FIVE FACES OF GENIUS : Creative Thinking Styles

In The Five Faces of Genius, author Annette Moser-Wellman presents an insightful categorization of five thinking styles she contends have been used by history's greatest to achieve their objectives. Each style in this schema is clearly described at outset, and there are many examples presented in illustration throughout the book. The examples and supporting text are far more useful than the test instrument Wellman presents to identify which style(s) one uses most.

She argues that "highly creative individuals use all five" creative thinking styles, but that most of us pursue a "one creative skill habit" in preference to developing additional creative skills and mastering all five styles. The objective is to "supplement your dominant creative style" by developing "a crucial portfolio of creative thinking skills", she tells us, leading to mastery of all five creative styles .

Wellman's schema is an attempt to explicate the ways in which we create and apprehend ideas through our capacity to imagine. She believes that everyone can learn and benefit from these creative styles, which have application in terms of personal development and "among teams in the workplace" The following excerpts provide basic descriptions of the five styles (citations and notes are presented below:

1. SEER: The power to image
Visualizing the problem or goal...

Seers see pictures in their mind's eye, and these pictures become the impetus for ingenious ideas. In the same way that someone can imagine his team's final jump shot at the buzzer or how his living room would look with a new color of paint, highly creative people use the skill of the seer to imagine new ideas. Seers are guided by the images in their mind's eye, visualize in great detail, and are able to manipulate these images along the way to maximize their impact and expand their ideas. Seers picture the outcome and "are typically good at designing the future of the business". Creative visualization may also be used to diagnose current problems, such that the image symbolizes the many factors at play in the operational equation.

Business disciplines traditionally considered "creative" are full of Seers. Communications, public relations, advertising, and design attract those with skills of creative visualization... Other less obvious careers attract Seers as well - attorneys, information technology engineers, and operations and sales people. Business areas in which logistical problems must be thought through, or process and systems areas where manipulation and alteration of the flow of information is required.

Mozart describes his Seer moment: "When I am, as it were, completely myself, entirely alone, and of good cheer ... provided I am not disturbed, my subject enlarges itself, becomes methodized and defined, and the whole, though it be long, stands almost complete and finished in my mind so that I can survey it, like a fine picture or a beautiful statue, at a glance." The image leads to the breakthrough.

2. OBSERVER: The power to notice detail
Noticing detail and its intrinsic beauty...

Observers notice the details of the world around them and collect those details to construct a new idea. They scan their environment for interesting information and use this data to create breakthroughs. Observers stand in awe of the world around them, and its beauty is ...the ability to stand in awe of the world, notice small things, and make creative contributions from the details. The Observer's curiosity is like a radar, constantly scanning the environment, looking for small things that lead to big ideas. Observers are compelled by beauty ... awestruck by it. For them, beauty is the gateway to truth.

Observers are not interested in detail for its own sake. They are only interested in details as ingredients of a new idea. Your key to the Observer skill is knowing when and where to use it. The smart Observer knows what data to collect and when to turn off the radar. The goal is to be able to float between looking for details and appreciating the macro-perspective. Once Observer's collect their information ... they find a way to bring all the important details together to create a business insight a source of inspiration. They cherish the details and are driven by their unrelenting curiosity.

When Walt Disney took his young daughter to play in the park, he noticed... the adults looked bored, the rides were run-down, and the ride operators were unfriendly. He thought, "Wouldn't it be fun if there a place where kids and adults could play together?" And from those initial observations he hatched the idea for his theme parks.

3. ALCHEMIST: The power to connect domains
Insights in connections...

Alchemists bring together separate domains - different ideas, disciplines, or systems of thought - and connect them in a unique way to develop breakthrough ideas. The Alchemist's insights come from borrowing or even stealing ideas. They are motivated to invent by a broad range of interests, and they lead lives that connect work and play. Alchemists are attentive to what's happening in other fields of activity, and they use their broad range of interests as a reservoir from which new and relevant ideas may be drawn for their own industry or workplace. They avoid "silo thinking", which focuses on one's own industry and "leads to insularity that prevents business genius".

