This was narrated by an India Air Force pilot to IIT students on special seminar for HUMAN RELATION...
My parents left for our native place on Thursday and we went to the airport to see them off. In fact, my father had never traveled by air before, so I just took this opportunity to make him experience the same. In spite of being asked to book tickets by train, I got them tickets on Jet Airways.
The moment I handed over the tickets to him, he was surprised to see that I had booked them by air. The excitement was very apparent on his face, waiting for the time of travel. Just like a school boy, he was preparing himself on that day and we all went to the airport, right from using the trolley for his luggage, the baggage check-in and asking for window seat and waiting restlessly for the security check-in to happen. He was thoroughly enjoying himself and I, too, was overcome with joy watching him experience all these things.
As they were about to go in for the security check-in, he walked up to me with tears in his eyes and thanked me. He became very emotional and it was not as if I had done something great but the fact that this meant a great deal to him.
When he said thanks, I told him there was no need to thank me. But later, thinking about the entire incident, I looked back at my life. As a child how many dreams our parents have made come true. Without understanding the financial situation, we ask for cricket bats, dresses, toys, outings, etc. Irrespective of their affordability, they have catered to all our needs. Did we ever think about the sacrifices they had to make to accommodate many of our wishes? Did we ever say thanks for all that they have done for us?
Same way, today when it comes to our children, we always think that we should put them in a good school. Regardless of the amount of donation, we will ensure that we will have to give the child the best, theme parks, toys, etc. But we tend to forget that our parents have sacrificed a lot for our sake to see us happy, so it is our responsibility to ensure that their dreams are realized and what they failed to see when they were young, it is our responsibility to ensure that they experience all those and their life is complete.
Many times, when my parents had asked me some questions, I have actually answered back without patience. When my daughter asks me something, I have been very polite in answering. Now I realize how they would have felt at those moments. Let us realize that old age is a second childhood and just as we take care of our children, the same attention and same care need to be given to our parents and elders.
Rather than my dad saying thank you to me, I would want to say sorry for making him wait so long for this small dream. I do realize how much he has sacrificed for my sake and I will do my best to give the best possible attention to all their wishes.
Just because they are old does not mean that they will have to give up everything and keep sacrificing for their grandchildren also. They have wishes, too.
Take care of your parents.
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
The paradox of our time...
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints.
We spend more, but have less, we buy more but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbour. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.
These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom...
We spend more, but have less, we buy more but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbour. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.
These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom...
Monday, February 5, 2007
Points to ponder...
* God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.
* Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional.
* There is no key to happiness. The door is always open.
* Silence is often misinterpreted, but never misquoted.
* Do the math. Count your blessings.
* Laugh every day, it's like inner jogging.
* Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.
* The most important things in your home are the people.
* A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.
* He who dies with the most toys is still dead.
* We do not remember days, but moments. Life is moving too fast, so enjoy your precious moments.
* Nothing is real to you until you experience it, otherwise it's just hearsay.
* It's all right to sit on your pity pot every now and again. Just be sure to flush when you are done.
* Surviving and living your life successfully requires courage.
* The goals and dreams you're seeking require courage and risk-taking. Learn from the turtle --it only makes progress when it sticks out its neck.
* Life is uncertain; eat the dessert first.
* Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.
* Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional.
* There is no key to happiness. The door is always open.
* Silence is often misinterpreted, but never misquoted.
* Do the math. Count your blessings.
* Laugh every day, it's like inner jogging.
* Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.
* The most important things in your home are the people.
* A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.
* He who dies with the most toys is still dead.
* We do not remember days, but moments. Life is moving too fast, so enjoy your precious moments.
* Nothing is real to you until you experience it, otherwise it's just hearsay.
* It's all right to sit on your pity pot every now and again. Just be sure to flush when you are done.
* Surviving and living your life successfully requires courage.
* The goals and dreams you're seeking require courage and risk-taking. Learn from the turtle --it only makes progress when it sticks out its neck.
* Life is uncertain; eat the dessert first.
* Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Proactive behaviour...
A boy was born to a couple after eleven years of marriage. They were aloving couple and the boy was the gem of their eyes. When the boy was around two years old, one morning the husband saw a medicine bottle open.He was late for office so he asked his wife to cap the bottle and keep itin the cupboard. His wife, preoccupied in the kitchen totally forgot the matter.The boy saw the bottle and playfully went to the bottle fascinated by itscolor and drank it all. It happened to be a poisonous medicine meant foradults in small dosages. When the child collapsed, the mother hurried him to the hospital. He died.The mother was stunned! She was terrified how she was going to face herhusband. When the distraught father came to the hospital and saw the deadchild, he looked at his wife and uttered just five words...
