March 2008
Maandelijks archief.
Maandelijks archief.
Gepost door admin op 29/03/2008
Toegevoegd onder: House Of Search Engine Optimization
Most webmasters have no idea on how to make a search engine friendly web site. If you are one of them this will all change by following these steps below.
1. Research keywords - Before you start to build your web site you should research your keywords or your site may get hurt in the short term. Use the keyword research tool, use Overture to research the most popular keywords that are related to your site. Overture will show you how much traffic each keyword has got in the past 30 days.
2. Create a list of about 50 to 100 keywords that you can include within your web pages. After having completed the above research, you should have found the keywords that were searched on most frequently, but few competing sites.
3. Write a paragraph of at least 250, but better with 500 words of text for the top of each web page. Put your keywords within this text, but be careful because you could repeat your keywords to much and make sure the paragraph makes sense with all those keywords, remember visitors are more important then the search engines.
4. Optimize meta tags - Meta tags have lost there touch with most search engines, but they still help! The most important meta tags are the keyword and description meta tags. Include your keywords within each of these meta tags. Your keyword meta tag should include the most frequently used keywords contained within your web page, but keep it short to about 10 to 15.
5. Title Tag - The title tag is one of the most powerful on-site SEO at your disposal, so use it wisely. Put your most important keyword in the title close to the beginning as posable, keep it short and to the point.
7. Optimize your site size - Too many images or very large images on your web page will slow down your server and cause slow loading times for your site. Slice large images into smaller pieces with a graphic editors. Also to long of pages and to much text will do the same.
8. Find backward links - Web sites that link to yours raise your link popularity. Search for web sites that are compatible with yours. Write articles that are related to your site and submit them to sites like Articlecity.com.
Matt Colyer began as a SEO Specialist in 1997. He founded Superior Webmaster in 2004 as a source of articles and tutorials for Web site owners looking to improve their Web site.
Comments Off
Gepost door admin op 29/03/2008
Toegevoegd onder: Real Estate Hub
A 2nd mortgage may be one of the best financial moves you will ever make. If you know what it is and how it works, you can use it to generate money for profitable investments, simplify your debts and beef up your credit score. The key to taking advantage of a 2nd mortgage is understanding how it works.
A 2nd mortgage is a loan that uses the equity in your home as collateral. When you avail of a 2nd mortgage loan, you are technically putting a second mortgage lien on your title without refinancing or changing the terms of your first mortgage.
A 2nd mortgage is considered a “simple interest loan” because unlike other major loan vehicles, it has a fixed interest rate. This fixed interest rate is based on a number of factors such as the current market rate of your home, the prevailing interest rates and your personal credit history. You can choose terms that vary from five years to 25 years, depending on your capacity to pay and other cash flow considerations.
Many people turn to 2nd mortgages to consolidate their debts - they pay their credit cards, loans against insurance and other high-interest loans with the money they borrow from a 2nd mortgage. Experts say that the fixed interest rates of 2nd mortgage allows you to save up to three times more than you would if you are paying minimum payments on your credit cards. And, since the interest in a 2nd mortgage is amortized yearly, you don’t have to pay daily compound interests that credit cards charge.
Best of all, a 2nd mortgage actually gives you a tax break - the interest you pay on this type of loan may be tax deductible up to $100,000 of the loan amount, or 100% loan to value.
2nd Mortgage provides detailed information on 2nd Mortgage, Refinance 2nd Mortgage, Bad Credit 2nd Mortgage, 2nd Mortgage Loans and more. 2nd Mortgage is affliated with 1st Mortgage Rate.
Comments Off
Gepost door admin op 29/03/2008
Toegevoegd onder: Travel Hall
Cabin rentals Smoky Mountains can be found in either Tennessee or North Carolina. For cabin rentals Smoky Mountains, the busiest months are the summer months as visitors enjoy the cooler mountain air and all that the Smokies area has to offer. Since it’s located within a day’s drive of half of the USA population, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the #1 visited park in the United States.
