Everybody, in today’s world wants happiness and is striving to work for it. But what happens when this happiness is turned into pain or the small, little pleasure of our life become difficult due to the various complexities we create around us? This is to say, what if, the pleasures in which you seek happiness such as aesthetic beauty, being wealthy, success, health, talent etc., turns into pain or, what if, the distinction between pain and pleasure is wiped out?

This quality where one seeks for happiness and these small pleasures, is an inherent quality which is present in all human beings and this is mainly because human beings wants to create a world around them where they can enjoy everything. Thus, from the time, when we are children, we feel comfortable when our parents cuddle us and care for us. As we grow, we seek pleasure in our loved ones company or when someone compliments us. But, when it comes to survival in this world, then these pleasures have to be left behind and we need to function beyond these small pleasures in order to gain happiness.

Since, most of people have wrong notions about what constitutes pleasure, they tend to think that anything which gives them respite, is pleasure. Also, some live in a mode denial and since, they aren’t able to achieve true happiness and can’t remain content, they tend to seek respite in pleasure only. Therefore, beauty, wealth are certain things which gives everyone respite as then they can impress anyone and these then become pleasure for them. But these tend to give them respite for a very short duration and hence, pleasure become pain, from this particular moment as it starts interfering in our daily lives.

We all our faced by certain situations in our daily lives where we tend articulate and analyze various doubts, apprehensions, and even our small little joys and then we make choices for these small pleasures. The small pleasures become difficult at a time when you want to escape from certain situations and at the same time, a feeling to belong constantly faces you. Pleasures, whether they give pain or not, tends to hamper our growth and even make us stereotype people. For example, beauty gives us short-term respite; so all those things, which are not beautiful according to our own set standards, are rejected, and are judged on the basis of their appearance. Most of the seven deadly sins are committed because we are always seeking these pleasures.

Pleasures can be made difficult, only when you start making clear distinctions between what is characterized as pain and as pleasure. Such distinctions, makes you not only stereotype a certain category, but your mind starts functioning in a certain way, which will never make you and all you be facing is short term respite which you wrongly term as happiness. Although it may boost your confidence, makes you feel good, but trying going beyond the set standards and conventions. Start pondering and introspecting and then you will be a step closer to attain peace and happiness in true sense.

 

Love: The Loftier the View, the Shallower the Base

It is outright stupidity to claim to understand love, because love it is not meant to be understood. This is the problem with young people today. They claim to have an insight into everything around them but what they miss out is the futility of the entire exercise of comprehending love, in the first place.

I have many friends who also have many friends. They, in turn, have many boyfriends and girlfriends. Since these young people are in relationships, they believe they’ve figured out the secrets of the world in an instant. Any relationship that lasts for more than a year becomes the hallmark or the archetype of a perfect relationship and of undying love.

I am not saying that that could not be the case. For the sake of my friends, I hope it almost always is. But to deny or refuse what is staring you in the face is an act of absurdity and stupidity that I would rather not indulge in. This is because I have had my fair share and more of love problems. I do not profess to be a love guru, not by miles. But I do profess to have studied, analyzed and observed some of the basic underlying issues from which dissent arises.

Allow me to share the most obvious ones with you.

However, the same is not the case with love. On several occasions, my friends have come up to me to ask, “How do I love him (or her)?” Or, “why do I hate him (or her) and at the same time love him (or her)?”Don’t understand love experience it. I know that at best, it sounds mushy, cheesy and clichéd, but that is actually how love is. Let me give you a very twisted logic. Have you ever had problems with feeling sad? You couldn’t probably understand why you are upset but there is no ambiguity as far as the emotion and its consequences are concerned.

That’s just the problem. Love has been romanticized, valorised and glorified to such an extent that we have thought so much more about it but have forgotten how to experience it. The problem lies in our thinking about it a bit too much. This problem gets much worse when people like me, who have studied, analyzed and observed relationships, formulate certain principles they wish to live by. If I were in love someday, I would…Period. Problem!!!

What we end up doing is to create ideals and notions much higher than our inbuilt tolerance scale. Neither would I ever be jealous nor would I fight unnecessarily. Instead, I would this…I would that. If it were as easy as that, the whole world would be in love of the undying kind.

Love is always evolving, which means it’s neither static nor fixed. It is an entity that you construct

as you experience it. The problem arises when you create lofty ideals about the person you love and end up with an ideal that you cannot live up to. This brings on a whole lot of disappointment when the ideal manifests itself in the relationship. In hindsight, you find that achieving love itself was impossible because you lose out on the good things of what a relationship does to you and can offer you.

