Nameless Friend

I have visited many funeral homes over the past three decades but when I was

there to view my only son for the final time, it was as if I’d never been before. 

There were no rules of etiquette and acting naturally was impossible.

I could not sit still because when I did, my mind felt bombarded with thoughts

that I could not handle. Thinking brought grief, pain, disbelief, anxiety, and suffering. Dealing with the reality of Jason’s death was something my psyche and my heart were not prepared for. The more I thought about things, the more unanswered question I had.

Jason had been on his way to compete in the Western Canadian finals in Track

and Field on a lovely Sunday morning. Two Americans who traveled behind him said he was driving fine, and then suddenly the car went out of control. The men applied CPR and contacted an emergency Medical team, but their help was futile, Jason was dead. He would never run on this earth again. We had all lost, not just a superb athlete, but also a human being who cared about others, a young man who would have made a significant difference. I had lost my youngest child, my friend, my reason for laughter.

Why did the car go out of control? I had just recently had the car in the repair

shop. In trying to save money, did I select a mechanic who was unskilled? Why was he traveling alone? Perhaps if I had gone with him he would still be alive. What happened that day? Jason’s doctor suspected an aneurysm. I could not face reading the medical examiner’s report. There were too many thoughts, too many questions, and no acceptable answers.

Keeping busy helped push away the thoughts. That hurt less. I stood up and

walked over to the casket, huge sprays of flowers banking either side. I looked down on my son and ached to lift him up and hold him. What would happen if I did that? Was the back of his head so damaged I would discover some of the injuries he had sustained?

Again, at this moment, there were painful realities I wanted to avoid! I touched him and could not feel his presence. I moved away and let the flowers hold my attention.

I wondered who had sent all these flowers and began reading the cards, then a

second time out loud, to tell my daughters and their dad who had sent what. I choked up from all the kind sentiments, the outpouring of love and positive thoughts. Still feeling that need to be busy I moved toward the back of the funeral parlor. That was when I noticed the feet.

I could see that at the very back and to the right of the main entrance someone sat out of sight. Only the shoes and bit of trouser leg indicated somebody was present. Curiously, I wondered who it was and why they were hiding. I continued past the entrance until a boy came into view.

I was seeing a distressed young man, about seventeen years old. Jason was

seventeen. Perhaps this was someone from the high school or a team mate from the Titan’s Athletic Track Club. I was puzzled. I thought I knew all of Jason’s friends and his teammates. I had never seen this young person.

I spoke to him, "Excuse me, I don’t know you."

He looked so shy and vulnerable and seemed somewhat uncomfortable as he

stood. He replied, "I’m sorry. I do not belong here but your son was always kind to me. He would take time to talk to me at school. I know I don’t belong, but I had to come." Grateful tears burned in my eyes. He was allowing me to see my son through his eyes and as he spoke to me, I pictured Jason in my mind’s eye, laughing, caring about others, interested in those around him. I could picture the two of them talking, Jason with his tall lanky frame and his melt-your-heart smile. I could see him listening to this young man, caring about what he had to say, taking time for others! This youth was confirming that Jason was a good person, a caring person. My emotions overcame me, and I found it

difficult to continue to express myself.

I reached out for his hand in gratitude, really wanting to hug him, and said, "Yes, you do belong here. Thank you for coming. Thank you for telling me about my son."

I did not see the young man again until the following day at the cemetery while

sitting at Jason’s graveside. Many family and friends surrounded me, yet I felt so alone.

How could I go on without Jason? We had lived alone, our bedrooms side by

side. We had chatted and laughed even as we lay in our beds at night. We had shopped at strange hours and were sometimes up and down at work as early as 6 a.m. Jason, not wanting to catch a bus to school, would travel down with me to the Y.M.C.A where I worked as a director. If I had an early class to teach, he would sleep in the Health Club until it was time to go to class. He shared my life. I shared his. How could he be dead?

