Monday, May 3, 2010

THE LOVELIEST WORD FOR LIFE


Marinated fried prawns - “Shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, sautee it. There's, um, shrimp kebabs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo, pan fried, deep fried, stir fried. There's pineapple shrimp and lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich... That's, that's about it.”

A funny story has it that in 1926 Thelma Goldstein from Chicago treated herself to her first real vacation in Florida. Unfamiliar with the area, she wandered into a "restricted" hotel in north Miami.

Getting the attention of the manager, she said, "Excuse me, but my name is Mrs. Goldstein and I'd like a small room for two weeks."

"I'm awfully sorry," he replied, "but all our rooms are occupied."

Just then a man came down the stairs and checked out.

"What luck!" Mrs. Goldstein smiled. "Now there's a room."

"I'm sorry ma'am, but there are no rooms available. This hotel is restricted. No Jews allowed."

"Jewish? Who's Jewish? I happen to be Catholic."

"I find that hard to believe, Mrs. Goldstein. Let me ask you, who was the son of God?"

"Jesus," she answered.

"Where was he born?" he man continued.

"In a stable."

"And why was he born in a stable?"

"Because a schmuck like you wouldn't let a Jew rent a room in his hotel!"

Poet Carl Sandburg was speaking in Hendersonville, North Carolina, when he was asked an unusual question: "What is the ugliest word in the English language?" How would you answer that question? Sandburg struggled for a moment. "The ugliest, ugliest word?"

"The ugliest word," he finally answered, "is `exclusive.'"

I think he is right. A group that is exclusive includes some people and shuts out others. Its doors are open only to a few. It separates people into favorable and less favorable categories. It differentiates between "our kind" and "those others."

If "exclusive" is the ugliest word in the language, would "inclusive" be the loveliest? Is the loveliest thought one that shuts out nobody? The loveliest act one that brings in everybody? The loveliest place one where we all belong?

If so, then the loveliest world is one that includes all of us... fully... no exceptions. And THAT...is a beautiful thought.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

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