Grand Fathers Stories For Children

OM NAMAHA SHIWAY - arun.gavkar@gmail.com

2011-03-01T09:05:00.000-08:00

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Shirin and Farhad

2010-07-01T22:09:00.000-07:00

Love was never tempted by wealth and degrees. Shirin, the daughter of a poor but rich in idealism, was kidnapped and taken to the King of Faras, who instantly infatuated with him, and give a big gift to the person who brought them. But the king was very disappointed that Shirin did not respond to his love; idealism that girl is too tall to be lured by wealth and greatness of the King. King did all the things to please him and to be willing to marry him, but every effort opposite effect.

When Shirin saw that there was no hope for escape from the palace which for him is just a cage, and kenekadan king and his aides have been very thin patience, he was forced to accept their offer, but with one condition, that a channel should be created as a memorial monument for the event it. Of course this is a ploy to cancel the wedding, because the making of the canal that takes many years. King was so infatuated by her beauty until he was negligent in capturing the subtle hint, and immediately gave orders to architects and engineers to start work immediately, and finish it as soon as possible, no matter what the cost and effort required. Thousands of workers immediately involved in the project, and the work going day and night without interruption, under the direct supervision of the king himself and his servants.

The closer to the completion of work, the greater the expectation of the king, and he happily asked Shirin to go see the canal. With sad hearts, Shirin went into the canal, lest the work be finished soon and that he must surrender to the will of the King, a judged thing worse than death. When walking to see the process work where thousands of people worked day and night, he was very surprised to see a worker came to him; because captivated by her beauty, without fear he cried out, "Hi Shirin, I love you." "Love to ignore differences in degrees between the lovers and lovers, and ignoring the height to be climbed for a lover."

The voice of love and words of worship such as that sought by Shirin, and have not encountered before. Shirin replied, "If you love me, burst the mountain and make a tunnel through the mountain. Gold need to be tested before acceptance." Farhad said, "With pleasure I would do, Shirin, whatever you want. There is nothing too hard for a lover to do something for her lover."

Farhad walking with all my heart, without asking why he had to make a tunnel, not thinking how banyakpekerjaan to be done. He did not think how long it will be completed, nor think that the job will be in vain. He went into the mountains and began to break stones with kampaknya. He mentions every time he swings Shirin kampaknya. Every swing Farhad hand carve a miracle. Every swing, the result is like the work of a hundred swings ax. "Power is the power of the human body, but the power of love is the mighty acts of God.": No need for a long time to complete Farhad

job, a job that normally takes many years and thousands of workers, the completion in a few days alone.
Reject Shirin Farhad King since he saw, and said, "There are other lovers who are undergoing tests, and before I knew the results of such tests, we should not get married first."

King spies watching Farhad from afar, and they immediately sent word that Farhad had completed his work before the canal was completed. King was so upset, thinking that Farhad Shirin will probably get love, and thus not Shirin be hers again. After negotiations, an adviser said, "Your Majesty, you are king, and Farhad just a worker. How could the sky than the earth? I will go there, and if His Majesty wishes, I will end Fathad in an instant." "Oh, do not. Shirin will see blood stains me, and this will make it away from me forever." An aide to the king said, "It's not hard for me, Your Honor, Farhad life need not end with blood dripping." "Well, then," said King.

The servant king went to Farhad, who has nearly completed his work with Shirin shadow that gives hope. "Happiness is a lover located in the happiness of her lover." The servant king said, "Hi Farhad, unfortunately, all to no avail! Hi competitors months, beloved Shirin had died suddenly." Farhad said in a panic, "What? Shirinku died?" "Yes," the waiter said, 'O Farhad, alas Shirin had died. " Farhad sighed deeply, and fell to the ground. "Shirin ..." That last remark, and he passed from this life.

Shirin heard from people who sympathize with him that Farhad has done wonders by creating a tunnel in the mountains as he called the 'Shirin' in every swing kampaknya, and have completed a job that normally takes a very long time, in a short time. Shirin, whose heart had been moored at Farhad, and that through a spirit of love Farhad torn, no longer have patience for a second remaining, so he went to the mountain at the first opportunity. "The two higher power that separates two hearts together." Shirin, who may have fared better lovers like Farhad, not fared well enough to be seen again.

When Shirin Farhad found the body lying near the wonderful work recently completed for him, he felt very depressed and disappointed. Spies came close to convincing the King that Farhad Shirin had died, hoping that now that Farhad had died, Shirin will set one's mind to the King. They said, "Farhad poor. Unfortunately, he was dead." Shirin heard from wind, water flow, from the rocks, of trees, Farhad voice calling, "Shirin, Shirin." The whole place is interesting with the magnetism of the soul Shirin Farhad love that is created around it. He fell to the ground, shocked and felt so lost until his heart could not stand it anymore, exclaimed, "Farhad, I have come to be with you." Fate of a lover is a big disappointment in the eyes of the world, but he is the highest satisfaction in the eyes of the wise men.

People who are adapt, to love one another. Perhaps the properties of the body was the one who coordinate mental quality, quality of life. Physical attraction was short-lived, emotional appeal was a bit long, and spiritual attraction last forever.
Love that is only slightly pronounced can turn another heart, a love that will haunt more pronounced, but when too much is spoken will alienate the object of love.

