1. The dream that came true
I have a friend named Andrew Levis who owns a horse ranch in Los Angeles. He has let me use his house to put on fund-raising events to raise money for youth at risk programs.
The last time I was there he introduced me by saying, “I want to tell you why I let Jack use my horse. It all goes back to a story about a young man who was the son of an itinerant horse trainer who would go from stable to stable, race track to race track, farm to farm and ranch to ranch, training horses. As a result, the boy’s high school career was continually interrupted. When he was a senior, he was asked to write a paper about what he wanted to be and do when he grew up.
“That night he wrote a seven-page paper describing his goal of someday owning a horse ranch. He wrote about his dream in great detail and he even drew a diagram of a 200-acre ranch, showing the location of all the buildings, the stables and the track. Then he drew a detailed floor plan for a 4,000-square-foot house that would sit on a 200-acre dream ranch.
“He put a great deal of his heart into the project and the next day he handed it to his teacher. Two days later he received his paperback. On the front page was a large red F with a note that read, `See me after class.’
“The boy with the dream went to see the teacher after class and asked, `Why did I receive an F?’
“The teacher said, `This is an unrealistic dream for a young boy like you. You have no money. You come from an itinerant family. You have no resources. Owning a horse ranch requires a lot of money. You have to buy the land. You have to pay for the original breeding stock and later you’ll have to pay large stud fees. There’s no way you could ever do it.’ Then the teacher added, `If you will rewrite this paper with a more realistic goal, I will reconsider your grade.’
“The boy went home and thought about it long and hard. He asked his father what he should do. His father said, `Look, son, you have to make up your own mind on this. However, I think it is a very important decision for you.’ “Finally, after sitting with it for a week, the boy turned in the same paper, making no changes at all.
He stated, “You can keep the F and I’ll keep my dream.”
Andrew then turned to the assembled group and said, “I tell you this story because you are sitting in my 4,000-square-foot house in the middle of my 200-acre horse ranch. I still have that school paper framed over the fireplace.” He added, “The best part of the story is that two summers ago that same schoolteacher brought 30 kids to camp out on my ranch for a week.”
When the teacher was leaving, he said, “Look, Andrew, I can tell you this now. When I was your teacher, I was something of a dream stealer. During those years I stole a lot of kids’ dreams. Fortunately, you had enough gumption not to give up on yours.”
Moral: Work hard, dream big! Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.
The last time I was there he introduced me by saying, “I want to tell you why I let Jack use my horse. It all goes back to a story about a young man who was the son of an itinerant horse trainer who would go from stable to stable, race track to race track, farm to farm and ranch to ranch, training horses. As a result, the boy’s high school career was continually interrupted. When he was a senior, he was asked to write a paper about what he wanted to be and do when he grew up.
“That night he wrote a seven-page paper describing his goal of someday owning a horse ranch. He wrote about his dream in great detail and he even drew a diagram of a 200-acre ranch, showing the location of all the buildings, the stables and the track. Then he drew a detailed floor plan for a 4,000-square-foot house that would sit on a 200-acre dream ranch.
“He put a great deal of his heart into the project and the next day he handed it to his teacher. Two days later he received his paperback. On the front page was a large red F with a note that read, `See me after class.’
“The boy with the dream went to see the teacher after class and asked, `Why did I receive an F?’
“The teacher said, `This is an unrealistic dream for a young boy like you. You have no money. You come from an itinerant family. You have no resources. Owning a horse ranch requires a lot of money. You have to buy the land. You have to pay for the original breeding stock and later you’ll have to pay large stud fees. There’s no way you could ever do it.’ Then the teacher added, `If you will rewrite this paper with a more realistic goal, I will reconsider your grade.’
“The boy went home and thought about it long and hard. He asked his father what he should do. His father said, `Look, son, you have to make up your own mind on this. However, I think it is a very important decision for you.’ “Finally, after sitting with it for a week, the boy turned in the same paper, making no changes at all.
He stated, “You can keep the F and I’ll keep my dream.”
Andrew then turned to the assembled group and said, “I tell you this story because you are sitting in my 4,000-square-foot house in the middle of my 200-acre horse ranch. I still have that school paper framed over the fireplace.” He added, “The best part of the story is that two summers ago that same schoolteacher brought 30 kids to camp out on my ranch for a week.”
