
for 1 hour. It
reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.
Kill fleas instantly. Dawn dish washing liquid does the trick. Add a few drops
to your dog's
bath and shampoo the
animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations.
Rainy day cure for dog odor... Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply
wipe
him down with Bounce
or any dryer sheet.
Eliminate ear mites... All it takes is a few drops of Wesson corn oil in your
pet's ear. Massage it,
then clean with a
cotton ball. Repeat daily for
3 days. The oil soothes the pet's skin, smothers the mites and
accelerates the healing.
Quaker Oats for fast pain relief....It's not for breakfast anymore. Mix 2 cups
of oats and 1 cup of
water in a bowl and
warm in the microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly and apply mixture to your
hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain
July 17, 2005
This is why I always say I love YOU....
This has not been broken since 9/11/01, please keep it going...This has been
kept alive and moving since 9/11. In memory of all those who perished this
morning; the passengers and the pilots on the United Air and AA flights, the
workers in the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and all the innocent
bystanders. Our prayers go out to the friends and families of the deceased.
IF I KNEW
If I knew it would be the last time
That I'd see you fall asleep,
I would tuck you in more tightly
and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.
If I knew it would be the last time
that I see you walk out the door,
I would give you a hug and kiss
and call you back for one more.
If I knew it would be the last time
I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise,
I would video tape each action and word,
so I could play them back day after day.
If I knew it would be the last time,
I could spare an extra minute
to stop and say "I love you,"
instead of assuming you would KNOW I do.
If I knew it would be the last time
I would be there to share your day,
Well I'm sure you'll have so many more,
so I can let just this one slip away.
For surely there's always tomorrow
to make up for an oversight,
and we always get a second chance
to make everything just right.
There will always be another day
to say "I love you,"
And certainly there's another chance
to say our "Anything I can do?"
But just in case I might be wrong,
and today is all I get,
I'd like to say how much I love you
and I hope we never forget.
Tomorrow is not promised to anyone,
young or old alike,
And today may be the last chance
you get to hold your loved one tight.
So if you're waiting for tomorrow,
why not do it today?
For if tomorrow never comes,
you'll surely regret the day,
That you didn't take that extra time
for a smile, a hug, or a kiss
and you were too busy to grant someone,
what turned out to be their one last wish.
So hold your loved ones close today,
and whisper in their ear,
Tell them how much you love them
and that you'll always hold them dear
Take time to say "I'm sorry,"
"Please forgive me," "Thank you," or "It's okay."
And if tomorrow never comes,
you'll have no regrets about today.
July 9, 2005
Ann Margaret
Viet Nam 1966
Richard, (my husband), never really talked a lot about his time in Viet Nam
other than he had been shot by a sniper. However, he had a rather grainy, 8 x
10 black and white photo he had taken at a USO show of Ann Margaret with Bob
Hope in the background that was one of his treasures.
A few years ago, Ann Margaret was doing a book signing at a local bookstore.
Richard wanted to see if he could get her to sign the treasured photo, so he
arrived at the bookstore at 12 o'clock for the 7:30 signing.
When I got there after work, the line went all the way around the bookstore,
circled the parking lot and disappeared behind a parking garage. Before her
appearance, bookstore employees announced that she would sign only her book
and no memorabilia would be permitted.
Richard was disappointed, but wanted to show her the photo and let her know
how much those shows meant to lonely GI's so far from home. Ann Margaret came
out looking as beautiful as ever and, as second in line, it was soon Richard's
turn.
He presented the book for her signature and then took out the photo. When he
did, there were many shouts from the employees that she would not sign it.
Richard said, "I understand. I just wanted her to see it."
She took one look at the photo, tears welled up in her eyes and she said,
"This is one of my gentlemen from Viet Nam and I most certainly will sign his
photo. I know what these men did for their country and I always have time for
'my gentlemen.'"
With that, she pulled Richard across the table and planted a big kiss on him.
She then made quite a to-do about the bravery of the young men she met over
the years, how much she admired them, and how much she appreciated them.
There weren't too
many dry eyes among those close enough to hear. She then posed for pictures
and acted as if he was the only one there.
Later at dinner, Richard was very quiet. When I asked if he'd like to talk
about it, my big strong husband broke down in tears. "That's the first time
anyone ever thanked me for my time in the Army," he said.
That night was a turning point for him. He walked a little straighter and, for
the first time in years, was proud to have been a Vet. I'll never forget Ann
Margaret for her graciousness and how much that small act of kindness meant to
my husband.