Relationship produce a friend, though there was no relationship or a friendship that lasts worldly. By gathering, sitting together, eating together, breathing the same air, liver will be approached. Two coal that burns, if Necessary will make a fire. The fire that uniting the two. When two hands holding hands, an electric current flows from one hand to another. This is why people shake hands, to fire the two men met. Therefore, people tend to clap their hands, folded his arms and crossing her legs when sitting or lying down, because it gives them comfort. This is what causes the similarities that exist in people in one nation or a race.

Love tends to produce quality, and even similarities, between lover and beloved. Often we see friends, husbands and wives, lovers, Mursyid and pupils, in due course become similar. Portrait of Shaykh at all Chistiyah flow as if they were made in the same mold. Someone who went far from his country and long life in another country, become familiar with that country, loved it, and sometimes do not want to go home to her own country, due to the love that is formed by the association.

The meeting was sparked love, love and farewell interrupted. The further out of reach pecintanya love object, the more broad expanse of love is there for expansion. Because it's love to the object that can not be obtained and are likely to grow, while if the object of love is in this range often restrict love. When the separation took place a short, love will grow, but if too long, love it to death. When the meeting only briefly, would love ignited, but it is difficult to sustain the flame. If the meeting lasts a long time, love was not much affected, but its roots to grow, develop and last long. In the absence of a lover, hope is the oil that makes the fire of love burning. The meeting and parting in turn will make the fire of love surged. Too long meeting will shrink the fire of love, and too long separation will kill the fire because the oil runs out.

We probably spent a year in a city, and perhaps we know and love the ¬ people there, and they were very fond of us, to love growing and we think, "If we can continue to live there!" When we go, always felt heavy to separate from them. Then we left, our friends to write letters and we answer it, at first every day, then every week, then every month, and the frequency continues to decrease until only every Hari Raya, because we grew apart and had little to do with them and deal more with the people around us now. When we returned to the same place after five or six years, at first we felt that the climate is foreign to us, the streets and houses seemed unfamiliar, and there was no warmth there used to be. If we are stupid, we'll blame my friends. If we knew, we were going to blame themselves. Togetherness was the increase of love and farewell who love erodes, so too with our attachment to the places.

Listen to your stomach.

2010-06-18T10:54:00.000-07:00

Felt heavy after stuffing yourself with samosas, sweets, masaledar curries at the recent bash? Don't
rush to pop a pill when the solution is right in your kitchen. Most common digestive problems are caused by food — either by eating too much or too little or at the wrong time. Fortunately, these can be rectified by watching what you eat. Understanding your body mechanism and bringing a few changes to your dietary patterns is enough to help you get back on your feet again after an attack of acidity or gastritis. Here's how to cure some common problems caused by food… with food.
ACIDITY
What: It's that familiar feeling of heartburn, vomiting, coughing, stomach pain and bloating which makes you run for an antacid. Acidity is caused by an imbalance between the acid secreting mechanism of the stomach and the protective mechanisms that ensure their safety. It results when there is excess production of acid which may enter the lower part of the oesophagus (Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux).
Avoid: Tur dal, channa dal, raw vegetables, cabbage, kidney beans (rajma), white bread, bakery products, refined flour, noodles, poha, ragi, spinach, peanuts, dry coconut, canned foods and stuff containing monosodium glutamate, caffeine and alcohol. All these cause acidity or aggravate it. Don't take too hot or too cold meals.
Combat with: Fresh fruits or vegetables, cumin, ajwain. Have small and frequent meals. Increase your chewing time so that food masticates well in the mouth. Drink lots of water (but don't gulp it, sip it). Have few drops of lemon or jal jeera, they help increase saliva production.

CONSTIPATION What: Occurs primarily because bowel movement is restricted because of weak colon muscles. Defecation may be very painful and in severe cases, can lead to symptoms of bowel obstruction. Lack of fluid and fibre, a sedentary lifestyle, stress, side effects of medication, even pregnancy can cause constipation.
Avoid: Alcohol, refined, starchy and sugary foods
Combat with: Plenty of water, at least 1.5 to 2 litres a day. Have food high in fibre and fluid — banana, raw banana, lotus stem, beans, gavar), and seasonal fruits, especially skinny ones like guava, pear, plum and apple.
INDIGESTION/HEARTBURN What: Most common digestive disorder caused by reflux — the sphincter muscles connecting the oesophagus to the stomach fails to close. So the acid in the stomach regurgitates. You might feel angina pain or even bloating often leading people to mistake it as symptoms leading to heart attack. Avoid: Large, late meals, fatty food, tobacco, caffeine in all forms, tomato based goodies — chips, sauces and dips. Try not eating two hours before bedtime. Also don't bend or lie down immediately after a meal. Alcohol too should be avoided, but a glass of wine is ok.
Combat with: Small and frequent meals, half a cup of cold milk before bedtime, drinks of tarragon, dill, mint, fennel and cumin.
GASTRITIS What: Inflammation of the stomach lining, signalling indigestion. Gastritis could be acute (sudden), a result of faulty lifestyle or stress. Or it could be chronic (longterm), aggravated by medicines or age. The symptoms are similar to that of acidity.
Avoid: Spicy food, chocolates, aerated beverages, fatty foods, tomato-based products and alcohol
Combat with: Bland food, vegetables that have high water content such as bottle gourd (dudhi), long parwal, tinda, pumpkin, water melon and papaya. Just sauté them or cook in pressure cooker without too much oil or spices.
FLATULENCE What: If breaking wind at inopportune moments, bloating and burping is a constant embarrassment for you, blame it on acidity, indigestion and even irritable bowel syndrome. Sometimes intolerance of milk can also lead to flatulence.
Avoid: Lentils and legumes, especially if they are not soaked for eight hours or more. Juicy vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, sprouts. Also stop taking carbonated drinks, chewing gum, bran and mava sweets.
Combat with: High fibre foods that work as laxative — skinny fruits, lotus stem, raw banana and herbs such as rosemary, fennel, tarragon, thyme tea and ginger.
COLITIS What: An inflammatory bowel disease where ulcers bleed in the colon and rectum.
Avoid: Foods high in insoluble fibre — bran, whole grain, sunflower seeds, dried fruit, potato skin, skinny fruits. Ironically, all these are very healthy for the system especially if you are diabetic, but bad for colitis patients. Also skip fats, oil, gas inducing stuff like beans, and dairy products.
Combat with: Sautéed and baked vegetables, baked veggies, decaffeinated coffee, soya milk.

