Commitment

I will never forget what my old headmaster told taught me. Normally when you are only 15 years of age you do not remember most of the things that are preached by your teachers. But, this particular story is one such lesson that I will never forget. Every time I drift off course, I get reminded of this story.

It was a normal Monday morning at an assembly, and he was addressing the students on important things in life and about committing ourselves to what is important to us. This is how the story went:

An old man lived in a certain part of London, and he would wake up every morning and go to the subway. He would get the train right to Central London, and then sit at the street corner and beg. He would do this every single day of his life. He sat at the same street corner and begged for almost 20 years.

His house was filthy, and a stench came out of the house and it smelled horribly. The neighbors could not stand the smell anymore, so they summoned the police officers to clear the place. The officers knocked down the door and cleaned the house. There were small bags of money all over the house that he had collected over the years.

The police counted the money, and they soon realized that the old man was a millionaire. They waited outside his house in anticipation to share the good news with him. When he arrived home that evening, he was met by one the officers who told him that there was no need for him to beg any more as he was a rich man now, a millionaire.

He said nothing at all; he went into his house and locked the door. The next morning he woke up as usual, went to the subway, got into the train, and sat at the street corner and continued to beg.

Obviously, this old man had no great plans, dreams or anything significant for his life. We learn nothing from this story other than staying focused on the things we enjoy doing, commitment.

We should remain true to our course; which may mean committing yourselves to things that people around you would normally disapprove. Let nothing distract us from being happy, let nothing else determine our fate, but ourselves.

What makes us happy is what matters in the end, not what we acquire.

Baking the Cake

A very ill little boy was telling his Grandma how "everything" was going wrong ...school was too hard, family problems other than his illness, his severe pain, just all the hardships he was going through.

Meanwhile, Grandma was baking a cake. She asked the child if he would like a snack, which of course he does.

"Here. Have some cooking oil."

"Yuck," said the boy.

"How about a couple of raw eggs?"

"Gross, Grandma."

"Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?"

"Grandma, those are all yucky!"

To which the Grandma replied: "Yes, Sweetheart, those things seem bad all by themselves. But, when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake!

God works the same way. Many times we wonder why he would let us go through such bad and difficult times, but, God knows that, when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good!

We just have to trust Him and, eventually the yucky stuff will make of our lives something wonderful!"

Beautiful Silence

Have you ever experienced a moment in your life when you just ran out of words and you go...
 
s i l e n t ???
 

Let me assist you in recalling...
 
..... the moment when you left your home for the first time and you look back at your parents who are worried that their son/daughter are leaving them yet happy that their child took the first step towards independence.
 
..... the moment when the girl/boy you like most.. smiled back at you! You don't say anything.. you just smile back..
 

..... the moment when you get better marks than you expected... those "numb" moments of ecstasy n surprise "is that true?"...
 
..... the moment when you are parting with your old friend(s) and the train has just started... and you are standing on the door of the wagon.. waving "bye-bye" with your heart beating fast...
 

... .. the moment after the HR manager has just called you and told you,"You are through! Congrats!"

..... the moment when you sit alone in your room after having told everyone that you cleared that exam you prepared for 6 months!! You can go on remembering your "special" moments!

I had always wondered why I never said anything to myself at those moments.. as if it was "understood" ... happiness, joy, pain.. all feelings just flowed ceaselessly in the 'years' that passed in those flash moments!
 
They say.. the best way to communicate is through "silence". Love. Joy. Grief. Surprise. Anger. Hope. Expectations. Support. Non-cooperation. ..
 
Can you imagine the importance of a silent moment in a song??  When Bryan Adams stops for a while along with music, before he goes on ...
..... Please forgive me. I can't stop loving you!
 

Ever had those moments when you thought you were tired enough that you reach for your bed after dinner.. but find yourself wide awake looking at the roof of your room silently...
 
But you sure are 'thinking'.. . those moments of self-talk are the most important in our lives. Those moments when we listen to our own hearts! Those promises... those decisions... those are the moments when we make our destinies!
 

Next time you go silent... listen carefully to what your heart is saying.. listen to its joy...listen to its pain.. listen to its fears.. listen to its desires..
 

and
 
Be in touch with your true self...

Future is in your hands

An young man disappointed with his life, went to a fortune teller and requested: "Sir, I want to know about my future. Please find out and tell me." 

The fortune teller drew two circles on the floor side by side, one white and the other black. Then he placed a dead ant at some distance and said, "I will utter certain 'mantras' now and the ant will start moving. If it enters the white circle, it implies that your future is bright. And if it enters black circle, it means your future is dark." .

So saying, he started uttering mantras and after some time, the ant really started moving. The young man was looking at it, full of anxiety. He saw quietly till the ant moved in between the two circles. When it took a turn and started moving towards the black circle he got nervous. But, as the ant was about to enter the circle, he could not control himself anymore and suddenly picked the ant and put it in the white circle. 

Fortune teller got upset and asked, "Why did you do that, you fool?" 

But, the young man replied with confidence, "I am not a fool. I would have been a fool, had I continued to watch quietly my fortune moving towards darkness knowing full well that MY FORTUNE IS IN MY HANDS!"