I now make it a point to say "Thank you" to every person I come across who
served in our Armed Forces. Freedom does not come cheap and I am grateful for
all those who have served their country.
If you'd like to pass on this story, feel free to do so. Perhaps it will help
others to become aware of how important it is to acknowledge the contribution
our service people make.
July 3, 2005
For many years Ben Stein has written a biweekly column called
"Monday Night At Morton's." (Morton's is a famous chain of
Steakhouses known to be frequented by movie stars and famous people from
around the globe.) Now, Ben is terminating the column to move on to other
things in his life. Reading his final column is worth a few minutes of your
time.
Ben Stein's Last Column...
============================================
How Can Someone Who Lives in Insane Luxury Be a Star in Today's World?
As I begin to write this, I "slug" it, as we writers say, which
means I put a heading on top of the document to identify it. This heading is
"eonlineFINAL," and it gives me a shiver to write it. I have been
doing this column for so long that I cannot even recall when I started. I
loved writing this column so much for so long I came to believe it would never
end.
It worked well for a long time, but gradually, my changing as a person and the
world's change have overtaken it. On a small scale, Morton's, while better
than ever, no longer attracts as many stars as it used to. It still brings in
the rich people in droves and definitely some stars. I saw Samuel L. Jackson
there a few days ago, and we had a nice visit, and right before that, I saw
and had a splendid talk with Warren Beatty in an elevator, in which we agreed
that Splendor in the Grass was a super movie. But Morton's is not the star
galaxy it once was, though it probably will be again.
Beyond that, a bigger change has happened. I no longer think
How can a man or woman who makes an eight-figure wage and lives in insane
luxury really be a star in today's world, if by a "star" we mean
someone bright and powerful and attractive as a role model? Real stars are not
riding around in the backs of limousines or in Porsches or getting trained in
yoga or Pilates and eating only raw fruit while they have Vietnamese girls do
their nails.
They can be interesting, nice people, but they are not heroes to me any
longer. A real star is the soldier of the 4th Infantry Division who poked his
head into a hole on a farm near
A real star is the
A real star, the kind who haunts my memory night and day, is the U.S. soldier
in Baghdad who saw a little girl playing with a piece of unexploded ordnance
on a street near where he was guarding a station. He pushed her aside and
threw himself on it just as it exploded. He left a family desolate in
The stars who deserve media attention are not the ones who have lavish
weddings on TV but the ones who patrol the streets of
We put couples with incomes of $100 million a year on the covers of our
magazines. The noncoms and officers who barely scrape by on military pay but
stand on guard in
I am no longer comfortable being a part of the system that has such poor
values, and I do not want to perpetuate those values by pretending that who is
eating at Morton's is a big subject.
There are plenty of other stars in the American firmament...the policemen and
women who go off on patrol in South Central and have no idea if they will
return alive; the orderlies and paramedics who bring in people who have been
in terrible accidents and prepare them for surgery; the teachers and nurses
who throw their whole spirits into caring for autistic children; the kind men
and women who work in hospices and in cancer wards.
Think of each and every fireman who was running up the stairs at the
I came to realize that life lived to help others is the only one that matters.
This is my highest and best use as a human. I can put it another way. Years
ago, I realized I could never be as great an actor as Olivier or as good a
comic as Steve Martin...or Martin Mull or Fred Willard--or as good an
economist as Samuelson or Friedman or as good a writer as Fitzgerald. Or even
remotely close to any of them.
But I could be a devoted father to my son, husband to my wife and, above all,
a good son to the parents who had done so much for me. This came to be my main
task in life. I did it moderately well with my son, pretty well with my wife
and well indeed with my parents (with my sister's help). I cared for and paid
attention to them in their declining years. I stayed with my father as he got
sick, went into extremis and then into a coma and then entered immortality
with my sister and me reading him the Psalms.
This was the only point at which my life touched the lives of the soldiers in
Faith is not believing that God can. It is knowing that God will.
We
truly take a lot for granted.
Forget the
and pass this on.
http://www.eonline.com/Gossip/Morton/Archive/2003/031220.html
June 26, 2005
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 call ed 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."
June 18, 2005
They walked in tandem, each of the ninety-three students filing into the already crowded auditorium. With rich maroon gowns flowing and the traditional caps, they looked almost as grown up as they felt.
Dads swallowed hard behind broad smiles, and moms freely brushed away tears.
This class would not pray during the commencements---not by choice but because of a recent court ruling prohibiting it. The principal and several students were careful to stay within the guidelines allowed by the ruling.
