Teacher vs Guru

A teacher takes responsibility of your growth
A Guru makes you responsible for your growth

A teacher gives you things you do not have and require
A Guru takes away things you have and do not require

A teacher answers your questions
A Guru questions your answers

A teacher helps you get out of the maze
A Guru destroys the maze

A teacher requires obedience and discipline from the pupil
A Guru requires trust and humility from the pupil

A teacher clothes you and prepares you for the outer journey
A Guru strips you naked and prepares you for the inner journey

A teacher is a guide on the path
A Guru is a pointer to the way

A teacher sends you on the road to success
A Guru sends you on the road to freedom

A teacher explains the world and its nature to you
A Guru explains yourself and your nature to you

A teacher makes you understand how to move about in the world
A Guru shows you where you stand in relation to the world

A teacher gives you knowledge and boosts your ego
A Guru takes away your knowledge and punctures your ego

A teacher instructs you
A Guru constructs you

A teacher sharpens your mind
A Guru opens your mind

A teacher shows you the way to prosperity
A Guru shows the way to serenity

A teacher reaches your mind
A Guru touches your soul

A teacher gives you knowledge
A Guru makes you wise

A teacher gives you maturity
A Guru returns you to innocence

A teacher instructs you on how to solve problems
A Guru shows you how to resolve issues

A teacher is a systematic thinker
A Guru is a lateral thinker

A teacher will punish you with a stick
A Guru will punish you with compassion

A teacher is to pupil what a father is to son
A Guru is to pupil what mother is to her child

One can always find a teacher
But a Guru has to find and accept you

A teacher leads you by the hand
A Guru leads you by example

When a teacher finishes with you, you graduate
When a Guru finishes with you, you celebrate

When the course is over you are thankful to the teacher
When the discourse is over you are grateful to the Guru

JAI GURUDEV

How many times !!!

How many roads must a man walk down
Before they call him a man
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand
How many times must the cannonballs fly
Before they are forever banned
The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind
The answer is blowing in the wind
How many years must a mountain exist
Before it is washed to the sea
How many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free
How many times can a man turn his head
And pretend that he just doesn't see
The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind
The answer is blowing in the wind
How many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky
How many years must one man have
Before he can hear people cry
How many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died
The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind
The answer is blowing in the wind

Do you understand Women ???

1 . (Whatever)
Men: What should we have for dinner?
Women: Whatever..
Men: Why don't we have Mexican?
Women: No not Mexican, the last time i got pimples on my face
Men: Alright, why don't we have Szechwan cuisine
Women: Yesterday we ate Szechwan, today too?
Men: Hmm..... I suggest we have seafood
Women: Seafood is not good, I got diarrhoea
Men: Then what do you suggest?
Women : Whatever..

2. (Anything)
Men: So what should we do now?
Women: Anything
Men: How about watching a movie? It's been a long time
Women: Watching movie is no good, it's a waste of time
Men: How about we go for bowling, or some exercises?
Women: Exercise on such a hot day?
Men: Then find a cafe' and have a drink
Women: I am off caffeine
Men: Then what do you suggest?
Women: Anything...

3. (You decide)
Men: Then do we just go home?
Women: You decide
Men: Let's take the bus, I will accompany you
Women: The Bus is dirty and crowded.
Men: OK; we will take a cab
Women: Not worth it... for such a short distance
Men: All right, then we can walk. We can enjoy the weather
Women: I am hungry, can't walk.
Men: Then what do you suggest?
Women: You decide
Men: Let's have dinner first
Women: Whatever...
Men: Eat what?
Women: Anything...

A woman can say more in a sigh than a man can say in a sermon.

~Ears~

"Can I see my baby?" the happy new mother asked. When the bundle was nestled in her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped. The doctor turned quickly and looked out the tall hospital window. The baby had been born without ears. Time proved that the baby's hearing was perfect. It was only his appearance that was marred.

When he rushed home from school one day and flung himself into his mother's arms, she sighed, knowing that his life was to be a succession of heartbreaks.

He blurted out the tragedy. "A boy, a big boy ... called me a freak."

He grew up, handsome for his misfortune. A favorite with his fellow students, he might have been class president, but for that. He developed a gift, a talent for literature and music. "But you might mingle with other young people," his mother reproved him, but felt a kindness in her heart.

The boy's father had a session with the family physician. Could nothing be done? "I believe I could graft on a pair of outer ears, if they could be procured," the doctor decided.

Whereupon the search began for a person who would make such a sacrifice for a young man. Two years went by.