When the teacher was leaving, he said, “Look, Andrew, I can tell you this now. When I was your teacher, I was something of a dream stealer. During those years I stole a lot of kids’ dreams. Fortunately, you had enough gumption not to give up on yours.”
Moral: Work hard, dream big! Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.
2.Value of hard work - The bruised hands
One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a big company. He passed the first interview, the director did the last interview, made the last decision. The director discovered from the CV that the youth’s academic achievements were excellent all the way, from secondary school until the postgraduate research, never had a year when he did not score.
The director asked, 'Did you obtain any scholarships in school?', the youth answered 'none'
The director asked, 'Was it your father who paid for your school fees?'. The youth answered, 'My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees.
The director asked, 'Where did your mother work?' The youth answered, 'My mother worked as a clothes cleaner. The director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect.
The director asked, 'Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?' The youth answered, 'Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me'.
The director said, 'I have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning'.
The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to the kid. The youth cleaned his mother’s hands slowly. His tear fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother’s hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises on her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water.
This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes every day to enable him to pay the school fee. The bruises in the mother's hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his graduation, academic excellence and his future. After finishing the cleaning of his mother’s hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother. That night, mother and son talked for a very long time. The next morning, the youth went to the director's office.
The Director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes, asked: 'Can you tell me what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?' The youth answered, 'I cleaned my mother’s hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes.
The Director asked, 'please tell me your feelings. The youth said, 'Number 1, I know now what is appreciation. Without my mother, there would not be a successful me today. Number 2, By working together and helping my mother, only I now realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done. Number 3, I have come to appreciate the importance and value of family relationships.
The director said, 'This is what I am looking for to be my manager. I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired'.
Later on, this young person worked very hard and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The company’s performance improved tremendously.
Moral: If one doesn’t understand and experience the difficulty it takes to earn the comfort provided by their loved ones then they will never value it. The most important thing is to experience the difficulty and learn to value hard work behind all the given comfort.
The director asked, 'Did you obtain any scholarships in school?', the youth answered 'none'
The director asked, 'Was it your father who paid for your school fees?'. The youth answered, 'My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees.
The director asked, 'Where did your mother work?' The youth answered, 'My mother worked as a clothes cleaner. The director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect.
The director asked, 'Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?' The youth answered, 'Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me'.
The director said, 'I have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning'.
The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to the kid. The youth cleaned his mother’s hands slowly. His tear fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother’s hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises on her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water.
This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes every day to enable him to pay the school fee. The bruises in the mother's hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his graduation, academic excellence and his future. After finishing the cleaning of his mother’s hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother. That night, mother and son talked for a very long time. The next morning, the youth went to the director's office.
The Director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes, asked: 'Can you tell me what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?' The youth answered, 'I cleaned my mother’s hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes.
The Director asked, 'please tell me your feelings. The youth said, 'Number 1, I know now what is appreciation. Without my mother, there would not be a successful me today. Number 2, By working together and helping my mother, only I now realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done. Number 3, I have come to appreciate the importance and value of family relationships.
The director said, 'This is what I am looking for to be my manager. I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired'.
Later on, this young person worked very hard and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The company’s performance improved tremendously.
Moral: If one doesn’t understand and experience the difficulty it takes to earn the comfort provided by their loved ones then they will never value it. The most important thing is to experience the difficulty and learn to value hard work behind all the given comfort.
3. The judgmental woman
Once upon a time, there was a man who was very helpful, kindhearted and generous.
He used to help everyone without asking anything to pay him back. He will help someone because he wants to and he loves to.
One day while walking to buy medicines for his long time illness, he saw a purse. He picked it up and noticed that the purse was empty. Suddenly a woman with a policeman shows up and gets him arrested.
The woman kept on asking where did he hide her money but the man replied, 'It was empty when I found it. The woman yelled at him 'Please give it back, It's for my son's school fees. The man noticed that the woman really felt sad, so he handed all his money. The man said, 'Take these, sorry for the inconvenience. He could say that the woman was a single mother. The woman left and the policeman held the man for further questioning.
The woman was very happy but when she counted her money, she was shocked to see that it was doubled. Another day while the woman was going to pay her son's school fees towards the school, she noticed that some skinny man was walking behind her. She thought that he will rob her, so she approached a policeman standing nearby.
He was the same policeman, who she took along to inquire about her purse. The woman told him about the man following her, but suddenly they saw that man collapsing. They ran at him and saw that he was the same man whom they arrested a few days back for stealing a purse.
