IANSTERLING.COM - Radio Announcer Ian Sterling's Inspiration

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who will not survive the week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people around the world.

If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the worlds wealthy.

If your parents are still married and alive, you are very rare, even in North America.

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.

If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read anything at all.

These Will Make You Feel Smarter

Question: If you could live forever, would you and why?
Answer: "I would not live forever, because we should not live forever, because if we were supposed to live forever, then we would live forever, but we cannot live forever, which is why I would not live forever."
- Miss Alabama, Miss USA contest.

"Whenever I watch TV and see those poor starving
kids all over the world, I can't help but cry. I mean
I'd love to be skinny like that, but not with all those
flies and death and stuff,"
- Mariah Carey

"I haven't committed a crime. What I did was fail to
comply with the law."
- David Dinkins, New York City Mayor, answering accusations that he failed to pay his taxes.

"Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very
important part of your life."
- Brooke Shields, during an interview to become spokesperson for a federal antismoking campaign.

"I've never had major knee surgery on any other part
of my body."
- Winston Bennett, University of Kentucky basketball forward.

"Outside of the killings, Washington has one of the
lowest crime rates in the country."
- Mayor Marion Barry, Washington, DC.

"We're going to turn this team around 360 degrees."
- Jason Kidd, upon his drafting to the Dallas
Mavericks.

"Half this game is ninety percent mental."
- Philadelphia Phillies manager Danny Ozark

"It isn't pollution that's harming the environment.
It's the impurities in our air and water that are
doing it."
- Al Gore

"If you let that sort of thing go on, your bread and butter will be cut right out from under your feet."
- Former British foreign minister, Ernest Bevin.

"It's no exaggeration to say that the undecideds could go one way or another"
- George Bush

"I have opinions of my own -strong opinions - but I don't always agree with them."
- George Bush

"We've got to pause and ask ourselves: How much
clean air do we need?"
- Lee Iacocca

"I was provided with additional input that was radically different from the truth. I assisted in furthering that version."
- Colonel Oliver North, from his Iran-Contra testimony.

"The word "genius" isn't applicable in football. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein."
- Joe Theisman, NFL football quarterback & sports analyst.

"We don't necessarily discriminate. We simply exclude certain types of people."
- Colonel Gerald Wellman, ROTC Instructor.

"If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure."
- Bill Clinton

"Traditionally, most of Australia's imports come from overseas."
- Keppel Enderbery

"The loss of life will be irreplaceable."
- Dan Quayle

"Your food stamps will be stopped effective March
because we received notice that you passed away. May God bless you. You may reapply if there is a change in your circumstances."
- Department of Social Services,
Greenville, South Carolina

"We apologize for the error in last week's paper in
which we stated that Mr. Arnold Dogbody was a
defective in the police force. We meant, of course,
that Mr. Dogbody is a detective in the police farce."
- Correction Notice in the Ely Standard,
a British newspaper

"If somebody has a bad heart, they can plug this jack in at night as they go to bed and it will monitor their heart throughout the night. And the next morning, when they wake up dead, there'll be a record."
- Mark S. Fowler, FCC Chairman

