It’s exciting to see the changes with our “I Still Remember You” website! One of the changes is our homepage. We really want people to realize that we are THE ONLY social networking site that uses a chrono-geographical search to connect people worldwide!!!
Have you tried doing a search yet? It’s easy to do. Once you sign in, click on your account. Then click on the “contact” bar and type in the information. The more details you can remember, the better.
Also, be sure to check your messages from time to time. As members begin to browse profiles of other members, you never know who might be sending you a message with hopes of getting to know you better.
You’ll be receiving an e-newsletter soon with information regarding some other exciting news!
Listen to your heart…
Posts Tagged ‘heart’
Learn To Write In The Sand
Thursday, December 17th, 2009
It really does sadden me how many friendships are ruined by grudge holding. So much so that I may have even brushed across the subject on here before, but just the other day I heard of a friend of mine who had made friends with her sister after not speaking to her in over seven years.
That sounds like it should be a good news story and in many ways I guess it is but I cannot help thinking thinking of those seven years wasted. During that time one of the sisters gave birth to two little boys neither of whom has ever met their aunt. I wonder if whatever they fought about was really worth losing the start of a magical relationship with two nephews. Somehow I doubt it.
I heard a story not long ago that contains a moral that is a lesson for all of us.
Two friends were walking in the desert when they had a big argument. The first slapped the second across the face. Immediately the wronged friend took a stick and wrote in the sand “Today my best friend slapped my face”. The first friend was puzzled but they walked on.
They soon came across and an oasis and were so excited they recklessly jumped in. The slapped friend was not having a very good day. He could not swim. The first friend hauled him from the water and applied CPR. After some time the second friend, who had stopped breathing took a shaky breath.
As soon as the second friend recovered sufficiently he took a chisel to a rock and engraved on the rock face “ Today my friend saved my life”.
The second friend was again puzzled and asked “ Why when I do something hurtful to you do you write in sand and when I do something good, you write on rock?”
The second friend said “ When a friend does you wrong write about it in the sand and let the wind of forgiveness blow it away. When a friend does something good and kind engrave it in your heart and let no wind or storm take it from you”
Some of you may ask why? If a friend wrongs me then surely I have a right to be angry and never forget their actions? Why should I remember the good things my friends do and strive to forget the bad. I am afraid my philosophy on that is quite self serving; because you will be happier that way.
Not All My Best Friends Are People
Tuesday, December 15th, 2009
Friends Forever
I am not really an animal lover. That is not to say that I don’t like animals, just that there is only one type I truly love and that is dogs. As I sit here writing this with one of my dogs curled up on each of my feet keeping my toes warm I am struck by the fact that humans and dogs are the very best of matches. I want to share a story I once heard with you.
A man and his dog were transported to the after life at the same time and when they arrived things were very confusing, understandably. Very few people get a practice run at the after life. The man and his dog found themselves at the top of a long, winding, seemly endless road. The sun was bright in the sky and there were plenty of good smells in the air. It was a perfect day for a walk so the man and his dog set off down the road to see what they could find.
After awhile they came to a gate. behind the gate was a man in flowing, pristine white robes. Beyond the gate the man could see a lovely shaded area with a cool inviting lake. He looked at the gate keeper and said “May we enter, the day is awfully warm and my dog and I could do with a cool drink and maybe a swim in that lovely lake of yours”. The man in white beamed a huge smile and said ” You, of course, are welcome. But I afraid there are no dogs allowed in Heaven” The man with the dog was surprised to hear that this was Heaven but he was down right shocked to find out that heaven did not allow dogs. He said to the gate keeper, ” This dog has been my life long friend, he has stuck by me through thick and thin. He even died trying to save me. I will go nowhere he is not allowed.” . The gatekeeper shook his head sadly. “You are condemning yourself to a very sad eternity my friend,” he said, “nowhere in heaven accepts dogs. You will be wandering this long, hot road forever”. But the man stubbornly refused to be parted from his dog and moved off down the road.
After sometime the man and his dog came across another gate, with a kindly looking old man standing next to it. Before the man with the dog could speak the gate was thrown open and a voice that belied the gatekeeper’s small statue bellowed ” Both of you are welcome to Heaven”. The man with the dog exclaimed in surprise ”This is Heaven? The gatekeeper down the road said his place was, and it did not allow dogs”. The old man let out a chuckle “It is a very effective system we have going here. You were first greeted by the devil and told a pack of lies. I don’t mind that he gets to go first because frankly anyone who would abandon a life long friend on dusty, hot road for the promise of comforts deserves to spend the rest of eternity in the company of the devil”
The man and the dog entered Heaven together, just as it should be.
