Velocity of Money!!

 

Thanks to Mayilraj Kalimuthu

Velocity of Money...!!!

It is August. In a small town on the South Coast of France ,the holiday season is in full swing, but it is raining so hard that there is not too much business happening. Everyone is heavily in debt. Luckily, a rich Russian tourist arrives in the foyer of the small local hotel. He asks for a room and puts a 100 Euro note on the reception counter, takes the key and goes to inspect the room located up the stairs on the third floor. The hotel owner takes the banknote in hurry and rushes to his meat supplier to whom he owes E100. The butcher takes the money and races to his supplier to pay his debt. The wholesaler rushes to the farmer to pay E100 for the pigs he had bought some time ago. The farmer triumphantly gives the E100 note to a local hair dresser who had provided him his services on credit. The hair dresser quickly goes to the hotel, as he owed the hotel for using a room a month back. At that moment, the rich Russian comes down to the reception and informs the hotel owner that the proposed room is unsatisfactory and takes his E100 back and departs. There was no profit or income. There was NO real economic activity. But everyone is no longer in debt and the small town people look optimistically towards their future. That's the power of the velocity of money!

Pearls Necklace

Thanks to Subramaniam Chidambaram

Pearls Necklace

Jenny was a bright-eyed, pretty five-year-old girl.  One day when she and her mother were checking out at the grocery store, Jenny saw a plastic pearl necklace priced at $2.50. How she wanted that necklace!

When she asked her mother if she would buy it for her, her mother said, "Well, it is a pretty necklace, but it costs an awful lot of money. I'll tell you what. I'll buy you the necklace, and when we get home we can make up a list of chores that you can do to pay for the necklace.

And don't forget that for your birthday Grandma just might give you a whole dollar bill, too. Okay?" Jenny agreed, and her mother bought the pearl necklace for her. Jenny worked on her chores very hard every day, and sure enough, her grandma gave her a brand new dollar bill for her birthday. Soon Jenny had paid off the pearls. How Jenny loved those pearls. She wore them everywhere to kindergarten, to bed and when she went out with her mother to run errands. The only time she didn't wear them was in the shower. Her mother had told her that they would turn her neck green!

Now Jenny had a very loving daddy. When Jenny went to bed, he would get up from his favorite chair every night and read Jenny her favorite story. One night when he finished the story, he said, "Jenny, do you love me?"

"Oh yes, Daddy, you know I love you," the little girl said.

"Well, then, give me your pearls."

"Oh! Daddy, not my pearls!" Jenny said. "But you can have Rosy, my favorite doll. Remember her? You gave her to me last year for my birthday. And you can have her tea party outfit, too. Okay?"

"Oh no, darling, that's okay." Her father brushed her cheek with a kiss. "Good night, little one."

A week later, her father once again asked Jenny after her story, "Do you love me?"

"Oh yes, Daddy, you know I love you."

"Well, then, give me your pearls."

"Oh, Daddy, not my pearls! But you can have Ribbons, my toy horse. Do you remember her? She's my favorite. Her hair is so soft, and you can play with it and braid it and everything. You can have Ribbons if you want her, "Daddy," the little girl said to her father.

"No, that's okay," her father said and brushed her cheek again with a kiss. God bless you, little one. Sweet dreams."

Several days later, when Jenny's father came in to read her a story, Jenny was sitting on her bed and her lip was trembling. “Here, Daddy," she said, and held out her hand. She opened it and her beloved pearl necklace was inside. She let it slip into her father's hand. With one hand her father held the plastic pearls and the other he pulled out of his pocket a blue velvet box. Inside of the box were real, genuine, beautiful pearls. He had had them all along. He was waiting for Jenny to give up the cheap stuff so he could give her the real thing.

So it is with GOD. He is waiting for us to give up the cheap things in our lives so he can give us a beautiful treasure. Isn't God good?Young Minds1k

This made me think about the things I hold on to and wonder what God wants to give me in its place.

Want Beautiful Pearls?  Give up cheap things in life...

It's an empty vessel

Thanks to Senthil Kumaran

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

Embracing Imperfection

Thanks to Srinivasan Rajagopal

Embracing Imperfection

A story by a girl.

"When I was a little girl, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage, and extremely burnt toast in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his toast, smile at my mom, and ask me how my day at school was. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that toast and eat every bite!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the toast. And I'll never forget what he said: 'Baby, I love burnt toast.'