QUESTIONS:
1. What were the five words?
2. What is the implication of this story?
ANSWER:
The husband just said "I am with you Darling".The husband's totally unexpected reaction is a proactive behavior. The child is dead. He can never be brought back to life. There was no point in finding fault with the mother. Besides, if only he had taken time to keepthe bottle away, this would not have happened. No one is to be blamed. She had also lost her only child. What she needed at that moment was consolation and sympathy from the husband. That is what he gave her. If everyone can look at life with this kind of perspective, there would be much fewer problems in the world.
Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness, and fears. And you will find things are actually not as difficult as you think.
MORAL OF THE STORY
Sometimes we spend time in asking who is responsible or whom to blame, whether in a relationship, in a job or with the people we know. By this way we miss out some warmth in human relationship.
QUESTIONS:
1. What were the five words?
2. What is the implication of this story?
ANSWER:
The husband just said "I am with you Darling".The husband's totally unexpected reaction is a proactive behavior. The child is dead. He can never be brought back to life. There was no point in finding fault with the mother. Besides, if only he had taken time to keepthe bottle away, this would not have happened. No one is to be blamed. She had also lost her only child. What she needed at that moment was consolation and sympathy from the husband. That is what he gave her. If everyone can look at life with this kind of perspective, there would be much fewer problems in the world.
Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness, and fears. And you will find things are actually not as difficult as you think.
MORAL OF THE STORY
Sometimes we spend time in asking who is responsible or whom to blame, whether in a relationship, in a job or with the people we know. By this way we miss out some warmth in human relationship.
About faith...
Those who have great realization about delusion are wise. Those who are greatly deluded within realization are sentient beings.
To travel with the unawakened makes the journey long and hard and is as painful as traveling with an enemy. But the company of the wise is as pleasant as meeting with friends. Follow the wise, the intelligent, and the awakened. Follow them as the moon follows the path of the stars.
To travel with the unawakened makes the journey long and hard and is as painful as traveling with an enemy. But the company of the wise is as pleasant as meeting with friends. Follow the wise, the intelligent, and the awakened. Follow them as the moon follows the path of the stars.
A story....
Here is a little story...that teaches a lot...
A giant ship engine failed. The ship's owners tried one expert after another, but none of them could figure but how to fix the engine. Then they brought in an old man who had been fixing ships since he was young. He carried a large bag of tools with him, and when he arrived, he immediately went to work. He inspected the engine very carefully, top to bottom. Two of the ship's owners were there, watching this man, hoping he would know what to do. After looking things over, the old man reached into his bag and pulled out a small hammer. He gently tapped something. Instantly, the engine lurched into life. He carefully put his hammer away. The engine was fixed! A week later, the owners received a bill from the old man for ten thousand dollars. "What?!" the owners exclaimed. "He hardly did anything!" So they wrote the old man a note saying, "Please send us an itemized bill."
CAN YOU GUESS WHAT WAS THE BREAK DOWN???? The man sent a bill that read:
Tapping with a hammer. ............. . $ 2.00
Knowing where to tap..........$ 9, 998.00
Effort is important , but knowing where to make an effort in your life makes all the difference
A giant ship engine failed. The ship's owners tried one expert after another, but none of them could figure but how to fix the engine. Then they brought in an old man who had been fixing ships since he was young. He carried a large bag of tools with him, and when he arrived, he immediately went to work. He inspected the engine very carefully, top to bottom. Two of the ship's owners were there, watching this man, hoping he would know what to do. After looking things over, the old man reached into his bag and pulled out a small hammer. He gently tapped something. Instantly, the engine lurched into life. He carefully put his hammer away. The engine was fixed! A week later, the owners received a bill from the old man for ten thousand dollars. "What?!" the owners exclaimed. "He hardly did anything!" So they wrote the old man a note saying, "Please send us an itemized bill."
CAN YOU GUESS WHAT WAS THE BREAK DOWN???? The man sent a bill that read:
Tapping with a hammer. ............. . $ 2.00
Knowing where to tap..........$ 9, 998.00
Effort is important , but knowing where to make an effort in your life makes all the difference
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