Pick an industry that captures your imagination - automotive? beauty care? online retailing? Track it for a while. What is happening? What trends are taking place? What competitive moves are being made? See what connections you can draw between that industry and yours. Alchemists do not lead compartmentalized lives; few boundaries exist between work and home because the creative connection of ideas and concepts occurs across locations. Everything is interconnected. Alchemists stay tuned to what gives them joy, intrigues them, thrills them. By staying on top of their interests they can be the first to recognize trends in their business or industry. They also rely on dialogue for inspiration, and they make frequent use of analogies to bridge ideas.

The architect Frank Lloyd Wright created the most original buildings in the history of American architecture by ... marrying the design of the building with the nature of the site.

4. FOOL: The power to celebrate weakness
Inversion, absurdity, and perseverance

The most complex Face, the Fool, celebrates weakness. Fools practice three related skills: excelling at inversion, seeing the sense in absurdity, and having unending perseverance. The Fool is the most complex of the Five Faces ... and perhaps requires the most mental firepower... Fools love to reverse expectations, find the surprise. Impressionists broke the status quo. Rather than worry about accurate representations, they painted their impressions of conventional reality, using small strokes and bright patches of contrasting color to create an illusion of what the naked eye saw. Their revolution inverted the nature of the craft.

Fools like to take a notion and push it to its extreme conclusion. They like to make sense through nonsense. They take what seems at first to be a mistake or disaster and find ways to fix it or make creative use of it. Risk taking is the underpinning of the Fool's way. Whether inventing conventional wisdom, pushing a notion to the absurd conclusion, or persevering, risk taking is central to each. The wisdom of Fools is that they know when to use these tools and they do not overuse them. They are not predictable.

Scientist Roy Plunkett was trying to come up with a new configuration of a chlorofluorocarbon and accidentally set a can of the chemical on the laboratory radiator. When he found it in the morning, the chlorofluorocarbon had polymerized and created a hard resistant surface on the bottom of the can. Instead of throwing it away and calling it a failure, he analyzed the accident. This mishap was the birth of a new product called Teflon. For the Fool, invention happens through redeeming weakness.

5. SAGE: The power to simplify
Keep it simple...

Sages use the power of simplification as the primary means to inspiration. They reduce problems to their essence and, in the process, create an ingenious idea. Simplicity is their credo. Also, Sages look to history as a resource for creative insight. They honor the past and find insights in what has happened before.The act of creation occurs when an idea is stripped to its essence. In an age of access tounlimited information, the skills of the Sage help us focus on how to generate a new idea without getting caught in the trap of searching endlessly for more... Homing in on the essentials, you can peel away all that is distracting and find an inspiration at the center. You imagine more by imagining less.

Sages are history addicts. History is like a manual that offers them a guide for living in the present. By remembering and telling stories, Sages make changes today in terms of eternal truths from the past... The ideas of the Sage have a timeless quality because there inheres in them the wisdom that has gone before. Sages focus on the high, holy calling as a discipline you administer to yourself, just like working out at the gym or taking vitamins. Every time you face an opportunity, grill yourself about the purpose behind what you are doing. It will keep you honest and guide you to leadership ideas.

Alfred Stieglitz, enchanted with Dutch painter Jan Vermeer, who painted some 300 years earlier drew inspiration from Vermeer's style to create photographs based on what he learned from Vermeer's compositions.


The Five Faces of Genius: Creative thinking styles to succeed at work.
Annette Moser-Wellman,
NY: Penguin Books, 2002
NY: Penguin Putnam, 2001
ISBN 0-670-89477-X (hc.)
ISBN 0 14 20.0035 3 (pbk.) [2001]


The test instrument devised by Wellman delivers results inconsistent with the subjective identification of creative styles made by respondents in my limited sample. Copyright does not permit me to present the test, but it is hoped that review of the five creative styles and their descriptors will provide the reader with sufficient information to identify which style(s) may be more dominant or require development.
Source : http://intraspec.ca/five-faces.php

# Note : After running this test a few months back in one of our workshop organized by the University, my thinking style seems to fall under the SEER group. Well, I have to agree with that because I've always thought my strength in thinking skills has always been my ability to VISUALIZE things! (just like Mozart!).

Life Is All About Passion

Heard the hit single 'Don't Worry, Be Happy' by Bobby McFerrin?
This catchy song conveys a simple message, "Be Happy, Don't worry."


