T Books

Do you like calm and weird books? If you do then is the book for you. The story Giraffes Can't Dance is about a Giraffe who is very clumsy and can't dance and gets teased a lot by other animals. Then he figures out that there is something called a jungle dance that will happen in a couple of days and all the animals practice some in groups more then two like the baboons and some just two like the lions. So then he practices but it's no help. So then a wise cricket helps him practice. I won't tell you the hole story but I will give you some more details like the setting is the jungle and some of the characters are the Giraffe, the baboons, lions and more animals that you will love. I thought the authors message was that just because someone or something can't do some thing doesn't mean you shouldn't be their friend or bail on them. So if you want to see what happens by the book I am sure you will like it.

My children and I love this book, especially the rhymes and the exuberant, joyful illustrations by Guy Parker-Rees. Gerald is such a wonderful character. The book has already become a classic!

This is a great story about how it's okay for us to be individuals that dance to a different beat. The illustrations are wonderful. Bought the book for our 3-year old son but everyone in the family enjoys reading the story.

I love this book! My mentor read it to her 8th grade class before they went off to high school and i bought it as a parting gift for a friend of mine who just went to college. It has a wonderful message of "dancing to you own beat" or just being yourself, no matter what people think. Seeing that i just had my first child, i will definitely be buying him this book and i will read it to him, even if he is only 3 months old because i don't think anyone is too young to be taught that they deserve individuality.

This is one of the cutest stories I have come across and is not one I mind reading over and over again to my small children. The pictures are bright and interesting, the words just roll off the tongue, and the message is sweet. At first I was afraid it would be a little wordy since my kids are just one and two but they like it and it definitely keeps their interest. It is also the reason my kids have learned the name of jungle animals! They point out the giraffe, monkeys, elephants etc. when even Baby Einstein wasn't able to teach them that.

Do you like calm and weird books? If you do then is the book for you. The story Giraffes Can't Dance is about a Giraffe who is very clumsy and can't dance and gets teased a lot by other animals. Then he figures out that there is something called a jungle dance that will happen in a couple of days and all the animals practice some in groups more then two like the baboons and some just two like the lions. So then he practices but it's no help. So then a wise cricket helps him practice. I won't tell you the hole story but I will give you some more details like the setting is the jungle and some of the characters are the Giraffe, the baboons, lions and more animals that you will love. I thought the authors message was that just because someone or something can't do some thing doesn't mean you shouldn't be their friend or bail on them. So if you want to see what happens by the book I am sure you will like it.

My children and I love this book, especially the rhymes and the exuberant, joyful illustrations by Guy Parker-Rees. Gerald is such a wonderful character. The book has already become a classic!

This is a great story about how it's okay for us to be individuals that dance to a different beat. The illustrations are wonderful. Bought the book for our 3-year old son but everyone in the family enjoys reading the story.

I love this book! My mentor read it to her 8th grade class before they went off to high school and i bought it as a parting gift for a friend of mine who just went to college. It has a wonderful message of "dancing to you own beat" or just being yourself, no matter what people think. Seeing that i just had my first child, i will definitely be buying him this book and i will read it to him, even if he is only 3 months old because i don't think anyone is too young to be taught that they deserve individuality.

This is one of the cutest stories I have come across and is not one I mind reading over and over again to my small children. The pictures are bright and interesting, the words just roll off the tongue, and the message is sweet. At first I was afraid it would be a little wordy since my kids are just one and two but they like it and it definitely keeps their interest. It is also the reason my kids have learned the name of jungle animals! They point out the giraffe, monkeys, elephants etc. when even Baby Einstein wasn't able to teach them that.

Lavryle Spencer is my all time favorite romance writer. When she retired in 1997, I seriously mourned. Pick up any of her books and it will leave you with tears, joy, laughter, and a full heart. It's hard for me to choose which is my favorite book from her, but Years has to be right there at the top (along with Bitter Sweet, Vows, Bygones, Family Blessings, Separate Beds, Forgiving). The movies in my opinion doesn't do her books justice at all. I read her book over and over again and they will never leave my library. I have yet to find a writer that matches her skill in spinning an emotionally-driven romantic story.

I purchased this book because of the high number of very good reviews here and was in need of something new and engaging to read. This was my first Lavyrle Spencer book and I didn't really care for it all that much. I thought the development of love between the characters was bumpy and their constant fights (which, I know are supposed to masquerade as their resistance to their irresistible love) were just annoying and I found Teddy's unwavering focus on the difference of 16 years incredibly senseless - I just didn't get that.

The characters were all rather weakly developed and I had trouble following and understanding their motivations for their actions: Why was Linnea suddenly throwing herself at Teddy? Why did Kristian want to join the army? Why was Linnea so angry and worked up about the older boys not attending school immediately? Why was Teddy so angry about the baby? Also, I thought Linnea's character underwent an abrupt change once she married Teddy - she became very subdued, very different from the chipper person at the beginning. It was almost as though she disappeared from the book. Very strange.

There were parts of the book that I liked - the sudden snowstorm was a surprise - the detailed descriptions of horse tack and saddling were interesting and the heated, enclosed wagon was something new. It was set in an interesting time and place - with some "modern" conveniences (cars and airplanes), but much still so primitive (wagons and chamber pots). But overall, not a draw for me to want to read it again.

Read this book right before I read Morning Glory, which I found to be a horrible read. Years is the complete opposite--wonderful story, interesting characters, sparkling dialogue, an absolute joy to read. I can't believe the same author wrote both books! I'm buying this for a Christmas gift for my mother, I loved it so much! My only two complaints about it are that the heroine is almost too pure and loving to be believable, and too many characters were killed off at the end of the book--but that's like saying that you loved the movie but the popcorn was a pinch too salty. READ THIS BOOK!! You will love it!

I absolutley loved this book, from start to finish. Lavyrle Spencer has a way of writing two people falling in love, that you feel as if you're falling in love too. My heartstrings were tugged, pulled and squeezed countless times over while reading this book. It was paced perfectly and remained interesting throughout. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

This book is about Linnea and Teddy. Linnea, 18 and fresh from her parents home, has traveled a long way for her first job. She is the new school teacher in Alamo North Dakota who is to room and board with Theodore Westgaard and his family. She has high hopes about her future and is constantly daydreaming about what her new life will be like. Parties, operas, romance.... Then she meets Teddy, a 34 year old, bitter and cynical wheat farmer, who's been badly wounded in the past and cannot bear to even be around women, much less this young and hopeful girl.

