Death the Leveller

By James Shirley

1596-1666

---

THE glories of our blood and state 
         Are shadows, not substantial things; 
There is no armour against Fate; 
         Death lays his icy hand on kings: 
         Sceptre and Crown 
         Must tumble down, 
         And in the dust be equal made 
With the poor crooked scythe and spade. 

Some men with swords may reap the field, 
         And plant fresh laurels where they kill: 
But their strong nerves at last must yield; 
         They tame but one another still: 
         Early or late 
         They stoop to fate, 
And must give up their murmuring breath 
When they, pale captives, creep to death. 

The garlands wither on your brow, 
         Then boast no more your mighty deeds! 
Upon Death's purple altar now 
         See where the victor-victim bleeds. 
         Your heads must come 
         To the cold tomb: 
Only the actions of the just 
Smell sweet and blossom in their dust. 

The Good and The Bad

Life is full of judgments that we make between what which is acceptable to us ,people around us and the majority of people try to live  based on that.
Good is not what majority people approve and Bad is not what only minority people follow.Most of the time actually the reverse is true.!!

There is no higher God than Truth

A man who is truthful and sincere to his soul and to the world around him is the most powerful being in the world. There are people who have considered truth as a penance and lived their whole life around that principle .Mahatma Gandhi,the Indian freedom fighter is one of them .His autobiography "My experiments with truth'  clearly shows that he has lived his whole life on this principle, no wonder he was able to influence so many people and all the masses of India  followed him.

This is a story said by him in one of his interviews to a journalist.This particular journalist argued with him that it is impossible to speak truth in practical Life. Gandhi disagreed with him and said its not hard to speak truth even in difficult situations and said the following story to the journalist.

The story was about a monk who was meditating in the forest.It so happened that, One day a hunter was chasing a deer .The deer trying to run away from the hunter came and went  into a bush in front of the monk to hide while the monk was seeing it do so .The hunter who was following the deer came up to the monk and asked him If he saw the deer coming that way ?. The journalist smiled and said,"This is what I am talking about,tell me sir what should the monk do if he sticks to being truthful and say that the deer is in the bush he will be responsible for its death.If he says he did not see it ,he will be lying .

Gandhi smiled and said ,The monk answered the hunter " My eyes saw the deer ,but my mouth refuses to  tell you ."Saying thus Gandhi said it is not necessary that you should answer every question asked to you in life,when you do not want to say the truth and if you think that by saying the truth you will be doing harm to somebody,you need not lie rather you can just remain silent and not answer.

There is no higher God than Truth 
The truth of who you are is much more beautiful and valuable than any deception you could construct. The more honest you are with yourself and with others, the more you’ll tap into the real and lasting value in your life.
~ Ralph Marston

The Two Little Birds: story of Truth

Human beings from the beginning of his existence  had to believe firmly that this human life is a transitory phase. Otherwise this life starting with birth and ending with death had no other meaning or purpose for him if he did not believe that there is a level of existence higher than his own existence.He believed that that state is permanent and eternal and this in different faiths have been stated as reaching heaven,attaining nirvana, moksha,liberation whatever it is.

There is a very beautiful illustration of two birds ,first told centuries ago and being told again and again after that ,explains the journey of an individual towards truth.

There were two birds on a tree on 2 different branches,one higher and one lower.The bird on the higher branch was very peaceful and calm and was in absolute bliss. The bird on the lower branch was very restless and always busy eating fruits from the branch, worrying  for food ,survival, sometimes happy ,sometimes in sorrow  .

Once in a while it would look upon the bird on the higher branch and would wonder how that bird was so blissful and makes an attempt to find out why it was so happy ,fly one branch higher ,to reach the bird on the highest branch , but when it reaches the higher branch it gets busy again eating  the fruits of that branch until it eats a sour fruit , gets restless again and looks upon the higher bird again make another step towards the bird until finally the bird reaches the highest branch and to its surprise finds out that it has merged into the bird there and becomes blissful like the bird there.This story has a very deep inner meaning of human existence and its journey towards the truth(God)The lower bird is compared to our present level of existence at the human level ,we are always busy with this life that we don't tend to look for some higher meaning or truth for this life until we have a bad sour experience ,its then we want to look towards some higher truth or meaning.

Whatever the truth represented by the higher bird is, it helps and gives hope to human beings that there is something permanent beyond death.

