I was walking around in a Big Bazar store in Bangalore making shopping, when I saw a Cashier talking to a boy couldn't have been more than 5 or 6 years old.
The Cashier said, 'I'm sorry, but you don't have enough money to buy this doll. Then the little boy turned to me and asked: ''aunty, are you sure I don't have enough money?''
I counted his cash and replied: ''You know that you don't have enough money to buy the doll, my dear.'' The little boy was still holding the doll in his hand.
Finally, I walked toward him and I asked him who he wished to give this
doll to. 'It's the doll that my sister loved most and wanted so much . I wanted to Gift her for her Birthday.
I have to give the doll to my mommy so that she can give it to my sister when she goes there.' His eyes were so sad while saying this. 'My Sister has gone to be with God. Daddy says that Mommy is going to see God very soon too, so I thought that she could take the doll with her to give it to my sister.''
My heart nearly stopped. The little boy looked up at me and said: 'I told daddy to tell mommy not to go yet. I need her to wait until I come back from the mall.' Then he showed me a very nice photo of him where he was laughing. He then told me 'I want mommy to take my picture with her so my sister won't forget me.' 'I love my mommy and I wish she doesn't have to leave me, but daddy says that she has to go to be with my little sister.' Then he looked again at the doll with sad eyes, very quietly.
I quickly reached for my wallet and said to the boy. 'Suppose we check again, just in case you do have enough money for the doll?''
'OK' he said, 'I hope I do have enough.' I added some of my money to his with out him seeing and we started to count it. There was enough for the doll and even some spare money.
The little boy said: 'Thank you God for giving me enough money!'
Then he looked at me and added, 'I asked last night before I went to sleep for God to make sure I had enough money to buy this doll, so that mommy could give It to my sister. He heard me!'' 'I also wanted to have enough money to buy a white rose for my mommy, but I didn't dare to ask God for too much. But He gave me enough to buy the doll and a white rose. My mommy loves white roses.'
I finished my shopping in a totally different state from when I started. I couldn't get the little boy out of my mind. Then I remembered a local news paper article two days ago, which mentioned a drunk man in a truck, who hit a car occupied by a young woman and a little girl. The little girl died right away, and the mother was left in a critical state. The
family had to decide whether to pull the plug on the life-sustaining machine, because the young woman would not be able to recover from the coma. Was this the family of the little boy?
Two days after this encounter with the little boy, I read in the news paper that the young woman had passed away.. I couldn't stop myself as I bought a bunch of white roses and I went to the funeral home where the body of the young woman was exposed for people to see and make last wishes before her burial. She was there, in her coffin, holding a beautiful white rose in her hand with the photo of the little boy and the doll placed over her chest. I left the place, teary-eyed, feeling that my life had been changed for ever.
The love that the little boy had for his mother and his sister is still, to this day, hard to imagine. And in a fraction of a second, a drunk driver had taken all this away from him.
I Personally Pray to all “ Please Don’t Drink and Drive”
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Law of the Seed!
This is a very good piece of thought. Read carefully and relate it to your life.
Take a look at an apple tree. There might be five hundred apples on the tree and each apple has ten seeds. That's a lot of seeds!
We might ask, "Why would you need so many seeds to grow just a few
more apple trees?"
Nature has something to teach us here.
It's telling us: “Not all seeds grow. In life, most seeds never grow”.
So if you really want to make something happen, you had better try more than once."
This might mean: You'll attend twenty interviews to get one job.
You'll interview forty people to find one good employee.
You'll talk to fifty people to sell one house, one car, one vacuum cleaner, one insurance policy, or a business idea
And you might meet a hundred acquaintances just to find one special friend.
When we understand the "Law of the Seed", we don't get so disappointed.
We stop feeling like victims.
We learn how to deal with things that happen to us.
Laws of nature are not things to take personally.
We just need to understand them - and work with them.
IN A NUTSHELL: Successful people fail more often. But they plant more seeds.
When things are beyond your control, here's something that you must
NOT DO so as to avoid misery in your life
- You must not decide how you think the world SHOULD be.
- You must not make rules for how everyone SHOULD behave.
- Then, when the world doesn't obey your rules, you get angry!
- That's what miserable people do!
On the other hand, let's say you expect that:
- Friends SHOULD return favors.
- People SHOULD appreciate you.
- Planes SHOULD arrive on time.
- Everyone SHOULD be honest.
- Your husband or best friend SHOULD remember your birthday.
These expectations may sound reasonable. But often, these things won't
happen! So you end up frustrated and disappointed.
There's a better strategy: Demand less, and instead, have preferences!
For things that are beyond your control, tell yourself. "I would prefer this, but if that happens, it’s OK too!" This is really a change in mindset. It is a shift in attitude, and it gives you more peace of mind ... You prefer that people are polite ... but when they are rude, it doesn't ruin your day. You prefer sunshine ... but if it rains, it is ok too! To become happier, we either need to:
a) Change the world, or
b) Change our thinking.
It is easier to change our Thinking!
IN A NUTSHELL
It is not the problem that is the issue, but rather it is your attitude attending to the problem that is the problem.
It's not what happens to you that determines your happiness.
It's how you think about what happens to you!
Take a look at an apple tree. There might be five hundred apples on the tree and each apple has ten seeds. That's a lot of seeds!
We might ask, "Why would you need so many seeds to grow just a few
more apple trees?"
Nature has something to teach us here.
It's telling us: “Not all seeds grow. In life, most seeds never grow”.
So if you really want to make something happen, you had better try more than once."
This might mean: You'll attend twenty interviews to get one job.
You'll interview forty people to find one good employee.
You'll talk to fifty people to sell one house, one car, one vacuum cleaner, one insurance policy, or a business idea
And you might meet a hundred acquaintances just to find one special friend.
When we understand the "Law of the Seed", we don't get so disappointed.
We stop feeling like victims.
We learn how to deal with things that happen to us.
Laws of nature are not things to take personally.
We just need to understand them - and work with them.
IN A NUTSHELL: Successful people fail more often. But they plant more seeds.
When things are beyond your control, here's something that you must
NOT DO so as to avoid misery in your life
- You must not decide how you think the world SHOULD be.
- You must not make rules for how everyone SHOULD behave.
- Then, when the world doesn't obey your rules, you get angry!
- That's what miserable people do!
On the other hand, let's say you expect that:
- Friends SHOULD return favors.
- People SHOULD appreciate you.
- Planes SHOULD arrive on time.
- Everyone SHOULD be honest.
- Your husband or best friend SHOULD remember your birthday.
These expectations may sound reasonable. But often, these things won't
happen! So you end up frustrated and disappointed.
There's a better strategy: Demand less, and instead, have preferences!
For things that are beyond your control, tell yourself. "I would prefer this, but if that happens, it’s OK too!" This is really a change in mindset. It is a shift in attitude, and it gives you more peace of mind ... You prefer that people are polite ... but when they are rude, it doesn't ruin your day. You prefer sunshine ... but if it rains, it is ok too! To become happier, we either need to:
a) Change the world, or
b) Change our thinking.
It is easier to change our Thinking!
IN A NUTSHELL
It is not the problem that is the issue, but rather it is your attitude attending to the problem that is the problem.
It's not what happens to you that determines your happiness.
It's how you think about what happens to you!
Monday, February 23, 2009
Live A Life That Matters
Ready or not, someday it will all come to an end.
There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.
All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.
Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.
It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.
Your grudges, resentments, frustrations, and jealousies will finally disappear.
So, too, your hopes, ambitions, plans, and to-do lists will expire.
The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.
It won't matter where you came from, or on what side of the tracks you lived, at the end.
It won't matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant.
Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.
So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?
What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave.
What will matter is not your success, but your significance.
What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught.
What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.
What will matter is not your competence, but your character.
What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone.
What will matter is not your memories, but the memories that live in those who loved you.
What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.
Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident. It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice.
Choose to live a life that matters.
There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.
All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.
Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.
It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.
Your grudges, resentments, frustrations, and jealousies will finally disappear.
So, too, your hopes, ambitions, plans, and to-do lists will expire.
The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.
It won't matter where you came from, or on what side of the tracks you lived, at the end.
It won't matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant.
Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.
So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?
What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave.
What will matter is not your success, but your significance.
What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught.
What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.
What will matter is not your competence, but your character.
What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone.
What will matter is not your memories, but the memories that live in those who loved you.
What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.
Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident. It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice.
Choose to live a life that matters.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
What is Shivaratri?
What is Maha Shivratri & What is it’s significance?
Maha Shivratri or Maha Sivaratri or Shivaratri or Sivaratri (Night of Shiva or "Great Night of Shiva") is a festival celebrated every year on the 13th night/14th day in the Krishna Paksha (waning moon) of the month of Maagha (as per Shalivahana) or Phalguna (as per Vikrama) in the Hindu Calendar (that is, the night before and day of the new moon). The festival is principally celebrated by offerings of Bael (Bilva) leaves to the Lord Shiva, all day fasting and an all night long vigil.
Samudra manthan (the Churning of the Ocean)
During the samudra manthan (the churning of the ocean) by the Gods and demons, haalaa-hala, a poison, came out of the ocean. It was so toxic, it could have wiped out the entire creation. At this juncture, on the advice of Vishnu, the gods approached Lord Shiva and prayed to him to protect their lives by consuming this poison. Pleased with their prayers, and out of compassion for living beings,Lord Mahadeva( aka Shiva ) drank the poison with ease. But the potent poison had to cooled in Shiva and numerous methods were tried to cool the effects of the posion with the help of Chandra( Moon God ). Lord Vishnu applied the Shankha to his throat which cooled the effect of the poison and the throat became blue.Thus Lord Shiva is also known as Neelakantha.
Pralaya
In another version, it is believed that the whole world was once facing destruction and the Goddess Parvati worshiped her husband Shiva to save it. She prayed for the Jivas (living souls) remaining in space – like particles of gold dust in a lump of wax – during that long period of pralaya (deluge) night, should, upon becoming active again, have his blessings, but only if they worshiped him just as she did then. Her prayer was granted. Parvati named the night for the worship of Ishwara by mortals Maha-Sivaratri, or the great night of Shiva, since Pralaya is brought about by him.
Shiva's Favourite Day
After creation was complete, Parvati asked Lord Shiva which rituals pleased him the most. The Lord replied that the 13th night of the new moon, during the month of Maagha, is his most favourite day. Parvati repeated these words to her friends, from whom the word spread over all creation.
The Story Of King Chitrabhanu
In the Shanti Parva (chapter) of the Mahabharata epic, Bhishma, whilst resting on the bed of arrows and discoursing on Dharma (righteousness), refers to the observance of Maha Shivaratri by King Chitrabhanu. The story goes as follows:
Once upon a time King Chitrabhanu of the Ikshvaku dynasty, who ruled over the whole of Jambudvipa (the earth), was observing a fast with his wife, it being the day of Maha Shivaratri. The sage Ashtavakra came on a visit to the court of the king.