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his toast burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, 'Debbie, your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides-a little burnt toast never hurt anyone!'

You know, life is full of imperfect things.....and imperfect people. I'm not the best housekeeper or cook.

What I've learnt over the years is that learning to accept each other's faults - and choosing to celebrate each other's differences - is the one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

And that's my prayer for you today. That you will learn to take the good ,the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of GOD. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where burnt toast isn't a deal-breaker! We could extend this to any relationship in fact - as understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship!! "

 

You are a Masterpiece

 

Thanks to Pragati Garg

You are a Masterpiece

 

A plum once said, just because a banana lover came by, I converted myself into a banana. Unfortunately, his taste changed after a few months and so I became an orange. When he said I was bitter I became an apple, but he went in search of grapes. Yielding to the opinions  of so many people, I have changed so many times that I no more know  who I am. How I wish I had remained a plum and waited for a plum lover.

Just because a group of people do not accept you as you are, there  is  no necessity for you to strip yourself of your originality. You  need to think good of yourself, for the world takes you at your own  estimate.  Never stoop down in order to gain recognition. Never let  go of your true self to win a relationship. In the long run, you  will regret that you traded your greatest glory - your uniqueness,  for momentary validation.

There is a world for each one of you, where you shall reign as king / queen by just being yourself. Find that world... in fact, that  world will find you.

What water can do, gasoline cannot and what copper can, gold  cannot.  The fragility of the ant enables it to move and the rigidity  of the tree enables it to stay rooted. Everything and everybody has  been designed with a proportion of uniqueness to serve a purpose  that we can fulfill only by being our unique self. You as you alone  can serve your purpose and I as I alone can serve my purpose. You  are here to be you... just you.

There was a time in this world when a Krishna was required and  he was sent; a time when a Christ was required and he was sent; a  time when a Mahatma was required and he was sent; a time when a  J.R.D.Tata was required and he was sent. There came a time when you  were required on this planet and hence you were sent. Let us be the  best we can be. Don't miss yourself and let the world not miss you.

In the history of the universe, there has been nobody like you and to the infinite of time to come, there will be no one like you.Existence should have loved you so much that it broke the mould after making you, so that another of your kind will never get repeated. You are original. You are rare. You are unique. You are a wonder. You are a masterpiece... your Master's piece. Celebrate your Uniqueness.

 

Presence of Mind

 

Thanks to Shalabh Gupta

Presence of Mind

 

Once, a dog lost his way deep into the jungle.

 

He almost fainted to see a lion coming straight to him at a very near distant. "I will be dead today" , thought he. There were some bones lying over there. He turned his back towards lion and started pretending as if he is eating those bones. When lion was very close to him he cried out loudly "Wow, what a fun eating a lion, by chance if I can get another one, it will be a treat ".

 

Lion thought "What a dangerous dog!!!!! He kills lions and eats it. Let me run away from here and save my life ".

 

Now, there was a Monkey hiding on the tree there watching the entire show. He thought "It's a good chance to tell the truth to the lion. Lion will become my friend and I will not have to run saving my life from him ". He just ran away to inform the entire episode to Lion.

 

The dog had seen him going and quickly understood the ploy. Both lion and monkey were coming back to the dog and the lion was furious.

 

When lion was very close to him he again cried out loudly " It has been half an hour and yet that stupid monkey can't fetch another lion??!!!!"

 

Moral: "It is by presence of mind in untried emergencies that the native metal of man is tested."

A Software Engineer's Mind

 

Thanks to Manikandan Subramanian

A Software Engineer’s Mind

 

It was raining heavily outside. Dark clouds gathered in the sky and nature was in its ominous best. I took a break from my work and went to the pantry to grab a cup of coffee. I had a sip and went near the window to see the rain pouring down heavily outside the glass structure. I was inside our huge office building, unruffled by even the fierceness of the nature.

 

Through the heavy transparent glass, I could see a small girl trying to hold on to her umbrella which the wind was snatching away from her. I felt sorry for the girl, and was happy that I was not in a similar pathetic situation. Yes. I take pride for the fact that I am a software engineer.

 

I have everything which a common man would envy; money, status, respect, you name it I have it. I always wanted to be software professional and here I am, working for one of the best firms in the world. But then, am I really happy? Now, I could see an imprint of my palm on the other glass window, through which I reminisced my past, basked in the warmth of the sun shine.

