The Genie

One day, when I was fifteen years old, I was walking down a very dark path and seemed to have kicked what I thought was a very old bottle. The bottle had beautiful markings all over it and resembled an old bottle of wine. I picked up the old bottle and opened it, and much to my surprise, out came an enormous puff of smoke and a grand genie appeared. He was tall in stature and very round about the mid section. He went on to tell me that I would be afforded three wishes. "Oh my", I said. Here I am a fifteen-year-old boy and I have this happen to me? Three wishes, I thought to myself, what can I ask him for?? I know... I will tell him for the first wish, I want to be rich beyond belief. The second wish, I will ask for three women to love me at all times. And for the third wish, I will ask him to make me healthy and whole. I continued to ask him for these wishes and he told me that all my wishes would be granted. He then just disappeared as if he was never there and the bottle fell to the ground and broke into small pieces. I was so excited; a fifteen year old boy who is going to be rich, have three women love me at all times, and be healthy and whole. What could be better...... Well, time went on and I never got my wishes. I went on with my life, as I knew it to be. I started in the workplace at a very young age and never looked back at that day, ever. After all, who believes in Genies anyway? I worked and worked and worked... never getting rich, no women like the genie had promised and never felt healthy or whole. Time went on and I became very angry at life. Life was very unfair to me... I always had "The poor me's". I finally met my wife in 1994 and married in 2000. We went on and had two beautiful daughters. I live in a modest home and over the past few years, I have realized so many things. My three wishes had come true; unfortunately, I did not realize it. I was sick for many years with addiction and alcohol problems, never understanding what life was all about. When making those wishes, I was only thinking about myself... I was very selfish... I never cared about anyone else. I do, however, realize now that my first wish did come true. I am rich beyond belief... I am rich in family values... I am rich in being loved by my family and I am rich in humility. About the three women who will always love me, well that wish came true too. I have a beautiful loving wife and two amazing daughters, who are the strength behind my life. As for the third wish, well I m sure you figured that one out too. I have beaten the odds, on a daily basis, and I am free from the pains and misery of addiction and alcohol. I have not had a drink or drug since November 4, 2006. I am healthy and whole and I will continue to write and write and write, because you see... That is my dream. I have a dream to touch people's hearts and make them just a little bit happier, stronger, better, and more complete than before I touched them. Life is not about me any more... It is about the people I love and the people who love me for me. Life is about helping when possible and lending a hand to someone in need. Life is about just saying hello to a perfect stranger and watching them smile back at you. I said hello to an older woman in a grocery store last week. She stated to me that nobody ever says hello to her and she gave me a hug!!! Is that just simply amazing? Life is not about you; it is about everyone else in your life. Reach out and touch someone today, and it doesn't have to be physical... touch their heart with yours. Love to live, and live to love. Thank you for reading this. I am extremely passionate about life and will never miss another day of it. God Bless you and everyone in your life.

[.BZU.]

I was sick for many years with addiction and alcohol problems, never understanding what life was all about.

hmmm
yeh lagta hay, kisi non muslim ki likhi hoi story hay..
khair nice sharing.. keep it up..