Wednesday 30 November 2016
Saturday 26 November 2016
Monday 3 October 2016
THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS
These are the stories extracted from the article " The Kindness of Strangers " published in Reader's Digest.
1) RAISED RIGHT
Children were playing at the recreation area of an IKEA store when my five-year-old granddaughter motioned for a small boy to stop. She knelt down before him and retied his flopping shoelaces - She had only just learnt to tie her own. No words were spoken, but after she finished, both smiled shyly, then turned to race off in different directions.
- SHEELA MAYES, Olla, Louisinia.
2) BIG - HEARTED VENDOR
In 2014, I was a second - year bachelor's student of surgery at Yenepoya Dental College, Mangalore. I was almost broke, having spent all my money buying instruments for the course. After buying a train ticket to visit my parents in Kannur, Kerala, I was left with only Rs. 12 in my wallet.
I went to vendor on the platform and eyed everything hungrily. I asked for the price of each item, but everything was Rs. 15. Dejected, I turned to leave, when the shopkeeper said, " Take what you want. Don't worry about the money ". I was a little hesitant at first, but unable to fight my hunger, I grabbed a packet of biscuits and some tea. He just smiled when I thanked him.
On my return, I tried to pay him, but he refused to accept the money. Even today, I visit his stall every time I travel by train. His warm smile is a reminder that there are still a few people who value kindness over money.
- SIYANA AZEEZ, Kannur, Kerala.
3) COLOUR ME AMAZED
I forgot about the rules on liquids in carry-on luggage, so when I reached security at the airport, I had to give up all my painting supplies. When I returned a week later, an attendant was at the baggage area with my paints. Not only had he kept them for me, but he'd looked up my return date and time in order to meet me.
- MARILYN KINSELA, Canmore, Canada.
4) THE GIFT OF LIFE
When the Babri Masjid issue shook the country, I was a teacher at a private school in Bhopal, far away from home. On that fateful day, I left for work early, without reading the newspaper and unaware of the latest developments, with my son in tow.
As we reached school, news started pouring in that the city was in turmoil. Anxious parents came rushing to pick up their children and school authorities directed teachers to stay back until all of them had been picked up. It was noon by the time I was ready to leave.
A man had come to pick up a few army officer's children in a jeep. After dropping them home, he was to pick up his own child from a school in Govindpura. Since we were from the same area, he offered us a ride. Thanking him, my son and I hopped in.
We felt the full impact of the riot just as we entered Subhash Nagar: lay by the road and a mob of about 150 people had gathered with fire torches, kerosene and swords in their hands. Some of them surrounded our vehicle and were about to torch it when suddenly something changed. A group of armed policemen, about 15-20 of them, arrived on the scene in their truck, and the rioters started rtunning helter-skelter.
Acting quickly, the man sped away, saving us with his split-second decision. As soon as we reached Govindpura, we rushed to the safety of our home.
Sometimes I wonder what happenned to the man who saved our lives,. Was he able to find his child and get home safely? He gave us the GIFT OF LIFE, and we will be grateful to him forever.
- NAFISA KACHWALA, Gurgaon.
5) HE KEPT AN EYE ON ME
Driving home in a blizzard, I noticed a vehicle trailing close behind me. Suddenly, my tyre blew ! I pulled off the road, and so did the other car. A man jumped our from behind the wheel and without hesitation changed the flat.
" I was going to get off about three kilometres back ", he said. " But I didn't think that tyre looked good ".
- MARILYN ATTERBERY, Spokane Valley, Washingon.
6) TWICE AS NICE
Two firefighters were waiting in line at a fast-food restaurnent when the siren sounded on their fire truck parked outside. As they turned to leave, a couple who had just received their order handed their food to the firefighters. The couple then got back in line to re-order. Doubling down on their selfless act, the Manager refused to take their money.
- JOANN SANDERSON, Brandon, Florida.
7) A DISTANCE FOR ME
Leaving a store, I returned to my car only to find that I'd locked my keys and cell phone inside. A teenager riding his bike saw me kick a tyre and say a few choice words.
" What's wrong? " he asked.
I explained my situation, " But even if I could call my wife, " I said, " She can't bring me her car key, since this is our only car ".
He handed me his cell phone " Call your wife and tell her I'm coming to get her key ".
" That's more than 10 kilometres round trip ".
" Don't worry about it ".
An hour later, he returned with the key. I offered him some money, but he refused.
" Let's just say I needed the exercise," he said.
Then, like a cowboy in the movies, he rode off into the sunset.
- CLARENCE W. STEPHENS, Nicholascville, Kentucky.
8) AT THE RIGHT MOMENT
The train from the Mumbai suburb to Dadar had come to a complete stand-still. We were stranded 25 minutes away from the station and I was getting anxious. I had just a few hours to reach my examination centre, to take my third-year bachelor of architecture exams.
I got off and started walking to the station, hoping to find an autorickshaw or a taxi. I met a friend in a similiar situation along the way, and we started looking for public transport desperately. But it was an impossible task. We finally managed to hall an autorickshaw, who also refused to go. We were beside ourselves with worry. We tried to convince him animatedly, unaware that we were holding up traffic.
That's when I heard a car honking behind us. A woman, who later introduced herself as DR. ANUPAMA RAO, an obstetrician and gynaecologist with Fortis Hospital, offered us a ride to the examination centre. She informed the staff at another hospital she was headed to, rescheduled all her appointments and drove for two hours in heavy traffic so we could take our exam. She even came with us to speak to the centre-in-charge, to ensure that we were allowed entry.
- MANGESH KADU, Mumbai.
9) THE NIGHT TRAIN
About 20 years ago, I was travelling with my daughter Srividhya from Bengaluru to Madurai, by the night train. We were going for her second delivery, along with my four-year-old grandson Bharath. Two hours after we left the station, Srividhya started complaining of labour pain. The two male passengers in our compartment immediately called the ticket collector, who arranged for us to be picked up at Salem, the nearest station.
We arrived at the station 2.00 AM, and one of our fellow passengers handed his luggage to his friend to his friend and got off with us. Perhaps he felt two women with a child could do with some help. A wheelchair, taxi and porters were waiting on the platform, and we rushed to a hospital. The kind man took care of my grandson and our belongings, while I attended to the paperwork. My daughter was wheeled to the emergency room, where she delivered a baby boy, prematurely, within minutes.
The tall man in his 30s, I later found out, was also a State Bank employee like me. He called my son in Madurai to inform him, waited for him to arrive, and left handing over our luggage and introducing himself as KUMARASEN.
- CHOODAMANI VASUDEVAN, Chennai.
10) WHITE SHOULDERS
A woman at our yard sale wore a perfume that smelt heavenly and familiar.
" What are you wearing ? " I asked.
" White Shoulders ", She said.
Suddenly, I was bowled over by a flood of memories. White Shoulders was the one gift I could count on at Christmas from my late mother. We chatted awhile, and she bought some things and left. A few hours later, she returned holding a new bottle of White Shoulders. I don't recall which one of us started crying first.
- MEDIA STOOKSBURY, Powell, Tennesse.
1) RAISED RIGHT
Children were playing at the recreation area of an IKEA store when my five-year-old granddaughter motioned for a small boy to stop. She knelt down before him and retied his flopping shoelaces - She had only just learnt to tie her own. No words were spoken, but after she finished, both smiled shyly, then turned to race off in different directions.
- SHEELA MAYES, Olla, Louisinia.
2) BIG - HEARTED VENDOR
In 2014, I was a second - year bachelor's student of surgery at Yenepoya Dental College, Mangalore. I was almost broke, having spent all my money buying instruments for the course. After buying a train ticket to visit my parents in Kannur, Kerala, I was left with only Rs. 12 in my wallet.
I went to vendor on the platform and eyed everything hungrily. I asked for the price of each item, but everything was Rs. 15. Dejected, I turned to leave, when the shopkeeper said, " Take what you want. Don't worry about the money ". I was a little hesitant at first, but unable to fight my hunger, I grabbed a packet of biscuits and some tea. He just smiled when I thanked him.
On my return, I tried to pay him, but he refused to accept the money. Even today, I visit his stall every time I travel by train. His warm smile is a reminder that there are still a few people who value kindness over money.
- SIYANA AZEEZ, Kannur, Kerala.
3) COLOUR ME AMAZED
I forgot about the rules on liquids in carry-on luggage, so when I reached security at the airport, I had to give up all my painting supplies. When I returned a week later, an attendant was at the baggage area with my paints. Not only had he kept them for me, but he'd looked up my return date and time in order to meet me.
- MARILYN KINSELA, Canmore, Canada.
4) THE GIFT OF LIFE
When the Babri Masjid issue shook the country, I was a teacher at a private school in Bhopal, far away from home. On that fateful day, I left for work early, without reading the newspaper and unaware of the latest developments, with my son in tow.
As we reached school, news started pouring in that the city was in turmoil. Anxious parents came rushing to pick up their children and school authorities directed teachers to stay back until all of them had been picked up. It was noon by the time I was ready to leave.
A man had come to pick up a few army officer's children in a jeep. After dropping them home, he was to pick up his own child from a school in Govindpura. Since we were from the same area, he offered us a ride. Thanking him, my son and I hopped in.
We felt the full impact of the riot just as we entered Subhash Nagar: lay by the road and a mob of about 150 people had gathered with fire torches, kerosene and swords in their hands. Some of them surrounded our vehicle and were about to torch it when suddenly something changed. A group of armed policemen, about 15-20 of them, arrived on the scene in their truck, and the rioters started rtunning helter-skelter.
Acting quickly, the man sped away, saving us with his split-second decision. As soon as we reached Govindpura, we rushed to the safety of our home.
Sometimes I wonder what happenned to the man who saved our lives,. Was he able to find his child and get home safely? He gave us the GIFT OF LIFE, and we will be grateful to him forever.
- NAFISA KACHWALA, Gurgaon.
5) HE KEPT AN EYE ON ME
Driving home in a blizzard, I noticed a vehicle trailing close behind me. Suddenly, my tyre blew ! I pulled off the road, and so did the other car. A man jumped our from behind the wheel and without hesitation changed the flat.
" I was going to get off about three kilometres back ", he said. " But I didn't think that tyre looked good ".
- MARILYN ATTERBERY, Spokane Valley, Washingon.
6) TWICE AS NICE
Two firefighters were waiting in line at a fast-food restaurnent when the siren sounded on their fire truck parked outside. As they turned to leave, a couple who had just received their order handed their food to the firefighters. The couple then got back in line to re-order. Doubling down on their selfless act, the Manager refused to take their money.
- JOANN SANDERSON, Brandon, Florida.
7) A DISTANCE FOR ME
Leaving a store, I returned to my car only to find that I'd locked my keys and cell phone inside. A teenager riding his bike saw me kick a tyre and say a few choice words.
" What's wrong? " he asked.
I explained my situation, " But even if I could call my wife, " I said, " She can't bring me her car key, since this is our only car ".
He handed me his cell phone " Call your wife and tell her I'm coming to get her key ".
" That's more than 10 kilometres round trip ".
" Don't worry about it ".
An hour later, he returned with the key. I offered him some money, but he refused.
" Let's just say I needed the exercise," he said.
Then, like a cowboy in the movies, he rode off into the sunset.
- CLARENCE W. STEPHENS, Nicholascville, Kentucky.
8) AT THE RIGHT MOMENT
The train from the Mumbai suburb to Dadar had come to a complete stand-still. We were stranded 25 minutes away from the station and I was getting anxious. I had just a few hours to reach my examination centre, to take my third-year bachelor of architecture exams.
I got off and started walking to the station, hoping to find an autorickshaw or a taxi. I met a friend in a similiar situation along the way, and we started looking for public transport desperately. But it was an impossible task. We finally managed to hall an autorickshaw, who also refused to go. We were beside ourselves with worry. We tried to convince him animatedly, unaware that we were holding up traffic.
That's when I heard a car honking behind us. A woman, who later introduced herself as DR. ANUPAMA RAO, an obstetrician and gynaecologist with Fortis Hospital, offered us a ride to the examination centre. She informed the staff at another hospital she was headed to, rescheduled all her appointments and drove for two hours in heavy traffic so we could take our exam. She even came with us to speak to the centre-in-charge, to ensure that we were allowed entry.
- MANGESH KADU, Mumbai.
9) THE NIGHT TRAIN
About 20 years ago, I was travelling with my daughter Srividhya from Bengaluru to Madurai, by the night train. We were going for her second delivery, along with my four-year-old grandson Bharath. Two hours after we left the station, Srividhya started complaining of labour pain. The two male passengers in our compartment immediately called the ticket collector, who arranged for us to be picked up at Salem, the nearest station.
We arrived at the station 2.00 AM, and one of our fellow passengers handed his luggage to his friend to his friend and got off with us. Perhaps he felt two women with a child could do with some help. A wheelchair, taxi and porters were waiting on the platform, and we rushed to a hospital. The kind man took care of my grandson and our belongings, while I attended to the paperwork. My daughter was wheeled to the emergency room, where she delivered a baby boy, prematurely, within minutes.
The tall man in his 30s, I later found out, was also a State Bank employee like me. He called my son in Madurai to inform him, waited for him to arrive, and left handing over our luggage and introducing himself as KUMARASEN.
- CHOODAMANI VASUDEVAN, Chennai.
10) WHITE SHOULDERS
A woman at our yard sale wore a perfume that smelt heavenly and familiar.
" What are you wearing ? " I asked.
" White Shoulders ", She said.
Suddenly, I was bowled over by a flood of memories. White Shoulders was the one gift I could count on at Christmas from my late mother. We chatted awhile, and she bought some things and left. A few hours later, she returned holding a new bottle of White Shoulders. I don't recall which one of us started crying first.
- MEDIA STOOKSBURY, Powell, Tennesse.
Sunday 2 October 2016
MAY BE YES.....MAY BE NO
This is an ZEN story..,
There was a farmer whose only horse ran away. That evening the neighbors gathered to console him. " Your farm will suffer, and you cannot plow ", they said.
" Surely this is a terrible thing to have happened to you "
He said, " May be Yes, May be No ".
The next day the horse returned but brought with it six wild horses, and the neighbors came to congratulate him and exclaim at his good fortune. " You are richer than you were before ! " they said.
" Surely this has turned out to be a good thing for you, after all ".
He said, " May be Yes, May be No ".
The following day, his son tried to ride one of the wild horses. He was thrown and broke his leg, and he couldn't work on the farm. Again the neighbors came to offer their sympathy for the incident. " There is more work than only you can handle, and you may be driven poor, " they said.
" Surely this is a terrible misfortune ".
The old farmer said, " May be Yes, May be No ".
The day after that, conscription officers came to the village to seize young men for the army, but becaude of his broken leg the farmer's son was rejected. When the neighbors came again, they said, " How fortunate ! Things have worked out after all. Most young men never return alive from the war.
'' Surely this is the best of fortunes for you !".
And the old man said, " May be Yes, May be No ".
tells that.....
OUR LIFE IS LIKE THAT.
It offers no lesson to anyone.
What seems right today may turn out to be wrong tomorrow.
You have to then unlearn the old lesson and learn a new lesson.
Those who think that they have learned any lesson from life are actually like the villagers of this Zen story who don't understand the mysteries of life.
They don't understand that for every thesis, there is an anthithesis.
Let me explain..,
- When you beloved cheat you for another person, you learn a lesson that people can't be trusted.
- When you invest in share and lose all your money, you learn the lesson that you should not invest in shares.
- When you find a corrupt officer living the life of luxury, you learn the lesson that it is foolish to be Honest.
- When you work hard to get a job and succees, you learn the lesson that you got the job due to you hard work.
None of the these lessons are UNIVERSAL TRUTHS that happen to everyone every time.
What happened with you was a result of numerous factors at tha point of time.
Since the same situation is never going to arise in future, you can't use the same lessons in future.
Your life could be even more miserable if you stop trusting..,
People can make huge money investing in stocks..,
A corrupt person may be arrested and go to jail..,
Many people succeed working smart rather than working hard.
It is for this reason that I don't learn any lessons from life because there is no lesson taught by life.
What worked once does not work next time.
" Life is a game and you have to play the best shot depending upon the stroke life played against you. You cannot win the game of life if you keep playing the same shot with it all the time ".
Sunday 21 August 2016
IS THIS CALLED.....,
I saw an old man walking down the street stumbling. I stopped my bike and went near him. It was a shock for me to see his nail trampled and it was bleeding heavily.
How you got injured ? I asked..,
The old man replied,
" The auto which passed my way too fast has hit my leg and that's how my toe nail get trampled".
I can't stop myself from helping him. I asked him to come to nearby Doctor. So that, his toe will be band-aided and TT can be injected to avoid further sores.
The old man refused but I forced him to the Doctor, Once we reached and all the treatment is done, The old man was whispering.., It's time up, getting late.., He kept on saying this repeatedly.
Hearing this, I asked him is there any emergency for him. He told me that his wife is in home waiting for the tiffin and he have to buy and go soon.
Little angered, I asked him.., " You got hitted, can't your wife understand it ? What if you go late ?"
He said,
" For the past seven years, My wife suffers due to a mental disorder. She forgotten all thing and she doesn't even know that " I am her husband ".
I said,
yeah.., then what's the trouble, she doesn't know you, then why you worry ?
I was shocked and went dumb hearing his reply..,
The old man smiled and said..,
" But, I know her who She is "
Is this called " TRUE LOVE " !?
PS: I translated this story from Tamil.
Originally titled, " Dharmika Dhaampathyam "
How you got injured ? I asked..,
The old man replied,
" The auto which passed my way too fast has hit my leg and that's how my toe nail get trampled".
I can't stop myself from helping him. I asked him to come to nearby Doctor. So that, his toe will be band-aided and TT can be injected to avoid further sores.
The old man refused but I forced him to the Doctor, Once we reached and all the treatment is done, The old man was whispering.., It's time up, getting late.., He kept on saying this repeatedly.
Hearing this, I asked him is there any emergency for him. He told me that his wife is in home waiting for the tiffin and he have to buy and go soon.
Little angered, I asked him.., " You got hitted, can't your wife understand it ? What if you go late ?"
He said,
" For the past seven years, My wife suffers due to a mental disorder. She forgotten all thing and she doesn't even know that " I am her husband ".
I said,
yeah.., then what's the trouble, she doesn't know you, then why you worry ?
I was shocked and went dumb hearing his reply..,
The old man smiled and said..,
" But, I know her who She is "
Is this called " TRUE LOVE " !?
PS: I translated this story from Tamil.
Originally titled, " Dharmika Dhaampathyam "
Thursday 18 August 2016
WHO EMPATHIZE ?
"I'll slap you if you say another word", shouts dad at his younger son.
The Mother silently removes his husband's socks and places his shoes on the rack.
"Sorry", says dad to his younger son.
"Why did you even given birth to me ?", shouts son at his mother.
The Mother gently places his head on her lap and waves her hand over his head.
"Sorry", says son to the mother and sleeps...!
The Mother knew that his husband got abused by his boss at work.
The Mother knew that his son couldn't get selected for the football championship.
Mother is the greatest example of Empathy.
She vibrates Empathy..!! :)
Thanks : Siddharth jain.
The Mother silently removes his husband's socks and places his shoes on the rack.
"Sorry", says dad to his younger son.
"Why did you even given birth to me ?", shouts son at his mother.
The Mother gently places his head on her lap and waves her hand over his head.
"Sorry", says son to the mother and sleeps...!
The Mother knew that his husband got abused by his boss at work.
The Mother knew that his son couldn't get selected for the football championship.
Mother is the greatest example of Empathy.
She vibrates Empathy..!! :)
Thanks : Siddharth jain.
Saturday 6 August 2016
TO WHOM IT BELONGS ?
Once, An arrogant warrior approached a wise samurai.
"You're an old fool. You have no strength left".., said the warrior.
I"ll strike you down in one blow", he added.
But the old teacher continued with his lesson, and the warrior left with nothing.
One of his student, who saw the whole inciden, asked "Master, why did you tolerate his insults ? You should have challenged him to a fight".
To this the master replied: "If someone brings you a gift and you don't take it, to whom does it belong?"
"To the one who offered it".
It's the same with envy and insults. If you refuse to accept them, it belongs to the one who offered them.
"You're an old fool. You have no strength left".., said the warrior.
I"ll strike you down in one blow", he added.
But the old teacher continued with his lesson, and the warrior left with nothing.
One of his student, who saw the whole inciden, asked "Master, why did you tolerate his insults ? You should have challenged him to a fight".
To this the master replied: "If someone brings you a gift and you don't take it, to whom does it belong?"
"To the one who offered it".
It's the same with envy and insults. If you refuse to accept them, it belongs to the one who offered them.
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