A saint once asked his disciples, “Why do people shout at each other when they are upset? ” His disciples thought for a while, and one of them said, ”Because we lose our calm, and we shout for that.” The saint replied, “Yes, but why they need to shout when the other person is just next to you? Why is it not possible to speak with a soft voice when you are angry?” The disciples gave some creative answers which did not satisfy the saint.
Finally the saint explained to them, “When two people are angry at each other, their hearts are very distant. To cover that distance they must shout to hear each other. The angrier they are, the louder they need to become to reach across that great distance.” Then the saint added, “When two people are in love they usually talk softly because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is small so they only need to whisper, and they become even closer to each other in love. Finally they need not even whisper, they just look at each other in silence. That’s how close two people are when they love each other.”
Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guest room.
Instead the angels were given a space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied... "Things aren't always what they seem".
The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest. When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field.
The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel, "how could you have let this happen!? The first man had everything, yet you helped him," "The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let their cow die."
"Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied. "When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn't find it. Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave her the cow instead. Things aren't always what they seem."
Sometimes this is exactly what happens when things don't turn out the way they should. If you have faith, you just need to trust that every outcome is always to your advantage. You might not know it until some time later.
A man died and St. Peter asked him if he would like to go to heaven or hell. The man asked if he could see both before deciding.
St. Peter took him to hell first. There the man saw big hall containing a long table, laden with many kinds of food. He also saw rows of people with pale, sad faces. Then looked starved and there was no laughter.
And he observed one more thing: Their hands were tied to four-foot forks and knives and they were trying to get the food from the center of the table to put into their mouths. But they couldn't.
Then, St. Peter took him to see heaven. There he saw a big hall with a long table, with lots of food. He noticed rows of people on both sides of table with their hands tied to four-foot forks and knives also. But here, people were laughing and were fed and healthy-looking. The people were feeding one another across the table.
The result was happiness, prosperity, enjoyment and gratification because they were not thinking of themselves alone; they were thinking win-win.
The same is true of our lives. When we serve our society, our customers, our families, our employers and employees, we automatically win.
Ancient Indian wisdom teaches us that our first responsibility is to the community, second to our family and third to ourselves. When this hierarchy is reversed, a society starts degenerating.
Social responsibility ought to be the moral obligation of every citizen. Responsibility and freedom go hand to hand. A sign of a good citizen is that he is willing to pull his own weight.
Maybe you have seen the Great Barrier Reef, stretching some 1,800 miles from New Guinea to Australia. Tour guides regularly take visitors to view the reef. On one tour, the guide was asked an interesting question.
"I notice that the lagoon side of the reef looks pale and lifeless, while the ocean side is vibrant and colourful," a
traveller observed. "Why is this?"
The guide gave an interesting answer: "The coral around the lagoon side is in still water, with no challenge for its survival. It dies early. The coral on the ocean side is constantly being tested by wind, waves, and storms -- surges of power.
It has to fight for survival every day of its life. As it is challenged and tested it changes and adapts. It grows healthy. It grows strong.
And it reproduces." Then he added this telling note:
"That's the way it is with every living organism."
That's how it is with people. Challenged and tested, we come alive!
Like coral pounded by the sea, we grow. Physical demands can cause us to grow stronger. Mental and emotional stress can produce tough-mindedness and resiliency. Spiritual testing can produce strength of character and faithfulness.
So, you have problems -- no problem! Just tell yourself, "There I grow again; stronger and powerful!"
There was once a group of learned Buddhist monks who spent all their time in scholasticdebate. As part of their banter they would often wonder, half-joking, half-seriously, which one of them would attain enlightenment first.
Whenever this topic came up, the only thing they could all agree on was that it would not be Stupid, the illiterate monk who was capable only of sweeping the monastery floor and whom nobody has any time for.
Of course, it was Stupid who got enlightened first. The jealous monks went to the Abbot. How come Stupid had attained enlightenment first? Had he been overhearing their intellectual conversations?
“Not at all,” replied the Abbot. “It’s just that while he was sweeping the corners of themonastery he made sure he was also sweeping the corners of his mind.”
