Christmas present

There is a story many years ago of an elementary teacher. Her name is Mrs.Thompson. And as she stood in front of her fifth grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. But that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.

Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he didn't play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. And Teddy could be unpleasant.
It got to the point where Mrs.Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise. Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners...he is a joy to be around." His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle." His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken." Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote,"Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class."

By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's.
His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing and a bottle that was one quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was. She put it on and dabbed some of the perfume on her wrist.

Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to." After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day,she quit teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children.

Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "pets."

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he stayed in school, had stuck with it,and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer. The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.

The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he'd met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the place at the wedding that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course,Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.

They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs.Thompson's ear, "Thank you, Mrs. Thompson, for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference."

Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."

My Birthday

Today is my birthday ...adipoli

Merry Christmas :)

Silent night, holy night!
All is calm, all is bright.
Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child.
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight.
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia,
Christ the Savior is born!
Christ the Savior is born.

Silent night, holy night!
Son of God love's pure light.
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth.
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth.

This beautiful song was written by a pirest in Austira ,(Fr. Joseph Mohr), and composed by the choir director of his church(Franz Xaver Gruber). it was 180 years ago. and actually it ws in german.. but now its translated into hundreds of languges world wide.

i like this song very much ...realy a silent song...which can be sung near the newborn jeusus sleeping peacefully in the manger.

oooopss ....am feeling nostalgic about my xams back home :( ..i miss my family very much

Biggest Flag in the world

The world Biggest flag was unfolded yesterday in Bahrain. it was Bahrains national flag. a huge one... it was made as a part of natioanl day clelebration. it measured 160 meters long and 100 meters wide, and its the largest of its kind in the world and found a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. :) it weighed 4,000 kg... representative from guniess book was there to measure it . .. and now the officaly declared it as the biggest one . and i heard the flag was sponsored by Vodafone .. am not sure about that ..anyway it was a good marketing tactic too.

National day

3 days holiday from 16th to 18th ..National Day :) ..

Bahrain actually is a collection of island. and it was called Bahrain(menaing two seas) in the early Islamic era, when the name was used for the entire region stretching from Basra (Iraq) in the north to oman in the south. By the early 1500's, the portuguese saw bahrain as a key point to protect their trade routes between India, Africa and Europe.

They invaded the island and set up military base at the bahrain Fort. The fort, which ironically had been used by the people of Bahrain to defend themselves against the Portuguese, was strengthened and new stone towers erected. Right up until today, the Bahrain fort is also known as the portuguese Fort.

The portuguese were however unable to protect the islands, which fell to the persians in 1603. Then came a long period of turmoil, with Bahrain changing hands between the warring Persians and arabs until it was finally conquered in 1783 by Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa. better known as Ahmed bin Mohamed Al Fateh, the conqueror, he was to usher in a start of a new and important era.

((if u visit bahrain u should visit Al Fatheh Grand mosque too.. its a beautiful mosque. ))

and later bahrain came under the influence of Britian also.. but Bahrain Declared independece in the year 1971

Here u can read the speech by HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on on the occasion of the National Day of Bahrain

There is week-long celebrations which includes a carnival, fireworks on three nights, a vintage car and photographic exhibitions, music festival ..etc etc

can i do it ?

its becoming a real problem now ...am not getting enough time to blog.... theres a big gap now ....