Here is your Friday STORY on: HAPPINESS: Do we ever do enough to maintain our capacity to be happy? Once we’ve ascertained some understanding on what feeds the roots of happiness, we actively need to replenish the fodder. I was once reading an article from a well known musician and singer from the 1960’s. He maintained that one of the biggest attributes he possessed was his ability to talk and be polite. He said that there was one particular sentence that open more doors than you could imagine. Now before I tell you the sentence, a wise person would have used this on numerous occasions during every day. But what made this sentence particular impressive was this musician used it to advance his career, from a mere jobbing musician and singer to international artiste. The sentence was, “Can you help me please.” The musician claimed that people have an incredible desire to help. So upon hearing this question people just naturally want to be HELPFUL. As with a ripple in a lake, if we ask for help ‘more often’ then that would start the ripple; however before that ripple reaches the edge of the lake we need to start another. This is how often we need to feed and maintain our level of happiness. One way is to encourage people, including you, is to never be too proud to ask for help. Today’s story is a slight twist to this scenario, but nonetheless the main theme is being HELPFUL. AN AUSSIE STORY Years ago a hardworking man took his family from New York State to Australia to take advantage of a work opportunity there. Part of this man's family was a handsome young son who had aspirations of joining the circus as a trapeze artist or an actor. This young fellow, biding his time until a circus job or even one as a stagehand came along, worked at the local shipyards which bordered on the worse section of town. Walking home from work one evening this young man was attacked by five thugs who wanted to rob him. Instead of just giving up his money the young fellow resisted. However they bested him easily and proceeded to beat him to a pulp. They mashed his face with their boots, and kicked and beat his body brutally with clubs, leaving him for dead. When the police happened to find him lying in the road they assumed he was dead and called for the Morgue Wagon. On the way to the morgue a policeman heard him gasp for air, and they immediately took him to the emergency unit at the hospital. When he was placed on a gurney a nurse remarked to her horror, that this young man no longer had a face. Each eye socket was smashed, his skull, legs, and arms fractured, his nose literally hanging from his face, all is teeth were gone, and his jaw was almost completely torn from his skull. Although his life was spared, he spent over a year in the hospital. When he finally left, his body may have healed but his face was disgusting to look at. He was no longer the handsome youth that everyone admired. When the young man started to look for work again he was turned down by everyone just on account of the way he looked. One potential employer suggested to him that he join the freak show at the circus as The Man Who Had No Face. And he did this for a while. He was still rejected by everyone and no one wanted to be seen in his company. He had thoughts of suicide. This went on for five years. One day he passed a church and sought some solace there. Entering the church he encountered a priest who saw him sobbing while kneeling in a pew. The priest took pity on him and took him to the rectory where they talked at length. The priest was impressed with him to such a degree that he said that he would do everything possible for him that could be done to restore his dignity and life, if the young man would promise to be the best Catholic he could be, and trust in God's mercy to free him from his torturous life. The young man went to Mass and communion every day, and after thanking God for saving his life, asked God to only give him peace of mind and the grace to be the best man he could ever be in His eyes. The priest, through his personal contacts was able to secure the services of the best plastic surgeon in Australia. There would be no cost to the young man, as the doctor was the priest's best friend. The doctor too was so impressed by the young man. Whose outlook now on life, even though he had experienced the worst, was filled with good humor and love. The surgery was a miraculous success. All the best dental work was also done for him. The young man became everything he promised God he would be. He was also blessed with a wonderful, beautiful wife, many children, and success in an industry which would have been the furthest thing from his mind as a career, if not for the goodness of God and the love of the people who cared for him. This he acknowledges publicly. The young man's name is... Mel Gibson. (Attributed to Paul Harvey) QUOTE: “Go often to the house of thy friend; for weeds soon choke up an unused path.” (Scandinavian Proverb)