THE ELEPHANT ROPE As a man was passing the elephants, he suddenly stopped, confused by the fact that these

huge creatures were being held by only a small rope tied to their front leg. No chains, no cages. It was obvious that the elephants could, at anytime, break away from their bonds but for some reason, they did not. He saw a trainer nearby and asked why these animals just stood there and made no attempt to get away. Well, trainer said, when they are very young and much smaller we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, its enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free. The man was amazed. These animals could at any time break free from their bonds but because they believed they couldnt, they were stuck right where they were. Like the elephants, how many of us go through life hanging onto a belief that we cannot do something, simply because we failed at it once before? Failure is part of learning; we should never give up the struggle in life.

THE BLACK DOT

A small town chamber of commerce invited a speaker to address its annual dinner. The communitys economy was bad, people were discouraged, and they wanted this motivational speaker to give them a boost. During her presentation, the speaker took a large piece of white paper and made a small black dot in the centre of it with a marking pen. Then she held the paper up before the group and ask them what they saw. One person quickly replied, I see a black dot. Okay, what else do you see? Others joined in agreement : A black dot. Dont you see anything besides the dot? she asked. A resounding No came from the audience. What about the sheet of paper? asked the speaker. I am sure you have all seen it, she said, But you have chosen to overlook it. In life, we also tend to overlook and take for granted many wonderful things that we have or happen around us and focus our attention and energy on small, dotlike failures and disappointments. The so called problems that we have are usually like the black dot on the paper. They are small and insignificant if we can widen our horizon and look at the whole picture. Are you one of the person who focus your attention and energy on dot-like problems?

THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS AS THEY APPEAR

There was once a man who was ship-wrecked and stranded on an island. Every day he prayed asking God to send someone to rescue him, but to his disappointment, no one ever came. Months passed and this man learned how to survive on the island. During this time, he accumulated things from the island and stored them in a hut that he constructed. One day after hunting for food and returning back to his hut, much to his dismay he saw that his hut was on fire along with everything else he owned! All of his possessions were going up in smoke! The only thing he had left were the clothes on his back. Initially he was in shock, and then he was consumed with anger and rage! In his fury he threw a fist into the air and began cursing God and yelling, God, how could you let this happen to me? Ive been praying everyday for months about being rescued and no one has come, and now everything that I have is on fire! How could you do to this to me! Why did you let this happen? Later the man was on his hands and knees weeping heavily when he happened to look up and catch sight of a ship coming in his direction. The man was rescued and as they were heading back to civilization the man asked the captain, How were you able to find me? The captain responded, We were voyaging across the ocean when we noticed on the horizon a column of smoke going up. We decided to go check it out and when we did, thats when we found you! In life we are going to be confronted with challenges, problems, and disasters. But keep in mind that what the devil has meant for bad, God can transform into your

good! What is a catastrophe can sometimes be a blessing in disguise. The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

THE STORY OF AN EAGLE LIVING WITH CHICKENS

Once upon a time, at a large mountainside there was an eagle nest with 4 large eagle eggs inside. One day, an earthquake rocked the mountain causing one of the eggs to roll down to a chicken farm, located in the valley below. The chickens knew that they must protect the eagle egg. Eventually, the eagle egg hatched and a beautiful eagle was born. Being chickens, the chickens raised the eagle to be a chicken. The eagle loved his home and family but it seemed his spirit cried out for more. One day, the eagle looked to the skies above and noticed a group of mighty eagles soaring. Oh, the eagle cried, I wish I could soar like those birds. The chickens roared with laughter, You cannot soar like those. You are a chicken and chickens do not soar. The eagle continued staring at his real family up above, dreaming that he could be like them. Each time the eagle talked about his dreams, he was told it couldnt be done. That was what the eagle learned to believe. After time, the eagle stopped dreaming and continued to live his life as a chicken. Finally, after a long life as a chicken, the eagle passed away. Moral: You become what you believe you are. If you ever dream to become an eagle, follow your dreams, not the words of chickens.