Moral: Don't let anything discourage you. Remember, your destiny is in your hands. . . Act today, act now and act fast."

House with Golden Windows

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stay Calm

A doctor quickly entered the hospital after being called in for an urgent surgery. He changed his clothes and went directly to the surgery block. He saw the boy’s father walking back and forth in the hall waiting for the doctor.

Once seeing the doctor, the dad yelled: “Why did you take all this time to come? Don’t you know that my son’s life is in danger? Don’t you have the sense of responsibility?”

The doctor smiled and said: “I am sorry, I wasn’t in the hospital and I came the fastest I could… now, I wish you’d calm down so that I can do my work.”

“Calm down?! What if your son was in this room right now, would you calm down? If your own son dies now what will you do?” said the father angrily.

The doctor smiled again and replied: “I will say what is said in the Holy Bible ‘From dust we came and to dust we return, blessed be the name of God.’ Doctors cannot prolong lives. Go and intercede for your son, we will do our best by God’s grace.”

“Giving advice when we’re not concerned is so easy” murmured the father.

The surgery took some hours after which the doctor went out happy, “Thank God! Your son is saved!”

And without waiting for the father’s reply he carried on his way running. “If you have any question, ask the nurse.”

“Why is he so arrogant? He couldn’t wait some minutes so that I ask about my son’s state?” commented the father when seeing the nurse minutes after the doctor left.

The nurse answered: “His son died yesterday in a road accident, he was in the burial when we called him for your son’s surgery.”

Learning : Stay calm in all situations so you can make decisions the best you can, be it in life or busines.

Pool

Through the cold winter wasteland he trudged, leaning into the harsh wind which spitefully tried to force him back. He was covered from head to toe in layers of thick clothing, layers of protection against the harsh environment. On he fought, searching, searching. He was working so hard. This must be the way.

In the distance he saw what looked like steam rising out of the ground. It rose a few feet and then was quickly whipped away by the biting wind. He altered his course and turned towards the steam, gaining some blessed relief as he turned his chapped face out of the gale. As he got closer, he thought he could make out voices. Their tone was unfamiliar to him - musical, relaxed and warm - their melody enticed him closer. Finally he got close enough to peer through the mist.

There before him was a remarkable sight. In the midst of the frozen wasteland, cut into the ground was a large pool. Several people were in the pool, they seemed to be floating easily without any effort. As they saw him approach, a woman called out to him.

"Come in here. It is lovely and warm. You can just lie back and relax," said the woman.

"I can't. There are no steps." The man replied.

"Just jump in. It really is lovely in here. Come on. There's plenty of room for another." Another of the floaters joined in the persuasion.

"But what if I don't like it, how will I get out? The sides are too high to reach up to."

"Believe me, you won't want to get out. Come on. It is so good in here."

He stood for a moment, paralyzed with indecision. It looked so much like the answer, but how could it be this easy? Just jump in? Lie back and relax? It couldn't be that simple. It must be a trick. He could not trust them. There was no way out if he changed his mind. He blocked out their warm invitations and once more filled his mind with grim determination.

On he trudged. Hours passed and his shadow grew long. Then once again in the distance he saw another cloud of rising steam. Entering the mist, a similar sight greeted him once more.

"Come in here. You don't have to be cold any more," said one of the bathers in a gentle voice. All the faces in the pool turned to look at him. Warm smiles reached out to him but his eyes could not perceive them.

"How do I get in? I can't see any steps. You are a long way down." He asked once again.

"Just jump in. It is very deep. You will be quite safe."

"But what if I want to get out? What if I get tired and cannot stay afloat any longer?"

"This is not like normal water, we are kept afloat without any effort. I promise you, you really will not want to get out."

"But my clothes will get wet and their weight will drag me down."

"You can remove all those layers. You will not need their protection in here. It is always beautifully warm."

But he could not bring himself to do that. Those layers were his protection, accumulated over the years to keep out the bitter cold. How could he now discard them, just like that? How could he allow himself to be so exposed?

On he trudged. Darkness came and the temperature dropped still further. Snow began to fall and the wind drove it into his face. Walking blind he carried on.

Then suddenly he felt some warmth in the air and the ground disappeared beneath him. With a scream he fell and his fall was broken with a splash. Panic overcame him and he thrashed around desperately until his hands touched a wall and he clawed at the smooth surface, loudly cursing the futility of it.

Then suddenly he heard a soft voice beside him. '"Shhhh. It's OK. It's OK," said the voice in beautiful feminine tones. "Just relax. You will be OK." Then he felt her hands moving over his body, searching then loosening his winter clothing. Layer after layer was gently removed, her voice continuing to sooth his panic until eventually he could feel the wonderful warmth of the water directly against his skin. "It's OK," she said once more as she held him close in the dark. For the first time since he could remember, he fully relaxed and quickly drifted off into a much needed sleep in her arms.

He awoke to a wonderful new dawn. He gazed into the beautiful eyes of his rescuer and felt the wonderful warmth of the water around him. Then he heard footsteps above. A weary man dressed head to foot in winter furs peered over the edge of the pool.