A relationship is not about being perfect together but about being different and yet being together. When you work around those differences, with them and within them, you achieve the hallmark of love.

By this, by no means do you lower your standards but become realistic and avoid getting into an abusive relationship, be ill-treated or any such thing because undoubtedly, you know where to draw the line.

The loftier the view means the shallower the base. Whenever we have had instances of people having strong rigid views about anything at all, the consequences have been dramatic and destructive. Why would the life of an individual be any different?

Tama Kieves – Someone once asked Maharajji how to meditate. The guru told him, Meditate like Jesus. The devotee asked how do you meditate like Jesus He was hungry for direction.

Maharajji fell silent, slipping into a state of bliss. Tears streamed down his face. He answered he lost himself in love.

Kieves goes on to say that some of her consulting clients would much prefer that she give them assessment tests or read their tea leaves. It’s just that no one really wants to discover their own answer, feel their way through the unknown, let go of all the chatter and fear that they don’t have an answer, and lose themselves in love.

But it’s the only thing I want to offer them. I want them to experience their own unprecedented Power, their own irreplaceable genius, Kieves writes. The best part about the Science of Mind teaching is that this is a do-it-yourself Spiritual Path. No one proclaims to have the answers for you.

We have the tools that can help you, but you have to do your own work. This is scary for some, but liberating for others. All the Power you’ll ever need lies within you at this moment. May you have the courage to create the life of your dreams?

All the GOOD I can Embody, is Now Mine.

 The constant struggle of discovering yourself

K was a nice guy. He had many friends and many more well-wishers. There was hardly anyone in college who had anything even remotely negative to say about him. He was one of those guys—the one who elicits the jealousy of all those around him because he is so good—in fact, he was the perfect guy. He was courteous and would pull out a chair for a friend, he was chivalrous and would defend any woman and he was fun and would liven up every party. For all those who saw him, he had got everything right. He was just that lucky!!

Very few of us genuinely comprehend the human psyche. It is never as simple as we make it out to be. There are layers and layers of understanding that we never delve into. Everyone faces a dilemma on almost a daily basis. The dilemma is not about the archaic struggle between good and evil or choosing right over wrong. It is something more fundamental.

It is the choice we make that decides who we are. Our identity is the basis for all else that a person thrives on, often referred to as one’s self-esteem, self-worth or self-confidence. Further, one’s identity is never fixed. It needs definition, is fluid and requires to be worked on. Take K, for instance. He was a brilliant guy but that did not mean he had it all easy. He chose to be brilliant every day and every second.

You don’t need K as a case study to know what I am talking about. You experience it everyday. It’s just that you don’t realize what this decision-making entails. The dilemma is so instantaneous and short-lived that to imagine its effects over something as essential as one’s identity is incomprehensible, and rightly so!

To want to have another drink when you know you can’t hold your drinks, to be nice to someone when you believe that they deserve otherwise, to keep your voice low so as to not step out of the boundaries of a civilized argument…when have we not found ourselves in some or all of these situations?

If you are known for your self-control, you would want to hold back on your drink and when you are known to be aggressively rude, you would scream and curse even when you are in the wrong. Really, this is all about how you see yourself.

A lot of teenage angst is directed towards exactly such a crisis. How to achieve an equilibrium between how the world sees me and how I want to be seen? This is the eternal teenage dilemma, though it never really goes away because it can’t. And this is because you can never fully create a defined bounded identity for yourself that corresponds perfectly to how people see you and remain satisfied with it. It just can’t be.

There is a very powerful saying, “You are what you pretend to be!” You cannot escape the demands that society makes on you, but you must live with them. These demands shape you into what you are here and now.

A lot of teenagers face this problem. This stage in their lives is especially precarious for them as they do not know what to do. They observe everything around them and want to imitate what they see, believing those behavior patterns to be correct. Cheerleaders are popular and jocks are famous—it’s perceptions like these that color their vision of life. They are also too young to risk breaking a behavior pattern, so they mold themselves into that pattern. Some succeed, while others fail.

K had a very close friend called J. They had been friends for the longest time. Their first memories were that of playing together even as little children. They had faced all of life’s experiences together—their first low score, their first crush, their first love disappointment—they were together in everything.

However, to an outsider who did not know the dynamics of this relationship, it seemed highly improbable that there was so much in common between K and J because they were so different from each other. J was the Oxford definition of an introvert. He rarely talked and avoided crowds. He was one of those guys who passed by you unnoticed more often than not.

