Never judge the book by its cover

In a village, there was a Pundit. He was well-versed in all scriptures. He knew everything, but, he was poor. He did not have a house to live. He used to get his meals also with great difficulties. Even his clothes were worn out.

The Pundit used to beg for his meals. He went from house-to-house begging. “Please give me alms”. On seeing his old clothes many people were thinking that he is mad, saying “Go Away” they shut the door. For many days he did not even eat.

One day, he obtained new clothes. A rich man gave those clothes to the Pundit. Wearing those new clothes he went to beg as before. To the very first house he went, the householder said, “Sir, please come in. Please have your food in our house”. Saying this, with great respect, he took the Pundit inside for food.

The Pundit sat down to eat. Varieties of soups, sweet meals, vadas, and sweet foods were served for eating.

Having prayed first, the Pundit took a sweetmeat with his hand and began to feed his new clothes saying, “Eat, eat!”

On seeing that all the householders were surprised and were not able to understand. So, they asked thus, “The clothes do not eat right? Then why, O, Great Pundit, do you offer food to the clothes?”

Then that Pundit answered thus, “Indeed because of these new clothes, you offered me food today. Yesterday itself in this very house you asked me to go away. Since I obtained food due to these clothes, I am grateful to them. That’s the reason I am feeding them.” The householders were a little ashamed.

Moral: Never judge anyone by their outlook.

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The Praying Hands

     

Back in the fifteenth century, in a tiny village near Nuremberg, lived a family with eighteen children. Eighteen! In order merely to keep food on the table for this mob, the father and head of the household, a goldsmith by profession, worked almost eighteen hours a day at his trade and any other paying chore he could find in the neighborhood. Despite their seemingly hopeless condition, two of Albrecht Durer the Elder’s children had a dream. They both wanted to pursue their talent for art, but they knew full well that their father would never be financially able to send either of them to Nuremberg to study at the Academy.

After many long discussions at night in their crowded bed, the two boys finally worked out a pact. They would toss a coin. The loser would go down into the nearby mines and, with his earnings, support his brother while he attended the academy. Then, when that brother who won the toss completed his studies, in four years, he would support the other brother at the academy, either with sales of his artwork or, if necessary, also by laboring in the mines.

They tossed a coin on a Sunday morning after church. Albrecht Durer won the toss and went off to Nuremberg. Albert went down into the dangerous mines and, for the next four years, financed his brother, whose work at the academy was almost an immediate sensation. Albrecht’s etchings, his woodcuts, and his oils were far better than those of most of his professors, and by the time he graduated, he was beginning to earn considerable fees for his commissioned works.

When the young artist returned to his village, the Durer family held a festive dinner on their lawn to celebrate Albrecht’s triumphant homecoming. After a long and memorable meal, punctuated with music and laughter, Albrecht rose from his honored position at the head of the table to drink a toast to his beloved brother for the years of sacrifice that had enabled Albrecht to fulfill his ambition. His closing words were, “And now, Albert, blessed brother of mine, now it is your turn. Now you can go to Nuremberg to pursue your dream, and I will take care of you.”

All heads turned in eager expectation to the far end of the table where Albert sat, tears streaming down his pale face, shaking his lowered head from side to side while he sobbed and repeated, over and over, “No …no …no …no.”

Finally, Albert rose and wiped the tears from his cheeks. He glanced down the long table at the faces he loved, and then, holding his hands close to his right cheek, he said softly, “No, brother. I cannot go to Nuremberg. It is too late for me. Look … look what four years in the mines have done to my hands! The bones in every finger have been smashed at least once, and lately I have been suffering from arthritis so badly in my right hand that I cannot even hold a glass to return your toast, much less make delicate lines on parchment or canvas with a pen or a brush. No, brother … for me it is too late.”

More than 450 years have passed. By now, Albrecht Durer’s hundreds of masterful portraits, pen and silver-point sketches, watercolors, charcoals, woodcuts, and copper engravings hang in every great museum in the world, but the odds are great that you, like most people, are familiar with only one of Albrecht Durer’s works. More than merely being familiar with it, you very well may have a reproduction hanging in your home or office.