Then, "You are going to the hospital, Son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But it's a secret," said the father. The operation was a brilliant success, and a new person emerged. His talents blossomed into genius, and school and college became a series of triumphs. Later he married and entered the diplomatic service. "But I must know!" He urged his father, "Who gave so much for me? I
could never do enough for him." "I do not believe you could," said the father, "but the agreement was that you are not to know ... not yet."

The years kept their profound secret, but the day did come ... one of the darkest days that a son must endure. He stood with his father over his mother's casket. Slowly, tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick, reddish-brown hair to reveal that the mother -- had no outer ears.

"Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut," he whispered gently, "and nobody ever thought Mother less beautiful, did they?" Real beauty lies not in the physical appearance, but in the heart. Real treasure lies not in what that can be seen, but what that cannot be seen.

Real love lies not in what is done and known, but in what that is done but not known.

Performance Vs Position

A Priest dies & is awaiting his turn in line at the Heaven's Gates.

Ahead of him is a guy, fashionably dressed, in dark sun glasses, a loud shirt, leather jacket & jeans.

God asks him: Please tell me who are you, so that I may know whether to admit you into the kingdom of Heaven or not?

The guy replies: I am Pandi, Auto driver from Chennai!

God consults his ledger, smiles & says to Pandi: Please take this silken robe & gold scarf & enter the Kingdom of Heaven ...

Now it is the priest's turn. He stands erect and speaks out in a booming voice: I am Pope's Assistant so & so, Head Priest of the so & so Church for the last 40 years.

God consults his ledger & says to the Priest: Please take this cotton robe & enter the Kingdom of Heaven ...

'Just a minute,' says the agonized Priest. 'How is it that a foul mouthed, rash driving Auto Driver is given a Silken robe & a Golden scarf and me, a Priest, who's spent his whole life preaching your Name & goodness has to make do with a Cotton robe?'

'Results my friend, results,' shrugs God.

'While you preached, people SLEPT; but when he drove his Auto, people PRAYED'

"It's PERFORMANCE & not POSITION that ultimately counts."

I Am Your Master

I can make you rise or fall.

I can work for you or against you.

I can make you a  success or failure.

I control the way you feel and the way you act.

I can make you laugh…work…love. I can make your heart sing with joy…excitement…elation… 

Or I can make you wretched…dejected…morbid… 

I can make you sick…listless…

I can be as a shackle…heavy…attached…burdensome…

Or I can be as the prism’s hue…dancing…bright…fleeting…lost forever unless captured by pen and purpose.

I can be nurtured and grown to be great and beautiful…seen by the eyes of others through action in you.

I can never be removed… only replaced.

I am a thought.

Why not know me better?

The direction of a man's thought is always the decisive factor in his personality. His whole outer life will be determined by the inward inclination of his mind. Thoughts are like seeds. If you want different results in life, you have to figure out which thoughts are capable of growing those results and which aren’t.

“A thought which does not result in an action is nothing much, and an action which does not proceed from a thought is nothing at all.”

What I learned in life:

I've learned -
that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is be someone who can be loved.   The rest is up to them.

I've learned-
that no matter how much I care, some people just don't care back.

I've learned-
that it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it.

I've learned-
that it's not what you have in your life but who you have in your life that counts.

I've learned-
that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. After that, you'd better know something.

I've learned-
that you shouldn't compare yourself to the best others can do.

I've learned-
that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I've learned-
that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I've learned-
that you can keep going long after you can't.

I've learned-
that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I've learned-
that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I've learned-
that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades
and there had better be something else to take its place.

I've learned-
that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I've learned-
that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I've learned-
that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I've learned-
that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down
will be the ones to help you get back up.

I've learned-
that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I've learned-
that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I've learned-
that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

I've learned-
that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I've learned-
that you should never tell a child their dreams are unlikely or outlandish. Few things are more humiliating, and what a tragedy it would be if they believed it.

I've learned-
that your family won't always be there for you. It may seem funny, how people you aren't related to can take care of you and love you and teach you to trust people again. Families aren't always biological.

I've learned-
that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I've learned-
that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you are to learn to forgive yourself.

I've learned-
that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I've learned-
that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I've learned-
that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.

I've learned-
that we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

I've learned-
that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.

I've learned-
that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I've learned-
that no matter how you try to protect your children, they will eventually get hurt and you will hurt in the process.

I've learned-
that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.

I've learned-
that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.

I've learned-
that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I've learned-
that the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

I've learned-
that it's hard to determine where to draw the line between being nice and not hurting people's feelings and standing up for what you believe.

