Friday, October 21, 2011

Dream BIG

Dreams. Dreams come a size too big so that we may grow into them. They’re more powerful than we’d like to believe. God has a big dream for you. What you have to do is to see that dream.  Those dreams are more powerful than we could ever imagine. They guide us through life, they help us set goals and ultimately achieve them. They are often the reason for heart break, but also the reason for soaring hearts.
Everyone has dreams, whether they are big or small. Everyone wants their dreams to come true and dreamers take small steps, to achieve the greater goal. They never give up, They NEVER fail. They do everything they must do to achieve. Someday, if you try hard, dreams would become reality. But you have to realize that God hasn't give up on those dreams and you don't have to either. You've got to dream it, then believe it, before you can live it.
My dream is big and I will reach it just to prove everyone I can. It’s never too late."
 DREAM BIG ☮

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

The Girl who Silenced the World for 5 Minutes

(Video of Severn's Speech)

Very inspiring, but has anything changed? We are destroying more than what we are saving.This is exactly what the world needs, to stop fighting wars and to build schools, hospitals and stop pollution, this girl is right, we must act together now, before it's too late! We are one world, one people and we must all live together on one planet.


Here is the full text of Severn Cullis-Suzuki’s speech before the UN Earth Summit in Rio, Brazil in 1992, made when she was 12 years old. Too bad the world listened, applauded, and shed an emotional tear, but did not do anything substantial for her, as the likes of George W. Bush decided it would be too restrictive on their accustomed way of life, and would cost their industrial cronies too much. (ssjothiratnam)

              Hello, I’m Severn Suzuki speaking for E.C.O. – The Environmental Children’s Organisation.
We are a group of twelve and thirteen-year-olds from Canada trying to make a difference: Vanessa Suttie, Morgan Geisler, Michelle Quigg and me. We raised all the money ourselves to come six thousand miles to tell you adults you must change your ways. Coming here today, I have no hidden agenda. I am fighting for my future.
         Losing my future is not like losing an election or a few points on the stock market. I am here to speak for all generations to come.
        I am here to speak on behalf of the starving children around the world whose cries go unheard.
       I am here to speak for the countless animals dying across this planet because they have nowhere left to go. We cannot afford to be not heard.
       I am afraid to go out in the sun now because of the holes in the ozone. I am afraid to breathe the air because I don’t know what chemicals are in it.
       I used to go fishing in Vancouver with my dad until just a few years ago we found the fish full of cancers. And now we hear about animals and plants going extinct every day — vanishing forever.
In my life, I have dreamt of seeing the great herds of wild animals, jungles and rainforests full of birds and butterflies, but now I wonder if they will even exist for my children to see.
        Did you have to worry about these little things when you were my age?
All this is happening before our eyes and yet we act as if we have all the time we want and all the solutions. I’m only a child and I don’t have all the solutions, but I want you to realise, neither do you!
•   You don’t know how to fix the holes in our ozone layer.
•   You don’t know how to bring salmon back up a dead stream.
•   You don’t know how to bring back an animal now extinct.
•   And you can’t bring back forests that once grew where there is now desert.
If you don’t know how to fix it, please stop breaking it!
         Here, you may be delegates of your governments, business people, organisers, reporters or politicians – but really you are mothers and fathers, brothers and sister, aunts and uncles – and all of you are somebody’s child.
         I’m only a child yet I know we are all part of a family, five billion strong, in fact, 30 million species strong and we all share the same air, water and soil — borders and governments will never change that
        I’m only a child yet I know we are all in this together and should act as one single world towards one single goal.
           In my anger, I am not blind, and in my fear, I am not afraid to tell the world how I feel.
         In my country, we make so much waste, we buy and throw away, buy and throw away, and yet northern countries will not share with the needy. Even when we have more than enough, we are afraid to lose some of our wealth, afraid to share.
        In Canada, we live the privileged life, with plenty of food, water and shelter — we have watches, bicycles, computers and television sets.
        Two days ago here in Brazil, we were shocked when we spent some time with some children living on the streets. And this is what one child told us: “I wish I was rich and if I were, I would give all the street children food, clothes, medicine, shelter and love and affection.”
         If a child on the street who has nothing, is willing to share, why are we who have everything still so greedy?
        I can’t stop thinking that these children are my age, that it makes a tremendous difference where you are born, that I could be one of those children living in the Favellas of Rio; I could be a child starving in Somalia; a victim of war in the Middle East or a beggar in India.
       I’m only a child yet I know if all the money spent on war was spent on ending poverty and finding environmental answers, what a wonderful place this earth would be!
At school, even in kindergarten, you teach us to behave in the world. You teach us:
•             not to fight with others,
•             to work things out,
•             to respect others,
•             to clean up our mess,
•             not to hurt other creatures
•             to share – not be greedy.
        Then why do you go out and do the things you tell us not to do?
Do not forget why you’re attending these conferences, who you’re doing this for — we are your own children. You are deciding what kind of world we will grow up in. Parents should be able to comfort their children by saying “everything’s going to be alright” , “we’re doing the best we can” and “it’s not the end of the world”.
         But I don’t think you can say that to us anymore. Are we even on your list of priorities? My father always says “You are what you do, not what you say.”
Well, what you do makes me cry at night. You grown ups say you love us. I challenge you, please make your actions reflect your words. Thank you for listening




Severn Cullis-Suzuki has been active in environmental and social justice work ever since kindergarten. She was twelve years old when she gave this speech, and she received a standing ovation. Now 23, Cullis-Suzuki spearheads The SkyFish Project and continues to speak to schools and corporations, and at many conferences and international meetings. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.  (ssjothiratnam)

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Dear Me,

            Another step closer to your goal. Push forward. You’re almost there. This is your life. Do what you love, and do it often. If you don’t like something, change it.  Open your mind, arms, and heart to new things and people; we are united in our differences. Remember there are people that care, those that love you and those that accept you, Be the person you are, don't ever change. If you are looking for the love of your life, stop; they will be waiting for you when you start doing things you love.

