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“Life itself was only futility, vain words, a squabble of cap and bells. ”
| VBA's Positive News |
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Impact Journalism Day puts inspirational news in front of 50 million readers
A greater number of inspiring stories made it to the media last month, thanks to the first ever Impact Journalism Day, which saw 20 national newspapers around the world dedicate space to news about positive developments. On Saturday 22 June, papers in countries from Algeria to Canada, Brazil to Singapore - and many in between -- published a range of positive stories, including pieces on backpacking philanthropists and Facebook's impact on peace in the Middle East. The stories reached more than 50 million readers.
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EU to ban fipronil to protect honeybees
A widely used insect nerve agent that harms bees will be banned from use on corn and sunflowers in Europe from the end of 2013, after member states overwhelmingly backed the proposal in a vote on Tuesday. Tonio Borg, European commissioner for health said, 'In the aftermath of the restriction on use of neonicotinoids, I pledged to do my utmost to protect Europe's honey bee population and today's agreement with member states, not only delivers on that pledge but marks another significant step in realizing the commission's overall strategy to tackling Europe's bee decline.
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Monsanto to withdraw EU approval requests for new GMO crops
Monsanto Co said on Wednesday it will withdraw all pending approval requests to grow new types of genetically modified crops in the European Union, due to the lack of commercial prospects for cultivation there. 'We will be withdrawing the approvals in the coming months,' Monsanto's President and Managing Director for Europe, Jose Manuel Madero, told Reuters by telephone. The decision covered five EU approval requests to grow genetically modified maize, plus one soybean, and one sugar beet.
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US Secretary of State wins Arab backing on Mideast peace effort
US Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday won Arab League backing for his effort to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, raising hopes for a quick resumption in the stalled negotiations. Kerry, on his sixth trip to the Middle East in as many months as America's top diplomat, met in Jordan with representatives of the Arab League and nine of its members that support a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace plan proposed by Saudi Arabia.
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World Round-Up
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BJP puts up Modi's 'I'm a Hindu nationalist' posters all across Mumbai
Mumbai: Continuing the strong Hindutva pitch, the Bharatiya Janata Party has put up posters of its campaign panel chief and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi posters across Mumbai. The posters show Modi declaring that he is a patriot and a Hindu nationalist.
The posters along with Modi's recent comments about being a Hindu nationalist in a Reuters interview seem to indicate that the BJP's PM contender intends to fight the next elections on Hindu themes.
These posters come at a time when Modi is facing heat from his critics over his comments in the interview where he caled himself a Hindu nationalist.
Modi, in an interview to Reuters, had claimed innocence in the 2002 Gujarat riots and said he is a Hindu nationalist as he is born Hindu. "I am nationalist. I'm patriotic. Nothing is wrong. I am born Hindu. Nothing is wrong. So I'm a Hindu nationalist. So yes, you can say I'm a Hindu nationalist because I'm a born Hindu," he had told Reuters.
Claiming to be innocent in the Gujarat riots, Modi had said that he would feel guilty if he did something wrong but that's not the case.
Modi had also come under fire for his puppy remark during the interview. During the interview, Modi said, "While driving if a puppy comes under the wheel, will it be painful or not? Of course it is."
Minority Affairs Minister Rehman Khan had hit out at Modi for his 'Hindu nationalist' remark saying, "There is nothing called Hindu or Muslim nationalist, there is only Indian nationalist."
"No one can change the character of any person. This is just the beginning of unveiling of his character, more will come out in future.
Nitish always said Modi is fascist, Modi always treated minority with contempt," said JD(U) leader Sabir Ali.
These posters also come at a time when the BJP is set to finalise its poll campaign team and strategy.
The BJP Parliamentary Board is scheduled to meet in New Delhi on Thursday to name its poll campaign team that will work under the campaign panel chief, Narendra Modi.
The meeting will be chaired by party President Rajnath Singh and will be attended by all top leaders including LK Advani and Modi.
