1960 Medical batch, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Kublai Khan

The Mongol Empire "Kublai Khan" History Channel

Keeping Christmas

Reflection: Are You Willing to Keep Christmas?

The merry season comes and goes, and once the decorations are packed up, presents are opened and the celebrations draw to a close, so does the Christmas spirit, and all the love, thoughtfulness, and unity that it brings. But what is it that discourages us from celebrating this joyous feast all year round? This year, with all my kind greetings and wishes, I would like to send you a reminder about something that is better than the observance of Christmas day, and that is - keeping Christmas.

Are you willing…

...to forget what you have done for other people,
and to remember what other people have done for you?

...to ignore what the world owes you,
and to think what you owe the world?

...to put your rights in the background,
and your duties in the middle distance,
and your chances to do a little more than your duty
in the foreground?

Are you willing...

...to see that men and women are just as real as you are,
and try to look behind their faces to their hearts,
hungry for joy?

...to own up to the fact that probably the only good reason
for your existence is not what you are going to get out of life,
but what you are going to give to life?

...to close your book of complaints against the management of the universe, and look around you for a place where
you can sow a few seeds of happiness?

Are you willing to do these things even for a day?

Then you can keep Christmas.

Are you willing to stoop down and consider
the needs and desires of little children?

And to remember the weakness and loneliness of people growing old?

Are you willing...

...to stop asking how much your friends love you,
and ask yourself whether you love them enough?

...to bear in mind the things that other people have to bear in their hearts to try to understand what those who live in the same home with you really want, without waiting
for them to tell you?

Are you willing...

...to trim your lamp so that it will give more light and less smoke, and to carry it in front
so that your shadow will fall behind you?

...to make a grave for your ugly thoughts, and a garden with an open gate for your kind feelings ?

Are you willing...

...to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world? Stronger than hate, stronger than evil,
stronger than death?

And that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem
1,900 years ago is the image and brightness
of the Eternal Love?

Are you willing to do these things, even for a day?

Then you can keep Christmas.

And if you can keep it for a day,

why not always?

Share this reflection with your loved ones to wish them a happy Christmas, this year, and every day...

Words by Henry Van Dyke

VISHING VELL???

email from JKS Weerasekera

An Arab had spent many days crossing the desert.

It got so bad that even his camel died of thirst.

He crawled through the sands, certain that he was breathing his last
breath, when he saw half buried in the sand a Manischewitz wine bottle.

He hoped there may be a drop or two of fluid left in the bottle, so he
unscrewed the top, and out popped a genie!

This was no ordinary Genie. This genie appeared to be a (Jewish) Chasidic
Rabbi, complete with black alpaca coat, black hat,
side curls.

'Vell kid,' said the Chassidic Rabbi genie, 'you know how it is. You got t’ree vishes.'

Says the Arab. 'I'm not going to trust a
Jewish genie!'

'Vott you got to lose, you're a goner anyvay!'

The Arab thought about this for a minute, and decided to take on the genie.

'Okay, I wish I were in a lush oasis, with plentiful food and
drink.'

‘P O O F!

The Arab found himself in the most beautiful oasis he had ever
seen surrounded with jugs of wine and platters of delicacies.

'Okee-dokee kiddo, vat's your second vish?' asked the genie.

'My second wish is that I were rich beyond my wildest dreams.'

P O O F !!

And the Arab found himself surrounded by treasure chests filled with
gold coins and precious gems.

'Okay kid, you got just vone more vish. Make it a good
vone!'

After thinking for a few minutes, the Arab says, 'I wish
beautiful women will always need and want me!'

P O O F!!!

He was turned into a tampon.

THE MORAL:

If you're an Arab doing business with a Jew, there's
going to be a string attached!

Metformin, Happiness and Mohamed Ali

Forwarding all three items from Baba Mail.

1. Metformin anti diabetic drug in the news vs ageing, this drug was anathema to the US and Britain 25 years ago vs diabetes. Only the continentals used it and praised it for its antidiabetc properties. It is the commonest drug in use today.

2. Magic ingredients for happiness. Worth it.

3. Muhamed Ali vs George Foreman boxing. A bout I never saw in the 1970s- ‘ Rumble in the jungle’ as publicized.

Ali, ageing is at his near best. Men won’t miss this.

jksw

From: Baba-Mail [mailto:support@baba-mail.com]
Sent: Sunday, December 13, 2015 8:03 AM
To: susweera@sltnet.lk
Subject: New Anti Aging Drug Shows Incredible Results!