What was J afraid of—company, friends or conversations? None of these—J was afraid of being vulnerable. He was afraid of putting himself out there and then being judged for it. He was a regular smart kid. But for all his intelligence, he could not comprehend why anyone would jump to label him as one kind or another the moment he chose to talk.

However, what he didn’t realize was that this labeling was almost a reflex action, at least for most teenagers. And by not speaking in public to those around him, he was being labeled an introvert anyway.

It wasn’t as if J didn’t care of the world’s opinion of him. How could he not care? After all, K was his closest friend and the obvious difference between them was difficult to ignore. He saw how K mingled with all kinds of people, was loved by everyone and was popular everywhere. And then he saw that he was just the opposite—he wasn’t loved by those around him. On the contrary, J did care but didn’t know how to express his feelings.

The point is not to give the reader a powerful insight into how to solve the ever-present teenage dilemma because this isn’t possible. You cannot have a magic potion that tells you exactly who you are supposed to be and should be. That is something you have to find out for yourself. The point is to not give up the fight, nor to give in. This dilemma is natural and almost normal. Live it through and someday you will be able to confidently say, “I am what I am!”

PS: J and K both grew up to extremely successful gentlemen with loving wives and beautiful children. Most importantly, their earliest memories were still those of them playing together!

Part 1
Becky Kospanova

On August 12, the Summer Olympic Games of 2012 in London have come to a spectacular end. The United States earned 104 medals including 46 gold, 29 silver, and 29 bronze, outperforming all the other countries by a big margin. China, Russian Federation, and Great Britain have also impressed the world community by receiving 88, 82, and 65 medals respectively. All in all, 204 countries participated in 2012 Summer Olympics and 79 of them have earned Olympic medals.

The Olympic Games is probably the only worldwide event which brings forward the best in people of all nationalities-celebration of human body and spirit, patriotism, pride in their compatriots, and true respect for athletes from different parts of the world. Religious, ideological, national, and political differences are put aside; and everywhere, people wholeheartedly embrace heart and soul of the Olympic Games. When and why did the tradition of holding Olympic Games start?

The very first Olympic Games were held in ancient Greece because Greek culture valued physical and mental health, strength, and beauty to a great degree. The first recorded Olympic competition took place in 776 BC and held only one event — the 192-meter race. It was won by a cook named Coroebus (interesting trivia-he was so far ahead of his competitors that in the middle of the race he stopped to have some wine to fortify himself)! Who thus became the very first Olympian champion! As a result, the tradition to have
Competitions every four years, or Olympiad, as that was the way the Greeks recorded their history, was born.

For the first 13 Olympiads, only races were held; but over the years, other sports such as pentathlon (which included sprint, wrestling, javelin, jumping, and discus) and pancration (combination of wrestling and boxing) were added. At first, only Greeks were allowed to compete but eventually, athletes from Roman Empire were allowed to participate as well. After the Roman victory over Greece in 100 BC, the initial emphasis on personal honor, physical strength, and achievement gave way to glory-seeking and Olympic spirit deteriorated. In 394 AD, the Christian Roman Emperor Theodosius the First abolished the Olympic Games because he believed that they were the manifestations of pagan beliefs.

Starting in the 17th century, various sporting events were held in England and France which tried to revive the Olympic traditions. In the 19th century, many Greek intellectuals and businessmen called for the reconstitution of the Olympic Games and in 1856, Evangelos and Konstantinos Zappas, wealthy Greek-Romanian brothers, offered to sponsor first Olympic Games which were held in 1859 in Athens between Greek and Turkish sportsmen. Moreover, the brothers financed the restoration of the Panathinaiko Stadium where first official Olympic Games were held in 1896 and where athletes from 14 countries competed in 43 events.

Many people rejoiced at the rebirth of the Olympiad and suggested that all subsequent Games were to be held at the Panathinaiko Stadium. However, the International Olympic Committee, founded in 1890 by
French educationalist and historian Pierre de Coubertin, disagreed. It was decided that the Olympic Games will be rotated internationally every four years. As such, the 31st summer Olympiad of 2016 is coming to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil!

What the Hell is wrong with the people that run this country!

 Someone please tell me what the Hell’s is wrong with the people that run this country, Republicans and Democrats alike. When the Democrats had control of the House and Senate; they were not able to accomplish much as they were to busy in fighting amongst themselves and letting the people who really needed their help down.