Sources say former party president Nitin Gadkari is likely to be named in-charge of poll bound Delhi and Rajasthan.
The leaders in the board meeting are likely to discuss and finalise the election management mechanism for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. The proposals before the board include constituting sub-committees on manifesto, mobilisation and publicity.
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Astrology
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Aries March 21 to April 19
Your home may bustle with activity at this time. You may learn that family members or in-laws plan to visit you this weekend. Such short notice may initially throw you for a loop, because you may need to clean the house and plan a menu. However, rather than scramble to get everything done, you may decide to take them out to a favorite restaurant. This way, they get to choose whatever they like, and you get to enjoy their company without stress.
Taurus April 20 to May 20
You may feel inspired to research your family tree, create an online scrapbook, or convert old home movies to DVDs so you can enjoy them again. You may also be reminded of delicious recipes from your childhood and decide to try your hand at one of them. However, before you do, you may call a parent or sibling to double-check the recipe. When you do, you may be surprised to learn that it includes a secret ingredient.
Gemini May 21 to June 20
 You may decide to purchase a gift for a friend or loved one as Mars and Jupiter unite in your financial sector. As this planetary placement tends to inspire impulsive spending, you possibly might exceed your spending limit. On another note, there may be rumors at work about an upcoming change to employee benefits. Since Mercury stations direct tomorrow, a formal announcement may come next week.
Cancer June 21 to July 22
Achieving your professional goals may be your main priority at this time. You may volunteer to work late, or you may put in some hours during the weekend because you feel it will help you get ahead. While this may impress your boss, it may not go over well with your partner, especially if it means you miss family events. Striking the right balance may not be easy, but if you put your heads together, it may be easy to come up with a creative compromise that satisfies everyone.
Leo July 23 to Aug. 22 
If you have been working on a screenplay or manuscript, you may be ready to submit your work to an agent or publisher. On the other hand, if you are waiting to learn the fate of a previous submission, you may receive word after Mercury stations direct tomorrow. On another note, friends may want to include you in their weekend plans. At first, you may prefer to relax at home, but when you realize they plan to take in a movie, you may change your mind.
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HDFC Bank net profit rises 30%, in line with analysts’ estimates
Mumbai: HDFC Bank Ltd, India’s second largest private sector lender, said first quarter profit grew 30% as interest and non-interest income rose, overcoming the effects of a sluggish economy and maintaining the lender’s earnings record.
Net profit grew to Rs.1,844 crore, or Rs.7.7 per share, in the three months ended 30 June from Rs.1,417 crore, or Rs.6 a share, in the year earlier, HDFC Bank said on Wednesday.
First-quarter profit was in line with the Rs.1,823.5 crore estimate of 41 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.
The bank has declared a net profit increase of 30% or more for 40 quarters on the trot in the past 10 years.June quarter net interest margin was at 4.6% unchanged from a year ago as both cost of funds and yields on advances dropped 10 basis points (bps) each. Net interest margin, the difference between interest earned and expended, indicates a bank’s profitability. One bps is 0.01 percentage point.
Net interest income (NII), the core income of the bank, increased 21% to Rs.4,419 crore.
Other income rose 17% to Rs.1,926 crore as the bank earned more through fees and commissions and revaluation of investments.
NII accounted for 69.6% of the bank’s net revenue, it said in a press release.
However, the stock fell 2.36% to Rs.662.65 on BSE, in line with a 2.32% drop in the benchmark 14-share banking index, the Bankex, in response to the liquidity tightening measures by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced on Monday.
Total non-performing assets (NPAs) increased to Rs.2,719 crore in the quarter ended June, up from Rs.2,335 crore in the quarter ended March 2013, though as a percentage of total loans NPAs remained constant at 1%. Though the uptick in NPAs was a concern “it remained within the management guidance”, said Saday Sinha, banking analyst, Kotak Securities Ltd.
“Balance sheet quality did see some pressure, stress was witnessed on commercial vehicles and construction equipment segments, in line with previous two quarters,” Sinha said.
