A Short Inspirational Story : Two Frogs

A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them
fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw how deep the pit
was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The
two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit
with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop,
that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took
heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down
and died.

The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again,
the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He
jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the
other frogs said, “Did you not hear us?” The frog explained to
them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the
entire time.

This story teaches two lessons:
1. There is power of life and death in the tongue. An encouraging
word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it
through the day.

2. A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes
to kill them.

Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your
path. The power of words… it is sometimes hard to understand
that an encouraging word can go such a long way. Anyone can speak
words that tend to rob another of the spirit to continue in
difficult times. Special is the individual who will take the time
to encourage another.

Author Unknown

Story Of The Wise Man And The Scorpion

Once an old man saw a scorpion drowning and decided to pull it out from the water. He calmly extended his hand to reach the creature. When he did, the scorpion stung him. With the effect of the pain, the old man let go the creature and it fell back into the water.

The man realizing that the scorpion was drowning again, got back and tried to rescue it but then again it stung him. He let go of it again. A young boy standing by, approached the old man and said,

“Excuse me Sir, you are going to hurt yourself trying to save the evil-vicious creature, why do you insist? Don’t you realize that each time you try to help the scorpion, it stings you?”

The man replied, “The nature of the scorpion is to sting and mine is to help. It will not change in helping the scorpion.” So the man thought for a while and used a leaf from a nearby tree and pulled the scorpion out from the water and saved it’s life.

MORAL:
We do not have to live the life style of a monk or a saint to demonstrate love to our fellow man. Let us all cease living selfish lifestyles and be like little Christs in this world. Start caring for the less fortunate even on the simplest of ways.

Peace of Mind

Once Buddha was walking from one town to another town with a few of his followers. This was in the initial days.

While they were traveling, they happened to pass a lake. They stopped there and Buddha told one of his disciples:

“I am thirsty. Do get me some water from that lake there.”

The disciple walked up to the lake. When he reached it, he noticed that some people were washing clothes in the water and, right at that moment, a bullock cart started crossing through the lake. As a result, the water became very muddy, very turbid.

The disciple thought, “How can I give this muddy water to Buddha to drink!” So he came back and told Buddha, “The water in there is very muddy. I don’t think it is fit to drink.”

After about half an hour, Buddha asked the same disciple to go back to the lake and get him some water to drink. The disciple obediently went back to the lake. This time he found that the lake had absolutely clear water in it. The mud had settled down and the water above it looked fit to be had. So he collected some water in a pot and brought it to Buddha.

Buddha looked at the water, and then he looked up at the disciple and said, “See what you did to make the water clean. You let it be ... and the mud settled down on its own, and you got clear water! Your mind is also like that. When it is disturbed, just let it be... Give it a little time. It will settle down on its own. You don’t have to put in any effort to calm it down. It will happen. It is effortless.”

What did Buddha emphasize here? He said, “It is effortless.” Having 'peace of mind' is not a strenuous job; it is an effortless process. When there is peace inside you, that peace permeates to the outside. It spreads around you and the environment, so much that people around start feeling your inner peace and grace.

5-Year-Old With Autism Paints Stunning Masterpieces

Reasons not to mess with children.

A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales.
The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small.
The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale.
Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.
The little girl said, 'When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah'.
The teacher asked, 'What if Jonah went to hell?'
The little girl replied, 'Then you ask him'.


A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's work.
As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was.
The girl replied, 'I'm drawing God.'
The teacher paused and said, 'But no one knows what God looks like.'
Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, 'They will in a minute.'


A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year olds.
After explaining the commandment to 'honor' thy Father and thy Mother, she asked, 'Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?'
Without missing a beat one little boy (the oldest of a family) answered, 'Thou shall not kill.'


One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast on her brunette head.
She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, 'Why are some of your hairs white, Mom?'
Her mother replied, 'Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white.'
The little girl thought about this revelation for a while and then said, 'Momma, how come ALL of grandma's hairs are white?'


The children had all been photographed, and the teacher was trying to persuade them each to buy a copy of the group picture.
'Just think how nice it will be to look at it when you are all grown up and say, 'There's Jennifer, she's a lawyer,' or 'That's Michael, He's a doctor.'
A small voice at the back of the room rang out, 'And there's the teacher, she's dead.'





The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray:
'Take only ONE . God is watching.'
Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies.
A child had written a note, 'Take all you want. God is watching the apples.'


It doesn't matter how many people you send this to, just remember if it made you laugh, your friends will laugh too.

13 Les Brown Quotes That Will Inspire You

Les Brown is one of my favourite motivational speakers and his speeches have been a part of my life for quite a long time. I have tried to live by his philosophy and my life has changed tremendously since I started doing so. This is why today I’ve decided to share with you some of his best quotes. Enjoy!

1. “Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.”

2. “Your dream was given to you. If someone else can’t see it for you, that’s fine, it was given to you and not them. It’s your dream. Hold it. Nourish it. Cultivate it!”

3. “Life takes on meaning when you become motivated, set goals and charge after them in an unstoppable manner.”


4. “It’s not over until you win.”

5. “Life is a fight for territory and once you stop fighting for what you want, what you don’t want will automatically take over.”

6. “No one will take better care of your dream than you.”


7. “If you run around with 9 losers pretty soon you’ll be the 10th loser.”

8. “Life has no limitations, except the ones you make.”

9. “Other people’s opinion of you does not have to become your reality.”

10. “Most people fail in life not because they aim too high and miss, but because they aim too low and hit.”