Improtant Facts About Blood Donation

2010-06-18T10:46:00.000-07:00

· Person above 18 years of age and over 50 Kgs. in weight can donate blood once in three months.

· A normal adult has five to six liters of blood in his/her body of which only 300 ml is used during blood donation.

· This blood is replaced by your body within 24 to 48 hours!No special diet, rest or medicine is required after blood donation.

· The donor should not have taken any medicine in the last 48 hours.

· The donor should not have contacted jaundice in the previous three years.

· Every donor is given a medical checkup prior to donation to see if he/she is medically fit and doesn’t suffer from anemia, high blood pressure etc.

· The donor cannot contract AIDS or any other disease by donating blood.

The Right Way To Drink Water

2010-06-18T10:42:00.000-07:00

Our bodies are made up of mostly water. Just look at the facts: The brain contains 74% water, blood contains 83% water, lean muscle has 75% and bone has 22% water.. Experts agree that water is one of the most powerful forms of treatment. So how come most people don't drink enough water?

Here are 10 Health Benefits of Drinking Sufficient Water:

1. Enough intake of water prevents kidney stones. The most common cause of kidney stones is not drinking enough water. Since water dissolves the substances that form stones in the urine, drinking 12 glasses daily helps treat kidney stones.

2. Water treats urinary tract infection. The more water you drink, the more you will urinate. "Drinking lots of water will help flush out harmful bacteria from your bladder," says Medical City kidney specialist Dr. Roberto Tanchanco.

3. Water helps patients with diarrhea by preventing dehydration. As a first-aid for diarrhea, you can make your own oral rehydration solution at home. Mix a glass of water with 2 teaspoons sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt, and drink as much as you can tolerate. This is similar to the dextrose solution in the hospital.

4. Water helps reduce fever. For symptoms of flu, water can help lower your body temperature when you urinate the "heat" out of your body. If you're sick, drink more water for you to recover faster.

5. Water helps treat cough and colds, sore throat, and respiratory infections. Water helps loosen sticky phlegm. A respected lung specialist told me that some mucolytics out there are just as beneficial as drinking lots of water.

6. Water reduces heartburn. Taking 2-3 gulps of water every 20 minutes or so can help flush the stomach acid away. Bananas and water are effective alternatives to taking antacids. Try it.

7. Water prevents constipation and its complications. Too little water can harden the stools and lead to hemorrhoids and diverticulosis, a disease of the large bowel. Drink water and eat lots of vegetables to soften your stools.

8. Water keeps you alert and energetic. If you're dehydrated, your blood is literally thicker. This makes it harder for the blood to circulate. As a result, the brain can become less active and you can feel confused and fatigued. Some studies also show that water may help cure migraine headaches.

9. By drinking a glass or two of water before a meal, you will lessen the amount of food you can take in order to feel full. Water has zero calories and will not make you fat.

10. Water keeps your skin soft and radiant. Just as a dehydrated person will have deep-set eyes and wrinkled skin, so will a fully hydrated person exhibit a normal and beautiful skin tone.

The Correct Way To Drink Water:

1. Drink water immediately after you wake up. Your body loses water while you sleep, so drink a glass before you go to sleep, and another glass when you wake up. You are naturally thirsty or dehydrated in the morning. Drinking water in morning helps flush out the toxins that have accumulated during night sleep.

2. Drink 8 to 12 glasses a day. According to the Mayo Clinic, a 120-pound individual needs 8 cups of water a day, while a 190-pound person would require 12 cups daily. Dr. Robert Tanchanco says that we should monitor our urine color and keep it on the light side. However, drink only a maximum of 16 glasses a day, and not more.

3. Drink little by little throughout the day. It is preferable to sip water throughout the day rather than to drink two glasses all at once. This will lessen the stress on the heart (especially if you have heart disease) and give your body more time to absorb it.

4. Don't wait until you're thirsty to drink water. By the time you feel thirsty, you're probably already 2 glasses below your normal water needs. Elderly people are also less sensitive to the body's need for water.

5. Drink water, not soft drinks, alcohol or coffee. Some experts believe that tea, sodas and coffee can be potentially dehydrating. Moreover, the high phosphorus and sugar content in cola drinks can lead to conditions like osteoporosis and diabetes. One study shows that adults who drank six cups of coffee daily experienced mild dehydration. Drinking alcohol is much worse because it actually dehydrates you by making you urinate a lot.

