If you are strong, your character will speak for
itself.
If you are weak, words will be of no help.
~ J.F.K.
~
Lifting and Leaning
There are two kinds of people on earth today,
Just two kinds of people, no more, I say.
Not the good and the bad, for 'tis well understood
The good are half bad and the bad are half good.
Not the happy and sad, for the swift-flying years
Bring each man laughter and each man tears.
Not the rich and the poor, for to count a man's wealth
You must first know his state of conscience and health.
Not the humble and proud, for in life's busy span
Who puts on vain airs is not counted a man.
No! The two kinds of people on earth I mean
Are the people who lift and the people who lean.
Wherever you go you will find the world's masses
Are ever divided in just these two classes.
And, strangely enough, you will find too, I've seen,
There is only one lifter to twenty who lean.
In which class are you? Are you easing the load
of overtaxed lifters who toil down the road?
Or are you a leaner who lets others bear
Your portion of worry, labor, and care?~ Ella Wheeler Wilcox ~
"Let another praise you,
and not your own mouth;
someone else,
and not your own lips."
~ Proverbs 27:2 ~
Jerry's trophies say he was a world-class "lifter" ~ pounds-per-inch, the strongest 17 year old, 172 lb. male in weightlifting competition to date. He would be honored to know that whenever friends are reminiscing him, athletic ability of those feats which put his name in sport's Hall of Fame are seldom remembered.
As a human you develop a philosophy and a personality; who you are is dictated by what you think and how you act upon those thoughts. Character may be manifested in great moments, but it's made in the small ones. Much is revealed about the essence of this man when echo of odd phrase, "...even a FROG has the right to live", does after 14 long years yet evoke vivid memories of Jerry, the lad who wouldn't be provoked to fight a challenger who for weeks had taunted him with personal insults. But he did instantly and fiercely oblige only seconds to avenge the bully's brutal stomp-murder of a little frog whose only 'crime' was that of being at the wrong place at the wrong time.
'King of the Hill' challenges were wasted attempts to goad Jerry's ire, but a deliberate act of cruelty or harassment toward others ~ even a lowly frog ~ was for any bully the regrettable, ego-suicide cause for war with our champion protector of the underling.
†
†
"Yeah, Jerry!!!"
May the memories of his legendary fortitude and compassion
echo long within our hearts as inspirational reminder for us
never to be the lazy, self-defeating, unappreciative 'leaner'.
To our World
Class Lifter of life's awesome weights:
~ heavy heart and heavy steel
~
|
|
|
Life is
changed, †not taken away.
To live in
hearts we leave behind is not to die.
It is not the critic who counts,
Not that man who points out how the strong man stumbled,
Or where the doers of deeds could have done them better.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena;
Whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood;
Who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again;
Who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions,
And spends himself in a worthy cause ~
It belongs to the man who, at the best,
Knows in the end the triumph of high achievement;
And who, at worst, if he fails,
at least fails while daring greatly,
So that his place shall never be
with those cold and timid souls
Who know neither victory
nor defeat.~ © Chant '99 ~
BELIEVE
while others are doubting.
PLAN
while others are playing.
STUDY
while others are sleeping.
DECIDE
while others are delaying.
PREPARE
while others are daydreaming.
BEGIN
while others are procrastinating.
WORK
while others are wishing.
SAVE
while others are wasting.
LISTEN
while others are talking.
SMILE
while others are pouting.
COMMEND
while others are criticizing.
PERSIST
while others are quitting.
~ © William Arthur Ward ~
Figure it
out for yourself, my lad,
You've all that the greatest of men have
had;
Two arms, two hands, two legs, two eyes,
And a brain to use if you
would be wise,
With this equipment they all began--
So start from the top
and say,
I CAN !
Look them over, the wise and the great,
They take
their food from a common plate,
And similar knives and forks they
use,
With similar laces they tie their shoes;
The world considers them
brave and smart,
But you've all they had when they made their
start.
You can triumph and come to skill,
You can be great if you only
will;
You're well equipped for what fight you choose,
You have arms and
legs and a brain to use;
And the man who has risen great deeds to
do,
Began his life with no more than you.
You are the handicap you
must face,
You are the one who must choose your place.
You must say where
you want to go,
How much you will study the truth to know;
God has
equipped you for life,
but He Lets you decide
what you want to
be.
Courage must come from the soul within ~
The man must furnish the
will to win.
So figure it out for yourself, my lad,
You were born with all
that the great have had;
With your equipment they all began ~
Get hold of
yourself and say,
I CAN !
~ © Chant '99 ~
TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE.
Winners meet life's challenges head on ~
knowing there are no
guarantees,
yet give it all they've got;
they never think it's too
late or too early to begin
Time plays no favorites;
it will pass
whether you act or not.
Dare to dream and take risks...
Compete!
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!!!