If you’re searching for Smoky Mountains cabin rentals, here are three popular destinations:
Gatlinburg, Tennessee - Gatlinburg has been a favorite destination for decades, adding more attractions every year. Located at the Tennessee entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you’ll find that Gatlinburg has hundreds of cabin rentals Smoky Mountains for you to choose from. With only about 3,800 permanent residents, Gatlinburg can accomodate up to 35,000 visitors a night for all of its lodging types. Cabin rentals in Gatlinburg exist that are within walking distance of the Gatlinburg attractions, or you can choose a mountain view secluded cabin if you prefer.
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee - Pigeon Forge is located less than 10 miles from the Great Smoky Mountain National Park entrance. Pigeon Forge has more than 40 attractions on the main thoroughfare in town, including Dollywood and Dollywood Splash Country. Even though Pigeon Forge only has a few thousand permanent residents, nearly 10,000 visitors a night can find lodging. Again, you can find dozens of cabin rentals Smoky Mountains in and around Pigeon Forge.
Cherokee, North Carolina - Cherokee is the original home area of what’s now called the Eastern Tribe. You can find great Cherokee cabin rentals Smoky Mountains to stay in while vacationing in this popular destination. Cherokee is about 3 miles from the North Carolina entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You can enjoy many cultural and family attractions in Cherokee such as the Cherokee Heritage Museum, the Oconaluftee Indian Village and the Indian arts gallery. Another famous attraction is the outdoor drama ‘Unto These Hills’ which portrays events in the lives of the Cherokees during the early 1800’s leading up to their forced relocation to Oklahoma and the infamous ‘Trail of Tears’.
Besides all the attractions in these three popular towns, there’s a host of outdoor fun activities in the Smoky Mountains area — whitewater rafting, canoeing, tubing, kayaking, hiking, walking, mountaineering, ropeclimbing, getting around with ATV’s, bicycling through the mountains, fishing, hunting, horseshoes and much more.
With all the fun you know you’ll have during the day, why not add to your pleasure by spending your nights in one of the cabin rentals Smoky Mountains in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge or Cherokee? Cabin rentals Smoky Mountains are based on the number of guests that can be accommodated or number of bedrooms that are available. For example, cabin rentals are listed like this — ’sleeps 8′, ‘for 2 couples’ and so on.
It’s easy to check out all the fun rental cabins that you can choose from. Compared to staying in a hotel room, it’s no wonder many choose to enjoy the privacy, conveniences and extra space while on vacation by staying in cabin rentals Smoky Mountains. Whether you’re visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for the first time or you visit often, check out the variety to be found in cabin rentals for your next vacation stay.
Copyright 2006 InfoSearch Publishing
Find great luxury cabins in Gatlinburg TN plus Pigeon Forge and Cherokee online. Kevin Buster is a travel writer for InfoSearch Publishing and http://www.bestvacationrentalsonline.com - visit the website to find cabin rentals, pet friendly lodging, places to get married, discount hotel rooms and other vacation fun.
Comments Off
Gepost door admin op 29/03/2008
Toegevoegd onder: Savvy Product Infos
Dish Network and DirecTV are the largest providers of satellite TV service in the United States. While these satellite TV companies don’t really offer free satellite TV service, they do provide free satellite TV systems to those who qualify on a credit scale. Many satellite TV guides don’t get to the bottom of why free satellite TV systems are offered.
While it’s no secret Dish Network and DirecTV both offer free satellite TV systems, it may be of interest to you why they do this. I know, what you’re thinking, “they do it so you’ll sign a contract”, right? Not exactly. Though providing a free satellite TV system does help entice customers into a contract, which helps sustain a steady customer base, this isn’t the main reason for the offer.
Think about it. When you move into a new home, you don’t call Dish Network for television service, you call the cable company. It’s as natural as calling the utility companies to get service connected. Most homes in America are already wired for cable. So how do satellite TV companies compete with cable? That’s right, by offering the satellite TV equipment for free. It’s all about serviceability.