6. Train children to drink water. Set a good example to your kids and drink water together. Make sure that children drink enough water when they're active. Pack a large bottled water in their lunch box.

7. Drink more when it's hot. People living in hot climates like the Philippines need to drink more water. They are more prone to develop kidney stones compared to those living in cooler regions.

8. Drink more as you exercise. When you exercise, you need to drink more water to compensate for fluid loss. Go for an extra 500 ml of water for a 30-minute to 1-hour exercise. Eating a banana also helps keep your potassium up.

9. Drink more when you're sick. Even though you don't feel like it, you really need to drink more water to help your body recover from various infections. If you're dehydrated, you'll feel much worse.

10. Drink more if you're pregnant. Women who are expecting or breast-feeding need additional fluids to stay hydrated. The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women drink 10 cups of fluids daily and women who breast-feed take in about 13 cups of fluids a day.

Some of very healthy fruits with their benefits

2010-06-18T10:35:00.000-07:00

OLIVES

Hindi Name - Jaitun

Correspond with: Female reproductive organs, especially ovaries

How they benefit : Olives are rich in mono unsaturated fatty acids which are useful to raise good cholesterol, calcium and iron. The Vitamin E, hydroxytyrosol, and Oleuropein (all phytochemicals) present in olives are healthy for the female reproductive process. They help maintain healthy hormone levels and unobstructed blood flow to the pelvic area which is essential for sexual performance. Combine with: Cranberries. It will help prevent urinary track infections. Moreover, cranberries contain flavonoids that prevent forma tion of cysts in ovaries.

KIDNEY BEANS

Hindi Name – Rajma
Correspond with: Kidneys. Its resemblance is all too obvious.

How they benefit: Kidney beans contain flavonoids and glucosinolates that regulate the creatinine level in the kidney. It has also a trace of mineral called molybdenum which is responsible for detoxifying sulphides and help in management of creatinine.

Combine with: Black urad daal. The daal helps the chemical content get absorbed fully in the body

FRESH FIGS

Hindi Name - Anjeer
Correspond with: Male reproductive organs

How they benefit: Figs, which are high in sugar content, give energy and vitality to the scrotal sac. They help maintain proper temperature inside the scrotal sac which is essential for sperm mobility, thereby leading to proper erections as well. Including figs in your diet helps battle fatigue and depression, a common reason attributed to poor performance in bed.

Combine with: Pumpkin seeds that are a good source for zinc. Zinc is important for sex drive and is also needed by the body to make sperms.

TOMATOES

Hindi Name - Tamator
Correspond with: Heart. A tomato has four chambers and is red. Ditto for your dil.

How they benefit: Tomatoes have fibre and lycopene, a type of phytochemical which is a powerful anti-oxidant. They also have Vitamin K which regulates blood flow.

Combine with: Lotus stem, which resemble arteries. Okra is a good combo too since it's known to purify blood capillaries. Tomatoes are best consumed through soups and sauces (without preservatives). While the raw form is healthy, cooked tomatoes are more advantageous as the heating process makes lycopene easily absorbable.

WALNUTS

Hindi Name - Akhrot
Correspond with: Brain. A walnut looks like a little brain, a right and the left hemisphere, upper cerebrum and lower cerebellum. Even the wrinkles and folds on the nut are just like the neocortex.

How they benefit: Walnuts have Omega 3 poly unsaturated fatty acids. Among other things, walnuts contain polyphenols. These are compounds which have ellagic acid, tannic acid, caffic acid, chlorogenic acid and serulic acid, all of which regulate blood circulation and conduction of nerve impulses to the brain. They are useful for enhancing memory power.

Combine with: With raisins and almonds. The Vitamin E present in walnut will get absorbed in the presence of raisins' phytochemicals. Hazelnut is another combination as it is a rich source of Vitamin E, fibre, copper, potassium, ellagic acid and fibre.

AVOCADOS

Hindi Name – Makhanphal or Roochira

Correspond with: Womb and cervix. Avocado is a fruit, basically the reproductive part of the plant.

How they benefit: Contains good fat and are rich in two phytochemicas — beta-sitosterol and glutathione — that offer protection against cervix cancer.
Combine with: Olives which are also healthy for the reproductive organs.

ORANGES

Correspond with: Mammary glands
How they benefit: Besides being an excellent source for Vitamin C, oranges contain bioflavonoids such as rutin and hesperidin which regulate blood flow to the breasts and retard tumour growth.
Combine with: Small plant of methi in a salad form. The combination is great for protection of the mammary glands.

ONIONS

Correspond with: Body’s cells.

How they benefit: Onions have Vitamin C, betacarotene and certain flavonoids which are known to reduce risk caused due to cancer. The sulphur compound in onions blocks carcinogens (cancer causing genes).

Combine with: Brussels sprouts (from the cauliflowercabbage family). They contain bioflavonoids that retard cancer growth.

Rajkpoor And Nargis - Shree 420

2009-07-26T02:59:00.000-07:00

Almost all love stories in India have their beginning and making in Bollywood ‘saawan’ songs. Every other Bunty-Babli, Raj-Simran, Guddu-Sweety fall in love against the backdrop of trickling rains and the ambience created by a sensuous rain song. Lovers bathe in the visual and musical impact of Hindi songs, in which the drenched, sexy heroine romances a muscle-flexing hero - while raindrops trickle down their bodies.

