Monday, December 29, 2008

The Beautiful Heart...

Arushi was only seven years old. Her cousin Rajat who was twenty years old, was studying medicine. Arushi thought he was already a doctor, so she called him Doctor Bhayia (brother).

One day she went to his room and found him studying a big book. She climbed onto his lap and asked, "Doctor Bhayia, what is this?" He said, "This is a picture of the human heart. There is one like that in all of us."She looked at it curiously, as if trying to understand everything! He caught her little hand to place over his heart and said, "Can you feel how its beating? It works hard all day to pump blood. I am writing an article on the heart for my presentation."

"May I help you?" asked Arushi, her eyes shining.

Rajat looked at her, hiding his smile and said, "Sure, you write something for me and I'll put it into my work. Off you go now."

Arushi sat down to work seriously. She wrote her article and gave it to Doctor Bhayia. On the day of the presentation, he read out his article that was a very good piece on the functioning of the heart. Then he said,"Sir, I seek your permission, to speak for another minute, to share with you, what my seven year old sister has to say on this topic."

The Professor in-charge was baffled, but all the same he nodded his head in as sent. This is what Rajat read out:

1 All of us have biiiig hearts. My heart does dhak-dhak all the time. My heart is red.

2 It is in circulatory system and pumps all the blood.

3 My heart loves all parts of my body. If my heart did not give love I would die.

4 My heart is cracked and breaked when people say a bad things to it.

5 When Raju break my dolly, a part of my heart cried and died.

6 When I get new toys my heart jumps.

7 My heart is soooo big, that I can put so many people into it.

8 Only God knows how to make new hearts so we should try not to break them.

9 Mama says God lives in all hearts. Then why do people fight?

There was pin-drop silence. Then the Professor rose up from his seat and started clapping. One by one, everyone stood up to give a standing ovation. Little Arushi had seen beyond what doctors see. She had seen beyond the mechanics, the flesh and the blood. Truly she had understood the real functioning of the heart!

Friday, December 26, 2008

The Bud Takes a Risk

I love the quote, which I read on AsAManThinketh: "And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." Anais Nin It caused me to think . A bud when it is closed tight is protected from the wind and rain. Its delicate petals and stamens are enclosed, safe from harm, bundled up tight and secure. But the pressure is building! Some thing is pushing them, one against the other and gossip is that at the top of the bud, the protective case has split and some of the petals are being pushed out!

Actually some of the petals were excited at the prospect of being free, of being able to move as they wished, of greeting the 'Sun' that they had heard so much about. Others were more cautious - fearing unnecessary change!

Now the report had come back from the top petals that the sun was dulled, and they were being battered by the wind. They were trying to get back in the bud - and all that was doing was increasing the split - and other petals were exposed.

One big petal was very quiet in all the ensuing discussion! He knew he was close to the Sun now. He had waited sooo long! He pushed up and out with all his might. He could see the split just above him now! I'll try again, he determined. I must get a glimpse! So he focused and tried again. He pushed and pushed and the pressure was too much for the bud and it split down the side. The petal turned his eyes outward! What wonder! What fresh air! The smells! The perfume! The possibilities! The freedom!

"It is wonderful, just wonderful!" he yelled to the petals behind him. "Come on! Let's show the world how beautiful we are!" He urged.

"But, the risk!" the other petals argued, "Let's stay here - it is more comfortable now the bud is split!"

Just then a little voice was heard outside. "Daddy, come quick. The bud is opening! Look at the beautiful colour!" "Can you smell the perfume?" was the reply. "No, Daddy, no smell!" "You will be able to smell it when all the petals are open. It will be wonderful"

The petals were all quiet for a few moments. Suddenly they understood! To bloom, would eventually cost them everything! But to bloom is what they were created for! To remain a bud and die on the vine was unthinkable! "We must bloom. We must all push together. We must be the best most attractive bloom. Then the bees will come and sup with us, and though we die we will actually live for ever!"

PS A week later a satisfied petal lay under the vine, blown against the fence. His colour was fading, but his perfume was still strong. They had done well. The little girl had admired them everyday - but more importantly they had opened themselves completely to the Sun - and the bees had come. And as he looked up to the vine, even now he could see the swelling, just below the last few petals, that spoke of fruit, with its promise of new life.

Near him on the ground was a bud - it had never opened itself to the Sun. The vine had dropped it to the ground as useless. How sad to have never experienced the Sun - to never have reached fulfillment! How thankful he was that the big petal had the vision and courage to lead them out!!

Aseem Kaistha
It's your attitude and not your aptitude that determines your altitude.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

The Stone Cutter...

The Stone Cutter...

Prerna231_Group
There was once a stone cutter who was dissatisfied with himself and with his position in life.

One day, he passed a wealthy merchant's house and through the open gateway saw many fine possessions and important visitors.

"How powerful that merchant must be!" thought the stone cutter. He became very envious, and wished that he could be like the merchant. Then he would no longer have to live the life of a mere stone cutter.

To his great surprise, he suddenly became the merchant, enjoying more luxuries and power than he had ever dreamed of, envied and detested by those less wealthy than himself. But soon a high official passed by,carried in a sedan chair, accompanied by attendants, and escorted by soldiers beating gongs. Everyone, no matter how wealthy, had to bow low before the procession.

"How powerful that official is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a high official!"

Then he became the high official, carried everywhere in his embroidered sedan chair, feared and hated by the people all around, who had to bow down before him as he passed. It was a hot summer day, and the official felt very uncomfortable in the sticky sedan chair. He looked up at the sun. It shone proudly in the sky, unaffected by his presence.

"How powerful the sun is!" he thought. "
I wish that I could be the sun!"

Then he became the sun, shining fiercely down on everyone, scorching the fields, cursed by the farmers and laborers. But a huge black cloud moved between him and the earth, so that his light could no longer shine on everything below.


"How powerful that storm cloud is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a cloud!"

Then he became the cloud, flooding the fields and villages, shouted at by everyone. But soon he found that he was being pushed away by some great force, and realized that it was the wind.

"How powerful it is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be the wind!"

Then he became the wind, blowing tiles off the roofs of houses, uprooting trees, hated and feared by all below him. But after a while,he ran up against something that would not move, no matter how forcefully he blew against it -- a huge, towering stone.

"How powerful that stone is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a stone!"

Then he became the stone, more powerful than
Anything else on earth.

But as he stood there, he heard the sound of a hammer pounding a chisel into the solid rock and felt himself being changed.

"What could be more powerful than I, the stone?" he thought.
He looked down and saw far below him the figure of a stone cutter.


Benjamin Hoff
Aseem Kaistha
It's your attitude and not your aptitude that determines your altitude.

Monday, December 22, 2008

You are Gifted...

A wholesaler in New York who sent a letter to the postmaster of a small mid-western town. He asked for the name of an honest lawyer who would take a collection case against a local debtor who had refused to pay for a shipment of the wholesaler's goods. He got this reply:

"Dear Sir,
I am the postmaster of this village and received your letter. I am also an honest lawyer and ordinarily would be pleased to accept a case against a local debtor. In this case, however, I also happen to be the person you sold those crummy goods to. I received your demand to pay and refused to honor it. I am also the banker you sent the draft to draw on the merchant, and I sent that back with a note stating that the merchant had refused to pay. And if I were not, for the time being, substituting for the pastor of our local church, I would tell you just where to stick your claim."

Unlike the postmaster, not many of us are multi-talented. We cannot do ALL things well, or even fairly well. You may be a skilled chef, for example. Or, on the other hand, your motto may be more like mine:"Where there's smoke, there's dinner."

As gifted as the great mathematician was, even Albert Einstein experienced feelings of inadequacy. In 1948 Einstein was offered the first presidency of the new nation of Israel. He turned it down with this statement: "I know little about the nature of people.... And I am saddened and ashamed that I cannot accept it.... I lack both the natural aptitude and the experience to deal properly with people."

Einstein knew plenty about the nature of the universe, but this wise and sensitive man also knew that he lacked the necessary political skill for such a demanding position. Is there really any shame in knowing our limitations?

Einstein focused on that which he did well and the world is the better for it. Madame Marie Curie said, "Life is not easy for any of us, but what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained."

Be confident! You may not recognize it, but you are gifted for something! Whether it be big or small, do what you are gifted to do and you will be happy


FROM: Naveen Lahori