Net NPAs as a percentage of net advances increased 10 bps to 0.30% from 0.20% in the quarter ended March. Profit also increased as the bank cut provisions to Rs.527 crore from Rs.582 crore last year.
Paresh Sukthankar, executive director at HDFC Bank, said NPAs came equally from the retail as well as the corporate segment during the quarter. “Our NPAs have risen 10 bps, which is much lower than the 1% to 1.5% rise seen by the banking system. We have seen an increase in NPAs from commercial vehicles, construction equipment and three or four names in the corporate sector linked to metals and contracting,” Sukthankar said.
HDFC Bank’s loan book grew 21.2% year-on-year, faster than a 13.7% growth in the banking system, mainly because retail loan demand increased 25%, faster than the 16% growth seen in the corporate book.
Sukthankar said he foresees demand for loans from individuals to continue to outpace corporate demand for the rest of 2013-14, unless there is a “sharp recovery” in the capital goods sector.
“There has been some demand for loans for expansion, trade finance and capital expenditure but there (are) no new greenfield projects coming up, which will take time,” he added.
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Foods for a baby-soft skin
Every woman seeks a genie in her bottle of lotion. Each time she opens it, she hopes to release the kindred spirit that will grant her eternal youth in the form of smooth, unblemished skin.
But how about unlocking youthful energy from within you?
Eat
Your skin will thank you if you incorporate the following into your diet:
Citrus fruits
Oranges and lemons are bursting with vitamin C, which aids cellular regeneration and repair.
Fish
It is anti-inflammatory and provides Omega-3 fatty acids, leaving you with a good skin tone.
Spinach
It contains lutein, which keeps your skin hydrated and younger looking.
Tomatoes
They are rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. It is also believed to help prevent skin cancer.
Yoghurt
It keeps your digestive system in shape, and your skin glowing with health.
Do: Since the appearance of your skin relies on supportive facial muscles, doing the following exercises every day will keep them toned and firm.
Eyes
Gently tone the muscles of your eyes by pressing two fingers on each side of your head, at the temples. Then open and close your eyes rapidly for 10 counts. Repeat this exercise three times.
Forehead
Frown as much as possible, try to get your eyebrows together and open your eyes wide-all at the same time. Repeat five times.
Neck and throat
Tilt your head back to look at the ceiling while keeping your lips pursed. Do a chewing movement for 20 counts and feel the muscles in your throat work. Repeat twice.
Lips
Purse your lips together and lift them up towards your nose. Hold for five counts. Repeat this exercise five times.
Cheeks
Maintain a relaxed smile; then suck in your cheeks onto your teeth. Hold for five counts. Repeat this exercise five times.
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Virgo Aug. 23 to Sept. 22
Large groups and associations may benefit you at this time. You may receive a last-minute invitation from a friend or co-worker to join him or her at a fund-raiser or other charitable event. While mingling, you may strike up a conversation with someone and discover that you share common interests. As you continue to chat, you may also sense a mutual attraction. This may prompt you to suggest getting together sometime and just like that, you may have a date!
Libra Sept. 23 to Oct. 22
The spotlight will be on your status and reputation as four heavenly bodies illuminate this sector of your chart. If you are due for a performance review at this time, you may receive kudos from your boss along with a merit increase. You possibly may celebrate a personal milestone at this time. For example, you may pay off a debt, attain your perfect weight, or learn how to surf. You may feel quite proud of this accomplishment because you know you earned it.
Scorpio Oct. 23 to Nov. 21
 There may be a sudden or unexpected travel opportunity connected to work. You may need to schedule a trip to meet with clients, attend a business conference, or visit a trade show. As you plan your itinerary, you may find the destination so appealing that you decide to use some vacation days to turn the trip into a holiday. If you need to find a pet sitter on short notice, a colleague may be able to recommend someone who is reliable and affordable.
Sagittarius Nov. 22 to Dec. 21
If you have experienced a delay connected to a pension, insurance, inheritance, child support or alimony payment, the check may arrive in the mail in the coming days. Likewise, if you have been at odds with a lender, you may receive word that the matter has been resolved. Thanks to a bevy of planetary support in this sector of your chart, along with Mercury turning direct tomorrow, this financial logjam may soon become a thing of the past.
Capricorn Dec. 22 to Jan. 19
 Legal contracts will be in the spotlight. For example, you may decide to accept an offer to become a partner in a firm or you may want to create an LLC for a home business. On a personal level, you may be ready to sign a lease for a new car or apartment, execute a will or other estate planning documents, or reach a settlement for a divorce or accident. When Mercury turns direct tomorrow, you will have the planetary green light to sign on the dotted line.
Aquarius Jan. 20 to Feb. 18
 Creating a healthy diet may be a major goal now. However, you may not be familiar with many recipes that are tasty, healthy and easy to prepare. You may find a number of appealing recipes on the web. As you search online, you may come across cooking videos that offer helpful demos as well cooking tips. You may be so eager to get started that shopping for ingredients moves to the top of your to-do list.
Pisces Feb. 19 to March 20
You may suddenly feel inspired to pursue a new hobby or creative passion. It may be something artistic such as writing, painting, sculpture, or photography, or it may be a physical activity such as dancing, swimming, or golf. If you choose a creative pursuit, you may want to practice on your own, but if it's physical, you may want to take private lessons. However, personal instruction may be too rich for your budget now, so you may decide to check out classes at local community centers or colleges.
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Moral Story
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SMS
“Lips do not join when we say LOVE..
That is “Sign of distance”
But lips join together when we say FRIENDSHIP..
That is “Sign of togetherness”.
LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS
“I used to advertise my loyalty and I don't believe there is a single
person I loved that I didn't eventually betray.”
LEADERSHIP & SUCCESS
“A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes
people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be."
School Teacher: What is common between
Buddha, Jesus, Mahavir and Guru Nanak Dev Ji?
Student: All of them were born on Indian centre
govt holidays!
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700 medical seats lost in TN as 6 colleges lose recognition
CHENNAI: Amidst soaring demand for MBBS seats, matched by record capitation fee collections, one thing has gone unnoticed thus far. The Medical Council of India (MCI) has either refused or withdrawn recognition for at least half a dozen medical colleges in Tamil Nadu, and none of the colleges has been able to win any reprieve from the Madras high court till now.
In effect, these colleges which have a combined student intake of more than 700 have realized to their dismay that the Supreme Court-stipulated deadline of July 15 for grant of MCI recognition too has gone by, with the high court refusing to show them the usual indulgence. "Now that the deadline for recognition has lapsed and the high court too has not come to their rescue, these medical colleges have no hope this year, unless the Supreme Court relaxes or extends the deadline. Even the MCI cannot do anything about it without the apex court's nod," a senior advocate arguing the case told TOI on Wednesday.
The medical colleges which have queued up before the high court are: Melmaruvathur Adhiparasakthi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research with 150 seats; Madha Medical College and Hospital for renewal of recognition to admit 150 students; Tagore Medical College and Hospital for renewal of recognition to admit 150 students; Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute for grant of recognition to admit 150 students; and Sri Devi Karumariamman Educational Trust for recognition to start admitting students for its new college.
Two other colleges - Asan Dental College and Hospital in Chennai and Mookambiga Dental College and Hospital in Kanyakumari district - have been refused permission by the Dental Council of India to admit 100 students each during this academic year. Another medical college - Mahathma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute - has been disallowed from increasing its intake from 150 to 250.
The names of Adhiparasakthi institute and Sathya Sai medical college figured in a CBI case, and a city court had discharged both of the promoters from the case. After that, they challenged the derecognition on the ground that in view of their discharge from the criminal case, their recognition should be restored. Their matters are now pending before the ethics committee of the MCI. When Adhiparasakthi's case for resumption of recognition came up for hearing before Justice K K Sasidharan, the judge had suo motu impleaded the CBI also a party to the proceedings, in order to elicit its views in the matter.
All these institutions are before the Madras high court hoping to circumvent the MCI's denial orders by obtaining at least an interim order of stay from the court. "Usually they succeed in getting an interim order and then start admitting students, cocking a snook at the MCI administration. Not so this time. With the high court adopting a tough stand this year, we do not know how to advice these clients," said another lawyer involved in the litigation. As per the apex court order in the Mridhul Dhar (minor) and Others Vs Union of India case, the last date for obtaining MCI recognition is July 15, and the deadline for completing the entire admission process is July 31, he pointed out.
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Brazil may have been wrong choice as host: Sepp Blatter
GOING (AUSTRIA): FIFA president Sepp Blatter said Brazil might have been the wrong choice as host of the 2014 World Cup if the tournament is affected by social protests like those as at the Confederations Cup last month.
Hundreds of thousands of Brazilians took to the streets during the warm-up tournament in June, demanding better public services and expressing their anger over the costs to stage the World Cup.
"If this happens again we have to question whether we made the wrong decision awarding the hosting rights," Blatter told German press agency DPA on Wednesday.
FIFA spoke with the Brazilian government after the Confederations Cup, and Blatter said he'll discuss the issue again with Brazil President Dilma Rousseff in September.
"We didn't do a political debriefing, but we did emphasize the fact of this social unrest being there for the entire duration of the Confederations Cup," he said. "The government is now aware that next year the World Cup shouldn't be disturbed.
"To me, these protests were like alarm bells for the government, the senate, the parliament. They should work on it so that this is not going to happen again.
Though protests, if peaceful, are part of democracy and therefore have to be accepted ... we are convinced the government, and especially the president, will find the words and the actions to prevent a repeat. They have a year to do so."
Blatter was speaking at the start of a two-day conference on sports, media and economy set up by German great Franz Beckenbauer in Austria. FIFA later verified the comments were accurate.
The Confederations Cup, which was won by Brazil, angered citizens who are upset with the billions of dollars spent on the tournaments while they endure underfunded schools and hospitals.
Protesters aired a wide spectrum of grievances, including the high cost of hosting the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The protests were originally organized by university students before spreading across the country, including tournament host cities Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Fortaleza and Belo Horizonte.
"It's not we who have to learn lessons from the protests in Brazil -- politics in Brazil have to do that," said Blatter, adding that "FIFA cannot be held responsible" for social discrepancy in the country.
Without FIFA's executive committee having to vote, Brazil won the right to host the tournament in October 2007. That was six months after the only other candidate, Colombia, withdrew its bid.
"The decision for Brazil was the best decision we could make. It was the correct decision, we stick to this decision," Blatter said.
Blatter said the success of next year's tournament will be instrumental in his decision whether to stand for president for a fifth time in 2015, adding that not all of the governing body's tasks have been fulfilled yet.
"First we have to complete the reforms, which are three-quarters done.
I'll then have to deliver the World Cup ... the way the world looks now, I'll say yes or no (to standing again) at the next congress in Sao Paulo in 2014," he said.
"FIFA should be taken over by someone who can take over a FIFA which is not just financially healthy, which it is now, but which also has credibility."
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Ramaiya Vastavaiya
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Ramaiya Vastavaiya
Movie Name : Ramaiya Vastavaiya
Release Date : July 19, 2013
Genre : Romance film
Producer : Kumar Taurani
Director : Prabhu Deva
Music Director : Sachin-Jigar
Cast : Girish Kumar,Shruti Haasan
Synopsis:
The story starts in a jail, where prisoner Muthupandi (Prabhu) is telling his life story to a police officer (Vijayakumar). Muthupandi is a self -made, Hard working man, who dotes on his only sister Kavitha (Trisha Krishnan). Their mother died when Kavitha was little and it was Muthupandi who brought her up with a lot of love and care. Kavitha’s best friend Lalitha (Richa Pallod) is getting married; 15 days before her marriage she takes Kavitha to her house.