Bollywood songs on the rainy season have assisted many-a-love-story. But the recent love-story of the elusive and old-fashioned Mr Monsoon and the ‘bindaas’ Miss Rain is truly ‘chatpata’. Here is an eyewitness’ account:

The Love Story

When Mr Monsoon of the nearby ‘Seasons Apartment’, saw Miss Rain of ‘The Sky Building’ for the first time, he was awe-struck. After recovering, he couldn’t help voicing his emotions through: Ek ladki bheegi bhagi si…

(The evergreen track from the film ‘Chalti Ka Naam Gadi (1958)’, starring Madhubala and Kishore Kumar, is hailed as a cult song. Madhubala looks ethereal in a drenched sari and Kishore Kumar is at his comic best.)

However, Miss Rain (who resembles Kareena according to love-smitten Mr Monsoon) was unaware of Mr Monsoon’s interest in her. She was frolicking in rain on top of ‘The Sky’, crooning: Bhaage re mann…

(The song by Sunidhi Chauhan and composed by the lesser known Sandesh Sandilya from ‘Chameli’ (2003), is feisty and fun-filled. As Kareena Kapoor, who plays a prostitute dances with abundance, Rahul Bose looks on with interest.)

Mr Monsoon wanted lady-love to know the critical condition of his heart, so he penned a poem, which was of course not original and hugely borrowed from age-old love song: Zindagi bhar nahi bhulegi wo barsaat ki raat…

(This song from ‘Barsaat Ki Raat’ (1960) by Mohammad Rafi is still remembered for its romance and melody. Its lyrics are by the veteran Sahir Ludhianvi and the song been filmed on Bharat Bhushan and Madhubala.)

Now, the question of a messenger confronted Mr Monsoon and he thought of ‘Bijli - the hot maid’ (no, mind you! He always has honourable intentions for maids unlike some film stars). He asked Bijli to be his messenger and hand over the love letter to Miss Rain. Now, Bijli was too eager to please the sweet Mr Monsoon, who never sought her out like others did. She readily agreed, more so, because she fancied a lad in ‘The Sky Building’. Swaying her body like the hot babes of cinema, she started towards the building, singing the hot number: Tip tip barsa paani…

(This is a typical Bollywood rain song from ‘Mohra’ (1994) in which Raveena Tandon donning a diaphanous saree tries to seduce the impassive Akshay Kumar. Sung by Alka Yagnik, Udit Narayan and composed by Viju Shah, this song continues to top memory charts for its ‘latkas and jhatkas’).

Bijli handed over the letter to Miss Rain, who showed her indignation by tearing it and throwing it on her face. Bijli made faces at her before saying that she shouldn’t be so vain and she will never get such a gentlemanly admirer like Mr Monsoon. Miss Rains closed the door on her face. Meanwhile, Mr Monsoon was listening to the romantic number: Rimjhim gire saawan…

(Composed by R D Burman, this song was beautifully rendered by Kishore Kumar and Lata in ‘Manzil’ (1977). The song has been brilliantly picturised on Amitabh and Moushmi strolling the streets of Mumbai.)

When Bijli returned and pressed the doorbell, Mr Monsoon ran to the door in anticipation. But seeing her crestfallen face, he guessed Miss Rain’s reply. His heart gave a strange lurch, (he thought it was breaking) and he sunk to the ground. Bijli wailed and the neighbours came in and put him on the bed. Mr Monsoon fell love-sick. At that moment, RJ Sangeeta was playing a beautiful number on FM, which worsened Mr Monsoon’s condition: Pyar hua ikraar hua hai…

(This classic from ‘Shri 420’ (1955) is the first song that comes to our mind when we think of a rain number in Bollywood. Composed by Shankar Jaikishan, and sung by Lata Mangeshkar-Manna Dey jodi, it is picturised on the legendary onscreen couple – Raj Kapoor and Nargis.)

On the other hand, Miss Rain couldn’t contain her curiosity; she wanted to read the love letter. So, she assembled the torn bits and read the emotional outburst. The love-letter touched her heart, she got distracted, and so she switched on the TV to get over the uneasiness. On TV, they were showing: Ye saazish hai boondon ki…

(The romantic number from ‘Fanaa’ (2006), is a turning point in the film, where Kajol plays a blind girl and Aamir Khan, a terrorist. Sonu Nigam and Sunidhi Chauhan have rendered the song.)

Miss Rain now wanted to catch a glimpse of her admirer, who sounded so devoted to her. So, she went atop her building again to see what Mr Monsoon looked like. The moment Mr Monsoon saw her there, shyly glancing towards him, he couldn’t help jumping out of bed and dancing to the tunes of: Dum dum diga diga…

(This popular Kalyanji-Anandji song from ‘Chhaliya’ (1960) has been rendered by Mukesh and picturised skillfully on Raj Kapoor.)

The moment their eyes met, it started raining. Miss Rain, who immensely liked the first look of the handsome Mr Monsoon, smiled merrily at him and sang with delight: Barso re megha megha…

(Picturised on Aishwarya in the film ‘Guru’ (2007) the song by Shreya Ghoshal captures the euphoria rain creates.)

Mr Monsoon waved back. Bijli, who was seeing the entire episode, asked Mr Monsoon to scribble date and time on a chart-paper and show it to Miss Rain. Miss Rain saw it and went in without a word. On D-day, Mr Monsoon sat in a park on a bench, singing: Aakhir tumhe aana hai…

(A typical rain-song from the film ‘Yulgaar’ (1992). Rendered by Kumar Sanu and filmed on Nagma and Sanjay Dutt, this song was on the lips of every dandy in town.)