The lord asked the king the purpose of his observing the fast. King Chitrabhanu explained that he had a gift of remembering the incidents of his past birth, and in his previous life he had been a hunter in Varanasi and his name was Suswara. His only livelihood was to kill and sell birds and animals. The day before the new moon, while roaming through forests in search of animals, he saw a deer, but before his arrow flew he noticed the deer's family and their sadness at its impending death. So he let it live. He had still not caught anything when he was overtaken by nightfall and climbed a tree for shelter. It happened to be a Bael tree. His canteen leaked water, so he was both hungry and thirsty. These two torments kept him awake throughout the night, thinking of his poor wife and children who were starving and anxiously waiting for his return. To pass away the time he engaged himself in plucking the Bael leaves and dropping them down onto the ground.
The next day he returned home and bought some food for himself and his family. The moment he was about to break his fast a stranger came to him, begging for food. He served the food first to stranger and then had his own.
At the time of his death, he saw two messengers of Lord Shiva, sent to conduct his soul to the abode of Lord Shiva. He learnt then for the first time of the great merit he had earned by unconscious worship of Lord Shiva during the night of Shivaratri. The messengers told him that there had been a Lingam (a symbol for the worship of Shiva) at the bottom of the tree. The leaves he dropped had fallen on the Lingam, in imitation of its ritual worship. The water from his leaky canteen had washed the Lingam (also a ritual action), and he had fasted all day and all night. Thus, he unconsciously had worshipped the Lord.
As the conclusion of the tale the King said that he had lived in the abode of the Lord and enjoyed divine bliss for long ages and now he was reborn as Chitrabhanu.
This story is also told in the Garuda Purana.
Rituals of Maha Shivratri
Tripundra refers to the three horizontal stripes of holy ash applied to the forehead by worshippers of Lord Shiva. These stripes symbolise spiritual knowledge, purity and penance (spiritual practice of Yoga), so also they represent the three eyes of Lord Shiva.
Wearing a rudraksha seed of the rudraksha tree, said to have sprung from the tears of Lord Shiva) when worshipping Lord Shiva is ideal. A rudraksha is reddish in colour with yellow stripes.
On Shivaratri, only cold water and bael leaves are offered to the Lingam. Other traditional offerings, such as bathing it in milk and Panchamruta (a mixture of milk, curds, ghee, sugar and honey) (symbols of sustenance), or annointing it with vermilion (kumkum) or white consecrated rice (Akshata) (symbols of fertility, or creation), are done on this day, when Lord Shiva is worshipped as the deity of dissolution
So lets recite Panchakshari mantram!
Happy Maha Shivratri to you all…
Maha Shivratri or Maha Sivaratri or Shivaratri or Sivaratri (Night of Shiva or "Great Night of Shiva") is a festival celebrated every year on the 13th night/14th day in the Krishna Paksha (waning moon) of the month of Maagha (as per Shalivahana) or Phalguna (as per Vikrama) in the Hindu Calendar (that is, the night before and day of the new moon). The festival is principally celebrated by offerings of Bael (Bilva) leaves to the Lord Shiva, all day fasting and an all night long vigil.
Samudra manthan (the Churning of the Ocean)
During the samudra manthan (the churning of the ocean) by the Gods and demons, haalaa-hala, a poison, came out of the ocean. It was so toxic, it could have wiped out the entire creation. At this juncture, on the advice of Vishnu, the gods approached Lord Shiva and prayed to him to protect their lives by consuming this poison. Pleased with their prayers, and out of compassion for living beings,Lord Mahadeva( aka Shiva ) drank the poison with ease. But the potent poison had to cooled in Shiva and numerous methods were tried to cool the effects of the posion with the help of Chandra( Moon God ). Lord Vishnu applied the Shankha to his throat which cooled the effect of the poison and the throat became blue.Thus Lord Shiva is also known as Neelakantha.
Pralaya
In another version, it is believed that the whole world was once facing destruction and the Goddess Parvati worshiped her husband Shiva to save it. She prayed for the Jivas (living souls) remaining in space – like particles of gold dust in a lump of wax – during that long period of pralaya (deluge) night, should, upon becoming active again, have his blessings, but only if they worshiped him just as she did then. Her prayer was granted. Parvati named the night for the worship of Ishwara by mortals Maha-Sivaratri, or the great night of Shiva, since Pralaya is brought about by him.
Shiva's Favourite Day
After creation was complete, Parvati asked Lord Shiva which rituals pleased him the most. The Lord replied that the 13th night of the new moon, during the month of Maagha, is his most favourite day. Parvati repeated these words to her friends, from whom the word spread over all creation.
The Story Of King Chitrabhanu
In the Shanti Parva (chapter) of the Mahabharata epic, Bhishma, whilst resting on the bed of arrows and discoursing on Dharma (righteousness), refers to the observance of Maha Shivaratri by King Chitrabhanu. The story goes as follows:
Once upon a time King Chitrabhanu of the Ikshvaku dynasty, who ruled over the whole of Jambudvipa (the earth), was observing a fast with his wife, it being the day of Maha Shivaratri. The sage Ashtavakra came on a visit to the court of the king.
The lord asked the king the purpose of his observing the fast. King Chitrabhanu explained that he had a gift of remembering the incidents of his past birth, and in his previous life he had been a hunter in Varanasi and his name was Suswara. His only livelihood was to kill and sell birds and animals. The day before the new moon, while roaming through forests in search of animals, he saw a deer, but before his arrow flew he noticed the deer's family and their sadness at its impending death. So he let it live. He had still not caught anything when he was overtaken by nightfall and climbed a tree for shelter. It happened to be a Bael tree. His canteen leaked water, so he was both hungry and thirsty. These two torments kept him awake throughout the night, thinking of his poor wife and children who were starving and anxiously waiting for his return. To pass away the time he engaged himself in plucking the Bael leaves and dropping them down onto the ground.
The next day he returned home and bought some food for himself and his family. The moment he was about to break his fast a stranger came to him, begging for food. He served the food first to stranger and then had his own.
At the time of his death, he saw two messengers of Lord Shiva, sent to conduct his soul to the abode of Lord Shiva. He learnt then for the first time of the great merit he had earned by unconscious worship of Lord Shiva during the night of Shivaratri. The messengers told him that there had been a Lingam (a symbol for the worship of Shiva) at the bottom of the tree. The leaves he dropped had fallen on the Lingam, in imitation of its ritual worship. The water from his leaky canteen had washed the Lingam (also a ritual action), and he had fasted all day and all night. Thus, he unconsciously had worshipped the Lord.
As the conclusion of the tale the King said that he had lived in the abode of the Lord and enjoyed divine bliss for long ages and now he was reborn as Chitrabhanu.
This story is also told in the Garuda Purana.
Rituals of Maha Shivratri
Tripundra refers to the three horizontal stripes of holy ash applied to the forehead by worshippers of Lord Shiva. These stripes symbolise spiritual knowledge, purity and penance (spiritual practice of Yoga), so also they represent the three eyes of Lord Shiva.
Wearing a rudraksha seed of the rudraksha tree, said to have sprung from the tears of Lord Shiva) when worshipping Lord Shiva is ideal. A rudraksha is reddish in colour with yellow stripes.
On Shivaratri, only cold water and bael leaves are offered to the Lingam. Other traditional offerings, such as bathing it in milk and Panchamruta (a mixture of milk, curds, ghee, sugar and honey) (symbols of sustenance), or annointing it with vermilion (kumkum) or white consecrated rice (Akshata) (symbols of fertility, or creation), are done on this day, when Lord Shiva is worshipped as the deity of dissolution
So lets recite Panchakshari mantram!
Happy Maha Shivratri to you all…
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Little Hero Of The Day!
Two Choices What would you do?....you make the choice. Don't look for a punch line, there isn't one. Read it anyway. My question is: Would you have made the same choice?
At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves children with learning disabilities, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question: 'When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does, is done with perfection. Yet my son, David, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?' The audience was stilled by the query. The father continued. 'I believe that when a child like David, who was mentally and physically disabled comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.'
David and I had walked past a park where some boys David knew were playing baseball. David asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' I knew that most of the boys would not want someone like David on their team, but as a father I also understood that if my son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.
I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if David could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning.' David struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my joy at my son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, David's team scored a few runs but was still behind three.
In the top of the ninth inning, David put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as I waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, David's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and David was scheduled to be next at bat. At this juncture, do they let David bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, David was given the bat.
Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because David didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball. However, as David stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in David's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so David could at least make contact. The first pitch came and David swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards David. As the pitch came in, David swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher. The game would now be over.
The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. David would have been out and that would have been the end of the game. Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, 'David, run to first! Run to first!' Never in his life had David ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled. Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!' Catching his breath, David awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base. By the time David rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball .
The smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. David ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases towards home. All were screaming, 'David, David, David, all the Way David' David reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, 'Run to third! David, run to third!' As David rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'David, run home! Run home!'
David ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team 'That day', said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world'. David didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!
We all read thousands of jokes through the blogs without a second thought, but when it comes to spreading messages about life choices, people hesitate. The crude, vulgar, and often obscene pass freely through people, but public discussion about decency is too often suppressed in our schools and workplaces. If you're thinking about spreading this message, chances are that you're probably sorting out the people in your address book who aren't the 'appropriate' ones to receive this type of message Well, I believe that we all can make a difference with small messages like this.
We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to help realize the 'natural order of things.' So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice: Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity or do we pass up those opportunities and leave the world a little bit colder in the process? A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it's least fortunate amongst them.
You now have two choices:
1. Read & Forget
2. Read & Spread the message.
At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves children with learning disabilities, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question: 'When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does, is done with perfection. Yet my son, David, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?' The audience was stilled by the query. The father continued. 'I believe that when a child like David, who was mentally and physically disabled comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.'
David and I had walked past a park where some boys David knew were playing baseball. David asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' I knew that most of the boys would not want someone like David on their team, but as a father I also understood that if my son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.
I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if David could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning.' David struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my joy at my son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, David's team scored a few runs but was still behind three.
In the top of the ninth inning, David put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as I waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, David's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and David was scheduled to be next at bat. At this juncture, do they let David bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, David was given the bat.
Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because David didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball. However, as David stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in David's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so David could at least make contact. The first pitch came and David swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards David. As the pitch came in, David swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher. The game would now be over.
The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. David would have been out and that would have been the end of the game. Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, 'David, run to first! Run to first!' Never in his life had David ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled. Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!' Catching his breath, David awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base. By the time David rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball .
The smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. David ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases towards home. All were screaming, 'David, David, David, all the Way David' David reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, 'Run to third! David, run to third!' As David rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'David, run home! Run home!'
David ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team 'That day', said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world'. David didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!
We all read thousands of jokes through the blogs without a second thought, but when it comes to spreading messages about life choices, people hesitate. The crude, vulgar, and often obscene pass freely through people, but public discussion about decency is too often suppressed in our schools and workplaces. If you're thinking about spreading this message, chances are that you're probably sorting out the people in your address book who aren't the 'appropriate' ones to receive this type of message Well, I believe that we all can make a difference with small messages like this.
We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to help realize the 'natural order of things.' So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice: Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity or do we pass up those opportunities and leave the world a little bit colder in the process? A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it's least fortunate amongst them.
You now have two choices:
1. Read & Forget
2. Read & Spread the message.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Being happy can be hard work sometimes!
It is like maintaining a nice home - you’ve got to hang on to your treasures and throw out the garbage.Being happy requires looking for the good things.
One person sees the beautiful view and the other sees the dirty window. Choose what you see and what you think.
Do you recall watching “boy meet girl” movies? Titanic would be a famous example.
As the boy and girl struggle through thick and thin, you hoped and prayed the whole time that everything would work out even in the outcome of imminent doom. We gulped and dried our tears as the curtains came down. We cry at these movies because at our deepest level, we care. We hurt. There is an inner core in all of us which is simply beautiful. When we see the plight of the starving around the globe on T.V., we ache for them. We all care. Accept that you have these capacities to love and emphasize and be HUMAN.
Recognize your own worth and constantly remind yourself that you deserved to be treated well!
· To learn to walk, we must risk falling over.
· To make a dollar, we must risk losing it.
· In loving and caring, we risk breaking our hearts.
· Getting a job is a risk. Crossing the road is a risk. Eating in the restaurant is a risk. Starting a family is a risk.
· Life is a risk. Winners take more risk than losers. That is why they win so much. Necessarily then, winners lose more than losers, but they are playing so often that their wins add up.
· We have a choice between living and merely existing.
Compliments :
· Ever notice how good you feel when you give a compliment?
· Even if people are awkward in receiving them, they appreciate them.
· When we make it a habit to GIVE genuine compliments, we’ll always be looking out for the good in people.
Two Happiness Traps
· We postpone our happiness - “ I’ll be happy when....”( When the house is paid off, when we go to Phuket, Bali, or Hawaii, when I find a better job...)
· We look back to the past and say, “If I have known today was going to be so awful, I would have been happy yesterday.”
· HAPPINESS is not a when - Happiness is a now.
Work!
· Lots of people will tell you , “I’ll be happier if my job was easier.” But when work gets easier, they quit, and look for another challenge.
· The truth is, we love challenge. Let’s stop kidding ourselves! Nearly every job is repetitious.
· Often, the secret to enjoying a job is not to change your job but to change your attitude.
Law of Progress
Everything has ups and downs - nothing travels in straight lines. This applies to your own progress in any project. Keep your eye on your target, keep putting in the effort and you reach your target despite the ups and downs.
Successful people realise that they reach their goals by continuously correcting. We get off course, correct, and get back on course. Ships do it. Rockets and missiles do it.
Correct. Correct. Correct.
· The key to happiness is not that you never get upset, frustrated or irritated.
· It is how quickly you decide to snap out of it.
Learning from Children
Spend time with children. Learn more about laughter, spontaneity, curiosity, acceptance, resilience, trust, determination, and your imagination.
They are here to teach us!
Happiness is not dependent on your circumstances or your bank balance.
Happiness is a daily decision.
One person sees the beautiful view and the other sees the dirty window. Choose what you see and what you think.
Do you recall watching “boy meet girl” movies? Titanic would be a famous example.
As the boy and girl struggle through thick and thin, you hoped and prayed the whole time that everything would work out even in the outcome of imminent doom. We gulped and dried our tears as the curtains came down. We cry at these movies because at our deepest level, we care. We hurt. There is an inner core in all of us which is simply beautiful. When we see the plight of the starving around the globe on T.V., we ache for them. We all care. Accept that you have these capacities to love and emphasize and be HUMAN.
Recognize your own worth and constantly remind yourself that you deserved to be treated well!
· To learn to walk, we must risk falling over.
· To make a dollar, we must risk losing it.
· In loving and caring, we risk breaking our hearts.
· Getting a job is a risk. Crossing the road is a risk. Eating in the restaurant is a risk. Starting a family is a risk.
· Life is a risk. Winners take more risk than losers. That is why they win so much. Necessarily then, winners lose more than losers, but they are playing so often that their wins add up.
· We have a choice between living and merely existing.
Compliments :
· Ever notice how good you feel when you give a compliment?
· Even if people are awkward in receiving them, they appreciate them.
· When we make it a habit to GIVE genuine compliments, we’ll always be looking out for the good in people.
Two Happiness Traps
· We postpone our happiness - “ I’ll be happy when....”( When the house is paid off, when we go to Phuket, Bali, or Hawaii, when I find a better job...)
· We look back to the past and say, “If I have known today was going to be so awful, I would have been happy yesterday.”
· HAPPINESS is not a when - Happiness is a now.
Work!
· Lots of people will tell you , “I’ll be happier if my job was easier.” But when work gets easier, they quit, and look for another challenge.
· The truth is, we love challenge. Let’s stop kidding ourselves! Nearly every job is repetitious.
· Often, the secret to enjoying a job is not to change your job but to change your attitude.
Law of Progress
Everything has ups and downs - nothing travels in straight lines. This applies to your own progress in any project. Keep your eye on your target, keep putting in the effort and you reach your target despite the ups and downs.
Successful people realise that they reach their goals by continuously correcting. We get off course, correct, and get back on course. Ships do it. Rockets and missiles do it.
Correct. Correct. Correct.
· The key to happiness is not that you never get upset, frustrated or irritated.
· It is how quickly you decide to snap out of it.
Learning from Children
Spend time with children. Learn more about laughter, spontaneity, curiosity, acceptance, resilience, trust, determination, and your imagination.
They are here to teach us!
Happiness is not dependent on your circumstances or your bank balance.
Happiness is a daily decision.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Learn to pay attention…
First-year students at Texas A & M's Vet school were attending their first Anatomy class, with a real dead pig. They all gathered around the surgery table with the body covered with a White sheet.
The professor started the class by telling them, 'In Veterinary Medicine it is necessary to have two important qualities as a Doctor: The first is that you not be disgusted by anything involving the Animal body'. For an example, the Professor pulled back the sheet, touched his finger in the mouth of the dead pig, withdrew it and put his Finger in his mouth. 'Go ahead and do the same thing,' he told his students.
The students freaked out, hesitated for several minutes. But eventually took turns putting their finger in the mouth of the dead pig and tasted in their mouth.When everyone finished, the Professor looked at them and said, '
The Second most important quality is observation. I touched with my middle Finger and tasted on my index finger. Now learn to pay attention…
Moral of the story: Life is tough, but it's a lot tougher when you are stupid.
Success is failure turned inside out.
A city boy, Raj, moved to the village and bought a donkey from an old farmer for Rs.1000. The farmer agreed to deliver the donkey the next day.
The next day the farmer drove up and said, "Sorry Rajji, but I have some bad news, the donkey died while I was bringing him here."
Raj replied: "Well then, just give me my money back." The farmer said: "Can't do that. I went and spent it already."
Raj said: "OK then, just unload the donkey."
The farmer asked: "What you are going to do with him?"
Raj: "I'm going to raffle him off." (Note: To raffle is like lottery - draw lot to a group of people each paying the same amount for a ticket and there is a big prize for the people who win.)
Farmer: "You can't raffle off a dead donkey!"
Raj: "Sure I can. Watch me. I just won't tell anybody he's dead."
A month later the farmer met up with Kenny and asked, "What happened with that dead donkey?"
Raj: "I raffled him off. I sold 500 tickets at Rs. 10 each and made a profit of Rs 4990 with the donkey worth Rs. 1000 as the prize.
Farmer: "Didn't anyone complain?"
Raj: "Just the guy who won. So I gave him back his Rs. 10."
Moral of the story- No situation is so bad that it cannot be turned around.You need to just think hard. So look at your glass always as half full (positive attitude ) rather then half empty. Do not lose hope.......
The next day the farmer drove up and said, "Sorry Rajji, but I have some bad news, the donkey died while I was bringing him here."
Raj replied: "Well then, just give me my money back." The farmer said: "Can't do that. I went and spent it already."
Raj said: "OK then, just unload the donkey."
The farmer asked: "What you are going to do with him?"
Raj: "I'm going to raffle him off." (Note: To raffle is like lottery - draw lot to a group of people each paying the same amount for a ticket and there is a big prize for the people who win.)
Farmer: "You can't raffle off a dead donkey!"
Raj: "Sure I can. Watch me. I just won't tell anybody he's dead."
A month later the farmer met up with Kenny and asked, "What happened with that dead donkey?"
Raj: "I raffled him off. I sold 500 tickets at Rs. 10 each and made a profit of Rs 4990 with the donkey worth Rs. 1000 as the prize.
Farmer: "Didn't anyone complain?"
Raj: "Just the guy who won. So I gave him back his Rs. 10."
Moral of the story- No situation is so bad that it cannot be turned around.You need to just think hard. So look at your glass always as half full (positive attitude ) rather then half empty. Do not lose hope.......
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Quality Time
A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year old son waiting for him at the door.“Daddy, how much do you make an hour?”
“that’s none of your business, why do you ask such a thing?” the man said angrily.
“I just want to know, please tell me, how much do you make an hour?” pleaded the little boy.
“if you must know, I make $20 an hour”
“Oh,” the little boy replied, with his head down, looking up, he said,
“dad, may I please borrow $10?”
The father was furious,
“if the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a sill toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed, think about why you are being so selfish.”
“I work long hard hours everyday and don’t have time for such this childish behavior.”
The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.
The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy’s questions.
How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?
After about an hour or so, the had calmed down, and started to think hey may have been a little hard on his son.
Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $10 and he really didn’t ask for money very often.
The man went to the door of the little boy’s room and opened the door.
“are you asleep, son?” he asked.
“no daddy, I’m awake” replied the boy.
“I’ve been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier,” said the man.
“It’s been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here’s the $10 you asked for.”
The little boy sat straight up, smiling. “Oh, thank you daddy!” he yelled.
Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills.
The man, seeing that the boy already had money, started to get angry again.
The little boy slowly counted out his money, then looked up at his father.
“Why do you want more money if you already have some?” the father grumble.
“because I didn’t have enough, but now I do,” the little boy replied.
“daddy, I have $20 now, can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow, I would like to have dinner with you.”