THE SEED OF HONESTY

A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business. Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together. He said, It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you. The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued. I am going to give each one of you a SEED today one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO. One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didnt have a plant and he felt like a failure. Six months went by still nothing in Jims pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didnt say anything to

his colleagues, however He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil He so wanted the seed to grow. A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection. Jim told his wife that he wasnt going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him! When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives. Jim just tried to hide in the back. My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown, said the CEO. Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO! All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, The CEO knows Im a failure! Maybe he will have me fired! When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed Jim told him the story.

The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, Behold your next Chief Executive Officer! His name is Jim! Jim couldnt believe it. Jim couldnt even grow his seed. How could he be the new CEO? the others said. Then the CEO said, One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead it was not possible for them to grow. All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer! * If you plant honesty, you will reap trust. * If you plant goodness, you will reap friends. * If you plant humility, you will reap greatness. * If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment. * If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective. * If you plant hard work, you will reap success. * If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation. * If you plant faith in God , you will reap a harvest. So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later.. Whatever You Give To Life, Life Gives You Back

CARROTS, EGGS, AND COFFEE

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as when one problem was solved, a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, Tell me what you see. Carrots, eggs, and coffee, she replied. Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, What does it mean, mother? Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

However, the ground coffee beans were unique. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water. Which are you? she asked her daughter. When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean? Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

HUMAN VALUE
Life is full of ups and downs. It is easy to lose hope and confidence. This little story helps us to realize that no matter what happens, we remain valuable as individuals. A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a 1000 rupee note. In the room of 200, he asked, Who would like to have this 1000 rupee note? Hands started going up. He said, I am going to give this 1000 rupee note to one of you but first, let me do this. He proceeded to crumple the 1000 rupee note. He then asked, Who still wants it? Still the hands were up in the air. Well, he replied, What if I do this? And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty. Now who still wants it? Still the hands went into the air. My friends, no matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth `.1000/-. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. You are special Dont ever forget it!

UNIQUE HUMAN FLAWS

An elderly asian woman had two large pots, each hung on the end of a pole, which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For two years, this went on daily with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water. The perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. The poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do. After 2 years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman: I am ashamed of myself because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way to your house. The old woman smiled, Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pots side? Thats because I have always known about your flaw so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house. Moral: Like the pots, we all have our own unique flaws. But its the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.

THE SECRET OF SUCCESS!

A young man asked Socrates, an ancient Greek philosopher, the secret of Success. Socrates told the young man to meet him near the river the next morning. They met. Socrates asked the young man to walk with him toward the river. When the water got up to their necks, Socrates took the young man by surprise and ducked him into the water. The man struggled to get out but Socrates was strong and kept him under water until he started turning blue. The young man struggled hard and finally managed to get up. The first thing he did was to gasp and take a deep breath. Socrates asked, What did you want the most when you were under the water? The man replied Air. Socrates said: Thats the most secret to success. When you want success as badly as you want air, you will get it. There is no other secret. A burning desire is the starting point of all accomplishments. Just like a small fire cannot give much heat, a weak desire cannot produce great results

The greatest gift is Love

A woman came out of her house and saw 3 old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them. She said, I dont think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat. Is the man of the house home?, they asked. No, she said. Hes out. Then we cannot come in, they replied. In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened. Go tell them I am home and invite them in! The woman went out and invited the men in. We do not go into a House together, they replied. Why is that? she wanted to know. One of the old men explained: His name is Wealth, he said pointing to one of his friends, and said pointing to another one, He is Success, and I am Love. Then he added, Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home. The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed. How nice!!, he said. Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth! His wife disagreed. My dear, why dont we invite Success? Their daughter-in-law was listening from the other corner of the house. She jumped in with her own suggestion: Would it not be better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love! Let us heed our daughter-in-laws advice, said the husband to his wife. Go out and invite Love to be our guest. The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest. Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other 2 also got up and followed him. Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success: I only invited Love, Why are you coming in? The old men replied together: If you had invited Wealth or Success, the other two of us wouldve stayed out, but since you invited Love, wherever He goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success!

