It’s an empty vessel

A young farmer was covered with sweat as he paddled his boat up the river. He was going upstream to deliver his produce to the village and he was in a hurry. It was a hot day and he wanted to make his delivery and get home before dark. As he looked ahead, he spotted another vessel, heading rapidly downstream towards his boat. It was coming at a good pace too. This farmer rowed furiously to get out of the way, but it did not seem to help.
He yelled at the other vessel, “Change direction, you idiot! You are going to hit me. The river is wide. Change your course". His screaming was of no use. The other vessel hit his boat with a big loud thud. He was enraged as he stood up and cried out to the other vessel. “Stupid! How could you manage to hit my boat in the middle of this wide river? What is wrong with you? "
And as he looked at the other vessel he realized that there was no one in the other boat. He was screaming at an empty vessel that had broken free of its moorings and was going downstream with the current.
The lesson is very simple.
There is never anyone in the other boat.
When we are angry we are screaming at an empty vessel.
All of us know people who drive us crazy, whom we hate to the core with passion. We may have spent countless hours reliving the moments when this person was unfair, unappreciative or inconsiderate to us. Even remembering this person pumps up our blood pressure.
The best way of dealing with people like this is to not let them make us angry. Getting angry doesn’t help in improving the situation and life is too short to waste on feeling bad or staying with grudges.
Next time when there is a surge of anger in you, just remember this.
There is never anyone in the other boat. It’s an empty vessel always

It is not how much you earn...

It was my personal trip to Chennai and happened to meet my friend. He requested me to be with him for the next morning pooja at his office premises. I respected his feelings and that’s how I was there on that early morning. The Ganapathi Homam was over, Prasadam was distributed to everyone and people were engrossed with the taste of Saravana bhavan coffee. And I was engrossed with the priest.
Rituals were over and he was doing his packing’s. He looked very thin, wore white dhoti on the waste and thread cross the chest. I was asking about his life and family. He used wonderful flavor of Tamil. He has been given responsibility to take care of a small temple in a nearby street; he does not go to all these kind of poojas. Since his guru was busy with some thing else he has been assigned this one. He has two school going daughters and one son. And his aged parents stay with him. He is the only income source for the whole family. He finished his packing’s, picked up his bag, as he was leaving out, he looked at me and said, “ Last month I bought two grounds of land which is next to Porur”.
I was shaken up. He is not as famous as other busy priests available in the city for Homams in the office; he does not go for marriage rituals. He himself mentioned his income is not so huge and on top of it he has aged parents, wife, school going kids and an infant child. All the money would be going for food, medicines, school fee, glossary and other expenses. How is it possible for him to buy two grounds of land, that too in just next to city?
With the unanswered question inside, I sat in my Honda City and drove to Bangalore. Honda City – is an ultimate car. I enjoyed the drive. I Reached Bangalore at 05:45am and I saw Siddique standing with his white bucket. Siddique comes early morning and cleans my car and bike. Same bucket in the hand, but instead of his usual cycle there was a YAMAHA RX125. I was surprised when he said, “My bike sir, I bought last month!” I was very happy for him. I gave the car key, he moved towards the car and I claimed the staircase.
Siddique works as a labor in a godown. I know he has very less income, stays in a rented house, has a family and school going son. That is the reason he cleans few cars in the mornings and gets Rs.300/- per car. In fact I committed him that I will fund his son’s school fee next year. Suddenly Siddique comes in 125cc bike. It is great.. “But how is this possible?”
I remember my wife was telling once about servant maid who sweeps the floor and cleans the vessels at my home was looking for my help for opening a savings bank account. I remember the farmers in my village kept on working for the whole year, kept on spending money for the crops in the form of urea, pesticide, labor, etc and only once they will get big harvest. It will be once in a year. But… they too educate their son and daughters, build villas and bungalows’ and have all the comforts.
My servant maid is a young widow, has a son, earns tiny amount of money, manages the family and want to open an account for savings. The farmers in the village get once in a year, but keeps for the whole year.
Yes. I got it. I understood what Robert T. Kiyosaki told in his famous book ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad’… “It is not how much you earn. It is all about how much you save!”Yes. It is possible for the priest to buy two grounds of land just next to the city. It is possible for my car cleaner to buy his favorite YAMAHA RX125. I earn in lakhs and pays good amount of tax. They earn very little, may be in thousands. But they have greater plans for the incoming money. They are not strong in earnings. BUT THEY ARE STRONGER IN SAVINGS.I remember my father was telling my uncle when I was a small boy, “Earning the money is not a big project. But saving the money is very big project. It is some thing like digging a huge well with a needle”. Now I understand the real life of ants.
My servant maid, Car cleaner Siddique, Chennai Priest, farmers in the village and all those people who work in the street has re-phrased the question in me. It is about ‘how much you save?”.
Hey my friend, your daughter, son, wife and family needs financial comforts tomorrow.
I do not ask you how much you earn… I am asking you … HOW MUCH YOU SAVE?
.......

