YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’VE GOT TILL IT’S GONE

You’ve got parents who fuss and fret over you

They call often to check on you

Because they cherish and miss you

Yet you complain they are too overprotective

And won’t let you be

You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone!

You’ve got a spouse

Who is faithful to you

And works very hard at keeping the home together

Yet you find faults

And wished you had married another

You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone!

You are a stay- at- home mum

You’ve got time to wake up in the mornings

To prepare your family for the day

You are there to kiss and bid your husband goodbye

When he leaves for work

You take your children to school and pick them after school

You are available for their PTA meetings and other school activities

You have time to prepare lunch and dinner for the family

You are at home to welcome your husband when he arrives

You serve him and attend to his other needs

Yet you complain and compare yourself to other women

Who are working and building a career for themselves

You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone!

You’ve got in-laws

Who don’t disturb your life with naggings, criticisms and complaints

Yet you label them negatively

And even wished they were dead

You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone!

You are a youth

Vibrating with good health

You can eat without any support

You can jump, run and even lift heavy objects

Indeed your glory is clearly seen in your strength

You sleep and wake without any support                             

And you rarely fall ill

Yet you consume what isn’t good for the body

And you treat your body like a piece of rag

You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone

You’ve got a pastor

Who teaches the truth and will never compromise with evil

Yet you label him as being too aggressive and harsh

You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone!

You are rich, yes, money is not your problem

You inherited a great wealth from your parents

You have more stored away

Yet you fail to invest and multiply it

But you squander it on vanities and frivolities

You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone!

You are a young lady with suitors

Seeking your hand in marriage

Yet you mock them, shun them, and you even deceive them!

“I have to be smart” you say to yourself

You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone!

You have today, now, this present moment,

Yet you wished you had yesterday

You long for those good old days to be replayed

Before your present eyes

See, you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone!

                                                           Written by Mfon Christie

Fela Durotoye  Courtesy: Bing.com

HOW TO BE A GENTLEMAN (1)

WHO IS A GENTLEMAN?

*Richard Cory was described as a gentleman from sole to crown whom every body admired. He was clean favoured and imperially slim. His other profiles include:

And he was always quietly arrayed,
And he was always human when he talked;
But still he fluttered pulses when he said,
'Good-morning,' and he glittered when he walked.

And he was rich - yes, richer than a king -
And admirably schooled in every grace:
In fine, we thought that he was everything
To make us wish that we were in his place.

So on we worked, and waited for the light,
And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;
And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,
Went home and put a bullet through his head.

Such was the pathetic story of Richard Cory. It turned out that he wasn’t a gentleman after all!

 From the above story, I can boldly say that the six packs on a man’s stomach don’t qualify him as a gentleman, nor does the fat bank account. A degree from Harvard, Yale, Oxford or any Ivy League institution does not make a gentleman. That you drive the latest car model; work in a blue chip company or walk with certain swag are not all it takes to be called a gentleman. Any man who thinks he is a gentleman because he is handsome, young and muscular has missed it completely.

The honor of a gentleman demands the inviolability of his word, and the incorruptibility of his principles; he is the defender of the defenseless, and the champion of justice—or he is not a gentleman.       

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Ultimately, however, being a gentleman has little to do with tying a tie or fumbling with the flatware. Instead, it requires only a little logic, a bit of forethought, and a great deal of consideration for others. It is not about complicated rules and convoluted instructions. It is about trying to make life easier for other people. It is about honestly and sincerely being a nice guy.

 

*Richard Cory is the title of a poem by Edwin Arlington Robinson

HOW TO BE A LADY (10)

A LADY AND HER HEALTH

A lady knows that her health is one of the greatest assets she has on earth. She knows that she is at her best when she is in good health. And for that reason she doesn’t ignore her health.

She watches what she eats, how she eats and when she eats. She also refrains from habits and lifestyles that her harmful to her health.

She makes yearly appointments with her doctor or gynecologist to insure that she stays healthy and aware of any problems. 

She is smart to make a Pap smear part of her regular checkup because she knows that her body can go through strong hormonal changes that can lead to emotional and physical distress.

A lady makes an appointment with her gynecologist if she experiences any change in her menstrual cycle- heavier or longer bleeding time, spotting in between monthly periods, or pain that is prolonged and unusual. She knows that early detection of reproductive problems can lead to cures and safeguard her from infertility.

Because cleanliness is one of her watchwords, a lady is always careful to properly wrap and dispose of feminine products during her menstrual period. She never leaves them in an open waste basket or in someone’s home

A lady knows the risk that smoking and drinking alcohol has on her health and weighs the risks and harmful effects before deciding to take up such habits.

 Breast cancer can occur at any age, young or old, but a lady knows it is smart to check monthly for signs of a lump, tenderness, and discoloration on any part of her breast.

She is proactive by making an appointment with her doctor if she notices an unexplained change. She knows that an early diagnosis of breast cancer can save her life as she faces the challenge of keeping herself well with a healthy body.

A lady knows that rest and exercise are good for her health. She takes time off her busy schedule to rest; she also visits the gym or joins a fitness club where she goes regularly for exercise. 

Thank you for reading this article. You can share your comment(s) and or personal experience in the comment box below.

HOW TO BE A LADY (9)

A

 LADY AND HER FRIENDS

 lady does not live in isolation; she understands very well that no man is an island unto himself. She is therefore friendly and has friends.

A lady values her friends. She would not say or do things deliberately to hurt them or make them feel inferior to her. If she does, she quickly works at correcting it.

She knows the worth of her friends. She works at protecting her friends and helping them. A lady dreams the best for her friends. She holds their secrets secret. She would never betray the trust that her friends have in her.

When a lady is with her friends, she refrains from centering the discussion on herself. She would rather listen to her friends and make them feel important around her.

A lady celebrates her friends’ achievements and is not afraid (nor will she hesitate) to commend them for a job well done. She passes her compliments cheerfully without envy.

When a lady finds herself in the wrong company of friends, she knows that it is better to be alone than to be in the wrong crowd.

In choosing her friends a lady applies an ancient wisdom that says: TWO CANNOT WALK TOGETHER EXCEPT THEY AGREE.

Thank you for reading this article. You can share your comment(s) and or personal experience in the comment box below.