 

My childhood was so much of fun. I vividly remember those rainy days, when I hugged my mother tightly during sleeping listening to all the stories told by her. Now, I have a big house here, but then it is just a house, not a home. My parents are pretty far away from me now. I have a cell phone to talk to them every day, but then I really miss those dinners which I had with my family every day. I could easily afford to taste all the different cuisines these days, but the best of food there, lack the love and affection which is present in the food prepared by my mother.

 

I threw a lavish party for my colleagues for my birthday, but then they would never replace the birthdays when my friends secretly brought a cake and at the end, half of the cake would have ended up on my face. The couple of hundred bucks that u save for a long period just to give a treat to your friends in the road side chat shop can never give the pleasure even after spending a few thousand bucks these days.

The scene of me crying and refusing to have dinner on the day when I fought with my best friend came to my mind. Today, she has gone far away from me, taking away my love and with it my life, but I am sitting and coding here with a false smile on my face. Every day I meet new people, but then I long ceased to make a new friend.

 

It's true that I have a lot of things now. I have a nice bed, but no time to sleep. Lots of money, but no friends to spend it with. The latest designer clothes, but a worn out body . Awards for technical excellence, but no reward for the crave for peaceful ambience. A confident demeanor, but a reluctant and apathetic mind. Full of rain, but no sunshine even in the farthest distance.

Now, I could see the small girl on the road enjoying in the rain with her umbrella firmly in her grip. She might not have all the comforts which I have, but then she has the innocence and fun which I lost a long time back.

 

I have decided to come out of this false fantasy, even if it is at the expense of losing the tap of the software engineer. I am going to again enjoy my life. I am going to go out in the rain and play with the small kid now. I removed my tie, and went near my computer to shut it down. Just then, I saw a new mail alert in my mail box. I slowly opened outlook and I found a message from my manager with an attachment saying that there was a critical defect in the code and I have to fix it soon. I convinced myself that I am not going to get bogged down again by these pressures and stick to my decision. I ignored the mail and went to the rest room. After a couple of minutes, the software engineer in me came out, his shirt tucked in with the perfect tie knot, sat before the computer, and started typing,

 

Hi XYZ,

 

I am looking into the defect and will send the patch files before EOD.

 

 

Regards,

Software Engineer.

 

Resource Utilization

Thanks to Sandhya T. Chengappa

Resource utilization

 

 Buddha, one day, was in deep thought about the worldly activities and the ways of instilling goodness in human beings. One of his disciples approached him and said humbly " Oh my teacher ! While you are so much concerned about the world and others, why don't you look in to the welfare and needs of your own disciples also."

 

Buddha : "OK.. Tell me how I can help you"

 

Disciple : "Master! My attire is worn out and is beyond the decency to wear the same. Can I get a new one, please?"

 

Buddha found the robe indeed was in a bad condition and needed replacement. He asked the store keeper to give the disciple  a new robe to wear on. The disciple thanked Buddha and retired to his room. A while later, he went to his disciple's place and asked him "Is your new attire comfortable? Do  you need anything more ?"

 

Disciple : "Thank you my Master. The attire is indeed very comfortable. I need nothing more"

 

Buddha : "Having got the new one, what did you do with your old attire?"

 

Disciple : "I am using it as my bed spread"

 

Buddha : "Then.. hope you have disposed off your old bed spread"

 

Disciple : " No.. no.. master. I am using my old bedspread as my window curtain"

 

Buddha : " What about your old Curtain?"

 

Disciple : "Being used to handle hot utensils in the kitchen"

 

Buddha : "Oh.. I see.. Can you tell me what did they do with the old cloth they used in Kitchen"

 

Disciple : "They are being used to wash the floor."

 

Buddha :  " Then, the old rug being used to wash the floor...?"

 

Disciple: " Master, since they were torn off so much, we could not find any better use, but to use as a

twig in the oil lamp, which is right now lit in your study room...."

 

Buddha smiled in contentment and left for his room.

 

If not to this degree of utilization, can we at least attempt to find the best use of all our resources at home and in office?

 

We need to handle wisely, all the resources earth has bestowed us with ….both natural and material so that they can be saved for the generations to come.