Experience is the best teacher, but a fool will learn from no other. The way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it.

I've learned to trust myself, to listen to truth, to not be afraid of it and to not try and hide it.

~TRUST~

Little girl and her father were crossing a bridge. The father was kind of scared so he asked his little daughter, 'Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don't fall into the river.' The little girl said, 'No, Dad. You hold my hand.' 'What's the difference?' Asked the puzzled father. 'There's a big difference,' replied the little girl.. 'If I hold your hand and something happens to me, chances are that I may let your hand go. But if you hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens, you will never let my hand go.' In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond.

‘Trouble Tree’

A man hired a carpenter to help him restore an old farmhouse.  The carpenter had a rough first day on the job. First, a flat tire made him lose an hour of work, then his electric saw quit. At the end of the day, his ancient pickup truck refused to start. While the man who hired him drove him home, the carpenter sat in stony silence. 

On arriving, the carpenter invited the man to come in and meet his family. As they walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands. Upon opening the door, he underwent an amazing transformation.  His tanned face was wreathed in smiles as he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss. 

After introducing the man to his family, the carpenter walked the man to the car. They passed the tree and the man’s curiosity got the better of him. He asked the carpenter about what he had seen him do earlier. 

"Oh, that's my ‘Trouble Tree’," the carpenter replied. "I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure, my troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and the children. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning I pick them up again." 

Funny thing is," he smiled, "when I come out in the morning to pick them up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before." 

"The prizes of life we fail to win because we doubt the power within." Wow! That sentence really says it all. When we finally eliminate all of those self defeating doubts that have haunted us for oh so long, we clear the path to having, doing or being anything and everything we have ever dreamed about. This poem reminds us to live our lives the way we were born to live them ... confidently, courageously and without a doubt.

Just for a moment, imagine yourself living without worry and doubt, totally free to believe and achieve. What a way to go ... and grow! We need to stop doubting ourselves and start believing in ourselves, our plans and our dreams. Let's stop saying we can’t and start saying we can, we can … we can.

You and I have always had what it takes to be counted among the best of the very best. We can choose to live a life completely devoid of worry and fear when we choose to live without a doubt. The moment we start believing deep down in our hearts and our souls that we can do it, we will start living life on our terms … without a doubt!

Ninety percent of the world's woe comes from people not knowing themselves, their abilities, their frailties, and even their real virtues. Most of us go almost all the way through life as complete strangers to ourselves. Trouble is a part of your life and if you don't share it, you don't give the person who loves you enough chance to love you enough.

“If I were asked to give what I consider the single most useful bit of advice for all humanity it would be this: Expect trouble as an inevitable part of life and when it comes, hold you head high, look it squarely in eye and say, 'I will be bigger than you. You cannot defeat me.'”

Making Yourself A Victim !!!

According to Webster's, a victim is "someone harmed by or suffering from some act, condition, or circumstance."

Do you know anyone who doesn't fit that description? We're all victimized by something--crime, discrimination, poverty, a handicap, a broken home, a lousy boss, flyaway hair. But the only real victim is the person who thinks like one. 

Life is a self-service gas station. You can sit in your car and honk, or you can fill the tank yourself. No one honks longer, louder, or with less effect than a victim. 

It's easy to think like a victim. For one thing, it feels good. It lets you off the hook. When you're not responsible for what happens to you, you can't be expected to do anything about it. When the cards are stacked against you, you have no choice but to fold, so you never have to face the pressure of playing to win. And you never lack for something to do. You can fill every idle moment with the bittersweet memories of your misfortunes. Unfortunately, you can never fulfill your dreams.

When you think like a victim, you turn yourself from a cause into an effect. Nothing can kill a dream faster than that. When you blame the world, you lose your power to change it. In the name of what you can't fix, you sacrifice what you can. 

It's not what happens to you that counts, it's what you choose to do about it. We are all victims of forces beyond our control. The people who get what they want from life are the ones who focus on forces they can control. They choose to live as a cause instead of as an effect. 

If you want to become a cause in your own life, don't think like an effect. Instead of worrying about the cards you've been dealt, play them. Instead of asking, Why me? ask, What am I going to do about it? Instead of feeling sorry for yourself, refuse to settle for less than what you want. The world owes you only what you're willing to collect. The way to collect is to make your dreams come true.

“If it's never our fault, we can't take responsibility for it. If we can't take responsibility for it, we'll always be its victim. Don't become a victim of yourself. Forget about the thief waiting in the alley; what about the thief in your mind?”