~ Real power is
spiritual, not physical ~
When one acquires knowledge but does not practice it,
it is like one
who plows a field but does not sow it.
Winners-vs-Losers
Winners
see an answer for every problem;
Losers see a problem for every
answer.
Winners are always part of the answer;
Losers are always part
of the problem.
Winners see a green near every sand trap;
Losers see
sand traps beside every green.
Winners always have a program;
Losers
always have an excuse.
Winners say, "It may be difficult... but it's
possible.";
Losers say, "It may be possible... but it's too
difficult!"
STATE OF MIND
If you think you are beaten, you are;
if you think you dare not, you don't.
If you like to win, but think you can't,
it's almost a cinch you won't.
If you think you'll lose, you've already lost;
for out in the world we find
success begins with a fellow's will;
it's all in the state of mind
If you think you're outclassed, you are;
you've got to think high to rise,
you've got to be sure of yourself
before you can win the prize.
Life's battles don't always go
to the stronger or faster man;
but sooner or later the man who wins
is the man who thinks he can.
~ author unknown ~
~ NEVER GIVE UP ~
Courage isn't having the strength to go on;
it's going on when you don't have the strength.
Be positive
Losing is a habit ~ but so is winning
~ BE A WINNER ~
No one can solve problems
for someone who's problem is that
they don't want problems solved.
Before you can start getting better,
you must stop getting worse ~
and if you're not getting better,
you are getting worse!
Don't talk about it ~ do it.
If you can't do it ~ don't criticize.
Don't
say things; What you are stands over you the while,
and thunders so that I
cannot hear what you say to the contrary.
~ Emerson
~
FACE . IT
Nobody owes you a living.
Whatever you achieve or fail
to achieve in your lifetime
is directly related to what you do or fail to
do.
If you aren't willing to work for your goals ~
don't expect
others to.
NOTHING IS CARVED IN STONE
The past should be a springboard, not a hammock.
You can
change anything in your life
if you want to badly enough.
Excuses
are for losers ~
Those who take responsibility for their
actions
are the real winners in
life.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Don't wait for your ship to come in ~ when you haven't sent it out!
Are you the one?One song can spark a moment,
One flower can wake the dream.
One tree can start a forest,
One bird can herald the spring.
One smile begins a friendship,
One handclasp lifts a soul.
One star can guide a ship at sea,
One word can frame the goal.
One vote can change a nation,
One sunbeam lights a room.
One candle wipes out darkness,
One laugh will conquer gloom.
One step must start each journey,
One word must start each prayer.
One hope will raise our spirits,
One touch can show you care.
One voice can speak with wisdom,
One heart can know what's true.
One life can make the difference,
You see it's up to YOU!
"Heal The World"
Page Updated: 10-27-09
Designed, Created, and Maintained
by:
Mom ~ November 17, 1999
©Marilyn Jeffries, Reflection of the Echo,
1974-2009
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
*****************************
C R E D I T S
~ (Additional Artists Unknown) ~
Personal Tributes
Chapel Pages
Freedom Chapel
Memorial Candles-2
Close Your Eyes
Only A Dream?
The Journey
In The End
Safely Home
Sweet Hour of Prayer
Holiday Pages
Veterans Day
4th of July 1-2-3
Christmas-1-2-3-4
Fathers Day 1-2
Author Tributes
In the End,
by Steven Manchester
(Chapel)
God and the Spider,
by Mark Phillips
(Chapel)
The Journey,
by Tom Krause
(Inspiration)
Who Are You?,
by Terri McPherson
(Inspiration)
Beholding
Beyond Words,
by Jerry Calo
(Military)
The Other Side,
by Dianna Doles Petry
(Inspiration)
Art Tributes
Face Of Christ,
by Joe Castillo
Spirit Calling,
by
Jonathon Bowser
On Eagle's Wings,
by Gail Gastfield
Shadow Rapids,
by Jonathon Bowser
Phantom of the Falls,
by Jonathon Bowser
Mystic Passage,
by Jonathon Bowser
Inspiration
Try to be UGLY
Step UP!
God Laughs Too
Other Pages
Wings
Site Directory
Native American Roots
Site Awards
Global Awards
Stories & Poems
Mail From *YOU* 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8
Guest Books
View Jerry's Memory Book
View Family Guest Book
Sign Jerry's Memory Book
Sign Family Guest Book
E-MAIL Mom
Join
our
PRIVATE mailing list to
receive email notice of site
updates.
UPDATE your email
address
UNSUBSCRIBE
Software used for adding new data to Jerry's Memory Book often does not process your entry.
Sign Jerry's Memory Book via Email direct to Mom
. Include your name, city, state, and your message the way you wish it to be entered.
Sign our Family Guest Book via Email direct to Mom. Include your name, city, state, email address and your message the way you wish it to be entered.
Email Mom to receive mailing address
for submitting photo or other site material. (It will be immediately scanned and returned to you via USPS insured delivery.