One day, to pay homage to Albert for all that he had sacrificed, Albrecht Durer painstakingly drew his brother’s abused hands with palms together and thin fingers stretched skyward. He called his powerful drawing simply “Hands,” but the entire world almost immediately opened their hearts to his great masterpiece and renamed his tribute of love “The Praying Hands.”

Moral: The next time you see a copy of that touching creation, take a second look. Let it be your reminder, if you still need one, that no one – no one – ever makes it alone!

 

 

Success is never Final

A Martial artist kneeling before the master sensei in a ceremony to receive a hard-earned black belt. After years of relentless training, the student has finally reached a pinnacle of achievement in the discipline.

"Before granting the belt, you must pass one more test," said the sensei.

"I am ready," responded the student, expecting perhaps one final round of sparring.

"You must answer the essential question: What is the true meaning of the black belt?"

"The end of my journey," says the student ."A well-deserved reward for all my hard work".

The sensei waited for more .Clearly, he was not satisfied. Finally, the sensei spoke "You are not yet ready for the Black Belt. Return in one year".

A year later, the Student kneeled again in front of the sensei.

"What is the true meaning of the black belt?" asked the sensei.

"A symbol of distinction and the highest achievements in our art," said the student.

The sensei said nothing for many minutes, waiting. Clearly ,he was not satisfied. Finally, he spoke ."You are still not ready for the black belt. Return in one year."

A year later, the student kneeled once again in front of the sensei. And again the sensei asked: "What is the true meaning of the black belt?"

The black bely represents the beginning----the start if a never-ending journey of discipline, work and the pursuit of an ever-high standard," said the student.

"Yes you are now ready to receive the black belt and begin your work."

Moral : Success in never Final it’s a journey itself.

Life is too short to complain

There was a man who loved his wife very much. He could give her everything he could but the woman never appreciated. Though the man was not rich, he would share all that he had with her. He could buy for her clothes and the only thing his wife could say was that the husband was fulfilling his duty as a Husband.

The man would buy a dress but in reply, the woman would mock at him, because the dress was of low quality. The man would smile at his wife and tell her “one day, I will become rich and I will buy for you all the expensive things you need”. The woman could never make any phone call unless she was requesting anything from her husband and once her request was not granted, all she could do was to quarrel for days, sometimes fight.

One evening, the man was coming from work, he bought 1Kg of meat, happily the poor man expecting to surprise his wife, he reached home found the wife and showed her the package. Then she shouted: “eh! And you call yourself a man? Which husband, apart from you, do you think comes home with just one kilogram, no cooking oil, and no other ingredients? You better leave it, you’re a good-for-nothing husband.” Then she threw the meat in the bush and went back home. The Husband felt low but he never let down his love for her.

One day, the husband felt pain in his left foot…..then a Tumor appeared on the foot, it then emerged growing big and more painful. He went to the hospital after several months of pain and was found with cancer, he was poor to have a better medical care.

Though he was sick he tried much as he could to provide for his family. Two years later the condition worsened and he was put in the special care unit, he was operated and the foot was removed,

but unfortunately it was too late, the Virus had affected more parts of the body and at last he called his wife and told him, “Take good care of yourself and our children, I feel I can’t live any longer even though I always wanted to be with you, may God help you”. He then breathed his last and died.

The woman, and her child cried, mourned his death and then buried him.

Two months later, the wife was crying by her husband’s grave as she said these words:

“My love, you did all the best to me, you treated me well and gave me all you could, but all I could pay you, was endless quarrels and fights. I never realized your importance and your love until when you were gone, and when I’m the one to provide food, clothing, education and many others. I remember when I threw your one Kilogram of meat to the bush, but now i have nowhere to get even a Half a Kilo. They say ‘The Good Die Young’ that’s why you died when you were still young. A husband whom I could mock at but you only smiled at me. The husband who could care and had unending love.