-- A clergyman, a doctor and a business consultant were playing golf together one day and were waiting for a particularly slow group ahead. The business consultant exclaimed, "What's with these people? We've been waiting over half and hour! It's a complete disgrace."
The doctor agreed, "They're hopeless, I've never seen such a rabble on a golf course." The clergyman spotted the approaching greenkeeper and asked him what was going on, "What's happening with that group ahead of us? They're surely too slow and useless to be playing, aren't they?"
The greenkeeper replied, "Oh, yes, that's a group of blind fire-fighters. They lost their sight saving our clubhouse from a fire last year, so we always let them play for free anytime." The three golfers fell silent for a moment. The clergyman said, "Oh dear, that's so sad. I shall say some special prayers for them tonight."
The doctor added, rather meekly, "That's a good thought. I'll get in touch with an ophthalmic surgeon friend of mine to see if there's anything that can be done for them." After pondering the situation for a few seconds, the business consultant turned to the greenkeeper and asked, "Why can't they play at night?"
A young academically excellent person applied for a managerial position in a big company.
He passed the first interview, the director did the last interview, made the last decision.
The director discovered from the CV that the youth's academic achievements were excellent all the way, from secondary school until the postgraduate research, never did he have a year when he did not score highest marks.
The director asked,
"Did you obtain any scholarships in school?"
The youth answered "none".
The director asked,
" Was it your father who paid your school fees?"
The youth answered,
"My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid all my school fees.
The director asked,
" Where did your mother work?"
The youth answered,
"My mother works as a washer of clothes.
The director requested the youth to show his hands.
The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect.
The director asked,
" Have you ever helped your mother wash clothes?"
The youth answered,
"Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books.
Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me.â€
The director said,
"I have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning.â€
The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to her son.
The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. His tears fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many cuts and bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water.
This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed other people’s clothes everyday which had enabled him to pay his school fees. The bruises in his mother's hands was the price that the mother was paying for his graduation, academic excellence and his future.
After cleaning his mother's hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother.
That night, mother and son talked for a very long time.
Next morning, the youth went to the director's office.
The Director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes, asked:
" Please tell me what you did and what you learned yesterday?"
The youth answered,
" I cleaned my mother's hand, and also washed all the remaining clothesâ€
I know now what is appreciation. Without my mother, there would not be the successful me today.
Number 2,
by working together and helping my mother, I now realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done.
Number 3,
I have come to appreciate the importance and value of family relationships.
The director said,
" This is what I am looking for to be my manager. I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired.â€
Later on, this young person worked very hard and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The company's performance improved tremendously.
A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wants, will develop the "entitlement mentality" and would always put himself first. He would be ignorant of his parent's efforts.
When he starts work, he would assume that every person must listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never know the sufferings of his employees and would always blame others.
This kind of people, who may be good academically, may be successful for a while, but eventually would not find achievement.
He will grumble and be full of hatred and fight for more. If we are this kind of protective parents, are we really showing love or are we destroying our kids instead?
You can let your kids live in a big house, give them a Driver & Car for going around, Eat Good Meals, learn to play the Piano, Watch a Big Screen TV. But when you are Cutting Grass or cleaning the car or working, please let them experience it. After a Meal, let them Wash their Plates and Bowls together with their Brothers and Sisters. Tell them to Travel in Public Bus, It is not because you do not have Money for Car or to Hire a Maid, but it is because you want to LOVE them in the right way. You want them to understand, no matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair too will Grow Grey, same as the Mother of that young person. The most important thing is that your kids learn how to appreciate the efforts of their parents and others and experience the difficulty that goes into giving them every luxury and learn the ability to work with others to get things done.
A young academically excellent person applied for a managerial position in a big company.
He passed the first interview, the director did the last interview, made the last decision.
The director discovered from the CV that the youth's academic achievements were excellent all the way, from secondary school until the postgraduate research, never did he have a year when he did not score highest marks.
The director asked,
"Did you obtain any scholarships in school?"
The youth answered "none".
The director asked,
" Was it your father who paid your school fees?"
The youth answered,
"My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid all my school fees.
