FAVORITE THOUGHTS/STORIES/QUOTES

	I HAD A DREAM
	GROW UP TO BE LIKE YOU
	THE GIRL IN THE GLASS
	SHOW HER THE RAINBOW
	DID YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
	FAVORITE QUOTES

I HAD A DREAM

(from AT WIT'S END by Erma Bombeck)

I had a dream the other night that every volunteer in this land has set sail for another country. I stood smiling on the pier, shouting, "Good-bye, phone committees. Good-bye, disease-of-the-month. No more getting out the vote. No more playground duty, bake sales, and three-hour meetings.' As the boat got smaller, I reflected: "Serves them right, that bunch of yes people. All they had to do was to put their tongues firmly against the roofs of their mouths and make an sound O-no. It would certainly have spared them a lot of grief. Oh, well, who needs them?" The hospital was quiet as I passed it. The reception desk was vacant. Rooms were devoid of books, flowers and voices. The children's wing held no clowns, no laughter. The home for the aged was like a tomb. The blind listened for a voice that never came. The infirm were imprisoned on wheelchairs that never moved. Food grew cold on trays that would never reach the hungry. The social agencies had closed their doors - unable to implement their programs of scouting, recreation, drug control; unable to help the retarded, crippled, lonely, and abandoned. Health agencies had signs in their windows: "Cures for cancer, birth defects, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, etc., have been canceled because of lack of interest.'' The schools were strangely quiet, with no field trips and no volunteer classroom aides. Symphony Hall and the museums that had been built and stocked by volunteers were dark and would remain that way. The flowers on church altars withered and died. Children in day nurseries lifted their arms, but there was no one to hold them in love. Alcoholics cried out in despair, but no one answered. The poor had no recourse for health care or legal aid. I fought in my sleep to regain a glimpse of the ship of volunteers just one more time. It was to be my last glimpse of civilization . as we were meant to be.

GROW UP TO BE LIKE YOU

There are little eyes upon you and they're watching night and day;
There are little ears that quickly take in every word you say;
There are little hands all eager to do anything you do;
And a little girl who's dreaming of the day she'll be like you.

You're the little girl's idol; you're the wisest of the wise,
In her little mind about you no suspicions ever rise;
She believes in you devoutly, holds all you say and do,
she'll say and do, in your way, when she's grown-up like you.

There's wide-eyed little girl who believes you're always right.
And her ears are always open; and she watches you day and night.
You are setting an example every day in all you do,
For a little girl who's waiting to grow up to be like you.

THE GIRL IN THE GLASS

When you get what you want in your struggle for self, and the whole world makes you Queen for a day,
just go to a mirror and look at yourself and see what the girl has to say.

For it isn't your parents, friends, or spouse whose judgement upon you must pass.
The person whose verdict counts most in your life, is the girl staring back from the glass.

She's the person to please-nevermind all the rest, for she's with you clear up to the end.
And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test if the girl in the glass is your friend.

Some people may call your a straight shooting chum, and call you a wonderful gal,
but the girl in the glass says you're only a bum if you can't look her straight in the eye.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of life, and get pats on your back as you pass,
but you final reward will be heartaches and tears if you've cheated the girl the glass.

 

SHOW HER THE RAINBOW

Show her the rainbow, for rainbows don't wait.
And soon she's a woman; too soon it's too late.
Rainbows and childhood too soon disappear;
Like an illusion, you thought they were here.

Someday a rainbow may be hard to find.
And childhood and rainbows will be left behind.
Like ripples on water they vanish and fade.
Then what will become of the plans that you made?

So take time to show her the wonderful things
Like snowflakes and dewdrops and butterfly wings.
Show her the moonbeams that shine down at night . . .
A sky full of starlight all twinkling and bright.
Soon you'll discover some treasures can't wait,
So show her the rainbow before it's too late.
Yes, show her the rainbow while she is still small.
Or soon you will find there's no rainbow at all.