I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.

"I am here to break this Law :  Once victim, always victim"

##Keep on Singing##

Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her 3-year-old son, Michael, prepare for a new sibling. They find out that the new baby is going to be a girl, and day after day, night after night, Michael sings to his sister in Mommy's tummy.

The pregnancy progresses normally for Karen, an active member of the Panther Creek United Methodist Church in Morristown, Tennessee. Then The labor pains come. Every five minutes ... every minute. But Complications arise during delivery. Hours of labor. Would a C-section be required? Finally, Michael's little sister is born. But she is in serious condition. With siren howling in the night, the ambulance rushes the infant to the neonatal intensive care unit at St. Mary's Hospital,Knoxville, Tennessee.

The days inch by. The little girl gets worse. The pediatric specialist tells the parents, "There is very little hope. Be prepared for the worst." Karen and her husband contact a local cemetery about a burial plot. They have fixed up a special room in their home for the new baby - now they plan a funeral.

Michael, keeps begging his parents to let him see his sister, "I want to sing to her," he says. Week two in intensive care. It looks as if a funeral will come before the week is over. Michael keeps nagging about singing to his sister, but kids are never allowed in Intensive Care. But Karen makes up her mind. She will take Michael whether they like it or not. If

he doesn't see his sister now, he may never see her alive. She dresses him in an oversized scrub suit and marches him into ICU. He looks like a walking laundry basket, but the head nurse recognizes him as a child and bellows, "Get that kid out of here now! No children are allowed. The mother rises up strong in Karen, and the usually mild-mannered lady glaressteel-eyed into the head nurse's face, her lips a firm line. "He is not leaving

until he sings to his sister!" Karen tows Michael to his sister's bedside. He gazes at the tiny infant losing the battle to live. And he begins to sing. In the pure hearted voice of a 3-year-old, Michael sings:

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray --- "

Instantly the baby girl responds. The pulse rate becomes calm and steady.

Keep on singing, Michael. "You never know, dear, how much I love you, Please don't take my sunshine away---" The ragged, strained breathing becomes as smooth as a kitten's purr.

Keep on singing, Michael. "The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamed I held you in my arms..." Michael's little sister relaxes as rest, healing rest, seems to sweep over her.

Keep on singing, Michael. Tears conquer the face of the bossy head nurse. Karen glows. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. Please don't, take my sunshine away."

Funeral plans are scrapped. The next, day-the very next day-the little girl is well enough to go home!

Woman's Day magazine called it "the miracle of a brother's song." The medical staff just called it a miracle. Karen called it a miracle of God's love!

NEVER GIVE UP ON THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE.

"Love & Marriage"

A student asks a teacher, "What is love?"

The teacher said, "in order to answer your question, go to the wheat field and choose the biggest wheat and come back. But the rule is: you can go through them only once and cannot turn back to pick."

The student went to the field, went thru first row, he saw one big wheat, but he wonders....may be there is a bigger one later.

Then he saw another bigger one... but may be there is an even bigger one waiting for him.

Later, when he finished more than half of the wheat field, he start to
realize that the wheat is not as big as the previous one he saw, he know he has missed the biggest one, and he regretted.

So, he ended up went back to the teacher with empty hand.

The teacher told him, "...this is love... you keep looking for a better
one, but when later you realize, you have already miss the person...."

Love is not a thing you can do,when you do other things love will happen. Love is the irresistible desire to be desired irresistibly.

Love until it hurts. Real love is always painful and hurts; then it is real and pure. If you wish to be loved; love!

*"What is marriage then?" the student asked.

The teacher said, "in order to answer your question, go to the corn field and choose the biggest corn and come back. But the rule is: you can go through them only once and cannot turn back to pick."

The student went to the corn field, this time he is careful not to repeat
the previous mistake, when he reach the middle of the field, he has picked one medium corn that he felt satisfied, and comes back to the teacher.

The teacher told him, "this time you bring back a corn.... you look for one that is just nice, and you have faith and believe this is the best one you get.... this is marriage."

Men marry women with the hope they will never change. Women marry men with the hope they will change. Invariably they are both disappointed. The secret of a happy marriage remains a secret, :-(

My advice to you is to get married. If you find a good wife, you'll be happy; if not, you'll become a philosopher. A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person, :-)

Growing Up

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being She said, "Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?" I laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of course you may!" and she gave me a giant squeeze. "Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?" I asked. She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, have a couple of children, and then retire and travel." "No seriously," I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age." I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!" she told me. After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake. We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this "time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with me. Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up. At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor. Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, "I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know." As we laughed she cleared her throat and began: "We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success." You have to laugh and find humor every day. "You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it!" "There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight. Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding the opportunity in change." "Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets. She concluded her speech by courageously singing "The Rose." She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the years end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago. One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep. Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be. If you read this, please send this peaceful word of advice to your friends and family, they'll really enjoy it!

Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.

Growing older is Mandatory, Growing Up is Optional.

Happy Mothers Day

An article in National Geographic several years ago provided a penetrating picture of God's wings.

After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park, forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's damage. One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree. Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick. When he struck it, three tiny chicks scurried from under their mother's wings.

The loving mother, keenly aware of impending disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the tree and gathered them under her wings, instinctively knowing that toxic smoke would rise. She could have flown to safety, but had refused to abandon her babies. When the blaze had arrived and the heat singed her small body, the mother remained steadfast. Because she had been willing to die, those under the cover of her wings continued to live.

"He shall cover thee with His feathers and under His wings shall thou trust" (Ps 91:4). Learn to experience the warmth and protection of life beneath the wings of the Almighty."

Mom, I loved you yesterday, I love you tomorrow and everyday.
You were there for me my first day of school, to hold my hand and give me courage to go.
You listened to me when I needed to talk, you talked to me when I needed to listen.
You let me grow and learn from my own mistakes.
You never left my side when I was feeling down, I knew you would be there to pick me up.
I wish there was a way I could repay all the things you have done for me, but there's nothing great enough to repay the greatest mother of all.

Quote's on Mom:

"Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs... since the payment is pure love."

"A mother's love is patient and forgiving when all others are forsaking, it never fails or falters, even though the heart is breaking. A mother is the one who is still there when everyone else has deserted you. "

"All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That's his."

"A man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best, but his mother the longest. "

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.

God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers. A mother is the one who is still there when everyone else has deserted you.

~My Creed~

To live as gently as I can;
To be, no matter where, a man;
To take what comes of good or ill,
And cling to faith and honor still;
To do my best, and let that stand
The record of my brain and hand;
And then, should failure come to me,
Still work and hope for victory.
To have no secret place wherein
I stoop unseen to shame or sin;
To be the same when I'm alone
As when my every deed is known;
To live undaunted, unafraid
Of any step that I have made;
To be without pretense or sham
Exactly what men think I am.

To leave some simple work behind
To keep my having lived in mind;
If enmity to aught I show,
To be an honest, generous foe;
To play my little part, nor whine
That greater honors are not mine.
This I believe is all I need
For my philosophy and creed.

I do not choose to be a common man. It is my right to be uncommon. I seek to develop whatever talents God gave me—not security. I do not wish to be a kept citizen, humbled and dulled by having the state look after me. I want to take the calculated risk; to dream and to build, to fail and to succeed. I refuse to barter incentive for a dole. I prefer the challenges of life to the guaranteed existence; the thrill of fulfillment to the stale calm of utopia. I will not trade freedom for beneficence nor my dignity for a handout. I will never cower before any earthly master nor bend to any threat. It is my heritage to stand erect, proud and unafraid; to think and act myself, enjoy the benefit of my creations and to face the world boldly and say – ‘This, with God’s help, I have done.’

To hate man and worship god seems to be the creed of some . So many gods, so many creeds, So many paths that wind and wind, While just the art of being kind Is all the sad world needs, :-(

“A man's action is only a picture book of his creed. My creed is that; Happiness is the only good. The place to be happy is here. The time to be happy is now. The way to be happy is to make others so, :-)

"The Wolves Within"

An old Grandfather, whose grandson came to him with anger at a schoolmate who had done him an injustice, said, "Let me tell you a story. I too, at times, have felt a great hate for those that have taken so much, with no sorrow for what they do. But hate wears you down, and does not hurt your enemy. It is like taking poison and wishing your enemy would die. I have struggled with these feelings many times."

He continued, "It is as if there are two wolves inside me; one is good and does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him and does not take offense when no offense was intended. He will only fight when it is right to do so, and in the right way."

"But the other wolf, ah! He is full of anger. The littlest thing will set him into a fit of temper. He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason. He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is hard to live with these two wolves inside me, for both of them try to dominate my spirit."

The boy looked intently into his Grandfather's eye and asked, "Which one wins, Grandfather?"

The Grandfather solemnly said, "The one I feed."

He also said, “There are always two choices. Two paths to take. One is easy. And its only reward is that it's easy. While we are free to choose our actions, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions."