The British Airways Situation

As we know, we see discrimination in some form or another almost everyday and often times it leaves a sour taste in our mouths. The following story shows us the side of diversity that we are all working for. It is a pleasant twist to see that there are companies and individuals who face discrimination head on, if only one small step at a time. Enjoy reading the positive side of diversity, I applaud British Airways for their action in this situation. On a British Airways flight from Johannesburg, a middle-aged, well-off white South African Lady has found herself sitting next to a black man. She called the cabin crew attendant over to complain about her seating. "What seems to be the problem Madam?" asked the attendant. "Can't you see?" she said " You've sat me next to a kaffir. I can't possibly sit next to this disgusting human. Find me another seat!" "Please calm down Madam." the stewardess replied. "The flight is very full today, but I'll tell you what I'll do - I'll go and check to see if we have any seats available in club or first class." The woman cocks a snooty look at the outraged black man beside her (not to mention many of the surrounding passengers). A few minutes later, the stewardess returns with the good news, which she delivers to the lady, who cannot help but look at the people around her witha smug and self-satisfied grin: "Madam, unfortunately, as I suspected, economy is full. I've spoken to the cabin services director, and club is also full. However, we do have one seat in first class". Before the lady has a chance to answer, the stewardess continues..."It is most extraordinary to make this kind of upgrade, however, and I have had to get special permission from the captain. But, given the circumstances, the captain felt that it was outrageous that someone be forced to sit next to such an obnoxious person." With which, she turned to the black man sitting next to her, and said: "So if you'd like to get your things, sir, I have your seat ready for you." At which point, apparently the surrounding passengers stood and gave a standing ovation while the black man walks up to the front of the plane. people will forget what you said people will forget what you did but people will never forget how you made them feel. More People Should Be Like This And they call some of these people "retarded"... A few years ago, at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash. At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with intent to run the race to the finish and win. All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times, and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went back... every one of them. One girl with Down's Syndrome bent down and kissed him and said, "This will make it better." Then all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line. Everyone in the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several minutes. People who were there are still telling the story. Why? Because deep down we know this one thing: What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves. What matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course. A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle. The Cost Of Kids The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140 for a middle income family. Talk about sticker shock! That doesn't even touch University Tuition! But $160,140 isn't that bad if you break it down. It translates into $8,896.66 a year, $741.38 a month, or $171.08 a week. That's $24.24 a day! Just over a dollar an hour! Still, you might think the best financial advice is to not have children if you want to be "rich." It is just the opposite though. What do your get for your $160,140?Naming rights. First, middle, and last! Glimpses of God every day. Giggles under the covers every night. More love than your heart can hold. Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs. Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies. A hand to hold, (sometimes covered with jam) a partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites, building sandcastles, and skipping down the sidewalk in the rain. Someone to laugh yourself silly with no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day. For $160,140, you never have to grow up. You get to finger-paint, carve pumpkins, play hide-and-seek and never stop believing in Santa Claus. You have an excuse to keep: reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh, watching Saturday morning cartoons, going to Disney movies, and wishing on stars. You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths, hand prints set in clay and cards with backward letters. For $160,140, there is no greater bang for your buck! You get to be a hero just for getting a Frisbee off of a garage, taking training wheels off of a bike, taking out a splinter, filling a wading pool and coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless. You get a front row seat in history to witness first steps, first words and endless more. You get to be immortal with branchs added to your family tree. In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there with God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch up hurt feelings, police a birthday party, send them to their room "forever", and love them without limits, so one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost. Defining Success "He who has achieved success has worked well, laughed often and loved much". -- Elbert Hubbard "Too often, people focus only on results. But getting results without learning something or without having fun are incomplete. So is having fun without getting the results, or having fun without learning something new to help and empower you in the future. Accomplishment is all three: the result, personal growth and having fun." -- Peter L. Hirsch "There are many aspects to success; material wealth is only one component. ...But success also includes good health, energy and enthusiasm for life, fulfilling relationships, creative freedom, emotional and psychological stability, a sense of well-being, and peace of mind." -- Deepak Chopra "You don't have to stay up nights to succeed; you have to stay awake days." -- Source Unknown The Baseball Game In Brooklyn, New York, Chush is a school that caters to learning disabled children. Some children remain in Chush for their entire school career, while others can be mainstreamed into conventional schools.At a Chush fund-raising dinner, the father of a Chush child delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he cried out, "Where is the perfection in my son, Shay? Everything God does is done with perfection. But my child cannot understand things as other children do. My child cannot remember facts and figures as other children do. Where is God's perfection? The audience was shocked by the question, pained by the father's anguish and stilled by the piercing query. "I believe," the father answered, "that when God brings a child like this into the world, the perfection that he seeks is in the way people react to this child." He then told the following story about his son Shay: One afternoon, Shay and his father walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, "Do you think they will let me play?" Shay's father knew that his son was not at all athletic and that most boys would not want him on their team. But Shay's Father understood that if his son was chosen to play it would give him a comfortable sense of belonging. Shay's father approached one of the boys in the field and asked if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance from his team-mates. Getting none, he took matters into his own hands and said "We are losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him up to bat in the ninth inning." Shay's father was ecstatic as Shay smiled broadly. Shay was told to put on a glove and go out to play short center field. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but were still behind by three. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again and now with two outs and the bases loaded with the potential winning run on base. Shay was scheduled to be up. Would the team actually let Shay bat at this juncture and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that it was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, let alone hit with it. However as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher moved a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay should at least be able to make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. One of Shay's team-mates came up to Shay and together they held the bat and faced the pitcher waiting for the next pitch. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly toward Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay and his team-mate swung at the ball and together they hit a slow ground ball to the pitcher. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could easily have thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have ended thegame. Instead, the pitcher took the ball and threw it on a high arc to right field, far beyond reach of the first baseman. Everyone started yelling, "Shay, run to first. Run to first. "Never in his life had Shay run to first. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled. By the time he reached first base, the right fielder had the ball. He could have thrown the ball to the second baseman who would tag out Shay, who was still running. But the right fielder understood what the pitcher's intentions were, so he threw the ball high and far over the third baseman's head. Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second." Shay ran towards second base as the runners ahead of him deliriously circled he bases towards home. As Shay reached second base, the opposing short stop ran to him, turned him in the direction of third base and shouted, "Run to third." As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams ran behind him screaming "Shay run home." Shay ran home, stepped on home plate and all 18 boys lifted him on their shoulders and made him the hero, as he had just hit a "grand slam" and won the game for his team. That day," said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, those 18 boys reached their level of God's perfection." - Work like you don't need the money. - Love like you've never been hurt. - Dance like nobody's watching. Life's Pop Quiz Note: Don't bother with a pen and paper... just read this and think it over:1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world. 2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners. 3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America contest. 4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer prize. 5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for Best Actor and Actress. 6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series Winners. How did you do? The point is, none of us remembers the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They're the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Certificates are buried with their owners. Now here's another quiz. See how you do on this one: 1. List a few good teachers from high school. 2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time. 3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile. 4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special. 5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with. 6. Name a half dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you. Easier? The lesson? The people who make a difference in your life aren't the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They're the ones who care. The Gesture One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd." I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on. As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes. My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives." He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!" There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now. I would have never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play football on Saturday with me and my friends. He said yes. We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him. Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said, "Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!" He just laughed and handed me half the books. Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors, we began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship. Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak. On Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him. Boy, sometimes I was jealous. Today was one of those days. I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!" He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. "Thanks," he said. As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began. "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach, but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story." I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying all his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile. "Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable." I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize it's depth. Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person's life. For better or for worse. God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way. Look for God in others. Money It can buy a house, but not a home. It can buy a bed, but not sleep. It can buy a clock, but not time. It can buy you a book, but not Knowledge. It can buy you a position, but not respect. It can buy you medicine, but not health. It can buy you blood, but not life. It can buy you sex, but not love. So you see, money isn't everything. Keep Your Fork My Grandmother once told me a story, that I have always kept close to my heart.Whenever I'm at a catered social function, I look forward to when the dishes of the main course are cleared and someone inevitably leans over and says; "Keep your fork." That's my favorite part because I then know that something better is coming, like creamy cheesecake or a crispy apple pie with vanilla ice cream. Something amazing, with substance!' So, when It's my time to leave this world, I want to have a fork in my hand at my funeral so people wonder "What's with the fork?" and have the meaning of my Grandmothers symbolization explained. The next time you reach down for your fork, let it be a gentle reminder that the best is yet to come. Eleanor Roosevelt Wrote... Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart. Anger is only one letter short of danger. If someone betrays you once, it is his fault; if he betrays you twice, it is your fault. Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people. He who loses money, loses much; He, who loses a friend, loses much more; He, who loses faith, loses all. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow's a mystery. Today is a gift. To Realize To realize the value of a sister, ask someone who doesn't have one. To realize the value of ten years, ask a newly divorced couple. To realize the value of a face, look into the eyes of a Golden Retriever To realize the value of four years, ask a graduate. To realize the value of a year, ask a Soldier. To realize the value of an hour, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet. To realize the value of a minute, ask someone who just missed a plane. To realize the value of one-second, ask someone who just survived an accident. To realize the value of a millisecond, ask an Olympic athlete who finished second To realize the value of a friend, lose one Words To Live By One of the most difficult things to give away is kindness. It is usually returned. - Court R. Flint True friends visit us in prosperity only when invited, but in adversity they come without invitation. - Theophrastus The responsibility of tolerance lies with those who have the wider vision. - George Eliot Our only greatness is that we aspire. - Jean Ingelow All I have seen teaches me to trust the creator for all I have not seen. - Ralph Waldo Emerson He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has. - Epictetus People forget how fast you did a job, but they remember how well you did it. Choice, not chance, determines destiny. It isn't so true that "prayer changes things" as that "prayer changes me and I change things" - Oswald Chambers Praise is more spontaneous when things go right; but is more precious when things go wrong. If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well. - Martin Luther King, Jr. It is never too late to give up our prejudices. - Thoreau It is much easier to recognize error than to find truth; for error lies on the surface and may be overcome; but truth lies in the depths... - Geothe He that can have patience can have what he will. - Benjamin Franklin Life must be measured by thought and action, not by time. - Lubbock There is no right way to do the wrong thing. Character is a victory, not a gift. Bad things do happen to good people. Our response to it is what is important. Great works are performed not by strength, but by perserverance. Never lose sight of the fact that old age needs so little but needs that little so much. - Margaret Wilbur To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world. - Given to me by Tracy Smith Official site for Entertainer Ian Sterling - www.ianserling.com �