"Come in here!" He quickly shouted to the man. "It is so wonderful in here!"

"But what if I don't like it? How will I get back out?" The man asked.

"Believe me. You really won't want to get out," he assured the man.

You are my Life

There was a boy in India who was sent by his parents to a boarding school. Before being sent away this boy was the brightest student in his class. He was at the top in every competition. He was a champion.

But the boy changed after leaving home and attending the boarding school. His grades started dropping. He hated being in a group. He was lonely all the time. And there were especially dark times when he felt like committing suicide. All of this because he felt worthless and that no one loved him.

His parents started worrying about the boy. But even they did not know what was wrong with him. So his dad decided to travel to the boarding school and talk with him.

They sat on the bank of the lake near the school. The father started asking him casual questions about his classes, teachers and sports. After some time his dad said, 'Do you know son, why I am here today?"

The boy answered back, "to check my grades?"

"No, no" his dad replied, "I am here to tell you that you are the most important person for me. I want to see you happy. I don't care about grades. I care about you. I care about your happiness. YOU ARE MY LIFE."

These words caused the boy's eyes to fill with tears. He hugged his dad. They didn't say anything to each other for a long time.

Now the boy had everything he wanted. He knew there was someone on this earth who cared for him deeply. He meant the world to someone. And today this young man is in college at the top of his class and no one has ever seen him sad!

Thanks a lot dad. YOU ARE MY LIFE.

Crayon Box

One of the memories that I will always have about when I was in Kindergarten, was the day my friend taught me about crayon boxes. She was my first real friend, and my best friend at the time. One day we were coloring, and she let me borrow crayons from her huge 64-count box. I thought they were so cool. My little 24-count box was nothing compared to hers.

As we were coloring, I reached over to put a crayon back in the box. If any of you have ever used crayons, you know that sometimes they don't go back in as easy as they came out, and that sometimes you end up with a huge bulge in the box. Well, that's what happened with this particular crayon.

I kept trying to force back in the box so it would fit, and my friend didn't like that too much, since it was her crayon box. She started throwing a fit and I remember her yelling, "Don't force it!" Then she continued to give me a demonstration on how you push the other crayons out of the way to make room for the other one going back into the box.

As we were growing up, we continued to stay good friends in grade school. I remember always teasing her about it, and she said she never remembered that day really, but I know it really happened, because I think it was the first time she ever yelled at me.

When we entered high school, things started to change, like they most often do. We still talked when we got the chance, but we started to make our own friends. We've stayed in touch, always saying 'hi' in the halls and everything, but we weren't the same best friends we were in Kindergarten.

Just this year, my sophomore year, things really started to change for me. So many different things happened, I felt like I was lost in the world. I didn't know what to do or who I could turn to.

Then one day my friend came to my locker after school because she saw that I had been crying after spending the afternoon in the guidance office. She asked me what was wrong and I knew I could trust her, so I told her everything that was going on in my life. I told her this in a 7 page note and gave it to her in school.

A couple periods later she had stopped me in the halls and gave me a note and told me how she understood and everything. She wrote me and told me how I just need some time for things to get worked out, and that everything will be okay. At the end of the note, she wrote one of the sweetest things anyone has ever said to me. She wrote at the end: "I'll give you the same advice I gave you back when we were in Kindergarten: Don't Force It!"

When I read that it put a smile on my face, the first smile that I had cracked in awhile. I told her that I appreciated the note totally. It's funny that out of all the things people have said to me and tried to help me, those words she wrote in the note were the most inspirational.

Angel in all of us

There was once a young lad walking down the streets of Rome, from one end of the city to the other, on his way to visit a relative. While walking, he happened to pass a beautifully impressive cathedral and heard loud sounds coming from the building; they sounded like a lot of pounding.

Deciding to please his curiosity, he approached the building, opened the heavy monolithic door (which creaked as he opened it) and peeked inside the church. Well, all he could see was an old man in front of a big piece of marble, chipping away with a chisel and a hammer.

The young man probably thought to himself, "Well, it must be something very important because he doesn't even notice me". He then left the cathedral and continued on his journey.

Days later, he returned on the same route. It seemed like the old man was still going at it, so he decided to ask him what he was really doing.

He again went to the monolithic door, opened it and looked inside. To his amazement, there was a big statue of a cherub standing right between the presbytery and the sanctuary, with wings spread out wide open, almost as if in full flight, light shining on it through the stained glass windows, and graced the front of the church.

He could not help it but the next moment he was right next to the old man, with his jaw hanging wide open. He stared with absolute amazement and a puzzled look on his face. He just could not understand how the old man knew that there was an angel in that piece of marble and he could not help but asked him, "Sir, how did you know that there was an angel in that piece of marble?"

The old man turned around and looked at him straight in the eyes and replied: "Son, there is an angel in each and everyone of us. All we need to do is to take a hammer and a chisel and chip away all those little pieces that do not look like an angel."

Moral Of The Story: There is an angel in all of us. Just chip away all those bad pieces that look nothing like an angel and we are all complete, with wings and a halo.