Saturday, July 26, 2008
Once Upon A Time
Once upon a time leadership mattered, now dealership rules the world.
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Once upon a time quality was craftsman's pride, now it is a departmental mess.
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Once upon a time mouse was an untouchable mammal, now it is handheld pest.
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Once upon a time wisdom was cultivated by wise people, now it is flashed on T-shirts.
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Once upon a time teacher tought and students learnt, now teacher trade and students consume.
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Once upon a time population was a problem, now it is a flourishing mass market.
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Once upon a time competition brought out the best, now it brings out the worst in people.
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Once upon a time there was a golden rule, now if you have gold, you rule.
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Once upon a time truth telling was good for your soul, now it is bad for promotion.
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Once upon a time success meant living by ideals, now it is about using above all principles.
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Once upon a time beauty was in the eye of the beholder, now it is booming business.
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Once upon a time quality was craftsman's pride, now it is a departmental mess.
*********
Once upon a time mouse was an untouchable mammal, now it is handheld pest.
*********
Once upon a time wisdom was cultivated by wise people, now it is flashed on T-shirts.
*********
Once upon a time teacher tought and students learnt, now teacher trade and students consume.
*********
Once upon a time population was a problem, now it is a flourishing mass market.
*********
Once upon a time competition brought out the best, now it brings out the worst in people.
*********
Once upon a time there was a golden rule, now if you have gold, you rule.
*********
Once upon a time truth telling was good for your soul, now it is bad for promotion.
*********
Once upon a time success meant living by ideals, now it is about using above all principles.
*********
Once upon a time beauty was in the eye of the beholder, now it is booming business.
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You are what you Read!
"You are the same today as you're going to be in five years except for two things, the people you meet and the books you read".
Hang around thinkers; you'll be a better thinker.
Hang around givers; you'll be a better giver.
Hang around workers; you'll be a better worker.
Hang around a bunch of thumb sucking, complaining, griping boneheads; and you will be a better thumb sucking, complaining, griping bonehead.
Now. With that said... how many of you are under sixteen yet? Great. How do you like an idea that you might be driving a Cadillac car when you're sixteen? I got it for you.When my son Jaffer was your age, he was quite as excited as you. I said, "Jaffer, do you want to have a car when you're sixteen?"
"Yes."
"Do you want me to help you buy that car?"
"Yes sir, dad."
"Alright, son, we're going to do it, but the free ride's over. No more allowance. I'm going to give you a way to make a lot of money. Here is the deal. I am going to pick out books for you to read. There will be motivational books, history books, religion books, inspirational books; and every time I give you a book, you give me a book report. Every time I get a book report, I'll put money in your car fund. Another book report; more money in the car fund. In two years if you read in style, you'll drive in style. But if you read like a bum, you're going to drive like a bum."Overnight he developed a fantastic hunger for reading. The first book I had him read was Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People." Now the first day he came down and said, "Dad, dad, there's a whole chapter in here on smiling and shaking hands." And he shook my hand, shook my hand - first sign of life in fourteen years. Woohoo! And he smiled at me.Then I had him read a book named 'Peshawar Nights' on Shia beliefs and then 'Quran, Bible and Science' of Dr. Maurice Bucaille. One Friday, when we were going to Masjid, I asked, "Jaffer, how are you getting along with Dr. Bucaille's book?"
He said with overflowing enthusiasm, "Dad, dad", and he softly hit my back. Imagine that, he hit my back for the first time. Then he said, "Everybody specially high school Muslim students ought to have to read that book."