From my friend...

இறை… Is HE there? Where is HE?“

.….…. ” ஒரு தாய் குழந்தையை எத்தனை வாஞ்சையோடு அழைப்பாளோ… எத்தனை உரிமையோடு அழைப்பாளோ… எப்படி அலுக்காமல் அழைப்பாளோ…அத்தனை அக்கறையோடு இறையை நாம் அழைக்க வேண்டும். ”
குமரகுருபரர் சொன்னது மன்னருக்கு புரிந்தது.
இதில் ஒரு சூட்சுமம் இருக்கிறது. இறைவழிபாடு என்பது தனித்த ஒரு செயல் அல்ல.நாம் எல்லாச் செயலிலும் இறைவழிபாடு இருக்கிறது.
குழந்தையைக் கொஞ்சுவது, நண்பனோடு பழகுவது, மனைவியோடு கூடுவது, தாய் தந்தையரைவணங்குவது, குருவுக்கு அடிபணிவது, வறியவருக்கு வாரிக் கொடுப்பது போன்ற எல்லாவற்றிலும் நாம் இறையைக் காணலாம்.
இறை என்பது வெட்ட வெளியல்ல. ஒன்றுமில்லா சூன்யம் அல்ல, திகைத்துப் போய் நிற்பதல்ல.இசைபட வாழ்தல்தான் இறையுணர்வு. திகைப்பிலிருந்து மீண்டு, எல்லார் மீதும் அன்பு பொங்கப் பொங்க வாழ்தல்தான் இறையுணர்வு.
இறை எங்குமிருப்பவர். எங்குமிருப்பது. உருவம் இல்லாதும், இருக்கும் உருவத்தோடும் இருக்கும். இறைவன் எங்கும் இருப்பதை ஏற்றுக் கொண்டால், உருவத்தையும் ஏ ற்றுக் கொள்ளவேண்டும். உருவமாயிருப்பதில் இறைவன் இல்லையென்று சொல்வது மூடத்தனம்.
இதிலிருந்து உயிரற்ற கல்லிலும், உயிருள்ள பொருளிலும் அன்புள்ளவர் இறைவனை காண முடியும். நேசிப்புத்தான் முக்கியம்.எதை என்பது முக்கியமல்ல. எல்லாவற்றையும் என்பதுதான் முக்கியம். பகுத்துக் கொண்டு இருப்பது அல்ல.
நேசிக்கத் தெரியாதவர்கள்தான் இங்கெய் இறைவன் இல்லை என்று சொல்கிறார்கள். இவர் இறைவனில்லை என்று சொல்கிறார்கள். தனக்கு தெரியும் என்று அலட்டிக் கொள்பவர்களால் இறையைக் கண்டு கொள்ள முடியாது. இழிவுதான் செய்ய முடியும்.
அன்பு செய்தலுக்கு முற்றிலும் எதிரான விஷயம் இழிவு செய்தல். இழிவு செய்வொரிடம் இறையுணர்வு இருக்காது.