I know you are no more in this world but still I ask you to forgive me for not appreciating all you did to me, when you were alive.

We are all missing your presence and your youngest daughter is always crying asking when you’ll be back. But you will never leave our hearts until we Join you.”

Moral:

* Always appreciate what you are given, whether small or big.

* Love is not all about how much we have, but it’s all about how we share the little we have.

Put the glass down

 

A Professor began his class by holding up a glass with some water in it. He held it up for all to see & asked the students “How much do you think this glass weighs?”

’50gms!’….. ’100gms!’ …..’125 gms’ …the students answered.

“I really don’t know unless I weigh it,” said the professor, “but, my question is:

What would happen if I held it up like this for a few minutes?”…. .
‘Nothing’ …..the students said.

‘Ok what would happen if I held it up like this for an hour?’ the professor asked.
‘Your arm would begin to ache’ said one of the student

“You’re right, now what would happen if I held it for a day?”
“Your arm could go numb; you might have severe muscle stress & paralysis & have to go to hospital for sure!”
….. Ventured another student & all the students laughed
“Very good.

But during all this, did the weight of the glass change?” Asked the professor.
‘No’…. Was the answer.
“Then what caused the arm ache & the muscle stress?”

The students were puzzled.
“What should I do now to come out of pain?” asked professor again.
“Put the glass down!” said one of the students
“Exactly!” said the professor.

Moral : “Life’s problems are something like this.
Hold it for a few minutes in your head & they seem OK.
Think of them for a long time & they begin to ache.
Hold it even longer & they begin to paralyze you. You will not be able to do anything.
It’s important to think of the challenges or problems in your life, But EVEN MORE IMPORTANT is to ‘PUT THEM DOWN’ at the end of every day before you go to sleep…

That way, you are not stressed, you wake up every day fresh & strong & can handle any issue, any challenge that comes your way!”

Mirror Coffin

One day all the employees reached the office and they saw a big advice on the door on which it was written:

Yesterday the person who has been hindering your growth in this company passed away. We invite you to join the funeral in the room that has been prepared in the gym.

In the beginning, they all got sad for the death of one of their colleagues, but after a while they started getting curious to know who was that man who hindered the growth of his colleagues and the company itself.

The excitement in the gym was such that security agents were ordered to control the crowd within the room. The more people reached the coffin, the more the excitement heated up.

Everyone thought: Who is this guy who was hindering my progress? Well, at least he died!.

One by one the thrilled employees got closer to the coffin, and when they looked inside it they suddenly became speechless. They stood nearby the coffin, shocked and in silence, as if someone had touched the deepest part of their soul. There was a mirror inside the coffin: everyone who looked inside it could see himself.

There was also a sign next to the mirror that said:

There is only one person who is capable to set limits to your growth: IT IS YOU. You are the only person who can revolutionize your life. You are the only person who can influence your happiness, your realization and your success. You are the only person who can help yourself.

Your life does not change when your boss changes, when your friends change, when your parents change, when your partner changes, when
your company changes. Your life changes when YOU change, when you go beyond your limiting beliefs, when you realize that you are the only one responsible for your life.

The most important relationship you can have, is the one you have with yourself.

Examine yourself, watch yourself. Don’t be afraid of difficulties, impossibilities and losses: be a winner, build yourself and your reality.

Its the way you face Life that makes the difference!

A sense of a goose

Next Autumn, when you see geese heading south for the winter, flying in a "V" formation, you might consider what science has discovered as to why they fly that way. As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds at least 71 percent greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.
People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going more quickly and easily, because they are travelling on the thrust of one another.

When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front.
If we have the sense of a goose, we will stay in formation with those people who are heading the same way we are.

When the head goose gets tired, it rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point.
It is sensible to take turns doing demanding jobs, whether with people or with geese flying south.

Geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
What message do we give when we honk from behind?

