Grandpa's Letter

  One day, a young man was cleaning out his late grandfather's belongings when he came across a bright red envelope. Written on the front were the words, "To my grandson." Recognizing his grandfather's handwriting, the boy opened the envelope. A letter inside read:

Dear Grandson,

 Years ago you came to me for help. You said, "Grandpa, how is it that you've accomplished so much in your life? You're still full of energy, and I'm already tired of struggling. How can I get that same enthusiasm that you've got?"

  I didn't know what to say to you then. But knowing my days are numbered, I figure that I owe you an answer. So here is what I believe.

 I think a lot of it has to do with how a person looks at things. I call it 'keeping your eyes wide open.'

 First, realize that life is filled with surprises, but many are good ones. If you don't keep watching for them, you'll miss half the excitement. Expect to be thrilled once in a while, and you will be.

 When you meet up with challenges, welcome them. They'll leave you wiser, stronger, and more capable than you were the day before. When you make a mistake, be grateful for the things it taught you. Resolve to use that lesson to help you reach your goals.

 And always follow the rules. Even the little ones. When you follow the rules, life works. If you think you ever really get by with breaking the rules, you're only fooling yourself.

 It's also important to decide exactly what you want. Then keep your mind focused on it, and be prepared to receive it.

 But be ready to end up in some new places too. As you grow with the years, you'll be given bigger shoes to fill. So be ready for endings as well as challenging beginnings.

 Sometimes we have to be brave enough to move from the familiar to the unfamiliar. Life isn't just reaching peaks. Part of it is moving from one peak to the next. If you rest too long in between, you might be tempted to quit. Leave the past in the past. Climb the next mountain and enjoy the view.

 Dump things that weigh you down emotionally and spiritually. When an old resentment, belief, or attitude becomes heavy, lighten your load. Shed those hurtful attitudes that slow you down and drain your energy.

 Remember that your choices will create your successes and your failures. So consider all the pathways ahead, and decide which ones to follow. Then believe in yourself, get up, and get going.

 And be sure to take breaks once in a while. They'll give you a renewed commitment to your dreams and a cheerful, healthy perception of the things that matter the most to you.

 Most important of all, never give up on yourself. The person that ends up a winner is the one who resolves to win. Give life everything you've got, and life will give its best back to you.

Love always,
Grandpa

The Strawberry

A king went to his garden and discovered that his trees, bushes and flowers were dying. The Oak told him that was dying because it could not be as tall as the Pine. Turning to the Pine, found it fallen because could not give grapes as the Vine. And the Vine was dying because could not blossom as the Rose. The Rose cried because could not be as tall and solid as the Oak.

Then he found a plant, a Strawberry, blossoming and fresher than ever.The king asked it," How do you grow so healthy in the mist of this withered and somber garden?"

"I do not know. Perhaps it be because always I supposed that when you planted me, you wanted strawberries. If you would have wanted an Oak or a Rose, you had planted them. At that time I said to myself: "I will try to be Strawberry the best way I can."

Now it is your turn. You are here to contribute with our fragrance. Simply look at yourself. There are no possibilities you be another person. You could enjoy it and blossom with your own love for you, or you could wither in your own sentence...

Five Brothers

 This is a story about five brothers who live in peace at one village. They are orphans, they live by run rice field inheritance from their parents. They rice field is far from home, so they have to go to field at dawn.

 And they agree to let the youngest brother at home to take care their house. The youngest agree and very happy about the decision. So every day when his brother go home they found that house is clean, knit and comfortable. Foods and drinks have prepared on the table, their bed were knitted and all dirty clothes have washed.

 But one of his brother had jealous to the youngest, so he said to other brother that the youngest is cheated, because he did not go to the field. And the other agree to about his opinion so now they decide to go to the field together including the youngest.

 But now when they go home they found that their home is mess, not care well and table is empty. Now they realize that their youngest brother had very important role , and his brother have under estimated his role.

 Never under estimated people who work behind the scene, whose work never can be seen..Remember ! We have equipped with different talents, so by that we can work together and help each other.

