---------------------- Forwarded by Judy Hernandez/HOU/ECT on 01/24/2000 
03:54 PM ---------------------------
Sandra R McNichols   01/24/2000 03:03 PM

To: Cheryl D King/HOU/ECT@ECT, Cathy L Harris/HOU/ECT@ECT, Karl 
Stewart/HOU/ECT@ECT, Leslie Smith/HOU/ECT@ECT, Mark D Thorne/HOU/ECT@ECT, 
Judy Hernandez/HOU/ECT@ECT, Kathleen Speer/HOU/ECT@ECT, Becky 
Tlucek/HOU/ECT@ECT, Lisa Berg/HOU/ECT@ECT, Juanita Marchand/HOU/ECT@ECT, 
Irene Flynn/HOU/ECT@ECT
cc: Carolyn Gilley/HOU/ECT@ECT 
Subject: A bit of wisdom

> >FRIENDS
> >
> >There once was a little boy who had a bad
> >temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails
> >and told him that every time he lost his
> >temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of
> >the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37
> >nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks,
> >as he learned to control his anger, the number
> >of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down.
> >He discovered it was easier to hold his temper
> >than to drive those nails into the fence....
> >
> >Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose
> >his temper at all. He told his father about it
> >and the father suggested that the boy now pull
> >out one nail for each day that he was able to
> >hold his temper. The days passed and the young
> >boy was finally able to tell his father that all
> >the nails were gone.
> >
> >The father took his son by the hand and led him
> >to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son,
> >but look at the holes in the fence. The fence
> >will never be the same. When you say things in
> >anger, they leave a scar just like this one.
> >You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It
> >won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the
> >wound is still there."  A verbal wound is as bad as
> >a physical one.
> >
> >Friends are a very rare jewel indeed. They make you
> >smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear,
> >they share words of praise and they always want
> >to open their hearts to us.
> >
> >"It's National Friendship Week. Show your
> >friends how much you care.  Send this to everyone
> >you consider a FRIEND, even if it means sending it
> >back to the person who sent it to you. If it comes
> >back to you, then you'll know you have a circle of
> >friends.
> >
> >HAPPY FRIENDSHIP WEEK TO YOU!!!!!!
> >YOU ARE MY FRIEND AND I AM HONORED!
> >
> >Now send this to every friend you have!! And to your family.
> >This was sent to me by a friend, and is now passed on to YOU.
> >
> >Please forgive me if I have ever left a hole in your fence ..