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Childhood Memories
When I was searching for Crayon Pencils for my Neighbours child and I came across my school album in between my books which were left alone on the drawing room rack..I opened to see myself at school...My School Dress.. My school Belt.. What a feeling...WOW.. I started this write up...Take a peek and enjoy...
This is all about loving your school..(Quite.. coz if Karan Johar comes to know he will make a movie with this title.. :) (LoL)
1st July '81, 4 year old cute and chubby boy walked into the arms of Kakatiya High School, Warangal to learn the toughest lessons of life. He was scared and shy when he entered the huge silver gates, little knowing that this huge statue was always standing there to hold her, comfort him and love him whenever he needed it. On his journey to the kindergarten section he saw boys elder to his in maroon tunics and lemon shirts smiling at him and talking amongst themselves. Finally he reached his destination, a red colored three-storied building. Mrs.Thomas Miss his class teacher smiled at him and took him to his class, where he saw 50+ other children and he knew that they were his batch mates for the years to come. It was me.I am 32 years now, working in Chennai. It has been more than 27 years now and 12 years of wonderful school journey that I can't afford to forget. They have been years full of love, laughter, life, disappointments, excitement, and frustration and of course punishments. It’s this school where I first had a best friend, it was this school where I first broke my hand, first kiss, first love, it was here where I first realized what betrayal and disappointment is, it was this school which made me live and not exist, it was here that I realized that I may be one for the world but I am the world for my parents.Twelve years of unforgettable experiences are hard to pen down but they have made my childhood. But now whenever I remember my batch mates or see them on social networking sites or mails, I sit back and think about the years that I have spent in this school. The experience of farewell party at school in 10th standard brings tears to my eyes because I have been loved and cherished, and also I have suffered and because of that I stand with my head held high. My teachings have made me fight my darkest hours. I have learnt what life is all about; it's an endless journey of a boat looking for a shore called satisfaction. It is a sea of emotions where the sun of my hopes rises and even sets down. It is like a seed which has to fight with the earth below to come up to the world above and has to withstand the four seasons in order to bloom.My teachers from Kg to 10th class hold a special memory in my heart, I've locked them and thrown the keys away and whenever I remember I still have in my hand, I am going to impart all the things that I have learnt from my seniors. Whenever I needed some suggestion or books I had to just go and ask, and then I would have it. But just to know that our batch will soon be the top most class gives us a sense of responsibility and I hope to carry the responsibility diligently. At such a cross road, my heart is like a sea, where each wave of emotion is being overlapped by another, my dreams are like the blue sky above and the love for my school is like the unimaginable and unreachable thin line where the sky and the sea meets.
This is all about loving your school..(Quite.. coz if Karan Johar comes to know he will make a movie with this title.. :) (LoL)
1st July '81, 4 year old cute and chubby boy walked into the arms of Kakatiya High School, Warangal to learn the toughest lessons of life. He was scared and shy when he entered the huge silver gates, little knowing that this huge statue was always standing there to hold her, comfort him and love him whenever he needed it. On his journey to the kindergarten section he saw boys elder to his in maroon tunics and lemon shirts smiling at him and talking amongst themselves. Finally he reached his destination, a red colored three-storied building. Mrs.Thomas Miss his class teacher smiled at him and took him to his class, where he saw 50+ other children and he knew that they were his batch mates for the years to come. It was me.I am 32 years now, working in Chennai. It has been more than 27 years now and 12 years of wonderful school journey that I can't afford to forget. They have been years full of love, laughter, life, disappointments, excitement, and frustration and of course punishments. It’s this school where I first had a best friend, it was this school where I first broke my hand, first kiss, first love, it was here where I first realized what betrayal and disappointment is, it was this school which made me live and not exist, it was here that I realized that I may be one for the world but I am the world for my parents.Twelve years of unforgettable experiences are hard to pen down but they have made my childhood. But now whenever I remember my batch mates or see them on social networking sites or mails, I sit back and think about the years that I have spent in this school. The experience of farewell party at school in 10th standard brings tears to my eyes because I have been loved and cherished, and also I have suffered and because of that I stand with my head held high. My teachings have made me fight my darkest hours. I have learnt what life is all about; it's an endless journey of a boat looking for a shore called satisfaction. It is a sea of emotions where the sun of my hopes rises and even sets down. It is like a seed which has to fight with the earth below to come up to the world above and has to withstand the four seasons in order to bloom.My teachers from Kg to 10th class hold a special memory in my heart, I've locked them and thrown the keys away and whenever I remember I still have in my hand, I am going to impart all the things that I have learnt from my seniors. Whenever I needed some suggestion or books I had to just go and ask, and then I would have it. But just to know that our batch will soon be the top most class gives us a sense of responsibility and I hope to carry the responsibility diligently. At such a cross road, my heart is like a sea, where each wave of emotion is being overlapped by another, my dreams are like the blue sky above and the love for my school is like the unimaginable and unreachable thin line where the sky and the sea meets.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
What matters the most?
It is 10.30am and i just opened my Inbox to see that my inbox is spammed with lot of mails.. But 1 mail from a friend has really caught my attention. I just want to share this story with you as it tell us about what really matters when it comes to winning adn losing I found it interesting.. moreover there is a moral in it.
Eight-year-old Gilbert was a member of Cub Scouts. Once a car race was organised for the Scouts. Of course, it was not a car race with real cars but one with cars manufactured by the Scouts. The organisers supplied car-kits with four tyres and other parts in each. The body of the car had to be made using small pieces of wood. An instruction manual also came with every car-kit. The children were free to get help from their parents in building their cars.
Gilbert rushed home with the kit to construct his car for the race. Brimming with enthusiasm, he approached his dad for help. But his dad was not enthused; he thought it was utter nonsense to waste time on projects like that. And he said so to Gilbert. Gilbert was shattered as he was counting on the help from his dad. However, he did not give up; he set out to make the car. And his mom, though unsure about the project, offered her help. With no training in carpentry, both Gilbert and his mom struggled hard with chisel and hammer. Within a few days they were able to give shape to a racecar. By polishing it they tried to make it look beautiful.
The much-awaited day of the competition came. All the Cub Scouts arrived with their well-built, shiny race cars. In comparison Gilbert's car looked awful. A few of the Scouts even made fun of his race car. The competition was one-on-one. The winner had to face the next competitor. The competitors had to push their cars from the starting line up. The car that reached the farthest was declared the winner. Every Cub Scout had both his parents to watch the competition. However, Gilbert had only his mom with him. He tried to put up a brave face in the absence of his dad. The competition began. And luck was with Gilbert. He reached the final, beating his opponents one by one. When it was time for the final match, Gilbert said to the match referee: "Please give me a minute. I want to pray." The referee granted his request. And he prayed on his knees with folded hands for 90 seconds. After his prayer, he said to the referee: "I am ready. Let's start the match." At the sound of the whistle, Gilbert pushed his car with his whole might from the starting line up. While everyone anxiously looked on, his car came ahead beating the other finalist. Gilbert raised his eyes to heaven saying, "Thank you, God." At the prize-giving ceremony, the Scout Master asked Gilbert, "So you asked God to help you win the race, didn't you?" Then Gilbert said, "No, no. That would not have been fair. I only asked God to give me the strength not to cry if I didn't win." We often pray. But what do we pray for? We pray to win. We pray to realise all our dreams and ambitions, don't we? But we never pray for the strength to face failures and problems in life, do we? Gilbert didn't pray to win the race; he only prayed for the strength to face failure if that was God's will. Of course, he won. And that was extra sweet after the kind of prayer he offered to God. We don't always need the things we ask for in prayer. What we really need is the strength to face the daily pressures and failures in life. That is what Gilbert prayed for. And that is primarily what we should also be praying for.
Eight-year-old Gilbert was a member of Cub Scouts. Once a car race was organised for the Scouts. Of course, it was not a car race with real cars but one with cars manufactured by the Scouts. The organisers supplied car-kits with four tyres and other parts in each. The body of the car had to be made using small pieces of wood. An instruction manual also came with every car-kit. The children were free to get help from their parents in building their cars.
Gilbert rushed home with the kit to construct his car for the race. Brimming with enthusiasm, he approached his dad for help. But his dad was not enthused; he thought it was utter nonsense to waste time on projects like that. And he said so to Gilbert. Gilbert was shattered as he was counting on the help from his dad. However, he did not give up; he set out to make the car. And his mom, though unsure about the project, offered her help. With no training in carpentry, both Gilbert and his mom struggled hard with chisel and hammer. Within a few days they were able to give shape to a racecar. By polishing it they tried to make it look beautiful.
The much-awaited day of the competition came. All the Cub Scouts arrived with their well-built, shiny race cars. In comparison Gilbert's car looked awful. A few of the Scouts even made fun of his race car. The competition was one-on-one. The winner had to face the next competitor. The competitors had to push their cars from the starting line up. The car that reached the farthest was declared the winner. Every Cub Scout had both his parents to watch the competition. However, Gilbert had only his mom with him. He tried to put up a brave face in the absence of his dad. The competition began. And luck was with Gilbert. He reached the final, beating his opponents one by one. When it was time for the final match, Gilbert said to the match referee: "Please give me a minute. I want to pray." The referee granted his request. And he prayed on his knees with folded hands for 90 seconds. After his prayer, he said to the referee: "I am ready. Let's start the match." At the sound of the whistle, Gilbert pushed his car with his whole might from the starting line up. While everyone anxiously looked on, his car came ahead beating the other finalist. Gilbert raised his eyes to heaven saying, "Thank you, God." At the prize-giving ceremony, the Scout Master asked Gilbert, "So you asked God to help you win the race, didn't you?" Then Gilbert said, "No, no. That would not have been fair. I only asked God to give me the strength not to cry if I didn't win." We often pray. But what do we pray for? We pray to win. We pray to realise all our dreams and ambitions, don't we? But we never pray for the strength to face failures and problems in life, do we? Gilbert didn't pray to win the race; he only prayed for the strength to face failure if that was God's will. Of course, he won. And that was extra sweet after the kind of prayer he offered to God. We don't always need the things we ask for in prayer. What we really need is the strength to face the daily pressures and failures in life. That is what Gilbert prayed for. And that is primarily what we should also be praying for.
What is the way of life?