Teddy picks her up at the train station expecting not a woman, but a man and refuses to allow a woman, or this "girl" as he calls her, into his home. But because of no other alternatives, she's forced to stay there, against his wishes. Linnea's hopes and "daydreams" are shattered when she discovers she isn't very welcome in his home as she'd expected to be and also becomes bitter towards Teddy for his reactions to her. Bickering and small battles ensue as they spend more time around eachother, but at the same time, neither can understand why they both think of eachother all the time.

Teddy's 17 year old son, Kristian takes an instant liking to Linnea against his father's wishes, because she's his teacher and more importantly because his father recognizes he has feelings for her as well. This makes him uncomfortable, to say the least, but understands his son's heart and tries to stay away from Linnea as much as possible. Linnea notices Kristian's attraction and does her best to keep him at bay and remind him, that even though she's only one year older, she is his teacher and those boundries musn't be crossed.

Over time, Linnea and Teddy get to learn small things about eachother and begin to see eachother in a different light. But there is one thing that is keeping Teddy from giving in to his attraction to Linnea...the years between them. He is 16 years older, and sometimes feels like a pervert for even looking at Linnea in a romantic way. He is constantly battling with himself and refuses to give in to his feelings. Linnea on the other hand, does want to give into these new feelings she's having, she doesn't care about the years separating them, only about her heart and her heart keeps coming back to Teddy.

Overcoming their hurdles is the best part of the book and you'll have to read it to find out what happens. I'll just say....it's perfection. You will NOT regret reading this book! A true romance indeed!

I felt this was more about family and community life than romance. It took place in 1917 in a N. Dakota wheat farming community. The title "Years" refers to the age difference between an 18 year old school teacher falling in love with a 34 year old farmer. The development of their romance was interesting, but the story had its share of tears from tragedies and the harsh life. It was a nice story, but I prefer a little more romance than this offered. Sexual content: mild.

I just reread this book, about ten years after my first reading. It definitely lives up to its subtitle. Most impressive is the placing of the battle in its full context militarily and socially. Can't recommend too highly for a readable but detailed history.

All but one of the other reviewers has given this book a four or five star rating. There is a reason. This is an exceptionally well-written book that covers a broad range of topics. Most military historians pick one type of warfare--ground, naval, or air combat--and focus on that area, even if they look at a number of different wars. Guadalcanal does not lend itself to such a focus. It was an air, land, and sea battle with each part influencing another. It was also an extremely important campaign. The one sided outcome of the World War II in the Pacific has blinded us to the fact that it was possible that the Japanese could have won this war had things gone a little differently. Guadalcanal was a tough series of battles in which the Japanese scored a number of victories.

Frank provides a subtle and nuanced account of this conflict, giving equal attention to the American and Japanese sides. He also avoids painting his pictures in black and white. Some wrong decisions did not necessarily seem like bad ideas when they were made and a number of leaders that faltered in the battle had legitimate reasons for their decision making process. The result, is a rich story that fully develops the human side of these engagements. Frank also explains what life was like for those down at the operational and tactical levels, discussing things that might easily escape the notice of other writers like the amount and type of food that people were getting and how this affected their morale and performance.

At the same time, it is a rousing read. The coverage of the naval battles is particularly engaging. The maps are quite clear and easy to follow. In short, this book is very, very, very good.

I concur with all the highest praises for this book but for two irksome faults. One, there is no decent overall map of Guadalcanal island. The whole island is only pictured on a 4" wide map covering Japan to California where it's a dot with a name, and on another map of the Solomons where Guadalcanal is only 3/8" across (obviously without any sites or beaches indicated). All the other maps are tight zoom-in's and often without any scale. On the plus side the author tracks troop movements meticulously, but you'd best have along side a war atlas or expert memory and visualization skills.

The second disappointment is more minor, and not all will think it a drawback - the author's painstaking detail on...everything. I, too, love detail, but with one or more excellent maps the author could've saved a fifty pages of "ninety-five yards north, then angled seventy yards northwest, then backtracked to the southwest one hundred fifty-seven yards until...". A GOOD map is worth a thousand directions.

Last word: still get this book, it is a remarkable work.

I have been a serious student of WWII military history for a few decades now. Even though I spent years in the US Navy, I have, until lately, concentrated on the war in Europe, the North Atlantic, Russia and North Africa. I have read Jones and Mailer and their South Pacific war novels and am passing familiar with Pearl Harbor. After reading "Shattered Sword" (Five+ stars from me)which brings modern history and recent fact to the still-misunderstood Battle of Midway, I was led deeper into the war in the South Pacific. After both of Lundstrom's "First Team" books recounting the Naval and Marine air war from Pearl through Guadalcanal, I turned to Frank's book for an overall history of this campaign.
This is a thoroughly well-researched book, well written and comprehensive. If you are at all interested in this most crucial of the battles in the Pacific, and, in fact, the one that turned the war against Japan.

Buy it. Read it.

WOW! An extremely well researched account of the battle of Guadalcanal that allowed me to grasp the events on land, and in particular the tragically catastrophic and sometimes confusing Naval engagements in this campaign.

I thoroughly recommend this account, which is written to allow for a chronological understanding of each significant battle. In particular the Naval engagements around Savo Island are dealt with in a mastery fashion with Cape Esperance, Santa Cruz and Guadalcanal battles brought to life in a fascinating descriptive. Rear Admiral Tanaka and other Japanese Naval commanders are given their dues and from a US perspective although victory ensued, it is illuminating to view the tactics and skill, or relative lack thereof, of the US Navy early in WW2. The author brings to life the tragic consequences of being ill prepared.

What's particularly impressive about this writer is that the Japanese perspective and is highlighted bring a rounded view of the campaign. This is more factual and perhaps could be considered 'dry' next to Sledge, Tregaskis & Bergerud yet I consider this to be the definitive Naval account of the decisive campaign. Those interested in the timeline of events around the historical battles around Guadalcanal in WW2 will not be disappointed.

