THE OLD MAN
Author: ©Ralph Clark

As I came out of the supermarket that sunny day, pushing my cart of groceries towards my car, I saw an old man with the hood of his car up and a lady sitting inside the car, with the door open.


The old man was looking at the engine. I put my groceries away in my car and continued to watch the old gentleman from about twenty five feet away.

I saw a young man in his early twenties with a grocery bag in his arm, walking towards the old man. The old gentleman saw him coming too and took a few steps towards him. I saw the old gentleman point to his open hood and say something.


The young man put his grocery bag into what looked like a brand new Cadillac Escalade and then turn back to the old man and I heard him yell at the old gentleman saying, "You shouldn't even be allowed to drive a car at your age." And then with a wave of his hand, he got in his car and peeled rubber out of the parking lot.

I saw the old gentleman pull out his handkerchief and mop his brow as he went back to his car and again looked at the engine. He then went to his wife and spoke with her and appeared to tell her it would be okay. I had seen enough and I approached the old man. He saw me coming and stood straight and as I got near him I said, "Looks like you're having a problem."

He smiled sheepishly and quietly nodded his head. I looked under the hood myself and knew that whatever the problem was, it was beyond me. Looking around I saw a gas station up the road and told the old man that I would be right back. I drove to the station and went inside and saw three attendants working on cars. I approached one of them and related the problem the old man had with his car and offered to pay them if they could follow me back down and help him.

The old man had pushed the heavy car under the shade of a tree and appeared to be comforting his wife. When he saw us he straightened up and thanked me for my help. As the mechanics diagnosed the problem (overheated engine) I spoke with the old gentleman.

When I shook hands with him earlier he had noticed my Marine Corps ring and had commented about it, telling me that he had been a Marine too. I nodded and asked the usual question, "What outfit did you serve with?"

He had mentioned that he served with the first Marine Division at Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal. He had hit all the big ones and retired from the Corps after the war was over. As we talked we heard the car engine come on and saw the mechanics lower the hood. They came over to us as the old man reached for his wallet, but was stopped by me and I told him I would just put the bill on my AAA card.

He still reached for the wallet and handed me a card that I assumed had his name and address on it and I stuck it in my pocket. We all shook hands all round again and I said my good-bye's to his wife.

I then told the two mechanics that I would follow them back up to the station. Once at the station I told them that they had interrupted their own jobs to come along with me and help the old man. I said I wanted to pay for the help, but they refused to charge me. One of them pulled out a card from his pocket looking exactly like the card the old man had given to me. Both of the men told me then, that they were Marine Corps Reserves. Once again we shook hands all around and as I was leaving, one of them told me I should look at the card the old man had given to me. I said I would and drove off.

For some reason I had gone about two blocks when I pulled over and took the card out of my pocket and looked at it for a long, long time. The name of the old gentleman was on the card in golden leaf and under his name........ "Congressional Medal of Honor Society."

I sat there motionless looking at the card and reading it over and over. I looked up from the card and smiled to no one but myself and marveled that on this day, four Marines had all come together, because one of us needed help. He was an old man all right, but it felt good to have stood next to greatness and courage and an honor to have been in his presence.

THINGS I WANT YOU TO HAVE
Author: ©Chee Chee Martin

May joy be your very best friend
May beautiful blessings come your way
May you have faithful friends near you
And may you have the beauty of a perfect day.


May happiness warm your heart
May your life be filled with love
May you always have a rainbow of smiles
And may the angels protect you from above.

May laughter always kiss your lips
May there be beauty for your eyes to see
May your days be full of ordinary miracles
And may your faith never dwindle or cease.

May your days always be bright and sunny
May you find joy in warm memories
May you have gentle hugs when your spirit sags
And may your days be untroubled and serene.

All these things I want you to have
This and so much more
Angels to carry you on their wings
When you're taken to Heaven's door.

THE STARFISH
Author: Unknown


One day a man was walking along the beach

when he noticed a figure in the distance.

As he got closer he realized the figure was that of a boy

picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.

Approaching the boy, he asked,

"What are you doing"?


The youth replied, "Throwing starfish in the ocean.

The sun is up and the tide is going out.

If I don't throw them in, they will die."