Waiting………..!! Its 7:15am and I stand here in the bus stop waiting for the office bus to arrive. I stand here in the same spot as I did a few years back waiting for my college bus. Little did I know then that things would change so much in 1 year; the tree under which I was standing seemed to be looking at me and smiling, perhaps the only living thing that stands as a testimony there, watching the transformation of a loud and bubbly person into a quiet professional. I wouldn't blame the professionalism for the change though. It is destiny, or may be you could call it life. Yes Life, esoteric in the true sense, for one does not understand why you meet hundreds of people everyday, work with so many, and still remain lonely. I am now in one of the corner seats in the bus, looking out of the window watching people trying to catch up with "life"! It's an hour's journey and the only company that I generally have is the chatter of the RJ. I seldom notice the person sitting next to me, for its going to be yet another stranger or may be you could say another acquaintance. It is annoying at times when the radio is switched off, not because I am cut off from the melody (?) but because I would now be thrust with the thought of the solitary travel ahead. I can't help thinking about the short bus journeys to college, well it's a paradox to call a distance of 40 kms "short", but that is how it always seemed. A typical college day always begins in the bus with all the familiar faces; you look forward for all your friends to get in from the various stops, the reasonless giggles, the loud laughter that were stifled to avert the eyes of the lecturers and professors who would watch on us as if we were their prospective prey for the day, well as I said it was a different life then. The pleasant memories of college are in itself good enough to save me from the misery of the bus journey. I notice that it is time for me to get down and flash my smile of acknowledgement to all the known strangers that I see as I walk towards my cubicle. A few of my pproject mates greet me with their morning wishes and as always, we exchange our pleasantries. Discussions jump to the weekend plans and I wonder what I'd do over the weekend. It would be just another day staring at the mobile, Wishing it would ring and bring back some wonderful moments that are now missing in life or maybe the safer option would be to come to office, for it's my new founded asylum these days. A few years back, weekends or weekdays didn't matter to me, I was always busy. I always stood doubting the authenticity of the wall clock that seemed to be in running too fast to perceive its movement. Alas, now it seems as though my clock is suffering from some kind of paralytic attack. There is a time in life, where one needs to go ahead, leave behind all your friends and carry along only memories. You do make friends, but then you never get back the same old close ones, you do meet people who'd be so good to you that you could tell them anything nd everything, but you'd not find a person, to whom you needn't say things, friends who just now you. Occasional calls from such friends, has been the only thing that I seem to look forward to, but I cant help but notice the uneasy pause that lingers around the conversation, pause not because of the relationship, but because it is too short a duration to say everything, and of course you cannot completely rule out the paucity of words! As I sip coffee from the ubiquitous coffee mugs, watching the drops of rain, trickling down the tinted glass panes, veiling the scenic beauty outside, I tell myself, may be there'd be a day when things change, when life offers a rewind, a recap of all the events, and I'd just have to wait. Capricious are the ways of life, for I know there would be many who'd be able to empathize with me, ironically, even the dear ones that I miss this moment, waiting perhaps. . . .
My Mother
This story begins when I was a child. I was born poor. Often we hadn't enough to eat. Whenever we had some food, Mother often gave me her portion of rice. While she was transferring her rice into my bowl, she would say 'Eat this rice, son! I'm not hungry.' This was my mother's first lie.
As I grew, mother gave up her spare time to cultivate vegetables on a small patch of land near our home. She hoped that she could give me some nutritious food for my growth. She would make delicious soups from the best of the seasonal crops she was able to grow.
While I was eating the soup, mother would sit beside me and eat what was still left in the bowl. My heart was touched when I saw it. Once I gave her half my share but she immediately refused it and said, 'Please eat this soup, son! I don't really like soup so much.' This was my mother's second lie.
Then, in order to fund my education, mother went to a match factory to bring home some used matchboxes, which she filled with fresh matchsticks. This helped her get some money to cover our needs. One wintry night, I awoke to find mother filling the matchboxes by candlelight. So I said, 'Mother, go to sleep; it's late, you can continue working tomorrow morning.' Mother smiled and said, 'Go to sleep, son! I'm not tired.' This was my mother's third lie.
When I had to sit for my final examination, mother accompanied me. After dawn, mother waited for me for hours in the heat of the Sun. When the bell rang, I ran to meet her… Mother embraced me and poured me a glass of tea that she had prepared in a thermos. The tea was not as strong as my mother's love. Seeing mother covered with perspiration, I at once gave her my glass and asked her to drink too. Mother said 'Drink, son! I'm not thirsty!' This was my mother's fourth lie.After my father's death, mother had to play the role of a single parent. She held on to her former job and somehow had to make ends meet alone. Our family's status was precarious and many a time we suffered from starvation. Seeing our family's condition worsening, my kind Uncle, who lived near my house, offered to help us solve our problems, big and small. Our other neighbors saw that we were poverty stricken, so they often advised my mother to marry again. But mother refused to remarry saying, 'I don't need love.' This was my mother's fifth lie.After I had finished my studies and found a job, it was time for my old mother to retire, but she carried on going to the market every morning just to sell a few vegetables. I kept sending her money, but she was steadfast and even sent the amount back to me! She said, 'I have enough money.' That was my mother's sixth lie.
I continued my part-time studies for my master's degree. Funded by the American Corporation for which I worked, I succeeded in my studies. With a big jump in my salary, I decided to bring mother to enjoy life in America. But mother didn't want to bother her son; she said to me: ‘I don’t want a comfortable life.' That was my mother's seventh lie.
In her dotage, Mother was attacked by cancer and had to be hospitalized. Now, living far across the ocean, I went home to visit mother who was bedridden after an operation. Mother tried to smile, but I was heartbroken because she was so thin and feeble. But mother said, 'Don't cry, son! I'm not in any pain.' That was my mother's eighth lie!
Telling me this, her eighth lie, she died. Yes, my mother was an angel!
It is for this reason that they define Mother this way –
M - O - T - H - E - R
'M' is for the Million things she gave me;'O' means she became Old as she gave her life for me;'T' is for the Tears she shed to save me;'H' is for her Heart of gold;'E' is for her Eyes with love-light shining in them;‘R' means the Righteous and exemplary life she lead.
Put them all together, they spell 'MOTHER' - a word that means the world to me.The author of this story in unknown, but it can be anybody on this Earth who has had the fortune of being brought up by their mother. For those, who have been blessed with their mother’s presence in their lives, this story is surely beautiful. For those who aren't so lucky, this is even more beautiful!
Bhagavan Baba has time and gain exhorted everyone to adore their mother as their first God. During the Ladies Day celebration on November 19, 1999, Bhagavan started his Divine Discourse with this moving poem:
More fragrant than the sweet-smelling flowers like the Jasmine and the Champak, Softer than the cheese and the butter, more beautiful than eye of the peacock, more pleasant than the moonlight, is the love of the mother!
Again, on the occasion of Easwaramma Day on May 6, 2006, He said, "There is no love greater than mother’s love in this world. It is imbued with immense power... Love your mother. Then you will be loved by all… It is the foremost duty of children to fulfill the wishes of their mother and make her happy."
As I grew, mother gave up her spare time to cultivate vegetables on a small patch of land near our home. She hoped that she could give me some nutritious food for my growth. She would make delicious soups from the best of the seasonal crops she was able to grow.
While I was eating the soup, mother would sit beside me and eat what was still left in the bowl. My heart was touched when I saw it. Once I gave her half my share but she immediately refused it and said, 'Please eat this soup, son! I don't really like soup so much.' This was my mother's second lie.
Then, in order to fund my education, mother went to a match factory to bring home some used matchboxes, which she filled with fresh matchsticks. This helped her get some money to cover our needs. One wintry night, I awoke to find mother filling the matchboxes by candlelight. So I said, 'Mother, go to sleep; it's late, you can continue working tomorrow morning.' Mother smiled and said, 'Go to sleep, son! I'm not tired.' This was my mother's third lie.
When I had to sit for my final examination, mother accompanied me. After dawn, mother waited for me for hours in the heat of the Sun. When the bell rang, I ran to meet her… Mother embraced me and poured me a glass of tea that she had prepared in a thermos. The tea was not as strong as my mother's love. Seeing mother covered with perspiration, I at once gave her my glass and asked her to drink too. Mother said 'Drink, son! I'm not thirsty!' This was my mother's fourth lie.After my father's death, mother had to play the role of a single parent. She held on to her former job and somehow had to make ends meet alone. Our family's status was precarious and many a time we suffered from starvation. Seeing our family's condition worsening, my kind Uncle, who lived near my house, offered to help us solve our problems, big and small. Our other neighbors saw that we were poverty stricken, so they often advised my mother to marry again. But mother refused to remarry saying, 'I don't need love.' This was my mother's fifth lie.After I had finished my studies and found a job, it was time for my old mother to retire, but she carried on going to the market every morning just to sell a few vegetables. I kept sending her money, but she was steadfast and even sent the amount back to me! She said, 'I have enough money.' That was my mother's sixth lie.
I continued my part-time studies for my master's degree. Funded by the American Corporation for which I worked, I succeeded in my studies. With a big jump in my salary, I decided to bring mother to enjoy life in America. But mother didn't want to bother her son; she said to me: ‘I don’t want a comfortable life.' That was my mother's seventh lie.
In her dotage, Mother was attacked by cancer and had to be hospitalized. Now, living far across the ocean, I went home to visit mother who was bedridden after an operation. Mother tried to smile, but I was heartbroken because she was so thin and feeble. But mother said, 'Don't cry, son! I'm not in any pain.' That was my mother's eighth lie!
Telling me this, her eighth lie, she died. Yes, my mother was an angel!
It is for this reason that they define Mother this way –
M - O - T - H - E - R
'M' is for the Million things she gave me;'O' means she became Old as she gave her life for me;'T' is for the Tears she shed to save me;'H' is for her Heart of gold;'E' is for her Eyes with love-light shining in them;‘R' means the Righteous and exemplary life she lead.
Put them all together, they spell 'MOTHER' - a word that means the world to me.The author of this story in unknown, but it can be anybody on this Earth who has had the fortune of being brought up by their mother. For those, who have been blessed with their mother’s presence in their lives, this story is surely beautiful. For those who aren't so lucky, this is even more beautiful!
Bhagavan Baba has time and gain exhorted everyone to adore their mother as their first God. During the Ladies Day celebration on November 19, 1999, Bhagavan started his Divine Discourse with this moving poem:
More fragrant than the sweet-smelling flowers like the Jasmine and the Champak, Softer than the cheese and the butter, more beautiful than eye of the peacock, more pleasant than the moonlight, is the love of the mother!
Again, on the occasion of Easwaramma Day on May 6, 2006, He said, "There is no love greater than mother’s love in this world. It is imbued with immense power... Love your mother. Then you will be loved by all… It is the foremost duty of children to fulfill the wishes of their mother and make her happy."
The 90/10 Principle
It will change your life (at least the way you react to situations).
What is this principle? 10% of life is made up of what happens to you. 90% of life is decided by how you react.
What does this mean? We really have no control over 10% of what happens to us.
We cannot stop the car from breaking down. The plane will be late arriving, which throws our whole schedule off. A driver may cut us off in traffic.
We have no control over this 10%. The other 90% is different. You determine the other 90%.
How? ……….By your reaction.