 Even though some people have average talent, but we have to learn to respect them and their ability.

The Porcupine

 During the Glacial Age, many animals died of cold. The porcupine, noticing this situation, agreed to live in groups; this way they gave warmth and protection to each other. But the thorns hurt the closest neighbors, just those that gave them warmth. And because of that, they separated from each other.

 But they felt cold again and had to take a decision: either they disappear from the face of the earth or they accept the thorns of their neighbors. With wisdom, they decided to go back and live together.

 They learned thus to live with the small wounds that a close relationship could make, because what was really important was the warmth of the other. And in so doing they survived.

 The best relationship is not that which unites perfect people, but that one where each one accepts the defects of others and forgives their own.

Many things in our surroundings would heal faster if we, truly, let go of resentment, hate, pride, anger, and selfishness. Each one of them silently stop us of our evolution.

Two Birds

 There was once a lonely girl who longed desperately for love. One day while she was walking in the woods she found two starving song birds. She took them home and put them in a small glided cage. She nurtured them with love and the birds grew strong. Every morning they greeted her with a marvellous song. The girl felt great love for the birds. She wanted their singing to last forever.

 One day the girl left the door to the cage open. The larger and stronger of the two birds flew from the cage. The girl watched anxiously as he circled high above her. She was so frightened that he would fly away and she would never see him again that as he flew close, she grasped at him wildly. She caught him in her fist. She clutched him tightly within her hand. Her heart gladened at her sucess in capturing him. Suddenly she felt the bird go limp. She opened her hand stared in horror at the dead bird. Her desperate clutching love had killed him.

 She noticed the other bird teteering on the edge of the cage. She could feel his great need for freedom. His need to soar into the clear, blue sky. She lifted him from the cage and tossed him softly into the air. The bird circled once, twice, three times.

 The girl watched delighted at the bird's enjoyment. Her heart was no longer concerned with her loss. She wanted the bird to be happy. Suddenly the bird flew closer and landed softly on her shoulder. It sang the sweetest melody, she had ever heard.

The fastest way to lose love is to hold on too tight, the best way to keep love is to give it -- WINGS!

The True Value

 A king once got separated from his kinsmen while chasing a deer. He wandered alone in the forest. As dusk fell, he knocked at the door of a tiny cottage in the jungle. It was opened by a poor woodcutter who gave the 'stranger' a warm welcome. He offered him his own bed to sleep along with some simple but tasty food. 

 In the morning, while taking leave of the wood cutter, the king disclosed his real identity and asked him, what he could give in return for his hospitality. The wood cutter being a simpleton asked, " Can you give me a place where I can cut trees and sell them?" The king took him far away to the edge of another jungle and said, "This is yours from today. Do what you like with it."

 The wood cutter would cut trees and burn them to make coal, because they were too heavy for him to carry to the market place. Several months passed. The woodcutter was very happy. When the monsoon season started, there was heavy rainfall and the wood became wet. The ground was full of slush, so it was impossible to burn the wood to make coal. He had no choice but to carry the wet logs of wood to the market to sell it. When he showed the wood to the buyer, the buyer offered a sum that was a hundred times more than he was paying earlier.

  The wood cutter was confused! Earlier he was supplying coal whereas now it was wood and that too, wet wood! Where was the catch? The buyer told him that the wood that he had brought was no ordinary wood, it was real Sandalwood! The wood cutter realized what a fool he had been. He had cut and burnt hundreds of Sandalwood trees to make coal, little realizing the value of this precious wood. Had he known, by now he could have been a very, very rich man.

  We also need to understand the value of this precious human body awarded to us by Supreme Lord. Without realizing its importance and proper utility we are burning it at both ends in the fire of our worldly desires. Most of our energies are burnt in doing futile things that eventually have neither value nor meaning. But, by the time we realize that we are wasting our lives, it is perhaps too late. The whole life burnt in hoarding wealth, making friends and getting material pleasures, brings us to a miserable state at the end of life. At that time when nobody cares, we turn our face towards God, but where is the energy to do any devotion

 The sooner we realize the better chance we shall have. Let's not waste our precious human birth like that foolish woodcutter. The one who attains a permanent place in spiritual world using this temporary and perishable body is really intelligent .