He looked very weak and the woman was confused. The policeman said to the woman, 'He didn't return your money, he gave you his own money that day. He wasn't the thief but hearing about your son's school fees, he felt sad and gave you his money.
Later, they helped the man stand up. The man said to the woman 'Please go ahead and pay your son's school fees, I saw you and followed you to be sure that no one steals your son's school fees. The woman was speechless.
Moral: Don't be judgmental. When you judge others, you do not define them; you define yourself
He used to help everyone without asking anything to pay him back. He will help someone because he wants to and he loves to.
One day while walking to buy medicines for his long time illness, he saw a purse. He picked it up and noticed that the purse was empty. Suddenly a woman with a policeman shows up and gets him arrested.
The woman kept on asking where did he hide her money but the man replied, 'It was empty when I found it. The woman yelled at him 'Please give it back, It's for my son's school fees. The man noticed that the woman really felt sad, so he handed all his money. The man said, 'Take these, sorry for the inconvenience. He could say that the woman was a single mother. The woman left and the policeman held the man for further questioning.
The woman was very happy but when she counted her money, she was shocked to see that it was doubled. Another day while the woman was going to pay her son's school fees towards the school, she noticed that some skinny man was walking behind her. She thought that he will rob her, so she approached a policeman standing nearby.
He was the same policeman, who she took along to inquire about her purse. The woman told him about the man following her, but suddenly they saw that man collapsing. They ran at him and saw that he was the same man whom they arrested a few days back for stealing a purse.
He looked very weak and the woman was confused. The policeman said to the woman, 'He didn't return your money, he gave you his own money that day. He wasn't the thief but hearing about your son's school fees, he felt sad and gave you his money.
Later, they helped the man stand up. The man said to the woman 'Please go ahead and pay your son's school fees, I saw you and followed you to be sure that no one steals your son's school fees. The woman was speechless.
Moral: Don't be judgmental. When you judge others, you do not define them; you define yourself
4. A cracked pot
An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends 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 a full two years, this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But 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 one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back 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 pot's side?" "That's 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."
Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.
So, to all of my crackpot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!
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 a full two years, this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But 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 one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back 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 pot's side?" "That's 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."
Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.
So, to all of my crackpot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!
5. Strength or Weakness ???
A 10-year-old boy named Kakashi decided to study judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident.
Kakashi began lessons with an old Japanese judo master - Hashirama. Kakashi was doing well, so he couldn’t understand why, after three months of training the master had taught him only one move. “Hashirama-san,”(Teacher in Japanese) 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 Hashirama replied.
Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, Kakashi kept training. Several months later, Hashirama took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, Kakashi 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, Kakashi was now in the finals.
This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced. For a while, Kakashi appeared to be overmatched. Concerned that Kakashi might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when Hashirama intervened. “No,” Hashirama insisted, “Let him continue.” Soon after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical mistake: he dropped his guard. Instantly, Kakashi used his move to pin him. He had won the match and the tournament.
He was the champion. On the way home, Kakashi and Hashirama reviewed every move in each and every match. Then Kakashi summoned the courage to ask what was really on his mind.
“Hashirama-san, how did I win the tournament with only one move?”
“You won for two reasons,” Hashirama 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 grab your left arm.”
Kakashi’s biggest weakness had become his biggest strength.
Moral: If life hits you hard, hit back harder! Sometimes we don't realize our own strengths until we come face to face with our greatest weakness
Kakashi began lessons with an old Japanese judo master - Hashirama. Kakashi was doing well, so he couldn’t understand why, after three months of training the master had taught him only one move. “Hashirama-san,”(Teacher in Japanese) 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 Hashirama replied.
Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, Kakashi kept training. Several months later, Hashirama took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, Kakashi 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, Kakashi was now in the finals.
This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced. For a while, Kakashi appeared to be overmatched. Concerned that Kakashi might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when Hashirama intervened. “No,” Hashirama insisted, “Let him continue.” Soon after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical mistake: he dropped his guard. Instantly, Kakashi used his move to pin him. He had won the match and the tournament.
He was the champion. On the way home, Kakashi and Hashirama reviewed every move in each and every match. Then Kakashi summoned the courage to ask what was really on his mind.
“Hashirama-san, how did I win the tournament with only one move?”
“You won for two reasons,” Hashirama 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 grab your left arm.”