Miss Rain came and the weather changed. It started raining, flowers bloomed, birds chirped and trees danced with delight. There was fragrance and love in the air as the two met. From afar, someone was playing: Rimjhim rimjhim, rumjhum rumjhum…

(This beautiful song by Kumar Sanu and Kavita Krishnamurthy from the film ‘1942 A Love Story’ (1943), is known for its romantic and amazing picturisation. Anil Kapoor and Manisha Koirala looked striking in the song.)

So, this was how Mr Monsoon and Miss Rain fell madly in love. Their love is still growing strong, inspite of stiff opposition from the ‘polluted’ world and its people… but this doesn’t stop the duo from dancing and singing on popular rain songs of Bollywood at every given opportunity: Ghode jaisi chal (Dil to paagal hai)…Ghanan ghanan(Lagaan)…Saawan barse (Dahek) and so on…

Their message to all - Keep drizzling with love!

LOVE & LIFE

2009-06-16T03:59:00.000-07:00

This story tells us something about LOVE & LIFE.

My husband is S/W Engineer by profession, I love him for his steady nature and I love the warm feeling when I lean against his broad shoulders.

Two years of courtship and now, five years into marriage, I would have to admit, that I am getting tired of it. The reasons of me loving him before, has now transformed into the cause of all my restlessness.

I am a sentimental woman and extremely sensitive when it comes to a relationship and my feelings. I yearn for the romantic moments, like a little girl yearning for candy. My husband is my complete opposite; his lack of sensitivity, and the inability of bringing romantic moments into our marriage has disheartened me about LOVE.

One day, I finally decided to tell him my decision, that I wanted a divorce.

"Why?" he asked, shocked.

"I am tired. There are no reasons for everything in the world!" I answered.

He kept silent the whole night, seemingly in deep thought. My feeling of disappointment only increased. Here was a man who was not able to even express his predicament, so what else could I expect from him?

And finally he asked me: "What can I do to change your mind?"

Somebody said it right... It's hard to change a person's personality, and I guess, I have started losing faith in him.

Looking deep into his eyes I slowly answered: "Here is the question. If you can answer and convince my heart, I will change my mind.

Let's say, I want a flower located on the face of a mountain cliff, and we both are sure that picking the flower will cause your death. Will you do it for me?"

He said: "I will give you your answer tomorrow...." My hopes just sank by listening to his response.

I woke up the next morning to find him gone, and saw a piece of paper with his scratchy handwriting underneath a milk glass, on the dining table near the front door, that goes....

My dear, "I would not pick that flower for you, but....please allow me to explain the reasons further.....

This first line was already breaking my heart. I continued reading.

"When you use the computer you always mess up the Software programs, and you cry in front of the screen. I have to save my fingers so that I can help to restore the programs.

You always leave the house keys behind, thus I have to save my legs to rush home to open the door for you.

You love traveling but always lose your way in a new city. I have to save my eyes to show you the way.

You always have the cramps whenever your "good friend" approaches every month. I have to save my palms so that I can calm the cramps in your tummy.

You like to stay indoors, and I worry that you will be infected by infantile autism. I have to save my mouth to tell you jokes and stories to cure your boredom.

You always stare at the computer, and that will do nothing good for your eyes. I have to save my eyes so that when we grow old, I can help to clip your nails and help to remove those annoying white hairs. So I can also hold your hand while strolling down the beach, as you enjoy the sunshine and the beautiful sand...and tell you the colour of flowers, just like the colour of the glow on your young face...

Thus, my dear, unless I am sure that there is someone who loves you more than I do... I could not pick that flower yet, and die ... "

My tears fell on the letter, and blurred the ink of his handwriting. .. And as I continue on reading... "Now, that you have finished reading my answer, and if you are satisfied, please open the front door for I am standing outside bringing your favorite bread and fresh milk...

I rushed to pull open the door, and saw his anxious face, clutching tightly with his hands, the milk bottle and loaf of bread....Now I am very sure that no one will ever love me as much as he does, and I have decided to leave the flower alone...

That's LIFE, and LOVE. When one is surrounded by love, the feeling of excitement fades away, and one tends to ignore the true love that lies in between the peace and dullness.

Love shows up in all forms; even in very small and cheeky forms. It has never been a model. It could be the dullest and most boring form ...

Flowers, and romantic moments are only used and appear on the surface of the relationship. Under all this, the pillar of true love stands... AND THAT'S LIFE

The Master

2009-04-19T21:42:00.000-07:00

When one Guru was dying, one of his deciple asked him "Guruji, who was your master?"He said, "I had thousands of masters. If I just relate their names it will take months, years and it is too late. But three masters I will certainly tell you about.

One was a thief. Once I got lost in the desert, and when I reached a village it was very late, everything was closed. But at last I found one man who was trying to make a hole in t he wall of a house. I asked him where I could stay and he said 'At this time of night it will be difficult, but you can say with me - if you can stay with a thief'.And the man was so beautiful. I stayed for one month! And each night he would say to me, 'Now I am going to my work. You rest, you pray.' When he came back I would ask 'Could you get anything?' He would say, 'Not tonight. But tomorrow I will try again, God willing.' He was never in a state of hopelessness, he was always happy.

When I was meditating and meditating for years on end and nothing was happening, many times the moment came when I was so desperate, so hopeless,that I thought to stop all this nonsense. And suddenly I would remember the thief who would say every night, 'God willing, tomorrow it is going to happen.'