Life is a sum of all your choices. To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there.

It is the ability to choose which makes us human. It's choice--not chance--that determines your destiny. When you have to make a choice and don't make it, that is in itself a choice, :-)

Optimist

A king had a dream in which he found that all his teeth had fallen out. He wanted an interpretation of the dream.

A dream interpreter was sent for. He consulted the ancient books and said to the king, "Sire! This is a most unfortunate dream. It signifies that all your dear ones, children, wife, relatives, will die during your lifetime."

The king was utterly disappointed and ordered that the soothsayer be thrown into prison.

Yet another dream interpreter was called for. He too, consulted the same ancient books and said, "O King! This is a most fortunate dream. It signifies that you will survive all your dear ones. Long live the King!"

The king felt happy and richly rewarded the soothsayer.

Always look at the bright side of things and you will be happy and will make others happy!

For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else. A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

~I Love Today~

There are two days in every week about which we should not worry.
Two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension

One of these days is yesterday with its mistakes and cares,
Its faults and blunders, Its aches and pains.

Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control.
All the money in the world cannot bring back yesterday.

We cannot undo a single act we performed.
We cannot erase a single word we said. Yesterday is gone.

       The other day we should not worry about is tomorrow.
       With its possible adversities, Its burdens, 
       Its large promise and poor performance.
       Tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control.
       Tomorrow's Sun will rise, either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds, 
       but it will rise.
       Until it does, we have no stake in tomorrow, for it is yet unborn.
       This just leaves only one day . . . Today.
       Any person can fight the battles of just one day.
       It is only when you and I add the burdens of those two awful eternity's -
       yesterday and tomorrow that we break down.
       It is not the experience of today that drives people mad.
       It is the remorse or bitterness for something which happened yesterday 
       and the dread of what tomorrow may bring.

       Let us therefore live but one day at a time.

Yesterday is a canceled cheque; tomorrow is a promissory note; today is the only cash you have - so spend it wisely. Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.

Greater than God !!!

Here is a simple riddle.  Only 17% of Stanford University Seniors got the right answer when asked.

What is greater than God,
More evil than the Devil,
The poor have it,
The rich need it,
If you eat it, you will die?

By the way, Jacob(age 7) got the correct answer. No pressure though!
Think about it (dont cheat) and then scroll down for the answer.

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The answer to the riddle is "nothing", :-)

"Good Friend"

..................................Oooo
Some people .............( .....)
come into our lives..... ) ../
and quickly go.......... (__/

oooO
(..... ) .......Some people
..\.. ( ........become friends
...\__)...... and stay a while...

leaving beautiful .....Oooo
footprints on our ....(...... )
hearts..........................)... /
..................................(_ _/

oooO
.(..... )...... and we are
...\... ( .......~ never ~
....\__) ......quite the same

because we have
made a good friend!!

Friendship that insists upon agreement on all matters is not worth the name. Friendship to be real must ever sustain the weight of honest differences, however sharp they be.

Depth of friendship does not depend on length of acquaintance.

Do you want homely food !!!

One man entered a restaurant and ordered lunch. The waitress was puzzled because the order was strange. It was: "Four Chapattis, all burnt."

The waitress looked at him.

"And two vegetables with no salt, finishing with a cup of coffee, completely cold, with no sugar, no milk."

The waitress said, "It is a strange order. I have been here......."

He said, "It is not a strange order. Look at the front of your restaurant, what you have written on the board outside" - on the board was written: Here you will feel completely at home. "I am trying to feel completely at home!"

The waitress said, "It is up to you." She prepared his lunch, brought it, put it before him, stood nearby in case he needed anything more.

He said, "Why are you standing there? Sit in front of me!"

She said, "Why?"

He said, "Nag me! Unless you nag me I will not enjoy my food!"

People have a way of becoming what you encourage them to be, not what you nag them to be.

Nagging is the repetition of unpalatable truths

I believe

I believe-
That we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

I believe-
That no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a
while and, you must forgive them for that.

I believe-
That true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance.
Same goes for true love.

I believe-
That you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I believe-
That it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I believe-
That you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them

I believe-
That you can keep going long after you can't.

I believe-
That we are responsible for what  we do, no matter how we feel.

I believe-
That either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I believe-
That regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there
had better be something else to take its place.

I believe-
That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done,
regardless of the consequences.

I believe-
That money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I believe-
That my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time!

I believe-
That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.

I believe-
That sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I believe-
That just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

I believe-
That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've
learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I believe-
That it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I believe-
That no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I believe-
That our background and circumstances may have influenced
who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I believe-
That just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other,  And just
because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.