I cringe each and every time I see published articles stating free satellite TV is a scam. Let’s get to the honest truth of the matter. Free satellite TV is a business model, and a very successful one that accomplishes three Important things.
This satellite TV free systems guide wouldn’t be complete without discussing the difference between satellite TV vendors, and providers. The providers are the source of the service like Dish Network or DirecTV, while the vendor’s are the resellers and installers. AllSat is a Dish Network vendor, while iSatellite is a DirecTV vendor.
Satellite providers offer a standard package, while individual vendors may offer special incentives to get you to purchase satellite TV service through their company. For example, Dish network vendor “A” might offer additional free equipment such as a home theater system, as opposed to vendor “B” who only provides the standard offering from Dish Network.
DirecTV and Dish Network will sometimes offer discounted or free programming for a specified amount of time as an introductory offer. Dish Network’s 19.99 introductory offer was so popular they designed a program package with 19.99 as the every day regular basic programming package. Both providers offer free movie channels with some programming packages.
So what’s included in a free satellite TV system? Both Dish Network and DirecTV offer up to four rooms installed for free. The satellite system includes DVR’s HDTV receivers, the satellite dish, plus the satellite dish recievers. Both providers charge for extra DVR service and HD service. Both satellite TV providers offer a free introductory period on HD programming.
So there you have it, the true and indisputable satellite TV free systems guide. No scams, no tricks, just good business and a good business model that benefits both the satellite TV companies and you, the consumer. Just remember, if you had to buy the satellite TV system up front to get the service, it could really cost you a pretty penny.
Daymon Hoag is the Editor for Cheapest Service and provisioner of Cheapest-Service.com Satellite TV
Comments Off
Gepost door admin op 29/03/2008
Toegevoegd onder: Great Media Tips
When was the last time you saw an eagle descend from the sky, or stood in awe as a glacier cracked and an ice berg emerged?
Imagine your sense of wonder as you glide past glacier after glacier or your first sight of a cresting whale. While we have much to be proud of in our Alberta parks, I think Alaska is mother nature’s most spectacular show piece.
This year over 30 ships are providing you the incredible delights of warm, pampering service combined with the awe of this magnificent journey.
Remember, there are no roads to Glacier Bay, nor to many other top Alaskan attractions. That’s why exploring these pristine areas by ship is such a privilege.
Cruising Alaska offers us breathtaking views of Alaska’s natural wonders, as well as nights of thrilling entertainment, fine dining, pampering service, and an endless variety of activities.
From the moment you depart the convenient port of Vancouver, this will be the vacation you have only dreamed about.
As you cruise along the Glacier route, you will experience a magical, unspoiled land where walls of ice rise up from crystal blue seas and landscapes of wild flowers give way to snow-capped peaks.
Alaska is a mecca for lovers of wildlife and vast wilderness. It is a place where you see sea lions gathering to bathe in the sun and the bald eagles circle overhead searching the waters for salmon. And you might see humpback or orca whales as they acrobatically breach the water’s surface.
You’ll be spellbound by the beauty of the Inside Passage. You’ll pass quiet bays, wooded islands, innumerable mountains and waterfalls cascading from granite cliffs - a panorama interrupted only by sightings of sea lions and whales frolicking in the waters around you.
Even more fun can be had as you visit ports as interesting as Ketchikan, southerly most port on the Inside Passage route and known as the “salmon capital of the world”. This port is also renowned the world over for its famous totems. Enjoy a stroll down famous Creek Street, the towns “red light” district; visit Misty Fjords, America’s newest national monument or attend the “Salmon Bake” and sample the local fare.
Juneau, Alaska’s capital and your first taste of the gold rush era, is a contrast of wild, natural country and thriving city. Explore the fascinating City Museum, quaint St. Nicholas Church and stop at Juneau’s favorite watering hole, the Red Dog Saloon.
