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Opening Hearts is as Easy as Opening a Window
Two-year-old Owen goes to speech therapy twice a week. The therapist's office is small and gloomy. There is one large window, but the shade is always down and very little light comes through. Each time we go there, I can't help but feel depressed by the atmosphere. Last Tuesday the teacher wanted Owen to repeat words he knows for objects outside. They were sitting on the floor in the middle of the stagnant room. "Say tree," she said to him, and Owen mumbled, "No." "Owen, say tree," the therapist tried again. Owen just stared at her. I could tell the therapist was frustrated, but I could also see that Owen was far from being inspired. For a moment I wished I had stayed in the waiting room, where at least the florescent light keeps things bright and cheery. The therapist tried a new approach: "Owen, can you say bird?" Owen frowned. This certainly isn't going well, I thought. He talks more at home, for Heaven's sake! Then Owen got up from his spot on the floor. He toddled over to the closed window shade and pointed. "Open," he said. "Owen, I need you to pay attention," the therapist said from her place on the floor. "Open," he said again. Finally the therapist joined him at the window and reluctantly opened the shade. Sunlight spilled into the room, casting a new joy and energy throughout that almost seemed tangible. Owen's face brightened. "Bird! Car! Tree!" he yelled excitedly. "Grass! Road!" Two days later, as we were driving into the parking lot for Owen's session, he looked out the car window and pointed. "Open," he said. He smiled triumphantly, looking at the outside of the therapist's window, which now had the shade drawn permanently up. "Well, look at that," I said. "She's kept the window open!" And then suddenly it crossed my mind: With love and God's help, it's even possible for someone as young as two to plant a seed and watch it grow. About The Author **The following MUST be present in any reproduction of this article, and the URL must be actively linked!** Sarah Smiley's syndicated column Shore Duty appears weekly in newspapers across the country. Check out her website www.SarahSmiley.com" target="_new">www.SarahSmiley.com for more information.
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The Power of Courtesy and Kindness I'm currently listening to The Secrets of the Power of Intention audio program by Dr. Wayne Dyer. Who Is Dr Robert Anthony and Why Is He One of My Mentors and Heroes? So who is Dr Robert Anthony?He is the best-selling author of the books 'Doing What You Love - Loving What You Do', 'Advanced Formula For Total Success', 'How To Make The Impossible Possible', 'Total Self-Confidence', 'Betting On Yourself', 'Magic Power Of Super Persuasion', '50 Ideas That Can Change Your Life', 'Random Wisdom' and the audio program 'Rapid Manifestation'.These are all included in his latest multi-media course 'Know How To Be Rich'. Maternal Instincts Direct Answers - Column for the week of October 14, 2002I am a woman in her mid-60s whose husband passed away, and I do not want to enter into a relationship with another man. I have no family in town other than my daughter. Romance - Can It Last? I'm a sucker for romance. I love movies where boy meets girl, boy loses girl and, against all odds, they find their way back to each other. Your Turn On The Holodeck Good morning Roy, good morning Joseth.Roy? You have in your world's history a wonderful example of what life is all about in the physical world and what it is that you are doing here. How To Weather Lifes Inevitable Storms In the Northeast, we have a few months to prepare for winter by gathering firewood, securing windows and doors, and getting furnaces cleaned. As with any change, there is always a period of adjustment required. Money or Faith? I've been to 64-countries, and yes money comes in handy, and goes quickly (and is useful and has its influence), I've had a ton of it at one time or another and an ounce of faith, and I'll take faith any day-why? I'll explain. Anybody who has been in a combated zone, under fire will tell you: '?keep the money, I need faith right now. Create Your Way Out of It When life has you feeling less than happy, and you would like to see things different than they are, here are some tips that can help you.I learned that there IS a way out of and beyond any situation that we are less than happy about. Everybody is Somebody I wrote about my life and all that I have had to go through. I also ended that story with a little bit about how my life has since changed, but I want to take it further. Go On ! Give your Enemy a Hug Another preposterous idea from yours truly, even the thought makes some people shudder.My husband had been having difficulty with an old mate, whenever he met him there were sneers and snide comments. A Little Blessing Changes Everything "We're on a one-game winning streak!" That's what freshman Dawan Boxley said after his basketball team, the Rutgers-Camden Pioneers, beat Bloomfield College 77 to 72, snapping a five-year, 117-game losing streak. Imagine losing every game for five years; how depressing that must have been for the team, the coach, and the entire school! But what a joy when that buzzer sounded and game 118 turned out differently. Hitler and the Tsunami In Catholic school the nuns used to tell us that we should love everyone as we loved Jesus. We didn't have to like them but we had to love them. Charity - Give To Receive! We all know the truism that "charity begins at home." Does it? And what is charity about, anyway? Is it just a square on a Monopoly game to you or is it a regular practice of giving from your abundance to those in need?My American Heritage dictionary has 5 definitions of charity. Healing from Within "We are responsible for everything in our lives, including how the chemistry in our bodies works or doesn't work." Wayne Dyer's words hit me like a bolt of lightening as I listened to his taped book, You'll See It When You Believe It. TIES that BIND I have no idea how it started or who launched it. Nevertheless years after all of the women in my family died (they were the initiators of all of our major family events and thingamajigs). The Priceless Gift of a Knee-High Smile She was just over knee-high standing next to me in the checkout line. I first saw her eyeing a display of candy as she followed her mother and brothers through the store. Take Action and Make a Better World Albert Einstein is quoted as having said, "the world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it".These days, everybody is aware of the social, environmental, emotional and spiritual destruction that penetrates every aspect of our life. Inspiration: A Few More Things Ive Noticed Along the Road So Far Here's a quote from the late great columnist Sydney Harris that I believe says much about the state of marriage in our culture: "Almost no one is foolish enough to imagine that they automatically deserve great success in any field of activity; yet almost everyone believes they automatically deserve success in marriage."One of the best unexpected blessings of marriage is to count the parents of your spouse among your friends. The Emmaus Journal ~ Quietness The Emmaus Journal QuietnessAs a state of being, quietness is in direct contrast to the World we occupy and the American Lifestyle altogether. The perpetual noise index is at its highest peak within our structured cities that now seem to stretch into endless waves of suburbia. Sharing Your Experiences and Your Potential! Who dares to teach must never cease to learn. - John Cotton DanaExample isn't another way to teach, it is the only way to teach.
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