11. “Just because Fate doesn’t deal you the right cards, it doesn’t mean you should give up. It just means you have to play the cards you get to their maximum potential.”

12. “The graveyard is the richest place on earth, because it is here that you will find all the hopes and dreams that were never fulfilled, the books that were never written, the songs that were never sung, the inventions that were never shared, the cures that were never discovered, all because someone was too afraid to take that first step, keep with the problem, or determined to carry our their dream.”

13. “Perfection does not exist — you can always do better and you can always grow.”



Les Brown is a life changer and as you can see he is a man full of so much wisdom for all. If you loved this collection of Les Brown quotes please make sure you share this article with your loved ones and followers.

5 pieces of advice for coping with tough times

They say misfortunes never come singly, and there comes a stage in everybody’s life when this saying becomes a first-person story.

So happened in mine. I’ve had the most amazing summer, half an year full of travelling, meeting incredible people, making friendships I believe will last forever, broadening my points of view, enriching my mind while getting to know other cultures and gathering tons of stories to tell. But when summer was over, so was my happiness. With the change of weather, there was an accident that completely changed the season inside of me, too. Of course, it came with several other ill-fated occurrences that made me question myself how much more bullshit I can take. A few of the most important people in my life were going through a whole lot of pain and there was nothing I could do to help them. This was one of those moments when you think it would be easier to have happened to you rather than watch your beloved ones suffer. It wasn’t long before I reached the point of desperation beyond which I had turned into rude, disrespectful, inactive person. I was not only unhelpful but I was also on my way to push people away from me.

Back in the days I had one or two breakdowns which I overcame, realizing that nothing is gone before it had taught you what you need to be taught. So this time I had some new lessons to learn and I also had to revise some of the older ones.

This article is not about the what-doesn’t-kill-you-makes-you-stronger cliché because we all know that most of the times what doesn’t kill you devastates you mentally. It’s about sharing some advice about how to go through the thunderclouds without getting struck, without losing your way to the sun and the clear sky.


Let people help you


During breakdowns most of the people tend to get locked inside of themselves with the unbearable thought of resigning from this world. Some hate to be felt sorry for, some refuse to believe that a friend’s support can get them out of the hole. But it sure can! Try not to become a prisoner of your grief. It’s not humiliating to take a hand that reaches out for you. It’s not shameful to admit that you need help.

On the other hand, there are people who tend to take it all out on their closest ones. Of course, they should be there for you when the world brings you to your knees, this is what friends are for. But they are human beings so don’t mistaken their patience and understanding with switched off emotions. Next time you shout at them for no reason, remember that there is no taller person than the one, leaning down to help you.


Watch out for the bad habits


When you find yourself lost and desperate, your will is what is being put to the most difficult test. One of the first things that we do because of our blurred appraisal is giving in to the bad habits. They seem to ease the pain at first but all they do is make it double. Before you grab a package of cancer sticks or try to drown the misery into a bottle of liquor, or swallow an amount of food you would normally eat for three days, take a second and think! Think about the fact that punishing your body won’t make it any better. Think about that starting another battle with something bad for you might as well lead you to another breakdown rather than get you out of the current one.


Focus on the positive things


Always, always, always remember that it could have been worse and be thankful that it’s not. By concentrating on how difficult it is, by being hateful, by desiring revenge you become a rotten apple, eating yourself out from the inside, making it even harder to recover. Focus on the lessons that this trouble is teaching you, accept the fact that as life happens there are tons of ups and downs. It’s a journey of discovery – there are moments on mountaintops and moments in deep valleys of despair. Expecting your way to be only ascending is immature and will catch you unprepared for the times when life knocks you down.
Start appreciating everything before it has gone bad. Being able to walk, run, dance, enjoy the sun, work, eat, sleep, even do housework… it is all a gift we never know when it’s going to be taken away.


Make your pain your motivation


We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment, says Jim Rohn, famous American author and motivational speaker. And here’s the key word – discipline. During breakdowns people might get spoiled by the right not be all right and this can turn into negligence. Instead of lying all day, feeling weak and stuck, go for a walk, cook something good. When trapped in a cage of anger or constant frustration, go to the gym, run a few miles or take it out on the punching bag. Build in your mind the image of what will make you happy and imagine you are running towards it. Sometimes, because of the unfortunate circumstances, we are left with no other choice but to learn how to do things we have never done before. The stress is huge and it’s even harder but you will be surprised by how far beyond your expected abilities you can get.


This too shall pass


Time is the greatest cure. Remember, no matter how hopeless the situation may seem, just don’t give up. It is Winston Churchill who said “If you’re going through hell, keep going”. Nothing lasts forever, not even the pain.

Really bad things happen everywhere and to everyone. Sooner or later everybody finds themselves in a dark place, where all the drama seems endless. “Why me?” is a question that I have asked myself not once or twice, without even thinking how pointless it is. In fact, it’s not only me and if life was to answer, it has the full right to say “Just because.”. It is how things work, some kind of a natural order, balance or law. Accept it, stay disciplined, look for the positive side, keep the quality people close. And never ever let yourself lose hope!

In the era before internet...

In the era before internet...

After the first session in the morning, he stepped out of the college, went straight to the cinema hall, got "extruded" through the sultry and cacophonous milieu of the dark "ticket tunnel" there for about an hour, and emerged out of it victoriously, with the priceless possession of a couple of pieces of yellow coloured paper in his hand. He then rushed into the cheaply scented, air-conditioned luxury of the lobby, and was waiting.