The treasures beyond the city limits will beckon you too. Tour Mendanhall Glacier by motorcoach or helicopter. This river of ice, with craggy rock sentinels 3,000 feet above sea level is a natural wonder.
Skagway, a magnet for gold-seekers in the late 1890’s, was referred to as the “roughest town on earth” with its over 80 saloons. You can relive the racy Klondike days in this colourful turn-of-the-century town where cancan dancers and other entertainers in 1890’s garb will welcome you or take an authentic horse drawn taxi into town and explore the “Trail of 98″ museum.
The plank sidewalks, false front buildings and narrow-gauge White Pass and Yukon Railroad will make you feel as if you were back in the days of the Gold Rush.
On northbound cruises, you’ll also visit Sitka. When Alaska was still Russian territory, this was her glittering cultural centre in the West. Today, evidence of Russian culture can be found in the priceless icons and paintings of the onion-domed St. Michael’s Cathedral. Remnants of Sitka’s Indian culture are preserved in the National Historic Park.
A cruise to Alaska us the ideal vacation for couples, families, single people, honeymooners and fun-lovers of all ages and interests.
And there is no other way to do it with so much ease, affordability and excitement than by modern cruise ships.
Sid Kaplan
Cruise Vacations Guide

Sid Kaplan has extensive experience in the travel business. He owned and operated a large retail cruise only agency in Canada and his wife has 25 years experience working for major cruise lines. Their website is Cruise Vacations Guide which offers advice and tips to those looking to create memorable cruise vacations. Shore excursion and land tour information is also provided. Cruise, hotel, car rental and vacation adventure booking online.
Comments Off
Gepost door admin op 29/03/2008
Toegevoegd onder: School of Self Improvement
When I decided to look into remote viewing, I had the impression that it had some bizarre metaphysical and psychic associations. But, in reality, remote viewing is a natural and ‘taught’ method of probing remote locations in the past, present, and future. As I learned and experimented, one of the important things that I discovered is that you cannot accurately predict the future of any person or event. Of course, some would argue this point and I would probably agree that we can ’see’ the future. But, what I mean is, the future changes far too rapidly based on our experiences and directions for anyone to be truly accurate.
— My crystal ball … —
When you visit a psychic and ask them to tell you about your future, in some cases, they can be quite accurate. But, realize that your future is only accurate as long as you’re heading down the path chosen at the time of the reading. However, if you change your path, your entire future ‘rebuilds’ to accommodate your new direction and experiences.
After some work with a professional, and long-time-involved, remote viewer, I began to understand that the past, present, and future have already occurred. This is why, through remote viewing, we can meander around the strange worlds and times in which we live, and will live.
It may sound strange, but consider that one cannot see what might happen, but only what ‘has’ happened in the future. Indeed, the future is just as much based on your present existence as is your present based on the decisions and experiences of your past. You cannot change your past to alter your present, but you can change your present to adjust your future!
— I am stuck in a horrid future! —
On the contrary, you do have three choices! The first is to continue down the path you’re heading and just accept the consequences of what could potentially occur. The second is to make minor, short-term alterations in your life and hope for the best. However, the final choice is to pick a desired destination in the future, and work backward to define the future you want for yourself!
The first two choices work and they will get you there just the same. However, the third choice is the best option to take as you are dictating your future and defining how to get there. This might sound like a contradiction to everything I said earlier about the future ‘already happening’. But, many of us have been brought up to accept things as they are and believe that our futures are already ‘written in stone’.
Actually, even though a new future does ‘come into existence’ every time we make a decision or perform an action, it is not written in stone until it passes us by. At that point, you need to just accept that you are where you are because you allowed yourself to be there.
— What’s next? —
If you believe in visiting your psychic on a regular basis, by all means continue to do so if it makes you feel better. But, realize, that everything that they tell you of your future is only a glimpse of what could be based on what is currently happening in your life. You have the choice to change it, at will!