Problems

Don't worry if you have problems! Which is easy to say until you are
in the midst of a really big one, I know. But the only people I am
aware of who don't have troubles are gathered in little neighborhoods.
Most communities have at least one. We call them cemeteries.

If you're breathing, you have difficulties. It's the way of life. And
believe it or not, most of your problems may actually be good for you!
Let me explain.

Maybe you have seen the Great Barrier Reef, stretching some 1,800
miles from New Guinea to Australia. Tour guides regularly take
visitors to view the reef. On one tour, the guide was asked an
interesting question. "I notice that the lagoon side of the reef looks
pale and lifeless, while the ocean side is vibrant and colorful," a
traveler observed. "Why is this?"

The guide gave an interesting answer: "The coral around the lagoon
side is in still water, with no challenge for its survival. It dies
early. The coral on the ocean side is constantly being tested by wind,
waves, storms - surges of power. It has to fight for survival every
day of its life. As it is challenged and tested it changes and adapts.
It grows healthy. It grows strong. And it reproduces." Then he added
this telling note: "That's the way it is with every living organism."

That's how it is with people. Challenged and tested, we come alive!
Like coral pounded by the sea, we grow. Physical demands can cause us
to grow stronger. Mental and emotional stress can produce tough-
mindedness and resiliency. Spiritual testing can produce strength of
character and faithfulness.

So, you have problems - no problem! Just tell yourself, "There I grow
again!"

KILL YOUR EGO

If you want to reach a state of bliss, then go beyond your ego and the internal dialogue. Make a decision to relinquish the need to control, the need to be approved, and the need to judge. Those are the three things the ego is doing all the time. It's very important to be aware of them every time they come up.
Deepak Chopra
There was once a scientist. After a lot of practice & efforts, he-developed a formula & learned the art of reproducing himself. He did-it so perfectly that it was impossible to tell the reproduction from the original.

One day while doing his research, he realized that the Angel of Death was searching for him. In order to remain alive he reproduced a dozen copies of himself. The reproduction was so similar that all of them looked exactly like him.

Now when this Angel of Death came down, he was at a loss to know which of the thirteen before him was the original scientist, & confused, he left them all alone & returned back to heaven.

But, not for long, for being an expert in human nature, the Angel came up with a clever idea. He said to the scientist addressing all thirteen of them, "Sir, you must be a genius to have succeeded in making such perfect reproduction formula of yourself. However, I have discovered a flaw in your work, just one tiny little flaw."

The scientist immediately jumped out & shouted,

"Impossible! where is the flaw?"

"Right here" said the Angel, as he picked up the scientist from among the reproductions & carried him off.

The whole purpose of the scientist & his formula of reproduction failed as he could not control his pride, so he lost his life.

So when man's Knowledge & Skills takes him to the top of the ladder &makes him successful, however the three letter word "EGO" can pull him down to earth immediately at its double speed.

So don't allow Ego to kill yourself,

Instead; KILL YOUR EGO..!!! 

The elephant and 4 blind men: GAUTHAM BUDDHA’S CONCEPT OF TRUTH (GOD) –Part 2

So Buddha explained to the 4 persons from different faiths that most of us are like those 4 people understanding God in our own ways and thinking that our version of faith is the right one.

He continued questioning the 1st person what is the nature of God according to his faith and what does his faith ask him to do? He replied that His God is all compassionate, infinite, all pervading, loving and so forth. Then he said his faith demands him to be truthful, nonviolent, loving towards your neighbors, charitable and so forth. The 2^nd,3^rd and the 4 person described more or less the same qualities for their Gods to  and more or less the same things that they followed. Hearing to all of them Buddha smiled and said’ When all your faiths demands you to be ethical ,moral ,loving and nonviolent and if you are following it ,there is no conflict between your faiths .Hearing Buddha say this all the 4 people realize their mistake and bowed the great teacher and left satisfied.

The Great teacher Buddha has never commented upon God for him it was not important, what was important was an ethical moral nonviolent principled life through which he said one could get liberated from this cycle of life and death and attain Nirvana which according to him was the absolute truth.