The familiar whiff of her fragrance caught his nose as he turned and saw them. The guy sneered at him while passing the currency notes for the tickets and walked away with her. While counting the notes, his hard earned weekly pocket money, he looked up to catch a glimpse of her turning and smiling at him, before entering the auditorium.

Kishore

5 Behaviours You Should Never Tolerate From Others

There are many things in life we have to tolerate - people or facts. However, there are also many other things we don't actually have to tolerate, but still we do. We step around things, overlook irritations, and mindlessly accept energy drains. Perhaps we've become so immune to these toleration that we don’t recognize the negative impact they have on us.


1)Bullying


Bullying is not a problem just among kids and teenagers. It is a very common issue for adults, too. Many people just don’t recognize it because it is usually disguised as verbal aggression or other types of intolerant behaviour. Bullying should definitely not be accepted! Sadly, some people just won’t be happy until they’ve pushed your ego to the ground and stomped on it. What you have to do is have the nerve to stand your ground. Don’t give them any leeway. Nobody has the power to make you feel small unless you give them that power. It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but just as much to stand up to your family and friends. Sometimes bullying comes from the most unlikely places. Be cognizant of how the people closest to you treat you, and look out for the subtle jabs they throw. When necessary, confront them – whatever it takes to give yourself the opportunity to grow into who you really are.


2) Lack of communication


Draining relationships include bad communication between people or no communication at all. It's really sad. In every single relationship you have, especially your primary relationship, healthy communication is essential to your life happiness. Open, honest, loving communication is the number one ingredient for successful relationships. If you don’t know how to communicate in a healthy way, then learn how to and begin to implement these skills.


3) Dishonesty

Let's be honest, it's true that people tell lies. Some people tell lies in order to protect you from something (even though this is stupid) or to make you happy (these are called white lies). However there are some people who tell lies all the time or people who choose to tell lies that can harm you in the end. This is called dishonesty and you should neither accept it nor be dishonest to someone else. Live your life in such a way as to not feel the need to hide behind them. Don’t allow others (or yourself) the opportunity to nestle into their own cowardice. That is, after all, what lying is. It’s an attempt to get around the consequences of our decisions. Or perhaps it’s a way to avoid the overreaction of someone close or who has authority over us. Even so, have the courage to let the person overreacting choose how to deal with an honest life, not a pretended one. Then have the courage to accept their response.


4)Physical abuse


Most people know that physical violence is a serious issue that should never be ignored and you must never tolerate such behaviour. However it's sad that many families and relationships are going through this right now. So, if you know someone who is struggling with this or has had such an experience before, give him a helping hand and encourage them to let go of their past, anger so that they can move on with their life the healthy way.


5) Ingratitude

Ingratitude is a particularly ugly form of selfishness. It’s taking others’ kindness for granted, indifferent to their thoughtfulness. Ingratitude is intolerable because it fails to recognize the humanity of the person who has done something kind. Even Jesus asked the 10th leper where the other nine were he had healed when the 10th was the only one to thank him. Help people grow by gently and lovingly and compassionately reminding them to express gratitude more freely. You will be helping them lay a foundation for greater and deeper and more consistent levels of happiness. Still, the most effective way to encourage gratitude in others is to be grateful yourself

The Monk's Secret

A man is driving down the road and breaks down near a monastery. He goes to the monastery, knocks on the door, and says, My car broke down. Do you think I could stay the night?

The monks graciously accept him, feed him dinner, and even fix his car. As the man tries to fall asleep, he hears a strange sound; a sound like no other that he has ever heard. The next morning, he asks the monks what the sound was, but they say, We can't tell you because you're not a monk.

The man is disappointed but thanks them anyway and goes about his merry way. Some years later, the same man breaks down in front of the same monastery.

The monks again accept him, feed him, and even fix his car.
That night, he hears the same strange mesmerizing sound that he had heard years earlier.


The next morning, he asks what the sound was, but the monks reply,
We can't tell you because you're not a monk.

The man says, all right, all right. I'm dying to know.

If the only way I can find out what that sound was is to become a monk, how do I become a monk?

The monks reply, you must travel the earth and tell us how many blades of grass there are and the exact number of sand pebbles. When you find these numbers, you will become extremely learned and a monk.
The man sets about his task. Some forty-five years later, he returns and knocks on the door of the monastery. He says, I have travelled the earth and devoted my life to the task demanded and have found what you had asked for. There are 371,145,236, 284,232 blades of grass and 231,281,219, 999,129,382 sand pebbles on the earth.

The monks reply, "congratulations, you are correct, and you are now considered a monk" .
We shall now show you the way to the sound.
The monks lead the man to a wooden door, where the head monk says, the sound is behind that door.
The man reaches for the knob, but the door is locked. He asks, May I have the key ?
The monks give him the key, and he opens the door.
Behind the wooden door is another door made of stone. The man requests the key to the stone door.
The monks give him the key, and he opens it only to find a door made of ruby. He asks for another key from the monks, who provide it. Behind that door is another door, this one made of sapphire.

And so it went on until the man had gone through doors of emerald, silver, topaz, and amethyst.

Finally, the monks say, This is the key to the last door .

>

>

>

>

The man ( who is now a monk ) is relieved to be at the end. He unlocks the door,

turns the knob, and behind that door he is astonished to find the source of that

strange sound. It is truly an amazing and
>
>
>
>

>

>

>

>

>

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But I can't tell you what it is because you're not a monk !

A short story -- Ego will kill you‏

There was once a learned scientist..

After a lot of practice and efforts, he developed a formula and learned the art of reproducing himself. He did it so perfectly that it was impossible to tell the reproduction from the original.