Kakashi’s biggest weakness had become his biggest strength.
Moral: If life hits you hard, hit back harder! Sometimes we don't realize our own strengths until we come face to face with our greatest weakness
6. Kalam - The people person
There were about 70 scientists working on a very hectic project. All of them were really frustrated due to the pressure of work and the demands of their boss but everyone was loyal to him and did not think of quitting the job.
One day, one scientist came to his boss and told him – Sir, I have promised to my children that I will take them to the exhibition going on in our township. So I want to leave the office at 5 30 pm. His boss replied "OK, You’re permitted to leave the office early today". The Scientist started working. He continued his work after lunch. As usual he got involved to such an extent that he looked at his watch when he felt he was close to completion. The time was 8.30 PM. Suddenly he remembered of the promise he had given to his children.
He looked for his boss, He was not there. Having told him in the morning itself, he closed everything and left for home.
Deep within himself, he was feeling guilty for having disappointed his children. He reached home. Children were not there. His wife alone was sitting in the hall and reading magazines.
The situation was explosive, any talk would boomerang on him. His wife asked him "Would you like to have coffee or shall I straight away serve dinner if you are hungry".
The man replied, "If you would like to have coffee, I too will have but what about Children ??".Wife replied, "You don’t know??, Your manager came here at 5.15 PM and has taken the children to the exhibition".
What had really happened was …. The boss who granted him permission was observing him working seriously at 5.00 PM. He thought to himself, this person will not leave the work, but if he has promised his children they should enjoy the visit to the exhibition. So he took the lead in taking them to the exhibition The boss does not have to do it every time. But once it is done, loyalty is established.
That is why all the scientists at Thumba continued to work under their boss even though the stress was tremendous.
By the way, can you hazard a guess as to who the boss was?
He was none other than Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.
Morale: Be kind to others. A gentle word, a kind look, a good-natured smile can work wonders and accomplish miracles
One day, one scientist came to his boss and told him – Sir, I have promised to my children that I will take them to the exhibition going on in our township. So I want to leave the office at 5 30 pm. His boss replied "OK, You’re permitted to leave the office early today". The Scientist started working. He continued his work after lunch. As usual he got involved to such an extent that he looked at his watch when he felt he was close to completion. The time was 8.30 PM. Suddenly he remembered of the promise he had given to his children.
He looked for his boss, He was not there. Having told him in the morning itself, he closed everything and left for home.
Deep within himself, he was feeling guilty for having disappointed his children. He reached home. Children were not there. His wife alone was sitting in the hall and reading magazines.
The situation was explosive, any talk would boomerang on him. His wife asked him "Would you like to have coffee or shall I straight away serve dinner if you are hungry".
The man replied, "If you would like to have coffee, I too will have but what about Children ??".Wife replied, "You don’t know??, Your manager came here at 5.15 PM and has taken the children to the exhibition".
What had really happened was …. The boss who granted him permission was observing him working seriously at 5.00 PM. He thought to himself, this person will not leave the work, but if he has promised his children they should enjoy the visit to the exhibition. So he took the lead in taking them to the exhibition The boss does not have to do it every time. But once it is done, loyalty is established.
That is why all the scientists at Thumba continued to work under their boss even though the stress was tremendous.
By the way, can you hazard a guess as to who the boss was?
He was none other than Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.
Morale: Be kind to others. A gentle word, a kind look, a good-natured smile can work wonders and accomplish miracles
7. Your Bank Account
Imagine there is a bank, which credits your account each morning with $ 86,400, carries over no balance from day to day, allows you to keep no cash balance, and every evening cancels whatever part of the amount you had failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out every cent, of course!
Well, God had provided everyone 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 records of the day. If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours.
There is no going back. There is no drawing against the "tomorrow."
Therefore, there is not enough time or too much time. Time management is decided by us alone and nobody else. It is never the case of us not having enough time to do things, but the case of whether we want to do it.
Lost time is never found again, time is real money distributed equally to everybody :)
Well, God had provided everyone 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 records of the day. If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours.
There is no going back. There is no drawing against the "tomorrow."
Therefore, there is not enough time or too much time. Time management is decided by us alone and nobody else. It is never the case of us not having enough time to do things, but the case of whether we want to do it.