This is a deeply wise book. It reflects the wisdom of Thich Nhat Nanh and gives a glimpse into enlightenment and how the enlightened person lives. I learned to ask questions that deepen insight through the reading of this book. It is a foundation for much of the work I do with CEO's and is a foundation for my leadership book "Unleashing Genius." A MUST READ FOR THOSE ON THE PATH.
Unleashing Genius: Leading Yourself, Teams and Corporations

M. Dianna Ryel-Lindsey
MA Indo-Tibetan Buddhism
Giovannina Jobson, Advisor
March 7th, 2008

Old Path, White Clouds: Walking in the Footsteps of the Buddha
By: Thich Nhat Hanh

While at Deer Park Monastery in California, I watched a video of Thich Nhat Hanh dictating what the experience of writing Old Path, White Clouds. He spoke of the memory of writing the book with sweet nostalgia, a far off look in his eye. Thich Nhat Hanh, the Venerable Vietnamese monk who has aided in changing the face of Buddhism in the West, whose work has been deemed "Engaged Buddhism," took on the project of writing the Buddha's life, footstep by footstep. He literally wrote this book with a pen. He would work in four hour shifts for quite a long period of time until the book was done. Thich Nhat Hanh claimed that he was walking alongside the Buddha, with the Buddha, in the Buddha's era. He said it was a marvelous experience to write Old Path, White Clouds. Two women typed up Thich Nhat Hanh's work, and one of the women spoke of stopping mid-sentence to cry because she was so moved by Thich Nhat Hanh's glorious, sensitive flow of words.

The book is to be made into a movie in 2008 by Producers Michel Shane and Anthony Romano. They sought out Thich Nhat Hanh to discuss receiving the rights to make a film from Old Path, White Clouds. Humbly, Thich Nhat Hanh was perfectly fine with this inquiry. However, he wanted the producers to spend some time in his France home, Plum Village Retreat Center and Monastery. Thich Nhat Hanh informed them that they must create this movie mindfully. That is the only way a movie of the life of the Buddha could be produced.

Further, the Dalai Lama has given his consent that the book is as accurate as possible, and the Dalai Lama has taken an advisory role in the creation of the movie's script. "Drawn directly from twenty-four Pali, Sanskrit, and Chinese sources, and retold by Thich Nhat Hanh in his inimitably beautiful style, this book traces the Buddha's life slowly and gently over the course of eighty years..." describes the back cover of the book. Thich Nhat Hanh's personal journey in writing this exquisite book, and the future production of this book into a movie prove the importance and earnest way in which Old Path, White Clouds can speak to all audiences about the Buddha's life.

The book is in three parts and quite large, so I thought it would be a great undertaking to read. Hidden underneath tangled, weaving Oak tree branches, in a small hut in Deer Park Monastery in Escondido, California, I began to read Old Path, White Clouds. In a quintessential retreat setting, I understood why Thich Nhat Hanh's face filled with nostalgia as he remembered "walking with the Buddha" when writing the book. I felt as if I were floating, levitating as my eyes glided quickly across the words. Meditating and reading this book every day made me feel quite close to the Buddha (and the Buddha within). Thich Nhat Hanh's mindfulness in concentration and detail are obvious in his poetic, lyrical writing style. His care and precision is evident, and takes the reader right along with him on a journey in becoming a part of the Buddha's community, the Sangha.

BOOK ONE

The first section details the Buddha's youth and decision to leave home for the monastic, mendicant life. The book begins with Siddhartha Gautama in the woods outside of a village in India. He meets Svasti, the young Buffalo herder and Sujata, a young villager girl with some wealth. They brought him rice and kusa grass to sit on comfortably for meditation. He taught the children to eat quietly, with reverence, in mindfulness and gratitude. The children were drawn to his presence. Soon, more children came to hear Siddhartha Gautama's teaching, and the children eventually dubbed him "The Awakened One," the Buddha.

Born in 560 BC in Lumbini (India?) near the city of Kapilavastu, The Buddha grew up in a kingdom of wealth and riches. (He died at eighty-years-old in 480 BC.) Siddhartha Gautama was born to King Suddhodana and Mahamaya, his mother.

...Siddhartha was told about the dream his mother had before giving birth to him. A magnificent white elephant with six tusks descended from the heavens surrounded by a chorus of beatific praises. The elephant approached her, its skin as white as mountain snow. It held a brilliant pink lotus flower in its trunk, and placed the flower within the queen's body. Then the elephant, too, entered her effortlessly, and all at once she was filled with deep ease and joy. She had the feeling she would never again know any suffering, worry, or pain, and she awoke with the sensation of pure bliss. When she got up from her bed, the ethereal music from the dream still echoed in her ears... [The holy men of the kingdom were summoned.]
Your majesty, the queen will give birth to a son who will be a great leader. He is destined to become either a mighty emperor who rules throughout the four directions or a great Teacher who will show the way of truth to all beings in Heaven and Earth...

Mahamaya died shortly after childbirth, and Siddhartha was raised by Mahapajapati, known as Gotami, his aunt. Siddhartha, the Prince, was not interested in the affairs of the kingdom, although well-read and studied, he longed for more.

He wasn't interested in women, but nonetheless, he did meet Yasodhara. Her care and concern for the poor of India and her unconventional views brought her and Siddhartha to be close. Siddhartha was disgusted by the politics of India at the time, especially the Caste System, and Yasodhara agreed. They eventually married. Siddhartha and Yasodhara would speak of compassion together and meditated together. Their lives revolved around generosity, working with the poor. Yasodhara learned to care for herself to be able to give more; she listened as Siddhartha advised. Siddhartha continued to voice his concerns that more must be done, that he was destined to take a journey to solve the problems of India in his day.

In the meantime, Yasodhara became pregnant. Their son was named Rahula, "a fetter or a bondage." According to legend, it is more likely that he was named after a lunar eclipse (rahu) that might have occurred around the time of Rahula's birth. During many talks, Yasodhara (lovingly called Gopa by the Buddha) came to understand that Siddhartha had a mission to accomplish. He consoled her:

Gopa, please don't worry. You are a woman of depth. You are my partner, the one who can help me to truly fulfill my quest... In the near future I must leave and travel far from you; I know you possess the courage to continue your work. You will care for and raise our child well. Though I am gone, though I am far away from you, my love remains the same... And when I have found the Way, I will return to you and to our child.