THE VALUE OF TIME

Imagine there is a bank that credits your account each morning with `.86,400/It carries over no balance from day to day. Every evening deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out every singe rupee, of course!!! Each of us has such a bank. Its name is TIME. Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft. Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the remains of the day. If you fail to use the days deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back. There is no drawing against the tomorrow. You must live in the present on todays deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness, and success! The clock is running. Make the most of today. To realize the value of one year, ask a student who has failed his final exam. To realize the value of one month, ask the parent of a premature baby. To realize the value of one week, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper. To realize the value of one day, ask a daily wage laborer who has a large family to feed. To realize the value of one hour, ask lovers who are waiting to meet.

To realize the value of one minute, ask a person who has missed the train, the bus, or a plane. To realize the value of one second, ask a person who has survived an accident. To realize the value of one millisecond, ask the person who has won a silver medal at the Olympics. Treasure every moment that you have! And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time. And remember that time waits for no one.

TO LOVE AND TO BE LOVED

Once upon a time . A very poor man lived with his wife. 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 of the story: To love is nothing, to be loved is something but to love and to be loved by the one you love, that is everything.

THE VALUE OF KNOWLEDGE

A giant ship engine failed. The ships owners tried one expert after another, but none of them could figure but how to fix the engine. Then they brought in an old man who had been fixing ships since he was a young. He carried a large bag of tools with him, and when he arrived, he immediately went to work. He inspected the engine very carefully, top to bottom. Two of the ships owners were there, watching this man, hoping he would know what to do. After looking things over, the old man reached into his bag and pulled out a small hammer. He gently tapped something. Instantly, the engine lurched into life. He carefully put his hammer away. The engine was fixed! A week later, the owners received a bill from the old man for one lakh rupees. What?! the owners exclaimed. He hardly did anything! So they wrote the old man a note saying, Please send us an itemized bill. The man sent a bill that read: Tapping with a hammer 100.00 Knowing where to tap 99,900.00 Effort is important, but knowing where to make an effort makes all the difference!

THE IMPORTANT THINGS IN LIFE

A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items on the table in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, about 2 inches in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous Yes. Now, said the professor, I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the important things your family, your partner, your health, your children things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else. The small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first, he continued there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take your partner out. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal. Take care of the rocks first the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

STOP WAITING
We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids arent old enough and well be more content when they are. After that, were frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage. We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, when we retire. The truth is, theres no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when? Our life will always be filled with challenges. Its best to admit this to ourself and decide to be happy anyway. One of my favourite quotes comes from Alfred D. Souse. He said, For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, or a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So, treasure every moment that we have and treasure it more because we shared it with someone special, special enough to spend our time and remember that time waits for no one. So, stop waiting until you finish school, until you go back to school, until you lose ten pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you retire, until you get married, until you get divorced, until Friday night, until Sunday morning, until you get a new car/home, until your car or home is paid off, until spring, until summer, until fall, until winter, until you are off welfare, until the first or fifteenth, until your song comes on, until youve had a drink, until youve sobered up,

 until you die, until you are born again to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy. Happiness is a journey, not a destination. By Crystal Boyd So Work like you dont need money, love like youve never been hurt and dance like no one is watching. ~ Randall G Leighton Life Lessons

GIVE YOUR BEST TO RELATIONSHIPS

A boy and a girl were playing together. The boy had a collection of marbles. The girl had some sweets with her. The boy told the girl that he will give her all his marbles in exchange for her sweets. The girl agreed. The boy kept the biggest and the most beautiful marble aside and gave the rest to the girl. The girl gave him all her sweets as she had promised. That night, the girl slept peacefully. But the boy couldnt sleep as he kept wondering if the girl had hidden some sweets from him the way he had hidden his best marble. Moral of the story: If you dont give your hundred percent in a relationship, youll always keep doubting if the other person has given his/her hundred percent.. This is applicable for any relationship like love, employer-employee relationship etc. Give your hundred percent to everything you do and sleep peacefully.

