Merged: Short stories.

[yagit]

---

noh....tragic love...

[Jacopo]

"Acres of Diamonds"
By Earl Nightingale

One of the most interesting Americans who lived in 19th century was a man by the name of Russell Herman Conwell. He was born in 1843 and lived until 1925. He was a lawyer for about fifteen years until he became a clergyman.

One day, a young man went to him and told him he wanted a college education but couldn't swing it financially. Dr. Conwell decided, at that moment, what his aim in life was, besides being a man of cloth - that is. He decided to build a university for unfortunate, but deserving, students. He did have a challenge, however. He would need a few million dollars to build the university. For Dr. Conwell, and anyone with real purpose in life, nothing could stand in the way of his goal.

Several years before this incident, Dr. Conwell was tremendously intrigued by a true story - with its ageless moral. The story was about a farmer who lived in Africa and through a visitor became tremendously excited about looking for diamonds. Diamonds were already discovered in abundance on the African continent and this farmer got so excited about the idea of millions of dollars worth of diamonds that he sold his farm to head out to the diamond line. He wandered all over the continent, as the years slipped by, constantly searching for diamonds, wealth, which he never found. Eventually he went completely broke and threw himself into a river and drowned.

Meanwhile, the new owner of his farm picked up an unusual looking rock about the size of a country egg and put it on his mantle as a sort of curiosity. A visitor stopped by and in viewing the rock practically went into terminal convulsions. He told the new owner of the farm that the funny looking rock on his mantle was about the biggest diamond that had ever been found. The new owner of the farm said, "Heck, the whole farm is covered with them" - and sure enough it was.

The farm turned out to be the Kimberly Diamond Mine . the richest the world has ever known. The original farmer was literally standing on "Acres of Diamonds" until he sold his farm.

Dr. Conwell learned from the story of the farmer and continued to teach its moral. Each of us is right in the middle of our own "Acre of Diamonds", if only we would realize it and develop the ground we are standing on before charging off in search of greener pastures. Dr. Conwell told this story many times and attracted enormous audiences. He told the story long enough to have raised the money to start the college for underprivileged deserving students. In fact, he raised nearly six million dollars and the university he founded, Temple University in Philadelphia, has at least ten degree-granting colleges and six other schools.

When Doctor Russell H. Conwell talked about each of us being right on our own "Acre of Diamonds", he meant it. This story does not get old . it will be true forever .

Opportunity does not just "come along" - it is there all the time - we just have to see it.

[sassy_suzzy]

oh, im in love once again.... =)

[DebutsAndIDos]

* speechless, with my hand over my heart*

[DebutsAndIDos]

@anniepetilla:

Thanks for the Kincade pix.
It's beautiful and just right.

[DebutsAndIDos]

Waaah, I HATE it.

It's a good literary piece but I want my love stories to have happy endings.
Haay, but real life is so tragic so much of the time.

I don't think this is the winner of a literary contest, though, sorry.

[DebutsAndIDos]

Then he blows you a kiss, gives you a little salute and walks away. You are one lucky lady."

wow, to be loved like this! =)

[anniepetilla]

@anniepetilla:

Thanks for the Kincade pix.
It's beautiful and just right.

and thanks for appreciating.

[Jacopo]

One Red Rose
I Have Survived Essay Writing Contest!
Third Place & Reader's Choice Winner
Date Posted: 2/4/2005 8:00:55 PM
Author: zirma guevarra



"Hey Mommy, what are you staring at? Are you listening, Mom?" "I said, after
watching Enteng Kabisote, let us pass by at Dad's favorite record store and
buy him a new CD."

"Shhhh... All right, Josh...," I whispered. "Mom heard you loud and clear,"
I replied.

Josh just turned 5 years old last December 25. Those five years of being a
Mom to a very handsome, sweet and smart kid is probably the most exciting
and fulfilling stage of my life.

I'll be 28 years old this Feb. 14. At my age, I can recognize all the anime
characters-from Ghost Fighter to Ragnarok, to Lupin to Mask Ryder.

Josh loves watching television and most of the time, I am his TV buddy.
Whenever I would arrive home from work, he is always ready with his
never-ending stories of what he did at school and what had happened to Mask
Rider Ryuki.

Some of my morning rituals, though repetitive, are never boring. I usually
wake up at 5AM, take shower, prepare Josh's uniform, and make sure all his
stuff are inside his bag including his baon.

Then I would wake up his yaya and ask her to give Josh a bath, while I
prepare myself for the office.