You cannot control a red light. but you can control your reaction. Don't let people fool you; YOU can control how you react.
Let's use an example.
You are eating breakfast with your family. Your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee onto your business shirt. You have no control over what just happened.
What happens next will be determined by how you react.
You curse.
You harshly scold your daughter for knocking the cup over. She breaks down in tears. After scolding her, you turn to your spouse and criticize her for placing the cup too close to the edge of the table. A short verbal battle follows. You storm upstairs and change your shirt. Back downstairs, you find your daughter has been too busy crying to finish breakfast and get ready for school. She misses the bus.
Your spouse must leave immediately for work. You rush to the car and drive your daughter to school. Because you are late, you drive 40 miles an hour in a 30 mph speed limit.
After a 15-minute delay and throwing $60 traffic fine away, you arrive at school. Your daughter runs into the building without saying goodbye. After arriving at the office 20 minutes late, you find you forgot your briefcase. Your day has started terrible. As it continues, it seems to get worse and worse. You look forward to coming home.
When you arrive home, you find small wedge in your relationship with your spouse and daughter.
Why? …. Because of how you reacted in the morning.
Why did you have a bad day?
A) Did the coffee cause it?
B) Did your daughter cause it?
C) Did the policeman cause it?
D) Did you cause it?
The answer is "D".
You had no control over what happened with the coffee. How you reacted in those 5 seconds is what caused your bad day.
Here is what could have and should have happened.
Coffee splashes over you. Your daughter is about to cry. You gently say, "Its ok honey, you just need to be more careful next time". Grabbing a towel you rush upstairs. After grabbing a new shirt and your briefcase, you come back down in time to look through the window and see your child getting on the bus. She turns and waves. You arrive 5 minutes early and cheerfully greet the staff. Your boss comments on how good the day you are having.
Notice the difference?
Two different scenarios. Both started the same. Both ended different.
Why?
Because of how you REACTED.
You really do not have any control over 10% of what happens. The other 90% was determined by your reaction.
Here are some ways to apply the 90/10 principle. If someone says something negative about you, don't be a sponge. Let the attack roll off like water on glass. You don't have to let the negative comment affect you!
React properly and it will not ruin your day. A wrong reaction could result in losing a friend, being fired, getting stressed out etc.
How do you react if someone cuts you off in traffic? Do you lose your temper? Pound on the steering wheel? A friend of mine had the steering wheel fall off) Do you curse? Does your blood pressure skyrocket? Do you try and bump them?
WHO CARES if you arrive ten seconds later at work? Why let the cars ruin your drive?
Remember the 90/10 principle, and do not worry about it.
You are told you lost your job.
Why lose sleep and get irritated? It will work out. Use your worrying energy and time into finding another job.
The plane is late; it is going to mangle your schedule for the day. Why take outpour frustration on the flight attendant? She has no control over what is going on.
Use your time to study, get to know the other passenger. Why get stressed out? It will just make things worse.
Now you know the 90-10 principle. Apply it and you will be amazed at the results. You will lose nothing if you try it. The 90-10 principle is incredible. Very few know and apply this principle.
The result?
Millions of people are suffering from undeserved stress, trials, problems and heartache. We all must understand and apply the 90/10 principle.
It CAN change your life!!!
Enjoy
What is this principle? 10% of life is made up of what happens to you. 90% of life is decided by how you react.
What does this mean? We really have no control over 10% of what happens to us.
We cannot stop the car from breaking down. The plane will be late arriving, which throws our whole schedule off. A driver may cut us off in traffic.
We have no control over this 10%. The other 90% is different. You determine the other 90%.
How? ……….By your reaction.
You cannot control a red light. but you can control your reaction. Don't let people fool you; YOU can control how you react.
Let's use an example.
You are eating breakfast with your family. Your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee onto your business shirt. You have no control over what just happened.
What happens next will be determined by how you react.
You curse.
You harshly scold your daughter for knocking the cup over. She breaks down in tears. After scolding her, you turn to your spouse and criticize her for placing the cup too close to the edge of the table. A short verbal battle follows. You storm upstairs and change your shirt. Back downstairs, you find your daughter has been too busy crying to finish breakfast and get ready for school. She misses the bus.
Your spouse must leave immediately for work. You rush to the car and drive your daughter to school. Because you are late, you drive 40 miles an hour in a 30 mph speed limit.
After a 15-minute delay and throwing $60 traffic fine away, you arrive at school. Your daughter runs into the building without saying goodbye. After arriving at the office 20 minutes late, you find you forgot your briefcase. Your day has started terrible. As it continues, it seems to get worse and worse. You look forward to coming home.
When you arrive home, you find small wedge in your relationship with your spouse and daughter.
Why? …. Because of how you reacted in the morning.
Why did you have a bad day?
A) Did the coffee cause it?
B) Did your daughter cause it?
C) Did the policeman cause it?
D) Did you cause it?
The answer is "D".
You had no control over what happened with the coffee. How you reacted in those 5 seconds is what caused your bad day.
Here is what could have and should have happened.
Coffee splashes over you. Your daughter is about to cry. You gently say, "Its ok honey, you just need to be more careful next time". Grabbing a towel you rush upstairs. After grabbing a new shirt and your briefcase, you come back down in time to look through the window and see your child getting on the bus. She turns and waves. You arrive 5 minutes early and cheerfully greet the staff. Your boss comments on how good the day you are having.
Notice the difference?
Two different scenarios. Both started the same. Both ended different.
Why?
Because of how you REACTED.
You really do not have any control over 10% of what happens. The other 90% was determined by your reaction.
Here are some ways to apply the 90/10 principle. If someone says something negative about you, don't be a sponge. Let the attack roll off like water on glass. You don't have to let the negative comment affect you!
React properly and it will not ruin your day. A wrong reaction could result in losing a friend, being fired, getting stressed out etc.
How do you react if someone cuts you off in traffic? Do you lose your temper? Pound on the steering wheel? A friend of mine had the steering wheel fall off) Do you curse? Does your blood pressure skyrocket? Do you try and bump them?
WHO CARES if you arrive ten seconds later at work? Why let the cars ruin your drive?
Remember the 90/10 principle, and do not worry about it.
You are told you lost your job.
Why lose sleep and get irritated? It will work out. Use your worrying energy and time into finding another job.
The plane is late; it is going to mangle your schedule for the day. Why take outpour frustration on the flight attendant? She has no control over what is going on.
Use your time to study, get to know the other passenger. Why get stressed out? It will just make things worse.
Now you know the 90-10 principle. Apply it and you will be amazed at the results. You will lose nothing if you try it. The 90-10 principle is incredible. Very few know and apply this principle.
The result?
Millions of people are suffering from undeserved stress, trials, problems and heartache. We all must understand and apply the 90/10 principle.
It CAN change your life!!!
Enjoy
The Ethics of Emotions!
In order to purify our minds we need to consciously choose pure emotions over impure ones, by rising above conditioning.
In cultivating a saumya personality, we need to start working consciously and conscientiously on purification of the mind and emotions. We need to learn to choose purer emotions. How do we determine what are the purer emotions?
Psychologically speaking, if a certain emotion causes pain in our minds and its expression evokes a painful feeling in those who are in relationship with us, these emotions are not pure ones. If an emotion leaves a smile in our or another's mind, then it is a pure emotion. Spiritually speaking, the emotions that are conducive to enlightenment are the pure ones.
It must be remembered that our emotional choices are learnt ones; they are habits we have formed. In the same situation, one has access to multiple emotional choices. A brave man sees a tiger in the wild and his hunting instinct is activated. A coward sweats with fear and flees. A yogi stays neutral or is filled with non-violent, loving feelings for his fellow living being.
The reaction we choose is from the habits created by our culture, education or personal circumstances.
Here is an example from world cultures. Let us take anger. In certain schools of modern psychology, a therapist works on bringing to the fore our hidden anger and suggests to the client that he give himself permission to express anger. The question of the ethics of emotions plays no part in this. In India we are often advised to control our anger, but display of anger is still commonplace. In the cultures of SE Asia, anger is particularly frowned upon. You arrive after a long flight to a hotel where you had made a reservation and even reconfirmed it, only to be told by the receptionist that you have not made a booking. If, in your state of exhaustion and frustration you display anger, you will be completely ignored. No one will talk to you till you calm yourself down and become civil and gentle.
These are examples of culturally and educationally generated emotional habits. But at a certain time in our lives we begin to examine ourselves. We can make conscious choices, which may be different from those of general culture or family patterns.
or example, boys often see their fathers abusing their mother. As a child the boy's sympathy is with the mother. But as he grows to manhood, he identifies more and more with the father and emulates him.
But one may choose to take a different path internally. One may dig deep and bring to the conscious mind, the unconscious memory of how painful it was, as a young child, to watch his mother being hurt; here one taps the 'son'-personality rather than the 'domineering, insensitive and cruel male' personality.
In USA and other western countries where jurisprudence increasingly takes into account the principles of psychology, it is common for the attorneys to argue that a certain person has abused and hurt his child helplessly because he was conditioned to do so through his own psychological trauma when abused and hurt as a child. The spiritual argument, however, would be based on an extension, a deepening, of the principle of free will. One is free to make one's choice if one is spiritually awake, to go beyond this psychological conditioning.
One may thus make a conscious choice. One may make a resolve to cultivate within oneself the emotional states that create a saumya personality, generating a non-painful feeling and evoking the same in the person(s) in our relationship and opting for that which leads to enlightenment.
Even if we ignore this last goal, the other three are worth pursuing in our quest for purification of emotions, bhava-sam-shuddhi.
Thus we need to begin to look at our emotions not as something that renders us helpless, whose 'accidental' presence we have no choice over, but rather as acts of volition and we choose them on the basis of some moral principles. There you have an ethics of emotions.
As one grows spiritually, one frees oneself more and more from psychological, educational and cultural conditioning. One no longer acts adversely towards women because 'everybody does so'. One does not cast aspersions at people of other ethnic, religious or caste groups just because one is conditioned to believe that he is the best, the highest and the noblest. Spirituality supersedes psychology.
As we have shown, we then choose the noble emotions. We change our past habits and learn to react differently. Part of our spiritual journey consists of emotional de-conditioning of the ignoble and re-conditioning towards the noble. Spiritual guides have employed many internal tools to accomplish this purpose.
Here is just a short explanation of the concept of the ethics of emotions. All through the history of philosophy, sages and philosophers have spoken of three levels of actions: mental, vocal and physical, from manas, vak and kaya, respectively.
In the Zoroastrian tradition we are taught the same: manashni, gavashni, kunashni - to think, to speak and to act in a noble and peace-generating way.
Mental acts are expressed in speech and physical actions. A majority of our mental acts are emotional ones, based not on logic but on feelings and conditioning. This is where the ethics of emotions begins, to discern between right and wrong mental acts and thereby heal your own mind.