"Alhamdulillah", I said to myself, "That was a sign he was beginning to think about somebody other than himself".Well, he read 22 books before going to college. Did he buy a car? No. He kept the money to buy more books and instead used my car and my gas. But It was worth it. Then he went off to college, and I got one of the greatest experiences of my life. Jaffer goes off to college but he writes me a "Dear Dad" postcard every week for four years. You know what I used to do when I would get some of the cards? I would put my head on my desk and cry with happiness. Do you know why? He was thinking thoughts that I never dreamed a young person of his age could think. Thanks to his fantastic craving for reading. Now he didn't only have the full meaning of the books he read, but he had wise thoughts of his own in his mind. I would like to read you a couple of his cards from college to me."Dear Dad, yesterday someone insulted me in front of the whole class. I was furious at first, but then I forgave him. You know why, dad? I remembered Imam Ali's saying in Nahjul Balagha which I had read just the night before: Imam Ali said: 'So whoever of you who knows about others' faults, be restrained by what he knows about his own faults'. Love, Jaffer".Another of his card said: "Dear Dad, I have Just finished reading 'Al-Aamali of Sheikh Mufid'. This book changed my weekends. Before getting hold of this book, I used to spend it on idle talks, parties and sittings with gossipers in the college. No longer now. In 'Al-Aamali', I read that there was an idle jester in Madina who used to cause people laugh by his pranks and jokes. One day that jester came and pulled Imam Sajjad (as)'s cloak to make people laugh. You know Dad, Imam was totally composed and he did not even become angry, except that he said to him: 'For Allah, there is a fixed Day in which the idle vain doers will be in loss". Dad, I don't want to be like this idle jester on weekends. So I joined Islamic Crescent Group from the neighborhood Masjid that visits hospitals every Sunday to distribute fruits, flowers and words of kindness to the sick. Isn't that better idea Dad? Salams, Jaffer."After reading this card, I could not control my tears. Does not good reading create miracles?
Wish you Happy Reading!
Hang around thinkers; you'll be a better thinker.
Hang around givers; you'll be a better giver.
Hang around workers; you'll be a better worker.
Hang around a bunch of thumb sucking, complaining, griping boneheads; and you will be a better thumb sucking, complaining, griping bonehead.
Now. With that said... how many of you are under sixteen yet? Great. How do you like an idea that you might be driving a Cadillac car when you're sixteen? I got it for you.When my son Jaffer was your age, he was quite as excited as you. I said, "Jaffer, do you want to have a car when you're sixteen?"
"Yes."
"Do you want me to help you buy that car?"
"Yes sir, dad."
"Alright, son, we're going to do it, but the free ride's over. No more allowance. I'm going to give you a way to make a lot of money. Here is the deal. I am going to pick out books for you to read. There will be motivational books, history books, religion books, inspirational books; and every time I give you a book, you give me a book report. Every time I get a book report, I'll put money in your car fund. Another book report; more money in the car fund. In two years if you read in style, you'll drive in style. But if you read like a bum, you're going to drive like a bum."Overnight he developed a fantastic hunger for reading. The first book I had him read was Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People." Now the first day he came down and said, "Dad, dad, there's a whole chapter in here on smiling and shaking hands." And he shook my hand, shook my hand - first sign of life in fourteen years. Woohoo! And he smiled at me.Then I had him read a book named 'Peshawar Nights' on Shia beliefs and then 'Quran, Bible and Science' of Dr. Maurice Bucaille. One Friday, when we were going to Masjid, I asked, "Jaffer, how are you getting along with Dr. Bucaille's book?"
He said with overflowing enthusiasm, "Dad, dad", and he softly hit my back. Imagine that, he hit my back for the first time. Then he said, "Everybody specially high school Muslim students ought to have to read that book."
"Alhamdulillah", I said to myself, "That was a sign he was beginning to think about somebody other than himself".Well, he read 22 books before going to college. Did he buy a car? No. He kept the money to buy more books and instead used my car and my gas. But It was worth it. Then he went off to college, and I got one of the greatest experiences of my life. Jaffer goes off to college but he writes me a "Dear Dad" postcard every week for four years. You know what I used to do when I would get some of the cards? I would put my head on my desk and cry with happiness. Do you know why? He was thinking thoughts that I never dreamed a young person of his age could think. Thanks to his fantastic craving for reading. Now he didn't only have the full meaning of the books he read, but he had wise thoughts of his own in his mind. I would like to read you a couple of his cards from college to me."Dear Dad, yesterday someone insulted me in front of the whole class. I was furious at first, but then I forgave him. You know why, dad? I remembered Imam Ali's saying in Nahjul Balagha which I had read just the night before: Imam Ali said: 'So whoever of you who knows about others' faults, be restrained by what he knows about his own faults'. Love, Jaffer".Another of his card said: "Dear Dad, I have Just finished reading 'Al-Aamali of Sheikh Mufid'. This book changed my weekends. Before getting hold of this book, I used to spend it on idle talks, parties and sittings with gossipers in the college. No longer now. In 'Al-Aamali', I read that there was an idle jester in Madina who used to cause people laugh by his pranks and jokes. One day that jester came and pulled Imam Sajjad (as)'s cloak to make people laugh. You know Dad, Imam was totally composed and he did not even become angry, except that he said to him: 'For Allah, there is a fixed Day in which the idle vain doers will be in loss". Dad, I don't want to be like this idle jester on weekends. So I joined Islamic Crescent Group from the neighborhood Masjid that visits hospitals every Sunday to distribute fruits, flowers and words of kindness to the sick. Isn't that better idea Dad? Salams, Jaffer."After reading this card, I could not control my tears. Does not good reading create miracles?
Wish you Happy Reading!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
How to Manage Stress During Tough Times
With news headlines all around us announcing economic changes for the worse, a lot of us are beginning to feel the twist of anxiety. When this stress response comes, the neurochemicals in our brain are thrown off balance.
Sustained periods of stress will affect your brain, leading to chemical imbalance. It will interfere with your memory, focus and concentration, making you feel agitated and unable to calm down. It is crucial for brain health and overall peace of mind that you learn to control your anxiety effectively. Read on to learn the ways to quell your anxiety and relax. As always, if you are undergoing serious anxiety, consult a healthcare professional.
1. Health in Mind = Health in Body. The average person has 60,000 thoughts a day, and nearly 80 percent of them are negative. Imagine what this is doing to your body! This negativity affects your thought patterns and behaviors subconsciously, and this has an unhealthy impact on your body. Reframe the way you say things to yourself. You can actually change the response to anxiety with repeated affirmations, which will introduce a new positive pattern behavior in your thinking. Instead of being anxious, give empowering messages to yourself: I am strong, I am grateful, I can get through this. Repeat these positive affirmations throughout your day to transform the stress and change your attitude.
2. Cut Back on Stimulants Stress, anxiety, insomnia, and a racing mind are byproducts of taking in too much caffeine, the central nervous system stimulator that works against your attempts to relax the body and calm the mind. To start, try cutting back for just week to see how fewer stimulants affect your overall stress level. Switch to decaf coffee, or better yet, drink herbal tea. Also, cut out sodas and other drinks that are packed with stimulants.
3. Deep Breathing Calms Anxiety. If you are in a stressful situation, you may have noticed that you breath very shallowly, up in your throat area. Unfortunately, many adults breathe this way all the time; somewhere along the way, we stopped breathing abdominally, as we did when we were babies. This habitual shallow breathing mimics the bodily actions of stress, which can actually induce your body to feel anxiety. When you learn to breathe deeply all day - by breathing from your diaphragm - you will reduce general anxiety and gain other proven benefits, such as lowered blood pressure and heart rate. Also, it is estimated that 70 percent of the toxins and wastes in our bodies are eliminated through respiratory breathing. So start deep breathing!
Here's how: Make it part of your every day schedule to practice 20-30 minutes of deep breathing every day, and your body will respond by being relaxed all the time. Also, look into stress-reducing mind-body disciplines such as tai chi, yoga, qigong, and meditation, which all incorporate breathing work into their routines.
4. Get Out of Your Head By Helping Others. Most of us could sit around all day agonizing in our heads about bad news and working our way into a negative inner dialogue. The way to get out of your own head is by doing something for others. Offer to help someone else and completely focus on his or her needs. Give a friend a hand with moving or planning an event. Volunteer for a charitable cause. It's amazing how taking the focus off yourself can reduce your stress and anxiety.I hope you find the ways to check your anxiety!
May you live long, live strong, and live happy!
-Dr. Mao
Sustained periods of stress will affect your brain, leading to chemical imbalance. It will interfere with your memory, focus and concentration, making you feel agitated and unable to calm down. It is crucial for brain health and overall peace of mind that you learn to control your anxiety effectively. Read on to learn the ways to quell your anxiety and relax. As always, if you are undergoing serious anxiety, consult a healthcare professional.
1. Health in Mind = Health in Body. The average person has 60,000 thoughts a day, and nearly 80 percent of them are negative. Imagine what this is doing to your body! This negativity affects your thought patterns and behaviors subconsciously, and this has an unhealthy impact on your body. Reframe the way you say things to yourself. You can actually change the response to anxiety with repeated affirmations, which will introduce a new positive pattern behavior in your thinking. Instead of being anxious, give empowering messages to yourself: I am strong, I am grateful, I can get through this. Repeat these positive affirmations throughout your day to transform the stress and change your attitude.
2. Cut Back on Stimulants Stress, anxiety, insomnia, and a racing mind are byproducts of taking in too much caffeine, the central nervous system stimulator that works against your attempts to relax the body and calm the mind. To start, try cutting back for just week to see how fewer stimulants affect your overall stress level. Switch to decaf coffee, or better yet, drink herbal tea. Also, cut out sodas and other drinks that are packed with stimulants.
3. Deep Breathing Calms Anxiety. If you are in a stressful situation, you may have noticed that you breath very shallowly, up in your throat area. Unfortunately, many adults breathe this way all the time; somewhere along the way, we stopped breathing abdominally, as we did when we were babies. This habitual shallow breathing mimics the bodily actions of stress, which can actually induce your body to feel anxiety. When you learn to breathe deeply all day - by breathing from your diaphragm - you will reduce general anxiety and gain other proven benefits, such as lowered blood pressure and heart rate. Also, it is estimated that 70 percent of the toxins and wastes in our bodies are eliminated through respiratory breathing. So start deep breathing!
Here's how: Make it part of your every day schedule to practice 20-30 minutes of deep breathing every day, and your body will respond by being relaxed all the time. Also, look into stress-reducing mind-body disciplines such as tai chi, yoga, qigong, and meditation, which all incorporate breathing work into their routines.
4. Get Out of Your Head By Helping Others. Most of us could sit around all day agonizing in our heads about bad news and working our way into a negative inner dialogue. The way to get out of your own head is by doing something for others. Offer to help someone else and completely focus on his or her needs. Give a friend a hand with moving or planning an event. Volunteer for a charitable cause. It's amazing how taking the focus off yourself can reduce your stress and anxiety.I hope you find the ways to check your anxiety!
May you live long, live strong, and live happy!
-Dr. Mao
Saturday, July 19, 2008
The Seven C’s of Success
After having studied top achievers and peak performers over the past 25 years, I've concluded that these unique men and women have, in most cases, mastered what I call the Seven C's of Success.
1. Clarity - Eighty percent of success comes from being clear on who you are, what you believe in and what you want.
2. Competence - You can't climb to the next rung on the ladder until you are excellent at what you do now.
3. Constraints - Eighty percent of all obstacles to success come from within. Find out what is constraining in you or your company and deal with it.
4. Concentration - The ability to focus on one thing single-mindedly and see it through until it's done takes more character than anything else.
5. Creativity - Flood your life with ideas from many sources. Creativity needs to be exercised like a muscle, if you don't use it you'll lose it.
6. Courage - Most in demand and least in supply, courage is the willingness to do the things you know are right.
7. Continuous learning - Read, at the very least, one book a week on business to keep you miles ahead of the competition.
And just as you eat and bathe, organize your time so you spend 30 minutes a day exploring e-mails, sending messages, and going through web sites, because like exercise, it's the only way you can keep on top of technology. If you get away from it, you'll lose your edge.