The director asked,
" Where did your mother work?"
The youth answered,
"My mother works as a washer of clothes.
The director requested the youth to show his hands.
The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect.
The director asked,
" Have you ever helped your mother wash clothes?"
The youth answered,
"Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books.
Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me.â€
The director said,
"I have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning.â€
The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to her son.
The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. His tears fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many cuts and bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water.
This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed other people’s clothes everyday which had enabled him to pay his school fees. The bruises in his mother's hands was the price that the mother was paying for his graduation, academic excellence and his future.
After cleaning his mother's hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother.
That night, mother and son talked for a very long time.
Next morning, the youth went to the director's office.
The Director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes, asked:
" Please tell me what you did and what you learned yesterday?"
The youth answered,
" I cleaned my mother's hand, and also washed all the remaining clothesâ€
I know now what is appreciation. Without my mother, there would not be the successful me today.
Number 2,
by working together and helping my mother, I now realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done.
Number 3,
I have come to appreciate the importance and value of family relationships.
The director said,
" This is what I am looking for to be my manager. I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired.â€
Later on, this young person worked very hard and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The company's performance improved tremendously.
A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wants, will develop the "entitlement mentality" and would always put himself first. He would be ignorant of his parent's efforts.
When he starts work, he would assume that every person must listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never know the sufferings of his employees and would always blame others.
This kind of people, who may be good academically, may be successful for a while, but eventually would not find achievement.
He will grumble and be full of hatred and fight for more. If we are this kind of protective parents, are we really showing love or are we destroying our kids instead?
You can let your kids live in a big house, give them a Driver & Car for going around, Eat Good Meals, learn to play the Piano, Watch a Big Screen TV. But when you are Cutting Grass or cleaning the car or working, please let them experience it. After a Meal, let them Wash their Plates and Bowls together with their Brothers and Sisters. Tell them to Travel in Public Bus, It is not because you do not have Money for Car or to Hire a Maid, but it is because you want to LOVE them in the right way. You want them to understand, no matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair too will Grow Grey, same as the Mother of that young person. The most important thing is that your kids learn how to appreciate the efforts of their parents and others and experience the difficulty that goes into giving them every luxury and learn the ability to work with others to get things done.
There was a huge nut tree by the cemetery fence. One day two boys filled up a bucketful of nuts and sat down by the tree, out of sight, and began dividing the nuts. "One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me," said one boy. The bucket was so full, several rolled out towards the fence. Cycling down the road by the cemetery was a third boy. As he passed, he thought he heard voices from inside the cemetery. He slowed down to investigate. Sure enough, he heard, "One for you, one for me. one for you." He knew what it was. "Oh my god!" he shuddered, "It's Satan and St. Peter dividing the souls at the cemetery!" He cycled down the road and found an old man with a cane, hobbling along. "Come quick!" he said, "You won't believe what I heard. Satan and St. Peter are down at the cemetery dividing the souls." The man said, "Shoo, you brat! Can't you see I'm finding it hard to walk as it is!" After several pleas, the man hobbled to the cemetery and heard, "One for you, one for me. One for you, one..." The old man whispered, "Boy, you's been tellin' the truth! Let's see if we can see the Devil himself."
Shivering with fear, they edged toward the fence, still unable to see anything, but they heard, "One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me. And one last one for you. That's all. Let's go get those nuts by the fence, and we'll be done." They say the old guy made it to town 10 minutes before the boy! Contributed by: asharaj53 @ gmail.com
Life can begin at any age, You are never too old Begin LIFE at 50/60 .../70/80
Many people feel unhappy, health-wise and security-wise, after 50/60 70/80 years of age owing to the diminishing importance given to them and their opinions. But, it need not be so, if only we understand the basic principles of life and follow them scrupulously. Here are ten mantras to age gracefully, make life after retirement pleasant, enjoy and treasure the elder years of wisdom and intelligence at its best.
1. Never say 'I am aged':
There are three ages, chronological, biological, and psychological. The first is calculated based on our date of birth; the second is determined by the health conditions and the third is how old you feel you are. While we don't have control over the first, we can take care of our health with good diet, exercise and a cheerful attitude. A positive attitude and optimistic thinking can reverse the third age.
