“For the unlearned, old age is winter;
for the learned it is the season of the harvest.”
~The Talmud~

Get In The Game

Mere longevity is a good thing
for those who watch Life
from the side lines.

For those who play the game,
an hour may be a year,
a single day's work
an achievement for eternity.

~Gabriel Heatter~

Death is more universal than life; everyone dies
but not everyone lives.
~A. Sachs~

The Right Words

Lord, give me the right words to say
To broken hearts that come my way
To those who have been hurt before
That, I not hurt them any more

To those whose hearts have hardened up
To those who won't hold out their cup
That, Lord, You long to overflow
With love and mercy. Lord, let me know

That I might have the words to say
That I might plant a seed today
That glory would be given to You
Through all I say and all I do

Lord, give me the right words to say
More hearts are breaking every day
They're out there crying in the night
I long to help them see the light

But, fragile are those souls and weak
So this is why Your words I seek
And pray Thee give me words to say
That I, not one soul, turn away.

~by Susan Tier~

Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food,
and tyrannize their teachers.
~Socrates (469 BC - 399 BC)~

Twice Blessed

Nothing is ever lost by courtesy.
It is the cheapest of the pleasures;
costs nothing and conveys much.
It pleases him who gives and him who receives,
and thus, like mercy, it is twice blessed.
~Erastus Wiman~

Prayer is our declaration of dependence upon the Lord. rbc

An instituition is condemned by the contempt in which it is held by the best of its sons. Anon

According to Genesis 1:20-22, the chicken came before the egg.

If I Had My Life to Live Over

I would have gone to bed when I was sick
instead of pretending the earth would go into
a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose
before it melted in storage.

I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner
even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room
and worried much less about the dirt
when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen
to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up
on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and
sprayed.

I would have sat on the lawn with my children
and not worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television
and more while watching life.

I would never have bought anything just because it was
practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a
lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy,
I'd have cherished every moment and realized
that the wonderment growing inside me
was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously,
I would never have said, "Later.
Now go get washed up for dinner."

There would have been more "I love you's."
More "I'm sorry's"...But mostly, given another shot at life,
I would seize every minute...look at it and really see it...
live it...and never give it back.

Stop sweating the small stuff.
Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more,
or who's doing what.

Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have
with those who Do love us.

Let's think about what God HAS blessed us with...
and what we are doing each day to promote ourselves
mentally, physically, emotionally, as well as spiritually.

Life is too short to let it pass you by.

We only have one shot at this and then it's gone.

I hope you all have a blessed day.

by Erma Bombeck
(Written after she found out she was dying from cancer.)

What God Will And Won't Ask

1. God won't ask what kind of car you drove, but will ask how
many people you drove who didn't have transportation.

2. God won't ask the square footage of your house, but will ask
how many people you welcomed into your home.

3. God won't ask about the fancy clothes you had in your closet,
but will ask how many of those clothes helped the needy.

4. God won't ask about your social status, but will ask what
kind of class you displayed.

5. God won't ask how many material possessions you had, but will
ask if they dictated your life.

6. God won't ask what your highest salary was, but will ask if
you compromised your character to obtain that salary.

7. God won't ask how much overtime you worked, but will ask if
you worked overtime for your family and loved ones.

8. God won't ask how many promotions you received, but will ask
how you promoted others.

9. God won't ask what your job title was, but will ask if you
performed your job to the best of your ability.

10. God won't ask what you did to help yourself, but will ask
what you did to help others.

11. God won't ask how many friends you had, but will ask how
many people to whom you were a true friend.

12. God won't ask what you did to protect your rights, but will
ask what you did to protect the rights of others.

13. God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, but will ask
how you treated your neighbors.

14. God won't ask about the color of your skin, but will ask
about the content of your character.

15. God won't ask how many times your deeds matched your words,
but will ask how many times they didn't.


~Author Unknown~

Whisper or Brick?

A young and successful executive was traveling down a
neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar.

He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars
and slowed down when he thought he saw something.

As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick
smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and
spun the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown.
He jumped out of the car, grabbed the kid who was standing there
and pushed him against a parked car shouting,

"What do you think you are doing, boy?"

Building up a head of steam he went on, "That's a new car and
that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money.

Why did you do it?"

"Please sir, please. I'm sorry, I didn't know what else to do,"
pleaded the youngster.

"I threw the brick because no one else would stop..."

Tears were dripping down the boy's chin as he pointed around the
parked car.

"It's my brother, sir," he said. "He rolled off the curb and
fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up."

Sobbing, the boy asked the executive, "Would you please help
me get him back into his wheelchair, sir? He's hurt and he's
too heavy for me."

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly
swelling lump in his throat. He lifted the young man back
into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped
the scrapes and cuts, checking to see that everything was
going to be okay.

"Thank you and may God bless you, sir," the grateful child
said to him. The man then watched the little boy push his
brother toward their home.

It was a long walk back to his Jaguar...a long slow walk.

He never did repair the side door.

He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast
that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention.

God whispers in your soul and speaks to your heart.