‘ இந்த தூணில் இறைவன் இருக்கிறானா..?’ என்று இரணியன் இழிவு செய்தான். ஒரு சிறு பாலகனிடம் இடுப்பில் கை வைத்து கர்ஜித்தான். பாலகன் இருக்கிறான் என்று சொன்னதும் இல்லை என்று தூணை உடைத்தான். அணுவைபிளந்தது போல செக்கச் செவேலென்று சிங்கம் வெளிவந்தது.
அணுவை பிளந்தால் சக்தி வெளிப்படும் எனில், தூணைப் பிளந்தால் வெளிப்படாதா, தூனிலிருந்து மிகப்பெரும் சக்தி வெளிப்பட்டது.
எதற்குச் சொல்கிறேன்… இறை உண்டு. எங்கும் உண்டு. எல்லா உயிரிலும் உண்டு. எல்லா ரூபத்திலும் உண்டு. பார்க்க நாம் தெரிந்து கொள்ள வேண்டும். அதற்கான பக்குவம்வளர்த்துக் கொள்ளவேண்டும். அமைதிதான் அதற்கான பக்குவம்.”
குமரகுருபரர் பேச்சுத் தமிழில் கணீரென்று சொல்ல அங்குள்ள எல்லோருக்கும் புரிந்தது. மன்னர் திருமலை நாயக்கரும், ராமப்பையரும் உட்பட எல்லோரும் குமரகுருபரரை நோக்கி கைக்கூப்பினார்கள். அந்த குழந்தையும் கைக்கூப்பிற்று. அந்த குழந்தை எழுந்து வந்து மன்னரை நோக்கி வணங்கியது.
” இறைவன் எல்லா ரூபத்திலும் இருக்கிறான். நீங்கள் கூட இறைவன் தான்.” கைக்கூப்பி சிரம் தாழ்த்தி வணங்கியது.
” ஆமாம் அம்மா, நீ கூட இறைவிதான் ” மன்னரும் சிரம் தாழ்த்தி கைக்கூப்பி வணங்கினார்.
எல்லோரும், எல்லோரையும் வணங்கினார்கள். மன்னரின் பட்டமகிஷி பாண்டிமாதேவியைப்பார்த்து கைக்கூப்பி வணங்கினாள். அந்த இடமே மாறிப்போயிற்று. அன்பு, தென்றல் போல் மாளிகையில் தவழ்ந்தது. எல்லார் மனதையும் வருடியது. எல்லோரையும் அனைத்துக் கொண்டது. குளிர்வித்தது.குமரகுருபரர் ஒவ்வொருவர் மனததுக்குள்ளும் இருக்கிற கர்வக் கிழங்கை அகழ்ந்து யெடுத்து வெளியேஎறிந்தார். கனத்துக் கொண்டிருந்த கர்வம் வெளியே போனதும் உம்மென்றிருந்த முகங்களெல்லாம் மலரச்சிரித்தன.….…. ”
: பால குமாரனின் ” சிம்மாசனம்” நூலிலிருந்து....

