A New Year’s A New Year’s Resolution Resolution

“The List”“The List” … …♥♫♥♫

Prepared: VaroujAuthor: Scott Blum (modified)Music: Gheorghe Iovu “Lacrimi pentru Diana ” ♥♫ “Tears for Diana”

http://www.slideshare.net/firelight1

Flamingos are very gregarious and Flamingos are very gregarious and social birds, having large, noisy social birds, having large, noisy

nesting colonies from a few pairs to nesting colonies from a few pairs to sometimes thousands. They live in sometimes thousands. They live in

large colonies for safety and large colonies for safety and protectionprotection..

The word flamingo comes from Latin The word flamingo comes from Latin word for flame (flamma).word for flame (flamma).

With their bright feathers and With their bright feathers and strongly hooked bills, flamingos are strongly hooked bills, flamingos are

among the most easily recognized among the most easily recognized water birds in the worldwater birds in the world..

There are There are five speciesfive species of flamingos worldwide: of flamingos worldwide: (2)(2) Greater flamingo and Caribbean flamingo Greater flamingo and Caribbean flamingo

subspecies, (2) Lesser flamingo, (3) Andean subspecies, (2) Lesser flamingo, (3) Andean flamingo, (4) Chilean flamingo, andflamingo, (4) Chilean flamingo, and

(5) James‘ flamingo(5) James‘ flamingo.. Flamingos can reach up to five feet in height.

They weigh about 5-7 pounds and have a wingspan of between 4 to 5 feet. Males are

larger than females, but the same appearance.

The color of a flamingo's feathers except for The color of a flamingo's feathers except for some black wings varies from white, some black wings varies from white,

bright red to pale pinkbright red to pale pink..

During courtship, both sexes participate in many elaborate and ritualized

courtship displays such as marching, head bobbing, head flagging, neck twisting and wing saluting. These

displays occur months before and after actual nesting.

Flamingos frequently stand and sleep on one leg which is their most comfortable resting

position. Being able to curl the leg under the body, the flamingo keeps the foot warm and

conserves body heat.

What appears to be the flamingo's What appears to be the flamingo's knee is actually its ankle and knee is actually its ankle and

they fold their legs so that their they fold their legs so that their feet extend backwardsfeet extend backwards..

Flamingos have a very poor sense Flamingos have a very poor sense of taste and no sense of smellof taste and no sense of smell..

Eye of the flamingo is actually Eye of the flamingo is actually larger than its brain!larger than its brain!

Flamingo’s beak is referred to as Flamingo’s beak is referred to as a Roman nosea Roman nose. .

All flamingos have 12 black All flamingos have 12 black flight feathers in each wingflight feathers in each wing..

Egyptians revered the flamingo Egyptians revered the flamingo as the living embodiment of the as the living embodiment of the

Sun God RaSun God Ra..

Once upon a time a Once upon a time a young man named young man named

Zen spent time Zen spent time growing up with an growing up with an

enigmatic man named enigmatic man named ELDER. ELDER.

It is said that the Elder It is said that the Elder had taught Zen many had taught Zen many

things during the things during the times they had spent times they had spent

together.together.

The story goes….The story goes….I never forget the day when I never forget the day when

Elder said to Zen Elder said to Zen ““Now that you are becoming Now that you are becoming

mature adult you need to mature adult you need to begin setting goals for begin setting goals for

yourself so that you don’t yourself so that you don’t lose the momentum in life lose the momentum in life

you have built”you have built”

Zen replied….Zen replied…. "Like New Year's resolutions?“"Like New Year's resolutions?“

The Elder smirkedThe Elder smirked with a response with a response

"That's an interesting idea, "That's an interesting idea, let’s do that."let’s do that."

By then Zen was used to By then Zen was used to Elder’s obscure Elder’s obscure

responses, so he knew responses, so he knew something was up something was up

because of the way his because of the way his eyes sparkled as he let eyes sparkled as he let

out a lighthearted laugh.out a lighthearted laugh.