Hope it will help in our day to day life
In cultivating a saumya personality, we need to start working consciously and conscientiously on purification of the mind and emotions. We need to learn to choose purer emotions. How do we determine what are the purer emotions?
Psychologically speaking, if a certain emotion causes pain in our minds and its expression evokes a painful feeling in those who are in relationship with us, these emotions are not pure ones. If an emotion leaves a smile in our or another's mind, then it is a pure emotion. Spiritually speaking, the emotions that are conducive to enlightenment are the pure ones.
It must be remembered that our emotional choices are learnt ones; they are habits we have formed. In the same situation, one has access to multiple emotional choices. A brave man sees a tiger in the wild and his hunting instinct is activated. A coward sweats with fear and flees. A yogi stays neutral or is filled with non-violent, loving feelings for his fellow living being.
The reaction we choose is from the habits created by our culture, education or personal circumstances.
Here is an example from world cultures. Let us take anger. In certain schools of modern psychology, a therapist works on bringing to the fore our hidden anger and suggests to the client that he give himself permission to express anger. The question of the ethics of emotions plays no part in this. In India we are often advised to control our anger, but display of anger is still commonplace. In the cultures of SE Asia, anger is particularly frowned upon. You arrive after a long flight to a hotel where you had made a reservation and even reconfirmed it, only to be told by the receptionist that you have not made a booking. If, in your state of exhaustion and frustration you display anger, you will be completely ignored. No one will talk to you till you calm yourself down and become civil and gentle.
These are examples of culturally and educationally generated emotional habits. But at a certain time in our lives we begin to examine ourselves. We can make conscious choices, which may be different from those of general culture or family patterns.
or example, boys often see their fathers abusing their mother. As a child the boy's sympathy is with the mother. But as he grows to manhood, he identifies more and more with the father and emulates him.
But one may choose to take a different path internally. One may dig deep and bring to the conscious mind, the unconscious memory of how painful it was, as a young child, to watch his mother being hurt; here one taps the 'son'-personality rather than the 'domineering, insensitive and cruel male' personality.
In USA and other western countries where jurisprudence increasingly takes into account the principles of psychology, it is common for the attorneys to argue that a certain person has abused and hurt his child helplessly because he was conditioned to do so through his own psychological trauma when abused and hurt as a child. The spiritual argument, however, would be based on an extension, a deepening, of the principle of free will. One is free to make one's choice if one is spiritually awake, to go beyond this psychological conditioning.
One may thus make a conscious choice. One may make a resolve to cultivate within oneself the emotional states that create a saumya personality, generating a non-painful feeling and evoking the same in the person(s) in our relationship and opting for that which leads to enlightenment.
Even if we ignore this last goal, the other three are worth pursuing in our quest for purification of emotions, bhava-sam-shuddhi.
Thus we need to begin to look at our emotions not as something that renders us helpless, whose 'accidental' presence we have no choice over, but rather as acts of volition and we choose them on the basis of some moral principles. There you have an ethics of emotions.
As one grows spiritually, one frees oneself more and more from psychological, educational and cultural conditioning. One no longer acts adversely towards women because 'everybody does so'. One does not cast aspersions at people of other ethnic, religious or caste groups just because one is conditioned to believe that he is the best, the highest and the noblest. Spirituality supersedes psychology.
As we have shown, we then choose the noble emotions. We change our past habits and learn to react differently. Part of our spiritual journey consists of emotional de-conditioning of the ignoble and re-conditioning towards the noble. Spiritual guides have employed many internal tools to accomplish this purpose.
Here is just a short explanation of the concept of the ethics of emotions. All through the history of philosophy, sages and philosophers have spoken of three levels of actions: mental, vocal and physical, from manas, vak and kaya, respectively.
In the Zoroastrian tradition we are taught the same: manashni, gavashni, kunashni - to think, to speak and to act in a noble and peace-generating way.
Mental acts are expressed in speech and physical actions. A majority of our mental acts are emotional ones, based not on logic but on feelings and conditioning. This is where the ethics of emotions begins, to discern between right and wrong mental acts and thereby heal your own mind.
Hope it will help in our day to day life
Abortion in the ears...
This is a short story written by Dr Kishore Shah....he is a gynaecologist in Pune and a very gifted writer....enjoy this extremely funny story.My wife is an ENT Surgeon while I am a Gynaecologist. This can lead to some complications, as I recently learned to my anguish. A General Practitionercalled me up and told me that she is sending a patient of hers for an abortion. Unknown to me, she had also referred a female with earwax forremoval of the wax to my wife.I duly informed the receptionist to send the patient right in as she was expected (and expecting!) As Murphy lays down the laws of our hospital, it was but natural that the patient who wanted the wax removed from her ear, landed up with me. This is the conversation that I had with the patient."Please come in. Be seated..." I said with a big smile. I always have a big smile, when I am going to earn some money. The patient gave a feeble smile and sat hesitantly on the edge of the chair. "Relax.""Doctor, will this hurt a lot?""Not at all."The patient relaxed visibly. "You know something, Doctor, we tried removing it at home, but failed.."I was shocked. "Thank God. Trying this at home can cause serious complications.""I first tried to remove it by jumping up and down, but it just wouldn't budge."I smiled and said, "If it were that easy, who would need doctors?"She gave a cute smile and said, "Yeah! My neighbour tried to remove it with his finger, but the hole is so small that he used a hair pin.""Oh my God!""Yes! My mother even tried a matchstick."My blood pressure was shooting skywards. I just sputtered without uttering a word."Tell me, doctor, how do I avoid getting this dirt inside me?"I knew that it was an unwanted pregnancy, but calling it dirt was too much.I replied a bit angrily, "There are tablets which can prevent this happening. Or you could use protection at night."Now it was the patient's turn to be confused, "You mean to say that it happens only at night?"I saw her point. "No! No! I meant anytime of the day, whenever you are in the mood, you should use protection."She was even more confused, "It depends on my moods?"Again I saw her point. "My mistake. You need not be in any sort of mood. It just happens.""My neighbour advised me to go to one of those chaps who sit by the roadside.""You mean that pin man?""Yeah!"This neighbour of hers seemed to be a very dangerous man. Besides using pins, he was sending her to such quacks. The only safety he knew was amongthe pins. "You were wise not to heed his advice.""But I tried his other advice. He told me to put warm oil inside and wait. However, that also did not work."This was getting more and more bizarre. Her neighbor deserved to be locked up either in a padded cell or a barred one."But have you taken your husband's permission?"Now the patient looked confused. "Do I have to take my husband's permission?Because if you need his sign, he is working in Dubai . We were not able to meet for the last one year."It was my turn to be shocked. I gave a sly smirk. It was one of 'those' cases. The pin-wielding neighbor seemed to me the usual suspect. Ireassured her. "No! No! The husband's sign is not at all needed.""However, I did inform him on phone."Her husband seemed to me a very broad-minded fellow. I didn't know whether to congratulate her or to commiserate with her. So I hastily turned toother aspects. "Its good that you came a bit early.""Actually I wanted to come early in the morning, but I had some other work.""Oh! I did not mean early today. I meant that if you had delayed this removal, it would have started moving. Then it would have developed aheartbeat."The patient was staring at me wide eyed as if watching a horror movie.Looking at her face, I decided that she was not fit to listen to the grotesque details. I decided to relieve her a bit. I said, "You will bleeda bit, but only for a few days."By now, the poor patient was trembling, "how-H-How much bleeding?""Oh, only slightly more than your menstrual period, and it will continue only for a week or so."By now the patient was clutching her hair in her fingers and staring at me wide-eyed. I asked her soothingly, "Why don't you lie down on theexamination table? Remove your clothes and relax."This was the final straw. She didn't even wish me goodbye. I saw just a blur of motion leaving my consulting room at top speed
Picture in a Wallet
A ticket collector on a train found an old worn out wallet in a compartment full of many people. He looked inside to find the name of its owner. There was no clue. It had some money and a small picture of Lord Krishna. He held it up and asked, 'Who is the owner of this wallet?'
In response, an old man approached and said, "That is my wallet, please give it to me." The ticket collector then told him: "You'll have to prove that it is yours. Only then I can hand it over to you." The old man, who had no teeth, smiled, and said, "It has a picture of Krishna in it."
"That is no proof; anyone can have a picture of Krishna in his wallet. What is so special about that? Why is your picture not in there?" Obviously, the ticket collector was not an easy person to deal with.
The old man took a deep breath and said, "Let me tell you why my picture is not there. My father gave this wallet to me when I was in school. He used to give me a small sum of pocket money. I loved my parents and I kept their picture in it.
Later on, I replaced their picture with mine as it was an excellent color picture of a handsome looking teenager.
Some years later, I got married. My wife was very beautiful and I loved her a lot. I replaced my picture in the wallet with that of hers. I spent hours gazing at her pretty face.
When my first child was born, my life started a new chapter. I shortened my working hours to play with my baby. I went late to work and returned home early too. Obviously, my son's picture occupied the prized position in my wallet."
The old man's eyes brimmed with tears as he continued, "My parents passed away many years ago. Last year my wife too left her mortal coil. My son is very busy with his beautiful family. He has no time for me. All that I had close to my heart is out of my reach now.
So, after all the disappointments, I have put this picture of Lord Krishna, my favorite form of God, in my wallet. It is only now that I have realized that He is the eternal companion. He will never leave me. Alas! If only I had realized this before. If only I had loved the Lord all those years, with the same intensity as I had loved my family, I would not have been so lonely today!"
The ticket collector quietly gave the wallet to the old man. When the train stopped at the next station, he directly went to the book stall at the platform and frantically started looking for a picture of his favorite form of God for his wallet!
Innumerable are the occasions if you believe that our one and only true friend is God – He will never forsake us. He will always be with us no matter what. He alone is permanent and will never lift His compassionate gaze from us.
In response, an old man approached and said, "That is my wallet, please give it to me." The ticket collector then told him: "You'll have to prove that it is yours. Only then I can hand it over to you." The old man, who had no teeth, smiled, and said, "It has a picture of Krishna in it."
"That is no proof; anyone can have a picture of Krishna in his wallet. What is so special about that? Why is your picture not in there?" Obviously, the ticket collector was not an easy person to deal with.
The old man took a deep breath and said, "Let me tell you why my picture is not there. My father gave this wallet to me when I was in school. He used to give me a small sum of pocket money. I loved my parents and I kept their picture in it.
Later on, I replaced their picture with mine as it was an excellent color picture of a handsome looking teenager.
Some years later, I got married. My wife was very beautiful and I loved her a lot. I replaced my picture in the wallet with that of hers. I spent hours gazing at her pretty face.