The Blind men and the Elephant (Buddha Truth parable)-Part 1

This is a story about what is Truth?
Long Long ago there was a great saint and enlightened person by name Buddha.this is the story which was famous as his parable and has been repeated plenty times throughout the eastern and European worlds to explain the nature of Truth.
There were 4 persons who belonged to 4 different faiths. They were always arguing and fighting among themselves.All of them heard that Buddha the learned one was passing by their village.So all of them went up to him and asked him which of their faith is true.The Great Buddha said before he tell them ,which version of faith is the truth he wanted them to hear this story :
There were once 4 blind men who were passing through a forest and stumbled upon an elephant.One of the Blind man hold the trunk of the elephant and then said" Elephant is like a pillar .The other hold on to the tusk of the elephant and said elephant is like a long sharp sword. The other blind man hold on to the legs of the elephant and said elephant is like a huge wall. The other one hold on to the tail of the elephant and said that elephant is like a rope.All of them started fighting among themselves that their version of elephant is truth,when finally a person who could actually see and was not blind passed through the forest and saw all of 4 blind men fighting among themselves and enquired why they were doing so ?
 when he heard what they said he laughed and said all of them were true and elephant was all of that.All the blind men thought that because this man could see he was making fun of them .
Buddha saying the above story said most of us are like those blind people who only experience the truth(God) in our own way and describe it in our own way like those blind people and think only our version of truth is the right one but in truth all of us are just explaining only one aspect of the whole truth .The aim of all human life is to realize Truth (like that the man who could see the elephant ) and understand that different faiths are just describing only different aspects of the same truth (God) .He then said the most important truth which according to me forms the center of all Buddha's teaching and Life
(To be contd..)

Three Trees:God is thinking of something better

Once upon a mountain top, three little trees stood and dreamed of what they
wanted to become when they grew up.

The first little tree looked up at the stars and said: "I want to hold
treasure. I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones.
I'll be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!"

The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on it's
way to the ocean. "I want to be traveling mighty waters and carrying
powerful kings. I'll be the strongest ship in the world!"

The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and
women worked in a busy town. "I don't want to leave the mountain top at all.
I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me, they'll raise
their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the
world."

Years passed. The rain came, the sun shone, and the little trees grew tall.
One day three woodcutters climbed the mountain.

The first woodcutter looked at the first tree and said, "This tree is
beautiful. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his shining axe, the first
tree fell. "Now I shall be made into a beautiful chest, I shall hold
wonderful treasure!" The first tree said.

The second woodcutter looked at the second tree and said, "This tree is
strong. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his shining axe, the second
tree fell. "Now I shall sail mighty waters!" thought the second tree. "I
shall be a strong ship for mighty kings!"

Pray For Obstacle

While we all pray for each other that one should not come across any
obstacle in life, I have a different view after reading the following:

We MUST come across obstacles and need to pray for each other to overcome
obstacles (with some pain) and progress.

One night recently my daughter was showing me an aquarium full of tadpoles.
She had purchased a whole bag
full of them for her children to watch grow from tadpoles into frogs.

I noticed that there was a big rock in the aquarium. When I asked her why
she put a rock right in the middle of the tadpoles' environment, she told me
an interesting story. I can hardly believe that I have lived all these years
without having heard it. It is so good and "life-essence saturated."

She said that she was instructed by the Pet Store Salesman to be sure to
"put a big rock right in the middle of the aquarium." He explained that "the
tadpoles must have this obstacle to give them the incentive to climb up and
thus split their little wiggly tails so that their legs can begin to
develop. If they have no rock or obstacle to climb up on, they will never
turn into frogs. They cannot learn how to hop by just swimming around in
water. They must have something causing resistance to give them the
incentive to leap forward.

The Holy Shadow

There once lived a saint so good that the angels came from heaven to see how a man could be so godly. This saint went about his daily life diffusing virtue as the stars diffuse light and the flowers scent, without being aware of it. His day could be summed up by two words -- he gave, he forgave -- yet these words never passed his lips. They were expressed in his ready smile, his kindness, forbearance, and charity.

The angels said to God, "Lord, grant him the gift of miracles."
God replied, "Ask what it is that he wishes."

They said to the saint, "Would you like the touch of your hands to heal the sick?"
"No," answered the saint. "I would rather God do that."

"Would you like to convert guilty souls and bring back wandering hearts to the right path?"
"No, that is the angels' mission. It is not for me to convert."

"Would you like to become a model of patience, attracting men by the luster of your virtues, and thus glorifying God?"