Good heath prevails when you live a happy, resilient and optimistic life. Stress-related diseases like heart disease, cancer and stroke can prove fatal for you. So, by being happy, think happy, and stay happy eradicates this stresses of life.

There is the saying that 'In life, change is inevitable' and we all have the power within us to make that change, irregardless of adverse the situation may be. Good social networking or relationship is essential to happiness. Happiness prevails when people can practice patience, understanding, tolerance and harmony, and life becomes simply wonderful. Happiness is actually found in everyone, increasing it is a way to make a life more wonderful and also healthier. To be happy, think happy, and stay happy, is all a matter of individual choice. You are what you think you are. If you are happy, you will feel happy, if you chose to be unhappy, then you will feel unhappy.

Look at it this way.

It is all about the Law of Attraction. The Law of Attraction is such that when you feel good and happy, you will attract good and positive vibrations from the Universe; Stress and unhappiness simply attract bad and adverse vibrations. A positive attitude to life is being grateful for what you now possessed. We give thanks to our parents for daily food on the dinner table, to the police for making our neighborhood a safer place to live in, spiritually for just being alive.

WE simply would not want to start our day with negative stress, which is bad aura. Being spiritual in your choice of religion would give one more inner peace.

Time is Money and Money is Time. In order to effectively manage our time, we need to prioritize.

As the saying goes, 'Laughter is the best medicine'. Laugh and laugh heartily everyday. Heard a good joke? Tell your friends or family about it.


Express your feelings, affections, friendship and passion to people around you. They will most likely reciprocate your actions. Practice patience, tolerance and understanding. Life is full of PASSION. It gives us a sense of value, accomplishment and achievement. Passion drives dreams. Dreams turn to reality, and it all starts with having passion.

Life is about learning something new everyday. Life is full of challenges and opportunities. Run, jog, walk and do just about anything to keep your body alive and active. Life will simply become healthy and wonderful.

In his own words, Abraham Lincoln said, "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."

Be Happy, Think Happy, And Stay Happy!

Life is about having a passion. Live out your passion. The power of the Internet makes life simply wonderful and happiness comes when we can live out our passion, to do just about anything. You can read more about my passion at my blog. Have a productive day!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Wong_Tet_Phin

Reminiscing About The Good Old Days

It's really nice reminiscing your most favourite part of life. In my case, it is high school that I love the most. It's one of the most memorable period of my life. It was then that I met a lot of true people and real friends. There were surely some down moments, but high school in general is bliss. That was the time when we’ve discovered our hidden potential and capabilities, that later develops our self esteem. How I wish I could turn back in time and revert to those moments just to be with my beloved friends again, sharing our joys and sorrows, experiencing our first crush or infatuation, cycling together around town, watching movies, and hanging around at our favourite ice kacang stall while listening to musics from the jukebox. It was really heaven! Life was so excited then, without much responsibilities to be committed to, other than to just study hard to achieve our goals in life.

Ais Kacang =>>


The Jukebox =>>


I could still remember fondly, my former high school, the great Treacher Methodist Girls School (currently known as SMK (P) Treacher Methodist) in Taiping, Perak which is one of the earliest all girls’ new school to be established in Malaysia. This school is strategically situated nearby historical, as well as important buildings such as the Museum (which is the first in Malaysia), the Lake Garden, Taiping Prison as well as the first Railway Station of Malaysia.

My Beloved School, Treacher Methodist Girls' School (TMGS) =>>


Our School Badge =>>


Our School Magazine, "The Quest" =>>


The Editorial Board for The Quest =>>


My Classmates =>>


My Best Friends =>>


My Passion =>>




This school was established in 1889 by Methodist Missionaries. Our alma mater has produced many successful and/or popular individuals, people like :-

• Asiah Abu Samah, now a Tan Sri (former DG of MOE)
• Hasmah Abdullah, now a Dato' (the current DG of LHDN)
• Saran Kaur, now a Prof (Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Industry and Community Partnerships) of UKM)
• Zahrah and Juriah Fenner - Both are aunts of the popular group - KRU.
• Junaidah Aman – A former national athlete
• Lum Sau Fong – A former national hockey player (Captain) and she was also my class monitor for two years, Form 4 and Form 5 Science White
• Raja Azmi – A film producer and wife to Jalani Sidek - a former national badminton player.
• Farawahida, the singer
• Azura Zainal Ratin , host and staff of TV3
• Fatma Najla, obygyn and medical columnist

Apart from all those high school excitement that I've mentioned above, there were many fads in the 1970's that really spiced up our life at that time. There were platform shoes and bell bottoms that people would wear them to almost everywhere, even to parties! Jogging suits were also a big trend in fashion. Later, when people started to worry about their weight, jogging became a popular sport, so jogging suits became popular not just for running and working out, but for fashion too. For teenagers, roller skating was one of our favourite past time activity.