Thus, Siddhartha left for a life of wandering, renouncing all for the sake of spirituality. He found numerous teachers among the forest-dwelling monks of India. He accomplished easily and quickly numerous deep levels of meditation: the state of no materiality, the state of neither perception nor non-perception, and so on... "He realized that the body and mind formed one reality that could not be separated. The peace and comfort of the body were directly related to the peace and comfort of the mind." He learned of the joys of meditation and the inseparability of interdependence and non-self.

"If the waves understood that they themselves were water, they would transcend birth and death and arrive at inner peace, overcoming all fear." Siddhartha's consciousness was raised to the suffering of all sentient beings; it is a common ground shared by all. Through meditation, Siddhartha became the Buddha, the Awakened One.

Siddhartha gazed at the star and exclaimed out of deep compassion, "All beings contain within themselves the seeds of Enlightenment, and yet we drown in the ocean of birth and death for so many thousands of lifetimes!"... He promised to share his discovery to bring help all others liberate themselves from suffering.

In Deer Park, the radiant Buddha taught his five ascetic friends of the Dharma, the law or words of the Buddha. His knowledge, he shared. At once, he had turned the Wheel of the Dharma. The Buddha taught of the Middle Way path, and also, the Noble Eightfold Path: right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.

He stated, "I have followed this Noble Eightfold Path and have realized understanding, liberation, and peace."

BOOK TWO

This section of Old Path, White Clouds gives descriptions of the Buddha's travels around India and the quickly growing Sangha. Uruvela Kassapa begins the book by stating:

On this fresh spring morning,
the Enlightened One passes through our city
with the noble community of 1,250 disciples.
All are walking with slow, calm, and radiant steps.

The Sangha grew rapidly with exposure to the radiant teacher, the Buddha, and his dedicated disciples. In the second chapter, the Buddha determines that India's monsoon season is not a pleasant or safe time to travel. Thus, the three month deep meditation retreat was established. With donations and the working hands of the Sangha, the community built huts from bamboo, thatch, and pounded earth. For the first year the location for the Sangha was the Bamboo Forest. This was a time of deep reflection, study, and meditation for the monks and disciples. It became a valued tradition.

An ascetic Dighanakha had questions for the Buddha. He did not believe in doctrine or subscribing to any tenets. The Buddha replied:

You see, my friend, if we are attached to some belief and hold it to be absolute truth, we may one day find ourselves... thinking that we already possess the truth, we will be unable to open our minds to receive the truth, even if truth comes knocking at our door... My teaching is not doctrine or philosophy... It is the result of direct experience.

The Buddha handles doubt so elegantly! He is never on the defensive proving a point. He leads by example. His words are controlled, compassionate, and gentle. The Buddha's life, he leads by his own genuine experience.

Thich Nhat Hanh agrees, "Do not think the knowledge you presently possess is changeless, absolute truth. Avoid being narrow-minded and bound to present views. Learn and practice nonattachment from views in order to be open to receive others' viewpoints."

The Buddha goes on to describe a gorgeous metaphor:
I must state clearly that my teaching is a method to experience reality itself, just as a finger pointing to the moon is not the moon itself. An intelligent person makes use of the finger to see the moon. A person who only looks at the finger and mistakes it for the moon will never see the real moon... My teaching is like a raft used to cross the river. Only a fool would carry the raft around after he had already reached the other shore, the shore of liberation.

This teaching is vital in Buddhism. The teachings of the Buddha are stepping stones, not the end-all. Buddhism leaves the path open to the individual's experience, and if a person holds too tightly to "the view" or "the Buddha's words," they will be carrying a very heavy raft on their shoulders.

Next, the disciples experience Ambapali and her power of physical beauty. Sariputta asked the Buddha, "Master, how should a monk regard a woman's beauty? Is beauty, especially that of a woman, an obstacle to spiritual practice?"

The Buddha answered:
Bhikkhus, [(disciples)] the true nature of all dharmas transcends beauty and ugliness. Beauty and ugliness are only concepts created by our minds... But perhaps no beauty has more capacity to distract a man's concentration than a woman's beauty. If one is obsessed with a woman's beauty, he can lose his way.

This has long been an issue historically with Buddhism. The female, seen as a mara, or distraction (sometimes translated to be demon), is an obstruction in the monk's path of becoming enlightened. Of course, feminists have harped on this. Yet, many modern women see this as a sign of the times and let it go. Unattached, many women know that they can become enlightenment to the same extent as men and are not concerned with the term "mara." Thich Nhat Hanh presents the issue gently in Old Path, White Clouds.

The Buddha continues, "...the beautiful may still appear beautiful and the ugly may still appear ugly, but because you have attained liberation, you are not bound by either... Such a person understands the impermanent and empty nature of all things." In this account of the Buddha's life, this is where the teachings are morphing progressively from Hinayâna to Mahâyâna Buddhism.

Following this, the Buddha returns to his home palace to meet his son Rahula as an older boy. Rahula joins the Buddha on his quest and becomes the youngest disciple, layperson. He is too young to become a full-fledged monk. The Buddha states, "With understanding and love, there is nothing you cannot accomplish." These are simple, profound, and beautiful words; the Buddha elaborates quite a bit on the correct form of love that does not hold possession or greed.

The Buddha and the Sangha are walking once again and encounter an "untouchable," a man of the lowest Indian caste bathing in the river. The Buddha approaches him to greet him in a friendly manner. The man backs away! "I am an untouchable. I don't want to pollute you and your monks."

The Buddha replies, "You are human being like the rest of us," and he invites him to join the Sangha.

Sunita, the man, placed his palms to his forehead, astonished, he says, "No one has ever spoken so kindly to me before." He devotes the rest of his life to the Buddha and his teachings.

In an incredibly important point in the book, it covers the historical trials of women who wanted to become lay disciples and eventual nuns. "After hearing the Dharma talk, the queen and princess felt their hearts open. They both wanted to become lay disciples, but did not dare ask." At that time in India, politically, it would have been considered absurd and for women to become nuns. Their place in society had to do with tending the home and serving their husbands and children. There was no room for strict devotion to a spiritual path, monastic devotion.

A group of women, including the Buddha's aunt Gotami, shaved their heads, dressed in robes, and walked barefoot to meet the Buddha and portray their eager earnestness in becoming lay disciples and eventual nuns. The Buddha was not discriminatory against women, but he was unsure as to how to open the Sangha without disrupting it inside and out. He was afraid that society would not support the Sangha with women in it. Harmful conflict could come to consume the Sangha.