"No," replied the saint. "If men should be attracted to me, they would become estranged from God." "What is it that you desire, then?" asked the angels.

"What can I wish for?" asked the saint smiling. "That God gives me his grace; with that would I not have everything?"

The angels said, "You must ask for a miracle, or one will be forced upon you." "Very well," said the saint. "That I may do a great deal of good without ever knowing it."

The angels were perplexed. They took counsel and resolved upon the following plan: every time the saint's shadow fell behind him or to either side, so that he could not see it, it would have the power to cure disease, soothe pain, and comfort sorrow.

When the saint walked along, his shadow, thrown on the ground on either side or behind him, made arid paths green, caused withered plants to bloom, gave clear water to dried-up brooks, fresh color to pale children, and joy to unhappy men and women.

Ratan Tata not even a billionaire!

*Why ratan tata's name is not on the billionaires list.......?

Here is a Real Story of Ratan Tata:


So many people around the world want to know that "What is the Net Worth of
Ratan Tata"?

TATA Group is running 96 businesses and out of which 28 Companies are
publically listed on the various stock exchanges.
Tata Group is world's top 50 Group according to Market capitalization and
Reputation.

Have you ever thought why Ratan tata's name is not in the list of
billionaire' s club? why Ratan Tata is not a billionaire on the Forbes
magazine list of billionaire people of the world?

The reason is that, TATA Group's 96 companies are held by its main Company
"TATA Sons" and the main owner of this TATA Sons is not Ratan Tata but
various charitable organizations developed and run by TATA Group.

Out of which JRD TATA Trust & Sir Ratan Tata Trust are the main. 65%
ownership of TATA Sons which is the key holding company of the other 96 TATA
Group Company is held by various charitable organizations.

So this 65% ownership ownership of Tatasons Limited is not reflected on
Ratan Tata's personal Financial Statement but on the various charitable
organizations. and this is the reason why Ratan Tata is not in the list of
Billionaire club.

No Regrets

By Steve Goodier*

At the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris, the sport of canoe racing was added to
the list of international competitions. The favorite team in the four-man
canoe race was the United States team. One member of that team was a young
man by the name of Bill Havens.

As the time for the Olympics neared, it became clear that Bill's wife would
give birth to their first child about the time that the U.S. team would be
competing in the Paris games. In 1924 there were no jet airliners from Paris
to the United States, only slow ocean going ships. And so Bill found himself
in a dilemma. Should he go to Paris and risk not being at his wife's side
when their baby was born? Or should he withdraw from the team and remain
with his family?

Bill's wife insisted that he go to Paris. After all, competing in the
Olympics was the culmination of a life long dream. But Bill felt conflicted
and, after much soul searching, decided to withdraw from the competition and
remain home, where he could support his wife when the child arrived. He
considered being at her side his highest priority, even higher than going to
Paris to fulfill his dream.

As it turned out, the United States four-man canoe team won the gold medal
in Paris. And Bill's wife was late in giving birth to their child. She was
so late, in fact, that Bill could have competed in the event and returned
home in time to be with her when she gave birth.

People said, "What a shame." But Bill said he had no regrets. For the rest
of his life, he believed he had made the better decision.

Bill Havens knew what was most important to him. Not everybody figures that
out. And he acted on what he believed was best. Not everybody has the
strength of character to say no to something he or she truly wants in order
to say yes to something that truly matters. But for Bill, it was the only
way to peace; the only way to no regrets.

Footprints on the sand

Once a devotee was deeply grieved and was praying to God with tears in his
eyes. While he was weeping uncontrollably, he sort of fell into a trance,
and all his past memories came flooding into his mind. He saw that he was
walking along a sandy beach while his past life unfolded before his eyes.
The devotee saw that besides his own, there was another set of footprints
moving along with him.
He called out, "Who is walking along with me?God replied, "It is Me, My child."

ALEXANDER - The Great's Last 3 Wishes

Alexander, after conquering many kingdoms, was returning home. On the way,
he fell ill and it took him to his death bed. With death staring him in his
face, Alexander realized how his conquests,his great army, his sharp sword
and all his wealth were of no consequence.

He now longed to reach home to see his mother's face and bid her his last
adieu. But, he had to accept the fact that his sinking health would not
permit him to reach his distant homeland.