Lost time is never found again, time is real money distributed equally to everybody :)
8. Importance of Attitude
There was a man who made living selling balloons at a fair. He had all colors of balloons Including red, yellow, green. Whenever business was slow, he would release a helium-filled balloon into the air and when the children saw it go up, they all wanted to buy one. They would come up to him, buy a balloon and his sales would go up again. He continues this process all day. One day, he felt something tugging his jacket. He turned around and saw a little boy who asked,” If you release a black balloon, would that also fly?” Moved by the boy’s concern, the man replied with empathy.” Son, it is not the Color of the balloon, it is what is inside that makes it go up.”
The same thing applies to our lives. It is what is inside that counts. The thing inside of us that makes it going up is our attitude.
Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. Remember, a bad attitude is like a flat tire, if you don't change it, you will go nowhere.
The same thing applies to our lives. It is what is inside that counts. The thing inside of us that makes it going up is our attitude.
Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. Remember, a bad attitude is like a flat tire, if you don't change it, you will go nowhere.
9. A story of a 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 we could have been. We could never fly!
Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached as by the obstacles which he has overcome.
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 we could have been. We could never fly!
Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached as by the obstacles which he has overcome.
10. A vase and a poor man
Once upon a time, there was an unfortunate poor man. His home was also very poor – a small and empty house, where mice made their nests and spiders made their webs. People tried to avoid coming into his house – why should they stick their noses into those poor ruins? And the poor man thought that poverty is the reason of his misfortunes – his eternal destiny.
So once, the poor man met a wizard and complained to him about his poverty and miserable life. The wizard felt sorry for the poor man and gave him an unprecedented vase. And said: This is a magical vase that will save you from poverty.
The poor man took the vase and wanted to sell it at first and then spend the money on alcohol, as usual, besides, why would he need such a beautiful thing? But then he started admiring the vase and couldn’t take it to the market. He brought the vase home, put it on the table and started admiring it.
It’s not right for such a beautiful thing to be empty, - the poor man thought. So he picked some wildflowers and put them into the vase.
It became even more beautiful.
Not good, - the poor man thought again, - that such a beautiful thing stands next to a spider web.
So the poor man started cleaning his house from spider webs, sweeping out cockroaches and mice, cleaning the dust, washing the floor and the walls, whitening the ceiling.
And it became clear that his house wasn’t poor, but rather warm and cozy. And the poor man wasn’t a poor man anymore, but a hard-working host, who had no time for thoughts about misfortune.
If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.
So once, the poor man met a wizard and complained to him about his poverty and miserable life. The wizard felt sorry for the poor man and gave him an unprecedented vase. And said: This is a magical vase that will save you from poverty.
The poor man took the vase and wanted to sell it at first and then spend the money on alcohol, as usual, besides, why would he need such a beautiful thing? But then he started admiring the vase and couldn’t take it to the market. He brought the vase home, put it on the table and started admiring it.
It’s not right for such a beautiful thing to be empty, - the poor man thought. So he picked some wildflowers and put them into the vase.
It became even more beautiful.
Not good, - the poor man thought again, - that such a beautiful thing stands next to a spider web.
So the poor man started cleaning his house from spider webs, sweeping out cockroaches and mice, cleaning the dust, washing the floor and the walls, whitening the ceiling.
And it became clear that his house wasn’t poor, but rather warm and cozy. And the poor man wasn’t a poor man anymore, but a hard-working host, who had no time for thoughts about misfortune.
If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.
11. A river cuts the rock
An eight-year-old child heard her parents talking about her little brother. All she knew was that he was very sick and they had no money left. They were moving to a smaller house because they could not afford to stay in the present house after paying the doctor's bills. Only a very costly surgery could save him now and there was no one to loan them the money.
When she heard her Daddy say to her tearful mother with whispered desperation, 'Only a miracle can save him now', the little girl went to her bedroom and pulled her piggy bank from its hiding place in the closet. She poured all the change out on the floor and counted it carefully.
Clutching the precious piggy bank tightly, she slipped out the back door and made her way six blocks to the local drugstore. She took a quarter from her bank and placed it on the glass counter.
"And what do you want?" asked the pharmacist.
"It's for my little brother," the girl answered back. "He's really very sick and I want to buy a miracle."
"I beg you pardon?" said the pharmacist.
"His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my daddy says only a miracle can save him. So how much does a miracle cost?"
"We don't sell miracles here, child. I'm sorry," the pharmacist said, smiling sadly at the little girl.
"Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough, I can try and get some more. Just tell me how much it costs."
In the shop was a well-dressed customer. He stopped down and asked the little girl, "What kind of a miracle does your brother need?"
"I don't know," She replied with her eyes welling up. "He's really sick and mommy says he needs an operation. But my daddy can't pay for it, so I have brought my savings".
"How much do you have?" asked the man.
"One dollar and eleven cents; but I can try and get some more", she answered barely audibly.
"Well, what a coincidence," smiled the man, "A dollar and eleven cents - the exact price of a miracle for little brothers."
He took her money in one hand and held her hand with the other. He said, "Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the kind of miracle you need."
That well-dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed without charge and it wasn't long before Andrew was home again and doing well.
"That surgery," her mom whispered, "was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost."
The little girl smiled. She knew exactly how much the miracle cost. One dollar and eleven cents...plus the faith of a little child.
Perseverance can make miracles happen!
A river cuts the rock not because of its power, but because of its consistency.
Never lose hope & keep walking towards your vision.
When she heard her Daddy say to her tearful mother with whispered desperation, 'Only a miracle can save him now', the little girl went to her bedroom and pulled her piggy bank from its hiding place in the closet. She poured all the change out on the floor and counted it carefully.
Clutching the precious piggy bank tightly, she slipped out the back door and made her way six blocks to the local drugstore. She took a quarter from her bank and placed it on the glass counter.
"And what do you want?" asked the pharmacist.
"It's for my little brother," the girl answered back. "He's really very sick and I want to buy a miracle."
"I beg you pardon?" said the pharmacist.
"His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my daddy says only a miracle can save him. So how much does a miracle cost?"
"We don't sell miracles here, child. I'm sorry," the pharmacist said, smiling sadly at the little girl.
"Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough, I can try and get some more. Just tell me how much it costs."
In the shop was a well-dressed customer. He stopped down and asked the little girl, "What kind of a miracle does your brother need?"
"I don't know," She replied with her eyes welling up. "He's really sick and mommy says he needs an operation. But my daddy can't pay for it, so I have brought my savings".
"How much do you have?" asked the man.
"One dollar and eleven cents; but I can try and get some more", she answered barely audibly.
"Well, what a coincidence," smiled the man, "A dollar and eleven cents - the exact price of a miracle for little brothers."
He took her money in one hand and held her hand with the other. He said, "Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the kind of miracle you need."
That well-dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed without charge and it wasn't long before Andrew was home again and doing well.
"That surgery," her mom whispered, "was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost."
The little girl smiled. She knew exactly how much the miracle cost. One dollar and eleven cents...plus the faith of a little child.
Perseverance can make miracles happen!
A river cuts the rock not because of its power, but because of its consistency.
Never lose hope & keep walking towards your vision.
12. A glass of milk
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 pay 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.
Year’s 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 of the bill. She began to read the following words:
“Paid in full with one glass of milk”
Signed, Dr. Howard Kelly.
No act of kindness is ever wasted. Smile. Be Kind.
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 pay 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.
Year’s 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 of the bill. She began to read the following words:
“Paid in full with one glass of milk”
Signed, Dr. Howard Kelly.
No act of kindness is ever wasted. Smile. Be Kind.
13. How heavy is this glass of water
Once upon a time a psychology professor walked around on a stage while teaching stress management principles to an auditorium filled with students. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the typical “glass half empty or glass half full” question. Instead, with a smile on her face, the professor asked, “How heavy is this glass of water I’m holding?”
Students shouted out answers ranging from eight ounces to a couple pounds.
She replied, “From my perspective, the absolute weight of this glass doesn’t matter. It all depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute or two, it’s fairly light. If I hold it for an hour straight, its weight might make my arm ache a little. If I hold it for a day straight, my arm will likely cramp up and feel completely numb and paralyzed, forcing me to drop the glass to the floor. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn’t change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it feels to me.”
As the class shook their heads in agreement, she continued, “Your stresses and worries in life are very much like this glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and you begin to ache a little. Think about them all day long, and you will feel completely numb and paralyzed – incapable of doing anything else until you drop them.”
It’s important to remember to let go of your stresses and worries. If you still feel the weight of yesterday’s stress, it’s a strong sign that it’s time to put the glass down.
No matter what happens during the day, don’t carry your worries, put all your burdens down
Students shouted out answers ranging from eight ounces to a couple pounds.
