HappyUP!!! - The Ultimate Gift

Here is a little gift - from me to you...The Ultimate Gift by Jim Stovall. In this easy, light, and quick read, you get as good a life's lesson plan as I have ever read.

...and I read a lot! - Stovall himself is an impressive individual. He is the type that you read about and go, "where the heck did I get short-changed?"

Stovall was a national champion and Olympic weightlifter - that should be enough. He has authored several books. In 2000, he was named Humanitarian of the Year (Jimmy Carter and Nancy Reagan have also received that distinction).

Oh...one more little thing - he is blind!

This book is presented in fable style - you can read it in a couple of nights. You could spend a lifetime trying to live it. Here is my present to you. It's the headings of each of the chapters that the hero has to live through. I can't think of a young person....or a person of more experience...who wouldn't see this as a sweet addition to their life's experience.

Gift of Work - He who loves his work never labors for money

Gift of Money - Money is nothing more than a tool. It can be a force for good, a force for evil, or simply be idle

Gift of Friends - It is a wealthy person, indeed, who calculates riches not in gold but in friends

Gift of Learning - Education is a lifelong journey whose destination expands as you travel

Gift of Problems - Problems can only be avoided by excercising good judgement. Godd judgement can only be gained by experiencing life's problems

Gift of Family - Some people are born into wonderful families. Others have to fin or create them. Being a member of a family is a priceless privilege which costs nothing but love.

Gift of Laughter - Laughter is good medicine for the soul. Our world is desperately in need of more such medicine

Gift of Dreams - Faith is all that dreamers need to see into the future

Gift of Giving - the only way you can truly get more out of life for yourself is to give part of yourself away

Gift of Gratitude - In those times when we yearn to have more in our lives, we should dwell on the things we already have. In doing so, we will often find that our lives are already full to overflowing.

Gift of a Day - Life at it's essence boils down to one day at a time. Today is the day.

Gift of Love - Love is a treasure for which we can never pay. The only way we keep it is to give it away.

The Ultimate Gift - In the end, life lived to it's fullest is it's own ultimate gift