Ray’s Daily
February 23, 2022
“One’s friends are that part of the human race with which one can be human.”
George Santayana
I have fond memories of the hundreds of people I have met over the years. Many with who I shared good times and even some bad times. The thing I regret has been how time has created distance between me and those who have meant so much. I am afraid that I am like so many others who have let time keep us distracted to the point that we have failed to keep in touch with so many of the people that have meant so much in the past. Now many are no longer with us and it is too late to let them know how much they were appreciated. I am glad I can stay in touch with so many of you these days for your friendship is very much appreciated.
Here is a poem that is a reminder of how too many of us let our friends slip away.
Around the Corner
by: Henson Towne
Around the corner I have a friend
In this great city that has no end,
Yet the days go by and weeks rush on,
And before I know it, a year is gone
And I never see my old friends face,
For life is a swift and terrible race,
She knows I like her just as well
As in the days when I rang her bell,
And she rang mine.
We were younger then,
And now we are busy, tired men.
Tired of playing a foolish game,
Tired of trying to make a name.
“Tomorrow” I say “I will call on Jane”
“Just to show that I’m thinking of her”
But tomorrow comes and tomorrow goes,
And distance between us grows and grows.
Around the corner!-yet miles away,
“Here’s a telegram sir-“
“Jane died today.”
And that’s what we get and deserve in the end.
Around the corner, a vanished friend.
If you love someone, tell them. Remember always to say “what you mean”. Never be afraid to express yourself.
Take this opportunity to tell someone what they mean to you. Seize the day and have no regrets. Most importantly, stay close to your friends and family, They have helped to make you the person you are today, What it’s all about anyway. Pass this along to your friends. Let it make a difference in your day and theirs.
~~~
“Sweet is the memory of distant friends! Like the mellow rays of the departing sun, it falls tenderly, yet sadly, on the heart.”
Washington Irving
~~~
An emperor in the Far East was growing old and knew it was time to choose his successor. Instead of choosing one of his assistants or his children, he called young people in the kingdom together one day. He said, “It is time for me to step down and choose the next emperor. I have decided to choose one of you. I am going to give each one of you a seed today – one very special seed. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next emperor.”
One boy, named Ling, like the others, received a seed. After about three weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Six months went by. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their plants to the emperor for inspection. Ling told his mother that he wasn’t going to take an empty pot. But his mother asked him to be honest about what happened.
When Ling arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other youths. They were beautiful–in all shapes and sizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor and many of the other children laughed at him. A few felt sorry for him and just said, “Hey, nice try.”
The Emperor surveyed the room, saying, “My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown. Today one of you will be appointed the next emperor!” All of a sudden, the emperor spotted Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot. He looked at Ling, and then announced to the crowd, “Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!” How could he be the new emperor?
Then the emperor said, “One year ago today, I gave everyone here a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds that would not grow. All of you, except Ling, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. Ling was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new emperor!”
~~~
Experience is something you don’t get until just after you need it.
~~~
An author was coming to my local bookstore to discuss her novel, set in Appalachia. The main character was a “strong-willed heroine fighting to survive the hardships of the times.” When I went to the reading, I was disappointed to learn that the writer had canceled.
The reason? She didn’t want to drive in the rain.
~~~
A police officer stops a blonde for speeding and asks her very nicely if he could see her license. She replied in a huff, “I wish you guys could get your act together. Just yesterday you take away my license and then today you expect me to show it to you.”
~~~
“. . .life is short and the world is wide”
Simon Raven
~~~
SIGNS YOU’RE GETTING TOO OLD TO DRIVE
– You think an SUV might be too small to be safe.
– It takes more than four minutes to get out of your car.
– When backing into a parking spot, you just back up until you hear something.
– It scares you to drive the speed limit.
– The only thing you pass on the road anymore is the Amish.
– You use cruise control because your leg fell asleep.
– You use cruise control at 25 mph.
– You inquired if the dealership could install magnifying glass for the windshield.
– Your turn signal has been on since 2003.
– Your bumper sticker endorses Eisenhower.
– When the police pull you over, they’re surprised to find out you’re sober.
~~~
“The traveler sees what he sees; the tourist sees what he has come to see.”
Gilbert K. Chesterton
~~~
Customer: I’m calling about the “dime-a-minute” rate. I want to sign up for that.
Phone Company: Certainly, Sir! Just let me get some information from you.
Customer: Right, well, can you go ahead and tell me when I’ll get my first check? Phone Company: What, Sir?
Customer: Well, since you’re going to give me a dime a minute, I wondered when I’ll start getting paid.
Phone Company: No, Sir, we don’t PAY you.
Customer: You mean this is a FRAUD?
Phone Company: No, Sir! It’s just that we don’t PAY you the dime a minute. Let me let you talk to a supervisor. ….long conversation with supervisor… Phone Company: Now do you understand, Sir?
Customer: I guess so. Could we talk about the “friends-and-family” plan?
I’ve always wanted a little brother.
~~~
“Happy people plan actions, they don’t plan results.”
Denis Waitley
~~~
A Western Buddhist woman was in India, studying with her teacher. She was riding with another woman friend in a rickshaw-like carriage, when they were attacked by a man on the street. In the end, the attacker only succeeded in frightening the women, but the Buddhist woman was quite upset by the event and told her teacher so. She asked him what she should have done – what would have been the appropriate, Buddhist response.
The teacher said very simply, “You should have very mindfully and with great compassion whacked the attacker over the head with your umbrella.”
~~~
“How many slams in an old screen door? Depends how loud you shut it. How many slices in a bread? Depends how thin you cut it. How much good inside a day? Depends how good you live ’em. How much love inside a friend? Depends how much you give ’em.”
Shel Silverstein
~~~
Management is not responsible for duplicates from previous dailies. The editor is somewhat senile.
Ray’s Daily has been sent for more than twenty years to people who want to start their day on an upbeat. If you have system overload because of our daily clutter, let me know and I will send you the information via mental telepathy. If you have not been getting our daily you can request to be added by e-mailing me at raykiwsp@comcast.net. Back issues are posted at http://rays-daily,com/ currently there are hundreds of readers from around the world.
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