Take hold of your future and turn it into what you want it to be. Don’t just let it flounder about until it ends up someplace close to where you would like it to be. Pick a point in the future where you want to be, then plan backward to today to figure out how to get there. Once the plan is set and you’re in motion, go back to your psychic and see what they say!
About The Author
Edward B. Toupin is an author, life-strategy coach, counselor, Reiki master, remote viewer, and technical writer living in Las Vegas, NV. Among other things, he authors books and articles on topics ranging from career success through life organization and fulfillment. For more information, e-mail Edward at etoupin@toupin.com or visit his sites at http://www.toupin.com or http://www.make-life-great.com.
Comments Off
Gepost door admin op 28/03/2008
Toegevoegd onder: Techies Corner
Copyright 2006 John Belthoff
If you read the internet and all of the websites dedicated to Asp.Net you will inevitably read about the wonders of the DataGrid, DataList, and Repeater controls. While each of these has its place, if you are only displaying data there is a much faster and more efficient means to do so.
Let’s say you have a page that displays articles based on a query string. Take my article pages for instance. Each article is stored in a database and displayed on the page based on the unique id of the article as stored in the database.
A normal asp page execution procedure goes something like this. The code queries the database based on the Article I.D. and then brings back that information to the page where you display it in the fashion that you would like. This is a fairly straight forward approach with asp and is done all the time.
So how do we speed up our asp.net pages?
Number 1: Use Asp.Net Caching!
This is a no-brainer, and I won’t go into the brilliance or details of asp.net caching here because at the time of this writing Google has 2,780,000 articles on the topic. Basically instead of querying the database each time the page is loaded you only query the database once and load that result into the system cache. Subsequent calls to load the page retrieve the data from the cache as opposed to the database which gives you an instant and considerable performance boost. You can then set the cache for how long the cache should store the information as well as many other features. If you are not using the cache, you should be whenever possible!
Number 2: If possible, do NOT use the standard Asp.Net controls.
That’s right. The standard asp.net controls are designed for rapid development and not page performance. They allow you to design pages that grab and display data very quickly but their actual performance suffers because of the extra overhead which is there for ease and speed of development time and not page execution speed.
Instead, create either a User Control or even better yet a Web Custom Control which is by far the fastest performance wise and really quite easy to create and use.
Number 3: Use an SqlDataReader or even better yet use a set based command for Sql Server data retrieval and simply execute that one command against the database.
An asp.net SqlDataReader is a fast forward only datareader that closes the connection after it reads the last set of results. Now for my article pages we are only returning 1 particular result. In this case we would opt for the set based command. If you had more than 1 result returned, in your table of contents for instance, you would use the SqlDataReader because you are returning multiple results.
Set based commands are stored procedures that bring back data through parameters as opposed to a result set which then in turn needs to be looped through to obtain your data. So instead of writing your stored procedure like the following which brings back 1 result set:
Select Title, Body, Author
From Articles
Where ArtID = 215
We can write it using a set based command like this.
Create Procedure mysp_GetArticle
@Title varchar(200) Output,
@Body varchar(8000) Output,
@Author varchar(500) Output
As
Select @Title = Title, @Body = Body, @Author = Author
From Articles
Where ArtID = 215
GO
The above query will return only the three parameters called for and not a result or record set so you don’t have to then walk through the returned record set that has only 1 result in it anyway. This second little process of work decreases your performance so do not use it if you can. Combine this technique with the asp.net cache.
Number 4: Use Classes and ArrayLists as opposed to returning an SqlDataReader.
Create a class and then if there are more than one set of results store those results into individual instantiations of that class. Finally store each of those classes into an ArrayList. You can then store only that ArrayList into the asp.net cache. So instead of getting the results back from a SqlDataReader when loading your page you get them from the ArrayList which is stored in the cache. Nice huh?
Finally… you want to incorporate all of these techniques into your final results which would be performed in the following manner and sequence.