Really Thought Provoking

"Life is one of those races in nursery school where you have to run with a marble in a spoon kept in your mouth. If the marble falls, there is no point coming first. Same with life,“Where health and relationships are the marble”. Your striving is only worth it if there is harmony in your life. Else, you may achieve the success, but this spark, this feeling of being excited and alive, will start to die.One thing about nurturing the spark - don't take life seriously. Life is not to be taken seriously, as we are really temporary here. We are like a pre-paid card with limited validity. If we are lucky, we may last another 50 years. And 50 years is just 2,500 weekends. Do we really need to get so worked up?It's ok, bunk a few classes, goof up a few interviews, take leave from work, fall in love. We are people, not programmed devices..........." "Don't be serious, be sincere." !!!! [:)]

Not programmed devices...

Money and Memory

Money has no memory. Experience has. You will never know what the total cost of your education was, but for a lifetime you will recall and relive the memories of schools and colleges. Few years from now, you will forget the amount you paid to settle the hospitalization bill, but will ever cherish having saved your mother's life or the life you get to live with the just born.. You won't remember the cost of your honeymoon, but to the last breath remember the experiences of the bliss of togetherness. Money has no memory. Experience has.
Good times and bad times, times of prosperity and times of poverty, times when the future looked so secure and times when you didn't know from where the tomorrow will come... life has been in one way or the other a roller-coaster ride for everyone. Beyond all that abundance and beyond all that deprivation, what remains is the memory of experiences. Sometimes the wallet was full.... sometimes even the pocket was empty. There was enough and you still had reasons to frown. There wasn't enough and you still had reasons to smile. Today, you can look back with tears of gratitude for all the times you had laughed together, and also look back with a smile at all the times you cried alone. All in all, life filled you with experiences to create a history of your own self, and you alone can remember them all.
The first time you balanced yourself on your cycle without support... The first time she said 'yes' and it was two years since you proposed... The first cry... the first steps... the first word... the first kiss... all of your child... The first gift you bought for your parents and the first gift your daughter gave you... The first award... the first public appreciation... the first stage performance... And the list is endless... Experiences, with timeless memory... No denying that anything that's material cost money, but the fact remains the cost of the experience will be forgotten, but the experience never.
So, what if it's economic recession? Let it be, but let there not be a recession to the quality of your life. You can still take your parents, if not on a pilgrimage, at least to the local temple. You can still play with your children, if not on an international holiday, at least in the local park. It doesn't cost money to lie down or to take a loved one onto your lap. Nice time to train the employees, create leadership availability and be ready for the wonderful times when they arrive. Hey! Aspects like your health, knowledge development and spiritual growth are not economy dependent.
Time will pass... don't want you to look back and realize you did nothing but stayed in gloom. Recession can make you lose out on money. Let it not make you lose out on experiences... If you are not happy with what you have, no matter how much more you have, you will still not be happy.
Make a statement with the way you live your life. Respect life, live with passion.
"If you wait to be happy u will never be happy! Start living happily, you will be happy forever and ever!" :-)

One day I decided to quit...

I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality. .. I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.
"God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"
His answer surprised me...
"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"
"Yes", I replied.
When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them.
I gave them light. I gave them water.
The fern quickly grew from the earth.
Its brilliant green covered the floor.
Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed.
But I did not quit on the bamboo.
In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.
And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed.
But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.
"In the third year, there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In the fourth year, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. "I would not quit." He said. "Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth.
Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant. .. But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.
It had spent the five years growing roots.
Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."
He said to me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots."
"I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you. " Don't compare yourself to others .." He said. "The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern ... Yet, they both make the forest beautiful."
Your time will come, "God said to me." You will rise high! "How high should I rise?" I asked.
How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.
"As high as it can? I questioned.
"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can.
I left the forest and bring back this story.
I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.
He will never give up on you. Never regret a day in your life.
Good days give you happiness..Bad days give you experiences; ..Both are essential to life.
A happy and meaningful life requires our continuous input and creativity. It does not happen by chance. It happens because of our choices and actions. And each day we are given new opportunities to choose and act and, in doing so, we create our own unique journey." Keep going...

What U Deserve ??!! think over it

It was quarter to one at night when I hit the door bell. My wife opened the door. She had been awake as usual. Waiting for me had become a daily routine for her. Unlike I expected, the house looked normal. I put my laptop on the recliner and went straight into my bedroom, freshened up and got busy with the book - "An autobiography of a yogi."

My wife came in with a piece of cake in her hand. "We waited for you till 9. But it was getting late and your parents pushed to carry on and finish", she said handing over that cake to me. Something stung me deeply for it was my daughter's first birthday. I had almost forgotten that I had a daughter and a feeling of guilt told me that I did not deserve that piece of cake; it felt heavy when the first bite went down my throat.

"Karthik," she used to call me by name, "look at me", she said. I turned my gaze away from the book onto her face. I saw tears in her eyes. "Have I, in the last two years, ever asked you why you come home late every day? Have I ever asked you to take me out with you, even to the temple that you go alone every weekend? Have I ever told you how it feels to attend family functions without you?" I turned back to the book. "Karthik, please look at me, will you? I need an answer today."

