Guest guest Posted November 11, 2005 Report Share Posted November 11, 2005 Wow that was great story. Too true. Jolene Re: Are you happy Narice, Thank You ever so much for sharing this. So much truth in this!!! Ingrid > > > > > 11-10-2005 > > " ARE YOU HAPPY? " > By Bob Perks, Copyright © 2002 > _mailto:Bob@B..._ (mailto:Bob@B...) > > " Daddy, are you happy? " the little girl asked. Her father surprised by > the question replied, " Why yes, I believe I am. " > > " How do you know? " she asked. > > " Well, because I am here with you and that makes me happy, " he replied. > > " So when you are not with me are you still happy? " > > Now, thinking this to be a trick question, the father pauses for a > moment and says, " Yes, I am happy then, but even more so when we are > together. " > > " So being with someone is all you need to be happy? " she asked. > > " No, there's more to it than that, " he replied. " Why are you asking all > of these questions? " > > " I was watching television while you and Mom were at work and the lady > asked that question, " Are you happy? " So I thought I'd find out what it > meant to be happy. I've been asking people all day. " > > " You have? What did you learn? " > > " Well, Mom says she's happy when she is at home. Mr. next door is > happy when he is working in his garden. Grandmom says, she's happy when > she's singing with the choir. " > > " You see, everyone is happy with different things, " Dad added. > > " Except for Mrs. Drake. She said she'll be happy when God calls her home. " > > " That's her faith and love of God. " > > " But if those things make people happy, then they are only happy when > they are doing them. " > > Dad thought about what she said and then added, " Well, people can't be > happy all the time. " > > " Why not? " she asked. > > " Well, what makes you happy? " Dad asked of her. " Are you happy all the > time? " > > " I am happy all the time, because I'm happy to be alive, " she said > looking up at her father. > > Her statement hit him hard. He was nearly breathless. He reached down > for her hand and kissed it gently. Then running his fingers over the > top of her pale, nearly hairless head, he stopped for a moment, reached > down for her chin and gently kissed her on the cheek. > > He had forgotten. He wasn't looking at the world through her eyes, the > eyes of a child fighting for her life. Cancer had stripped her of all > the things a healthy young child takes for granted. The irony of it all > is the child had learned the greatest lesson of all. The lesson it > normally takes a lifetime to learn. > > There is nothing more valuable than life itself. Most of us who are > blessed with good health our entire life search for happiness in the > stuff of life. We are unhappy when we don't have the things that make > us happy. > > I discovered this when my own son, had cancer. I remember there > was this invisible line drawn between us. Up to that point when he had > cancer I could share my fatherly wisdom with him. My own experiences > helped me to relate to his. That is until he faced life and death. > There I stood on one side of the line and he on the other. I could not > say, " I know what you are going through. " > > I learned to look at life through his eyes and still do to this day. For > he has been down the road a bit ahead of me, not by years, but by the > reality of almost losing his life. > > Ask him, " Are you happy? " > > He'll reply, " I'm alive! " > > Everything else are gifts. You can't get much happier than that! > > " Are you happy? " > > " I believe in you! " > Bob Perks, Copyright © 2002 > > Please don't remove my name and contact info! If you are about to copy > this story to share with your friends, please leave my name, email > address. It is a copyrighted story and cannot be edited in any manner. > Thanks! > > Bob Perks is a professional Speaker, Trainer, and author of " The Flight > of a Lifetime! " For information on Topics, Products, how to book Bob for > your next program or to receive FREE weekly messages " I Believe in You! " > visit _http://www.iwishyouenough.com/BobPerks.htm_ > (http://www.iwishyouenough.com/BobPerks.htm) or visit his home page > at _http://www.BobPerks.com_ (http://www.bobperks.com/) > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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