So, the mighty conqueror lay prostrate and pale, helplessly waiting to
breathe his last. He called his generals and said, "I will depart from this
world soon, I have three wishes, please carry them out without
fail."
With tears flowing down their cheeks, the generals agreed to abide by their
king's last wishes.
1) "My first desire is that", said Alexander,
*"My physicians alone must" carry my coffin."
2) After a pause, he continued,
*"Secondly, I desire that when my coffin is being carried to the grave, the
path leading to the graveyard be strewn with gold, silver and precious
stones which I have collected in my treasury".*

A tale of Two Seas

Sitting in the Geography class in school, I remember how fascinated I was
when we were being taught all about the Dead Sea.

As you probably recall, the Dead Sea is really a Lake, not a sea (and as
my Geography teacher pointed out, if you understood that, it would guarantee
4 marks in the term paper!)

Its so high in salt content that the human body can float easily. You can
almost lie down and read a book! The salt in the Dead Sea is as high as 35%
- almost 10
times the normal ocean water. And all that saltiness has meant that there is
no life at all in the Dead Sea. No fish. No vegetation. No sea animals.
Nothing
lives in the Dead sea.

And hence the name: Dead Sea.

While the Dead Sea has remained etched in my memory, I don't seem to
recall learning about the Sea of Galilee in my school Geography lesson. So
when I heard about the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea and the tale of the
two seas - I was intrigued.

Turns out that the Sea of Galilee is just north of the Dead Sea. Both the
Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea receive their water from river Jordan. And
yet, they
are very, very different.

Unlike the Dead Sea, the Sea of Galilee is pretty, resplendent with
rich,colorful marine life. There are lots of plants. And lots of fish too.
In fact, the sea of Galilee is home to over twenty different types of
fishes.


Same region, same source of water, and yet while one sea is full of life,
the other is dead. How come?

Bouncing Back Quickly to Win

In 1938, Karoly Takacs of the Hungarian Army, was the top pistol
shooter in the world. He was expected to win the gold in the 1940
Olympic Games scheduled for Tokyo.

Those expectations vanished one terrible day just months before the
Olympics. While training with his army squad, a hand grenade exploded
in Takacs’ right hand, and Takacs’ shooting hand was blown off.

Takacs spent a month in the hospital depressed at both the loss of his
hand, and the end to his Olympic dream. At that point most people
would have quit. And they would have probably spent the rest of their
life feeling sorry for themselves. Most people would have quit but not
Takacs. Takacs was a winner. Winners know that they can’t let
circumstances keep them down. They understand that life is hard and
that they can’t let life beat them down. Winners know in their heart
that quitting is not an option.

Takacs did the unthinkable; he picked himself up, dusted himself off,
and decided to learn how to shoot with his left hand! His reasoning
was simple. He simply asked himself, “Why not?”

Instead of focusing on what he didn’t have – a world class right
shooting hand, he decided to focus on what he did have – incredible
mental toughness, and a healthy left hand that with time, could be
developed to shoot like a champion.

For months Takacs practiced by himself. No one knew what he was doing.
Maybe he didn’t want to subject himself to people who most certainly
would have discouraged him from his rekindled dream.

* IN THE FENCE ** *

There once was a little boy who had a bad  temper.His Father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.Finally the ! day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.

*As Tall as You Want to Be by Denis Waitley*

* *

When he was two years old, this adopted child of two college professors
suddenly and inexplicably stopped growing, and his health started to fail. A
team of doctors gave him six months to live after they diagnosed him as
suffering from a rare disease that inhibits digestion and nutrients in food.
Intravenous feedings of vitamins and supplements allowed him to regain his
strength, but his growth was permanently stunted.



Confined to hospitals for long periods of time, until the age of nine, he
quietly plotted his revenge on the kids who taunted him and called him
“peanut.” He recalled many years later that subconsciously “the whole
experience made me want to succeed at something athletic.” Sometimes his
sister, Susan, went ice skating at the local rink, and he would go along to
watch. There he stood, a frail, undergrown kid, with a feeding tube inserted
through his nose and down into his stomach. When he wasn’t using it, one end
of the tube was taped behind his ear.