"Son", the man said,

"Don't you realize

There are miles and miles of beach

and hundreds of starfish?

You can't possibly make a difference!"


After listening politely, the boy bent down,

Picked up another starfish,

And threw it into the surf.


Then smiling at the man, he said,

"I made a difference for that one!"

SEEDS OF KINDNESS
Author: Unknown

Scatter seeds of kindness everywhere you go
Scatter bits of courtesy watch them grow and grow.
Gather buds of friendship Keep them till full-blown.
You will find more happiness than you have ever known.

THE CIRCLE
Author: Unknown

A ball is a circle,
No beginning, no end.
It keeps us together
Like our Circle of Friends
But the treasure inside
for you to see
is the treasure of friendship
You've granted to me.

THE FRIEND WHO STANDS BY
Author: Unknown

When troubles come your soul to try
You love the friend who just stands by.
Perhaps there's nothing he or she can do
The thing is strictly up to you.
For there are troubles all your own
And paths the soul must tread alone.
Times when love can't smooth the road
Nor friendship lift the heavey load.
But just to feel you have a friend
Who will stand by until the end.
Whose sympathy through all endures
Whose warm hand clasp is always yours.

It helps somehow to pull you through
Although there's nothing he or she can do.
And so with fervent heart we cry.....
God Bless the friend who just stands by.

A WISH
Author: Unknown


For a Happy Day
That is sent with lots of love
To someone really special
And who's thought
The whole world of!

YOU CAN DO IT
Author: Unknown

You can do it by the light
of a full moon.
You can do it in costume.
You can do it with a werewolf.
You can do it inside a tomb.
You can do it with candy corn
in your mouth.
You can do it at a Halloween party.
You can do it
at the stroke of midnight.
You can do it with a mummy.
In fact,
you can read this Halloween card
just about any time and place you want!
Hope Your Halloween Is Lit Up With Loads Of Fun!

SOMEBODY CARES
Author: Unknown

Though we can't be together
Somebody cares if you're happy today,
If your heart is cheerful and light.
Somebody cares if you're feeling good
And everything's going just right.
And somebody hopes that this message will show,
In a warm little heart-to-heart way..
You're thought of, remembered, and happily
wished An especially wonderful day!

FRIENDSHIP
Author: Unknown

You are a special part
of all that I hold
dear to heart.
And when the days
and miles divide us,
our friendship still
lives on inside us.
The dreams we've shared,
the laughter, too...
I love the friend
I Found In You!

FOREVER FRIENDSHIP
Author: Unknown


Just like a rose,
so precious and rare,
is the forever friendship
the two of us share.
Planted with kindness,
it's warmed by the sun
of caring and sharing,
laughter and fun.
It's grounded in trust
and nurtured by love,
with a sprinkling of grace
from God up above.
Tears of sadness and joy,
like dew, renew this friendship
I share with you.
And in the heart's garden,
we find the room to be ourselves,
to grow and bloom.
A blessing of beauty unsurpassed,
our friendship's a flower
that will always last.

FOREVER
Author: Unknown


As long as the sun does shine,
baby Together we'll walk through time,
As long as the wind does blow,
my darling ... Forever our love will grow.

No matter what bumps may block our way,
no matter the storms that appear to stay,
No matter the darkness that makes us blue,
Together My Love, with our Father,
we'll waltz right through.

I Love You Honey,
from the depths of this heart so true,
and as you are here for me,
know I am here for you,
regardless of life's sunshine
or rainy weather,
My Darling Forever...
we'll walk life's path together.

TREASURE OF FRIENDSHIP
Author: Unknown


I hold in my hands
a box of gold,
with a secret inside
that has never been told.

The box is priceless
but as I see,
The treasure inside
is far more precious to me.

Today I share
this treasure with thee,
It is the treasure of friendship
you have given to me!

SOMEBODY LOVES YOU!
Author: Unknown


Somebody loves you
Far more than you know
With a love that keeps growing
As days come and go...
Somebody needs you
To make life worthwhile
Needs your warm touch
And the joy of your smile.

A MOTHER
Author: Unknown

A mother is someone wonderful,
She means more through the years.
She loves and shares
and always cares,
She comforts, helps, and cheers