Ray's Daily

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

Kahlil Gibran

Good morning everyone. I had a full day yesterday and today will be the same, so since I am sure you do not want to hear the boring details I am excusing myself from publishing a new Daily. I hope you like this one. I like going back once in a while to revisit my friends who now only live in my memory and in my heart.

Ray’s Daily first published on Tuesday May 17, 2005

One of the best things that happened to me over the last decade or so has been the friends I have been fortunate enough to make. Many of the opportunities came from the years spent with Kiwanis and UNICEF as we worked together promoting universal salt iodization. Some of my fondest memories came out of the partnership we established with Morton Salt and its employees. Morton and its senior managers played a major role in the successes we had in helping to eliminate the world’s leading preventable cause of mental retardation. Wally, Brian, and Joe were more than colleagues, they were friends. As the years rolled by they attended Kiwanis conventions, publicized the Kiwanis/UNICEF effort, and allowed us to participate in the world’s largest food convention.

We worked together, we socialized together, and we continued to stay in touch. Wally continues to lead a busy life as Morton’s President, Brian retired sometime ago, but over time Joe and I got together when he came to Indianapolis. We planned to meet again the next time I got to Chicago. Joe was a big man, a world class tuba player, full of life, and just plain fun to be with. His heart was big as he was. He truly cared for people and made all of us who knew him feel that we were his best friends.

I am sure you know where this is going, today I heard from Brian who told me that our friend Joe died this weekend. He had just come back from a vacation in Bermuda and passed away at home. He was too young to go and again is a reminder to all of us to do what we would like to do, now. Even if you don’t do something for yourself at least tell those you know how much their friendship means to you while you can. Joe will always live on in my fond memories. He was a good man with a zest for life and a love of others. I will miss him and I am sorry that so many of you never got the chance to know him, you missed someone special. So goodbye Joe, Godspeed, and thanks I enjoyed it.

It is not easy to keep a smile on your face when you lose a friend. But as I am sure Joe would say, life goes on enjoy it while you can.

~~~

To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.

Thomas Campbell

~~~

Theology, kids style, from Wendy.

1. Dear God, please put another holiday between Christmas and Easter. There is nothing good in there now. Amanda

2. Dear God, Thank you for the baby brother but what I asked for was a puppy. I never asked for anything before. You can look it up. Joyce

3. Dear Mr. God, I wish you would not make it so easy for people to come apart. I had to have 3 stitches and a shot. Janet

4. God, I read the bible. What does beget mean? Nobody will tell me. Love,  Alison

5. Dear God, how did you know you were God? Who told you? Charlene

6. Dear God, is it true my father won’t get in Heaven if he uses his golf words in the house? Anita

7. Dear God, I bet it’s very hard for you to love all of everybody in the whole world. There are only 4 people in our family and I can never do it. Nancy

8. Dear God, I like the story about Noah the best of all of them. You really made up some good ones. I like walking on water, too. Glenn

9. Dear God, my Grandpa says you were around when he was a little boy. How far back do you go? Love, Dennis

10. Dear God, do you draw the lines around the countries? If you don’t, who does? Nathan

11. Dear God, did you mean for giraffes to look like that or was it an accident? Norma

12. Dear God, in bible times, did they really talk that fancy? Jennifer

13. Dear God, how come you did all those miracles in the old days and don’t do any now? Billy

14. Dear God, please send Dennis Clark to a different summer camp this year. Peter

15. Dear God, maybe Cain and Abel would not kill each other so much if they each had their own rooms. It works out OK with me and my brother. Larry

16. Dear God, I keep waiting for spring, but it never did come yet. What’s up? Don’t forget. Mark

17. Dear God, my brother told me about how you are born but it just doesn’t sound right. What do you say? Marsha

18. Dear God, if you watch in Church on Sunday I will show you my new shoes. Barbara

19. Dear God, is Reverend Coe a friend of yours, or do you just know him through the business? Donny

20. Dear God, I do not think anybody could be a better God than you. Well, I just want you to know that. I am not just saying that because you are already God. Charles

21. Dear God, it is great the way you always get the stars in the right place. Why can’t you do that with the moon? Jeff

22. Dear God, I am doing the best I can. Really. Frank

And, saving the best for last. . . . .

23. Dear God, I didn’t think orange went with purple until I saw the sunset you made on Tuesday night. That was really cool. Thomas

~~~

If you’ve ended up in hell with someone, and you’re still mad at them, where do you tell them to go?

~~~

Recently, I was on a plane that had taken off and was approaching cruising altitude, when one of the flight attendants came on the public- address system. She announced that she was sorry, but the plane’s restrooms were out of order.  The flight attendant went on to apologize to the passengers for any inconvenience. But then she finished cheerily with: “So, as compensation, free drinks will be served.”

~~~

The more you lose yourself in something bigger than yourself, the more energy you will have.

Norman Vincent Peale

~~~

A poor vagabond, traveling a country road in England, tired and hungry, came to a roadside Inn with a sign reading: “GEORGE AND THE DRAGON”.

He knocked. The Innkeeper’s wife stuck her head out a window. “Could ye spare some victuals?” he asked.

The woman glanced at his shabby clothes and obviously poor condition. “No!” she said rather sternly.

“Could I have a drink of water?”

“No!” she said again.

“Could I at least sleep in your stable then?”

“NO!”  By this time she was fairly shouting.

The vagabond still continued,  “Might I please…?”

“What *now*?” the woman interrupted impatiently.

“D’ye suppose,” he asked…”I might have a word with George?”

~~~

“Like a welcome summer rain, humor may suddenly cleanse and cool the earth, the air, and you.”

Langston Hughes

~~~

A man parked his car at the supermarket and was walking past an empty cart when he heard a woman ask, “Excuse me, did you want that cart?”

“No,” he answered. “I’m only after one thing.”

As he walked toward the store, he heard her murmur, “Typical male.”

~~~

A conscience is what hurts when all your other parts feel so good.

~~~

When one door of happiness closes another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which is opened before us.

Helen Keller

~~~

Stay well, do good work, and have fun.

Ray Mitchell

Indianapolis, Indiana

Management is not responsible for duplicates from previous dailies. The editor is somewhat senile.

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