Socrates and The Test Of Gossip
Monday, December 14th, 2009
Most of you will have heard about the great and wise man who was Socrates of Ancient Greece. Thinking about what I was going to say to day I was saddened by the thought that so many good friendships are ruined by idle gossip. A lot of people think that you are only guitly of gossiping if they are actually doing the talking. In his own wise way though Socrates showed people this was not true and his attitude to gossip about a friend is represented in this story.
One day a man approached Socrates and begged an audience with him, as he had something vital to tell him. Socrates asked the man what the thing of vital importance was about and the man replied “your friend”. Socrates contemplated this answer a moment and then said to the visitor. “ I may allow you to tell me this thing but first I need you to answer some questions. The man agreed so Socrates posed his first question “ Are you certain that the thing you are about to tell me about my friend is true.” The visitor thought about it and shook his head and said “I cannot be certain as it is something I over heard”.
Socrates took in the answer and said, “I may still allow you to tell me but first two more questions. Is the thing you are about to tell me about my friend something that casts them in a good light?” The vistor shook his head vigourously this time and said “On the contrary”.
Socrates had just one more question for the visitor “ Is the information you are about to give me something that is useful?”. The man’s reply was “ No not really”. Socrates held the visitors eye and said to him “I am not interested in what you have to say. Why would I want to listen to you tell me something that is neither true, good or useful about someone I consider a friend?
I think we can all learn a lot from Socrates. It is not just the uttering of hurtful gossip that is wrong. Even listening to it can seem like an act of betrayal. If someone is talking to you about a friend of yours you could do worse that to pass what they are saying through the triple filter test that Socrates outlined in order to decide if you want to listen to any more.
Walking away from gossip that does not pass this test is an act of true friendship.
The Right Kind Of Friends
Saturday, November 21st, 2009While surfing the net, as I do a lot, I found this video by country and western singer Tracy Lawrence. In the song he is singing about how you know when someone is really your friend. True to good country and western style he is expressing his idea of true friendship in a practical and pragmatic way. Which of your friends would drive a hundred miles to pick you up if your car broke down?
Though most of us may not choose to decide on our friends based entirely on this basis the premise of what he is saying remains true. Some people claim to be your friends but when things get tough they are nowhere to be found.
My father used to say that there was nothing wrong with having a few of these fairweather friends, friendship is also about having a good time and some people are really only good for that but make sure you know which type of friends is which. Ask your self the same question about each one of your friends ” If I was in real trouble would I be happy if this person was the only one there with me”. It is funny but each time I asked myself the question about a friend I instantly knew the answer and I was rarely proven wrong.
It takes all kinds of friends to make your living a happy experience and they all serve a purpose but when you find one of these friends that you know you can count on to stick by you through thick or thin, you know you really have something special.
Sometimes life may get in the way of that friendship and people get misplaced but I like to think that if the friendship was a true one you are destined to re find that friend, especially if you are prepared to put in a little effort. So, if you have lost a mate that you know would have driven a hundred miles to pick you up when your car broke down then perhaps it is time you found them again. They are rare and you need them in your life.
You Find Out Who Your Friends Are – Tracy Lawrence
Run your car off the side of the road
Get stuck in a ditch way out in the middle of nowhere
Or get yourself in a bind lose the shirt off your back
Need a floor, need a couch, need a bus fare
This is where the rubber meets the road
This is where the cream is gonna rise
This is what you really didn’t know
This is where the truth don’t lie
{Chorus}
You find out who your friends are
Somebody’s gonna drop everything
Run out and crank up their car
Hit the gas, get there fast
Never stop to think ‘what’s in it for me?’ or ‘it’s way too far’
They just show on up with their big old heart
You find out who your friends are
Everybody wants to slap your back
wants to shake your hand
when you’re up on top of that mountain
But let one of those rocks give way then you slide back down look up
and see who’s around then
This ain’t where the road comes to an end
This ain’t where the bandwagon stops
This is just one of those times when
A lot of folks jump off
{Chorus}
When the water’s high
When the weather’s not so fair
When the well runs dry
Who’s gonna be there?
{Chorus}
You find out who your friends are
(yeah, yeah)
You find out who your friends are
Run your car off the side of the road
Get stuck in a ditch way out in the middle of nowhere
(Well man, I’ve been there)
Or get yourself in a bind lose the shirt off your back
Need a floor, need a couch, need a bus fare
(Man, I’ve been there)
Man, I’ve been there
Oooh yeah.
