| Prior Date | Archive Index | Next Date |
|
WITandWISDOM(tm) - March 26, 2002 ISSN 1538-8794 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: Wisdom is often times nearer when we stoop than when we soar. - William Wordsworth Source: Quotation- Gazette http://www.quotationdepot.com/gazette/ Subjects: Wisdom ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: A Little Bird Told Me By Pamela Jenkins As I sat enjoying a cup of tea one morning before work, my children brought a catalogue to show me what they had found. They pointed to a picture of a tee shirt. They said it reminded them of me. Flattered that they were thinking of me, I looked at the picture. Then I frowned. On the front of the shirt, in large bold print, were the words "I Yell Because I Care." "But I don't yell at you," I said softly. This brought laughter and rolling eyes from my precious offspring. "Oh yeah, Mom, you sure do!" said my oldest teenager. Number Two chimed in with, "All the time!" The youngest put his hands over his ears in mock fright and spun around in a circle until he collapsed on the floor, giggling and dizzy. "No, no," I protested quietly. How could they possibly think I yelled at them? I was a good mother. I listened and helped when I could. I was always there for them, lending support and love. But a mom that yelled? "We can prove it," said the oldest. "Every time you raise your voice, Bo Peep goes nuts." I eyed my little blue and white parakeet with suspicion. She sat calmly on her perch, watching us. She was waiting for someone to notice her, and perhaps come over for a talk and a little playtime. She thrived on the attention that four children could give. "Okay, I'll prove it," I challenged them. "Let me think of something to say loudly, and then we'll see." I'd like to say that it took me some time to come up with an appropriate phrase to "yell", but in all honesty, it just popped into my mind. I cleared my throat daintily, then sang out, "YOU KIDS HURRY UP OR YOU'LL BE LATE FOR SCHOOL!" Before I finished speaking, Bo Peep was flapping around inside her cage, hopping from perch to perch, screeching, "TSK...TSK...TSK..." She certainly gave us her two cents' worth. We all received a thorough bawling out from the most minute member of our household. It was a very humble mother who apologized then. The kids were right, I was wrong. I now realized the truth. I was a mom who yelled, after all. A few minutes later, the children were still laughing as they made their way out the door and on to school. I took another sip of hot tea, then turned and shook a finger at my feathered friend. "Miss Peep...," I began, only to be interrupted. Bo Peep puffed out her cheek feathers and said earnestly, "You are sooooo pretty, pretty, pretty!" Well, I could hardly argue with such an honest friend, could I? It had to be true. After all, a little bird told me so. By Pamela Jenkins, mailto:ramblinrabbit@juno.com Cop yright 2000 by Pamela Jenkins, All rights reserved Subjects: Yelling, Birds ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: Gems from Mrs. Byrne's Dictionary of Unusual, Obscure, and Preposterous Words by Josefa Heifetz Byrne Agroof: Flat on one's face. Bandoline: Smelly hair goo made from boiled quince pips. Cisvestitism: Wearing weird or inappropriate clothes. Funkify: To retreat fearfully. Jargogle: To befudddle; mess up. Kitty-benders: Thin ice; running on thin ice. Owling: The act of smuggling wool or sheep. Pickelhaube: The Prussian spiked helmet. Qualtagh: The first person seen after leaving the house. Recumbentibus: A knockdown blow. Sneckdraw: A sly person. Thwertnick: Entertaining a sheriff for three nights. Uxorious: Doting on a wife. Valgus: Bowlegged or knock-kneed. Wamble: To feel nauseous. Yeuling: Walking around fruit trees praying for a good crop. Zenzizenzizenzic: The eighth power of a number. Source: http://www.nightgarden.com/byrn.htm Subjects: Definitions, Language ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: On a Continental Flight with a very "senior" flight attendant crew, the pilot said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants." On landing the stewardess said, "Please be sure to take all your belongings. If you're going to leave anything, please make sure it's something we'd like to have." Submitted by Dave Parker Subjects: Airlines ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: Deep Thought For The Day: "No piece of paper can be folded in half more than 7 times." Source: Heart Touchers, http://storiesfrommyheart.com/home_page Subjects: Impossible |