Finally, the Buddha comes up with strict laws that would allow the women to become nuns. The rules were stricter than the monks'. It has remained this way unto this day.

Here are the extra eight rules for women:
First, a nun, or bhikkhuni, will always defer to a bhikkhu, even if she is older or has practiced longer than he has. Second, all bhikkhunis, must spend the retreat season at a center within reach of a center of bhikkhus in order to receive spiritual support and further study. Third, twice a month, the bhikkhunis should delegate someone to invite the bhikkhus to decide on a date for uposatha, the special day of observance. A bhikkhu should visit the nuns, teach them, and encourage them in their practice. Fourth, after the rainy season retreat, nuns must attend Pavarana ceremony and present an account of their practice, not only before other nuns, but before the monks. Fifth, whenever a bhikkhuni breaks a precept, she must confess before both the bhikkhunis and the bhikkhus. Sixth, after a period of practice as a novice, a bhikkhuni will take full vows before the communities of both monks and nuns. Seventh, a bhikkhuni should not criticize or censure a bhikkhu. Eighth, a bhikkhuni will not give Dharma instruction to a community of bhikkhus.

These rules sound terrifyingly sexist to the modern ear. However, the women were so elated to be part of the Sangha and learn alongside the Buddha, that they bowed, thanked him, and accepted the rules immediately. It was understood that the Buddha was defying society and taking a huge risk for the women's sake. In order to defend the Sangha to society, the rules were set up to protect the nuns, to help ensure their place in the Sangha. Unfortunately, the rules have historically remained until modern day.

Shortly thereafter, the Buddha delivered The Sûtra on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness. Ananda repeated the Buddha's words, "Sati means `to dwell in mindfulness,' that is, the practitioner remains aware of everything taking place in his body, feelings, mind, and objects of mind- the four establishments of mindfulness, or awareness." This is where venerable Thich Nhat Hanh picked up his famous words, "Present Moment, Wonderful Moment." Being present is being able to truly live life in happy awareness no matter what realities occur.

BOOK THREE

The third book entails further, deeper teachings of the Buddha like full breathing, the raft not being the shore (do not get stuck in the teachings), and virtuous action and wisdom being "the two most precious things in life." He also teaches of co-dependent arising not to be grasped through logic and words solely. This must be contemplated through the art of meditation. "When you look at a leaf or a raindrop, meditate on all the conditions, near and distant, that have contributed to the presence of that leaf or raindrop. Know that the world is woven out of interconnected threads."

The Buddha continues in his teachings and traveling. Ending up at one point in Alavi, he meets a farmer. He refuses to give a Dharma talk until the farmer and all present had finished eating. The Buddha then elucidates a discussion on hunger. "If I delivered a Dharma talk while our brother was still hungry, he would not be able to concentrate. There is no greater suffering than hunger." Always remember those who are hungry, is the advice of the Buddha.

The book finishes with gorgeous verses of the Buddha's teaching. Ananda stated, "Lord, listening to the sound of the tide and looking out over the waves, I follow my breath and dwell in the present moment. My mind and body find perfect ease. I find that the ocean renews me."

The teachings become more and more esoteric. Uttiya asked, "After you die, will you continue to exist or not?"

The Buddha replied, "This question... I will not answer... I only answer questions that pertain directly to the practice of gaining mastery over one's mind and body in order to overcome all sorrows and anxieties." Becoming enlightened means no longer holding on to the fear of death. Becoming enlightened entails no death.

Finally, the book ends with the chapter entitled Old Path, White Clouds. The Buddha has passed away at eighty-years-old; he is given a wondrous ceremony in the midst of sal trees.

"For six days and nights, the people of Kusinara and nearby Pava came to offer flower, incense, dance, and music. Mandarava blossoms and other flowers soon thickly carpeted the area between the two sal trees." After this, his body was carried into town for a magnificent funeral. The practice of meditation and teaching Buddhism continued well after his death and to this day.

Thich Nhat Hanh concludes his compassionate book with, "The Buddha was the source... Wherever the rivers flowed, the Buddha would be there." Old Path, White Clouds is a timeless treasure as are the teachings of the Buddha. I recommend this book for: anyone curious about Buddhism, people young or old, those of any and all spiritual traditions, and practitioners on any level. Thich Nhat Hanh presents the Buddha's life with great reverence and sensitivity. This book's words flowed throughout my being as I read the superlative, spiritually provocative life story of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha.

This book is simply a masterpiece. Thich Nhat Hanh delivers the story of the Buddha and his path to enlightenment in peaceful words and pages. I will likely read this book throughout my life, again and again.

A clear and beautiful biography of the Buddha. Thich Nhat Hanh is the rare writer who can write simply without sounding simplistic. Anyone looking for a simple and engaging introduction to Buddha and Buddhism would do well to start here.

Wonderful read. Written in a way that is easy to understand. Thich Nhat Hanh writes beautifully. I highly recommend this book for anyone, especially those who are looking for an understanding of this particular lineage of buddhism.

Outstanding look at new palaeontology and dinosaur work. Taking the various papers that Bakker wrote for scientific journals and converting them to a book that is slightly more understandable to the public. The basic premise is that dinosaurs were not cold-blooded lizards, but warmer blooded and quite fast at times. See Jurassic Park for an example of the theories in action. Really great work.

Bob Bakker book describes so brilliantly why Dinosaurs were so successful and ruled the Earth for 150 million years. The Dinosaurs were so successful that mammals throughout this time never grew larger than 1 meter long and many were rat sized. If it wasn't for a giant asteroid that hit 65 million years ago, they would be still around and we would not.

Bakker in this book describes how the Dinosaur's warm blooded metabolism was integral to their success and how cold blooded animals like reptiles back then as now were limited. He also goes to show us how Dinosaurs were fast growing, dynamic animals that were constantly changing, how bird evolved from dinosauts and how dinosaurs were key the spread of flowering plants.

A book you must read before you die.