I believe-
That you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.

I believe-
That two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I believe-
That your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.

I believe-
That even when you think you have no more to give, when a 
friend cries out to you - you will find the strength to help.

I believe-
That credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I believe-
That the people you care about most in life are the essence of life.
Tell them today how much you love them and what they mean to you.

The secret of making something work in your lives is first of all, the deep desire to make it work; then the faith and belief that it can work; then to hold that clear definite vision in your consciousness and see it working out step by step, without one thought of doubt or disbelief.

For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible.

The Wise Do NOT Question

When the Kurukshetra war was over, pride entered the heart of Arjuna. He even thought that he was so great that Krishna had become his charioteer.

Arjuna felt that as a master, he must get down from the chariot only after the charioteer had done so. He insisted that Krishna must get down first. Krishna was adamant.

Finally, Arjuna had to yield. Swallowing his pride, he got out of the chariot with great reluctance.

Now it was Krishna's turn. As soon as he stepped down, the chariot went into flames.

Arjuna was humbled as he realized that the deadly arrows and missiles that had struck the chariot were powerless so long as Krishna was in it. As soon as he left it, they had their natural effect and the chariot was reduced to ashes.

In everything that the Lord permits to happen, is a meaning of His mercy. We must not question: we must not argue. We must only obey, accept and rejoice!

Life is God's novel. Let him write it.

If You Love Somebody !!!

The original saying is , "If you love something, set it free. If it doesn't come back to you, it wasn't yours to begin with."

However, for the purposes of this test, let's use the proposed version. In which category do *you* fall?

"The proposed Versions"

Optimist
If you love somebody, Set her free ...
Don't worry, she will come back.

Pessimist
If you love somebody, Set her free ...
If she ever comes back, she's yours,
If she doesn't, well, as expected, she never was.

Suspicious
If you love somebody, Set her free ...
If she ever comes back, ask her why.

Impatient
If you love somebody, Set her free ...
If she doesn't comes back within some time forget her.

Patient
If you love somebody, Set her free ...
If she doesn't come back, continue to wait until she comes back ...

Playful
If you love somebody, Set her free ...
* If she comes back, and if you love her still, set her free again, repeat *

Vengeful
If you love somebody, Set her free...
If she doesn't come back,
Hunt her down and shoot her.

C++ Programmer
if(you-love(m_she)) m_she.free()
if(m_she == NULL)
m_she= new CShe;

Animal-Rights Activist
If you love somebody, Set her free...
In fact, all living creatures deserve to be free!!

Lawyers
If you love somebody, Set her free...
Clause 1a of Paragraph 13a-1 in the second amendment of the Matrimonial
Freedom Act clearly states that...

Bill Gates
If you love somebody, Set her free...
If she comes back, I think we can charge her for re-installation fees and tell her that she's also going to get an upgrade.

Biologist
If you love somebody, Set her free...
She'll evolve.

Statistician
If you love somebody, Set her free...
If she loves you, the probability of her coming back is high,
If she doesn't, your relation was improbable anyway.

Schwarzenegger's Fan
If you love somebody, Set her free...
SHE'LL BE BACK!

Overpossessive
If you love somebody don't set her free.

HR Specialist
If you love somebody set her free
By Offering her VRS and other benefits, then outsource her.

MBA
If you love somebody set her free...
instantaneously...and look for others simultaneously

Psychologist
If you love somebody set her free...
If she comes back, her super ego is dominant
If she doesn't come, back her id is supreme
If she doesn't go, she must be crazy.

Somnambulist
If you love somebody set her free...
If she comes back, it's a nightmare
If she doesn't, you must be dreaming.

Rhett Butler
If you love somebody set YOURSELF FREE
If she asks you why say you don't give a damn.

ERP Functional Expert
If you love somebody set her free...
If she comes back, map her into your system
If she doesn't, carry out a gap-fit analysis

Finance Expert
If you love somebody set her free...
If she comes back, its time to look fresh loans.
If she doesn't, write her off as an asset gone bad.

Marketing Expert
If you love somebody set her free...
If she comes back, she has brand loyalty
If she doesn't, reposition the brand in new markets.

What most people need to learn in life is how to love people and use things instead of using people and loving things.

Absence sharpens love, presence strengthens it. Love the heart that hurts you, but never hurt the heart that loves you.

A heart that loves is always young. If you wish to be loved; love!

What is Karma?