I always knew that I would have to face this sometime. "No, you wouldn't understand even if I tell", I replied. "Really? What is it? Please tell me. I know that you agreed to our marriage only because you did not want to disappoint your parents. I know that I'm your wife only for the sake of it. But why should Gaargi suffer because of all this? Doesn't she deserve to be called your daughter? What is her fault?" my wife asked with tears running down. She had never cried in front of me. I looked at my one year old daughter; Gaargi was special to me, for her name reminded me of a very special person in my life.

"Srishti, I am really very sorry. I don't know how to tell all this and I'm not sure how you'll take it. You are not my first love. I had never liked any girl in my life until I met a very nice person who, I decided, would not only be my first love but also the only love in my entire life", my eyes started to fill up, "I can never imagine my life without…" "Your mother told me. I know everything but I wanted you to tell", she interrupted. I wasn’t surprised; two years is a very long time for a secret to be kept in a family. It looked like she wanted me to somehow raise this and then she started.

"Karthik, have I ever made you feel that I had been betrayed by someone who I thought would be the only person in my life?" Her question confused me for a moment, 'Is she talking about me?' I asked myself. "He, not you, was the first man in my life and I too had dreamt that he will be the only one ever. But our relationship collapsed after 5 months of our engagement when I came to know that he was already married. My parents were more than broken when they found this out, for they were the ones who had found this person through some marriage bureau. I went into depression and had attempted suicide twice, but somehow survived. See, even God does not want me. So I decided to live on as life takes me, although I knew that I will not be able to forget any bit of it."

It took some time for all this to sink in. I was perplexed.

"Karthik, I know that you too had given all the love of your life to her. I also know that she never reciprocated your love and that she was never ready to accept you as her man even though you were ready to sacrifice yourself for her. But don't you think it should always flow both ways? Don't you think that it is not worth crying over someone who cannot feel your love? Is it fair on your part to ignore someone who is craving for your love and actually deserves it? Look into my eyes. Don't you see anything which suggests that I deserve to be loved by you? I know Karthik, I know that there's some space in your heart that has been made for me. I can see it in your eyes too. When I look into them I do not feel sad that there's a lot of pain in it. Instead I see that part of it which tells me that I'm not completely unwanted. So I ask you the same thing that you had asked her, 'Please give me a chance'. Don't tell me that you cannot love me even a little. I know you do and Gaargi is the proof."

I could not speak more. Srishti too could not. She rested her head on my shoulder. For the first time I kissed on her forehead.I guess that is what one has to learn. First love is very special. It is something to be remembered for a lifetime but not something for which an entire life can be wasted in grieving over it.

Sometimes you get what you want...
Sometimes you get what you need...
But you're always gonna get what you DESERVE !!!

Life is about correcting mistakes - A wonderful Story

Monica married Hitesh this day. At the end of the wedding party, Monica's mother gave her a newly opened bank saving passbook. With Rs.1000 deposit amount.
Mother: 'Monica, take this passbook. Keep it as a record of your marriage life. When there's something happy and memorable happened in your new life, put some money in. Write down what it's about next to the line. The more memorable the event is, the more money you can put in. I've done the first one for you today. Do the others with Hitesh. When you look back after years, you can know how much happiness you've had.'
Monica shared this with Hitesh when getting home. They both thought it was a great idea and were anxious to know when the second deposit can be made.
This was what they did after certain time:
- 7 Feb: Rs.100, first birthday celebration for Hitesh after marriage
- 1 Mar: Rs.300, salary raise for Monica
- 20 Mar: Rs.200, vacation trip to Bali
- 15 Apr: Rs.2000, Monica got pregnant
- 1 Jun: Rs.1000, Hitesh got promoted ..... and so on...
However, after years, they started fighting and arguing for trivial things.They didn't talk much. They regretted that they had married the most nasty people in the world.... no more love...Kind of typical nowadays, huh?
One day Monica talked to her Mother:
'Mom, we can't stand it anymore. We agree to divorce. I can't imagine how I decided to marry this guy!!!'
Mother: 'Sure, girl, that's no big deal. Just do whatever you want if you really can't stand it. But before that, do one thing first. Remember the saving passbook I gave you on your wedding day? Take out all money and spend it first. You shouldn't keep any record of such a poor marriage.' Monica thought it was true. So she went to the bank, waiting at the queue and planning to cancel the account.
While she was waiting, she took a look at the passbook record. She looked, and looked, and looked. Then the memory of all the previous joy and happiness just came up her mind. Her eyes were then filled with tears. She left and went home.
When she was home, she handed the passbook to Hitesh, asked him to spend the money before getting divorce.
The next day, Hitesh gave the passbook back to Monica. She found a new deposit of Rs.5000. And a line next to the record: 'This is the day I notice how much I've loved you thru out all these years. How much happiness you've brought me.'
They hugged and cried, putting the passbook back to the safe. Do you know how much money they had saved when they retired? I did not ask.I believe the money did not matter any more after they had gone thru all the good years in their life.
"When you fall, in any way, Don't see the place where you fell, Instead see the place from where you slipped. Life is about correcting mistakes!"