        Ask the next person you see what their passion is, and share your inspiring stories with them. Do something to make yourself proud. Seek your own approval! Just remember that you’re too awesome. Your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. Your awesome rays would probably inspire them all at once anyway. Love isn’t something you find. Love is something that finds you. Oh who am I kidding? But hey, you get the gist. :)

          Stop over analyzing, life is simple. You are the thoughts you think and the things you wonder.Your potential is limitless. Go be what you wanna be, don't let anyone or anything stand in your way. You aren't perfect, but nobody is.
Sometimes God takes away what we think is good; to make room for what he knows is great. Keep your head up and be yourself. When life knocks you to your knees, you're in the perfect position to pray. Pray for people.

        Stand for God and something you believe in. God is greater than anybody. You'll make a brighter day but today's your chance to be there. Read your bible. Have the courage of your convictions to do well but not for judging others. Remember, the heart of your faith should be love. God will always be there to help you through it, one step at a time.

         Love GOD, live your dream, and pursue your passion. Some opportunities only come once; seize them. Life is short,  GO ahead take a chance … one day at a time … :)


Love, your past-tense naive self,

Me.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

The Difference a Teacher can Make - A True Story

One of my favorite teachers during my Primary years in education, Ma'am Zeny


Steve, a twelve-year-old boy with alcoholic parents, was about to be lost forever, by the U.S. education system. Remarkably, he could read, yet, in spite of his reading skills, Steve was failing. He had been failing since first grade, as he was passed on from grade to grade. Steve was a big boy, looking more like a teenager than a twelve year old, yet, Steve went unnoticed... until Miss White.
Miss White was a smiling, young, beautiful redhead, and Steve was in love! For the first time in his young life, he couldn't take his eyes off his teacher; yet, still he failed. He never did his homework, and he was always in trouble with Miss White. His heart would break under her sharp words, and when he was punished for failing to turn in his homework, he felt just miserable! Still, he did not study.
In the middle of the first semester of school, the entire seventh grade was tested for basic skills. Steve hurried through his tests, and continued to dream of other things, as the day wore on. His heart was not in school, but in the woods, where he often escaped alone, trying to shut out the sights, sounds and smells of his alcoholic home. No one checked on him to see if he was safe. No one knew he was gone, because no one was sober enough to care. Oddly, Steve never missed a day of school.
One day, Miss White's impatient voice broke into his daydreams.
"Steve!!" Startled, he turned to look at her.
"Pay attention!"
Steve locked his gaze on Miss White with adolescent adoration, as she began to go over the test results for the seventh grade.
"You all did pretty well," she told the class, "except for one boy, and it breaks my heart to tell you this, but..." She hesitated, pinning Steve to his seat with a sharp stare, her eyes searching his face.
"...The smartest boy in the seventh grade is failing my class!"
She just stared at Steve, as the class spun around for a good look. Steve dropped his eyes and carefully examined his fingertips.
After that, it was war!! Steve still wouldn't do his homework. Even as the punishments became more severe, he remained stubborn.
"Just try it! ONE WEEK!" He was unmoved.
"You're smart enough! You'll see a change!" Nothing fazed him.
"Give yourself a chance! Don't give up on your life!" Nothing.
"Steve! Please! I care about you!"
Wow! Suddenly, Steve got it!! Someone cared about him? Someone, totally unattainable and perfect, CARED ABOUT HIM??!!"
Steve went home from school, thoughtful, that afternoon. Walking into the house, he took one look around. Both parents were passed out, in various stages of undress, and the stench was overpowering! He, quickly, gathered up his camping gear, a jar of peanut butter, a loaf of bread, a bottle of water, and this time...his schoolbooks. Grim faced and determined, he headed for the woods.
The following Monday he arrived at school on time, and he waited for Miss White to enter the classroom. She walked in, all sparkle and smiles! God, she was beautiful! He yearned for her smile to turn on him. It did not.
Miss White, immediately, gave a quiz on the weekend homework. Steve hurried through the test, and was the first to hand inhis paper. With a look of surprise, Miss White took his paper. Obviously puzzled, she began to look it over. Steve walked back to his desk, his heart pounding within his chest. As he sat down, he couldn't resist another look at the lovely woman.
Miss White's face was in total shock! She glanced up at Steve, then down, then up. Suddenly, her face broke into a radiant smile. The smartest boy in the seventh grade had just passed his first test!
From that moment nothing was the same for Steve. Life at home remained the same, but life still changed. He discovered that not only could he learn, but he was good at it! He discovered that he could understand and retain knowledge, and that he could translate the things he learned into his own life. Steve began to excel! And he continued this course throughout his school life.
After high-school Steve enlisted in the Navy, and he had a successful military career. During that time, he met the love of his life, he raised a family, and he graduated from college Magna Cum Laude. During his Naval career, he inspired many young people, who without him, might not have believed in themselves. Steve began a second career after the Navy, and he continues to inspire others, as an adjunct professor in a nearby college
Miss White left a great legacy. She saved one boy who has changed many lives. I know, because I am the love of his life.
You see, it's simple, really. A change took place within the heart of one boy, all because of one teacher, who cared.
My Elementary School teachers with my beloved mother (center)
© Jaye Lewis, 2003 - Used with permission from author (inspire21)