The Power of Words

  There once was a wise sage who wandered the countryside. One day, as he passed near a village, he was approached by a woman who told him of a sick child nearby. She beseeched him to help this child.

 So the sage came to the village, and a crowd gathered around him, for such a man was a rare sight. One woman brought the sick child to him, and he said a prayer over her.

"Do you really think your prayer will help her, when medicine has failed?" yelled a man from the crowd.

"You know nothing of such things! You are a stupid fool!" said the sage to the man.

The man became very angry with these words and his face grew hot and red. He was about to say something, or perhaps strike out, when the sage walked over to him and said: "If one word has such power as to make you so angry and hot, may not another have the power to heal?"

And thus, the sage healed two people that day.

The Strange Knight of Rome

 The birthday of a gallant knight of Rome was being celebrated with great pomp and show. Different types of recipes were being prepared in the kitchen. Lots of friends and relatived had been invited. The atmosphere was full of happiness and zeal.

 Suddenly, a few soldiers of the king arrived with bare swords in their hands and said to the knight, "You will be hanged to death in the evening at 6:00 PM." Immediately all the musicians stopped playing. The atmosphere became gloomy. The faces of all friends and dear ones became sad.

 Seeing this change, the knight said: "What is the matter? Why is everyone quiet? Let the music play and let us all dance. Fortunately, my death is happening on the same day as I was born. Till now only the dancers were performing, but now even I will dance. Till now only the singers were singing, but now even I'll sing. Where is the time left now to feel worried and to cry? There is not enough time. Smile and sing and dance. Who has seen the next minute... let us celebrate. I'll be hanged in the evening and not now so play the music and let the celebrations go on."

 What could the poor musicians play? They had to obey the knight, therefore they started playing the instruments with sad mood. As soon as they started playing music, the knight started dancing merrily on the tune. The musicians were filled with enthusiazm seeing the knight dance so naturally. This scene made others worried. They lost the charm with which they had come for celebrations and their hearts were filled with tears. Inspite of all this the knight kept dancing in happiness. The soldiers who had come with the message of death sentence were surprised at the knight's reaction to the news. It was strange that the knight was so merry even after hearing the news of his death... Bliss was getting reflected from each and every part of the knight's body! It appeared as if time for meeting a dear one and not death was approaching.

 Those soldiers informed the king and said: "Out of enemity the message of death sentence was conveyed to the knight to make him frightened. That knight is overflowing with happiness instead of getting worried. He did not panic at all after hearing the news. Will you hang such a man to death? Oh king! Atleast go and see the man!"

 Thereafter, the king himself went and was extremely surprised to see the knight dancing happily. He asked the knight: Have you become mad?" The knight: "Oh king! Why should I be mad? One day death had to come. These minutes are extremely valuable. The life which smiles even when death is knocking at the door is a true life.Those who who have learnt to drink.The poison of sadness, They have learnt the Art of Living, this is the truth.The one who loves death experiences the real pleasure of life. The one who is not afraid of death is not afraid of any thing in this world."

 The king felt ashamed and thought, "It is not right to be enemy with such a pious man." Therefore, the king asked for forgiveness from the knight. Then the knight said: "Oh king! What should I forgive you for? So many birthdays arrived and departed, but on this birthday you sent the special gift of life and death together. Oh king! my heartiest thanks to you."

The Stonecutter

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. Through the open gateway, he 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. To his great surprise, he suddenly became the merchant, enjoying more luxuries and power than he had ever imagined, but envied and detested by those less wealthy than himself.

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. It was a hot summer day, so 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, feared and hated 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 rock. "How powerful that rock is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a rock!"

Then he became the rock, more powerful than anything else on earth. But as he stood there, he heard the sound of a hammer pounding a chisel into the hard surface, and felt himself being changed. "What could be more powerful than I, the rock?" he thought.

He looked down and saw far below him the figure of a stone cutter.