This was not real. Please give me back my son. I needed his comfort. I needed someone to hold me and take away the pain. I reached out to whoever stood behind me. Tears poured down my face, blurring my vision. I did not know whose hand held mine, but he held tightly as if feeling my pain. The tight grasp telegraphed caring and understandingand I cried even more. When the tears stopped, I looked up into the warm caring face of that same youth from the funeral home. For the second time in two days, he was comforting me. No words could fill the void now; he was just there for me.

Later Jason’s close friends spoke with me. They told me that at school, the young fellow had few friends and most students considered him a geek. I did not see him that way and would be proud to call him a friend, as my son had done.

Like a friend, he was at my side and understood my need for human touch. Like a friend, he gave me treasured good news about my son. I am grateful this young man was there for me. I never saw him again. I wish I knew his name.

Perseverance Pays...

Whenever I need an emotional boost Daddy tells me a story my Grandpa told

him.

"He was a hard worker," says Daddy. He owned a small iron fence making

business, and built everything in his small garage. His six sons worked every spare moment during the day and well into the wee night hours constructing fences with the highest caliber of excellence and perfection.

Grandpa was an artist in his trade and a skillful teacher. His only flaw, he was not a very good businessperson. Though he spent long hours fabricating his art, rarely was he paid adequately for his hard and tedious work. He was not a wealthy man; in fact, he barely qualified as middle class. Yet, he set high standards for himself, and the quality of work his six sons produced.

They were obligated to work for him before and after school, plus on the

weekends. When Grandpa was not making any money, neither did the boys.

"Pa," Daddy often asked, "How much do you get paid for the work?" Every time

Daddy got the same response. "It’s none of your business," Grandpa replied with his thick Italian accent. "What do you mean," Daddy persisted. "This is a school," Grandpa said, "When you learn everything you need to run the business you can charge whatever you want."

  

Grandpa was a stern teacher and none of the boys ever argued or second-guessed his knowledge. They all treated him with respect, joined him in his labors and were expert students at his school. They even worked without pay. Secretly though, they talked amongst themselves, hoping for a big order that would put more than a few hundred dollars in Grandpa’s pocket.

That day never seemed to arrive. They persevered, working, gaining knowledge

and developing new and faster techniques to build better quality iron fences than ever before. Still, there were weeks Grandpa went without a paycheck.

Until one unforgettable day when a top executive of a local construction company called, "We’re building 100 homes, and need 200 staircases built. They are all the same style and size." Daddy, then only twenty-years old, but bright-eyed with enthusiasm, and had officially graduated from Grandpa’s school, was now doing the bidding for the business. He anxiously dashed over to meet the executive. "We need the best quality railings. We need two hundred, and we need them finished by next week.

We’ll give you $20,000 for the job!" "It’s a done deal!" Daddy exclaimed, wondering how the boys working in their father’s garage were ever going to produce that quantity or quality of staircases in such a short time.

The worker bees began what was about to be the biggest test so far in Grandpa’s

little garage. They spent sleepless nights sawing and shaping the staircases. Grandpa looked over them with a watchful eye as he had done hundreds of times before. The boys hurried in a race with time like little elves before Christmas Day.

However, the boys had one final test before getting their biggest check ever. On

deadline day in which they had to install the staircases, snow began falling and quickly turned into a blizzard. Nevertheless, the family was on a mission and refused to give in to the relentless storm. Nothing would stop them from installing the 200 staircases. They went to the construction site with all 200 staircases in tow. It was a freezing, 30 degrees outside. They bundled themselves in their warmest winter clothes, working with unprotected and near frostbitten hands, they drilled, nailed, and set all the staircases in place perfectly.

After hours of hard work in the frigid cold, for what seemed like a never-ending

project, they never gave up and finished the job. Daddy went to meet with the top executive to collect his paycheck and boss greeted him with another surprise.

"I’m so impressed by your work!" the executive gushed, "It was timely, well

done, and the finest quality!" Daddy, in his humbleness gave the man a smile, only anticipating his first big check. "We want to give you another big job," the executive said, "We need 200 more staircases and we want you and your brothers to have the job!"