A letter from a father to his little son

 

Thanks to Aakriti Rana

 

A letter from a father to his little son

 

Dear Loving Son, It's been 20 months since you set foot in the world. When I held you for the first time in my arms at the hospital, your tiny hands were twitching and your eyes were shut tight. 

Your clenched fist reminded me of a science lesson that said to get an idea about the size of your heart, you should clench your fist. I could imagine the little heart throbbing inside you. The eternal miracle of birth. When it was my turn to witness it, I cried. 

Before I married your mother, I used to debate one question endlessly with my friend. Which is, "Is it really worth bringing another life into this world?" Especially when terror has become an ugly leitmotif in the canvas of our lives? 

When I switched on the TV that Wednesday night, the question of whether I was right in bringing you into this world haunted me again. 

This is my attempt at an answer. Call it catharsis. 

I feel there are two ways to raise you. One is to wean you on cynicism. Where you'll erect a sky-high wall in your mind and live your life pouring scorn on everything you see. Which is one way of insulating yourself from fear... A kind of indifferent machismo.

The other way is to prepare you to live in this world. I can't imagine the world for you, son. But i can certainly show you the way to live in an uncertain world. Make a pact with yourself. Understand the following early on. 

Life is precious. And equally fragile. So every day is a gift. Get up early once in a while just to watch the sun rise. Stare at it intently and burn it in your memory. Be aware of every passing second. Look around you. There's a thin stalk of plant finding its place under the sun in a crevice on the wall of our apartment. 

Appreciate mother's cooking. Praise it to heavens... Make it a habit to eat together as a family. No, make it a rule. Fall in love with books. Words will transport you to worlds far away. It will also keep you informed and prepared. 

Follow your heart. The mind can waver but the heart seldom does. Respect your conscience. It's like a post-it note from God. 

When you grow up, seek a job you love. As you enter the world of careers and cocktails, you'll get sucked into a vortex called rat race. Don't be overwhelmed. We're all human. But have the courage to step out of it. Nothing will be lost. Some illusions will shatter. Good riddance. 

Money. It's important. But it has its place. Don't make the mistake of putting it right on top. 

Find your love. Hold it dearly. Be a good husband. A patient father. Give your children space to make their mistakes. But hold them when they fall. 

Speak up when you have to. Like this occasion. Whether we like it or not, we're living in a democracy. Sure it has its pitfalls. But don't forget the positives too. The real fight in a democracy is between remembering and forgetting. Go and vote. It's your chance to give shape to the kind of society you want to live in. 

Be alert. But try not to live in a state of fear. 

It you were to get caught in a situation similar to what happened and should we lose you, then you will have left us with enough lovely memories for the remaining years. That will only happen if you start living every day like it is the last day of your life. Though it can never compensate your loss, at least we'll find strength in your love for life. 

Don't have regrets. They defeat the very purpose of life. 

Immersed as I am in work most of the time, this letter is also a wake-up call for me. 

Love, Dad

Speech is Silver, Silence is Golden

Thanks to Geetha Partha

Speech is Silver, Silence is Golden

 

Once upon a time an old man spread rumors that his neighbor was a thief. As a result, the young man was arrested. Days later the young man was proven innocent. After been released he sued the old man for wrongly accusing him.

 

In court the old man told the Judge: 'They were just comments, didn't harm anyone..'

 

The judge, before passing sentence on the case, told the old man: 'Write all the things you said about him on a piece of paper. Cut them up and on the way home; throw the pieces of paper out. Tomorrow, come back to hear the sentence.'

 

The next day, the judge told the old man: 'Before receiving the sentence, you will have to go out and gather all the pieces of paper that you threw out yesterday.'

                             

The old man said: 'I can't do that! The wind spread them and I won't know where to find them.'

 

The judge then replied: 'The same way, simple comments may destroy the honor of a man to such an extent that one is not able to fix it. If you can't speak well of someone, rather don't say anything.

 

'Let's all be masters of our mouths, so that we won't be slaves of our words.'

Perseverance

Thanks to Aakriti Rana

Perseverance

 

 

Soichiro Honda was a simple person.  He attempted to design a new type of piston to improve the performance of cars.  He was sure his attempt would yield path breaking results.  He offered his designs to Toyota. The engineers turned his offer down, without even meeting him.  But he did not lose heart.   His repeated attempts at meeting Toyota engineers finally succeeded; but only to see that his product was ridiculed by them.  Not losing heart, he went into great details to convince them.  At last he obtained an order to supply pistons to Toyota.

