Why Me ?

Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr. (July 10, 1943 – February 6, 1993) was a World No. 1 professional tennis player. He won three Grand Slam titles -US Open (1968), Australia Open (1970), and Wimbledon (1975)-, ranking him among the best tennis players from the United States.

Ashe, an African American, was the first black player ever selected to the United States Davis Cup team and the only black man ever to win the singles title at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open.

In the late 1980s, Ashe contracted HIV from a blood transfusion he received during heart bypass surgery.

One of his fan wrote to him, "Why did God choose you to have it (HIV)?"

Ashe answered, "In this world there are :
50 millions kids want to play tennis,
5 millions of them get to learn to play tennis,
500 thousands of them get to learn to play tennis professionally,
50 thousands of them get enter the field to play,
5000 make it to Grandslams,
50 make it to Wimbledon,
4 play at the semifinal,
2 play at the final,
and when I held the Wimbledon trophy, I did not ask God, 'Why me?'
So, even in my condition right now, I shouldn't ask Him, 'Why me?'

Ashe founded the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of AIDS and the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health to to educate others about HIV and AIDS before his death.

On June 20, 1993, Ashe was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton.

Source: Wikipedia

Beautiful Prayer

A running championship for kids was held that morning. The sky was clear and the air was most fresh. Stands were crowded with spectators. Contestants lined up and prepared themselves just behind the starting line. One was seen clasping both her hands muttering an unheard prayer.

The whistle was blown and the contestants started run with all their might toward the finish line. In a tight race, the girl who prayed turned out to be the star that morning. She crossed the finish line first and won the championship.

At the medal ceremony she was asked if she was glad that her prayer was answered. She said that she was happy and said that she did not pray to win. She thought that it would not be fair to pray and ask God to make her victorious and beat all other contestants.

She was then asked what her prayer was about. She answered she asked God to give her strength, so that she would not cry if she lost the race.

What we have become ?

A young rich looking executive man went inside a coffee shop. With all tables taken, he went to a table occupied by a luscious young woman.

"Do you mind ?"
"None at all" the hot tie replied.

Not long after, the man tried to open a conversation, "Say, will you sleep with me for USD 50,000 ?"
"Yes, I will for USD 50,000," the woman replied.
After a pause, "What about for USD 100?" the man asked.
The woman replied with a raised voice "What do you think of me, a slut ?"
... "Well, I think we have already defined what you are, I am just trying to bargain."





.....

To My Parents

Father

When I was small, you took me by the hand.
Father you should know I finally understand.

You taught me wrong from right, and how to live.
You gave the greatest gift that one could give.

You never let me down, you made me strong.
When I made mistakes, when I was wrong.

Some days we'd laugh, and some days we'd fight.
Somehow you knew one day, I'd say you were right.

You're with me in every word I say, in every hour of every single day.
In all I do, I'm just a part of you.

You lived your life for us, that was your plan.
Those hands that never take, they worked the land.
Hands that never take, can only give.
And because of you, I know how to live.

You're with me in every word I say, in every hour of every single day.
In all I do, I'm just a part of you.

Father just one thing.
You always knew.
Every word you said to me was true.

Manowar

Kasih Ibu

Kasih ibu,
Kepada beta,
Tak terhingga sepanjang masa.

Hanya memberi,
Tak harap kembali,
Bagai sang surya, menyinari dunia.

I would like to dedicate these beautiful song lyrics to my parents. If we believe in reincarnation then I am sure I have done a lot of good things in my previous lives.

The Fire Sage

A long time ago a sage visited a village. There the sage wisely asked several villagers to come with him. When they were already quite far from the village, he asked each follower to find rod-shaped pieces of wood. When all of them had each brought what was asked, he retrieved and placed the woods on the ground. Then, he started chanting some prayers.

Not long after he finished praying, the tip of all the rod-shaped pieces of wood were miraculously covered by fire. The sage enlightened them with the power of fire, handed each of the amazed followers the burning torches and left.

The followers went back to the village with torches in their hands. There they shared the power of fire to the still mesmerized villagers. Some time after, as they were no longer afraid of the dark, the followers went on separate ways to other villages to further share the power of fire.

As the days passed, the villagers discovered more of the power of fire that they built shrines for them.

The shrines are still around, but rarely do they remember the sage who created it.

Religions - Tao

" A foreigner asked a local waiter in a restaurant about the meaning of Tao.

The waiter politely ask the foreigner to follow him to the veranda.
The waiter then ask "what do you see ?"

"Houses, people doing their things, street, trees, birds, sky," replied the foreigner.

The waiter said, "That is Tao."

Religions - The Club on The Shore

Once upon a time in there was this island near a sea-route. Many shipwrecks happened along that sea-route since the water in that area was shallow and no lighthouse to help navigating and/or warn the passing ships. Most victims of the shipwrecks were washed ashore by the waves along the island's shores.

This condition led a group of villagers start a small club on a spot somewhere on the shores. The mission was to help as many victims as possible. They built a hut for the club, stocked some foods and medical aids, and arranged shifts to watch the shore around the hut. Every now and then the shifts found victims, took them in their hut, and help the victims regain their health with no profit motives.

With such mission and success the club gained fame and everyone took part in it was considered better people. People of various backgrounds volunteered and recruited. Donations given and used to buy new equipments, better medical aids, many food stocks, better furniture and expand the hut. They observed wider area, rescued more victims with less time spent, and made the health regaining process faster than before. Soon the club had air-conditioned and well-designed cottages, carpeted floors, great foods, and entertainment stuffs for those in the shifts. The rescuing works lessened. Many members of the club thought that rescuing victims made the carpets dirty and the sweet-scented cottages stink.

Some members who engraved the original mission in their hearts started demanding for more social works since there were still many victims along the shore were waiting for helps to come. A clash happened and a voting was held. The minorities lost and was asked to leave the club. These minorities was not like any minorities, they moved to another area and started a new club. They built a hut, stocked some foods and medical aids, and also arranged shifts to watch the shore around their hut.

They struggled to save victims with their best efforts even with low supplies. They helped, they helped, and they helped with a firm grip of their mission. After sometimes, the stories of their success are spread. People volunteered and recruited. Donations are given to help this new club. The club used the donations to buy new equipments, better medical aids, many food stocks, better furniture and expand the hut. More rescuing works were done, they the club gained credibility in the new areas. Donations flowed and major expansions done. The success was sweet. But rescuing works lessened.

Again, some members felt that the original mission of the club was not properly done. The shore was large that there were many victims needed to be helped. A voting session was held and as always, written in the sky, the minorities lost. But wait, these minorities were not like any minorities either. They happily moved to another area and started a new club.

Now, if you happen to visit the island, you will notice many of this kind of clubs along the shores. Many shipwrecks still occurs and a lot of victims are still washed ashore by the waves along the island's shores. But most of the clubs will not care, they are very busy in allocating their donations and expand their wealth.