In the second half of the twentieth century the current thinking about dinosaurs completely changed, so that they are now accepted as warm blooded, vigorous alternatives to the mammals, and in fact the ancestors of birds (though not all that bright, whereas birds can be). Bakker was a major player in this change of views, and offers some fascinating anecdotes on how various experiences led to insights which permitted proper interpretation of the fossil evidence. The reader comes away not only with an understanding of the dinosaurs, but with many insights into evolution in general, and all the types of reasoning and analysis necessary to glean the truth from fossil evidence. Bakker has a lively style, giving detail without getting bogged down (well, I occasionally skimmed a bit, but that is because I have little interest in anatomy). There are many illustrations, but I was not always happy with them. Some illustrations serve as hand drawn alternatives to Power Point slides, and are very good. However, the drawings to illustrate anatomy were often not simplified enough for me to better understand the point. I do wish Bakker had speculated why, in the world of the dinosaurs, it was the mammals who apparently occupied all the really small ecological niches, comparable to current day mice and squirrels. Also, his final chapter on the demise of the dinosaurs was stimulating, but not as well thought out as the rest of the book. He points to the development of land bridges (as water levels dropped) which permitted worldwide migration of larger animals, and the consequent extinction of many species which could not compete, and also the spread of pathogens and parasites. Interesting, but competition would not eliminate all species, and no arguments are presented as to why small animals, e.g. mammals, would be more likely to survive than large animals (great numbers?). While this book was published in 1986, I read it based on Richard Dawkin's recent recommendation, and I do not believe it is outdated.

This book talks about new theories(at the time) of dinosaurs and their extinction, ranging from warm-bloodedness all the way to dinosaurs evolving into birds. There are five parts to this story.

Part I:The Conquering Cold-Bloods: A Conondum
Basically this part describes reptiles and their advantages/disadvantages when it comes to either cold blooded or warm blooded animals. It even compares mammals to reptiles. It talks about how cold blooded and warm blooded reptiles/mammals how active and how their eating habits are different. Also talks about dinosaurs if they were warm or cold blooded. Here is a short excerpt from this part. "Ornitholestes was an impressive little dinosaur, and even the diehard defenders of orthodoxy yield a little to admit that perhaps Ornitholestes and its kin might have had high metabolism. Such a concession, however, would lead to yet another incosistency in the theory of mass homeothermy. Big dinosaurs, all of them, evolved from small-dinosaur ancestors. The idea that little ancestors had high metabolism and their bigger descendants didn't, would be tantamount to arguing that evolution reversed itself"(Bakker 98).

Part II:The Habitat of the Dinosaurs
This section discusses dinosaurs with their habitat and how their diet/body features adapt to their environment. It discusses dinosaurs who helped use gastroliths for digestion. Also talks about the evolution of plants in relation to dinosaurs. Here is a short excerpt from this part. "Brontosaur teeth, moreover, confirm the heretical idea that they ate a tough vegetable diet. If the brontosaurs dined only on soft water plants, then very little wear would appear on their teeth. But infact the teeth of Camarasaurus, Brachiosaurus and their kin manifest very severe wear, which could only have been produced by tough or gritty food"(Bakker 136).

Part III:Defense, Locomotion, and the Case For Warm-Blooded Dinosaurs
The third section discusses the locomotion of dinosaurs in comparison to lizards,crocodiles,etc. Discusses dinosaur defense, like Triceratops' horns and the "boneheads" of the Pachycephalosaurs. Also talks about Pterosaurs. Discusses Archeaopteryx and it's feathers helping to support warm-bloodedness.
Here is a short excerpt from this part. "Anchisaurs' tails were stoutly muscled and they could easily have reared up, foreclaws at the ready, to face their enemies. Anchisaur hind claws, especially the one located on the large inner toe, could lash out with even more powerful blows than the foreclaws"(Bakker 256).

Part IV:The Warm-Blooded Metronome of Evolution
Talks about dinosaur sex, with threat displays of intimidation. Discusses growth in dinosaurs who were probably warm blooded. Talks about dinosaur lungs, heart, and large brains. Here is a short excerpt from this part.
"How can the dinosaurs' growth be measured? An accurate estimate can be derived from the texture of the fossil bone. A thin slice can be cut from a fossil-bone chip and glued to a glass plate"(Bakker 350).

Part V:Dynastic Frailty and the Pulses of Animal History
This final section discusses the Kazanian Revolution. During the Kazanian Revolution, warm blooded animals exploded in population. Discusses the dinosaur extinction and the animals who died along with them. Talks about the evolution of the Dinosauria and that they should be in their own class. Here is a short excerpt from this part. "A truly scientific skeptic would start assuming neither cold-bloodedness nor warm-bloodedness, and then reevaluate the evidence without prior terminological bias. So long as the DInosauria remain stuck in the class Reptilia, this type of analysis is impossible. Let dinosaurs be dinosaurs. Let the Dinosauria stand proudly alone, a Class by itself. They merit it"(Bakker 462).

Overall, this book is excellent. Bakker did all his own illustrations(which are very artistic) and even assumed dinosaurs were feathered even before they were discovered. Even though some of his theories may be outdated now, I still recommend this book to anyone. I read it back in seventh grade and it took me a while, but reading this book is surely worth the time!

Incredibly compelling book about the possible evolution of velociraptors into birds.

Dinosaur Heresies goes beyond mere dinosaur evolution, however. As an enthusiastic gardener, I was bemused and delighted to learn of the powerful link between Cretaceous herbivorous dinosaurs and the rise of flowering plants, how it was BECAUSE of these saurian herbivores that we have flowering plants instead of a world of gymnosperms (aka pines, cycads, ginko, etc.).

It was a FUN read!

I purchased an older version of this book and now plan to get the updated version. I am really impressed. The book is easy to read, has lots of great information, and answers many questions. It is easy to follow and I think a PLUS for any one who is interested in natural medicine. Too bad more conventional doctors don't have a copy of this book.

I've owned the earlier edition of this book for over 10 years and have used it exclusively for all ailments. It has always provided the most sensible advice. My father frequently called me for medical advice from my book so I bought him this latest edition. He says it has helped him in talking to his doctor by providing good information on the disease, cause, treatment options. It takes the naturopathic approach to treating illness, avoiding pharmaceuticals, and focusing on natural remedies. I would not be without it.

As a former skeptic of naturopathic medicine, I would like to tell people that are considering purchasing this book that it is a balanced, well-written resource.

I appreciate the fact that it cites what we know from mainstream medicine and then illustrates how alternative natural therapies can be applied to various conditions. I also pleased that for each condition, multiple therapies are recommended instead of just one. This allows the reader the ability to tailor their treatment plan to their needs and available materials.