The Republicans have only been interested in how much money they can keep in their donor’s pocket even if it comes from the poor and middle class, while blaming the Democrats for spending too much; at the same time using their office too protect the special interest groups that fund their campaigns.

Do you really know what the major reason the US is “broke”; and why we cannot help seniors, veterans, and orphans, homeless? It is because in the last few years alone, America has provided aid to Haiti, Chile, Pakistan, Libya, Egypt and Turkey and Japan, literally, billions of dollars in aide.

America should and always try and help those in the world that need humanitarian assistance when disasters occur. But forgetting our retired seniors living on a ‘fixed income’ by cutting the little income they now receive and leavening with little or no aid. These citizens don’t get any breaks while our government and religious organizations pour Billions of dollars and tons of food to foreign countries! The people of America should come first!

We have hundreds of adoptable children who are shoved aside to make room for the adoption of foreign orphans; does that make any sense? America the richest country in the world that has millions homeless without shelter, children going to bed hungry, elderly going without ‘needed’ medicine, and mentally ill without treatment.

Yet politicians strived to make sure to pass bills for people around the world every session. Ships and planes are lining up around the country right now with food, water, tents clothes, bedding, doctors and medical supplies, being shipped out while people at home are starving.

Imagine if the government gave the people of America that same support to those in need here at home, that they give to other countries. We would not have a hunger and homeless problem. Their actions gives the impression that the US government cares more about other people in the world than it does for it’s own citizens.

Changing those elected is not the problem; the problem is changing how they think when it comes to the needs of all America’s citizens!

 

 

A guy is driving around the back woods of Montana and he sees a sign in front of a broken down shanty-style house: ‘Talking Dog For Sale ‘.He rings the bell and the owner appears and tells him the dog is in the backyard.

The guy goes into the backyard and sees a nice looking Labrador retriever sitting there.

‘You talk?’ he asks. ‘Yep,’ the Lab replies.

After the guy recovers from the shock of hearing a dog talk, he says ‘So, what’s your story?’ The Lab looks up and says, ‘Well, I discovered that I could talk when I was pretty young.

I wanted to help the government, so I told the CIA.

In no time at all they had me jetting from country to country, sitting in rooms with spies and world leaders, because no one figured a dog would be eavesdropping.’

‘I was one of their most valuable spies for eight years running.

But the jetting around really tired me out,and I knew I wasn’t getting any younger so I decided to settle down. I signed up for a job at the airport to do some undercover security, wandering near suspicious characters and listening in. I uncovered some incredible dealings and was awarded a batch of medals. I got married, had a mess of puppies, and now I’m just retired.’

The guy is amazed. He goes back in and asks the owner what he wants for the dog.

‘Ten dollars,’ the guy says.

‘Ten dollars?  This dog is amazing!  Why on earth are you selling him so cheap?’

‘Because he’s a liar. He’s never been out of the yard’

 

E. VirGinia Johnson “Genii”

GRATITUDE IS A Spiritual Practice that allows us to be grateful for Life, it is easy to be grateful when everything is going well. But what happens when things are not going the way we’d like? True gratitude means giving thanks for everything.

Gratitude is a consistent practice that flows in the wisdom teachings of the world. Jesus was a great example of this practice. Whenever he did his healing work, he gave even before the work was done.

In regard to living your purpose and being guided by your vision, it is Powerful Practice to give thanks in advance for the fulfillment of your vision. In spite of the appearance, give thanks. When you expected something that did not materialize, Trust that you are being guided to open to something greater than you have imagined and give thanks anyway. Gratitude is Creative Energy that creates more for which to be grateful.

Here is a Practice that you can do. Try it for the next seven days. Every morning, list five things for which you are grateful. It is important that you write them down. At night before you go to bed, write five things for which you were grateful that happened during the day. Commit to this for one week, and your life will begin to transform.

God Bless, One Love, Jah Guide

 

Are America’s ultra conservative laws becoming it’s financial downfall?

There really is simple ways to fix America financial and job problems, but we must be willing to think out side of the Box in order to make it happen! The only hope of turning the economy around really rest on three laws, that must be amended, over turned, or struck down in order for full long term recovery to happen.

1. Change the tax Laws for the upper 2%
2. Immigration laws reform
3. Legalize Cannabis/Marijuana

All of us must agree that both Medicare and Social Security should be overall, but only if it does not impact senior citizens or the disable.It is said that the US has always been controlled by a small minority, mostly white, extremely wealthy that have use their wealth and influences to created fear misinformation by manipulating and spinning half truths, that has influence the public, in order to maintain power over Americans. They specialize in securing lobbyist to do there bidding in Congress for support of laws that allow them to maintain that power and control. It is said they will fight any changes to these laws.

