From "The Chicken Soup For the Soul"

             Во время моей первой поездки в США в огромном книжном магазине я купила маленькую книжку со странным названием "Chicken Soup For The Soul" (Куриный бульон для души). Авторами этой книги были обычные люди, которые хотели поделиться с другими своей житейской мудростью и помочь тем, кто оказался в трудной ситуации. Эту книгу я перечитывала много раз, а многие стихи и рассказы мы читали, переводили и обсуждали с учащимися.

Сегодня я решила напечатать некоторые публикации из этой книги.

On Teaching And Learning.

THE RULES FOR BEING HUMAN.

1. You will receive a body.
You may like it or hate it, but it will be yours for the entire period.

2. You will learn lessons.
You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called Life. Each day in this school you will learn lessons. You may like the lessons or think them irrelevant and stupid.

3. There are no mistakes, only lessons.
Growth is a progress of trial and error: experimentation. The "failed" experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiment that ultimately "works".

4. A lesson is repeated until learned.
A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. Once learned, you then go on to the next lesson.

5. Learning lessons does not end.
There is no part of life that does not contain its lessons. If you are alive, there are lessons to be learned.

6. "There" is no better than "here".
When your "there" has become a "here", you will simply obtain another "there" that will again look better than "here".

7. Others are merely mirrors of you.
You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects something you love or hate about yourself.

8. What you make of your life is up to you.
You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.

9. The answers to Life's questions lie inside you.
All you need to do is look, listen and trust.

10. You will forget all this.

                                                                             Cherie Carter-Scott

 Overcoming Obstacles.

What's Really Important.

      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 the relish to run the race to the finish and win.
       All, that is, except one 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 paused. 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 ten minutes.

                                                                                           Bob French

START WITH YOURSELF.

         The following words were written on the tomb of an Anglican bishop in the crypts of Westminster Abbey: "When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change my country. But it too seemed immovable.

       As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it. And now as I lay on my deathbed, I suddenly realize: If I had only changed my self first, then by example I would have changed my family. From their inspiration and encouragement, I would then have been able to better my country and, who knows, I may have changed the world."                            

 Anonymous

Footprints.

       One night a man had a dream. He dreamt he was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene he noticed two sets of footprints on the sand - one belonging to him and the other to the Lord. When the last scene had flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints and he noticed that many times along the path there was only one set. He also noticed that this happened during the lowest and saddest times of his life. This bothered him and he questioned the Lord. "Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you would walk all the way with me, but I noticed that during the most troublesome times of my life there was only one set of footprints. I don't understand why, when I needed you most, you deserted me."

     The Lord replied, " My precious child, I love you and would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, were the times when I carried you in my arms."

                                                                          Source Unknown