More Motivation...
1. Clarity - Eighty percent of success comes from being clear on who you are, what you believe in and what you want.
2. Competence - You can't climb to the next rung on the ladder until you are excellent at what you do now.
3. Constraints - Eighty percent of all obstacles to success come from within. Find out what is constraining in you or your company and deal with it.
4. Concentration - The ability to focus on one thing single-mindedly and see it through until it's done takes more character than anything else.
5. Creativity - Flood your life with ideas from many sources. Creativity needs to be exercised like a muscle, if you don't use it you'll lose it.
6. Courage - Most in demand and least in supply, courage is the willingness to do the things you know are right.
7. Continuous learning - Read, at the very least, one book a week on business to keep you miles ahead of the competition.
And just as you eat and bathe, organize your time so you spend 30 minutes a day exploring e-mails, sending messages, and going through web sites, because like exercise, it's the only way you can keep on top of technology. If you get away from it, you'll lose your edge.
More Motivation...
Here's a positive affirmation you may wish to write down and recite to yourself..."I am fully committed to being a life long learner. Through the study and application of what I learn I am positioning myself to achieve expert status in my area of interest. Indoing so I am positioning myself to achieve personal greatness."
Column By Brian Tracy
Square Watermelons!
Japanese grocery stores had a problem. They are much smaller than shops in the USA and therefore don't have room to waste. Watermelons, big and round, wasted a lot of space. Most people would simply tell the grocery stores that watermelons grow round and there is nothing that can be done about it.That is how majority of people would respond. But some Japanese farmers took a different approach. If the supermarkets wanted a square watermelon, they asked themselves, 'How can we provide one?' It wasn't long before they invented the square watermelon.
The solution to the problem of round watermelons was solved as the farmers did not assume it was impossible - and simply asked how it could be done. They found out that if you put the watermelon in a square box when they are growing, the watermelon will take on the shape of the box - and grow into a square fruit.
This made the grocery stores happy and had the added benefit that it was much easier and cost effective to ship the watermelons. Consumers also loved them because they took less space in their refrigerators which are much smaller than those in the US meaning that the growers could charge a premium price for them.
What does this have to do with anything in life or at your job? There are a few lessons that you can take away from this story which help you :
- Don't Assume: The major problem was that most people had always seen round watermelons so they automatically assumed that square watermelons were impossible before even thinking about the question. Things that you have been doing a certain way your entire life have taken on the aura of the round watermelon and you likely don't even take the time to consider if there is another way to do it. Breaking yourself from assuming this way can greatly improve your overall life as you are constantly looking for new and better ways to do things. This was one of the most difficult things for me to do because most of the assumptions I make, I don't even realize that I'm making them. They seem perfectly logical on the surface, so I have to constantly make an effort to question them.
- Question Habits: The best way to tackle these assumptions is to question your habits. If you can make an effort to question the way you do things on a consistent basis, you will find that you can continually improve the way that you work. Forming habits when they have been well thought out is usually a positive thing, but most of us have adopted our habits from various people and places without even thinking about them. I have changed a large number of habits that I have had after taking the time to question them and continue to do so. Some of them I have know idea where they came from while others I can trace to certain people or instances in my life. It's a never ending process, but by doing this, you can consistently strive toward making all aspects of your life more enjoyable instead of defaulting to what you have now.
- Be Creative: When faced with a problem, be creative in looking for a solution. This often requires thinking outside the box. Most people who viewed this question likely thought they were being asked how they could genetically alter water melons to grow square which would be a much more difficult process to accomplish. By looking at the question from an alternative perspective, however, the solution was quite simple. Being creative and looking at things in different ways in all portions of your live will help you find solutions to many problems where others can't see them. I am not a creative person, but I've found that the more that you look at things from different perspectives, the more creative I have become. It's a learned art and builds upon itself.
- Look for a Better Way : The square watermelon question was simply seeking a better and more convenient way to do something. The stores had flagged a problem they were having and asked if a solution was possible. It's impossible to find a better way if you are never asking the question in the first place. I try to ask if there is a better way of doing the things that I do and I constantly write down the things I wish I could do (but currently can't) since these are usually hints about steps I need to change. Get into the habit of asking yourself, 'Is there a better way I could be doing this?' and you will find there often is.
- Impossibilities Often Aren't: If you begin with the notion that something is impossible, then it obviously will be for you. If, on the other hand, you decide to see if something is possible or not, you will find out through trial and error. Take away the lessons from the square watermelons and apply them to all areas in your life (work, finances, relationships, etc) and you will find that by consistently applying them, you will constantly be improving all aspects of your life.
I am sure we can bring about change if we really want to.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Anger
" DO NOT GET ANGRY"..... THIS IS is the best thing in which anyone of us could do to forbid ourselves from acting according to the dictate of evil which can be lead to regret.
Anger is a very powerful emotion. It rages through a person creating a desire for revenge and for striking out at the object of anger.
Anger is an emotion that inspires action, and that action would be leading to injury. This is what makes the emotion so dangerous... .. if left unchecked and uncontrolled, it is the emotion that can lead a person to the evilest of deeds and to the worst and the most tragic consequences.
The statement " do not get angry" taken on its face value...... commanding us not to experience the emotion of anger at all. ....it is an impossible instruction to uphold 'coz anger is a natural human emotion and it is impossible for a person to avoid it absolutely. But it can be taken and understood in another way. we should take it as...not to act upon the emotion when we are beset by it. At the very least.....we should have and exercise self-restraint when we feel angry and this much is obligatory upon us. This implies that feeling anger is not always sinful or blameworthy in and of itself. Indeed, when a person conducts himself properly in anger he is infact doing something worthy of praise. 'coz a strong man is not the one who can throw another down...the strong man indeed is the one who can KEEP HOLD of HIMSELF WHEN HE IS ANGRY.
SMILE!
Anger is a very powerful emotion. It rages through a person creating a desire for revenge and for striking out at the object of anger.
Anger is an emotion that inspires action, and that action would be leading to injury. This is what makes the emotion so dangerous... .. if left unchecked and uncontrolled, it is the emotion that can lead a person to the evilest of deeds and to the worst and the most tragic consequences.
The statement " do not get angry" taken on its face value...... commanding us not to experience the emotion of anger at all. ....it is an impossible instruction to uphold 'coz anger is a natural human emotion and it is impossible for a person to avoid it absolutely. But it can be taken and understood in another way. we should take it as...not to act upon the emotion when we are beset by it. At the very least.....we should have and exercise self-restraint when we feel angry and this much is obligatory upon us. This implies that feeling anger is not always sinful or blameworthy in and of itself. Indeed, when a person conducts himself properly in anger he is infact doing something worthy of praise. 'coz a strong man is not the one who can throw another down...the strong man indeed is the one who can KEEP HOLD of HIMSELF WHEN HE IS ANGRY.
SMILE!
EASY VS. DIFFICULT
Easy is to get a place is someone's address book.
Difficult is to get a place in someone's heart.
Easy is to judge the mistakes of others.
Difficult is to recognize our own mistakes.
Easy is to talk without thinking.
Difficult is to refrain the tongue.
Easy is to hurt someone who loves us.
Difficult is to heal the wound.
Easy is to forgive others.
Difficult is to ask for forgiveness.
Easy is to set rules.
Difficult is to follow them.
Easy is to dream every night.
Difficult is to fight for a dream.
Easy is to show victory.
Difficult is to assume defeat with dignity.
Easy is to admire a full moon.
Dfficult to see the other side.
Easy is to stumble with a stone.
Difficult is to get up.
Easy is to enjoy life every day.
Difficult to give its real value.
Easy is to promise something to someone.
Difficult is to fulfill that promise.
Easy is to say we love.
Difficult is to show it every day.
Easy is to criticize others.
Difficult is to improve oneself.
Easy is to make mistakes.
Difficult is to learn from them.
Easy is to weep for a lost love.