That was the beginning of something extraordinary. After that, new work rolled in so consistently Daddy and the brothers had to hire people to work for them to keep up with all the orders. They have since turned Grandpa’s little business into a multi-million dollar company that specializes in distributing doors and hardware. The demand is so high they have since decided to concentrate on large commercial contracts.

Today, Daddy wears a business suit to work, but he still has the heart of a boy

who began his career in a garage with torn shoes and jeans. Thanks to Grandpa, Daddy passed on to me the most important lesson—that perseverance and love for what you do, does pay off.

If you keep trying, it is only a matter of time before your big break comes. It

begins in your heart with a dream, hard work and perfecting your craft. Even a small beat up garage is not necessary to begin a dream, you just need passion and determination, and that comes from our heart.

Dusting in heaven

My 8-year-old son, Jonathan is an exceptionally inquisitive and cheerful child

who must have an answer for every question that enters his mind. I truly admire this aweinspiring quality in him! However, what do you say when you do not have an answer for his question?

While tucking him into bed one night I faced the hardest question he posed to me up until now, “Mommy,” he said, “where is my Granny now and what is she doing there?” I was entirely lost for words. There was a long pause of silence as I searched my heart and soul for an appropriate answer.

I guess Granny must have been listening to us because my answer to him came

out as if someone was talking for me. 

“Jonathan,” I began, “Granny has gone to live in Heaven.” With me knowing the

special care and tidiness she took with her home, I added, “She is dusting the clouds and keeping them shiny white.”

After a brief thought, Jonathan smiled as if he could imagine his Granny working hard in Heaven and kissed me goodnight. Relieved I had satisfied his curiosity, I let out a breath of relief. I too missed her and was happy I had moved through the interrogation of questions about Granny without tears. Jonathan then fell asleep, happily as always.

The next morning he ran through the house and jumped into bed with me.

“Mom,” he said, “please come and look out your window!” I half opened my eyes and glared at the sun beaming into my bedroom. “Yes Jonathan, it is going to be a beautiful day.”

Jonathan beaming, he looked at me with his wide-open eyes and said, “Granny is doing a good job up there in Heaven. Just look at those white fluffy clouds!” 

His face glowed like a shaft of light and pride as he glared out the window as the sun came shining in.

I sat up in bed, lovingly pulling my baby into my arms and hugged him tightly. I swallowed the lump in my throat and searched for a response to his announcement. Yes, son, Granny is doing a great job.” I replied. “The ’Heavens’ must be proud she came.”

Every so often, I catch Jonathan gazing at the fluffy white clouds with a smile on his face. I am sure Granny is smiling down at us while she dusts her heavenly white clouds.

Is the music gone ?

Ken Helser is an excellent musician who uses his talents very effectively communicating with incarcerated prisoners throughout the Southeast. He often shareswith the inmates, "when I was a young boy I was given a little xylophone for Christmas.

With it came a set of instructions. I was well on my way to learning how to play it when I lost the instruction booklet." After he and his parents had searched the house, the yard, and the family car, all to no avail, he sat down and began to cry.

"Mother," he whined, "the music’s gone!"

"No, son," His mother replied, "The instructions are gone, but the music is inside you, listen to it, and you can play it."

"Here in prison," he tells the inmates, "you may feel cut off from everything, as if life is closing in on you, and like the music is gone from your life. But the music’s inside of you; if you listen to it, you can play it!"

Wherever you are, whatever your circumstances may be, whatever misfortune you may have suffered, the music of your life has not gone. It is inside of you-if you listen to it, you can play it.

Signs We Are A Winner in Life Even If We Don’t Think So...

Signs We Are A Winner in Life Even If We Don’t Think So:

Here are some signs to look for in order to see just how great we really are.

1. We have close friends-

We don’t need a huge crowd of friends. What we need are a couple of friends we are very close with, and who will always be there for us when we need them.

2. We have high standards-

We know what we want in life, and we are not going to settle for anything less. This includes our career and the person we will end up spending the rest of our life with.

3. We have no regrets-

Never have any regrets in life. Anything we do is a learning experience, as long as we don’t repeat it.

"Fear is a habit; so is self-pity, defeat, anxiety, despair, hopelessness and resignation. We can eliminate all of these negative habits with two simple resolves: I can! and I will!"