 

Honda invested all his resources – money, materials, knowledge, hard work – as capital and constructed a plant for producing pistons. Suddenly, there was an earthquake in Japan that destroyed his factory. Yet, Honda reposed faith in his own ability.  Once again, he started construction afresh.  When it was ready and the production was to start the following week, World War II broke out.  Bombs bombarded Japan and most of Country was devastated and so was Honda’s factory.

 

Although Honda lost his factory, property, wealth and friends, he did not lose his self-confidence.  He continued his efforts and began to construct his factory for the third time.

 

Today, the Honda Car Company produces and sells more cars than many others.  Honda was not only an example for the word ‘PERSEVERANCE’ but also added honour to it.

 

Keep persevering…victory is certain.

 

I carry this with me at all times

Thanks to Usha Shreedhar

 

This is actually a true story that happened to Sister Mrosola (the teacher) and Mark Eklund . Though some of the details are just to add flavor, most of it is true.

 

I carry this with me at all times

 

One day a teacher asked her students to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name.  Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down. It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed in the papers. that Saturday, the teacher wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper, and listed what everyone else had said about that individual. On Monday she gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class was smiling. 'Really?' she heard whispered. 'I never knew that I meant anything to anyone!' and, 'I didn't know others liked me so much,' were most of the comments.

No one ever mentioned those papers in class again. She never knew if they discussed them after class or with their parents, but it didn't matter. The exercise had accomplished its purpose. The students were happy with themselves and one another. That group of students moved on.

 

Several years later, one of the students was killed in Vietnam and his teacher attended the funeral of that special student. She had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before. He looked so handsome, so mature.

The funeral auditorium was packed with his friends. One by one those who loved him took a last walk by the coffin. The teacher was the last one to bless the coffin. As she stood there, one of the soldiers who acted as pallbearer came up to her. 'Were you Mark's math teacher?' he asked. She nodded: 'yes.' Then he said: 'Mark talked about you a lot.'

After the funeral, most of Mark's former classmates went together to a luncheon. Mark's mother and father were there, obviously waiting to speak with his teacher.  'We want to show you something,' his father said, taking a wallet out of his pocket 'They found this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might recognize it.'  Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded many times. The teacher knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which she had listed all the good things each of Mark's classmates had said about him.

'Thank you so much for doing that,' Mark's mother said. 'As you can see, Mark treasured it.' All of Mark's former classmates started to gather around. Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said, 'I still have my list. It's in the top drawer of my desk at home.' Chuck's wife said, 'Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding album.' 'I have mine too,' Marilyn said. 'It's in my diary' .Then Vicki, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group. 'I carry this with me at all times,' Vicki said and without batting an eyelash, she continued: 'I think we all saved our lists'

That's when the teacher finally sat down and cried. She cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never see him again. The density of people in society is so thick that we forget that life will end one day. And we don't know when that one day will be. So please, tell the people you love and care for, that they are special and important. Tell them, before it is too late.

Remember, you reap what you sow. What you put into the lives of others comes back into your own.

 

Heaven and Friends

Thanks to Vidya Nair

Heaven and Friends

 

A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them. After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight. When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side.  

When he was close enough, he called out, 'Excuse me, where are we?' 'This is Heaven, sir,' the man answered.. 'Wow! Would you happen to have some water?' the man asked. 'Of course, sir.  Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up.' The man gestured, and the gate began to open. 'Can my friend,' gesturing toward his dog, 'come in, too?' the traveler asked. I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets.'

The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been  going with his dog.

After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that  looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book. 'Excuse me!' he called to the man. 'Do you have any water?' 'Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on in.'  'How about my friend here?' the traveler gestured to the dog.  'There should be a bowl by the pump.' They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a  bowl beside it. The traveler filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, then he gave some to the dog.

 

When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree.  'What do you call this place?' the traveler asked. 'This is Heaven,' he answered. 'Well, that's confusing,' the traveler said. 'The man down the road said that was Heaven, too.' 'Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope.  That's hell.' 'Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?' 'No, we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind.'

Don't Change the World

Thanks to Janakiraman S

Don't Change the World

Once upon a time, there lived a king who ruled over a prosperous country.