2. Health is wealth
If you really love your kids and kin, taking care of yourself and your health should be your priority. Thus, you will not be a burden to them. Have an annual health check-up and take the prescribed medicines regularly. Take out a health care insurance coverage.
Money is essential for meeting the basic necessities of life, keeping good health and earning family respect and security. Don't spend beyond your means even for your children. You have lived for them through out and it is time you enjoyed a harmonious life with your spouse. If your children are grateful they should take care of you. But never take it for granted.
4. Relaxation and recreation The most relaxing and recreating forces are healthy and religious attitudes, good sleep, music and laughter. Have faith in God, learn to sleep well, love good music, and see the fun side of life.
5. Time is precious
It is almost like holding a horse's reins. When they are in your hands, you can control them. Imagine that every day you are born again. Yesterday is a payed cheque. Tomorrow is a promissory note. Today is ready cash — use it profitably. Live this moment.
6. Change is the only permanent thing
We should accept change — it is inevitable. The only way to make sense out of change is to join the dance. Change has brought about many pleasant things. We should be happy that our children are blessed.
7. Enlightened selfishness
All of us are basically selfish. Whatever we do, we expect something in return. We should definitely be grateful to those who stood by us. But, our focus should be on the internal satisfaction and happiness we derive by doing good to others, without expecting anything in return.
8. Forget and forgive
Don't be bothered too much about others' mistakes. We are not spiritual enough to show our other cheek when we are slapped on one cheek. But, for the sake of our own health and happiness, let us forgive and forget them. Otherwise, we will only be increasing our BP.
9. Everything has a reason; a purpose
Take life as it comes. Accept yourself as you are and also accept others for what they are. Everybody is unique and right in their own ways. We all know that one day we have to leave this world. Still we are afraid of death. We think that our spouse and children will be unable to withstand our loss. But, the truth is that no one is going to die for you; they may be depressed for some time. Time heals everything and they will carry on.
NOBODY GETS OUT OF THIS WORLD ALIVE!
Regardless How Far The Journey Is OR How Capable We Are, We Do Our Best To Reach Our Goal. This Is Perseverance At Its Best ... Anonymous
This is a real life story of engineer John Roebling building the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, USA back in 1870. The bridge was completed in 1883, after 13 years.
In 1883, a creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. However bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea. It just could not be done. It was not practical. It had never been done before.
Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. He thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done. He just had to share the dream with someone else. After much discussion and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up and coming engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built.
Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome. With great excitement and inspiration, and the headiness of a wild challenge before them, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.
The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was also injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to talk or walk.
“We told them so.â€â€œCrazy men and their crazy dreams.â€â€œIt’s foolish to chase wild visions.â€
Everyone had a negative comment to make and felt that the project should be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built.
In spite of his handicap Washington was never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever. He tried to inspire and pass on his enthusiasm to some of his friends, but they were too daunted by the task.
As he lay on his bed in his hospital room, with the sunlight streaming through the windows, a gentle breeze blew the flimsy white curtains apart and he was able to see the sky and the tops of the trees outside for just a moment.
It seemed that there was a message for him not to give up. Suddenly an idea hit him. All he could do was move one finger and he decided to make the best use of it. By moving this, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife.
He touched his wife’s arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted her to call the engineers again. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was under way again.
For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife’s arm, until the bridge was finally completed. Today the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its glory as a tribute to the triumph of one man’s indomitable spirit and his determination not to be defeated by circumstances. It is also a tribute to the engineers and their team work, and to their faith in a man who was considered mad by half the world. It stands too as a tangible monument to the love and devotion of his wife who for 13 long years patiently decoded the messages of her husband and told the engineers what to do.
Perhaps this is one of the best examples of a never-say-die attitude that overcomes a terrible physical handicap and achieves an impossible goal.
Often when we face obstacles in our day-to-day life, our hurdles seem very small in comparison to what many others have to face. The Brooklyn Bridge shows us that dreams that seem impossible can be realised with determination and persistence, no matter what the odds are.