A SMILE
A smile costs nothing, but gives much. It enriches those who receive, without making poorer those who give. It takes a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever. None is so rich or mighty that he can get along without it, and none is so poor, but that he can be made rich by it. A smile creates happiness in the home, fosters good will in business, and is the countersign of friendship. It brings rest to the weary, cheer to the discouraged, sunshine to the sad, and it is natures best antidote for trouble. Yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen, for it is something that is of no value to anyone, until it is given away. Some people are too tired to give you a smile; Give them one of yours, as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give.

How big is One?

As a man walked a desolate beach one cold, gray morning he began to see another figure, far in the distance. Slowly the two approached each other, and he could make out a local native who kept leaning down, picking something up and throwing it out into the water. Time and again he hurled things into the ocean. As the distance between them continued to narrow, the man could see that the native was picking up starfish that had been washed upon the beach and, one at a time, was throwing them back into the water. Puzzled, the man approached the native and asked what he was doing. Im throwing these starfish back into the ocean. You see, its low tide right now and all of these starfish have been washed up onto the shore. If I dont throw them back into the sea, theyll die up here from lack of oxygen. But there must be thousands of starfish on this beach, the man replied. You cant possibly get to all of them. There are just too many. And this same thing is probably happening on hundreds of beaches all up and down this coast. Cant you see that you cant possibly make a difference? The local native smiled, bent down and picked up another starfish, and as he threw it back into the sea he replied, Made a difference to that one!

How the poor live

One day, a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son 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 boys father was speechless. Then his son added, Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are.

A box of kisses
Some time ago, a man punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree. Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, This is for you, Daddy. He was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his anger flared again when he found the box was empty. He yelled at her, Dont you know that when you give someone a present, theres supposed to be something inside it? The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said,Oh, Daddy, it is not empty. I blew kisses into the box. All for you, Daddy. The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged for her forgiveness. It is told that the man kept that gold box by his bed for years and whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there. In a very real sense, each of us as humans have been given a gold container filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children, friends, family and God. There is no more precious possession anyone could hold.

The story of a woodcutter

Once upon a time, a very strong woodcutter asked for a job in a timber merchant and he got it. The pay was really good and so was the work condition. For those reasons, the woodcutter was determined to do his best. His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he supposed to work. The first day, the woodcutter brought 18 trees. Congratulations, the boss said. Go on that way! Very motivated by the boss words, the woodcutter tried harder the next day, but he could only bring 15 trees. The third day he tried even harder, but he could only bring 10 trees. Day after day he was bringing less and less trees. I must be losing my strength, the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on. When was the last time you sharpened your axe? the boss asked. Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees

Reflection: Our lives are like that. We sometimes get so busy that we dont take time to sharpen the axe. In todays world, it seems that everyone is busier than ever, but less happy that ever. Why is that? Could it be that we have forgotten how to stay sharp? Theres nothing wrong with activity and hard work. But we should not get so busy that we neglect the truly important things in life, like our personal life, taking time to get close to our Creator, giving more time for our family, taking time to read etc. We all need time to relax, to think and meditate, to learn and grow. If we dont take the time to sharpen the axe, we will become dull and lose our effectiveness.

Enjoy your life at every moment

Once a fisherman was sitting near seashore, under the shadow of a tree smoking his beedi. Suddenly a rich businessman passing by approached him and enquired as to why he was sitting under a tree smoking and not working. To this the poor fisherman replied that he had caught enough fishes for the day. Hearing this the rich man got angry and said: Why dont you catch more fishes instead of sitting in shadow wasting your time? Fisherman asked: What would I do by catching more fishes? Businessman: You could catch more fishes, sell them and earn more money, and buy a bigger boat. Fisherman: What would I do then? Businessman: You could go fishing in deep waters and catch even more fishes and earn even more money. Fisherman: What would I do then? Businessman: You could buy many boats and employ many people to work for you and earn even more money. Fisherman: What would I do then? Businessman: You could become a rich businessman like me. Fisherman: What would I do then? Businessman: You could then enjoy your life peacefully. Fisherman: What do you think Im doing right now? MORAL You dont need to wait for tomorrow to be happy and enjoy your life. You dont even need to be more rich, more powerful to enjoy life. LIFE is at this moment, enjoy it fully. As some great men have said My riches consist not in extent of my possessions but in the fewness of my wants.