The Elder said "Tonight's The Elder said "Tonight's assignment is to makeassignment is to make

two lists,"two lists," The first is a list of all the The first is a list of all the New Year's resolutions you New Year's resolutions you

WANTWANT to keep to keep..The second is a list of all The second is a list of all

the New Year's resolutions the New Year's resolutions you you WILLWILL keep keep..

Remember to write the Remember to write the WANTWANT List first, List first,

and when you have and when you have exhausted all of your ideas,exhausted all of your ideas,then write the then write the WILLWILL list on list on

another sheet of paper.another sheet of paper.

That night Zen went That night Zen went home and spends home and spends

several hours several hours working on theworking on the

two lists. two lists.

The WANT List… The WANT List… felt a bit overwhelming at felt a bit overwhelming at

first, but after a while he first, but after a while he got into writing all the got into writing all the things he had always things he had always

wanted to do wanted to do if onlyif only the the difficulties & burdensdifficulties & burdens of life of life had not gottenhad not gotten in the way. in the way.

After nearly an hour,After nearly an hour, the the “Want” list“Want” list swelled swelled

to fill the entire page to fill the entire page and contained nearly and contained nearly all of his ideas to an all of his ideas to an

ideal life.ideal life.

The second list “WILL”The second list “WILL” was much easier, was much easier,

he was able to quickly he was able to quickly commit ten practical commit ten practical

resolutions that he felt resolutions that he felt would be both realistic would be both realistic

and helpful.and helpful.

The next day, Zen met the The next day, Zen met the Elder in front of the local Elder in front of the local

store. The Elder askedstore. The Elder asked ““tell me about your two tell me about your two

lists” with the familiar lists” with the familiar smirk on his face.smirk on his face.

The first list The first list “WANT”“WANT” contained all the things contained all the things

I SHOULD doI SHOULD do,, if I completely changedif I completely changed mymy life to be the person life to be the person I always wanted to be.I always wanted to be.

The second list The second list “WILL”“WILL” contained all the thingscontained all the things

I COULD do I COULD do byby accepting my current lifeaccepting my current life,, and taking realistic steps and taking realistic steps

towards the lifetowards the life I want to lead."I want to lead."

The Elder asked firstThe Elder asked first "Let me see the second list,""Let me see the second list,"Zen handed him the second Zen handed him the second

list, and without even list, and without even looking at it, looking at it, the Elder torethe Elder tore the paper into tiny pieces the paper into tiny pieces

and threw it away. and threw it away.

Elder’s disregard to the Elder’s disregard to the 22ndnd list Annoyed Zen at list Annoyed Zen at

first, but he calmedfirst, but he calmed down and began to think down and began to think

about the first list in a about the first list in a different perspective. different perspective.

Zen thought out…Zen thought out… “ “in my heart, I knew in my heart, I knew

the second list was the second list was just a cop out,just a cop out,

and the first list was and the first list was the only one that the only one that really mattered.”really mattered.”

Zen then handed to the Zen then handed to the Elder the first list.Elder the first list.

The Elder bowed his The Elder bowed his head holding the list head holding the list

with both hands.with both hands.

After an unusually long After an unusually long silence, the Elder silence, the Elder

began to crumplebegan to crumple the the paper into a ball and paper into a ball and once again tossing it once again tossing it

away without looking away without looking further.further.

Zen in a moment of Zen in a moment of displeasure, anger and displeasure, anger and frustration cried outfrustration cried out

"What did you do"What did you do that for?" that for?"

The Elder rested with The Elder rested with a moment of silence a moment of silence until Zen was calm until Zen was calm

and replied…and replied…

Ah…. forgot It’s just a family show Smiles…Ah…. forgot It’s just a family show Smiles…

……"What you"What you SHOULDSHOULD or or COULDCOULD

do with your lifedo with your life No longer matters.No longer matters.””

…“…“The only thing that The only thing that matters, from this matters, from this

day forward,day forward, is what youis what you MUST doMUST do“.“.

