Ashley Grey

Tag Archives: stories

“Rough winds do shake” is a quote from William Shakespeare’s Sonnets. “…Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,And summer’s lease hath all too short a date:…So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,So long lives this and this gives life to thee.” “All’s well that ends well.” “I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest.” Can you believe William Shakespeare?! Smoking or what! Okay, I got all excited for a minute there! Let’s get to the post of the day. Shall we? Something struck me about this story of Jesus’ disciples out at sea. They were making headway painfully because the wind was against them. Rough winds do shake things up a bit, right? So, we read that, Jesus did come to sea but was going to pass by them. Not until they cried out, did He get on…

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Consider and look carefully for the colour of truth. For men do give it colour in their stories and perspectives. But the truth just is. And it is no lie!   I stumbled upon Confessions of an Economic Hitman by John Perkins, recently. And, oh, what a find! An exposé of crime in international circles. While on assignment in Panama, he met this el hombre, who was picnicking with family. His guide was showing him around at the time, and the hombre walked up to chat. They chat about advancements in the country and the man described Omar Torrijos, as a despot and a dangerous man. Dangerous to whom? It is peculiar that he could label Torrijos, in such “colourful” terms. We clearly see in the story, that he is in fact, a respected leader “who will go down fighting for” the Panamanian people. Some positions really just reveal an…

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Choose a good name.

A quote by George Carlin in Brain Droppings attests to the fact that a good name is desirable. There are women named Faith, Hope, Joy, and Prudence. Why not Despair, Guilt, Rage, and Grief? George Carlin Indeed, why not? Easy! Names stick and we want to get them right. Why bear the name “Despair” and not “Hope”? “Guilt” sounds depressing already, doesn’t it? SASH-T, sent in this account of a choice she made a few years ago. I imagine that it couldn’t have been an easy one to make.  Choosing right in the face of overwhelming situations is often, not convenient.  But she was rewarded as we will see. Her story, I hope, encourages someone who might be facing something similar. I share it below.        I was following up on my application for a job and this is what the then acting director hesitantly asked me. “Did…

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Really this post should be about food, thoughts about food, but it is not. Instead it is about things to chew on and think about.  More a mental nourishment. Okay, maybe I can find a way to chip in something about food at the end. We’ll see! Sarah is one of a kind. Just give her a date and she can tell you what she was wearing, what she ate or did on that day. Genius! Blessed with a photographic memory. These are details we tend to forget because nothing eventful happened to trigger our brains to store and resuscitate such specifics. Have you met anyone like this? Hopefully, people like Sarah should inspire us to make an effort to recall names of people we have met, right? I mean, it’s the least we can do. Oh, the loud silence when we run into them and can’t make introductions! Experts,…

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Hector (not real name) was a resourceful and charismatic leader. His story of courage is inspiring. What qualities do leaders like him have that make them unforgettable? What might we learn from them? Albert Einstein in his earliest years, hardly spoke a word. People thought he would end up retarded. Many years later, we remember him for his great contributions to science and humanity. Makes me think how ordinary people do extraordinary things! Even when they are first dismissed! Leaders put in work. For women in a male dominated field, like Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, it can be twice as hard to get ahead. Ultimately, her efforts at reconciling warring factions in Liberia is not soon forgotten. “The size of your dreams must always exceed your current capacity to achieve them. If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf What qualities might leaders who…

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winners don't let their struggles hold them back.

Winners have their struggles too but what they don’t do is let these obstacles hold them back. They persist and are rewarded. There’s the river wide holding many secrets and presenting twists and turns. Big boats, small boats, not so small boats. They all navigating the wide expanse of water. The river wide One boat Wilhelmina, so little and painted white stands out among the lot. The river might seem overwhelming for petite Wilhelmina to thrive as the waves rock her from side to side but she does not give up making life on water a fun experience. If she could talk, she would most likely have compelling stories to tell. Tales of near misses, travails, triumphs, and how the cuts and scars on her sides happened. What interesting tales they’d be! No doubt. Perhaps, even reminding us to reflect and appreciate our wins and accomplishments, right? . As with…

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God has various names in many languages and cultures and it seems like men have since known of a supreme being in creation, not so? To Moses and the children of Israel, He introduced Himself as I AM with signs and mighty acts. Jonah discovered that he could not hide from God, after three days and nights in the belly of a fish in the deep. He is ever present! “To whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be alike?” Isaiah 46:5 The Gideon’s Bible. Wise men from the east saw the star. It was a sign to them that a King was born, and no ordinary King this was. So, they followed the star to seek out and worship. If we look, perhaps, we can find His footprints in creation. In landscapes so gorgeous, roaring seas, winds, trees, fields, flowers, wild…

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“A promise is a cloud, fulfillment is rain” is an Arabian proverb which just about sums up my thoughts on promises and keeping them. A promise is like an oath or a pledge to do or make something happen. A basis for expectation grows as soon as we make one. Promises are stronger than mere words, which is why we should keep promises when we make them. In the story of The Pied Piper of Hamelin we read about broken promises. Click here to read the full story. “I Thirst” narrates a promise fulfilled at great cost. The narrator feels just as thirsty while watching. Standing in the hot African sun My flesh feels the intense burn No respite from the angry glow This soda would offer hope. I take a sip Sweet, but I thirst still Ruthless in its brilliance I feel helpless against this radiance. A crown of…

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“Am I my brother’s keeper?” was the comeback from Cain after God asked him about his brother Abel in the Genesis Chapter 4 Bible story. Maybe Cain didn’t understand just how connected we all are in the circle of life. yellow rose So, it is nice to know that we have today to celebrate people all over the world that are living with disabilities, a subject that is still taboo in some circles.  This post has more details on the sensitive subject of disability. By the way, some are not easily discernible. Mental illness, chronic pain/fatigue, diabetes, brain injury and sight/hearing impairment are just a few. Justin has a business degree and has experience in business. At some point in his life, he feared he might be going deaf. He also suffered from ADHD and remembers being cruelly mocked for this condition. The taunts increased the chance of losing his…

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