Finally - and this is important - when a goose gets sick or is wounded by gunshot, and falls out of the formation, two other geese fall out with that goose and follow it down to lend help and protection. They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly or until it dies; and only then do they launch out on their own, or with another formation to catch up with their own group.
If we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by each other like that.

The Fence

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily, gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.

The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said “you have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one.” You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won’t matter how many times you say I’m sorry, the wound is still there. Make sure you control your temper the next time you are tempted to say something.

Moral: World is not fair there will be many things which tempt you to be in anger, what matters is how you handle the same. It’s a Art ,that everyone has to learn, to attain peace in life.

True Winner

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning disabled children, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question:

"When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?" The audience was stilled by the query.

The father continued. "I believe,that when a child like Shay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes, in the way other people treat that child."Then he told the following story:

Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, “Do you think they'll let me play?" Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.

Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play, not expecting much. The boy looked around for guidance and said, "We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning."

Shay struggled over to the team's bench put on a team shirt with a broad smile and his Father had a small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field.

Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.

At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing the other team putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least be able to make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.

The game would now be over, but the pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.

Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the head of the first baseman, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, "Shay, run to first! Run to first!" Never in his life had Shay ever ran that far but made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.

Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!" Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to second base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball, the smallest guy on their team, who had a chance to be the hero for his team for the first time. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions and he too intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.

All were screaming, "Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay" Shay reached third base, the opposing shortstop ran to help him and turned him in the direction of third base, and shouted, "Run to third! Shay, run to third" As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams and those watching were on their feet were screaming, "Shay, run home! Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the "grand slam" and won the game for his team.

That day, said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world. Shay didn't make it to another summer and died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his father so happy and coming home and seeing his mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

Moral: Winning is not everything ,true love and humanity is beyond everything.

Weakness or Strength

The boy began lessons with an old Japanese Judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn’t understand why, after three months of training the master had taught him only one move.

“Sensei,” the boy finally said, “Shouldn’t I be learning more moves?”

“This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you’ll ever need to know.” – the sensei replied.

Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training.

Several months later, the sensei took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became impatient and charged; the boy deftly used his one move to win the match. Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the finals.

This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced. For a while, the boy appeared to be overmatched. Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when the sensei intervened.

“No,” the sensei insisted, “Let him continue.”

Soon after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical mistake: he dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used his move to pin him. The boy had won the match and the tournament. He was the champion.

On the way home, the boy and sensei reviewed every move in each and every match. Then the boy summoned the courage to ask what was really on his mind.

“Sensei, how did I win the tournament with only one move?”

“You won for two reasons,” the sensei answered. “First, you’ve almost mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. And second, the only known defense for that move is for your opponent to grap your left arm.”

The boy’s biggest weakness had become his biggest strength. Sometimes our biggest weakness can become our biggest strength. Get Inspired … Inspire others ……. Share with loved ones

Appreciate little things

This story you're about to read has an important lesson for you to learn. So, read it carefully...

A young married woman whose husband was a wealthy man was expecting a birthday gift from her husband. For quite a number of months she had admired a very beautiful diamond ring in a showroom, and she knowing that her husband could afford it, if he would, told him that was all she wanted for her birthday, and nothing more. As her birthday was drawing nigh, this lady awaited signs that her husband had bought the diamond ring.

At last, her birthday finally came. On the morning of her birthday, her husband called her into his room. He told her how proud he was to have such a good wife as her and told her how much he loved her. After telling her all sort of sweet talks, he finally handed her a beautifully wrapped gift box. Very excited and curious, the wife opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the her name embossed in gold. Angrily, she raised her voice to her husband and said, 'With all your money, a Bible was all you could give me?!!' And stormed out of the house, leaving her husband.