And my second master was a dog. I was going to the river, thirsty and a dog came. He was also thirsty. He looked into the river, he saw another dog there -- his own image -- and became afraid. He would bard and run away, but his thirst was so much that he would come back. Finally, despite his fear, he just jumped into the water, and the image disappeared. And I knew that a message had come to me from God: one has to jump in spite of all fears.

And the third master was a small child. I entered a town and a child was carrying a lit candle. He was going to the mosque to put the candle there.

'Just joking,' I asked the boy, 'Have you lit the candle yourself?' He said,

'Yes sir.' And I asked, 'There was a moment when the candle was unlit, then there was a moment when the candle was lit. Can you show me the source from which the light came?' And the boy laughed, blew out the candle, and said, 'Now you have seen the light going. Where has it gone? You will tell me!'

My ego was shattered, my whole knowledge was shattered. And that moment I felt my own stupidity. Since then I dropped all my knowledgeability.

It is true that I had no master. That does not mean that I was not a disciple

-- I accepted the whole existence as my master. My Disciplehood was a greater involvement than yours is. I trusted the clouds, the trees. I trusted existence as such. I had no master because I had millions of masters I learned from every possible source. To be a disciple is a must on the path. What does it mean to be a disciple? It means to be able to learn. To be available to learn to be vulnerable to existence. With a master you start learning to learn.

The master is a swimming pool where you can learn how to swim. Once you have learned, all the oceans are yours."

WET PANTS

2009-03-10T05:08:00.000-07:00

Come with me to a third grade classroom... ..

There is a nine-year-old kid sitting at his desk and all of a sudden, there is a puddle between his feet and the front of his pants are wet.

He thinks his heart is going to stop because he cannot possibly imagine how this has happened. It's never happened before, and he knows that when the boys find out he will never hear the end of it..

When the girls find out, they'll never speak to him again as long as he lives.

The boy believes his heart is going to stop; he puts his head down and prays this prayer, "Dear God, this is an emergency! I need help now! Five minutes from now I'm dead meat."

He looks up from his prayer and here comes the teacher with a look in her eyes that says he has been discovered.

As the teacher is walking toward him, a classmate named Susie is carrying a goldfish bowl that is filled with water. Susie trips in front of the teacher and inexplicably dumps the bowl of water in the boy's lap.

The boy pretends to be angry, but all the while is saying to himself,

"Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord!"

Now all of a sudden, instead of being the object of ridicule, the boy is the object of sympathy. The teacher rushes him downstairs and gives him gym shorts to put on while his pants dry out.

All the other children are on their hands and knees cleaning up around his desk. The sympathy is wonderful. But as life would have it, the ridicule that should have been his has been transferred to someone else - Susie.

She tries to help, but they tell her to get out. "You've done enough, you klutz! "

Finally, at the end of the day, as they are waiting for the bus, the boy walks over to Susie and whispers, "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

Susie whispers back, "I wet my pants once too."

May God help us see the opportunities that are always around us to do good.

Each and everyone one of us are going through tough times right now, but God is getting ready to bless you in a way that only He can.

********

Keep the faith.

"When God Answers your Prayer He is increasing your Faith,

When He delays, He is increasing your Patience,

When He Don't Give U Anything,

He has Something BETTER"

A Nice Story about Love

2009-02-06T01:50:00.000-08:00

A Nice Article about Love
-by Swami Vivekananda

I once had a friend who grew to be very close to me. Once when we were sitting at the edge of a swimming pool, she filled the palm of her hand with some water and held it before me, and said this: "You see this water carefully contained on my hand? It symbolizes Love."

This was how I saw it: As long as you keep your hand caringly open and allow it to remain there, it will always be there. However, if you attempt to close your fingers round it and try to posses it, it will spill through the first cracks it finds.

This is the greatest mistake that people do when they meet love...they try to posses it, they demand, they expect... And just like the water spilling out of your hand, love will retrieve from you .

For love is meant to be free, you cannot change its nature. If there are people you love, allow them to be free beings.

Give and don't expect.Advise, but don't order.Ask, but never demand.

It might sound simple, but it is a lesson that may take a lifetime to truly practice. It is the secret to true love. To truly practice it, you must sincerely feel no expectations from those who you love, and yet an unconditional caring."

Passing thought... Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take; but by the moments that take our breath away.....

Life is beautiful!!! Live it !!!

19 HORSES

2009-02-06T01:44:00.000-08:00

One rich man owned 19 horses when he died. In his last will and teastament he had written that upon his death, half the horses he owned should go to his only son; one fourth to the village temple and one fifth to the faithful servant.

The village elders could not stop scratching their heads. How can they give half of the 19 horses to the son? You cannot cut up a horse. They puzzled over this dilemma for more than two weeks and then decided to send for a wise man who was living in a neighbouring village.

The wise man came riding on his horse and asked the villagers if he can be of any help to them. The village elders told him about the rich man's last will and testament which stated that half of the (19) horses must be given to his only son, one fourth must go to the temple and one fifth to the faithful servant.

The wise man said he will immediately solve their problem without any delay whatsoever. He had the 19 horses placed in a row standing next to one another. Then he added his own horse as the 20 th horse. Now he went about giving half of the 20 horses – that is ten horses to the son. One fourth of 20- that is 5 horses were given to the temple committee. One fifth of twenty- that is 4 horses were given to the faithful servant. Ten plus five plus four made 19 horses. The remaining 20 th horse was his own which he promptly mounted, spoke a few inspiring words, and rode back home.