One day while doing his research, he realized that the Angel of Death was searching for him. In order to remain immortal he reproduced a dozen copies of himself. The reproduction was so meticulous that all of them looked exactly like him. Now when this Angel of Death came down, he was at a loss to know which of the thirteen before him was the original scientist, and confused, he left them all alone and returned back to heaven.

But, not for long, for being an expert in human nature, the Angel came up with a clever idea. He said to the scientist addressing all thirteen of them, "Sir, you must be a genius to have succeeded in making such perfect reproduction formula of yourself. However, I have discovered a flaw in your work, just one tiny little flaw."

The scientist immediately jumped out and shouted, Impossible! where is the flaw?" "Right here" said the Angel, as he picked up the scientist from among the reproductions and carried him off.

The whole purpose of the scientist and his formula of reproduction failed as he could not control his pride and lost his life.

Traditional Management Lesson Vs Modern Management Lesson

One night when the whole world was sleeping, a thief broke into the house of a washer man.

The washer man was fast asleep but the donkey and the dog were awake.
The dog decided not to bark since the master did not take good care of him and wanted to teach him a lesson.

The donkey got worried and said to the dog that if he doesn't bark, the donkey will have to do something himself.

The dog did not change his mind and the donkey started braying loudly.
Hearing the donkey bray, the thief ran away, the master woke up and started beating the donkey for braying in the middle of the night for no reason.
Moral of the story: One must not engage in duties other than his own.
Now take a new look at the same story.

The washer man was like a typical top management corporate guy.
He had the fundas of looking at the bigger picture and thinking out of the box.
He was convinced that there must be some reason for the donkey to bray in the night.

He walked outside a little and did some fact finding, applied a research approach, figured out from the ground realities that there was a thief who broke in and the donkey only wanted to alert him about it.

Looking at the donkey's extra initiative and going beyond the call of the duty, he rewarded him with lot of hay and other perks and the donkey became his favorite pet.

The dog's life didn't change much, except that now the donkey was more motivated in doing the dogs duties as well.

In the Appraisal the dog managed an "8".

The donkey was rated as "9".

Soon the dog realized that the donkey is taking care of his duties and he can enjoy his life sleeping and lazing around.

The donkey had to live up to his already high performance standards.
Soon he was over burdened with work and always under pressure and now is looking for a switch....

Moral of the story-Remains the same- "One must not engage in duties other than his own"

Disclaimer: All characters in the story are not at all imaginary. Any resemblance to person living or dying of work is purely intentional.

Don't Mind And Keep Going...

My physics teacher told me this in 11th...

When James Watt invented the steam engine (which was a great invention at that time), People around him couldn't believe it and told Aahhh This thing won't start...

Once it started.. They then said.. Ahhh this thing won't stop..

Moral: People around you keep pulling you down. Don't mind and keep going

Wisdom Comes When You Stop reading Books... And Start Feeling Them

if 'knowledge' does not awaken more love in you,

it's not knowledge ... it's dry intellectualism

-- Swami Amar Jyoti --

Tale to Understand - Don't believe everything that you hear!

A thief hired a room at an inn and stayed there at night. The next morning when he looked out of his window he saw the owner of the inn sitting in the courtyard. The man was wearing an expensive new coat which the thief decided would look good on himself.

Accordingly he went out and sitting beside the innkeeper, struck up a conversation with him. Presently he yawned and then to the innkeeper's astonishment, howled like a wolf.

"Why did you do that?" asked the innkeeper.

"I have no control over it," said the thief. "If I yawn three times I actually turn into a wolf. Please don't leave me. I'm frightened!"

And with that he yawned again and let out another howl. The innkeeper turned pale and got up to go but the thief caught hold of his coat and begged him to stay. Even as he pleaded, he yawned again.

The terrified innkeeper wriggled out of the coat to which the thief was tightly holding on and ran into the inn and locked himself in.
The thief calmly put on the coat and walked away.


REFLECTION

Don’t believe to every tale you hear, whether it is good or bad or whether it’s about someone or even about you. Every tale heard from others need not be true. In other words, gossip is like the smoke that comes from the dirty tobacco-pipes of those who diffuse it: it proves nothing but the bad taste of the smoker.

In our appetite for gossip, we tend to gobble down everything before us, only to find, too late, that it is our ideals we have consumed, and we have not been enlarged by the feasts but only diminished.

Be alert to the power of discrimination and just be like an elephant which knows to separate good water from the bad and consume only the good. Take only what is needed for your own improvement and discard the rest!

What you don't see with your eyes, don't witness with your mouth.

THIS MOM WOULDN'T QUIT TRYING TO FIND HER TRAFFICKED DAUGHTER; BUT WHAT SHE ACCOMPLISHED LEFT THE POLICE AMAZED

"Had it not been for that mother's involvement, we certainly wouldn't have been aware of [the trafficking ring] as quickly as we were, and may not have been aware of it at all." -Pierce Co. Sherriff

(Washington)—Never underestimate the life-changing power of a mother's bond with her child. (Photo via KTUL)

I can attest to that in my own experience, but what a Washington state mom did when she discovered her missing daughter had been sold into a human trafficking ring, fired-up every ounce of maternal passion in me!

In at least one news report, this mother's teenage daughter (names not disclosed) was described as a runaway, but that didn't stop her from continually searching for her girl.

Thinking she may have been caught into human trafficking, the mom began poring over websites like Backpage and Craigslist that have been used by traffickers to advertise girls for sex.