Many years passed and the lady was very successful in all her dealings and business. She managed to settle for a more beautiful house ,more luxury, but realized her husband was very old, and thought perhaps she should say him a visit because she had not seen him for so many years. But before she could make travelling arrangements, she received a text message telling her that her husband had died, and willed all of his possessions to her. She needed to come back immediately and take care of things. When she arrived at her husband's house, sudden sadness and regret filled her heart. She began to search through her husband's important papers and saw the Bible, still as new as when it was presented to her, she had left it years before. With tears, she opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. Her husband had carefully underlined a verse, Matt 7:11, which reads 'And if you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father, who is in heaven, give what is good to those who ask Him?' As she read those words, a tiny package dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a diamond ring, with her name engraved on it-the same diamond ring which she saw at the showroom! On the tag, the date of her birth, and the words. 'LUV U ALWAYS' were inscribed. How many times do we miss God's blessings, because they are not packaged as we expected? Do not spoil what you have, by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.

Moral of the story: Always appreciate little things, irrespective of how small they seem to be. 

Time to re-think

Once upon a time a strong woodcutter asked a timber merchant for a job. The timber merchant was happy to oblige. The pay was good and so were the work conditions. Therefore the woodcutter was determined to do his best.

The timber merchant presented the woodcutter with an axe and showed him where to work. The first day, the woodcutter brought eighteen trees.

“Congratulations!” the boss said. “Go on working like that!”

Motivated by the boss’ words the woodcutter tried harder the next day, but he could cut down only fifteen trees. The third day he tried even harder but cut down only ten trees. Day after day he brought fewer and fewer trees.

“I must be losing my strength,” the woodcutter thought. He went to the timber merchant and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on.

“When was the last time you sharpened your axe?” the timber merchant asked.

“Sharpened? I have had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been busy trying to cut trees,” said the woodcutter.

Moral: We sometimes become so busy that we don’t take time to sharpen our axe. There’s nothing wrong to work hard, but we should not become so busy that we neglect what’s truly important in life. If we don’t take time to sharpen our axe, we will become dull and lose our effectiveness. So start TODAY.

Power of silence

There once was a farmer who discovered that he had lost his watch in the barn. It was no ordinary watch because it had sentimental value for him.

After searching high and low among the hay for a long while; he gave up and enlisted the help of a group of children playing outside the barn.

He promised them that the person who found it would be rewarded.

Hearing this, the children hurried inside the barn, went through and around the entire stack of hay but still could not find the watch. Just when the farmer was about to give up looking for his watch, a little boy went up to him and asked to be given another chance. The farmer looked at him and thought, “Why not? After all, this kid looks sincere enough.”

So the farmer sent the little boy back in the barn. After a while the little boy came out with the watch in his hand! The farmer was both happy and surprised and so he asked the boy how he succeeded where the rest had failed.

The boy replied, “I did nothing but sit on the ground and listen. In the silence, I heard the ticking of the watch and just looked for it in that direction.”

Moral : A peaceful mind can think better than a worked up mind. Practice few minutes of silence to your mind every day, and see, how sharply it helps you to set your life the way you expect it to be!  The soul always knows what to do to heal itself..The challenge is to silence the mind….

Its all about Time

Once upon a time all feelings and emotions went to a coastal island for a vacation. According to their nature, each was having a good time. Suddenly, a warning of an impending storm was announced and everyone was advised to evacuate the island.