4. We have people who love us-

Don’t pay attention to those who judge us. They are not the people who love us.

5. We have no relationship drama-

Keep our circle of colleagues and friends small, and make sure that they are people we can trust. We don’t need any drama at this stage in our life.

6. We have self-love and self-respect-

When we love and respect ourselves, we can expect the same from others, and we won’t accept any less from our relationships.

7. We don’t care what others think-

Once we get to a certain point in life, we do what we want and don’t care what others think. Let us go ahead and be our wonderful, unique self.

8. We like what we see in the mirror-

If we can look into the mirror and like what we see, we will always be a winner in our own eyes. That is more important than the opinion of anyone else.

9. We always have faith-

We may not be where we want in life right now, but our faith in ourselves will get us to where we want to be.

10. Our bills are paid-

We may not have money for expensive trips, jewelry, designer clothing, etc., but if our bills are paid, we can consider ourselves a real winner. This is something that not everyone can accomplish every month. We may not have a mansion or drive one of the fastest cars in the world, but we have what we need.

11. We are content-

When we are always trying to compete with others who have higher salaries, we are never content with what we have. As long as the bills are getting paid and we live comfortably, does it really matter if our salary isn’t as high as our neighbor’s?

12. We have a decent wardrobe-

We don’t need a closet filled with designer clothes. But, if we have enough clothing to not have to repeat outfits for two to three weeks, we are ahead of the game.

"Stop saying 'I Wish' and start saying 'I Will'."

13. We have no unhealthy relationships-

We are a great person, and we don’t need to be with people who bring us down.

14. We push ourselves-

If we are critical of ourselves and always pushing to do better things, we are going to be a winner.

"My teacher once told me, no one is perfect…that is why pencils have erasers."

15. We do things we love-

Let us make sure that we are taking time for ourselves. Watch a movie we love, read a great book, or visit with close friends. Do what makes us happy.

Let us think, decide and say together that 'We Can and We Will' and start living a Winner Life altogether...

Believe

One Day Thomas Edison Came home and gave a paper to his mother. He told her, “My teacher gave this paper to me, and told me to only give it to my mother”.

His mother’s eyes were tearful as she read out the letter aloud to her son : Your child is a genius. This school is too small for him and doesn’t have enough good teachers for training him. Please teach him yourself.

Many years after Edison’s mother died and he was one of the greatest inventors of the century, one day he was looking through the old family things. Suddenly he saw the folded paper in the corner of the drawer in a desk. He took it and opened it up. On the paper it was written: Your son is addled (mentally ill). We won’t let him come to school any more.

Edison cried for hours and then wrote in his diary: “Thomas Alva Adison was an addled child that, by the hero mother, became the genius of the century”

Just think how important it is for parents to believe in their children

Adoption...

A son was actually getting his father 'settled in an old age home'...

....His wife called 

to ensure that the old man stays in the home all round the year ,even during festivals!!

The son found his father talking with a Priest who was in charge of the home.

 As his father moved on to check the room the son curiously asked the Priest, how come his father was so familiar with him.

The Priest smiled and replied  "Oh! I know him for long......30 years ago he was here to adopt an orphan."

The son stood speechless

Not to worry

A friend of mine asked me how not to worry about the cat, which had some mild symptoms of illness, but nothing that looked severe enough to take the cat to the veterinarian. She also thought the symptoms were so subtle that they might not be easy to describe to the vet, but still she worried. I finally said to her, "You must do something."

"That's just the problem, there's nothing to do," she said.

"Take some kind of action," I said. "Call the vet and talk to him."

"That doesn't make sense because the vet wouldn't know anything from what I told him, and he'd probably ask me to take her in to see him, and I know it's not that serious," she said.

"Yes, I understand," I said, "But you should take the action for you, not for the car or the vet. By not doing anything you're keeping yourself trapped in worrying."

"Okay," she said. "I see what you mean."

When she called the vet, to her surprise, the vet was able to make a good assessment of what was wrong. He recommended that she bring the cat in, and if it was what he thought it was, he could give her something to clear it up right away.

