HeartWARMING STORIES

Love in any language straight from the heart.....

   Lend Me Your Hands

I am an avid reader, and during my journeys through various fertile pages, I often come across interesting stories, here is one of them:

An American World War 2 platoon (not sure if platoon, forgot) had set up their camp near a German village, the war was finally ending. To celebrate their victory, and as a gesture of peace and goodwill, the soldiers offered the German villagers any wish. The villagers thought hard. Finally they asked the Americans to help them rebuild the village statue which was destroyed because of stray artillery fire. The statue was that of Jesus Christ. The soldiers and the villagers worked hard, day and night, to find the statue's broken pieces and put them back together. Fortunately they were able to find all the pieces and put them back together, all except for Jesus' two hands. After they unveiled the statue, the soldiers nailed a bronze (not sure again) plate on the base of the statue with these words carved on to it: "I HAVE NO HANDS, WILL YOU LEND ME YOURS?". So, will you?

Augustine Martin K. Tan

renoraider@yahoo.com

Philippines

Drying the Tears

A lot of people think that going through a heartache or a relationship lost is the greatest pain one could ever experience. I was definitely one of those people who thought that way until I realized that there is something far greater and more painful than having a broken heart.

The pain I experienced, one excruciating Sunday, was certainly the worst a person could ever feel. It was early morning when the beeping of my cell phone suddenly awakened me from a very peaceful sleep. At around 9 a.m, I was groping for my phone somewhere around my bed and under my pillows since I have the habit of propelling too much when sleeping. As usual, I expected to read morning messages from friends who always take the time to remind me that friendship still reigns despite distance and time. This is my typical Sunday morning, or so I thought.

After ten minutes of exploration, I successfully managed to locate my phone and quickly opened it with much anticipation. However as I scrolled down my inbox, much to my excitement, I was shocked and horrified with what I was reading. The messages contained one same thing: My friend was dying. I found it hard to breathe at that moment. It was as if everything stopped around and inside of me. I could not move. I could not think. I could not believe.

I struggled for strength and words. I wanted to know more about what happened but somehow, a part of me was also hesitant to know. I was afraid of what I might hear. Sometimes, it is easier and less painful when you don’t know.

Suddenly, the cacophony outside suddenly snapped me out from the deafening silence that was contending inside of me. I was then brought back to the reality I was too afraid to face. At that time, I wished that it would have been better if I had not woken up from my sleep.

When I finally gained a little courage, I called up a friend and nervously asked for details on this awful news. My friend, who was obviously sobbing, frantically told me that our dear friend had been hit by a jeepney last night while she was on her way home from a party, and that she was being operated as we spoke.

Upon hearing those dreadful words, an immense anger was raging inside of me. I was furious at the careless drunk driver. I was mad at her friends who persuaded her to go to the party even if she didn’t really want to in the first place. Most of all, I was angry at myself because I was not there for her. I felt helpless because I was miles away from her. I wanted to see her but at the same time, I was fearful to see her suffering. My heart could not even bear to think of the pain she was going through. I was told that almost all of her ribs were broken and that even if she were to survive, she would only suffer more since she was already brain dead.

Everything seemed very distant to me. It was as if I was being stabbed in the chest over and over but I still could not feel a thing. I was immobilized. It took me while to let the news sink in. I didn’t want to face the reality. I was scared of the things to come.

Indeed, sometimes God really plays jokes on people. Often we are being shown of what we are most afraid to see. The words that we dread to hear the most are usually spoken the loudest. That’s how I felt that time. It was like someone was playing a very silly joke on me. I wish that were the case.

The truth then finally hit me. Moments later, I was informed that my dear friend didn’t survive…I was crushed into pieces. The pain I felt was unbearable. It seemed so unfair that she had to die that way and that soon. She had a beautiful life ahead of her. I knew she would have wanted to live. She wanted to fight but God must have needed her so much that He wouldn’t let go of her. I became angry at Him. I just couldn’t understand why He had to get her so soon. I could not accept.

Two weeks had passed since my friend’s tragic death. I am still trying to figure out why it had to happen. Even now, I am finding it hard to move on. It’s just so difficult to let go of someone who means so much to you.