Platform Shoes =>>



Bell Bottom =>>


There were many different types of entertainment in the 1970's. Some of the entertainment was, of course, television. Among the favourites were "All in the Family", "The Mary Tyler Moore Show", "Sanford and Son" “Donny and Marie Show”, "The Six Million Dollar Man”, “The Bionic Woman” and various other shows , that we still see in reruns made their debus in the 1970's

Donny and Marie =>>



Donny and Marie Show (Video)=>>



There were also many different styles of music in this decade. Disco dancing became popular with the release of the movie Saturday Night Fever. I could still remember how the boys in town love to imitate John Travolta's moves ; the way he dances, walks, speaks etc because they thought that it was cool and such a turn on to the girls, I guess! Heavy metal rock music was also born in the 70's. A popular heavy metal bands at that time was Led Zeppelin; David Bowie was another heavy metal rocker. In the late 1970's, a new rock movement, known as "punk rock" became the rage.

Saturday Night Fever =>>



Specially dedicated to those who have shared that good old days with me, in the 70s :

To all my beloved teachers :

The School Principal, Miss Satwant Kaur,
My teachers, Miss Looi, Mrs. Choong, Mrs. Wan Teh, Mrs. Khir, Mr. Sahar, Mr. Sum, Miss Ho, Miss Chang, Mrs. Lucas, Mrs. Xavier, Mr. Chuah and Mrs. Zaitone.

"Dear Sir/Mdm, Thank you for educating me to be what I am today. I wouldn't be here without your guidance and encouragement.. "

To my beloved friends,

Zuraidah, Amtul, Azila, Haslina, Norliza, Azian, Sau Foong, Zabidah, Nor Laily, Ahadini, Rosnah, Siew Choo, Zailiny, Khashiah, Kah Leng, Ming Fei, Suan Lee, Suria, Martha & Rita Yong (twins), Lee Phing, Lela, Lily, Mahanim, Norakma, Shasikala, Lita, Yoke Hooi, Mei Hung, and many more....!

....with whom I have shared all my joys and sorrows, during my teenage years, the ones that have taught me what true friendship is all about....!

Thanks, again. Love you all so much! Hope we'll find a day for our "Mini Reunion" soon!

From :-

How to Express Yourself to Others

One of the hardest things to do when you’re communicating with someone is expressing yourself. How many times have you said something that just didn’t come out the way you wanted it to? How many times have we said something that we really didn’t mean, but we were too frustrated to stop it from being said? What’s more, some people have a fear of expressing themselves at all. They’re afraid to say something that might cost them a friendship. Or they bottle everything up tight and seize up at the mere thought of sharing their true emotions. This can be a constant struggle for people. However, it is something that can be conquered. If you are struggling to express yourself to others, or you know of someone who struggles, then read on. This article will show you what you can do to open up with others.


DANGERS OF NOT BEING ABLE TO EXPRESS YOURSELF

1. If you have a fear of people, people will avoid you. It’s a vicious cycle. You avoid people because you fear that they will hurt you. People see your aloofness, and either think the worst (that you’re stuck up), or grant your desire and leave you alone. Then you wonder why it is that no one likes you.

2. When you can’t open up to people, people will feel that you are unapproachable. You’ll have a hard time getting close to people when you bottle everything up inside. Your relationships will all be shallow.

3. Your inability to express yourself will haunt you in times of trouble. You’ll need help, you’ll want help, but you won’t seek it. You’ll hide. So, no one helps you. Then you grow resentful and angry.

4. Another danger is that of isolation. You build walls around your emotions and people instinctively leave you alone. That might be what you wanted at first, but your life will be barren, and empty.

