Finger Bowl !

A wonderful story comes from 19th century England . According to the account, Queen Victoria was once at a diplomatic reception in London .

The guest of honor was an African chieftain. All went well during the meal until, at the end, finger bowl were served. The guest of honor had never seen a British finger bowl, and no one had thought to brief him beforehand about its purpose. So he took the bowl in his two hands, lifted it to his mouth, and drank its contents down!

For an instant there was breathless silence among the British privilege guests, and then they began to whisper to one another. All that stopped; however, when Queen Victoria silently took her finger bowl in her two hands, lifted it, and drank its contents! A moment later, 500 surprised British ladies and gentlemen simultaneously drank the contents of their own finger bowls.

It was the queen’s uncommon courtesy that guarded her guest from certain embarrassment.

This is a very rare but very effective human trait … while the most common human trait is to look for chances to humiliate/insult someone else or be neutral when someone makes mistake & let him/her go through the embarrassment … but it takes presence of mind, uncommon courtesy to follow someone else’s mistake in order to guard them from embarrassment!!

Strange

One day one follower asked to the saint, “Lord, what is the biggest strange thing in this life?”

Saint replied, “All the people are having something missing in their lives. Some long for the wealth, some long for the children, some long for women. Every one is having different wishes. They pass their entire life to make the wishes come true.

The life is perennial in nature and there is no certainty for tomorrow itself. Everyone knows this fact as well. Still the people put all the efforts for those things which are never going to accompain them after the life is over. The man behaves as if he is never going to die.

This thing is the biggest strange thing in the world. Though every one understands the final truth of the life but still they are not at all conscious towards doing good things, helping the people and worship of God.”

Morale – It is very true. “Pata nahi hai Pal ki or Baat karte ho Kal ki”. It appears very strange that most of the people in the world understand the final destination and uncertainty of life but still they behave as if they are going to last long and found unconscious towards personal development and virtual activities. 

Happiness

Once, 4 friends were going to watch a movie. They were walking and passed through a hut. A Saint was searching something outside the hut. The friends asked the old saint what he was searching. Saint replied, I have lost my golden ring and I am looking for the same. All the friends also started searching the same but could not find it out. One of them asked to the saint, “Old Man, where have you exactly lost the ring? Have you any exact idea?” Saint replied, “Yes, I have lost it inside the hut but since it is absolutely dark inside, I am searching the same here outside.”

Young men said, “Oh old man, you appear so matured and acting foolishly. If you have lost your ring inside the hut then why should you search the same outside the hut”?

Saint questioned, where all of you are going? Friends replied, “We are going to watch the movie.” Saint again asked “Why are you going to watch the movie?” Friends replied, “To get the Joy and thereby happy.”

Saint asked, “Have you lost your happiness inside the Theatre?”

Morale – Happiness is an inner state of mind. It emanates from inside backed by our attitude. It is not the material things which can make us happy or unhappy but our attitude decides the same. Happiness always depends on how we perceive the things. 

Courtesy: Vimarsh Vaishnav

A Beggar & A King

A well known joke by Mr. Shahbuddin Rathod, but with a hidden morale:

One day a king was roaming in his chariot to see the position of the state. One beggar was moving on the footpath of the road carrying a bulky bag on his head. He appeared very tired and weak and was walking with great efforts. The king got disturbed seeing this and offered the beggar to come on the Chariot so that he may leave him to his destination.

Though beggar agreed and sat on the chariot but he continued keeping the bag on his head. King said, “You may put it down man”. Beggar replied, “Lord, it is my pleasure that you have obliged me to sit on your chariot but I should not give the burden of this bulky and heavy bag to you or your chariot. Let me continue to lift this weight on my head. I would not give further burden to your chariot”.

Morale – Though we find the people saying that we are traveling in the chariot of God. He is only the Generator, Operator & Destroyer. We have to merely travel in his chariot (This world) as per his will. But with this fact, we continue to keep the heavy bag of Worries and Pain on our head.

Why cant a man go to the temple and pray, “AB SONP DIYA IS JEEWAN KA SAB BHAR TUMHARE HATHON ME, HAI JEET TUMHARE HATHON ME, HAI HAAR TUMHARE HATHON ME, SIRF KARM HAI MERE HATHO ME” (Now I have assigned my life to you Lord, now the victory or otherwise is in your hand only. I would just keep doing my selfless work).

Socratis

(1) One prostitute of Athens told to Socratis that I can Deviate your all the students from the way of Truth and Discipline to live a materialistic life.

Socratis replied, “Yes you can do so. My work is to lift the Person on to the peak principles of life whereas your work is to drive the Person down in to the reef. So you can definitely do that.”

Morale – To go down is always easy since the ways are having slopes. But to get on to a peak is always difficult and involves hard work and discipline. Whenever, we are ambitious to a noble goal, there will be two ways, one will be sloppy and will try to deviate us, but we need to stick to the right way rather than easy way.

(2) On to the death bed, Socratis called all the students and said, though you may forget all the learning that I have given to you, please remember following two things:

(a)     Remember all the Good things that others have done for you.

(b)     Forget all the Good things that you have done for others.

This is the way to be happy.

Why to worry when there is "Hari" ?

There was an old man who was having a Horse cart and thus used to earn his subsistence.

One day as usual he was waiting outside the railway station, waiting for the passenger to come and hire his “Chariot”.

One Gentleman with decent looks and a large bag came out of the station. He appeared to be a wealthy and materially prosperous. He called the old man and get on the cart. The old man put the luggage on the cart and asked the destination.

The card started. Gentleman said, “Now my body does not support me. I am of seventy. May be older than that”.

The old man was surprised. He exclaimed, only seventy! Oh Master, I am 84 years old and still driving the horse cart. I can still lift the luggage of the passengers on my head.

Gentleman appeared in deep thinking. He said, “Oh my brother! The worries of the life make the man old and inefficient. How to believe that my son aged 40 has passed away recently. He has two small kids to whom I have to manage and bring up. I have still the responsibility on my shoulders to get my daughters married to the suitable candidates.”

The old man said, “I don’t think there is any need to worry on those grounds. The things have happened what were supposed to happen. And the things will happen which are supposed to happen. We can not intervene in to the Will of God. Master, you will be surprised to know that I have a dozen of children. I work hard the whole day and take the food whatever is served in to my dish. After working hard, at night, I sleep very quietly peacefully without any worries.

If GOD has given the children, they will definitely grow. We need not to worry for that. Yes, I am confident that even if I will not be here to feed them, they will grow up and GOD will bring up them. If GOD has brought them on the earth, he will also bring up them.

I have left all the tensions and those worry even don’t dare to come to me. If I will start worrying on my condition and situation, then even I may not work to earn and even if I earn, I may not live joyfully and my entire life will go in troubles. If I don’t pass the life joyfully, then my health may not remain good. Hence, I will advise you to throw all the worries in to the abode of GOD. Start working and the things will be fruitful with the grace of GOD. There is no use of Unproductive Worries.“

Really, It is true – ATTITUDE DECIDES ULTITUDE.