Very educational and well written. Would highly recommend.

An Excellent book with great info. A must to have book at an unbeatable price makes it an excellent value for money. The info are up to date and usefull.

This book is the single most amazing book I have read on medicine and medical conditions. I have many medical books, and although they are quite definitive with regard to illnesses and mostly orthodox medication as a remedy, this book will open your eyes to a whole new world. The medical community does not treat the body holistically, and i do not mean that in a hippyish, spiritual way, but genuinely. There are so many specialists in the world, each being specifically trained as a gastroenterologist, cardiologist, etc,. but only clinical diagnosticians seem to view the body as a whole. Mr. Michael Murray has extensive knowledge on psysiology and anatomy, and it is clearly evident that he has insight into the genuine reasons for so many illnesses, as he is not under the thumb of pharmaceutical companies that doctors rely on so much. He has covered all the areas of the body, trying to be understandable and as succinct as possible, (this is an encyclopedia, not a text book per se), while not undermining the integrity of the medical information he dispenses. EVERY SINGLE home that can get their hands on this book will benefit for their lifetime. All I can say is there is no other book on medicine that for the lay person, will help them, inform them, and possibly cure them, like this book!

I have really appreciated this book for its honesty and candidness with the author's struggles as well as some practical information on how to navigate the infertility world with hope, grace, and a view on the Lord.
Thanks

This is the best book I have read on infertility! Easy to relate to, wonderful biblical reference, and brought me peace in a time of hardship. Enjoy and share!

OH what a wonderful book! We struggled with Infertility for years and spent thousands of dollars on treatments with what seemed like no end in sight. I felt so broken, so desperate....I always questioned WHY was this happening to me. Even though my husband was always wonderful & supportive I still hurt...we BOTH did. This book helped me out so much & completely changed the way I looked at my Infertility. I learned so much about myself & the "burden bearers" section of the book was most helpful in telling family members how they could handle this delicate situation as many of them unknowingly can sometimes say the most hurtful things. I had relied on God in the past for support & know that I wouldn't have made it without His comfort & strength as long as I did...but when I began reading this book and found the right places to search in the bible for specific verses, I was a changed woman. This book taught me great patience and that this was a time for me to grow & become closer to God. It gave me great hope and understanding about my struggles with Infertility.....and before I could even get to the end of the book....I got pregnant!!! All in God's time...and what perfect timing it was....just a few days before Thanksgiving! I'm now 13 weeks along and have seen my baby at 3 different times on ultrasound....the baby is perfectly healthy and we are so blessed. I was at my wit's end before starting this book. Of all the books I'd read on Infertility this one helped me the most & I would highly recommend it to anyone else who loves the Lord & is ready to trust in Him completely with their Infertility struggles. Best wishes to all those trying to conceive...may your journey be a short one!

This book is really life changing. It opens your heart and mind up to issues, thoughts, and feelings you may never have dealt with. This book is very well written and easy to understand. I can't imagine someone NOT liking it and gleaning something from it.

Since we began this new leg in our journey, I've been reading everything infertility related that I can get my hands on. The first full length book I've read dedicated exclusively to this subject is Hannah's Hope: Seeking God's Heart In The Midst Of Infertility.

Hannah's Hope is written by Jennifer Saake, previously mentioned on this blog and mother to two living children. She and her husband have walked the road of infertility for 15 years and they have had their hearts broken by several miscarriages and even more failed adoptions. The book is appropriate for women at any stage of infertility, though she writes mostly for a general audience and less for specific problems within infertility.

The structure of each chapter of Ms. Saake's book is a passage (usually a single verse) of scripture, a historical fiction retelling of Hannah's story (the mother of Samuel), Ms. Saake's writings on the subject of the chapter, probing questions on the subject at hand, a list of scriptures for meditation, and a passage (never more than a page) written to the loved ones of people struggling with infertility, designed to give the loved ones special insights and ways to support their friend or family member.

One thing I appreciate about Ms. Saake's book is her conversational tone. The book is a very easy read, and Ms. Saake's pen flows as easily and comfortably as I imagine her tongue would if she were sitting with you having a cup of coffee. Throughout the reading, I felt as if I were sitting across the table from a friend as she shared some of her innermost thoughts. This put me at ease to explore my own thoughts, agreeing with her in most cases, disagreeing with her in others, and overall deepening my intentional thoughts on our own journey.

The historical fiction retelling of Hannah's story from I Samuel 1 is designed to explore the thoughts Hannah (and occasionally some of the other main characters) may have had as she grieved her way through her own infertility journey. Through the process, the reader develops a kinship with the biblical heroine, taking comfort in the fact that though she lived thousands of years ago, her struggle was largely the same as that of a woman today and is not unknown to the heart of God.

As Ms. Saake divulges her own history and feelings, the reader is taken on a journey through exploring anger, jealousy, fear, bitterness, grief, disappointment, stress, hope, and intimacy with the Almighty. She tackles issues from fear, to bioethics, to the strength of the marital relationship, and most importantly, the infertile couple's walk with God. She is sensitive and gentle while still bold with her convictions.

There is no false piety at all in Ms. Saake. Everything is brutally honest yet still respectful of the sovereignty of God. On more than one occasion, I felt like I was reading my own thoughts simply penned by Ms. Saake's hand. There was comfort and validation in "aha! someone else has felt this way too!"

Ms. Saake does not dwell in the depths of her feelings. She provides thoughtful scriptural encouragement while at the same time refraining from giving pat answers and comfort cliches. She adds her own thoughts and insights as revealed to her through meditation and experience.

My favorite passage in the book reads:


She [the woman at the well] sought happiness in the arms of men. Jesus provides peace that could be found in none other than Himself.

I sought joy in the new life of a baby. Jesus offers New life in Himself.

I wanted to know the feeling of carrying another soul inside my body. He provides the Holy Spirit to indwell me.

I longed to nurse a child. Paul wrote, "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good" (1 Peter 2:2-3).

I dreamed of watching my baby grow and mature. But am I ever-growing in Christ? "Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil" (Hebrews 5:13-14).

I bemoaned the "bread of adversity" I felt unfairly called to taste. The Lord answers with the cross: "And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19).