Letting go has never been easy. Losing someone will always be painful. But then I know that in time I have to let go, and for me to do this, I need to forgive myself. Forgiving others is easier than forgiving ourselves. Somehow, I must forgive myself for not being there for her. I must forgive myself for not letting her know how much our friendship means to me. I know that she knows this, in some ways, I believe I got my message across.

Moreover, letting go requires acceptance. To let go is to accept, and acceptance takes time. In my own pace, I am slowly striving to loosen my grip. As much as I don’t want to, I just know that I need to. Surely, my friend would have agreed with me.

Without a doubt, the agony of losing someone is unbearable. But as Leo Buscaglia put it: “There is no holding on, that we must let go, that there is nothing wrong with tears of parting or the pain of mourning. But the tears eventually must be dried.” Slowly, I am now drying my tears…

Margarita Regina D. Araneta

You Choose To Be

  Real is when you finally begin to see and know yourself as you are. No pretensions. You may not appreciate the real in you, but it is who you are. You can either choose to hate it or be better.

  This is an excerpt from my book entitled The Book of Life. When I was a child, Ive always dreamed of becoming a writer not just a writer but a great writer. You see Id like to believe that I was once a great writer. In 1984, my book became a national bestseller. It was in very bookstore in any part of the country. Millions of readers sent me letters everyday, thanking me that in some ways I had touched their lives. This is the greatest reward a writer could ever have. This was my dream.

  When my book became a hit, fame and money started to pour in. I was invited to many book conventions, seminars, radio and talk shows to discuss my book. I couldnt go anywhere without people recognizing me. Eventually, the glory crept into my head. Unconsciously I took everything for granted. I spent my time and money into useless things as if there was no tomorrow. I thought that for as long as I could write, I would live comfortably.

  One night, as I was driving home from a party, I lost control of my wheel, and collided with a car. I couldnt really remember much about what happened that night. I was so drunk and I was not really aware of what was going on around me. All I knew was that when I woke up in the hospital, my arms were no longer there.

  The world began to spin. It was as if I was put into a deep trance. Perhaps I was just hallucinating Then truth came upon me as painful as it could be, I knew I could no longer write. I couldnt bear to think of what my life would be after what happened. Writing is my life. How do I go on now? Everything seems hopeless.

Several years had passed since my accident. Tears and regret still dawn on me every time I look back. I used to believe I had everything I need back then, only to discover now that I just had everything I wanted. I forgot to value the things that really matter in life. I wasnt able to see the difference between my wants and needs then. I was also so consumed with my misery that I failed to see how blessed I still am.

  Now I realize that life is beautiful no matter what the circumstances are. I may not be capable to write with my hands but I still have my feet. I can still walk, go to places, and explore the beauty this world has to offer. Its always a matter of seeing things. How you live your life depends on how you see life. I learned that sometimes, when everything feels hopeless and you feel like you still have to do something but you have nothing else to offer, all one can do is just to let it all go. Understand the fact that at times no matter how much you want to do something, you just cant. Its not that you have lost when you know that you have put up a good fight. Accepting defeat can often mean that you have won.

  I am not a writer anymore. My dream of being a great writer may have eluded me but I can still manage to make a difference. I am now a preacher, and I am happy being one because I choose to be. I understand now how beautiful life still is that there is hope. There always will be Hope only ceases when one stops believing, and I believe that the world still needs me. In the end, its always how you choose to be.

Margarita Regina D. Araneta

    Peace? Maybe..

Open your eyes and look at your surroundings, Is it peaceful? Yes, it is peaceful. No fights, no war, nothing. But what about the things that you don't see? Is it as peaceful and quiet like what you are seeing right now? Maybe in some places it is. But there are places where hatred, anger, and fear is present.

You can know when these are present by just looking at eyes of the people in the T.V. news. Tears are shedding and they are being overcome by fear!

Are going to just stand around like nothing's happening and doing nothing? Are we just gonna watch them in the news while they are suffering? No way! We must do something, something that could maybe save them. They are humans just like us. Even just a simple thing we do is so much help for them. One example of these simple things is praying. By just praying you could help them so much. So, what are you waiting for? Do something..

alesandrr_ygs@yahoo.com

Philippines