Life is relationships. The stronger your relationships the more joy you’ll have in life. No matter if it is with your mate, God, children, neighbors, co-workers, friends, relatives, or even yourself, you must learn to express yourself.

TIPS ON EXPRESSING YOURSELF

1. Do A Lot Of Reading
Reading will help you learn how other people express themselves. Pay attention to word usage, diction, flow, voice and tone. These will give you ideas on expressing yourself.Look up words that you’ve never seen before. Use them. They’ll provide you with many and myriad ways of expressing your emotions. Often, I’ve found that a single word does better expressing what I feel than an entire paragraph of sentences. Learning new words will help you express yourself better and reading will help you to learn different ways to do so. A wise man once said, not every reader is a leader, but every leader is a reader.

2. Do Some Writing On Your Own
Do a variety of writing. Start a novel. Write letters. Keep a journal or diary. Often, you’ll find that writing helps you to think your thoughts through. In the heat of an argument, you’ll often say what you don’t mean in a tone that creates more resentment. Writing will help you organize your thoughts. It’ll give you focus and direction.

3. Don’t Fear People’s Judgment
Social anxiety is not a disease. You can’t catch it from someone who has it. It is a spiritual state of mind that is the direct result of fear. There is really only one type of fear and that is the fear of the unknown. Don’t fear what other people think about you. Honestly, your imagination will create far worse scenarios than what most people will ever think. To overcome your fear, try asking for their help. Try this, “I’m having a hard time expressing myself, and I thought maybe you could help me.” Saying that will invoke an instinctual need that most everyone has—the desire to help and feel needed. Hardly anyone will be critical of you when you’ve asked for their help. It also sets the stage to retract what you may say when you say it wrong. Since you’ve already warned them that you are struggling with expressing yourself, when you actually struggle with it, they’ll just shrug it off. It’s a great tool to overcoming your fear of other people’s judgment.

4. When You’re Upset, Write A Letter
If you’re furious at someone, then go ahead and write them a nasty letter. Just don’t give it to them. Sleep on it. The next morning, go back over the letter. You’ll find that your attitudes and perspective have shifted. I seriously doubt you’ll send the letter under those conditions. But more than that, sending someone a letter that is well thought out is a great idea when you’re trying to express yourself. Look, letters can’t be argued with, they can’t be interrupted, and you can’t derail the train of thought. In fact, even if the letter is negative, most people will read it all the way through.Sometimes a well worded letter will allow you to convey your feelings where a conversation would not.

5. Be Mature When You Express Yourself
I don’t take people seriously when they rant, rave, swear, cuss, insult, deride, mock, or get stubborn. These are immature attitudes that prevent and hinder the expression process. Here is a rule of thumb. If they are willing to talk about others behind their back, they will do it to you too. Let’s stay away from the unproductive gossip, the insults, the profanity, and the finger pointing. These accomplish nothing. Think about it, when is the last time you actually made a situation better by swearing at someone? Maturity in conversation is thoughtfulness, consideration, and the willingness to listen. Show respect to others and they will respect you.

6. Ask Questions
You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to express yourself in the form of a question.
But the short of it is this, questions allow you to interact with others. They involve you in their thoughts, feelings, worries, and cares. This provides an opportunity to express yourself better to them. Expression is best done when there is good interaction. Thoughtful questions provide this platform.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gregory_Baker

Managing Anger

Anger is an emotional state that may range from minor irritation to intense rage. The external expression of anger can be found in facial expressions, body language, physiological responses, and at times in public acts of aggression. Modern psychologists view anger as a primary, natural, and mature emotion experienced by all humans at times, and as something that has functional value for survival. Anger can mobilize psychological resources for corrective action. It is a normal part of life. However, if it gets out of control, it can really damage your family, your work, the people around you, and your lifestyle. When reflecting on anger and its impact on us emotionally and spiritually, it is would be advisable if we could identify the source of that anger that upset us so much.


Set out below are five origins of anger. Think back to the last time you became angry and take a look at the concepts below. See if your anger can be traced to one of the five origins, or a combination of them.

1. You believe you are right about something and the other person is wrong:
We all believe we are right and others are wrong! What are you right about?
• how to raise children properly
• how materialistic the world is
• the best way to educate children

We are often unaware of how often we judge ourselves to be right about something, while judging others to be wrong. But it follows that if I am labouring under the assumption that I am right, so is everybody else.

