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Smiling Smiling They remind you the good things in our life.They remind you the good things in our life.

Today at 7AM I woke up feeling ill, but decided I needed the money, so I went in to work.  At 3PM I got laid off.  On my drive home I got a flat tire.  When I went into the trunk for the spare, it was flat too.  A man in a BMW pulled over, gave me a ride, we chatted, and then he offered me a job.  I start tomorrow. 

1

Today, after I watched my dog get run over by a car, I sat on the side of the road holding him and crying.  And just before he died, he licked the tears off my face.

2

Today, after a 72 hour shift at the fire station, a woman ran up to me at the grocery store and gave me a hug.  When I tensed up, she realized I didn’t recognize her.  She let go with tears of joy in her eyes and the most sincere smile and said, “On 9-11-2001, you carried me out of the World Trade Center.” 

3

Today, on our 50th wedding anniversary, she smiled at me and said, “I only wish I had met you sooner.” 

4

Today, when I slipped on the wet tile floor a boy in a wheelchair caught me before I slammed my head on the ground.  He said, “Believe it or not, that’s almost exactly how I injured my back 3 years ago.” 

5

Today, after the funeral, I went back to my parent’s empty house – the house I grew up in.  As I gazed around in awe of all the great memories we made in it, I noticed an old photo of my parent’s in their 20’s sitting on the coffee table.  In my father’s handwriting, across the back was written, “In this moment, we were infinite.”

6

Today, my grandpa died.  As I was crying and telling my grandma how sorry I was, she said, “Let’s stop being so sad and instead celebrate the 80 wonderful years he was alive… 60 of which he spent with me.” 

7

Today, as my father, three brothers, and two sisters stood around my mother’s hospital bed, my mother uttered her last coherent words before she died.  She simply said, “I feel so loved right now.  We should have gotten together like this more often.” 

8

Today, I pulled into a small gas station in the middle of the desert in New Mexico and realized I had left my wallet at my girlfriends house 5 hours away.  I had no money and barely enough gas to make it another mile down the road.  The only other person that stopped for gas was a burly looking trucker.  I was a bit reluctant, but I asked him for some spare change for gas. Instead he filled my tank and said, “Someone did this for me a few years ago.” 

9

Today, while I was driving my grandfather to his doctor’s appointment, I complained about hitting 2 red lights in a row.  My grandfather chuckled and said, “You always complain about the red lights, but you never celebrate the green ones.” 

10

Today, I kissed my dad on the forehead as he passed away in a small hospital bed.  About 5 seconds after he passed, I realized it was the first time I had given him a kiss since I was a little boy. 

11

Today, after watching a violent horror movie, my little brother abruptly asked my grandfather how he wants to die.  “Like the sunset,” my grandfather replied. 

12

Today, my son and I were in a car accident.  I came out of it with just a cut over my eye, but my son fell into a coma.  The doctor said if he doesn’t wake up soon his chances of a full recovery greatly decreases.  An hour ago he opened his eyes and said a word I thought I’d never hear again, “Mommy.” 

13

Today, after telling my grandmother that I didn’t want to risk making such a huge mistake, she looked at me and said, “Looking back on it all, there are so many mistakes I wish I had had the courage to make when I was your age.” 

14

Today, I was in line at the store behind a man holding a dozen roses.  When he got up to the cashier’s counter, he realized that the cashier looked sad.  The man smiled and said, “I’m buying 11 of these roses for my wife.”  And then he handed the cashier the 12th rose.  She smiled from ear to ear. 

15

Today, we were supposed to meet in the park.  But instead I met her in the hospital’s intensive care unit.  And as I sat beside her bed and staring at her unconscious body hooked up to all the breathing equipment, I reached into my pocket, pulled out the diamond engagement ring, and cried.  I’m still here waiting and hoping. 

16

Today, my sister told me a student of hers turned eight years old on Friday.  When I realized he was born on September 11, 2001, I said, “How horrible for his family.”  My sister explained that his grandfather worked at the Pentagon and skipped work that day upon learning his daughter was in labor. 

17

Today, I met an elderly man at a bar in Miami.  When I asked him if he was vacationing, he handed me a photo from his wallet and said, “Today would be our 50th anniversary.  And although she’s been gone 10 years now, this bar still reminds me of her smile - when we shared our first laugh here so many moons ago.” 

18

Today, my father told me, “Just go for it and give it a try!  You don’t have to be a professional to build a successful product.  Amateurs started Google and Apple.  Professionals built the Titanic.” 

19

Today, my dad told me and my little sister that we might lose our house. I was sad, angry, worried and stressed.  My 14 yr old sister asked me what’s wrong.  When I told her, she said, “It’s just a house.  I don’t care where we live, as long as we’re together.” 

20

Today, as my grandfather (a military doctor, war hero, and successful business owner)rested in his hospice bed, I asked him what his greatest life accomplishment was.  He turned around, grabbed my grandmother’s hand, looked her in the eyes, and said, “Growing old with you.” 

21

Today, I was walking home from work in the pouring rain without an umbrella.  I was walking just behind an elderly man who had an umbrella.  As we both passed under the overhang toan apartment building, he stopped, turned around and handed me the umbrella.  He said, “This is my stop and you look like you need an umbrella.  Pass it along someday when the opportunity arises.”  22

Today, I asked my mentor – a very successful business man in his 70’s – what his top 3 tips are for success.  She smiled and said, “Read something no one else is reading, think something no one else is thinking, and do something no one else is doing.” 

23

Today, I interviewed my grandmother for part of a research paper I’m working on for my Psychology class.  When I asked her to define success in her own words, she said, “Success is when you look back at your life and the memories make you smile.” 

24

The most important thing you’ll ever do is in the four walls

of your own home.

- Stephen CoveyThank You Very MuchSompong Yusoontorn