This too shall pass....

A good story – This is a little big one… read it when you find time.

Once a king called upon all of his wise men and asked them, “Is there a mantra or suggestion which works in every situation, in every circumstances, in every place and in every time. In every joy, everysorrow, every defeat and every victory? One answer for all questions? Something which can help me when none of you is available to advise me? Tell me is there any mantra?"

All the wise men were puzzled by the King's question. They thought and thought. After a lengthy discussion, an old man suggested something which appealed to all of them. They went to the king and gave him something written on paper, with a condition that the king was not to see it out of curiosity. Only in extreme danger, when the King finds himself alone and there seems to be no way, only then he can see it.

The King put the papers under his Diamond ring.

Some time later, the neighbors attacked the Kingdom. King and his army fought bravely but lost the battle. The King had to flee on his horse. The enemies were following him. getting closer and closer. Suddenly the King found himself standing at the end of the road - that road was not going anywhere. Underneath there was a rocky valley thousand feet deep. If he jumped into it, he would be finished...and he could not return because it was a small road...the sound of enemy's horses was approaching fast. The King became restless. There seemed to be no way.

Then suddenly he saw the Diamond in his ring shining in the sun, and he remembered the message hidden in the ring. He opened the diamond and read the message. The message was - " THIS TOO SHALL PASS"

The King read it . Again read it. Suddenly something struck him- Yes ! This too will pass. Only a few days ago, I was enjoying my kingdom. I was the mightiest of all the Kings. Yet today, the Kingdom and all his pleasure have gone. I am here trying to escape from enemies. Like those days of luxuries have gone, this day of danger too will pass. A calm came on his face. He kept standing there. The place where he was standing was full of natural beauty. He had never known that such a beautiful place was also a part of his Kingdom. The revelation of the message had a great effect on him. He relaxed and forgot about those following him. After a few minutes he realized that the noise of the horses and the enemy coming was receding. They moved into some other part of the mountains and were near him.

The King was very brave. He reorganized his army and fought again. He defeated the enemy and regained his empire. When he returned to his empire after victory, he was received with much fanfare. The whole capital was rejoicing in the victory. Everyone was in a festive mood. Flowers were being showered on King from every house, from every corner. People were dancing and singing. For a moment King said to himself," I am one of the bravest and greatest Kings. It is not easy to defeat me. With all the reception and celebration he saw an ego emerging in him.

Suddenly the Diamond of his ring flashed in the sunlight and reminded him of the message. He opens it and read it again: "THIS TOO SHAL PASS". He became silent. His face went through a total change –from the egoist he moved to a state of utter humbleness. If this too is going to pass, it is not yours. The defeat was not yours, the victory is not yours. You are just a watcher. Everything passes by. We are witnesses of all this. We are the perceivers. Life comes and goes. Happiness comes and goes. Sorrow comes and goes.

Now as you have read this story, just sit silently and evaluate your own life. This too will pass. Think of the moments of joy and victory in your life. Think of the moment of Sorrow and defeat. Are they permanent ? They all come and pass away. Life just passes away. There is nothing permanent in this world. Every thing changes except the law of change. Think over it from your own perspective. You have seen all the changes. You have survived all setbacks, all defeats and all sorrows. All have passed away. The problems in the present, they too will pass away. Because nothing remains forever. Joy and sorrow are the two faces of the same coin. They both will pass away.You are just a witness of change. Experience it, understand it, and enjoy the present moment - this too shall pass!