Karma is a Sanskrit word that means "action." Karma has commonly been considered a punishment for past bad actions, but karma is neither judge nor jury. Rather, it is simply the universal law of cause and effect that says every thought, word and act carries energy into the world and affects our present reality. Karma can also refer to the "work" we have ahead of us, which includes lessons from both our past and present lives. If you need more details, you can check the link, http://hinduism.about.com/od/basics/a/karma.htm

Karma - Better Explained...

Just watch....

Contrary to popular myth, karma has nothing to do with punishment and reward. It exists as part of our holographic universe’s binary or dualistic operating system only to teach us responsibility for our actions—and all things we experience are our actions.

"A person who performs good Karma (deeds) is always held in high esteem."

Break the Habit

An old man, sensing that his time was almost up, called his three sons to himself and took them to a near-by field. In the field were three types of plants: 1) a tiny sprout, 2) a bush and 3) a full-fledged tree.

He asked the youngest boy to pull out the tiny sprout which he did without the least difficulty.

He asked his second son to pull out the bush. The boy pulled first with one hand, then with the other, but the bush would not come out. Then, using both the hands together, he pulled as hard as he could and the bush yielded to his strength.

He asked the eldest and strongest to try his hand at pulling out the full-grown tree. The young man tried with all his might and mien, and said, "Father, it cant be done!"

The old man asked all the three sons to do it together. They tried but failed.

Turning to them, he said" "My children, I may pass away any day but you should never forget the lesson of the plants. Our bad habits, when they are still in the formative stage, can easily be overcome. When they are full-grown, you can do nothing to uproot them. So be careful, especially in regard to smoking, drinking, gambling & idle gossip."

It has been rigidly said that if you cut the first letter of 'habit', 'a bit' will remain. If you cut off the second letter, 'bit' will sill remain. If you cut off the third letter, 'it' will remain. So beware!

"First we form habits, then they form us. Conquer your bad habits or they will conquer you."

Do you want Peace !!!

A wise man was out in the street searching for something.

"What are you looking for?" they asked him.

"I have lost my keys," he answered.

"Where did you lose them?" he was asked.

And he said, "I lost them in the house!"

"Then how is it that you are looking for them here?"

The wise man said, "Because in the house it is dark, out here it is so bright!"

We live in illusion and the appearance of things. There is a reality. We are that reality. When you understand this, you see that you are nothing, and being nothing, you are everything. That is all.

"Find peace with yourself by accepting not only what you are, but what you are never going to be."

How Rich are You?

A wealthy man offered a thousand rupees to a poor dervish (a holy man).

The dervish asked the rich man, "You are giving me a thousand rupees. How much do you have for yourself?"

"Many, many thousands of rupees," was the answer.

"Do you still hanker after more?"

"Surely, yes!" answered the rich man.

"Then I cannot accept your offering," said the dervish. "For a rich man must not receive from one poorer than he!"

"I do not understand," said the rich man.

The dervish explained, "Though I have nothing, I desire nothing! You have plenty: and yet desire much more! Surely, the man who desires is poorer than the man who is content with what he has!"

"That man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest. "

Terrorism Free World

A business man returned home in the evening, settled himself in an easy chair and started reading the evening newspaper. He was saying to himself, "why is that on a daily basis there is some news on Terrorist?"

His five-year old son disturbed him again and again. To keep the boy busy, he took a world map, which was given in an advertisement, tore in into bits, and passed on the scraps to the child, saying, "Go and fix the world map together, and I will give a box of candies."

The father was sure that the boy, having not much knowledge of geography, would never be able to do the task. Within a matter of 10 minutes, however the boy returned bringing the world map neatly collated.

Astonished, the father asked, "How could you do it?"

The boy answered, "Father, behind the world map was the face of a child. I put the child right, and the world came out right!".

If we want the world right to come out right, let us put the child right. If we want a world without wars, a world without hatred and strife, a world without any terrorism, let us begin with the child!.

"Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see."

Happy New Year - Make the Circle Move !!!

A couple visited an orphanage with a view to adopt a boy. As they went around, they found a ten-year old boy who appealed to them greatly. They said to him, "We shall give you toys, story books, T.V  & dresses."

The boy didn't seem to be interested.

Then they said to him, "Tell us what is it that you want?"

The little boy said, "I do not want toys or dresses or TV or Story Books. All I want is someone to love me."

Is not this the hunger of every human heart, someone to love us? But this is the paradox of love, that you must love someone before you can receive love. The love that goes out of you to others returns to you. Love moves in a circle: and its you who must make the circle move.

"Love is the irresistible desire to be desired irresistibly"