The announcement caused sudden panic. All rushed to their boats. Even damaged boats were quickly repaired and commissioned for duty.
Yet, Love did not wish to flee quickly. There was so much to do. But as the clouds darkened, Love realised it was time to leave. Alas, there were no boats to spare. Love looked around with hope.
Just then Prosperity passed by in a luxurious boat. Love shouted, “Prosperity, could you please take me in your boat?”
“No,” replied Prosperity, “my boat is full of precious possessions, gold and silver. There is no place for you.”
A little later Vanity came by in a beautiful boat. Again Love shouted, “Could you help me, Vanity? I am stranded and need a lift. Please take me with you.”
Vanity responded haughtily, “No, I cannot take you with me. My boat will get soiled with your muddy feet.”
Sorrow passed by after some time. Again, Love asked for help. But it was to no avail. “No, I cannot take you with me. I am so sad. I want to be by myself.”
When Happiness passed by a few minutes later, Love again called for help. But Happiness was so happy that it did not look around, hardly concerned about anyone.
Love was growing restless and dejected. Just then somebody called out, “Come Love, I will take you with me.” Love did not know who was being so magnanimous, but jumped on to the boat, greatly relieved that she would reach a safe place.
On getting off the boat, Love met Knowledge. Puzzled, Love inquired, “Knowledge, do you know who so generously gave me a lift just when no one else wished to help?”
Knowledge smiled, “Oh, that was Time.”
“And why would Time stop to pick me and take me to safety?” Love wondered.
Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and replied, “Because only Time knows your true greatness and what you are capable of. Only Love can bring peace and great happiness in this world.”
“The important message is that when we are prosperous, we overlook love. When we feel important, we forget love. Even in happiness and sorrow we forget love.
Only with time do we realize the IMPORTANCE OF LOVE. Why wait that long? Why not make love a part of your life today?”

Kindness Pays

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. 

He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. 

She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I owe you?” “You don’t owe me anything,” she replied “Mother has taught us never to accept payment for a kindness.” 

He said… “Then I thank you from my heart.” 

As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt; stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Years later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. 

When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her. 

He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the case. 

After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval.

He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally, she looked, and something caught her attention on the side as she read these words…… ” Paid in full with one glass of milk.” (Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly. 

Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: “Thank You, GOD, that Your love has spread abroad through human hearts and hands. 

Moral : Your Good deeds always pay you back, though not immediately but surely. If you have a good heart, good life will follow.

Burned toast

When I was a kid, my Mom liked to cook food and every now & then I remember she used to cook for us.
One night in particular when she had made dinner after a long hard day at work, Mom placed a plate of bread jam and extremely burned toast in front of my dad. I was waiting to see if anyone noticed the burnt toast.
But Dad just ate his toast and asked me how was my day at school. I don’t remember what I told him that night, but I do remember I heard Mom apologizing to dad for burning the toast.

And I’ll never forget what he said: “Honey, I love burned 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, “Your mamma put in a long hard day at work today and she was really tired. And besides, A burnt toast never hurts anyone but harsh words do!”

You know, life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people I’m not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else.

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

Life is not a Sharp Knife to Cut all those Bad Memories. But Life is a Needle to Weave Golden Thread of Sweet Memories … Love your Life … Live your Life ..

It’s the only one you have…. ….ENJOY LIFE NOW. It has an expiry date.
 

Love never dies

There lived an old couple who was poor , but the love for each other was never less, both lived together irrespective of the odds they faced in life, their love and care to each other was the only wealth they had and they were happy and contented with it.

One day, his wife, who had very long hair asked him to buy her a comb for her hair to grow well and to be well-groomed. The man felt very sorry and said no. He explained that he did not even have enough money to fix the strap of his watch he had just broken. She did not insist on her request.

The man went to work and passed by a watch shop, sold his damaged watch at a low price and went to buy a comb for his wife. He came home in the evening with the comb in his hand ready to give to his wife. He was surprised when he saw his wife with a very short hair cut.

She had sold her hair and was holding a new watch band.

Tears flowed simultaneously from their eyes, not for the futility of their actions, but for the reciprocity of their love.

MORAL: To love is nothing, to be loved is something but to love and to be loved by the one you love, that is EVERYTHING.


Winning is not Everything

It was a sports stadium.

Eight Children were standing on the track to participate in the running event. * Ready! * Steady! * Bang!!!

With the sound of Toy pistol, all eight Kids started running. Hardly have they covered ten to fifteen steps, one of the smaller girls slipped and fell down, due to bruises and pain she started crying. When other kids heard this sound, stopped running, stood for a while and turned back, they all ran back to the place where the girl fell down. One among them bent, picked and kissed the girl gently and enquired 'Now pain must have reduced'. All kids lifted the fallen girl, pacified her, two of them held the girl firmly and they all seven joined hands together and walked together and reached the winning post. Officials were shocked. Clapping of thousands of spectators filled the stadium. Many eyes were filled with tears and perhaps it had reached the GOD even! YES.