When my first child was born, my life started a new chapter. I shortened my working hours to play with my baby. I went late to work and returned home early too. Obviously, my son's picture occupied the prized position in my wallet."
The old man's eyes brimmed with tears as he continued, "My parents passed away many years ago. Last year my wife too left her mortal coil. My son is very busy with his beautiful family. He has no time for me. All that I had close to my heart is out of my reach now.
So, after all the disappointments, I have put this picture of Lord Krishna, my favorite form of God, in my wallet. It is only now that I have realized that He is the eternal companion. He will never leave me. Alas! If only I had realized this before. If only I had loved the Lord all those years, with the same intensity as I had loved my family, I would not have been so lonely today!"
The ticket collector quietly gave the wallet to the old man. When the train stopped at the next station, he directly went to the book stall at the platform and frantically started looking for a picture of his favorite form of God for his wallet!
Innumerable are the occasions if you believe that our one and only true friend is God – He will never forsake us. He will always be with us no matter what. He alone is permanent and will never lift His compassionate gaze from us.
Ray of Light
nce Wealth and Poverty approached a merchant and introduced themselves as Goddesses. The merchant offered his salutations to both of them and said: "May I know what brings you to my humble tenement?" The Goddess of Wealth said: "We want you to judge and tell us as to who is more beautiful between the two of us?" The merchant was in a fix. He knew he was between the devil and the deep sea. If he were to declare wealth as more beautiful than poverty, poverty would curse him. If he were to declare poverty as more beautiful than wealth, then wealth would forsake him. But, very soon he regained his composure and said: "I have great respect for you both. Would you please act according to my instructions? Only then I can judge you two properly." The Goddesses agreed. He then said: "Mother Wealth, would you please go to the entrance (gates) and walk into the house? Mother, Poverty! Would you please walk from here towards the gates? I can then have a good look at you both, from near and far." The two Goddesses walked as the merchant had wished them to. After seeing them walk, the merchant happily declared: "Mother Wealth! You appear very beautiful when you enter the house. Mother Poverty! You look very beautiful when you leave the house!" The merchant had very beautifully circumvented the predicament that had befallen him and in doing so had also not hurt the goddesses’ sentiments. The Goddesses immensely appreciated the wit and wisdom of the merchant. So, while the Goddess of Wealth happily stayed in his house, the Goddess of Poverty cheerfully walked away. When a serious problem confronts us, if we look within and think calmly, a ray of hope and light will beam forth and show us the way
The Buttermilk Vendor
It was the hottest part of summer in Andhra Pradesh, the last week of April. While many sought a lazy afternoon in the company of a split air conditioner at home, we were out in the burning compartment of a sluggish train, which was chugging along fuming tracks somewhere near the border between Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
I was taking my family to my hometown, Yelagondahalli, in Karnataka. We were on a trip to meet the other members of our family in Karnataka and were looking forward to an early dinner and of course, sweet rest! Traveling in a train by itself is a drain on the energy, but traveling in peak summer in a crowded train is even worse.
To add to our misery, we were sweating profusely inspite of the fans, thirsty and bored to death. No one in the compartment was speaking! Cool drinks were all that we wanted since our water containers had been drained to the last drop.
Somewhere around Dharmavaram, a small town, a lady climbed into our coach with the tell-tale pot on her head. She was dressed in a sari, had a huge nose ring, heavy metal bangles in each wrist and had peculiarly large bare feet. And since our coupe was near the door, when she settled down with her pot there, she was right in front of us.
Only then did we notice her pot - it was filled with delicious looking butter-milk! We instantly woke up from stupor to a heavenly reality – cold buttermilk on a sunny day! That was more than what we had wanted and began drinking glasses after glasses which the lady handed over to us with great joy. In the course of sipping this ambrosia, I began talking to her. She lived in a close by village, she said.
"Who else is there in your family?" I asked her.
"I have a ten year old son, babu (which means, sir). But since his father left me before he was born, I am looking after him all alone."
Given her modest clothes and looks, she did not appear as one who was conferred with any semblance of financial prosperity. So, I asked, "How do you manage your living?"
"I cook ragi (finger millet) in the night for dinner and the next day’s lunch. In the morning, I buy curds from our village, churn and make buttermilk, crush some lemon leaves and chili on it for taste, and leave home around 10 a.m. Then I travel in the train from my village to and from Bengaluru each day to sell this buttermilk to the passengers on board. But before I come on my rounds, I feed my son the ragi with some chili and salt. And after I return home late afternoon, we again take ragi."
"The same ragi and chili all the days!" I could not believe a person could eat the same food both for lunch and dinner, and that too all throughout the week. Even normal mortals like us need ‘variety’ from lunch to dinner. Unmindful of my surprised expression, she continued. "Sometimes when I sell a little ghee (clarified butter), I buy a fish, or some vegetable to go with the ragi. My son likes dried fish with ragi," she said, matter-of-factly. She picked up her measure, which was swimming in her pot, and poured another glass for me.
While sipping I asked her again.
"What are you planning for your son? Do you want him to follow your trade too?"
"No babu (sir), I want to send my son to school. He must be a babu like you, get married, and give me a grandson", she smiled vastly.
On hearing her simple wish, I could not help but think - Life had not defeated her; poverty had not blotted her smiles. For years she had not fallen sick. She had no complaints against anyone. And she had only one dream: retire from work and play with her grandson. How simple can life’s desires be. I recapitulated my own life, which was cluttered with a great amount of rubbish, in search for a moment of such satisfaction. And I confess, I could not find any. All my life, I had not lived any moment which was a match to the satisfaction that reflected in this lady’s life.
After we had our fill of her buttermilk and her enviable smiles, I slipped into her hand a ten rupees note, more than her due. She looked at it, tucked it into her ancient looking metal purse - a cylinder like little container with a lid - and started to fill the glasses again.
We said we didn’t want any more. She looked at all four of us in surprise, and asked, "If you didn’t want any more then why did you give me that extra money?" I told her that she can use the extra money to buy some rice and vegetable and have a good dinner that night with her son.
Oh, you must have seen her face when I said that! The moment she realized that I was trying to be charitable, she felt humiliated. She protested that she wasn’t prepared to accept anything more than what she deserved and pulled out her purse to return the extra money it to me! Needless to say, I felt thoroughly embarrassed. I didn’t know how to react. But my wife intervened and assured her that since we were returning by the same train two or three days later, she could make us drink as much buttermilk as she wanted then. It was not charity, but a kind of advance payment. The lady was not convinced until she made us promise that we would keep to our words.
After she left, I picked up a newspaper lying by my side. Someone had bought it but left it there. I turned around the pages, trying hard to suppress a lump rising in my throat. The paper, like it always is, was filled with stories of "high-placed" people who were swindling the country of thousands of crores! I threw it away through the window in disgust.
I was taking my family to my hometown, Yelagondahalli, in Karnataka. We were on a trip to meet the other members of our family in Karnataka and were looking forward to an early dinner and of course, sweet rest! Traveling in a train by itself is a drain on the energy, but traveling in peak summer in a crowded train is even worse.
To add to our misery, we were sweating profusely inspite of the fans, thirsty and bored to death. No one in the compartment was speaking! Cool drinks were all that we wanted since our water containers had been drained to the last drop.
Somewhere around Dharmavaram, a small town, a lady climbed into our coach with the tell-tale pot on her head. She was dressed in a sari, had a huge nose ring, heavy metal bangles in each wrist and had peculiarly large bare feet. And since our coupe was near the door, when she settled down with her pot there, she was right in front of us.
Only then did we notice her pot - it was filled with delicious looking butter-milk! We instantly woke up from stupor to a heavenly reality – cold buttermilk on a sunny day! That was more than what we had wanted and began drinking glasses after glasses which the lady handed over to us with great joy. In the course of sipping this ambrosia, I began talking to her. She lived in a close by village, she said.
"Who else is there in your family?" I asked her.
"I have a ten year old son, babu (which means, sir). But since his father left me before he was born, I am looking after him all alone."
Given her modest clothes and looks, she did not appear as one who was conferred with any semblance of financial prosperity. So, I asked, "How do you manage your living?"
"I cook ragi (finger millet) in the night for dinner and the next day’s lunch. In the morning, I buy curds from our village, churn and make buttermilk, crush some lemon leaves and chili on it for taste, and leave home around 10 a.m. Then I travel in the train from my village to and from Bengaluru each day to sell this buttermilk to the passengers on board. But before I come on my rounds, I feed my son the ragi with some chili and salt. And after I return home late afternoon, we again take ragi."
"The same ragi and chili all the days!" I could not believe a person could eat the same food both for lunch and dinner, and that too all throughout the week. Even normal mortals like us need ‘variety’ from lunch to dinner. Unmindful of my surprised expression, she continued. "Sometimes when I sell a little ghee (clarified butter), I buy a fish, or some vegetable to go with the ragi. My son likes dried fish with ragi," she said, matter-of-factly. She picked up her measure, which was swimming in her pot, and poured another glass for me.
While sipping I asked her again.
"What are you planning for your son? Do you want him to follow your trade too?"
"No babu (sir), I want to send my son to school. He must be a babu like you, get married, and give me a grandson", she smiled vastly.
On hearing her simple wish, I could not help but think - Life had not defeated her; poverty had not blotted her smiles. For years she had not fallen sick. She had no complaints against anyone. And she had only one dream: retire from work and play with her grandson. How simple can life’s desires be. I recapitulated my own life, which was cluttered with a great amount of rubbish, in search for a moment of such satisfaction. And I confess, I could not find any. All my life, I had not lived any moment which was a match to the satisfaction that reflected in this lady’s life.
After we had our fill of her buttermilk and her enviable smiles, I slipped into her hand a ten rupees note, more than her due. She looked at it, tucked it into her ancient looking metal purse - a cylinder like little container with a lid - and started to fill the glasses again.
We said we didn’t want any more. She looked at all four of us in surprise, and asked, "If you didn’t want any more then why did you give me that extra money?" I told her that she can use the extra money to buy some rice and vegetable and have a good dinner that night with her son.
Oh, you must have seen her face when I said that! The moment she realized that I was trying to be charitable, she felt humiliated. She protested that she wasn’t prepared to accept anything more than what she deserved and pulled out her purse to return the extra money it to me! Needless to say, I felt thoroughly embarrassed. I didn’t know how to react. But my wife intervened and assured her that since we were returning by the same train two or three days later, she could make us drink as much buttermilk as she wanted then. It was not charity, but a kind of advance payment. The lady was not convinced until she made us promise that we would keep to our words.
After she left, I picked up a newspaper lying by my side. Someone had bought it but left it there. I turned around the pages, trying hard to suppress a lump rising in my throat. The paper, like it always is, was filled with stories of "high-placed" people who were swindling the country of thousands of crores! I threw it away through the window in disgust.
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