Choices in Life!!! *Two Choices

-

*What would you do?....you make the choice. Don't look for a punch line,
there isn't one. Read it anyway. My question is: Would you have made the
same choice?
**
At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves children with learning
disabilities, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that
would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and
its

Dedicated staff, he offered a question:

'When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does, is
done with perfection.

Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot
understand things as other children do.
**
Where is the natural order of things in my son?'
**
 The audience was stilled by the query.
 The father continued. 'I believe that when a child like Shay, who was
mentally and physically disabled comes into the world, an opportunity to
realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other
people treat that child.'

Then he told the following story:

Shay and I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing
baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' I knew that most
of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as a father
I also understood that if my son were allowed to play, it would give him a
much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others
in spite of his handicaps.
 I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if
Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, 'We're losing
by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our
team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning..'
 Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a
team shirt.. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart.
The boys saw my joy at my son being accepted.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was
still behind by three.

In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right
field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to
be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as I waved to him
from the stands.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again.

Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on
base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.
 At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win
the game?

Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but
impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much
less connect with the ball.



However, as Shay stepped up to the

Plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning
aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball
in softly so Shay could at least make contact.

What goes around usually comes around :An Amazing true story.

Amazing True Story

This is a true story that had happened in 1892 at Stanford University. It's
moral is still relevant today.

A young, 18 year old student was struggling to pay his fees. He was an
orphan, and not knowing where to turn for money, he came up with a bright
idea. A friend and he decided to host a musical concert on campus to raise
money for their education.
 They reached out to the great pianist Ignacy
J. Paderewski. His manager demanded a guaranteed fee of $2,000 for the piano recital. A deal
was struck. And the boys began to work to make the concert a success. The
big day arrived. Paderewski performed at Stanford. But unfortunately, they
had not managed to sell enough tickets.

The total collection was only $1,600. Disappointed, they went to
Paderewski and explained their plight. They gave him the entire $1,600,
plus a cheque for the balance of $400. They promised to honour the cheque
soonest possible."No" said Paderewski. "This is not acceptable" He tore up
the cheque, returned the $1,600 and told the boys "Here's the $1,600.
Please deduct whatever expenses you have incurred. Keep the money you need
for your fees. And just give me whatever is left" The boys were surprised,
and thanked him profusely.

It was a small act of kindness. But it clearly marked out Paderewski as a
great human being. Why should he help two people he did not even know? We
all come across situations like these in our lives. And most of us only
think "If I help them, what would happen to me?" The truly great people
think, "If I don't help them, what will happen to them?" They don't do it
expecting something in return. They do it because they feel it's the right
thing to do.

Paderewski later went on to become the Prime Minister of Poland. He was a
great leader, but unfortunately when the World War began, Poland was
ravaged. There were over 1.5 million people starving in his country, and no
money to feed them. Paderewski did not know where to turn for help. He
reached out to the US Food and Relief Administration for help.

Courage

An excerpt from
Walk the Talk
by Eric Harvey and Steve Ventura*

*Courage*

QUESTION: What does "courage" have to do with being a person of good
character...with someone who stays true to their principles and their
values?

ANSWER: EVERYTHING!

You see, being values-driven means two things:

Doing what's right - following our conscience; refusing to compromise our
principles, despite pressures and temptations to the contrary, and

Taking a stand against what's wrong - speaking out, whenever we see others
do things that are incorrect or inappropriate.

Courage is...

•

Following your conscience instead of "following the crowd."

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Refusing to take part in hurtful or disrespectful behaviors.

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the power of concentration

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=jJrzIdDUfT4&vq=medium

Being Kicked Out of Your Comfort Zone

The birth of a baby giraffe is quite an earth-shaking event. The baby falls
from its mother's womb, some eight feet above the ground. It shrivels up and
lies still, too weak to move.

The mother giraffe lovingly lowers her neck to kiss the baby giraffe. And
then something incredible happens. She lifts her long leg and kicks the baby
giraffe, sending it flying up in the air and tumbling down on the ground.

Before Complaining

A King went out to sea when a great storm arose. One of the slaves
on board began to cry out and wail in fear, for he had never been on a
ship before. His crying was so loud and prolonged that it annoyed
everyone in the ship, and the maharaja wanted him thrown overboard.
But his chief advisor, who was a sage, said, ‘No. Let me deal with the
man. I think I can cure him.’ With that he ordered some of the sailors
to hurl the man into the sea. No sooner was he in the sea than the
poor slave began to scream in terror and thrash out wildly. In a few
seconds the advisor ordered him hauled back in. Now the slave lay
quietly in a corner. When the King asked his advisor for the
reason he replied, ‘We never realize how lucky we are till the
situation gets worse.’