This happened in Hyderabad [INDIA], recently! The sport was conducted by National Institute of Mental Health [NIMH]. All these special Kids had come to participate in this event and they are spastic children. Yes, they were mentally retarded.

What did they teach this world? Teamwork! Humanity!! Equality!!! and LOVE!!!!

Successful people help others who are slow in learning so that they are not left far behind.

Thoughts to Ponder: Winning is not everything. Everybody has a desire to be the top and be the best, and it comes to us naturally because we do not want to face failure, or be ranked as the bottom few. Winning not only brings mental satisfaction, but also boosts our confidence and proves our ability which encourages us to improve. Winning is the result of our efforts !

However, if the effort is not the full commitment from oneself but through an approach that is against moral values, the victory is of no value. The process is the most important learning to enable us to not only win once, but keep winning. Human values such as humanity, compassion, kindness should not be forgotten. Sometimes, failure is vital to prevent arrogance and allow us to reflect ourselves. At the same time, we learn to accept failure and pull oneself together. Therefore we should not see winning as everything !

The house with the golden windows

The little girl lived in a small, very simple, poor house on a hill and as she grew she would play in the small garden and as she grew she was able to see over the garden fence and across the valley to a wonderful house high on the hill - and this house had golden windows, so golden and shining that the little girl would dream of how magic it would be to grow up and live in a house with golden windows instead of an ordinary house like hers.

And although she loved her parents and her family, she yearned to live in such a golden house and dreamed all day about how wonderful and exciting it must feel to live there.

When she got to an age where she gained enough skill and sensibility to go outside her garden fence, she asked her mother is she could go for a bike ride outside the gate and down the lane. After pleading with her, her mother finally allowed her to go, insisting that she kept close to the house and didn't wander too far. The day was beautiful and the little girl knew exactly where she was heading! Down the lane and across the valley, she rode her bike until she got to the gate of the golden house across on the other hill.

As she dismounted her bike and lent it against the gate post, she focused on the path that lead to the house and then on the house itself...and was so disappointed as she realised all the windows were plain and rather dirty, reflecting nothing other than the sad neglect of the house that stood derelict.

So sad she didn't go any further and turned, heart broken as she remounted her bike ... As she glanced up she saw a sight to amaze her...there across the way on her side of the valley was a little house and its windows glistened golden ...as the sun shone on her little home.

She realised that she had been living in her golden house and all the love and care she found there was what made her home the 'golden house'. Everything she dreamed was right there in front of her nose!

Russell H. Conwell tells a similar story about a farmer in Africa who heard about people getting rich finding diamonds. So, he sold his farm and spent his life searching for diamonds. Meanwhile, the man who purchased his farm was one day out by the river and saw a stone sparkle in the sun. He picked it up and brought it home. Later a visitor commented on the beautiful stone and suggested that it might be a diamond. “Couldn’t be,” the man said, “my stream bottom is filled with such stones.” Well, you guessed it, the farmer’s land turned out to contain one of the largest, most productive diamond mines in history. This farmer searched everywhere looking for diamonds, when he already owned acres of diamonds. He just didn’t look in his own back yard.

Thought to Ponder:

            When things get difficult, we tend to look at other people and assume that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. When viewed from a distance, their opportunities often look richer, their problems seem fewer, and success looks easier. The temptation is to run here and there looking for better, easier opportunities. We sometimes wishfully look at other people and wish things were that easy for us. But, it is often an illusion.Prepare the ground, enrich the soil, nurture and water the grass until it thrives. Put your time, energy and effort into making your current opportunities blossom into success. When things get a little tough, resist the temptation to immediately look elsewhere for opportunities and the prospect of easier success. Focus your energy on thriving where you stand. Look for opportunities that you may already have, but might not have recognized. Rise to the top in whatever situation you find yourself. From there, you will be able to more clearly discern the true color of the grass.