Anything that worries you should be acted on, not just thought about. Don't be scared about the action; you can make it very small and easy, as long as you take an action. Even small actions will chase away your fears. Fear has a hard time coexisting with action. When there's action, there's no fear. When there's fear, there's no action.

The power of appreciation.

A woman was involved in a self-improvement program. She asked her husband to help her by listing six things he believed she could do to help her become a better wife.

He reported to the class: "I was surprised by such a request. Frankly, it would have been easy for me to list six things I would like to change about her but I didn't. I said to her, 'Let me think about it and give you an answer in the morning.'

"The next morning I had the florist send six red roses to my wife with a note: 'I can't think of six things I would like to change about you. I love the way you are.'

"When I arrived at home that evening, who do you think greeted me at the door? That's right. My wife was almost in tears. I was extremely glad I had not criticized her.

"The following Sunday at church, after she had reported the results of her assignment, several women came up to me and said, 'That was the most considerate thing I have ever heard.' It was then I realized the power of appreciation.

Focus

Most of us never really focus because we don't know the power of focus. We constantly feel a kind of irritating psychic chaos because we keep trying to think of too many things at once. There's always too much up there on the screen.

There was an interesting motivational talk on this subject given by former Dallas Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson to his football player:

" I told them that if I laid a two-by four plank across the room, everybody there would walk across it and not fall, because our focus would be that we were going to walk that two-by-four. But if I put that same two-by-four plank 10 stories high between two buildings only a few would make it, because the focus would be on failing. Focus is everything. The team that is more focused today is the team that will win this game."

Johnson told his team not to be distracted by the crowed, the media, or the possibility of losing, but to focus on each play of the game itself just as if it were a good practice session.

The Cowboys won the game by 52-17.

I always believed

Nothing could stop this man after suffering severe burns on his legs at the age of eight, Glenn Cunningham was given up by doctors who believed he would be a hopeless cripple destined to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair. " He will never be able to walk again," they said, "No chance."

The doctors examined his legs, but they had no way of looking into Glenn's heart. He didn't listen to the doctors and set out to walk again. Lying in bed, his skinny, red legs covered with scar tissue, Glenn vowed," Next week, I'm going to get out of bed. I'm going to walk." And he did just that.

His mother tells of how she used to push back the curtain and look out the windows to watch Glenn reach up and take hold of an old plow in the yard. With a hand on each handle, he began to make his gnarled and twisted legs function. And with every step of pain, he came closer to walking. Soon he began to trot; before long he was running. When he started to run, he became even more determined.

"I always believed that I could walk, and I did. now I'm going to run faster than anybody has ever run." And did he ever.

He became a great miler who, in 1934, set the world's record of 4'06". He was honored as the outstanding athlete of the century at Madison Square Garden. 

We grow great by dreams.

The question was once asked of a highly successful businessman, "How have you done so much in your lifetime?"

He replied, "I grow great by dreams. I have turned my mind loose to imagine what I wanted to do. Then I have gone to bed and thought about my dreams. In the night I dreamt about my dreams. And when I awoke in the morning, I saw the way to make my dreams real. While other people were saying, 'You can't do that, it is impossible,' I was well on my way to achieving what I wanted." As Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the U.S., said: "We grow great by dreams. All big men are dreamers."

They see things in the soft haze of a spring day, or in the red fire on a long winter's evening. Some of us let these dreams die, but others nourish and protect them; nourish them through bad days until they bring them to the sunshine and light which comes always to those who sincerely hope that their dreams will come true.

One Year To Live

Anthony Burgess war 40 when he learned that he had only one year to live. He had a brain tumor that would kill him within a year. He know he had a battle on his hands. He was completely broke at the time, and he didn't have anything to leave behind for his wife, Lynne, soon to be a window.

Burgess had never been a professional novelist in the past, but he always knew the potential was inside him to be a writer. So, for the sole purpose of leaving royalties behind for his wife, he put a piece of paper into a typewriter and began writing. He had no certainty that he would even be published, but he couldn't think of anything else to do.