If I believe strongly that I am right about something, I run the risk of coming into conflict with someone else who believes him- or herself to be right about that same thing. If we hold opposing views on that subject and insist on defending our 'truth', anger is the result.

2. You believe your image is under attack
Anger results from our belief that our image is under attack. Here are some examples:
• someone says something that suggests to us that they perceive us as weak
• our status - as parents, managers or leaders - is challenged
• we are humiliated

If we have a low opinion of ourselves or a fragile ego based upon superficial values, we leave ourselves open to image attacks. We are constantly en garde, waiting for the next person to call our bluff and challenge our image. Anger is the mechanism we use to claw back what is left of our ego, when such challenges occur. It re-establishes us as the dominant one, the one with control and in control. The after effects of angry outbursts arising out of image attacks matter less to us at the time than the need to reclaim our status.

3. A sense of loss or grief
The loss could be the break up of your parents' relationship, the death of a loved one, or the loss of childhood innocence. It can be hard to express these feelings: we don't want to be seen as weak or fearful. Anger can be a cover for fear, sadness or disappointment arising out of those feelings of loss. You feel you will eventually lose the people and things that are important to you. When it feels like history is about to repeat itself you protect yourself from the pain of loss by covering up with a show of aggression and bravado. It can be a case of 'let's do it to them before they do it to us', rejecting another before they reject you.

4. Feeling inadequate/inferior to others
• anger as a way of remaining a victim
• anger as a way of avoiding the truth

Anger can hide the fact that we feel inferior to others, inadequate or stupid. Angry outbursts are a smoke screen. They distract others from our sense of inadequacy. We put on a show of toughness and capability and let others know we are not to be messed with.


5. Anger as the only response we know
It's a rare parent that makes the decision to teach their children to manage their anger. It's ironic that we ensure our children learn to read and write, but very little conscious guidance is given to them on dealing with their anger. In the absence of such learning, they pick up what they can from the significant adults in their lives. If those adults react to everyday situations with anger, irritation or annoyance, it should come as no surprise when their children do the same. It is therefore crucial that adults model positive behaviour when it comes to expressing anger and also that they support their children in managing their own anger.

TIPS ON MANAGING ANGER

1. Take a deep breath. Use some deep breathing exercises to bring your anger down a few levels. There are a variety of wonderful deep breathing exercises on CD that can help.

2. If meditation works for you - go there. Some of us call it prayer! Spirituality with your higher power is what will get you through the next seven steps!

3. Try to smile. Bringing the positive energy back to your body will allow you to focus and become more rational as you try to solve the problem or begin to forgive the person that is angering you.

4. Use rational thoughts! Using rational thoughts like "this anger will not take control of me" or "losing my cool will not solve this problem, it will only make it worse", really do help! Sometimes we need to repeat these statements over and over in our minds, in order for them to be effective and routine.

5. Try to focus on something that makes you happy. Some of us call it: "go to your happy place"! Imagine yourself there!

6. Exercise. Research says that exercise can clear your mind by releasing the endorphins in your brain. It also reduces depression and anxiety. It is also known to keep us healthy and help us sleep better - so it's an all around additive to your total body, mind, and spiritual health.

7. Listen to your favorite music. Listening to your favorite music can also clear your mind and lift your mood. This is imperative before trying to refocus on the problem.


8. Write your feelings down in a journal. Keeping a journal or diary is a good way to release your frustrations. Get it down on paper, immediately. This is helpful because you can look back and see how many times per month you've been angry and it paints a clearer picture for you since it's in written form.

9. Enjoy another activity. Writing a bike, hiking through nature, going the beach, gardening, painting, engaging in photography...are just to name a few! Be creative with this one!

10. Talk to a counselor or life coach. If your anger is at a level where items one through nine are not working for you, please consult a mental health professional.

Source : http://ezinearticles.com/

How Time Flies....!

Then......... (1996)


Now......... (2008)


A SPECIAL POEM DEDICATED TO MY PRECIOUS FIVE...... (Aizat, Farah, Ika, Afiq & Fatin)

What I Would Do For You
© Jayne Sena

What I Would Do For You

I would do just about anything you'd ask,
For you there's nothing I wouldn't do, there's no such task.