The government must adjust, amend or strike down these laws, which are undermining the very fabric of our financial and cultural systems. All they have done is create debt and wasteful spending while inciting fear. Has to be done America is going to get out of this mess.

TA X INCREASE, which is included in most sound genuine recovery plans, I agree that reforming the tax laws, but with a plan guaranteeing millions of long-term non-government jobs if implemented. Make it perfectly clear, that not one of these jobs related to this tax plan would be a Federal job!

By taxing the upper 2% of those with higher incomes, in order to address the nations debt and job issues is a must. Congress continues to make emotional political decisions, with little regards to sound reasoning passing plans that only hurt Americans, and will not work. Again they need to think out side of the box.

The 2% affected by the tax increase should have the option to pay the increase to the government, or use the exact amount of the tax due, to hire long-term employees. Perfect for providing; job opportunities for veterans. Of course employers must be able to justify hiring additional employees, this can be achieved by adjusting the products or services that their company provide to match the demands of China, India, Indonesia, and other large populated countries and create much needed job opportunities for veterans and help off set the US debt with China. This plan should be agreeable for the House GOP.

IMMIGRATION LAWS REFORM is a must. Instead of spending millions of dollars on preventing illegal aliens from illegally entering America, let these potential illegal aliens, allegedly paying coyotes/smugglers $4,000/$7,000 per person on average to be smuggle into the US, pay the US.

Instead of this money going to smugglers/drug lords, change the laws so that fees can be paid to the US towards an application for applying for legal entry status. This plan if implemented would also deal major blows to the drug lords, who use the illegal aliens to smuggle drugs.

LEGALIZING CANNABIS/Marijuana would eliminate nearly 500 Billions dollar (DEA budget, http://www.drugwarfacts.org/cms/Marijuana), that is spent annually fighting drug smuggling, not to mention the billions of dollars in aid to Mexico, Columbia and other countries in support of the drug war. These laws put in place by the US, create the drug wars, and in order for it to end the law has to be, abolish.

This drug law in theory is racist, and based on conservative moralist thinking, with the intent and willingness to control others. Fighting a drug war supported by the Americans, which creates the need for smugglers, is crazy. Americans use some $250,000,000 of marijuana/cannabis annually.

The majority of cannabis, smuggle into the US is grown in Mexico. Tax the users, same as taxing alcohol cigarettes, etc. This would also allow the DEA to concentrate it focus on the 4 or five countries that grow, process and produce cocaine and heroin, the roots of drug addiction around the world. Unlike cannabis, which is grown everywhere in, the world cocaine and heroin is harvest in only a few countries.

I also agree that both the Medicare and Social Security systems should be overall. There is no reason for anyone making over $250,000 a year should receive Medicare or Social Security benefits even if they are older than 65. The younger generations are living heather longer, and I have no problem in the enrollment age limit being raised to 67, for all citizens under 55 years of age.

It is well-known facts that America ‘s infrastructure is falling apart in the US, which can be used to provide job opportunities for all able veterans, waiting to happen.

A good idea I endorse is Americans should by American made, products and services if possible!

These are my ideas; get involve, let you legislators know yours.

AIRLINE CAPTAIN:

Anonymous

He writes:

My lead flight attendant came to me and said, “We have an H.R. On this flight.” (H.R. Stands for

Human remains.) “Are they military?” I asked.

‘Yes’, she said.

‘Is there an escort?’ I asked.

‘Yes, I already assigned him a seat’.

Would you please tell him to come to the flight deck. You can board him early,” I said.

A short while later, a young army sergeant entered the flight deck. He was the image of the perfectly

Dressed soldier.

He introduced himself and I asked him about his soldier. The escorts, of these fallen soldiers talk about them

as if they are still alive and still with us.

‘My soldier is on his way back to Virginia,  he said.

He proceeded to answer my questions, but offered no words.

I asked him if there was anything I could do for him and he said no. I told him that he had the toughest job

In the military and that I appreciated the work that he does for the families of our fallen soldiers.

The first officer and I got up out of our seats to shake his hand. He left the flight deck to find his seat.

We completed our preflight checks, pushed back and performed an uneventful departure.

About 30 minutes into our flight I received a call from the lead flight attendant in the cabin.