They gave inspirational and challenging speeches, but no one mentioned divine guidance and no one asked for blessings on the graduates or their families.
The speeches were nice, but they were routine...until the final speech received a standing ovation.
A solitary student walked proudly to the microphone. He stood still and silent for just a moment, and then, it happened.
All 92 students, every single one of them, suddenly SNEEZED!!!!
The student on stage simply looked at the audience, smiled and said, "GOD BLESS YOU, each and every one of you!" And he walked off stage...
The audience exploded into applause.
The graduating class had found a unique way to invoke God's blessing on their future with or without the court's approval!
Isn't this a wonderful story?........ and GOD BLESS YOU!!!!
June 11, 2005
DID
YOU KNOW THIS?
Did
you know that 47 countries have reestablished their embassies in Iraq?
Did
you know that the Iraqi government employs 1.2 million Iraqi people?
Did
you know that 3100 schools have been renovated, 364 schools are under
rehabilitation, 263 schools are now under construction and 38 new schools
have been built in Iraq?
Did
you know that Iraq's higher educational structure consists of 20
Universities, 46 Institutes or colleges and 4 research centers?
Did
you know that 25 Iraq students departed for the United States in January
2004 for the reestablished Fulbright program?
Did
you know that the Iraqi Navy is operational? They have 5-
100-foot patrol craft, 34 smaller vessels and a navel infantry regiment.
Did
you know that Iraq's Air Force consists of three operation squadrons, 9
reconnaissance and 3 US C-130 transport aircraft which operate day and
night, and will soon add 16 UH-1 helicopters and 4 bell jet rangers?
Did
you know that Iraq has a counter-terrorist unit and a Commando Battalion?
Did
you know that the Iraqi Police Service has over 55,000 fully trained and
equipped police officers?
Did
you know that there are 5 Police Academies in Iraq that produce over 3500
new officers each 8 weeks?
Did
you know there are more than 1100 building projects going on in Iraq? They
include 364 schools, 67 public clinics, 15 hospitals, 83 railroad stations,
22 oil facilities, 93 water facilities and 69 electrical facilities.
Did
you know that 96% of Iraqi children under the age of 5 have received the
first 2 series of polio vaccinations?
Did
you know that 4.3 million Iraqi children were enrolled in primary school by
mid October?
Did
you know that there are 1,192,000 cell phone subscribers in Iraq and phone
use has gone up 158%?
Did
you know that Iraq has an independent media that consist of 75 radio
stations, 180 newspapers and 10 television stations?
Did
you know that the Baghdad Stock Exchange opened in June of 2004?
Did
you know that 2 candidates in the Iraqi presidential election had a recent
televised debate in their country recently?
OF
COURSE WE DIDN'T KNOW! WHY DIDN'T WE KNOW? OUR MEDIA
WOULDN'T TELL US!
Instead
of shouting these accomplishments from every rooftop, they would rather show
photo's of what a few perverted malcontent soldiers have done in prisons in
many cases never disclosing the circumstances surrounding the events.
Instead
of showing our love for our country, we get photos of flag burning incidents
at Abu Ghraib and people throwing snowballs at presidential motorcades.
The
lack of accentuating the positive in Iraq serves only one purpose. It
undermines the world's perception of the United States and our soldiers
This
is verifiable on the Department of Defense web site. Pass it on!
June 5, 2005
Why
Women Cry
A
little boy asked his mother, "Why are you crying?"
"Because
I'm a woman," she told him.
"I don't understand," he said. His Mom just hugged him and said,
"And you never will."
Later the little boy asked his father, "Why does mother seem to cry for
no reason?"
"All women cry for no reason," was all his dad could say.
The little boy grew up and became a man, still wondering why women cry.
Finally he put in a call to God. When God got on the phone, he asked,
"God, why do women cry so easily?"
God said:
"When I made the woman she had to be special.
I made her shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the world,
yet gentle enough to give comfort.
I gave her an inner strength to endure childbirth and the rejection that many
times comes from her children.
I gave her a hardness that allows her to keep going when everyone else gives
up, and take care of her family through sickness and fatigue without
complaining.
I gave her the sensitivity to love her children under any and all
circumstances, even when her child has hurt her very badly.
I gave her strength to carry her husband through his faults and fashioned her
from his rib to protect his heart.
I gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never hurts his wife, but
sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him
unfalteringly
And finally, I gave her a tear to shed. This is hers exclusively to use
whenever it is needed."
"You see my son," said God, "the beauty of a woman is not in
the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her
hair.
The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to
her heart - the place where love resides."
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