"It was January of 1960," he said, "and according to the prognosis, I had a winter and spring and summer to live through, and would die with the fail of the leaf."

In that time Burgess wrote energetically, finishing five and a half novels before the year wad through (very nearly the entire lifetime output of E.M. Forster, and almost twice that of J. D. Salinger.) 

But Burgess did not die. His cancer had gone into remission and then disappeared altogether. In his long and full life as a novelist ( he is best known for A Clock-work Orange), he wrote more than 70 books, but without the death sentence from cancer, he may not have written at all.

Many of us are like Anthony Burgess, hiding greatness inside, waiting for some external emergency to bring it out. Ask yourself what you'd do if you had Anthony Burgess's original predicament. " If I had just a year to live, how would I live differently? What exactly would I do?" 

What is Maturity ?

Maturity is when you stop trying to change people, and instead focus on changing yourself.

Maturity is when you accept people for who they are.

Maturity is when you understand that everyone is right in their own perspective.

Maturity is when you learn to "let go".

Maturity is when you are able to drop "expectations" from a relationship and give for the sake of giving.

Maturity is when you understand that whatever you do, you do for your own peace.

Maturity is when you stop proving to the world how intelligent you are.

Maturity is when you focus on positives in people.

Maturity is when you do not seek approval from others.

Maturity is when you stop comparing yourself with others.

Maturity is when you are at peace with yourself.

Maturity is when you can differentiate between "need" and "want" and you can let go of your wants.

Maturity is when you stop attaching "happiness" to material things.

Maturity is when you stop finding happiness in collecting things & find happiness in distributing love, happiness & kindness.

Be simple... 

Be positive...

Be relaxed... 

Its Maturity too..           

Best time of my life.

It was June 15, and in two days I would be turning thirty. I was insecure about entering a new decade of my life and feared that my best years were now behind me.

My daily routine included going to the gym for a workout before going to work. 

Every morning I would see my friend Nicholas at the gym. He was seventy-nine years old and in terrific shape. 

As I greeted Nicholas on this particular day, he noticed I wasn't full of my usual vitality and asked if there was anything wrong. I told him I was feeling anxious about turning thirty. I wondered how I would look back on my life once I reached Nicholas's age, so I asked him, "What was the best time of your life?"

Without hesitation, Nicholas replied, "Well, Joe, this is my philosophical answer to your philosophical question:

"When I was a child in Austria and everything was taken care of for me and I was nurtured by my parents, that was the best time of my life."

"When I was going to school and learning the things I know today, that was the best time of my life."

"When I got my first job and had responsibilities and got paid for my efforts, that was the best time of my life."

"When I met my wife and fell in love, that was the best time of my life."

"The Second World War came, and my wife and I had to flee Austria to save our lives. When we were together and safe on a ship bound for North America, that was the best time of my life."

"When we came to Canada and started a family, that was the best time of my life."

"When I was a young father, watching my children grow up, that was the best time of my life."

"And now, Joe, I am seventy-nine years old. I have my health, I feel good and I am in love with my wife just as I was when we first met. This is the best time of my life."

~ Let Every Moment Of Your Life Be The Best Moment.....Best Time Of Your Life.....

24 Things

24 Things To Always Remember
--------------------------------

Your presence is a present to the world.

You are unique and one of a kind.

Your life can be what you want it to be.

Take the days just one at a time.

Count your blessings, not your troubles.

You will make it through whatever comes along.

Within you are so many answers.

Understand, have courage, be strong.

Do not put limits on yourself.

So many dreams are waiting to be realized.

Decisions are too important to leave to chance.

Reach for your peak, your goal and you prize.

Nothing wastes more energy than worrying.

The longer one carries a problem the heavier it gets.

Do not take things too seriously.

Live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.

Remember that a little love goes a long way.

Remember that a lot … goes forever.

Remember that friendship is a wise investment.

Life’s treasure are people together.

Realize that it is never too late.

Do ordinary things in an extraordinary way.

Have heart and hope and happiness.

Take the time to wish upon a start.