Difficult is to take care of it so not to lose it.
Easy is to think about improving.
Difficult is to stop thinking it and put it into action.
Easy is to think bad of others.
Difficult is to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Easy is to receive.
Difficult is to give.
Easy to read this.
Difficult to follow.
Difficult is to get a place in someone's heart.
Easy is to judge the mistakes of others.
Difficult is to recognize our own mistakes.
Easy is to talk without thinking.
Difficult is to refrain the tongue.
Easy is to hurt someone who loves us.
Difficult is to heal the wound.
Easy is to forgive others.
Difficult is to ask for forgiveness.
Easy is to set rules.
Difficult is to follow them.
Easy is to dream every night.
Difficult is to fight for a dream.
Easy is to show victory.
Difficult is to assume defeat with dignity.
Easy is to admire a full moon.
Dfficult to see the other side.
Easy is to stumble with a stone.
Difficult is to get up.
Easy is to enjoy life every day.
Difficult to give its real value.
Easy is to promise something to someone.
Difficult is to fulfill that promise.
Easy is to say we love.
Difficult is to show it every day.
Easy is to criticize others.
Difficult is to improve oneself.
Easy is to make mistakes.
Difficult is to learn from them.
Easy is to weep for a lost love.
Difficult is to take care of it so not to lose it.
Easy is to think about improving.
Difficult is to stop thinking it and put it into action.
Easy is to think bad of others.
Difficult is to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Easy is to receive.
Difficult is to give.
Easy to read this.
Difficult to follow.
Love and Care
Love and care for the one you love every single days of your life. You may think what you did is just a small deed, but to that someone, it may mean a lot. Live simply ... Love generously ... Care deeply ... Speak kindly ... Leave the rest to God.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
COULD YOU THINK OF A SOLUTION?
Many years ago in a small Indian village, a farmer had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a female village moneylender. The female Moneylender, who was old, fat and ugly, fancied the farmer's handsome son, Cliff.
So she proposed a bargain.
She said she would forgo the farmer's debt if she could marry his son. Both the farmer and his son were horrified by the Proposal.
So the cunning female moneylender suggested that they let Providence decide the matter. She told them that she would put a black Pebble and a white pebble into an empty moneybag. Then the son would have to pick one pebble from the bag.
If he picked the black pebble, he would become her husband and her father's debt would be forgiven.
If he picked the white pebble he need not marry her and his father's debt would still be forgiven.
But if he refused to pick a pebble, his father would be thrown into Jail
They were standing on a pebble-strewn path in the farmer's field. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As she picked them up, the sharp-eyed son noticed that she had picked up two Black pebbles and put them into the bag.
She then asked the son to pick a pebble from the bag.
Now, imagine that you were standing in the field.. What would you have done if you were the son? If you had to advise him, what would you have told him?
Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:
The son should refuse to take a pebble.
The son should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the moneylender as a lying, backstabbing female cheat.
The son should pick a black pebble and sacrifice himself in order to save his father from his debt and imprisonment.
Take a moment to ponder over the story. The above story is used with the hope that it will make us appreciate the difference between lateral and logical thinking.
The son's dilemma cannot be solved with traditional logical thinking. Think of the consequences if he chooses the above logical answers.
What would you recommend to the son to do?
Well, here is what he did....
The son put his hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, he fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles.
"Oh, how clumsy of me," he said. "But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked."
Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that he had picked the white one. And since the moneylender dared not admit her Dishonesty, the son changed what seemed an impossible situation into An extremely advantageous one.
MORAL OF THE STORY:
Most complex problems do have a solution.
It is only that we don't attempt to think.
A man is but a product of his thoughts.
- M. K. Gandhi
So she proposed a bargain.
She said she would forgo the farmer's debt if she could marry his son. Both the farmer and his son were horrified by the Proposal.
So the cunning female moneylender suggested that they let Providence decide the matter. She told them that she would put a black Pebble and a white pebble into an empty moneybag. Then the son would have to pick one pebble from the bag.