THE LAGOON VS THE OCEAN

One might have heared about 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, a traveler asked the guide an interesting question."I noticed that the lagoon side of the reef looks pale and lifeless, while the ocean side is vibrant and colorful," the traveler 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."!!

REFLECTION

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, when you are tested again and again with problems - physical, mental, emotional or spiritual, just tell yourself, "There I grow again!".
Remember, A smooth sea never made a skilled mariner!!

Thought of the day...LIFE..

Life is like a cup of tea, you sit by the window, lift the cup and take a careless sip, only to realise, somebody forgot to add sugar. Too lazy to go for it, you somehow struggle through the sugarless tea till you discover sugar crystals lying at the bottom.

That's life!

Shaken but not stirred.....

The Moth

A man found a cocoon of an emperor moth. He took it home so that he could watch the moth come out of the cocoon. On that day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the moth for several hours as the moth struggled to force the body through that little hole.

Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. It just seemed to be stuck.

Then the man, in his kindness, decided to help the moth, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The moth then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch the moth because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.

Neither happened! In fact, the little moth spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the moth to get through the tiny opening was the way of forcing fluid from the body of the moth into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. Freedom and flight would only come after the struggle.

By depriving the moth of a struggle, he deprived the moth of health. Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If we were to go through our life without any obstacles, we would be crippled. We would not be as strong as what we could have been.
Source: Unknown Author

When one eye is fixed upon your destination, there is only one eye left with which to find the Way

A young boy traveled across Japan to the school of a famous martial artist. When he arrived at the dojo he was given an audience by the sensei.
“What do you wish from me?” the master asked.
“I wish to be your student and be the finest karateka in the land,” the boy replied. “How long must I study?”
“Ten years at least,” the master answered.
“Ten years is a long time,” said the boy. “What if I studied twice as hard as all your other students?”
“Twenty years,” replied the master.
“Twenty years! What if I practice day and night with all my effort?”
“Thirty years,” was the master’s reply.
“How is it that each time I say I will work harder, you tell me that it will take longer?” the boy asked.
“The answer is clear. When one eye is fixed upon your destination, there is only one eye left with which to find the Way.”

From book - Zen in the Martial Arts by Joe Hyams

A $10 Million Education

When Tom Watson Jr. was chief executive of IBM in the early 1960s, he summoned an executive to his office after the man lost $10 million in a venture. Watson asked the man, “Do you know why I called you here?” Knowing of Watson’s legendary temper, the man replied: “I assume you’re going to fire me.”
“Fire you?” Watson asked. “I spent $10 million educating you. I just want to be sure you learned the right lessons.”

THE HORSE SENSE

Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it. From a distance, each looks like every other horse. But if one stops the car, or is walking by, one will notice something quite amazing. Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind. His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him. This alone is amazing. Listening, one will hear the sound of a bell. Looking around for the source of the sound, one will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field. Attached to her bridle is a small bell. It lets her blind friend know where she is, so he can follow her.
As one stands and watches these two friends, one sees how she is always checking on him, and that he will listen for her bell and then slowly walk to where she is, trusting that she will not lead him astray. What a deep lesson to reflect upon!

-Anonymous.

REFLECTION

Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges. HE watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need. Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by God and those whom HE places in our lives. Other times we are the guide horse, helping others see God!

**From my Friend...

A Boy's Perspective

One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son,
'How was the trip?'
'It was great, Dad.'

'Did you see how poor people live?' the father asked.
'Oh yeah,' said the son.
'So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?' asked the father.

The son answered:

'I saw that we have one dog and they had four.

We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end.

We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.

Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.

We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.

We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.

We buy our food, but they grow theirs.

We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.'

The boy's father was speechless.

Then his son added, 'Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are.'

Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have.

Appreciate every single thing you have, especially your friends!
'Life is too short and friends are too few.'

Decision Making....