Her efforts were rewarded when she discovered her own daughter's photo on one of the sites, and that's when she took it upon herself to get her back.

The Washington mom called the number on her daughter's photo and asked "how much she could get for $200," she was then told where to go.

The mom successfully retrieved her daughter, and then reportedly led police to two of the suspects; effectively breaking up a human trafficking ring near Tacoma that police say may have otherwise gone undetected.

Lt. Ron Mead, with the WSP Exploited and Missing Children Task Force noted, "She really kind of did her own sting and located the hotel they were using and set up a 'meet' and recovered her daughter."

Besides this mom's recovery of her daughter, there were at least two other teens recovered, and—according to the KATV report, possibly more by the time it's all over.

Way to go, mom!

Trust your loved one. Be faithful.

A woman wanted to know how her husband would react if she left without telling him where she had gone to.

So she decided to write him a letter saying that she's tired of him and doesn't wanna live with him anymore.

After writing letter, she placed it on the table in their bedroom then hid under the bed. When her husband came back home, he saw the letter and read it, after reading he wrote something on the letter, then began to sing and dance, he changed his clothes. Then took his phone, called someone.


"Hey babe, am just changing my clothes and will join you soon, as for that foolish wife of mine, it has finally dawned on her that I was just fooling around with her and she packed her things and left. I was wrong to have married her, I wish I knew u before then. See you soon honey!"

He then walked out of the room and left.

The wife in tears and very very upset, came out from under the bed and decided to read what her husband wrote on the letter.

And it says "I saw your feet woman! I'm going to buy bread, so stand up and stop your silly games, prepare my meal before I get back. Because I am hungry please. I love u baby''

Moral : Trust your loved one. Be faithful.

Roles and How We Play Them

Whenever I'm disappointed with my spot in my life, I stop and think

about a little Boy. The boy was trying out for a part in a school play.

His mother told me that he'd set his heart on being in it, though she

feared he would not be chosen. On the day the parts were awarded,

his mother went to collect him after school. The boy rushed up to her,

eyes shining with pride and excitement. "Guess what Mom," he

shouted, and then said those words that will remain a lesson to me:

"I've been chosen to clap and cheer."

No Problem

Don't worry if you have problems! Which is easy to say until you are 

in the midst of a really big one,I know. But the only people I am

aware of who don't have troubles are gathered in little

neighbourhoods. Most cities and villages have at least one. We call

them cemeteries. If you're breathing, you have difficulties. It's the way

of life. And believe it or not, most of your problems may actually be

good for you! Let me explain.

Maybe you have seen the Great Barrier Reef, stretching some 1,800

miles from New Guinea to Australia. Tour guides regularly take

visitors to view the reef. On one tour, the guide was asked an

interesting question. "I notice that the lagoon side of the reef looks

pale and lifeless, while the ocean side is vibrant and colourful," a

traveller observed. "Why is this?"

The guide gave an interesting answer: "The coral around the lagoon

side is in still water, with no challenge for its survival. It dies early. The

coral on the ocean side is constantly being tested by wind, waves,

and storms -- surges of power. It has to fight for survival every day of

its life. As it is challenged and tested it changes and adapts. It grows

healthy. It grows strong. And it reproduces." Then he added this

telling note: "That's the way it is with every living organism."

That's how it is with people. Challenged and tested, we come alive!

Like coral pounded by the sea,we grow. Physical demands can

cause us to grow stronger. Mental and emotional stress can produce

tough-mindedness and resiliency. Spiritual testing can produce

strength of character and faithfulness.

So, you have problems -- no problem! Just tell yourself, "There I

grow again; stronger and powerful!"

A seed of Honesty

A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business. Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together. He said, “It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you.”
The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued. “I am going to give each one of you a SEED today – one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO.”

One man, named Gaurav, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed.
Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.
Gaurav kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Gaurav didn’t have a plant and he felt like a failure.

Six months went by — still nothing in Gaurav’s pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Gaurav didn’t say anything to his colleagues, however… He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil – He so wanted the seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection.
Gaurav told his wife that he wasn’t going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Gaurav felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right.
He took his empty pot to the board room. When Gaurav arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful — in all shapes and sizes.
Gaurav put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!
When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives.
Gaurav just tried to hide in the back. “My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown,” said the CEO. “Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!”
All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Gaurav at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front.
Gaurav was terrified. He thought, “The CEO knows I’m a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!”
When Gaurav got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed – Gaurav told him the story.
The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Gaurav. He looked at Gaurav, and then announced to the young executives, “Behold your next Chief Executive Officer! His name is Gaurav!”
Gaurav couldn’t believe it. Gaurav couldn’t even grow his seed.

“How could he be the new CEO?” the others said.

Then the CEO said, “One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead – it was not possible for them to grow. All of you, except Gaurav, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. He was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!”

* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
* If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
* If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment.
* If you plant hard work, you will reap success.

So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later..

“Whatever You Give To Life, Life Gives You Back”

Selflessness

A rich man said to his friend, "Why it is everyone is always criticizing

me for being miserly. Everyone knows that I have made provision to

leave everything I have to charity when I die?" "Well," said the

minister, "let me tell you about a story about the pig and the cow. The

pig was complaining to the cow one day about how unpopular he

was. "People are always talking about your gentleness and your

kindness," said the pig. "You give milk and cream. But I give even

more. I give bacon and ham. I give bristles and they even pickle my

feet! Still no one likes me; I'm just pig. Why is this?" The cow

thought for a minute, and then said, "Well, maybe it's because I give

while I'm still living.