Sometimes when you don't have time to listen,
He has to throw a brick at you.

It's your choice:

Listen to the whisper...

or wait for the brick.


~Author Unknown~

The Weaver

My life is just a weaving
Between my Lord and me.
I cannot choose the colors
He weaves so skillfully.

Sometimes He weaveth sorrow
And I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper
And I the underside.

Not 'til the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly
Will God unroll the canvas
And explain the reasons why-

The dark threads are as needful,
In The Weaver's skillful hands
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned.

~B.M. Franklin~

Most people would like to be delivered from temptation
but would like it to keep in touch.
~Robert Orben~

The Cold Within

Six humans trapped by happenstance
In black and bitter cold
Each possessed a stick of wood,
Or so the story's told.

Their dying fire in need of logs,
The first woman held hers back
For on the faces around the fire
She noticed one was black.

The next man looking 'cross the way
Saw one not of his church
And couldn't bring himself to give
The fire his stick of birch.

The third one sat in tattered clothes
He gave his coat a hitch,
Why should his log be put to use
To warm the idle rich?

The rich man just sat back and thought
Of the wealth he had in store,
And how to keep what he had earned
From the lazy, shiftless poor.

The black man's face bespoke revenge
As the fire passed from his sight,
For all he saw in his stick of wood
Was a chance to spite the white.

And the last man of this forlorn group
Did naught except for gain,
Giving only to those who gave
Was how he played the game.

The logs held tight in death's stilled hands
Was proof of human sin,
They didn't die from the cold without,
They died from the cold within.


~by James Patrick Kinney~

Christians - By Maya Angelou

Christians - By Maya Angelou



When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean living.'"
I'm whispering "I was lost,
Now I'm found and forgiven."

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
And need His strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
And need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
But, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
Who received God's good grace, somehow!

God's Rosebud

A new minister
was walking with an older,
more seasoned minister
in the garden one day.

Feeling a bit insecure
about what God
had for him to do,
he was asking the older preacher
for some advice.

The older preacher
walked up to a rosebush
and handed the young preacher
a rosebud and told him
to open it
without tearing off any petals.

The young preacher
looked in disbelief
at the older preacher
and was trying to figure out
what a rosebud
could possibly have to do
with his wanting to know
the will of God
for his life and ministry.

But because of his great respect
for the older preacher,
he proceeded to try to unfold the rose,
while keeping every petal intact.

It wasn't long
before he realized
how impossible
this was to do.

Noticing the younger preacher's
inability to unfold the rosebud
without tearing it,
the older preacher began
to recite the following poem...


"It is only a tiny rosebud,
A flower of God's design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine."

"The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I.
GOD opens this flower so easily,
But in my hands they die."

"If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of God's design,
Then how can I have the wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?"

"So I'll trust in God for leading
Each moment of my day.
I will look to God for guidance
In each step of the way."

"The path that lies before me,
Only my Lord knows.
I'll trust God to unfold the moments,
Just as He unfolds the rose."


~Charlie Gilchrist~

I know that a man who shows me his wealth is like the beggar who
shows me his poverty; they are both looking for alms from me,
the rich man for the alms of my envy, the poor man for the alms
of my guilt.
~Ben Hecht~

"There is no chance, coincidence or accident
in a world ruled by law and divine order."

~from the song, "Good Thoughts, Bad Thoughts" by George Clinton
and Eddie Hazel of the group Funkadelic~

LIFE

Every day somewhere in Africa
A gazelle wakes up
It knows it must run faster
Than the fastest lion around
Lest it be eaten

Every day somewhere in Africa
A lion wakes up
It knows it must run faster
Than the slowest gazelle around
Lest it starve to death

Every day it does not matter
Whether you are a lion or a gazelle
Because you must run faster
Than the chores of life!

~Author Unknown~

"Greater the authority, greater then was the accountability" by S. Skandakumar

Hon Minister,past and present Principals of our revered institution, our eminent guests of honour, the Principal of Ladies College and Warden of St Thomas' College, distinguished fellow Royalists and their equally distinguished spouses, I consider it a great privilege indeed to have been invited this evening, to propose a toast to two outstanding schools rich in shared values, and for whom we Royalists have the greatest respect and admiration .

Warden Sir, I know that you must be aware of the fierceness of the rivalry that exists between our two institutions, on the playing fields and on cricket grounds in particular. You will have your first experience of it in the coming week. That rivalry, has over the years, given rise to some of the strongest bonds of friendship between Royalists and Thomians; an excellent reflection on the quality of our mutual education.

As for Ladies College, Madam Nirmali, it will be sufficient if I said that successive generations of Royalists have had nothing but love for your wonderful girls. And you too are in that category today.

It would not be inappropriate on an occasion of this nature, for one to reflect briefly on one’s own school career and I would like to share with you, three incidents for their diverse nature.

The first concerns a Teacher, who too was quick to use the cane, no matter how trivial the mischief may have been. He had a curious way of doing it, in that he would get the student to kiss the wall with his nose while raising both arms to the maximum. His theory was obvious; more taut the body, greater the sting! Once his deed was done he would turn calmly to the black board and write the following line. “A life without pain, is like being on a road that’s going nowhere.”