A group of children were playing near two railway tracks, one still in use while the other disused. Only one child played on the disused track, the rest on the operational track.

The train is coming, and you are just beside the track interchange. You can make the train change its course to the disused track and save most of the kids. However, that would also mean the lone child playing by the disused track would be sacrificed. Or would you rather let the train go its way?

Let's take a pause to think what kind of decision we could make........ ........

Most people might choose to divert the course of the train, and sacrifice only one child. You might think the same way, I guess. Exactly, to save most of the children at the expense of only one child was rational decision most people would make, morally and emotionally. But, have you ever thought that the child choosing to play on the disused track had in fact made the right decision to play at a safe place?

Nevertheless, he had to be sacrificed because of his ignorant friends who chose to play where the danger was. This kind of dilemma happens around us everyday. In the office, community, in politics and especially in a democratic society, the minority is often sacrificed for the interest of the majority, no matter how foolish or ignorant the majority are, and how farsighted and knowledgeable the minority are. The child who chose not to play with the rest on the operational track was sidelined. And in the case he was sacrificed, no one would shed a tear for him.

The great critic Leo Velski Julian who told the story said he would not try to change the course of the train because he believed that the kids playing on the operational track should have known very well that track was still in use, and that they should have run away if they heard the train's sirens.. If the train was diverted, that lone child would definitely die because he never thought the train could come over to that track!

Moreover, that track was not in use probably because it was not safe. If the train was diverted to the track, we could put the lives of all passengers on board at stake! And in your attempt to save a few kids by sacrificing one child, you might end up sacrificing hundreds of people to save these few kids.

While we are all aware that life is full of tough decisions that need to be made, we may not realize that hasty decisions may not always be the right one.
'Remember that what's right isn't always popular... and what's popular isn't always right.'
Everybody makes mistakes; that's why they put erasers on pencils.

"Challenges are What makes LIFE interesting ; Overcoming them is What makes LIFE meaningful..

Be thankful for what you have.....

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat.

A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.

Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?"

The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way." What he had written was: "Today is a beautiful day and I cannot see it."

Do you think the first sign and the second sign were saying the same thing?

Of course both signs told people the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?

Moral of the Story: Be thankful for what you have. Be creative. Be innovative. Think differently and positively.

Invite others towards good with wisdom. Live life with no excuse and love with no regrets. When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile. Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith and drop the fear.

Great men say, "Life has to be an incessant process of repair and reconstruction, of discarding evil and developing goodness…. In the journey of life, if you want to travel without fear, you must have the ticket of a good conscience."

The most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling… And even more beautiful is, knowing that you are the reason behind it!!

Positive Attitude

DAD FINDS A BRIDE FOR HIS SON.
Father: I want you to marry a girl of my choice
Son: "I will choose my own bride!"
Father: "But the girl is Bill Gates's daughter."
Son: "Well, in that case...ok" Next Father approaches Bill Gates.
Father: "I have a husband for your daughter."
Bill Gates: "But my daughter is too young to marry!"
Father: "But this young man is a vice-president of the World Bank."
Bill Gates: "Ah, in that case...ok" Finally Father goes to see the president of the World Bank. Father: "I have a young man to be recommended as a vice-president."
President: "But I already have more vice- presidents than I need!"
Father: "But this young man is Bill Gates's son-in-law."
President: "Ah, in that case...ok" This is how business is done!!
Moral: Even If you have nothing, You can get Anything. But your attitude should be positive

TEAM SUCCESS

There, once was a farmer who grew award-winning corn. Each year he entered his corn in the state fair where it won a blue ribbon.
One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors.
"How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?" the reporter asked.
"Why sir," said the farmer, "didn't you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn."
He is very much aware of the connectedness of life. His corn cannot improve unless his neighbor's corn also improves.
So it is with our lives. Those who choose to live in peace must help their neighbors to live in peace. Those who choose to live well must help others to live well, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches.And those who choose to be happy must help others to find happiness, for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all.
The lesson for each of us is this: if we are to grow good corn, we must help our neighbors grow good corn and for us this is very much helpful regarding Team's Success.