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A Lockless Village Has No Front Doors Including Its Bank Where God is Guardian

Bank in village 

A home of this village
In the modern times where, together with the technology advances, crimes too become more sophisticated and the concerns for more and more security measures gains priority, is it possible to imagine a place where people live in harmony in no-door-no-locks-houses ? It may seem unbelievable but as a matter of fact, true! There is indeed a tiny hamlet where houses and other buildings like shops have no doors, and that place is in the country of countless legends and myths – India.
SHANI SHINGNAPUR: Members of the Gade family proudly show off a stash of rupees kept in an unlocked tin barrel in their bedroom, despite their home not having a front door.

In Shani Shingnapur village in Maharashtra, residents see little need for such security, thanks to their belief in special protection from the Hindu deity Shani.

As farmers trundle the roads in bullock carts piled high with sugarcane, they pass rows of homes bearing empty door frames, a village tradition that goes back for generations.

"Years ago, Shani came in the dreams of devotees and told them you don't need to put any doors on your homes," housewife Jayashree Gade .

"He said: 'I will protect you'. That's why we don't have any doors."

According to legend, an iron and stone slab washed up in a nearby river during a flood more than 300 years ago, and began oozing blood when cattle herders poked it with a stick.

In a vision to a villager later that night, the slab was revealed to be an idol of Shani, and today it stands in an open square adorned with garlands of flowers, drawing crowds of pilgrims.

Shani, who is believed to be manifested in the planet Saturn, is considered so mighty that his shrine cannot be kept under a shelter, and he will not let thieves in the village of open homes go unpunished.



"The power of Shani is such that if someone steals, he will keep walking all night and think he has left the village, but when the sun comes up he will still be there," said mill worker Balasaheb Borude.

Some villagers said they put loose panels against their door frames at night, but only to keep out wild animals.

Similarly, the local branch of state-owned UCO Bank prides itself on its "lockless" status. Although money is kept in a strongroom, the front of the building has just a glass door with no lock, to avert stray dogs.

"We have no trouble," said bank official Nagender Sehrawat, gesturing to the queue of customers when asked if they were happy with the arrangement.

Devotees pouring in

Today the centre of the village, which lies in Maharashtra, has the feel of bustling small town, with stalls lining the dusty main road selling souvenirs and flowers to religious tourists.

Home to about 5,000 people, Shani Shingnapur rose to fame across the country after appearing in a devotional Hindi film about its deity in the '90s.

"The whole world got to know that there is a place called Shani Shingnapur, where houses have no doors, there are trees but no shadows, there are gods but no temples," said Sayaram Bankar, a trustee at the shrine.

"Devotees from across the state and across India started pouring in to see this unusual village."




Shani Shingnapur's reputation has been somewhat dented in recent years by reports of a few thefts. In 2010, a visitor from north India complained that cash and valuables worth 35,000 rupees ($553) were taken from a vehicle. Bankar dismissed reports of stealing, saying it only happened outside the village.

Sceptics of the Shani legend remain unconvinced by the area's appeal.

"When you have a place in the middle of nowhere where no one goes and you have a legend like that, then people will go there," said Narendra Nayak, a leading rationalist who works to expose fraudulent gurus and challenge superstitions.

According to a pamphlet handed out at the shrine, Shani Shingnapur is not just free from theft but from all sinful behaviour, a "model village" in contrast to the corrupt outside world.

"Professional robbers, thieves, dacoits, non-vegetarians, drunkards, never come here," the pamphlet confidently stated.

"If they come, they behave like gentlemen."

As for doors, a few have popped up over the years, but villagers were sure their tradition would continue, much to the envy of visiting devotees.

"This is something special about this god. He is a guardian of this place," said Amit Sharma, a hotel manager, after paying his respects at the shrine.

University Life Motivational Story

A strange fellow approached three construction workers

who were part of the team building a cathedral.

“Excuse me, young man, what are you doing?” the strange

guy asked one of the workers, who was doing his work with

some anxiety.

“I am cutting stones,” the worker replied.

Realizing that the construction worker had no desire to

engage in conversation, the strange man repeated his

question to another worker.

This time, this construction worker paused and stated that

he was a stonecutter from the north who had come to work

and who would return home as soon as he had earned

some money.




After thanking the second worker, the strange man

approached the third construction worker, who was

performing his work with enthusiasm, patiently and

carefully making and remaking was his was doing, and

again asked his question.

This construction worker completely stopped what he was

doing as if to begin a long discussion with the strange man,

and answered: “I have journeyed many miles to be part of

the team that is constructing this magnificent cathedral.

Even though I have spent many months away from my

family and I miss them dearly, I am aware of how important

this cathedral will be one day and I know how many people

will find spiritual peace in this great place.” This worker

continued his story, telling the strange man about the

planning of the construction of the cathedral, and how the

construction would be completed, and so on.




Relating the story with students behavior, one could assert the

following:

The first worker appears like the students who are painfully

taking a course and only want a passing grade in order to

continue the struggling to see how the university diploma,

which he/she might not like as much, gets into his/her

hands.

The second worker is like the students who are doing just

enough to obtain their passing grade. Perhaps they will

continue this way to obtain the university diploma, which

he/she might like as a way to do something else.




The third worker is like the active-learner student, who has

realized that their University life is much more than obtaining a

University diploma and/or passing grade in a class. The

active-learner student understands that every subject is

interconnected each to another, and consequently he or she

needs to understand everything as a whole. Thus, several

perspectives can be applied to study any subject. For these

students, the University diploma will come as a matter of

consciously driving their way through every aspect of the

University life.




“For efficient learning, the learner should be interested

in the material to be learnt and find pleasure in the

activity of learning.”

“We know from painful experience that a perfectly

unambiguous and correct exposition can be far from

satisfactory and may appear uninspiring, tiresome or

disappointing, even if the subject-matter presented is

interesting in itself.

Need a dose of cuteness, today?

Putting Yourself First!

"Love yourself enough to say no to others' demands on your time and energy. Step back & reassess the situation" - Goddess Guidance

Once you have your mask on things get really exciting on the path. You are then able to help others, by put their masks on for them. You can guide other to the path; you can become their oxygen line. You can begin to bring them peace. No longer are you seen as selfish, your true nature is seen as a selfless, giving person.

So, what are your best interests? How do you base your actions, your goals, your time-management and your life on them - and how will this affect the people around you? We would suggest that acting consistently in your own best interests involves four areas:


Meeting your physical needs, such as getting enough sleep and exercise

Meeting your emotional needs, such as asking for support when you need it

Meeting your mental needs, such as having a stimulating job

Meeting your spiritual needs, such as taking time to meditate or pray

Physical needs

If you're regularly exhausted because you never take time to eat a proper meal, get a good night's sleep, or get some exercise, then start making these things an absolute priority.

Do you stay up late with your spouse, watching TV while slumped on the sofa half-asleep, because you think your partner will be offended if you go to bed alone? Do you have no time for your own breakfast because you're too busy preparing lunchboxes for your children?

Being well-rested, and taking care of your health, means that you'll have the energy you need to help those around you. If you feel constantly exhausted, you're likely to snap at your loved ones when you least mean to.

Emotional needs

Some of us end up being the "support system" to whom friends and family come to with problems. It's a great privilege to be known as a good listener, but sometimes it's hard when you feel you need support - but you're worried about burdening people.

Ask a good friend or a relative if you can have a chat with them. Explain that you're going through a difficult time, and it would help to have someone to talk to. They'll be more than glad to help, especially if it means they can return a favor that you've provided for them in the past.

If you don't reach out to other people when you're feeling sad, angry, low or lonely, you can end up turning to unhealthy sources of comfort. Whether it's supersized bars of candy, a bottle of vodka, or drugs, all of these will eventually be damaging to you and to those around you.

Mental needs

We all need to feel challenged and stimulated by our daily life. If you never learn anything new, never push yourself to think a bit harder, or never do anything that tests your limits - you'll probably end up feeling that life lacks meaning.

On the flip side, if you're completely out of your depth with a particular area of studying or work, you're unlikely to be unhappy, stressed and anxious.

Spiritual needs

When life is busy, it's hard to take time for things which feel unproductive - like attending a religious service, meditating, taking a long bath, or praying. You might feel guilty about "sitting there doing nothing" if you're engaged in one of these activities.

But it's crucially important for us to find space and distance from day-to-day life, in order to take a fresh look at things. Some great thinkers have flashes of inspiration in the bath (Archimedes' Eureka moment comes to mind...). I'm sure that you've had your own experience that sometimes the solution to a tricky problem, or a new insight on life, comes when you're just relaxing.

Letting yourself take the time you need, without feeling guilty, means that you'll be able to support your family and friends with your perspective on problems or situations that they might be in. You'll be in a better state to not only cope with, but excel in, your own life.

Conclusion:

To help others, you must help yourself first. If you try to help others initially, you will both remain unconscious and will not be able to guide them to the path. Sometimes what appears to the unskilled eye as a selfish gesture is really the most selfless gesture there is.

Steps to Happiness!

Everybody should know:
You can't be all things to all people
You can't do all everything at once
You can't do all things equally well
You can't do everything better than everyone else you're human, just like everyone else.

So:
You have to find out who you are and be that
You have to decide what comes first and do that
You have to discover your strengths and use them
You have to learn not to compete with others because no one else is in the business of being you.

Then:
You will have learned to accept your own uniqueness
You will have learned to set priorities and make decisions
You will have learned to live with your limitations
You will have learned to give yourself the respect that is due and you will be on the road to being the best "you" that you can be.

Dare to believe:
That you are a wonderfully unique person
That you are the only one just like you in all of history
That it is more than a right, it is your duty to be who you are
That life is not a problem to solve, but a gift to cherish
You will be able to stay on top of what used to get you down and achieve the impossible.

Author unknown

The Wallet!

As I walked home one freezing day, I stumbled on a wallet someone had lost in the street. I picked it up and looked inside to find some identification so I could call the owner. But the wallet contained only three dollars and a crumpled letter that looked as if it had been in there for years.

The envelope was worn and the only thing that was legible on it was the return address. I started to open the letter, hoping to find some clue. Then I saw the dateline--1924. The letter had been written almost sixty years ago.

It was written in a beautiful feminine handwriting on powder blue stationery with a little flower in the left-hand corner. It was a "Dear John" letter that told the recipient, whose name appeared to be Michael, that the writer could not see him any more because her mother forbade it. Even so, she wrote that she would always love him.

It was signed, Hannah.

It was a beautiful letter, but there was no way except for the name Michael, that the owner could be identified. Maybe if I called information, the operator could find a phone listing for the address on the envelope.

"Operator," I began, "this is an unusual request. I'm trying to find the owner of a wallet that I found. Is there anyway you can tell me if there is a phone number for an address that was on an envelope in the wallet?"

She suggested I speak with her supervisor, who hesitated for a moment then said, "Well, there is a phone listing at that address, but I can't give you the number." She said, as a courtesy, she would call that number, explain my story and would ask them if they wanted her to connect me. I waited a few minutes and then she was back on the line. "I have a party who will speak with you."

I asked the woman on the other end of the line if she knew anyone by the name of Hannah. She gasped, "Oh! We bought this house from a family who had a daughter named Hannah. But that was 30 years ago!"

"Would you know where that family could be located now?" I asked.

"I remember that Hannah had to place her mother in a nursing home some years ago," the woman said. "Maybe if you got in touch with them they might be able to track down the daughter."

She gave me the name of the nursing home and I called the number. They told me the old lady had passed away some years ago but they did have a phone number for where they thought the daughter might be living.

I thanked them and phoned. The woman who answered explained that Hannah herself was now living in a nursing home.

This whole thing was stupid, I thought to myself. Why was I making such a big deal over finding the owner of a wallet that had only three dollars and a letter that was almost 60 years old?

Nevertheless, I called the nursing home in which Hannah was supposed to be living and the man who answered the phone told me, "Yes, Hannah is staying with us. "

Even though it was already 9 p.m., I asked if I could come by to see her. "Well," he said hesitatingly, "if you want to take a chance, she might be in the day room watching television."

I thanked him and drove over to the nursing home. The night nurse and a guard greeted me at the door. We went up to the third floor of the large building. In the day room, the nurse introduced me to Hannah.

She was a sweet, silver-haired old timer with a warm smile and a twinkle in her eye.

I told her about finding the wallet and showed her the letter. The second she saw the powder blue envelope with that little flower on the left, she took a deep breath and said, "Young man, this letter was the last contact I ever had with Michael."

She looked away for a moment deep in thought and then said Softly, "I loved him very much. But I was only 16 at the time and my mother felt I was too young. Oh, he was so handsome. He looked like Sean Connery, the actor."

"Yes," she continued. "Michael Goldstein was a wonderful person. If you should find him, tell him I think of him often. And," she hesitated for a moment, almost biting her lip, "tell him I still love him. You know," she said smiling as tears began to well up in her eyes, "I never did marry. I guess no one ever matched up to Michael..."

I thanked Hannah and said goodbye. I took the elevator to the first floor and as I stood by the door, the guard there asked, "Was the old lady able to help you?"

I told him she had given me a lead. "At least I have a last name. But I think I'll let it go for a while. I spent almost the whole day trying to find the owner of this wallet."

I had taken out the wallet, which was a simple brown leather case with red lacing on the side. When the guard saw it, he said, "Hey, wait a minute! That's Mr. Goldstein's wallet. I'd know it anywhere with that right red lacing. He's always losing that wallet. I must have found it in the halls at least three times."

"Who's Mr. Goldstein?" I asked as my hand began to shake.

"He's one of the old timers on the 8th floor. That's Mike Goldstein's wallet for sure. He must have lost it on one of his walks."

I thanked the guard and quickly ran back to the nurse's office. I told her what the guard had said. We went back to the elevator and got on. I prayed that Mr. Goldstein would be up.

On the eighth floor, the floor nurse said, "I think he's still in the day room. He likes to read at night. He's a darling old man."

We went to the only room that had any lights on and there was a man reading a book. The nurse went over to him and asked if he had lost his wallet. Mr. Goldstein looked up with surprise, put his hand in his back pocket and said, "Oh, it is missing!"

"This kind gentleman found a wallet and we wondered if it could be yours?"

I handed Mr. Goldstein the wallet and the second he saw it, he smiled with relief and said, "Yes, that's it! It must have dropped out of my pocket this afternoon. I want to give you a reward."

"No, thank you," I said. "But I have to tell you something. I read the letter in the hope of finding out who owned the wallet."

The smile on his face suddenly disappeared. "You read that letter?"

"Not only did I read it, I think I know where Hannah is."

He suddenly grew pale. "Hannah? You know where she is? How is she? Is she still as pretty as she was? Please, please tell me," he begged.

"She's fine...just as pretty as when you knew her." I said softly.

The old man smiled with anticipation and asked, "Could you tell me where she is? I want to call her tomorrow." He grabbed my hand and said, "You know something, mister, I was so in love with that girl that when that letter came, my life literally ended. I never married. I guess I've always loved her. "

"Mr. Goldstein," I said, "Come with me."

We took the elevator down to the third floor. The hallways were darkened and only one or two little night-lights lit our way to the day room where Hannah was sitting alone watching the television. The nurse walked over to her.

"Hannah," she said softly, pointing to Michael, who was waiting with me in the doorway. "Do you know this man?"

She adjusted her glasses, looked for a moment, but didn't say a word. Michael said softly, almost in a whisper, "Hannah, it's Michael. Do you remember me?"

She gasped, "Michael! I don't believe it! Michael! It's you! My Michael!" He walked slowly towards her and they embraced. The nurse and I left with tears streaming down our faces.

"See," I said. "See how the Good Lord works! If it's meant to be, it will be."

About three weeks later I got a call at my office from the nursing home. "Can you break away on Sunday to attend a wedding? Michael and Hannah are going to tie the knot!"

It was a beautiful wedding with all the people at the nursing home dressed up to join in the celebration. Hannah wore a light beige dress and looked beautiful. Michael wore a dark blue suit and stood tall. They made me their best man.

The hospital gave them their own room and if you ever wanted to see a 76-year-old bride and a 79-year-old groom acting like two teenagers, you had to see this couple.

A perfect ending for a love affair that had lasted nearly 60 years.

Author Unknown