If he picked the black pebble, he would become her husband and her father's debt would be forgiven.
If he picked the white pebble he need not marry her and his father's debt would still be forgiven.
But if he refused to pick a pebble, his father would be thrown into Jail
They were standing on a pebble-strewn path in the farmer's field. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As she picked them up, the sharp-eyed son noticed that she had picked up two Black pebbles and put them into the bag.
She then asked the son to pick a pebble from the bag.
Now, imagine that you were standing in the field.. What would you have done if you were the son? If you had to advise him, what would you have told him?
Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:
The son should refuse to take a pebble.
The son should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the moneylender as a lying, backstabbing female cheat.
The son should pick a black pebble and sacrifice himself in order to save his father from his debt and imprisonment.
Take a moment to ponder over the story. The above story is used with the hope that it will make us appreciate the difference between lateral and logical thinking.
The son's dilemma cannot be solved with traditional logical thinking. Think of the consequences if he chooses the above logical answers.
What would you recommend to the son to do?
Well, here is what he did....
The son put his hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, he fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles.
"Oh, how clumsy of me," he said. "But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked."
Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that he had picked the white one. And since the moneylender dared not admit her Dishonesty, the son changed what seemed an impossible situation into An extremely advantageous one.
MORAL OF THE STORY:
Most complex problems do have a solution.
It is only that we don't attempt to think.
A man is but a product of his thoughts.
- M. K. Gandhi
An Interesting Insight into Decision Making
A group of children were playing near two railway tracks, one still in use while the other disused. Only one child played on the disused track, the rest on the operational track. The train is coming, and you are just beside the track interchange. You can make the train change its course to the disused track and save most of the kids. However, that would also mean the lone child playing by the disused track would be sacrificed. Or would you rather let the train go its way? Let's take a pause to think what kind of decision we could make................Most people might choose to divert the course of the train, and sacrifice only one child. You might think the same way, I guess. Exactly, I thought the same way initially because to save most of the children at the expense of only one child was rational decision most people would make, morally and emotionally. But, have you ever thought that the child choosing to play on the disused track had in fact made the right decision to play at a safe place? Nevertheless, he had to be sacrificed because of his ignorant friends who chose to play where the danger was.
This kind of dilemma happens around us everyday. In the office, community, in politics and especially in a democratic society, the minority is often sacrificed for the interest of the majority, no matter how foolish or ignorant the majority are, and how farsighted and knowledgeable the minority are. The child who chose not to play with the rest on the operational track was sidelined. And in the case he was sacrificed, no one would shed a tear for him.
The great critic Leo Velski Julian who told the story said he would not try to change the course of the train because he believed that the kids playing on the operational track should have known very well that track was still in use, and that they should have run away if they heard the train's sirens. If the train was diverted, that lone child would definitely die because he never thought the train could come over to that track! Moreover, that track was not in use probably because it was not safe. If the train was diverted to the track, we could put the lives of all passengers on board at stake! And in your attempt to save a few kids by sacrificing one child, you might end up sacrificing hundreds of people to save these few kids. While we are all aware that life is full of tough decisions that need to be made, we may not realize that hasty decisions may not always be the right one.
"Remember that what's right isn't always popular... and what's popular isn't always right."
A BEAUTIFUL PRAYER
I asked Allah to take away my habit.
Allah said, No.It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up.
I asked Allah to make my handicapped child whole.
Allah said, No. His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary.
I asked Allah to grant me patience.
Allah said, No. Patience is a by-product of tribulations; it isn't granted, it is learned.
I asked Allah to give me happiness.
Allah said, No. I give you blessings; Happiness is up to you.
I asked Allah to spare me pain.
Allah said, No. Suffering draws you apart from worldly caresand brings you closer to me.
I asked Allah to make my spirit grow.
Allah said, No. You must grow on your own! but I will prune you to make you fruitful.
I asked Allah for all things that I might enjoy life.
Allah said, No. I will give you life, so that you may enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I wanted, and everything that I needed!
My prayer had been answered...
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