‘I just found out the family of the soldier we are carrying, is on board’, she said. She then proceeded to tell me that the father, mother, wife and 2-year old daughter were escorting their son, husband, and father home. The family was upset because they were unable to see the container that the soldier was in before we left. We were on our way to a major hub at which the family was going to wait four hours for the connecting flight home to Virginia …

The father of the soldier told the flight attendant that knowing his son was below him in the cargo compartment and being unable to see him was too much for him and the family to bear. He had asked the flight attendant if there was anything that could be done to allow them to see him upon our arrival. The family wanted to be outside by the cargo door to watch the soldier being taken off the airplane. I could hear the desperation in the flight attendants voice when she asked me if there was anything I could do. ‘I’m on it I said. I told her that I would get back to her.

Airborne communication with my company normally occurs in the form of e-mail like messages.

I decided to bypass this system and contact my flight dispatcher directly on a secondary radio.

There is a radio operator in the operations control center who connects you to the telephone of the dispatcher.

I was in direct contact with the dispatcher. I explained the situation I had on board with the

Family and what it was the family wanted.

He said he understood and that he would get back to me.

Two hours went by and I had not heard from the dispatcher. We were going to get busy soon and I needed to know

What to tell the family.

I sent a text message asking for an update. I saved the return message from the dispatcher and the following

Is the text, ‘Captain, sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. There is policy on this now and I had to check on a few things.

Upon your arrival a dedicated escort team will meet the aircraft.

The team will escort the family to the ramp and plane side. A van will be used to load the remains with a

secondary van for the family. The family will be taken to their departure area and escorted into the terminal where the remains can be seen on the ramp. It is a private area for the family only.

 

When the connecting aircraft arrives, the family will be escorted onto the ramp and plane side to watch the

remains being loaded for the final leg home. Captain, most of us here in flight control are veterans. Please pass our condolences on to the family. Thanks.’

I sent a message back telling flight control thanks for a good job. I printed out the message and gave it to the

lead flight attendant to pass on to the father. The lead flight attendant was very thankful and told me,  You have no idea how much this will mean to them.’

Things started getting busy for the descent, approach and landing. After landing, we cleared the runway and taxied to

the ramp area.

The ramp is huge with 15 gates on either side of the alleyway. It is always a busy area with aircraft maneuvering every which way to enter and exit.

When we entered the ramp and checked in with the ramp controller, we were told that all traffic was being held for us.

He did that and the ramp controller said, ‘Take your time.’

I stopped the aircraft and set the parking brake. I pushed the public address button and said, ‘Ladies and gentleman, this is your Captain speaking I have stopped short of our gate to make a special announcement. We have a passenger on board who deserves our honor and respect.

His Name is Private XXXXXX, a soldier who recently lost his life. Private XXXXXX is under your feet in the cargo hold. Escorting him today is Army Sergeant XXXXXXX. Also, on board are his father, mother, wife, and daughter. Your entire flight crew is asking for all passengers to remain in their seats to allow the family to exit the aircraft first. Thank you.’

We continued the turn to the gate, came to a S top and started our shutdown procedures.

A couple of minutes later I opened the cockpit door. I found the two forward flight attendants crying, something you just do not see.

I was told that after we came to a stop, every passenger on the aircraft stayed in their seats, waiting for the family to exit the aircraft.

When the family got up and gathered their things, a passenger slowly started to clap his hands. Moments later more passengers joined in and soon the entire aircraft were clapping.

Words of God Bless You’, I’m sorry, thank you, be proud, and other kind words were uttered to the family as they made their way down the aisle and out of the airplane. They were escorted down to the ramp to finally be with their loved one.

Many of the passengers disembarking thanked me for the announcement I had made.

They were just words, I told them, I could say them over and over again, but nothing I say will bring back that brave soldier.

I respectfully ask that all of you reflect on this event and the sacrifices that millions of our men and women have made to ensure our freedom and safety in these United States of America …

Footnote:

As a Viet Nam Veteran I can only think of all the veterans including the ones that r o de below the deck on their way home and how they were treated.

When I read things like this I am proud that our country has not turned their backs on our soldiers returning

from the various war zones today and give them the respect they so deserve.

I know every one who has served their country who reads this will have tears in their eyes, including me.

Prayer chain for our Military… Don’t break it!

Please send this on after a short prayer for our service men and women.

Don’t break it!

They die for me and mine and you and yours and deserve our honor and respect.

May is the month to remember our fallen veterans.

Observe Memorial Day!