One day, he had to visit a distant part of his country. When he returned to his palace, he complained that his feet hurt very badly, as it was the first time that he had gone on such a long trip, and the path that he went through was very rough and stony.

He then ordered his people to cover every road in the entire country with leather. Definitely, this would need thousands of cows' skin, and would cost a huge amount of money.

Then one of his wiser servants dared to tell the king, "Why do you have to spend such a large sum to cover the roads ? Why don't you just cut a little piece of leather to cover your feet?"

The king was surprised, but he agreed - to make a "shoe" for himself.

There is actually a valuable lesson for life in this story: To make this world a happy place to live in, you better change yourself - your heart; and not the world.

Thanks for your time...

Thanks to Indubala Sobhana

Thanks for your time...

 

It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, girls, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.

 

Over the phone, his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday." Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.

 

"Jack, did you hear me?"

 

"Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought of him. I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago," Jack said..

 

"Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were doing. He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence' as he put it," Mom told him.

 

"I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said.

 

"You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man's influence in your life," she said.

 

"He's the one who taught me carpentry," he said.

 

"I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important... Mom, I'll be there for the funeral," Jack said.

 

As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown.

 

Mr. Belser's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

 

The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time.

 

Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time.

 

The house was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture....Jack stopped suddenly.

 

"What's wrong, Jack?" his Mom asked.

 

"The box is gone," he said.

 

"What box? " Mom asked.

 

"There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell me was 'the thing I value most,'" Jack said.

 

It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.

 

"Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said. "I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom."

 

It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning home from work one day Jack discovered a note in his mailbox.

 

"Signature required on a package. No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within the next three days," the note read.

 

Early the next day Jack retrieved the package.  The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention.

 

"Mr. Harold Belser" it read.

 

Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope.

 

Jack's hands shook as he read the note inside.

 

"Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It's the thing I valued most in my life." A small key was taped to the letter.

 

His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch. Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover.

 

Inside he found these words engraved: "Jack, Thanks for your time..! Harold Belser."

 

"The thing he valued most.. was.. my time . . ."

 

Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days.

 

"Why?" Janet, his assistant asked.

 

"I need some time to spend with my son..," he said.

 

"Oh, by the way, Janet.. Thanks for your time..!"

 

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away . . . It is not the years that we put in to our life, but the life that we put into the years that really matters.

Diamond Message

Thanks to Rathnakar Raghunath

Diamond Message

 

Once a king called upon all his wise men and asked them "Is there a mantra or suggestion which works in every situation, in every circumstance, in every place and in every time? 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. One answer for all questions?  Something that works everywhere in every situation?  In every joy, every sorrow, every defeat and every victory? 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 a piece of paper. But the condition was that the king should not look at it out of curiosity. Only in extreme danger, when the King finds himself alone and there seems to be no way out, should he see it. The King put the paper under his diamond ring.

 

After a few days, its neighbours attacked the kingdom. The King and his army fought bravely but lost the battle. The King had to flee on his horse. His enemies followed him. The horse was taking him deeper into the jungle and the sound of hooves was getting closer. Suddenly the king found himself standing at the end of the path. Below him was a rocky valley a thousand feet deep. If he jumped, he would be finished .But returning through the narrow path was impossible. The sound of enemy horses was getting louder . The King became restless. There seemed to be no way.

Then 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 small but great. It said, "This too will pass."

 

The King read it. Again and again .Suddenly something struck him- Yes! This too will pass.

 

A few days ago I was the ruler of a mighty kingdom. Yet today, I have lost everything. However, as those days of luxury have passed, this danger will pass. His face regained its calm.

 

He looked around him. He had never known that such a beautiful place was a part of his kingdom. The message had a great effect on him. He forgot about those following him.

 

After a few minutes he realized that the noise of the horses was receding. They had moved to some other part of the mountains .The brave king  reorganized his army and fought back. He defeated the enemy and regained his lost empire. When he returned to his empire , he was received with much fan fare at the door. The whole capital was rejoicing in the victory. His subjects sang and danced on the streets. Everyone was in a festive mood. Flowers were being showered on the  King from every house, from every corner.  For a moment the King said to himself," I am one of the bravest and greatest Kings. It is not easy to defeat me..:

 

In the glory of the moment , he felt  ego emerging in him. Suddenly the Diamond of his ring flashed in the sunlight and reminded him of the message. He opened it and read it again: "This too will pass" . He became silent. So did the egotist in him.

