"The Seasons of Life"

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn to not judge things too quickly. So in turn, he sent them each on a quest, to go a look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.
The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in the summer, and the youngest son in the fall.
When they had all returned from their journies, he called them together to describe what they had seen.
The first son said the tree was ugly, bent and twisted.
The second said "No, it was covered with green buds and full of promise."
The thrid son disagreed and said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.
The youngest son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.
The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they each had seen but one of the seasons in the tree's life.
He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are, the pleasure, joy and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end. When all the seasons are up.
If you give up when its winter, you miss out on the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer and the fulfillment of your fall.
Don't judge a life by one difficult season, dont let the pain of one difficult season destroy the all the rest.

-Unknown

The Thai Boxer and The Tea Cup

The Thai Boxer and the Tea Cup
Once there was a very young boy who lost his parents to a horrible storm. The Boys mother was very beautiful, and his father was a famous Muay Thai Champion. Having no other family the boy was left in the care of His fathers teacher and having no children of his own other than his students the old master was happy to take him in.
The boy was very young and had few memories of his parents, though he hurt greatly in there absence. He trained hard day and night to one day be as great a Thai boxer as his father. His training distracted him, he preferred the pain of bruised shins, elbows and knees to the pain of missing his parents. The stronger he became the closer he felt to his father.
As the boy began his fighting career he seemed unmatched. He would quickly dismantle older and even more experienced fighters. As he would send them crashing to the ring floor he would look up to see his father standing in the opposite corner, A proud look on his face, “This is your destiny” He would shout. Fight after fight the boy grew to a man and an undefeated fighter. Every victory would yield the reward of seeing his father in the opposite corner, He would always say “This is your destiny.”
At the peak of his career the man had finally earned a championship bout at the famed Lumpinee Stadium. The same Stadium where his father became champion, He trained hard and prayed harder the night before, He would make his father proud. The day of his bout he knew without a doubt he would walk away a champion. When he knocked his opponent to the mat something was different however, His father had not appeared as usual. His opponent rose again and as the two tied up in clinch a devastating knee was delivered to his back crippling him and sending him helpless to the floor.
Weeks passed, the fighter would not speak, he would not sleep, he would not even eat. He lost weight, and grew more and more depressed. Finally his Teacher confronted him, “You must eat.” And the old man placed a tea cup with some tea and biscuits just out of the younger man’s reach. Enraged the fighter yelled “Ajarn,…AJARN!!....I can’t reach it! Why would you be so cruel?! The old master turned and said simply “Because it is your destiny.” The fighter never told anyone of his visions. He thought long and hard and slowly reached for the tea cup.
Everyday the master would bring him food and his tea, and everyday he would set the tea cup farther away and in a more difficult spot to reach. On the third day The fighter reached for his tea cup and fell from his wheel chair to the floor. Frustrated, Angry, Miserable and Lonely the fighter looked up with tears in his eyes to see his mother, sitting just on the other side of his tea cup. She was beautiful , she just sat there with the most peaceful smile. She whispered to him “This is your destiny.” Everyday he would see her, just before he reached the tea cup and she would always whisper the same thing.
Many years later, In the United States of America an old Thai man with a decorative cane was watching over young thai boxers in a school in califorina. They were of many ages, races, and skill levels. Trying a difficult kick a particularly chubby young boy crashed to the floor. The old man slowly crouched near him, “ Come sir, Try again.” “ I can’t sir, I can’t do it.” The boy whispered embarrassed. The old man smiled, “Yes you can sir,…… It is your destiny.” On the walls there were many decorations. Uniforms, weapons, Thai paintings and statues, on one particular shelf was on old dusty tea cup. No one ever knew why.

Life is hard, It’s supposed to be. But life only asks what it thinks we can handle. No matter the disappointments or hardships remember that our destiny is shaped by the strength of our own will. Never give up trying to reach your “tea cup”.

To live by Honor....

To live by Honor is know oneself without limitation. To know ones purpose, to have the faith to execute it, and to know that a purpose is not simply somthing worth dying for but somthing worth truely living for.
To live by Honor is to live focused, confident and sure.
To live by Honor one will be true to those he is loyal, to those who he is not, and most importantly true to himself.
To live by Honor is to have the vision to see the difference between what is Rightous and what is Unrightous and to have the strength to choose the right path.
To live by Honor, No matter who one loves, one will be loved in return.
No matter what god is worshiped,
To live by Honor is to find favor from above.
To Live by Honor is the True Way to Live.

- Niten

DETERMINATION

Feeling down? Defeated? Lost? Here are a few reminders that have always guided me....


"Use No Way as Way." - Bruce Lee Even in Darkness there is still Light, Sometimes we must fight through darkness to bring our truths to light. Never give up hope, there is always a way.

"EVERY MOMENT is a chance to turn things around."
Every day is a new life, one that can be lived with strength or with waste,
Every day can be an adventure, making the best of the mistakes of yesterday
or a day just making things worse.
Every day is a new Chance....
at happiness, at love, at learning and Victory.
Everyday is a Choice....
To be or Not to be.... To be like everyone else, or to be somthing else.
The Choice is yours EVERY MORNING.


"The Very Reason we fall is so we learn to RISE."
It has been said that "The only difference between winners and losers is that losers
havn't failed enough."

" Victory in Life is falling down 7 times and getting up 8." - Musashi

"IT IS NOT BECAUSE THINGS ARE DIFFICULT THAT WE DO NOT DARE.....
IT IS BECAUSE WE DO NOT DARE THAT THINGS ARE DIFFICULT."

"In A Warrior's Life, Ones Greates Opponent Will Be Himself."

No matter the obstacles or adversities you may be facing remember,
"Once a Warrior Masters Oneself, All else is but Dust and Air.

Compassion and Tolerance

"When it comes to Matters of Ways of Life and Belieifs,
It is not our Differences that should be focused on,
But our Similarities that should be built upon."

"Focus Determines Reality"

No matter how many times you fail, remember "every moment is a chance to turn things all around." " The reason we fall is so that we learn to Rise." Positive visuilization and unwaivering determination will eventually lead to success. Never waiver in your faith to your beleifs, your goals and more than anything your own potential. In life there is a truth;

"Dreams come True, and Fears Come True,

The Choice is Always Yours."

What Really Matters??

What is the object of life? What is really worth it? What really matters in the end?
Is it money? Acheivement? Possesions? Who you know? What your job is? Status?

A very wise and successful man once said,

"It's not how much you make, its what you spend it on.
It's not what you have, Its what you do with what you've got.
It's not what you have learned, It's what you have taught.
It's not what you do, It's what IT has done for others.
It's not what you said, It's who listened and what they heard.
It's not what you drive, Its where your going.
It's not what you accomplished, It's who it effected.
It's not about Quantity, It's about Quality.
It's not about Success, It's about Significance."