A True Friend !

Welcome to 119^th Monday Musings !

Yesterday was Friendship day so I chose to share this story.

A true friend is a special gift from God and indeed a rare gem.

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The soldier's heart was filled with horror soldier as he saw his lifelong friend fall in battle.

Caught in a trench with continuous gunfire whizzing over his head, the soldier asked his lieutenant if he might go out into the "no man's land" between the trenches to bring his fallen comrade back.

"You can go," said the lieutenant, "but i don't think it's worth it. Your friend is probably dead and you may lose your own life too."

The lieutenant's advice didn't matter, and the soldier went anyway.

Luckily, he managed to reach his friend, Placed him onto his shoulder and bring him back to their company's trench.

As the two of them tumbled in together to the bottom of the trench, the officer checked the wounded soldier, and then looked kindly at his friend.

"I told you it wouldn't be worth it," he said. "Your friend is dead and you are Terribly wounded."

"It was worth it, though, sir," said the soldier.

"What do you mean; worth it?" responded the Lieutenant. "Your friend is dead."

"Yes, Sir" the private answered.

"But it was worth it because when I got to him, he was still alive and I had the satisfaction of hearing him saying his last words, "Joe..., I knew you'd come.”

Moral of the story :

Many times in life, whether a thing is worth doing or not, really depends on how you look at it. Take up all your courage and do something your heart tells you to do so that you may not regret not doing it later in your life.

May each and every one of you be blessed with the company of TRUE FRIENDS. A true friend is one who walks in, when the rest of the world walks out.

The moral of the story is that “you should stretch your boundaries and try new things rather than listening to the limitations that others have put on themselves”.

When you find a true friends treasure them. Treasure them they are very hard to find !

Make it a great Week! & have a happy friendship week

Shailesh

The Eagle’s Egg !

Welcome to 118^th Monday Musings !

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This is a story about an eagle's egg and an American Indian who found it.

The story tells the plight of an American Indian who finds an eagle's egg on the ground, outside its nest.

The Indian searches for but cannot find the nest. Eagles traditionally nest high up in trees, so with the very best of intentions, the Indian puts the egg into the nest of a prairie chicken.

The egg hatched and the little eagle grew up thinking it was a prairie chicken.

The eagle did what the prairie chickens did.

It scratched in the dirt for seeds. It clucked and cackled. It never flew more than a few feet because that is what the prairie chickens did.

One day he saw an eagle flying gracefully and majestically in the open sky.

He asked the prairie chickens: "What is that beautiful bird?"

The chickens replied, "That is an eagle. He is an outstanding bird, but you cannot fly like him because you are just a prairie chicken."

So the eagle never gave it a second thought, believing that to be the truth.

He lived the life of and died a prairie chicken, depriving himself of his heritage because of his lack of vision.

What a waste!

He was born to win, but was conditioned to lose.

Moral of the story :

The same thing happens in peoples life.

If you want to soar like an eagle, you have to learn the ways of an eagle

"Most people go to their graves, with music still in them." We don’t achieve excellence because of our own lack of vision.

The moral of the story is that “you should stretch your boundaries and try new things rather than listening to the limitations that others have put on themselves”.

Make it a great Week !

Shailesh

Learning to live without recognition !

Welcome to 116^th Monday Musings:

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There was a farmer who had a horse and a goat.

One day, the horse became ill and farmer called the veterinarian, who said: - “Well, your horse has a virus. He must take this medicine for three days. I’ll come back on the 3rd day and if he’s not better, we’re going to have to put him down.”

Nearby, the goat listened closely to their conversation. The next day, they gave him the medicine and left.

The goat approached the horse and said: - Be strong, my friend. Get up or else they’re going to put you to sleep!

On the second day

They gave him the medicine and left. The goat came back and said: - Come on buddy, get up or else you’re going to die! Come on, I’ll help you get up.

Let’s go! One, two, three"

On the third day

They came to give him the medicine and the vet said:- Unfortunately, we’re going to have to put him down tomorrow. Otherwise, the virus might spread and infect the other horses.

After they left, the goat approached the horse and said: - Listen pal, it’s now or never! Get up, come on! Have courage! Come on! Get up! Get up!

That’s it, slowly! Great! Come on, one, two, three" Good, good. Now faster, come on"" Fantastic! Run, run more! Yes! Yay! Yes! You did it, you’re a champion!!!

All of a sudden, the owner came back, saw the horse running in the field and began shouting :- It’s a miracle! My horse is cured.

We must have a grand party………………………………………….. Let’s cook the goat!!!!

Not a happy ending L like other Monday musings ……..phew , never mind it’s just a story !

Moral of the story :

This might happen in life in general or work place because there are times when nobody actually knows who actually deserves the merit of success

But you shouldn't be discouraged because you are living a skill “Learning to live without recognition is a skill!!!” and you should master this skill because…..

What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger

Abraham Lincoln once Said “Don’t  worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition”

If ever you feel that you are not recognized or not considered proficient , and from your inner heart  you know you are right then remember:

Amateurs built the Ark [which saved all the species] and professionals built the Titanic [all died tragically]

Make it a great Week !

Shailesh

The Result of Initiative !

Welcome to 115^th Monday Musings:

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Once upon a time there were three brothers who left the farm to work in the city.

They were all hired by the same company at the same pay.

Three years later,

·         Jim was being paid $500 a month,

·         Frank was receiving $1,000,

·         but George was now making $1,500.

Their father decided to visit the employer to find the reason for different salary .