Let go of your Stresses

A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected theyd be asked the half empty or half full question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: How heavy is this glass of water? Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz. She replied, The absolute weight doesnt matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, its not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, Ill have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesnt change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes. She continued, The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed incapable of doing anything. Its important to remember to let go of your stresses. As early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Dont carry them through the evening and into the night. Remember to put the glass down!

Whats for Dinner?

A man feared his wife wasnt hearing as well as she used to and he thought she might need a hearing aid. Not quite sure how to approach her, he called the family Doctor to discuss the problem. The Doctor told him there is a simple informal test the husband could perform to give the Doctor a better idea about her hearing loss. Heres what you do, said the Doctor, stand about 40 feet away from her, and in a normal conversational speaking tone see if she hears you. If not, go to 30 feet, then 20 feet, and s o on until you get a response. That evening, the wife is in the kitchen cooking dinner, and he was in the den. He says to himself, Im about 40 feet away, lets see what happens. Then in a normal tone he asks, Honey, whats for dinner? No response. So the husband moves to closer to the kitchen, about 30 feet from his wife and repeats, Honey, whats for dinner? Still no response. Next he moves into the dining room where he is about 20 feet from his wife and asks, Honey, whats for dinner? Again he gets no response so, He walks up to the kitchen door, about 10 feet away. Honey, whats for dinner? Again there is no response. So he walks right up behind her. Honey, whats for dinner? James, for the FIFTH time Ive said, CHICKEN! The problem may not be with the other one as we always think, could be very much within us..!

HELP
An old man lived alone wanted to spade his potato garden, but it was very hard work. His only son, who would have helped him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and mentioned his situation: Dear Son, I am feeling pretty bad because it looks like I wont be able to plant my potato garden this year. I hate to miss doing the garden because your mother always loved planting time. Im just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. If you were here, all my troubles would be over. I know you would dig the plot for me, if you werent in prison. Love, Dad

Shortly, the old man received this telegram: For Heavens sake, Dad, dont dig up the garden!! Thats where I buried the GUNS!! At 4 a.m. the next morning, local police officers showed up and dug up the entire garden without finding any guns. Confused, the old man wrote another note to his son telling him what had happened, and asked him what to do next. His sons reply was: Go ahead and plant your potatoes, Dad. Its the best I could do for you, from here. NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN THE WORLD, IF YOU HAVE DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING DEEP FROM YOUR HEART, YOU CAN DO IT. IT IS THE THOUGHT THAT MATTERS, NOT WHERE YOU ARE OR WHERE THE PERSON IS.

FACE DIFFICULTIES POSITIVELY

There was a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmers well. The farmer heard the mule praying or whatever mules do when they fall into wells. After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together, told them what had happened, and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery. Initially the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back, a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back, HE WOULD SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP! This he did, blow after blow. Shake it off and step upshake it off and step up shake it off and step up! He repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or how distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought panic and just kept right on SHAKING IT OFF AND STEPPING UP! It wasnt long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well! What seemed like it would bury him actually helped him . . . all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity. THATS LIFE! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, we can lead happy and peaceful life.

BUYING AN HOUR OF DADDYS TIME

The man came home from work late again, tired and irritated, to find his 5 year old son waiting for him at the door. Daddy, may I ask you a question? Yeah, sure, what is it? replied the man. Daddy, how much money do you make an hour? Thats none of your business! What makes you ask such a thing? the man said angrily. I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour? pleaded the little boy. If you must know, I make $20 an hour. Oh, the little boy replied, head bowed. Looking up, he said, Daddy, may I borrow $10 please? The father was furious. If the only reason you wanted to know how much money I make is just so you can borrow some to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why youre being so selfish. I work long, hard hours everyday and dont have time for such childish games. The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door. The man sat down and started to get even madder about the little boys questioning. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money. After an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think he may have been a little hard on his son. Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $10 and he really didnt ask for money very often. The man went to the door of the little boys room and opened the door. Are you asleep son? he asked No daddy, Im awake. replied the boy Ive been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier. said the man. Its been a long day and I took my aggravation out on you. Heres that $10 you asked for. The little boy sat straight up, beaming. Oh, thank you daddy! he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow, he pulled out some more crumpled up bills. The man, seeing the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, then looked up at the man.