This is the first time Kavitha has been away from her brother. At first she refused because she doesn't want be away from her brother. However, her brother advised her that its only 15 days and he'll be fine; he wont be alone because he has two servants to accompany him. After a lot of persuasion from her brother and her best friend she agrees to the visit.
Lalitha's cousin Santhosh (Jayam Ravi), the happy-go-lucky son of multi-millionaires Krishnan (Bhagyaraj) and Janaki (Geetha), comes to India with his mother for Lalitha's marriage. Santhosh is the opposite of Kavitha in terms of upbringing and status. The first time they met does not leave a good impression for both. As fate would have it, the two fall in love.
Santhosh’s sophisticated mother refuses their relation and cares for socio-economic status over her son's happiness. Santhosh's mother has already agreed to marry her son to her older brother's daughter, Shalini.
Santhosh's mother had never broke a promise until then. Shalini gets suspicious about Kavitha and Santhosh. When she sees Santhosh chasing Kavitha, she can tell there is something going on between them. Angrily, she went up to Kavitha's room and sees a beautiful horse and, next to it, a note saying do not touch.
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Most lipsticks contain fish scales.
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" INSPIRING STORY "
Don’t Hope,… Decide!
While waiting to pick up a friend at the airport in Portland, Oregon, I had one of those life-changing experiences that you hear other people talk about — the kind that sneaks up on you unexpectedly. This one occurred a mere two feet away from me.
Straining to locate my friend among the passengers deplaning through the jet way, I noticed a man coming toward me carrying two light bags. He stopped right next to me to greet his family.
First he motioned to his youngest son (maybe six years old) as he laid down his bags. They gave each other a long, loving hug. As they separated enough to look in each other’s face, I heard the father say, “It’s so good to see you, son. I missed you so much!” His son smiled somewhat shyly, averted his eyes and replied softly, “Me, too, Dad!”
Then the man stood up, gazed in the eyes of his oldest son (maybe nine or ten) and while cupping his son’s face in his hands said, “You’re already quite the young man. I love you very much, Zach!” They too hugged a most loving, tender hug.
While this was happening, a baby girl (perhaps one or one-and-a-half) was squirming excitedly in her mother’s arms, never once taking her little eyes off the wonderful sight of her returning father. The man said, “Hi, baby girl!” as he gently took the child from her mother. He quickly kissed her face all over and then held her close to his chest while rocking her from side to side. The little girl instantly relaxed and simply laid her head on his shoulder, motionless in pure contentment.
After several moments, he handed his daughter to his oldest son and declared, “I’ve saved the best for last!” and proceeded to give his wife the longest, most passionate kiss I ever remember seeing. He gazed into her eyes for several seconds and then silently mouthed. “I love you so much!” They stared at each other’s eyes, beaming big smiles at one another, while holding both hands.
For an instant they reminded me of newlyweds, but I knew by the age of their kids that they couldn’t possibly be. I puzzled about it for a moment then realized how totally engrossed I was in the wonderful display of unconditional love not more than an arm’s length away from me. I suddenly felt uncomfortable, as if I was invading something sacred, but was amazed to hear my own voice nervously ask, “Wow! How long have you two been married?
“Been together fourteen years total, married twelve of those.” he replied, without breaking his gaze from his lovely wife’s face. “Well then, how long have you been away?” I asked. The man finally turned and looked at me, still beaming his joyous smile. “Two whole days!”
Two days? I was stunned. By the intensity of the greeting, I had assumed he’d been gone for at least several weeks – if not months. I know my expression betrayed me.
I said almost offhandedly, hoping to end my intrusion with some semblance of grace (and to get back to searching for my friend), “I hope my marriage is still that passionate after twelve years!”
The man suddenly stopped smiling.
He looked me straight in the eye, and with forcefulness that burned right into my soul, he told me something that left me a different person. He told me, “Don’t hope, friend… decide!” Then he flashed me his wonderful smile again, shook my hand and said, “God bless!”
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“Never tell your problems to anyone...20% don't care and the other 80% are glad you have them.”
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