The fern and the bamboo(live the power)

I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality… I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.
“God”, I asked,
“Can you give me one good reason not to quit?”.
His answer surprised me…
“Look around”, He said. “Do you see the fern and the bamboo?”
“Yes”, I replied.
“When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.
“In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit.
In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit.” He said.
“Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth.

Monica Seles

ON APRIL 30, 1993, WORLD NO. 1 TENNIS STAR MONICA Seles, nineteen, was
stabbed in the shoulder by deranged spectator Gunther Parch. She spent only
two days in the hospital, but the psychological wounds lasted much longer.
She had nightmares, mental anguish, depression—all aggravated when the
German courts found Parch not guilty in October of that year. Her sponsor,
Fila, sued Monica during her convalescence, saying it had lost income due to
her time away from the game.

Brooklyn Bridge: A Story of vision and determination

In 1883, a creative engineer named *John
Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York
with the Long Island. However bridge building experts throughout the world
thought that this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the
idea. It just could not be done. It was not practical. It had never been
done before.

Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. He
thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be
done. He just had to share the dream with someone else. After much
discussion and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up
and coming engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built.

Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts
of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome.
With great excitement and inspiration, and the headiness of a wild challenge
before them, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.

The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a
tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was
injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in
him not being able to walk or talk or even move.

“We told them so.”

“Crazy men and their crazy dreams.”

“It’s foolish to chase wild visions.”

Everyone had a negative comment to make and felt that the project should be
scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge
could be built. In spite of his handicap Washington was never discouraged
and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still
as sharp as ever.

He tried to inspire and pass on his enthusiasm to some of his friends, but
they were too daunted by the task. As he lay on his bed in his hospital
room, with the sunlight streaming through the windows, a gentle breeze blew
the flimsy white curtains apart and he was able to see the sky and the tops
of the trees outside for just a moment.

It seemed that there was a *message for him not to give up*. Suddenly an
idea hit him. All he could do was move one finger and he decided to make the
best use of it. By moving this, he slowly developed a code of communication
with his wife.

He touched his wife’s arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted
her to call the engineers again. Then he used the same method of tapping her
arm to tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was
under way again.

*For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his
wife’s arm, until the bridge was finally completed. Today the spectacular
Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its glory as a tribute to the triumph of one
man’s indomitable spirit and his determination not to be defeated by
circumstances. It is also a tribute to the engineers and their team work,
and to their faith in a man who was considered mad by half the world. It
stands too as a tangible monument to the love and devotion of his wife who
for 13 long years patiently decoded the messages of her husband and told the
engineers what to do.*

Perhaps this is one of the best examples of a never-say-die attitude that
overcomes a terrible physical handicap and achieves an impossible goal.

*Often when we face obstacles in our day-to-day life, our hurdles seem very
small in comparison to what many others have to face. The Brooklyn Bridge
shows us that dreams that seem impossible can be realized with determination
and persistence, no matter what the odds are.*

*MORAL OF THE STORY:
Even the most distant dream can be realized with determination and
persistence.

The Story of a Wallet

The Story of a Wallet
From 'Dipika'
A publication by Sri Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa

Once an old man was travelling by train on a pilgrimage to Brindavan. At
night, whilst he was asleep, his wallet fell from his pocket. A co-passenger
found it the next morning and enquired as to whom the wallet belonged. The
old man said it was his. A picture of Sri Krishna inside the wallet was
proof that the wallet really belonged to him.

The old man then began to relate the story of the wallet. He soon had a
group of eager listeners around him. Lifting up the purse for all to see,
the old man said: This purse has a long history behind it. My father gave it
to me years ago when I was a mere schoolboy. I kept my little pocket money
in it and also a photograph of my parents.

Years passed. I grew up and began studying at university. Like every youth,
I became conscious of my appearance. I replaced my parents’ photograph with
that of my own and I would look at it often. I had become my own admirer.

Then came marriage. Self-admiration gave way to the consciousness of a
family. Out went my own picture and I replaced it with that of my wife’s.
During the day I would open the wallet many times and gaze at the picture.
All tiredness vanished and I would resume my work with enthusiasm.