Why did you want more money if you already had some? the father grumbled. Because I didnt have enough, but now I do. the little boy replied. Daddy, I have $20 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you. The father was crushed and he put his arms around his little son.

APPRECIATE LIFES ANNOYING LITTLE THINGS Lessons from 9/11, the annoying little things: As you might know, the head of a major company survived the tragedy of 9/11 in New York because his son started kindergarten. Another fellow was alive because it was his turn to bring donuts. One woman was late because her alarm clock didnt go off in time. One was late because of being stuck on the NJ Turnpike because of an auto accident. One of them missed his bus. One spilled food on her clothes and had to take time to change. Ones car wouldnt start. One went back to answer the telephone. One had a child that dawdled and didnt get ready as soon as he should have. One couldnt get a taxi. The one that struck me was the man who put on a new pair of shoes that morning, took the various means to get to work but before he got there, he developed a blister on his foot. He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid. That is why he is alive today. Now when I am stuck in traffic miss an elevator turn back to answer a ringing telephone all the little things that annoy me I think to myself this is exactly where God wants me to be at this very moment. The next time your morning seems to be going wrong, the children are slow getting dressed, you cant seem to find the car keys, you hit every traffic light dont get mad or frustrated; God is at work watching over you. May God continue to bless you with all those annoying little things and may you remember and appreciate their possible purpose.

ANGER, ENVY & INSULTS

A great Samurai at his old age was teaching Zen Buddhism to young people. One afternoon, a warrior arrived there. The young and impatient warrior had never lost a fight. Hearing of the Samurais reputation, he had come to defeat him, and increase his fame. All the students were against the idea, but the old man accepted the challenge. All gathered on the town square, and the young man started insulting the old master. He threw a few rocks in his direction, spat in his face, shouted every insult under the sun he even insulted his ancestors. For hours, he did everything to provoke him, but the old man remained calm. At the end of the afternoon, by now feeling exhausted and humiliated, the impetuous warrior left. Disappointed by the fact that the master had received so many insults and provocations, the students asked: How could you bear such indignity? Why didnt you use your sword, even knowing you might lose the fight, instead of displaying your cowardice in front of us all? If someone comes to you with a gift, and you do not accept it, who does the gift belong to? asked the old Samurai. He who tried to deliver it. replied one of his disciples. The same goes for envy, anger and insults. said the master. When they are not accepted, they continue to belong to the one who carried them.

IMPROVE SELF CONFIDENCE

A boy named Henry in a classroom was called upon to recite in front of the class. He had hardly begun when the teacher interrupted with an emphatic, No! He started over and again the teacher thundered, No! Humiliated, the boy sat down. The next boy named Jack rose to recite and had just begun when the teacher shouted, No! This student, however, kept on with the recitation until he completed it. As he sat down, the teacher replied, Very good! Henry was irritated. I recited just as he did, he complained to the teacher. But the instructor replied, It is not enough to know your lesson, you must be sure. When you allowed me to stop you, it meant that you were uncertain. If the world says, No! it is your business to say, Yes! and prove it. The world will say, No! in a thousand ways. No! You cant do that. No! You are wrong. No! You are too old. No! You are too young. No! You are too weak. No! It will never work. No! You dont have the education. No! You dont have the background. No! You dont have the money. No! It cant be done. And each No! you hear has the potential to erode your confidence bit by bit until you quit all together. Though the world says, No! to you today, you should be determined to say, Yes! and prove it!

THE MISSING WATCH

There once was a farmer who 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. A peaceful mind can think better than a worked up mind. Allow a 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!

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