I pleaded for a child to enrich my days on earth. He commands, "But store up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:20-21).

p 95



Ms. Saake does not promise anyone a happy ending. She admits that even though she now has two living, biological children, the scars of infertility will always leave an ache in her heart. The journey God has taken her on through this process has not been completed or nullified by the successful conception and birth of children. I would guess that this would be of special comfort to those either struggling with secondary infertility or who still feel a loss that their family is not what they imagined or hoped it would be.

She exhorts the reader,

While Satan imprisons some with bondage to past sins, he can entangle others in what seems to be a good and righteous goal, causing them to lose sight of God in the midst of self-evaluation.
p 49



That hit me as especially poignant because I've been stewing so much about this lately that I need to guard my own heart against making motherhood my idol. That is an important challenge for every mother, mother to be, or mother at heart.

I found some of the "Burden Bearer" passages (written to friends and family members of infertile couples) to be helpful, and others were not of particular significance to me. I appreciated her frankness with her advice of how to support, and in some cases, how to refrain from causing more hurt, on infertile loved ones. One thing that should be noted is that the passages are to be read in conjunction with the rest of the book and are not intended to be read independently.

My primary critique of the book is that each chapter is very brief. Just when I thought "ok, we're tackling something I'm really struggling with," Ms. Saake moves on to another subject. I longed for her to exegete the scriptural passages she offered and share more details on the HOWS of her journey and the conclusions she's made. I don't think that this is a flaw, per say, because I don't think it was ever the author's intent to give an exhaustive chronicle of infertility and so I cannot blame her for not writing as if it were. This was simply was more of a disappointment--I longed to delve deeper with my new found friend in to emotions that are for me, still raw and in need of exploration. The approach is just a matter of personal preference and I'm sure for as many as there are of women like me who longed for more depth, there are equally many women who appreciated the brevity.

However, the ease of the flow of the book makes this a very excellent, easily accessible and processed resource for pastors, ministerial staff and anyone else truly interested in learning an "insider's perspective" on infertility. One of my very favorite chapters in the book was on how the church could help break its own silence on this matter and offer comfort to those in their congregations who are burdened with this grief. I only wish it were longer!

Overall, my impression of the book is very positive. I would heartily recommend it to anyone at any stage in their infertility journey. I also recommend it as a must-have resource for any pastor. I do recommend it for loved ones of the infertile, with the disclaimer that this book is not written specifically to give you (the loved one) advice, and reading it should be done with the intention of understanding the heart of your infertile friend or family member, and not specifically equipping with you with the "how tos" of what to do as the friend (though there is some).

Brava, Jennifer! A valiant, sincere, and godly effort that is very much appreciated.

If you are an enterpreneur and you want to know how to price your product, don't look any further this is the book you are looking for. The chapter about costs has an MBA level and it will give you a lot of good ideas of how to improve your busines operation.

I updated from the 2nd edition I bought years ago. I'm glad to see the focus on value-based pricing. I was a little disappointed that it gets a bit repetitive on calculating price changes and it would be useful to see more examples on calculating the initial price when you really don't have much data to go on.

This book is one of the best in pricing. It is used as a textbook in business schools and highly recommended by consultants.
Unfortunately, it took 10 days to arrive using standard shipping.

I have spent over 30 years in computer software sales, pricing, and terms and conditions. This book resonates with me, specifically with it's emphasis on sustained company profitability rather than get rich quick pricing. It's comprehensive, not specialized to any specific product set or industry, and nothing I read failed to make sense to me, based on my experience.

If you are interested in this topic, there is no better work I know of to give you both practical and good theoretical advice.

This is the reference book of many of the best MBA courses in US, and when I started the reading, I realised why. It's written in a very easy way, and covers all the topics on pricing: strategy of pricing, segmentation, unbundling products and finally emotional pricing.

I have never readen any princing book before. At first, I thougt it would be hard to read, difficult to understand and almost all full of mathematics. This book is not so. In fact, the authors try to explain all the topics by words, not by numbers.

Actually, princing managers tipically try to find diverse formulae to apply to price their items. Nevertheless, this book teaches you that it is one of the ways, but pricing a product is much more than using a formulae...it is strategy and psicology as well!!!

I have yet to read this book, but it is in good condition.

This book is one of the best autobiographies I've ever read. Not only is it filled with details of Patti's life, it also takes you to the lessons that she's learned from the time when she was a shy little girl, to life as a megastar. This book will truly touch your heart as you cheer on the diva that is Patti LaBelle.

Patty LaBelle is amazing. She has an incredible voice, a career full of ups and downs, and can bring down the house in concert. This book is just another triumph for a lady who deserves all the accolades she receives. With absolute honesty, she reveals so much about her life--from sexual abuse to the fear of dying of cancer like her sisters and good friend--you feel that Ms. LaBelle has given you all that she can. Throughout her life, she has faced a good deal of challenges but has emerged with a positive attitude about life and can still entertain with the best of them. I have seen her in concert 3 times and she blew me away each time. This book does the same. After reading the dismal biography of Aretha Franklin (From the Roots), I realized what a gem this is. If you wanna read a really good book about an incredible entertainer, give this one a go. Its worth every penny!

PATTI takes you on a journey-from the Bluebelles, to LaBelle and through her solo career. She talks about her battles with her self-esteem, record companies, men and THE TRAGIC deaths of sisters. Did you know that NONA had a nervous break down during one the LaBelle concerts-and was taken to the hospital in restraints? WOW! This lead to the break-up of LaBelle! Pick this one up and you'll find out much more.

Congratulations, A reflective autobiography with some depth and truth. Before reading Patti's, I read Aretha's, which I ultimately felt like tossing in the middle of the street! Great job! I thought the book was very inviting to the personal side of Patti. I have always admired how forthcoming she has been with the public in relation to her late sisters. This book can truly encourage one to live life, as well as love and appreciate life.
However, there are a few things I would like to clear up, which I found inaccurate or inappropriate. The Jackie Wilson episode I found rather distasteful, particularly since he is not around to defend himself(it was o.k. to slander Al Green). Also, as I had to do with Gladys in her book, I need to clarify a few inaccurate points you raised in your book. In reading your relationship with Atlantic Records in the 1960's, one is left with the impression your group wasn't given a fair shot due to the success of Aretha. Well, that's not totally true, since you were with the label two years before she signed on. It just wasn't your time yet! Now is your time. You sound greater and look more beautiful than ever. You have a wonderful spirit in which people adore you far and near. You are truly a blessing. Wonderful job.