Employer listened to the confused father and said, "I will let the boys explain for themselves."

Jim was summoned to the supervisor's office and was told,  "Jim, I understand the Far East Importers has just brought in a large transport plane loaded with Japanese import goods. Will you please go over to the airport and get a cargo inventory?"

Three minutes later, Jim returned to the office. "The cargo was one thousand bolts of Japanese silk," Jim reported. "I got the information over the telephone from a member of the crew."

When Jim left, Frank, the $1,000 a month brother, was called. "Frank," said the supervisor, "I wish you'd go out to the airport and get an inventory of the cargo plane which was just brought in by Far East Importers."

An hour later, Frank was back in the office with a list showing that the plane carried 1,000 bolts of Japanese silk, 500 transistor radios, and 1,000 hand painted bamboo trays.

Then George, the $1,500 a month brother, was given identical instructions.

Working hours were over when he finally returned.

"The transport plane carried one thousand bolts of Japanese silk," he began. "It was on sale at sixty dollars a bolt, so I took a two-day option on the whole lot. I have wired a designer in New York offering the silk at seventy-five dollars a bolt. I expect to have the order tomorrow. I also found five hundred transistor radios, which I sold over the telephone at a profit of $2.30 each.

There were a thousand bamboo trays, but they were of poor quality, so I didn't try to do anything with them."

When George left the office, the employer smiled. "You probably noticed," he said, "that Jim doesn't do what he's told, Frank does only what he'd told, but George does without being told."

Moral of the story :

Success comes from the initiatives !

You must identify who you are Jim , Frank or George, once you identify yourself then you can work towards self–improvement, and start taking initiatives. I have met many Jim who kept on spending their energy proving that they are George rather putting energy to improve themselves.

Success comes from taking the initiative and following up....persisting  eloquently expressing depth of your passion, What simple action could you take today to produce a new momentum towards success in your life.

Make it a great Week !

Shailesh

Look at the Other Side !

Welcome to 114^th Monday Musings:

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A Father was reading a magazine and his little daughter every now and then distracted him.

To keep her busy, he tore one page on which was printed the map of the world.

He tore it into pieces and asked her to go to her room and put them together to make the map again.

He was sure she would take the whole day to get it done.

But the little one came back within minutes with perfect map...

When he asked how she could do it so quickly,

she said, "Oh... Dad, there is a man’s face on the other side of the paper... I made the face perfect to get the map right." she ran outside to play leaving the father surprised.

Moral of the story :

There is always the other side to whatever you experience in this world.

This story indirectly teaches a lesson. That is, “whenever we come across a challenge or a puzzling situation, look at the other side... You will be surprised to see an easy way to tackle the problem.”

Problems cannot be solved with the same mindset that created them, we must look if there is any other side of it !

Make it a great Week !

Shailesh

Story of Father and a Crow !

Welcome to 113^th  Monday Musings:

Sunday, June 15, 2014 is ‘Father’s Day’ so I am sending the musing in advance dedicating to Father’s day

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An 80 year old man was sitting on the sofa in his house along with his 45 years old highly educated son. Suddenly a crow perched on their window.

The Father asked his Son, "What is this?"

The Son replied "It is a crow".

After a few minutes, the Father asked his Son the 2nd time, "What is this?"

The Son said "Father, I have just now told you "It's a crow".

After a little while, the old Father again asked his Son the 3rd time,

What is this?"

At this time some expression of irritation was felt in the Son's tone when he said to his Father with a rebuff. "It's a crow, a crow, a crow".

A little after, the Father again asked his Son the 4th time, "What is this?"

This time the Son shouted at his Father, "Why do you keep asking me the same question again and again, although I have told you so many times 'IT IS A CROW'. Are you not able to understand this?"

A little later the Father went to his room and came back with an old tattered diary, which he had maintained since his Son was born. On opening a page, he asked his Son to read that page. When the son read it, the following words were written in the diary :-

"Today my little son aged three was sitting with me on the sofa, when a crow was sitting on the window. My Son asked me 23 times what it was, and I replied to him all 23 times that it was a Crow. I hugged him lovingly each time he asked me the same question again and again for 23 times. I did not at all feel irritated I rather felt affection for my innocent child".

While the little child asked him 23 times "What is this", the Father had felt no irritation in replying to the same question all 23 times

and when today the Father asked his Son the same question just 4 times, the Son felt irritated and annoyed.

Moral of the story :

If your parents attain old age, do not repulse them or look at them as a burden, but speak to them a gracious word, be cool, obedient, humble and kind to them. Be considerate to your parents. From today say this aloud, "I want to see my parents happy forever. They have cared for me ever since I was a little child. They have always showered their selfless love on me.

They crossed all mountains and valleys without seeing the storm and heat to make me a person presentable in the society today".

Make it a great Week & Happy Father’s Day!

Shailesh

Eagles In A Storm !

Welcome to 112^th Monday Musings:

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                                                                        (Photo courtesy : +Prashant Mudgal)

Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks? 

The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. 

When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. 

While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it. 

The eagle does not escape the storm,   it simply uses the storm to lift it higher. 

It rises on the winds that bring the storm.

Moral of the story :

Problem is common to all but the attitude to solve the problem makes all the difference!

When the storms of life come upon us - and all of us will experience them - we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief toward God.

The storms do not have to overcome us. 

We can allow God's power to lift us above them.  God enables failure and disappointment in our lives. 

We can soar above the storm. 

Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how we handle them.

Make it a great Week !

Shailesh