The second was a much loved senior Teacher, who with the passage of time, found it increasingly difficult to stay awake in the first twenty minutes or so in the period immediately following the lunch interval. So on arrival for a class in applied mathematics, he would instruct us to turn to a page of his choice in Humphreys text book on Dynamics, and attend to the sums on it. He would then take off his spotlessly white coat, place it on the back of his chair and rest his weary head between his arms on top of his desk, to surface 20 minutes later. On one particular day, he woke up ahead of time and decided to walk round the class. At the back end he found one of the students to whom math was a never ending mystery, deeply engrossed in a magazine depicting ladies of easy virtue, in their natural splendor. In confiscating the magazine he said to the boy, “Young man, you are rotten, even before you are ripe:” The incident went no further. That was Royal.

The third applied to a form master who was a passionate admirer of that great American President Abraham Lincoln. So intense was his admiration that he was even nicknamed Lincoln!! Two things that he quoted remained etched in my mind for the hope and confidence they inspired in me. They were from Lincoln’s letter to his son’s teacher, when he decided to send the boy to school. ‘Teach him” he wrote, ‘that for every scoundrel, there is a hero……. Teach him also that for every corrupt politician there will be a statesman.’ Fortunately, in the ensuing years, we were also taught the fine art of a waiting game called eternal patience!!

Looking at the erosion of values in the world around us, I have in recent times, asked myself questions which would have crossed your minds as well.

Why did Wall Street, which supposedly had some of the finest brains emerging from the best Universities and Management colleges of the world, collapse as it did? Why is it that governments in many parts of the world have the painful task of combating, their own citizens, to resolve internal conflicts? And, why is the United Nations looking as if it is heading for a re-classification as the Divided Nations?

I have tried to look for the answers in the time tested values that our three schools have upheld from inception. On my first day at school I was made to realize that I was a Ceylonese, as an equal citizen of a beautiful and happy nation called Ceylon. While still knee high to our Teachers, we were taught to distinguish between Right and Wrong.

Here I would like to quote an eminent Queens Counsel who hailed from an equally reputed school in the hills , who said ‘In the field of justice and fairplay, right is right, and wrong is wrong. The two can never meet. To compromise the two takes an elastic conscience. Such men should be shunned for they are the bane of society.’ Thereafter we were encouraged to emulate the strong, but reminded to protect the marginalized and the weak. The next was an important lesson on Leadership directed at Class Monitors, School Prefects, Captains of Games, Heads of the Cadet Corps and Literary Associations, Interact Clubs etc. who were made to realize that every right implied a responsibility. We learnt leadership required exemplary conduct and its success was synonymous with a golden word… Accountability. Greater the authority, greater then was the accountability.

Earlier this week, I made a nostalgic visit to our assembly hall, and let the memories of the solemn Friday morning assemblies roll by. My eyes swept the portraits of all our distinguished scholars. You too, Warden Sir, and Madam Principal, have preserved similar halls of fame in your respective schools. Those outstanding men and women are remembered even today, for two reasons; their intellect and their integrity and, through them we learnt another important lesson for life, the priceless value of honesty.

Finally, we were taught to be gracious in defeat and humble in victory. It is not a mere coincidence then, that our first lesson was one of equality and the last on humility. In our temporary stay on earth we have paid our respects to those who have moved on before us, and heard the familiar line at the funeral services, ‘Death humbles us all because in death we are all equal ’’. I have therefore asked myself the question, Why then don’t we use our God given intelligence, and prepare ourselves better for that eventuality, by practicing equality and humilty in Life, rather than wait for death to impose it upon us? Yes Ladies and gentlemen, The illiterate of the future will not be those who cannot read or write; they will be the educated who simply will not learn.

On the opposite side of humility stands man’s ego. While some degree of it is not only desirable, but even essential, an ego out of control could be as dangerous as the weapons of mass destruction that only the egos of George Bush and Tony Blair were able locate in Iraq. It was the same ego out of control that led Tiger Woods to believe that his right to improve on his handicap over 18 holes extended beyond the boundaries of a golf course! So, if only our time tested values can find universal application, to be discharged with common sense and one’s conscience, humanity may well see a heaven on earth !

Ladies and Gentlemen, May I ask you please to rise and drink a toast to two outstanding institutions with whom we have shared precious values and traditions. May they all be upheld inflexibly in the future as well, so that St Thomas' College Mt Lavinia, and Ladies College Colombo can continue to produce for our country, as they have in the past, the men and women who can make the difference.

TO ST THOMAS' AND LADIES COLLEGE…......... Thank You ”

(ROYAL COLLEGE 175th ANNIVERSARY DINNER.-TOAST TO THE SISTER COLLEGES -St.Thomas' College,Ladies College . Proposed by S. Skandakumar ,6th March 2010,Cinnamon Grand Oak Room)

Insanity is often the logic of an accurate mind overtaxed.
~Oliver Wendell Holmes~