On the first time the page loads, query the database and return all of your data storing it into individual classes. Then store each of those classes into an ArrayList. If you only have one single result you may store only the class into the cache. Then take your ArrayList and store it into the cache.
Next create a Web Custom Control and pass the cached ArrayList to the custom control and loop out your data using the HtmlTextWriter which is very fast. Remember each subsequent call to load the page will be called from the cache which stores your ArraList of classes or your single class.
Certainly it takes a significant amount of additional coding to do it in this fashion, especially when you take proper error handling into consideration, but if you follow this approach your pages will be screeching fast, you will immediately notice the difference, and your asp.net pages will execute in the proper sequence - Data handling in the Page_Load function and the html display in the Page_Render function. Further, you will be glad you did and so will your visitors.
Happy Programming!
John Belthoff is an avid web developer who writes about Asp.Net in his spare time. He owns a Windows Asp.Net Web Hosting Company: www.hostsstation.com where you can contact him about hosting your website/blog or just to learn more.
Comments Off
Gepost door admin op 28/03/2008
Toegevoegd onder: Cruising the Roads
Located smack dab on your car’s intake manifold, an EGR [Exhaust Gas Recirculation] valve functions by sending exhaust gas back into the combustion chamber as “exhausted air” is much hotter than intake air. By bringing warmer gas into the combustion chamber, your engine operates much more cleanly and efficiently.
Like any part, your Ford EGR valve or Toyota EGR valve is subject to getting clogged with dirt or crud. A clogged unit may cause your car to stall, hesitate, or idle roughly. Sometimes, simply cleaning the EGR valve with a product like STP carburetor cleaner will resolve the problem. Still, if you take your car in for its MV inspection and the diagnostic tests shows that your EGR valve is not working, you will fail inspection and be forced to swap out the device before bringing your car back in for a follow up inspection. What a hassle, but something you just don’t want to forget about.
Prices on replacement EGR valves are all over the place: some parts are reasonably priced while others will cost you a mint. Your Ford or Toyota dealer will charge you a mint if you purchase one through their parts department, as buying through any dealer can quickly turn into a financial nightmare. Instead of going through all that aggravation, you can save big money by shopping online through a quality wholesaler such as All EGR Valves. As is common with all high quality auto parts wholesalers, you can purchase an EGR valve at a huge discount and save a bundle over dealer mark up prices. Leading wholesalers deal directly with manufacturers, buy in gigantic quantities, negotiate the lowest prices, and pass big savings on to you.
Replacing an EGR valve is a simple process and can be accomplished with standard automobile tools. With your handy Chilton repair manual at your side, you will quickly remove and replace the device and have a strong sense of accomplishment on a job “well done.” Best yet, you will have saved yourself plenty of money which you can use for other parts, like the K&B cold air intake that you always wanted!

Copyright 2006 - Matt Keegan is a freelance writer covering important automotive topics and products for All EGR Valves including: Ford EGR valves and Toyota EGR valves.
Comments Off
Gepost door admin op 28/03/2008
Toegevoegd onder: Cash Flow + Credit
Student loan consolidation is a an easier repayment management option to combine all of the student loans you received to finance your college education into one loan with low interest and one repayment per month.
Do you have several loans with different repayment terms and interest rates? You probably do because normally when a student applies for loans to cover college fees, you get loans that have varying terms and interests. With a consolidated student loan, you are able to merge all your student loans into one easy to manage loan with lower interest rates. One single loan is easy to manage and you also save money and pay quicker with the lower interest rate.
The 4 key benefits from consolidating your loan are outlined as follows:
1. With student loan consolidation, you cut on monthly payments, thus saving on money in the long term.
2. Consolidating your student loan and hence extending the duration of your loan past the 10-year period standard for a federal student loan, you are in a position to significantly reduce your monthly repayments. It is noteworthy that in the long term, you will be paying more or extra interest since you will be paying for a longer period of time.
3. A consolidated student loan can also enable you to save some money in the long term because you can lock in a low interest. You can further make some savings by then not prolonging your period of repayment.
