The farmer's son was returning from the market with the crate of chickens
his father had entrusted to him, when all of a sudden the box fell and
broke open. Chickens scurried off in different directions, but the
determined boy walked all over the neighborhood scooping up the wayward
birds and returning them to the repaired crate. Hoping he had found them
all, the boy reluctantly returned home, expecting the worst.
"Pa, the chickens got loose," the boy confessed sadly, "but I managed to
find all twelve of them."
"Well, you did real good, son," the farmer beamed. "You left with seven."
4. NEW YEAR’S WISHES FOR US
May you find serenity and tranquillity in a world you may not always understand.
May the pain you have known and the conflict you have experienced give you the strength to walk through life facing each new situation with courage and optimism.
May you always know that there are those whose love and understanding
will always be there, even when you feel most alone.
May you discover enough goodness in others to believe in a world of peace.
May a kind word, a reassuring touch, a warm smile be yours every day of your life, and may you give these gifts as well as receive them.
May you remember the sunshine when the storm seems unending.
May you teach love to those who know hate, and let that love embrace you as you go into the world.
May the teaching of those you admire become part of you, so that you may call upon them.
May you remember that those whose lives you have touched and who have touched yours are always a part of you, even if the encounters were less than you would have wished. It is the content of the encounter that is more important than its form.
May you not become too concerned with material matters, but instead place immeasurable value on the goodness in your heart.
May you find time in each day to see the beauty and love in the world around you.
May you realize that each person has limitless abilities, but each of us is different in our own way.
May you always believe in your heart that what you may feel you lack in one regard maybe more than compensated for in another. And that what you feel you lack in the present may become one of your strengths in the future.
May you see your future as one filled with promise and possibility.
May you learn to view everything as a worthwhile experience...
May you find enough inner strength to determine your own worth by yourself, and not be dependent on another's judgments of your accomplishments.
May you always feel loved, and be free to love in return.
--Author Unknown