I would walk without my shoes to the end of the Earth,
I would give up anything I had to, to teach you self worth.

I would hold your hand every minute of every day,
But I won't because I know you need to find your own way.

I would surely bear the heartache of your first love that's real,
Even though I can't, I will naturally feel as you feel.

I would sell my soul if it would keep you happy forever,
I would give my right arm to keep us forever together.

I would run a hundred miles up-hill in the rain,
Just to guarantee that you will never feel pain.

I would laugh with you even if I was sad,
I will give you a smile even if I'm mad.

I can only accept your mistakes with a grin on my face,
I will guide you in correcting them, but at your own pace.

I will guide you through life, as this world can get quite wild,
Just don't you ever forget that you will always be my child.

The Origin of May Day

Labor Day is truly a global holiday, or as it is known internationally May Day. It’s an annual holiday celebrated all over the world that resulted from the labour union movement, to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. As the Industrial Revolution took hold of the nation, the average American in the late 1800s worked 12-hour days, seven days a week in order to make a basic living. Children were also working, as they provided cheap labor to employers and laws against child labor were not strongly enforced.

The roots of Labor Day stretch back to the 1810’s and what was known as the eight hour day movement. Robert Owen, as early as 1817 had formulated the goal of the eight-hour day and coined the slogan Eight hours labor, Eight hours recreation, Eight hours rest. The first Monday in September is set aside to honor the working men and women of the United States. This holiday is now fully accepted and workers are properly honored but getting to this point in history has been long and rocky. With the long hours and terrible working conditions, American unions became more prominent and voiced their demands for a better way of life. On Tuesday September 5, 1882, 10,000 workers marched from city hall to Union Square in New York City, holding the first-ever Labor Day parade. Participants took an unpaid day-off to honor the workers of America, as well as vocalize issues they had with employers. As years passed, more states began to hold these parades, but Congress would not legalize the holiday until 12 years later.

A Labor Day Parade in Buffalo, New York in 1900 =>>


The majority of countries celebrate Labor Day on May 1, and it is popularly known as May Day and International Workers' Day. Labor Day is a day set aside to pay tribute to working men and women. It has been celebrated as a national holiday in the United States and Canada since 1894. On May 11, 1894, workers of the Pullman Palace Car Company in Chicago struck to protest wage cuts and the firing of union representatives. They sought support from their union led by Eugene V. Debs and on June 26 the American Railroad Union called a boycott of all Pullman railway cars. Within days, 50,000 rail workers complied and railroad traffic out of Chicago came to a halt. On July 4, President Grover Cleveland dispatched troops to Chicago. Much rioting and bloodshed ensued, but the government's actions broke the strike and the boycott soon collapsed. Debs and three other union officials were jailed for disobeying the injunction. The strike brought worker's rights to the public eye and Congress declared, in 1894, that the first Monday in September would be the holiday for workers, known as Labor Day.

Although there's some speculation as to exactly who came up with the idea, the founder of Labor Day remains unclear. Most historians credit Peter McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, with the original idea of a day for workers to show their solidarity. Others credit Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J. Peter J. McGuire, the secretary of The Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a founder of the American Federation of Labor.

Labor Day has been celebrated as the last, long summer weekend before Autumn, although its actually a celebration of the labor movement and its achievements at that time. The first Labor Day parade occurred Sept. 5, 1882, in New York City. The workers' unions chose the first Monday in September because it was halfway between Independence Day and Thanksgiving. The idea spread across the country, and some states designated Labor Day as a holiday before the federal holiday was created.
President Grover Cleveland signed a law designating the first Monday in September as Labor Day nationwide. This is interesting because Cleveland was not a labor union supporter. In fact, he was trying to repair some political damage that he suffered earlier that year when he sent federal troops to put down a strike by the American Railway Union at the Pullman Co. in Chicago, IL. That action resulted in the deaths of 34 workers.

In European countries, China and other parts of the world, May Day, the first day in May, is a holiday to celebrate workers and labor unions. Before it became an international workers holiday, May Day was a celebration of spring and the promise of summer. A street parade and festival with amusement s the set practice along with speeches from prominent labor leaders and honorees was the usual happenings. Now, of course these happen too, but it is a holiday and the celebrations are left up to the localities and to individual preference.

Happy Labor Day!

From :-