 

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 spectator . Everything passes by. We are a witness to all of this. We are the perceiver. 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.. 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 . Life just passes away. There were friends in the past.
They have gone. There are friends today. They too will go. There will be new friends tomorrow. They too will go. There were enemies in the past. They have gone. There may be enemies in the present. They too will go. There will be new enemies tomorrow and they too will go.

 

nothing is permanent in this world. Everything changes except the law of change. Think it over  from your own perspective. You have seen all the changes. You have survived all setbacks, all defeats and all sorrows. All have passed away. If there are 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 too will pass .

 

Who are you in reality? Know your real face. The face in your mirror will not be the same tomorrow . It will change with time. However, there is something in you, which will not change. It will remain unchanged. What is that unchangeable? It is nothing but your true self. You are just a witness of change.

Life Together

Thanks to Aakriti Rana

Life Together

 

One fine day, an old couple around the age of 70, walks into a lawyer's office. Apparently, they are there to file a divorce.

 

Lawyer was very puzzled, after having a chat with them, he got their story....This couple had been quarreling all their 40 over yrs of marriage nothing ever seems to go right.

 

They hang on because of their children, afraid that it might affect their up-bringing. Now, all their children have already grown up, have their own family, there's nothing else the old couple have to worry about, all they wanted is to lead their own life free from all these years of unhappiness from their marriage, so both agree on a divorce....

 

Lawyer was having a hard time trying to get the papers done, because he felt that after 40 yrs of marriage at the age of 70, he couldn't understand why the old couple would still want a divorce..

 

While they were signing the papers, the wife told the husband..

"I really love u, but i really cant carry on anymore, I'm sorry.."

"Its o.k, i understand.." said the husband. Looking at this, the lawyer suggested a dinner together, just 3 of them,wife thought, why not, since they are still gonna be friends..

 

At the dining table, there was a silence of awkwardness.

The first dish was roasted chicken, immediately, the old man took the drumstick for the old lady.."take this, its your favorite.."

 

Looking at this, the lawyer thought maybe there is still a chance, but the wife was frowning when she answer.."

This is always the problem, you always think so highly of yourself, never thought about how I feel, don't you know that i hate drumsticks?"

 

Little did she know that, over the years, the husband have been trying all ways to please her, little did she know that drumsticks was the husband's favorite. Little did he know that she never thought he understand her at all, little did he know that she hates drumsticks even though all he wants is the best for her.

 

That night, both of them couldn't sleep, toss and turn, toss and turn...after hours, the old man couldn't take it anymore, he knows that he still loves her, and he cant carry on life without her, he wants her back, he wants to tell her, he is sorry, he wanted to tell her "i love you"...

 

He picks up the phone, starting dialing her number....ringing never stops..he never stop dialing....

 

On the other side, she was sad, she couldn't understand how come after all these years, he still doesn't understand her at all, she loves him a lot, but she just cant take it anymore....phone's ringing, she refuses to answer knowing that its him..."whats the point of talking now that its over...i have ask for it and now i wanna keep it this way, if not i will lose face.."she thought...still ringing...she have decided to pull out the cord...

 

Little did she remember, he have heart problems...

 

The next day, she received news that he had passed away...she rushed down to his apartment, saw his body, lying on the couch still holding on to the phone...he had a heart attack when he was still trying to get through her phone line....

 

As sad as she could be...she will have to clear his belongings...when she was looking thru the drawers, she saw this insurance policy, dated from the day they got married, with the beneficiary being her... And together in those file, there was this note...

 

"To my dearest wife, by the time you're reading this, I'm sure I'm no longer around, I bought this policy for you, though the amount is only $100k, I hope it will be able to help me continue my promise that i have made when we got married, I might not be around anymore, I want this amount of money to continue taking care of you, just like the way I will if I could have live longer. I want you to know I will always be around, by your side... " I LOVE YOU SWEET HEART"

 

Tears flowed like river......

 

"When you love someone, let them know... You never know what will happen the next minute.... Learn to build a life together.. Learn to love each other. For who they are... not what they are..."

Butterfly

Thanks to Rohit S

Butterfly

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its 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 further. So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly 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 butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen 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 butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly!