It’s important to have roots.
In today’s complex world, it pays to branch out.
Be flexible so you don’t break when a harsh wind blows.
Sometimes you have to shed your old bark in order to grow.
If you want to maintain accurate records, keep a log.
It’s okay to be a late bloomer.
Avoid people who would like to cut you down.
As you approach the autumn of your life, you will show your true colors.
You could be Brilliant! In other words “Bloom where you are planted”
Grandma’s Hands
Grandma, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the bench. She didn’t move, just sat with her head down staring at her hands.
When I sat down beside her she didn’t acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if she was OK.
Finally, not really wanting to disturb her but wanting to check on her at the same time, I asked her if she was OK. She raised her head and looked at me and smiled. ‘Yes, I’m fine, thank you for asking,’ she
said in a clear voice strong.
‘I didn’t mean to disturb you, grandma, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK,’ I explained to her.
‘Have you ever looked at your hands,’ she asked. ‘I mean really looked at your hands?’
I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point she was making.
Grandma smiled and related this story:
‘Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life.
‘They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor.
They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child, my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes. They held my husband and wiped my tears when he went off to war.
‘They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special.
They wrote my letters to him and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse.
‘They have held my children and grandchildren, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn’t understand.
They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried
and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue tofold in prayer.
‘These hands are the mark of where I’ve been and the ruggedness of life.
But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home. And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of God.’
I will never look at my hands the same again. But I remember God reached out and took my grandma’s hands and led her home.
When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my loved ones I think of grandma. I know she has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God .
I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my face.
When you receive this, say a prayer for the person who sent it to you , and watch God’s answer to prayer work in your life. Let’s continue praying for one another.
Passing this on to anyone you consider a friend will bless you both.
Passing this on to one not yet considered a friend is something GOD would do.
Three Wishes
“Within you is the divine capacity to manifest and attract all that you need or desire.” — Wayne Dyer
Both “bad” and “good” things come to us in sets of three. Urban legend, folklore and story telling, as well as superstitious practices, urge us to look for and act in threes. From the genie in the magic lamp granting us 3 wishes, to tossing 3 coins in the fountain, to visiting Marie Leveau’s grave and asking three times for what you want, we give our power to external forces and hope for a trinity of positive outcomes.
The Magic Lamp
Countless jokes, often repeated and reworked for local appeal, use the time-honored storyline of the genie and the magic lamp. After rubbing the lamp and unknowingly engendering the release of the captured genie constrained within, a puff of smoke exhausts out of the spout of the lamp (depicted more as an oil receptacle than a lamp). A magic man dressed in folkloric attire, emerges in the cloud of his exhumation.
Now obligated to repay the lamp-holder for his release and relief from purportedly countless years of cramped incarceration, the genie proclaims, “your wish is my command,” and modern legend limits the number of wishes to three. While jokes entertain the ironic outcomes of sloppily worded requests, the genie displays his acumen in assessing what you want and giving it to you in a literal way.
So, too, is the case with spiritual requests and manifestations.
We casually declare we “love” that or “hate this” and our world continues to reflect our words. The adage of “be careful what you wish for, for you will surely get it,” applies not only with the wish-bestowing genie, but our powers for attracting desires into our lives, as well.
We must take special care to craft our affirmations and visualizations so they accurately reflect what we truly want.
The Universe moves into action by correctly (or incorrectly) assuming that “you asked for it, it must be what you want,” and brings forth into your life a “self-fulfilling prophecy.”
A genie with a playful sense of humor equates to our literal subconscious mind - neither takes a joke!
Whatever your program into your subconscious, you create in your life.
Coins in the Fountain
Drinkable water, the source of life, clearly runs as one of the most precious necessities for our existence. Throughout history, water filled the cisterns of folklore and the casks of superstitions. People of old, throughout
The most popular spot in the world to enrich a fountain, sits in the center of
One coin “guarantees” a return to Rome, while two coins ensures the thrower will fall in love with a good looking Roman, and three coins promises the marriage with that same Roman in the city itself.
When we cast a discerning gaze at our gratitude for spiritual grace, we find that while one hand tosses the coin of appreciation, the other stretches out, asking for something in return.
How many of our tithes or love offerings originate out of a need or desire rather than true gratefulness?
Throwing 3 coins in the fountain of prayers to our Creator, we ask mostly for money, love and health, in various derivations. Spirit listens to our wishes and watches as we go through silly machinations to earn credits toward their fulfillment. Like blowing out the candles on your birthday cake, the act of wishing forces the requestor to formulate an idea and then make a request or claim. Neither the fountain nor the candle or even the coins hold the miracle of manifestation.
You contain within you, all the tools you need to make your wishes come true. But a trip to
X marks the Spot
Marie Leveau, the voodoo priestess in
As the mother of 15 children, Marie no doubt gained proficiency in meeting the needs of others, and to this day, American folklore continues this tradition for her. In a white crypt, whose nameplate long ago wore away, Marie’s legend stands resolute in its symbolism to all who visit.
Legend holds if the visitor offers some token of appreciation such as money, cigars, white rum or candy in particular, uses a red marker of some sort to write an “X” on the side of the tomb, and turns around three times while reciting a wish the same number of times, that Marie Leveau grants the wish, even from beyond.
The practice of Voodoo, elusive from doctrine and dogma, comes to us from
Can Marie still hear wishes from visitors and does she view their antics with amusement and acquiesce to fulfill their desires?
Granted, this tradition, just like the fantastical magic lamp, and coins in the fountain, provides no guarantee, rather offers an entertaining distraction from our everyday preoccupations. Yet, a casual ice-breaker at a party or in other social situations, asking the question, “If you had three wishes what would they be?” provides an insight into a person’s hopes and dreams as well as their self-esteem.
We playfully suspend reality while we drift into possibility when we identify our wishes. And God empowers you to verbalize them, believe they already exist, and express gratefulness for their impending fulfillment.
So, release the genie within you, throw away societal expectations of your abundance and make your mark on the world.
Jinda thi to kisi ne paas nahi bithaya, ab mere paas log baithe ja rahe hain, pehle kisi ne in nam aankhon ko rumaal bhi nahin diya, ab sabhi kapde udaye ja rahe hain, sabko pata hai unke kam ki nahi main, fir bhi bechare duniyadari nibhaye ja rahe hain…..
Zindagi main ek kadam sath na chala koi, ab phulon se sajakar kandhon pe le jaye ja rahe hain, aaj pata chala maut jindagi se kitni behtar hai, hum to yuhin aap k liye jiye ja rahe the………
I have just finish reading the book written by Robin Sharma, "The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari", so I think I should share whatever I have learnt after reading the book, I hope all of you will go through all these 11 rules ..
The 11 Rules To Change Our World
1. You be the change you dream of seeing (Thanks Mahatma Gandhi). “If everyone of us would sweep their own doorstep, the whole world would be clean,” observed Mother Teresa. She was right.
2. Make time every day to reconnect to your highest ideals and boldest dreams. Without hope, people perish.
3. Leave every person you meet better than you found them. Life’s too short to withhold encouragement and kindness.
4. See every setback as a stepping stone and every problem as a blessing in disguise. Contrary to what critics might say, these are NOT corny aphorisms. They are timeless truths of humanity. (And critics are just people too scared to grow their dreams anyway - pay no attention to them. The world needs more people lifting people up rather than putting people down).
5. Go the extra mile in everything you do - you don’t need a title to be a leader. And on your deathbed, you’ll never regret expressing the best within you
6. Do what’s right rather than what’s easy. Being a great person isn’t a popularity contest. Many of the greatest leaders were disliked because they refused to bend to the winds of public opinion. That’s called Strength of Character
7. Care for your health. You elevate the world by elevating yourself and your health really matters. Why be the richest person in the graveyard?
8. Tell your kids they are geniuses - and how much you adore them. Each of us are born geniuses but lose that gift within the first 6 years of our lives as we adopt the fears and limiting beliefs of those around us. Your kids are the leaders of the future. Grow their potential. Now.
9. Learn something new every day. As you grow, you begin to see possibilities you didn’t have the eyes to see before. Read from an inspiring book, listen to an audio program, visit a good blog, go to a powerful workshop or have a conversation with an elder. One idea is all it takes to transform your life.
10. Keep your life simple. Please. The secret to success and happiness is building your life around a few important things. The person who tries to do everything accomplishes nothing. “What’s the point in being busy doing the wrong things?”
11. Remember that life is a mirror and we receive what we give out. To get more joy, give more joy. To have more respect, give more respect. To realize your dreams, help others realize theirs.
“An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory.” ~~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Think Positive!!
My Friend send me this mail ..and I like to share this with all of you ..I hope U too become a little positive after reading this .Have a nice day
This is nice - finding positive out of every negative - which we don’t always manage to do.
I am thankful…
1. For the husband who snores all night, because he is at home asleep with me and not with someone else.
2. For my teenage daughter who is complaining about doing dishes, because that means she is at home & not on the streets.
3. For the taxes that I pay because it means that I am employed.
4. For the mess to clean after a party because it means that I have been surrounded by friends.
5. For the clothes that fit a little too snug because it means I have enough to eat.
6. For my shadow that watches me work because it means I am out in the sunshine.
7. For a floor that needs mopping, and windows that need cleaning because it means I have a home.
8. For all the complaining I hear about the government because it means that we have freedom of speech.
9. For the parking spot I find at the far end of the parking lot because it means I am capable of walking and that I have been blessed with transportation.
10. For the noise I have to bear from my neighbours because it means that I can hear.
11. For the pile of laundry and ironing because it means I have clothes to wear.
12. For weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day because it means I have been capable of working hard.
13. For the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours because it means that I am still alive.
AND FINALLY ……. for received e-mails because it means I have friends who are thinking of me, at least.
Decision Making
Which one will you choose?
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 came, and you were just beside the track interchange. You could make the train change its course to the disused track and saved 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…………….
Scroll down if you have no patience.
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 person who wrote 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.” Everybody makes mistakes; that’s why they put erasers on pencils.
If you truly want to grow as a person and learn,
you should realize that the universe has enrolled you
in the graduate program of life, called loss.
I Remember You
In the rising of the sun and in its going down,
I Remember You
In the blowing of the wind and in the chill of winter,
I Remember You
In the opening of the buds and in the warmth of summer,
I Remember You
In the rustling of leaves and the beauty of autumn,
I Remember You
In the beginning of the year and when it ends
I Remember You
When we are weary and in need of strength,
I Remember You
When we are lost and sick of heart,
I Remember You
When we have joys we yearn to share,
I Remember You
So long as we live, you too shall live,
For you are now a part of me,
as I Remember YOU.
EASY ……. 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.
Difficult 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
Easy is keep the friendship with words
Difficult is to keep it with meanings.
The greatest pain in life
is not to die,
but to be ignored.
To lose the person you love so much
to another who doesn’t care at all.
The greatest pain in life,
is not to die,
but to be forgotten.
To be left in the dust after another’s great achievement.
To never get a call from a friend,
just saying “hi”.
When you show someone your innermost thoughts
and they laugh in your face.
For friends to always be
too busy to console you
when you need someone to lift your spirits.
When it seems like the only person who cares about you,
is you.
Life is full of pain,
but does it ever get better?
Will people ever care about each other,
and make time for those who are in need?
Each of us has a part to play
in this great show we call life.
Each of us has a duty to mankind
to tell our friends we love them.
If you do not care about your friends
you will not be punished.
You will simply be ignored…
forgotten…
as you have done to others…..!!
You are currently browsing the archives for the Philosophy category.