4. With a consolidated student loan you have an option to pay beyond the required or the prerequisite amount and you do not incur any penalties by doing so.
What are the main 5 characteristics of a student consolidated loan?
1. Simple, easy to manage one loan payment per month. This is a convenient and efficient way of repaying your student loan, thought one loan repayment.
2. Lower payments every month, thus enabling you make some saving and leave you with more money to spend on other things.
3. Fixed interest rates, which effectively work out to be cost effective for you in the long term. It is important that you do a thorough research on online to find the best interest rate and repayment terms that are suitable to you.
4. One can have in school consolidation arrangements so that while still attending school, students who are qualified can be able to lock in a low interest rate, thus enabling them to go into repayment status. However, since you are currently in school, your repayment will be automatically deferred. What is the disadvantage of this? You lose your six month grace period is lost, but you can appeal for forbearance for a term up to 1 year.
5.You have an option to extend your payment period up to thirty years. However, its important for you to bear in mind that with this extended repayment period, you will be paying more for the additional interest over the extended duration of the loan.
Do you have several student loans? You can enjoy all the benefits associated with a consolidated student loan as outlined above. A consolidated loan is convenient, easy to manage and has lower interest rates.
Dean Shainin is a consultant specializing in student loan consolidation. Get valuable resources, tools, information and more articles on student loan consolidation, visit this site: http://www.studentloanconsolidationtips.com
Get free valuable online tips for debt consolidation from his: Student Loan Consolidation website.
Comments Off
Gepost door admin op 28/03/2008
Toegevoegd onder: New Age + The Occult
It all started early one Sunday morning in September 1997
after a two-minute encounter that would end up changing
my life. It was with a man in a red pick up truck with a P.O.W.
license plate. We were the only two vehicles on the road that
morning.
I had no idea what I was doing with my life it felt out of
control. I had just moved to Port Charlotte, Florida from
Grand Rapids, Michigan just a few months before. I just picked up
and moved with no money, no job - just opened a map book, pointed
and moved.
I was 25 years old, super depressed and needed to get away from all
those who had defined me my whole life. I don’t know what
compelled me that morning, up to that point I was pretty much
pissed off all the time. I felt misunderstood, judged and unworthy.
I was sad.
I had no idea who I was or why I was here, but I remember feeling
very lucky and grateful to be in a country where I could go off and
find myself. I could take as long as I needed to figure things out
and I had the freedom to try as many different things as I needed to
until I found my purpose.
I’m sure I looked crazy as I pulled up next to the red pickup and
motioned the man to roll down his window. He looked at me very
suspiciously. I don’t blame him; I was just some punk kid with
aggressive facial hair and dark sunglasses.
I think most people would have hesitated, but after one more motion
he finally rolled down the window. I asked him, “Are you
the P.O.W. on your license plate? “Yes I am”, he replied. I took off
my glasses and said “Thank you for my freedom.” The light turned green
and I pulled away.
He caught up to me at the next light and with tears in his eyes,
he thanked me! He said “Not one time since I have been back from the
war has anyone said that to me, I will never forget you!”
I never got the man’s name and I have never seen him again, but
the look on his face changed my life. The feeling we shared that day
was not of this world, I felt it in my soul. From this experience
my life’s work was set in motion. To create a way for others to
experience the feelings I felt during that chance encounter.
That day I uncovered one of the secrets to life.
it’s not the love you receive but rather the love you share that
makes you truly happy.
© Andy Thompson - All Rights Reserved
Andy Thompson is a writer who enjoys the “growth” part of the
Self Growth Process. He recommends the breakthrough 21-day
self empowerment program Habit Busting and publishes a quality
information packed monthly newsletter. Read more at
http://www.BadHabitBreaking101.com/pow/ and sign up for our free 7-day
goal setting e-course.
You may reprint this article in your newsletter as long as appears
exactly as printed above including the link.
Comments Off