In between putting on my blush-on and lipstick, I would always hear Josh
giggling, yelling and making fun of his Yaya Ella.

In most times, I would get jealous of Ella, they get along well. Josh is
much like his dad, they are both makulit. At his young age, Josh loves
listening to music and oftentimes mimics all rockers he sees on MTV.

Before Josh disrupted my thoughts about the CD he wished to buy for his Dad,
I was in a trance, pondering the first time I met Kelvin...

It was Valentines Day of 1997 when I first laid eyes on him, it was also my
20th birthday then.

I found myself sitting alone in one of the waiting sheds of the campus, when
I noticed him walking directly to my direction.

He was wearing a pair of jeans and a plain white t-shirt.
Every stride he made toward my place made me nervous.
His good looks and boyish features became too evident as he came closer. I
was so conscious that I stood up and tried to walk away until he called out,
"Mariz, wait!"

I stood still, thinking, "how did this guy whom I never met before know my
name?"

As I turned my head and looked back, he smiled and uttered, "Happy
Valentines".

He then handed me a red rose.
I smiled back, sat down and we talked.
I learned that Kelvin was an admirer, who befriended one of my classmates to
get to know me as well.

He confessed that he, together with my classmates, really planned that
particular day-I found out it was the reason I sat alone, waiting without my
usual tropa.

We talked for almost an hour-we were comfortable conversing. I learned that
we were both on our junior year, he was taking up ECE while I, Business Ad.
We both studied at PLM.

Kelvin and I became very close-he loved poetry and music; I liked cross
stitching.

He was always the first one to laugh whenever he delivered a joke. As for
me, I often laughed at his jokes because he laughed like a gorilla.

We became inseparable since the first time we met. Kelvin became the closest
person to me aside from my family.

On the eve of my graduation, after more than a year of friendship /
courtship, he became my first boyfriend.

In 1998, I graduated from college, and Kelvin was on his 5th year in ECE
then. I remember during the graduation rites at PICC, Kelvin was hesitant to
come and see me receive my diploma because that will also be the first time
for him to meet my family. I forced him though. I introduced Kelvin to my
family, oh, I could not forget that scenario. He was so nervous and pale.

June of 1998, I was employed in one of the top corporations in Ortigas,
while Kelvin was on his last year in Engineering.

At that time, we saw to it that our relationship will not be tested by the
temptations of the corporate world and tried our best to fight his
insecurity of still "being a student".

Every relationship, as they say, has its ups and downs. Kelvin started to
show signs of jealousy and insecurity. We seldom went out on dates, he
always had excuses.

Behind all his aloofness, I knew then that he just did not want me to spend
money on our dates.

His pride was slowly tearing our relationship apart during those times.
There were couple of nights I spent crying instead of resting. My co-workers
were asking me to give up Kelvin, they insisted that life and love in
college was different when starts working in the corporate world.

October 26, 1998, Kelvin's birthday. I surprised him while he and his study
group were busy finishing their case study on Microprocessor Clock Speed.

I showed up wearing my old college uniform. He was shocked and he stared
long at my old uniform, then he embraced me so hard that I raced for my
breath.

When he let go, I saw tears in his eyes. He kept repeating how much he loved
me and that he was sorry for pushing me away.

He confessed that, he was so jealous and insecure that he wanted me to find
some other guy that could treat me out in any restaurant I wanted; buy me
anything I pleased; or fetch me with nice cars; and shower me with gifts.

Then I found myself crying for I never had known then how much I loved
Kelvin, until I knew how sensitive he was.

How he wished to give me the WORLD, when I only longed for a single red
rose.

February 14, 1999, on my 22nd birthday, he gave me one red rose; same as
what he gave me when we first met two years before.

And I swore then, that was the only thing I wished to receive. Thursday,
April 1, 1999, Kelvin fetched me from work. He bragged all afternoon, he
said he will graduate on the 30th, Friday.

He kept on asking me to address him as Engineer Kelvin Regalado. I did. That
night, we made love for the first time. It was passionate and unforgettable.

April 18, 1999, our 2nd anniversary, Kelvin composed this poem in front of
me.

Star shine's bright on a darkest night...
being with you makes every thing right...
here is my heart with love as pure as white...
here are my arms that will hug with all my might...

at the bottom of the lighthouse maybe the darkest, amidst fears and
sorrows... I'll be abreast atop mountains and hills maybe the loneliest but
if you find yourself there..... close your eyes think of me... I'll be
there, my dearest.