Then came the birth of my first child. What a joy I experienced when I
became a father! I would eagerly rush home after work to play with my little
baby. Needless to say, my wife’s picture had already made way for the
child’s.

The old man paused. Wiping his tearful eyes, he looked around and said in a
sad voice: Friends, my parents passed away long ago. My wife too died five
years ago. My son- my only son- is now married. He is too busy with his
career and his family. He has no time for me. I now stand on the brink of
death. I do not know what awaits me in future. Everything I loved,
everything I considered my own, has left me.

A picture of Lord Krishna now occupies the place in my wallet. I know He
will never leave me. I wish now that I had kept HIS picture with me right
from the beginning! He alone is true; all others are just passing shadows.

Sri Sarada Devi, the holy mother, says: Don’t be afraid my child, these
earthly ties are transitory. Today they seem to be the be-all and end-all of
life, and tomorrow they vanish. Your real tie is with God. God is one’s very
own. It is the eternal relationship. He is ever looking after you. Call on
the Lord who pervades the entire universe. He will shower His blessings upon
you

FAITH

I don't know why, but I am reminded of a certain friend, many years ago now, who was concerned about the lack of rainfall in the region and I felt I needed to share this story with you. 


Everything in the country was drying up, from a drought. The water resources were dwindling and even the levels in the wells were out of reach. Cattle and other livestock were thin and crops were withered in the dry dusty heat.What to do? He told me that prayers were to be held at a near by temple and thousands of people were going to assemble there and earnestly pray for rain.

We miss God's blessings!

A young man was getting ready to graduate college. For many months he had
admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his
father could well afford it,
he told him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father
had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation his father
called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to
have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son
a beautiful wrapped gift box.

All you need is a link

An elderly man and a youngster were waiting for the bus. It was a long
wait and both were impatient to reach their destinations. Finally the
bus arrived jampacked. It seemed that there was place for only one
more person to squeeze in. The young man thought to himself, "I am
busy. The old man is hardly likely to have anything important to do.
So I should take the bus first."  At the same time, the old man
thought, "I am old. The youth has the stamina to wait longer. So I
should get in first." They both edged to the front and as the bus
stopped, they began jostling one another. In the middle of their
argument, the bust left and they were left behind.

          In the course of their altercation, the young man said, "Who
do you think I am! I am the son of Mr. Lalchand, the rice merchant. My
car broke down today and my father had already left by then. There is
an auto-rickshaw  strike today. So I was forced to take a bus. It is
indeed my
ill luck that I had to meet someone like you!" As soon as the old
heard these worlds, his scowl faded and in its place emerged a broad
smile. He said, "Then you must be Harish! I am so glad to see you.
What a small world it is! I am Hirachand, your father's uncle. Back in
our village, we are so proud of your father for making it big in
Delhi." The minute Harish heard there words he immediately apologized
to Hirachand. The old man brushed aside the apology graciously.

          When the next bus came, the story was delightfully
different! The Hirachand said, "Get in. You are already late. I will
take the next bus!  Harish replied, "No, uncle. It is hot today. You
must be tired. You take the bus. I will get into the next one!"

          *In the above story, initially the old man and the youth
were mutually hostile. What happened to change the situation?  Nothing
actually happened in terms of a physical event. When they realized
that they were related, both of them experienced a sense of identity,
a feeling of oneness.

The same two people in the same situation underwent a tangible change
in attitude. Each was willing to give up his chance to board the bus
for the sake of the other. Each one felt that the other was "his so-
and-so" and this realization alone was enough to change a hostile
situation to a friendly, loving one! The feeling of oneness lightens
many problems and soothes many a ruffled feather in human relations.*

*          In our lives too, we miss out on joy friendship and love
because we do not give ourselves a chance to feel for others as we
would for ourselves and our families. We forgive ourselves very easily
for our faults or for those of our families, but how critical and
unforgiving we are when
it comes to others' faults! What makes the difference? It is lack of
oneness with others that is born of a narrow vision of life.*

*          To love others, to see them in ourselves and to feel for
their joys and sorrows as we would our own gives a sense of oneness.
It gives us the ability to enjoy the happiness of others and work to
alleviate their suffering. This is the first step towards a life of
true beauty and
fulfillment.*