AND DO NOT EVER FORGET ….FOR EVEN A SINGLE MOMENT - HOW VERY SPECIAL YOU ARE!!!!

Change for Others

My wife called, 'How long will you be with that newspaper? Will you  come here and make your darling daughter eat her food?

I tossed the paper away and rushed to the scene. My only daughter, Sindu, looked frightened; tears were welling up in her eyes. 

In front of her was a bowl filled to its brim with curd rice. Sindu is a nice child, quite and  intelligent for her age.

I picked up the bowl. 'Sindu, darling, why don't you take a few mouthful of this curd rice? Just for Dad's sake, dear'.

Sindu softened a bit and wiped her tears with the back of her hands. 'Ok, Dad. I will eat - not just a few mouthfuls, but the whole lot of this. But, you should...' Sindu hesitated...... 'Dad, if I eat this entire curd Rice, will you give me whatever I ask for?'

'Promise'. I covered the pink soft hand extended by my daughter with mine, and clinched the deal.

Now I became a bit anxious. 'Sindu, dear, you shouldn't insist on getting a computer or any such expensive items. Dad does not have that kind of money right now. Ok?'

'No, Dad. I do not want anything expensive.'

Slowly and painfully, she finished eating the whole quantity. I was silently angry with my wife and my mother for forcing my child to eat something that she detested.

After the ordeal was through, Sindu came to me with her eyes wide with expectation. All our attention was on her.

'Dad, I want to have my head shaved off, this Sunday!' was her demand.

'Atrocious!' shouted my wife, 'A girl child having her head shaved off? Impossible!'

'Never in our family!' My mother rasped. 'She has been watching too much of television. Our culture is getting totally spoiled with these TV programs!'

'Sindu, darling, why don't you ask for something else? We will be sad seeing you with a clean-shaven head.'

'Please, Sindu, why don't you try to understand our feelings?' I tried to plead with her.

'Dad, you saw how difficult it was for me to eat that Curd Rice'. Sindu was in tears. 'And you promised to grant me whatever I ask for. Now, you are going back on your words. 

"Was it not you who told me the story of King Harishchandra, and its moral that we should honor our promises no matter what?'

It was time for me to call the shots. 'Our promise must be kept.'

'Are you out of your mind?' chorused my mother and wife.

'No. If we go back on our promises, she will never learn to honour her own. Sindu, your wish will be fulfilled.'

With her head clean-shaven, Sindu had a round-face, and her eyes looked big and beautiful.

On Monday morning, I dropped her at her school. It was a sight to watch my hairless Sindu walking towards her classroom. She turned around and waved. I waved back with a smile. 

Just then, a boy alighted from a car, and shouted, 'Sinduja, please wait for me!' What struck me was the hairless head of that boy. 'May be, that is the in-stuff', I thought.

A lady got out of car and came to me. She said 'Sir, your daughter Sinduja is great indeed! That boy who is walking along with your daughter is my son, Harish. He is suffering from... leukemia'. She paused to muffle her sobs. 

'Harish could not attend the school for the whole of the last month. He lost all his hair due to the side effects of the chemotherapy. He refused to come back to school fearing the unintentional but cruel teasing of the schoolmates.

...... Sinduja visited him last week, and promised him that she will take care of the teasing issue.....

"But, I never imagined she would sacrifice her lovely hair for the sake of my son! Sir, you and your wife are blessed to have such a noble soul as your daughter.'

I stood transfixed with tears 'My little Angel, you are teaching me how selfless real love is!'

The happiest people on this planet are not those who live on their own terms but are those who change their terms for others

There are No Accidents in Life

Dr. Mark, a well-known cancer specialist, was once on his way to an important conference in another city where he was going to be granted an award in the field of medical research. 

He was very excited to attend the conference and was desperate to reach as soon as possible. He had worked long and hard on his research and felt his efforts deserved the award he was about to obtain. 

However, two hours after the plane took off, the plane made an emergency landing at the nearest airport due to some technical snag. Afraid, that he wouldn't make it in time for the conference, Dr. Mark immediately went to the reception and found that the next flight to the destination was after ten hours. The receptionist suggested him, to rent a car and drive himself down to the conference city which was only four hours away. 