She replied, “From my perspective, the absolute weight of this glass doesn’t matter. It all depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute or two, it’s fairly light. If I hold it for an hour straight, its weight might make my arm ache a little. If I hold it for a day straight, my arm will likely cramp up and feel completely numb and paralyzed, forcing me to drop the glass to the floor. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn’t change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it feels to me.”
As the class shook their heads in agreement, she continued, “Your stresses and worries in life are very much like this glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and you begin to ache a little. Think about them all day long, and you will feel completely numb and paralyzed – incapable of doing anything else until you drop them.”
It’s important to remember to let go of your stresses and worries. If you still feel the weight of yesterday’s stress, it’s a strong sign that it’s time to put the glass down.
No matter what happens during the day, don’t carry your worries, put all your burdens down
14. Old man and rotten bananas
Once there was a poor old man who lived in a small town.
One day a stranger appeared on his doorstep and requested him for drinking water. After drinking the water the stranger said that he was very pleased with the way he served a thirsty stranger, so in return he is intending to reward him with a bunch of Bananas. He said it is a rare breed and very tasty.
Old man was very fond of Bananas. He took it in and placed it inside a cupboard. He was very happy and thought of eating one fruit out of the bunch.
Suddenly he noticed a rotten Banana in the bunch. He decided that he will eat that Banana first and from tomorrow he will start eating the good ones. He ate the rotten Banana and closed the cupboard.
Next day he opened the cupboard and noticed that again a Banana was rotted. He decided again to eat that one for the day, so that he can start eating good ones from the next day. This went on and even when there were only two Bananas with one being rotten, he could not make up his mind to eat the good fruit.
He finally finished the whole bunch by eating only the rotten Bananas without even tasting the good ones.
Our life on earth is also like a bunch of Bananas, with each single fruit being a day. Waiting for good days to come calling is like chasing a mirage.
All that matters is what we do TODAY.
One day a stranger appeared on his doorstep and requested him for drinking water. After drinking the water the stranger said that he was very pleased with the way he served a thirsty stranger, so in return he is intending to reward him with a bunch of Bananas. He said it is a rare breed and very tasty.
Old man was very fond of Bananas. He took it in and placed it inside a cupboard. He was very happy and thought of eating one fruit out of the bunch.
Suddenly he noticed a rotten Banana in the bunch. He decided that he will eat that Banana first and from tomorrow he will start eating the good ones. He ate the rotten Banana and closed the cupboard.
Next day he opened the cupboard and noticed that again a Banana was rotted. He decided again to eat that one for the day, so that he can start eating good ones from the next day. This went on and even when there were only two Bananas with one being rotten, he could not make up his mind to eat the good fruit.
He finally finished the whole bunch by eating only the rotten Bananas without even tasting the good ones.
Our life on earth is also like a bunch of Bananas, with each single fruit being a day. Waiting for good days to come calling is like chasing a mirage.
All that matters is what we do TODAY.
15. Encouraging Pencil
The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box.
"There are 5 things you need to know," he told the pencil, "Before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be."
"One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone's hand."
"Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you'll need it to become a better pencil."
"Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make."
"Four: The most important part of you will always be what's inside."
"And Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write."
The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.
Now replacing the place of the pencil with you. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.
One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God's hand. And allow other human beings to access you for the many gifts you possess.
Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems in life, but you'll need it to become a stronger person.
Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.
Four: The most important part of you will always be what's on the inside.
And Five: On every surface you walk through, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to do your duties.
Allow this parable on the pencil to encourage you to know that you are a special person and only you can fulfill the purpose to which you were born to accomplish.
Never allow yourself to get discouraged and think that your life is insignificant and cannot make a change.
"There are 5 things you need to know," he told the pencil, "Before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be."
"One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone's hand."
"Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you'll need it to become a better pencil."
"Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make."
"Four: The most important part of you will always be what's inside."
"And Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write."
The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.
Now replacing the place of the pencil with you. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.
One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God's hand. And allow other human beings to access you for the many gifts you possess.
Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems in life, but you'll need it to become a stronger person.
Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.
Four: The most important part of you will always be what's on the inside.
And Five: On every surface you walk through, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to do your duties.
Allow this parable on the pencil to encourage you to know that you are a special person and only you can fulfill the purpose to which you were born to accomplish.
Never allow yourself to get discouraged and think that your life is insignificant and cannot make a change.