Lessons on Life

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.

When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen. The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted. The second son said no it was covered with green buds and full of promise.

The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.

The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.

If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.


Moral lessons:

Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.

Don't judge life by one difficult season.

A Real Friend

REAL FRIEND TEST!
This is GOOD...I expect it back too!
I especially like the last sentence!!!!!!

A simple friend, when visiting, acts like a guest.
A real friend opens your refrigerator and helps himself
and doesn't feel even the least bit weird shutting your
'beer/Pepsi drawer' with her foot!

A simple friend has never seen you cry.
A real friend shoulder is soggy from your tears..

A simple friend doesn't know your parents' first
names.
A real friend has their phone numbers
in his address book.

A simple friend brings a bottle of wine to your
party.
A real friend comes early to help you cook and
stays late to help you clean.

A simple friend hates it when you call after
they've gone to bed.
A real friend asks you why you took so long to
call.

A simple friend seeks to talk with you about your
problems.
A real friend seeks to help you with your problems.

A simple friend wonders about your romantic
history.
A real friend could blackmail you with it!

A simple friend thinks the friendship is over when
you have an argument.
A real friend calls you after you had a fight.

A simple friend expects you to always be there for
them.
A real friend expects to always be there for you!