Exactly a week before Kelvin's graduation, at around 5:30 in the afternoon,
I received a message from my beeper, it was from his younger brother,
Jethro.

The message said, "Kuya is at PGH, emergency room".
I hurriedly jumped into the first available taxi, I was literally crying a
river.

I was accustomed to be greeted with smiles by Kelvin's family, but that
night was different. They were all crying, and I needed not any word from
them to know what was happening.

Jethro nonetheless, told me the whole story-The police came to their house
and brought them to the hospital because Kelvin was shot in a pawnshop
hold-up incident and that his condition was critical.

Jethro narrated that while Kelvin was pawning his necklace which he received
from his aunt as an advanced graduation gift, two hold-uppers suddenly
showed up and shot both guard and Kelvin.

Jethro's last narration dropped like a bomb on my ears. Apparently, Kelvin
told Jethro why he wanted to pawn the necklace.

"Alam mo Jethro, ayos tong gift ni Tita, isasanla ko muna, para ipambili ko
ng singsing, ako magreregalo kay Mariz sa graduation ko."

April 24, 1999, Kelvin died. Up to now I can't find the words to express how
I felt then.

April 30, 1999, all of us whom he'd touched, whom he'd shared jokes with;
all those who had read his poems, who had heard his songs, were marching not
toward PICC for his graduation, but to his funeral.

It was the worst breakup.
Two months after Kelvin died, I was diagnosed as pregnant. I cried and cried
until tears rolled out empty.

My family spoke no word, they pitied me. I thought they would kill me, be
ashamed of me, but that did not happen.

Both my family and Kelvin's supported me and showed how much they loved me.

December 25, 1999, instead of humming Christmas songs and crying over the
thoughts of not celebrating it with Kelvin, I gave birth to a boy I named
Josh.

Since then, the happiness that Josh and I share is beyond what his dad would
have planned for me.

I am no longer particular with dates and time, I don't even wear a watch,
and I just make each day with my kid a day to cherish.

Each day at the office is an opportunity to give Josh a better life,
education and future.

It all started with one red rose.
And until there is a rose, I will never be hopeless.
"Hey mommy, are you crying?"
"No son."
"Magaling ba si Enteng?"
"Di ka naman nanunuod, mommy eh."
"Lika ka na, bili na tayo ng CD para ke Daddy."
"Ayos, Mommy, tiyak mapapagalitan na naman si Daddy ni San Pedro dahil
malakas na naman yun kung magpatugtog." "Di ba Mommy?" "Opo."


End of story

[Jacopo]

A sobbing little girl stood near a small church from which she had been turned away because it was "too crowded."

"I can't go to Sunday School," she sobbed to the pastor as he walked by.


Seeing her shabby, unkempt appearance, the pastor guessed the reason and, taking her by the hand, took her inside and found a place for her in the Sunday school class. The child was so happy that they found room for her, and she went to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship Jesus.

Some two years later, this child lay dead in one of the poor tenement buildings. Her parents called for the kindhearted pastor who had befriended their daughter to handle the final arrangements.


As her poor little body was being moved, a worn and crumpled red purse was found which seemed to have been rummaged from some trash dump.


Inside was found 57 cents and a note, scribbled in childish handwriting, which read: "This is to help build the little church bigger so more children can go to Sunday School."


For two years she had saved for this offering of love.


When the pastor tearfully read that note, he knew instantly what he would do. Carrying this note and the cracked, red pocketbook to the pulpit, he told the story of her unselfish love and devotion.


He challenged his deacons to get busy and raise enough money for the larger building.


But the story does not end there...


A newspaper learned of the story and published It. It was read by a wealthy realtor who offered them a parcel of land worth many thousands.


When told that the church could not pay so much, he offered to sell it to the little church for 57 cents.


Church members made large donations. Checks came from far and wide.

Within five years the little girl's gift had increased to $250,000.00--a huge sum for that time (near the turn of the century). Her unselfish love had paid large dividends.


When you are in the city of Philadelphia, look up TempleBaptistChurch, with a seating capacity of 3,300. And be sure to visit TempleUniversity, where thousands of students are educated.


Have a look, too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday School building which houses hundreds of beautiful children, built so that no child in the area will ever need to be left outside during Sunday school time.


In one of the rooms of this building may be seen the picture of the sweet face of the little girl whose 57 cents, so sacrificially saved, made ! such remarkable history. Alongside of it is a portrait of her kind pastor, Dr. Russel H. Conwell, author of the book, "Acres of Diamonds".