He then reached to He then reached to his back pocket his back pocket

pulled out a pulled out a folded piece of folded piece of

paper and handed paper and handed to Zen… to Zen…

Zen in all his curiosity Zen in all his curiosity and anxiousness opened and anxiousness opened the folded paper to find the folded paper to find a single word floatinga single word floating

in the middle of the in the middle of the blank page. blank page.

““LOVE”LOVE”

““The birth of love takes The birth of love takes place in the mother’s place in the mother’s

womb and no power on womb and no power on earth can overcome the earth can overcome the

gift of transformation in gift of transformation in the omnipresence of God”.the omnipresence of God”.

““Personal thoughts”Personal thoughts”

““Love resides in theLove resides in the bosom of God within the soul.bosom of God within the soul. If one befriends, bows and If one befriends, bows and

greets with a hug it will greets with a hug it will bring forth treasures to bring forth treasures to priceless discoveries”.priceless discoveries”.

““Personal thoughts”Personal thoughts”

““One is unable to attain One is unable to attain and experience the real and experience the real meaning of love unless meaning of love unless

they first discover to love they first discover to love themselves before sharing themselves before sharing

the divine gift tothe divine gift to love others”.love others”. ““Personal thoughts”Personal thoughts”

““Love and Ego are in the Love and Ego are in the opposite realm on the opposite realm on the

spectrum of life.spectrum of life. One illuminates light the One illuminates light the other chases in darkness.other chases in darkness. Thus one can not serve Thus one can not serve

two masters”.two masters”.““Personal thoughts”Personal thoughts”

““Love is a choice one is Love is a choice one is given to make, it is the given to make, it is the conscience within the conscience within the

soul as the compass to soul as the compass to navigate us through life’s navigate us through life’s

moments in turbulence moments in turbulence and calmness”.and calmness”.““Personal thoughts”Personal thoughts”

““GOD IS LOVE”GOD IS LOVE”While we live in faith, hope, our most While we live in faith, hope, our most

important dwelling place is God’s important dwelling place is God’s love. Without making His love our love. Without making His love our ultimate dwelling , we can not fully ultimate dwelling , we can not fully

live in faith and hope.live in faith and hope. NOW ABIDE IN FAITH, HOPE, NOW ABIDE IN FAITH, HOPE, LOVE. THESE THREE : BUT THE LOVE. THESE THREE : BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE.GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE.

11ststCorinthians 13:13Corinthians 13:13

““There is no fear in There is no fear in love; but perfect love love; but perfect love

casts out all fear”casts out all fear”

““1John 4:18”1John 4:18”http://www.slideshare.net/firelight1

The music is from Gheorghe IovuThe music is from Gheorghe Iovu Lacrimi pentru DianaLacrimi pentru Diana

(Tears for Diana)(Tears for Diana)

This is the YouTube websiteThis is the YouTube websitehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acb6PrcH--g&feature=PlayList&p=A2BC6E47016A2C90&index=25

http://www.slideshare.net/firelight1

To all my slide share friends,To all my slide share friends,Few months back I came across New Oceanflower Few months back I came across New Oceanflower 2008 YouTube videos by a very talented artist in the 2008 YouTube videos by a very talented artist in the name of Andreea. Often I go to her site to view her name of Andreea. Often I go to her site to view her beautiful videos sometimes to endless times. The beautiful videos sometimes to endless times. The music I picked for this slide show, I thank Andreea music I picked for this slide show, I thank Andreea for sharing such a beautiful touch of her artistic for sharing such a beautiful touch of her artistic elegance the splendor from her heart. elegance the splendor from her heart. Thank you dear Andreea.Thank you dear Andreea.

This is Andreea’sYouTube website. She has tremendous This is Andreea’sYouTube website. She has tremendous collection of videos from a variety of artists. Enjoycollection of videos from a variety of artists. Enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/user/NEWoceanflower2008http://www.youtube.com/user/NEWoceanflower2008

http://www.slideshare.net/firelight1