Having no other choice, he agreed to the idea despite his hatred for driving long distances. 

Dr. Mark rented a car and started his journey. However, soon after he left, the weather suddenly changed and a heavy storm began. The pouring rain made it very difficult for him to see and he missed a turn he was supposed to take. 

After two hours of driving, he was convinced he was lost. Driving in the heavy rain on a deserted road, feeling hungry and tired, he frantically began to look for any sign of civilization. After some time, he finally came across a small tattered house. Desperate, he got out of the car and knocked on the door. A beautiful lady opened the door. He explained the matter and asked her if he could use her telephone. 

However, the lady told him that she doesn't have a phone or any electronic gadget but told the doctor to come inside and wait till the weather improved.

Hungry, wet and exhausted, the doctor accepted her kind offer and walked in. The lady  gave him hot tea and something to eat. The lady told him that he can join her for prayer. But, Dr. Mark smiled and said that he believed in hard work only and told her to continue with her prayers.

Sitting on the table and  sipping the tea, the doctor watched the woman in the dim light of candles as she prayed next to what appeared to be a small baby crib. 

Every time she finished a prayer, she would start another one. Feeling that the woman might be in need of help, the doctor seized the opportunity to speak as soon as she finished her prayers. The doctor asked her what exactly she wanted from the God and enquired if she thought God will ever listen to her prayers. He further asked about the small child in the crib for whom she was apparently praying. The lady gave a sad smile and said that the child in the crib is her son who is suffering from a rare type of cancer and there is only one doctor Mark who can cure him but she doesn't have money to afford his fee and moreover Dr Mark lives in another far off town. She said that God has not answered her prayer so far but said that God will create some way out one day and added that she will not allow her fears to overcome her faith.

Stunned and speechless Dr Mark was in tears which were rolling down his cheeks. He whispered, God is great and recollected the sequence of events. ....there was malfunction in the plane, a thunderstorm hit, and he lost his way; and all of this happened because God did not just answer her prayer but also gave him a chance to come out of materialistic world and give some time to the poor hapless people who have nothing but rich prayers.

 Always be prepared to do .......

What God has prepared you for

" There are No Accidents in Life"

Just live the moment.

There is not a single thing in life which requires your tension.

It is just your unawareness and your impatience.

I have not found anything.

And I have lived in all kinds of ways, with all kinds of people.

And I have always been puzzled: why are they tense?

It seems tension has nothing to do with anything outside you, it has something to do within you.

Outside you always find an excuse only because it looks so idiotic to be tense without any reason.

Just to rationalize, you find some reason outside yourself to explain why you are tense.

But tension is not outside you, it is in your wrong style of life.

You are living in competition -- that will create tension. 

You are living in continuous comparison -- that will create tension.

You are always thinking either of the past or of the future, and missing the present which is the only reality -- that will create tension.

It is a question of simple understanding; there is no need of any competition with anybody.

You are yourself, and as you are, you are perfectly good.

Accept yourself.

This is the way existence wants you to be.

Some trees are taller; some trees are smaller.

But the smaller trees are not tense -- neither are the taller trees full of ego.

Existence needs variety.

Somebody is stronger than you; somebody is more intelligent than you -- but in something, you also must be more talented than anybody else.

Just find your own talent.

Nature never sends any single individual without some unique gift.

Just a little search...

Perhaps you can play on the flute better than the president of the country can be a president -- you are a better flautist than he is a president.

There is no question of any comparison.

Comparison leads people astray. Competition keeps them continuously tense, and because their life is empty, they never live in the moment.

All they do is to think of the past, which is no more, or project in the future, which is not yet.

This whole thing drives people almost abnormal -- insane.

Otherwise there is no need: no animal goes mad, no tree needs any psychoanalysis.

The whole existence is living in constant celebration, except man.

He is sitting aloof, tense, worried.

A small life, and you are losing it and every day death is coming closer.

That creates even more angst -- "Death is coming closer and I have not even started living."

Most people realize only when they die that they were alive -- but then it is too late.

Just live the moment.