The villagers were simply dumfounded, full of disbelief and filled with admiration. And the parting words of the wise man were inscribed in their hearts and minds which they greatly cherished and passed on to their succeeding generations till today.

The wise man said: In our daily lives, in our daily affairs, simply add God's name and then go about facing the day's happenings. Ever come across problems in life that are seemingly insurmountable? (Like the villagers, do we feel that such problems cannot be solved?).

The wise man continued: Add the God Principle in our daily lives and the problems will become lighter and eventually will disappear. In the manner of the ice which, with the addition of the heat principle will turn into water, and that will eventually evaporate as steam and disappear. And how do we add God's name in our daily lives? Through prayers, filled with true love and devotion with sincerity of purpose and dedication that only total faith can bring about. Meditation is a powerful means of directing the mind Godward.

But without true love and devotion entering into it, it remains like a boat without water. It is not difficult to push a boat that is floating in water, but extremely hard to drag the same boat on dry land.

In the same way, if our life's boat floats on the waters of true love and devotion, we can sail easily in it. The principle of love of God and devotion with total faith, (like water) makes easy the voyage of our lives. When the mind is pure and the heart full of simplicity and holiness, such a devotee becomes an instrument in the service of the Lord.

The Tailor's Needle

2008-12-05T03:06:00.000-08:00

A tailor was at work. He took a piece of cloth and with a pair of shining, costly, scissors, he cut the cloth into various bits.

Then he put the pair of scissors at his feet. Then he took a small needle and thread and started to sew the bits of cloth, into a fine shirt. When the spell of sewing was over, he stuck the needle on to his turban. The tailor's son who was watching it asked him: "Father, the scissors are costly and look so beautiful. But you throw them down at your feet. This needle is worth almost nothing; you can get a dozen for an Anna. Yet, you place it carefully on your head itself. Is there any reason for this illogical Behaviour?"

"Yes, my son. The scissors have their function, no doubt; but they only cut the cloth into bits. The needle, on the contrary, unites the bits and enhances the value of the cloth. Therefore, the needle to me is more precious and valuable. The value of a thing depends on its utility, son, not on its cost-price or appearance."

Similarly, there are two classes of people in the world-those who create dissensions and disharmony, who separate man from man; and those who bring about peace and harmony, who unite people.

*******

The former are generally the rich people, powerful politicians and kings; the latter are generally the poor devotees of God, the penniless wandering monks, and mendicants. The Lord makes use of both to carry on his function of providing the field for the evolution of individual souls. He throws down on the dust the mighty kings and millionaires who create wars and disharmony; and He keeps the poor, pious devotee over His own head. In His eyes the scale of values is entirely different!

A date !

2008-11-27T08:13:00.000-08:00

After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie.

She said I love you but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spend some time with you.

The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my MOTHER, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally.

That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie.

"What's wrong, are you well," she asked? My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news."

I thought that it would be pleasant to be with you," I responded. "Just the two of us.

"She thought about it for a moment, and then said, "I would like that very much.

"That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary.

She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel's.

"I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed, "she said, as she got into the car. "They can't wait to hear about our meeting".

We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat down,

I had to read the menu. Large print. Half way through the entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips.

"It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small," she said.

"Then it's time that you relax and let me return the favor," I responded.

During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation - nothing extraordinary, but catching up on recent events of each other's life. We talked so much that we missed the movie.

As we arrived at her house later, she said, "I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you." I agreed."

How was your dinner date?" asked my wife when I got home. "Very nice. Much more so than I could have imagined," I answered.

A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I did to do anything for her.

Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place mother and I had dined.

An attached note said: "I paid this bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two plates - one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I love you, son.

"At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: "I LOVE YOU!" and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve.

Nothing in life is more important than God and your family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till "some other time."

**********

Pass this along to everyone with an aging parent, to a child, to an adult, to anyone with a parent. Here's hoping today is better than yesterday and tomorrow.

Devil's most 'used' instrument

2008-11-27T08:11:00.000-08:00

It was advertised that the devil was going to put his tools up for sale. On the date of the sale, the tools were placed for public inspection; each tool being marked with its sale price.

They were a treacherous lot of implements.. . Hatred, Envy, Jealousy, Deceit, Lying, Pride, and so on.

Laid apart from the rest was a harmless looking tool, that appeared to have been heavily used, and was priced very high.

"What is the name of this tool?" asked one of the purchasers, pointing to it. "That is Discouragement," replied the devil.

"Why have you priced it so high?"

"Because it is more useful to me than all the others. I can pry open and get inside people's hearts with that when I cannot get near them with my other tools. Once I get inside, I can make them do what I choose. It is badly worn because I use it on almost everyone, since very few people know that it belongs to me."

Never get discouraged! Keep your head up keep the faith!

The Richest Man In The Valley

2008-11-27T08:08:00.000-08:00

A rich landowner named Carl often rode around his vast estate so he could congratulate himself on his great wealth.

One day while riding around his estate on his favorite horse, he saw Hans, an old tenant farmer. Hans was sitting under a tree when Carl rode by.

Hans said, 'I was just thanking God for my food.'Carl protested, 'If that is all I had to eat, I wouldn't feel like giving thanks.'Hans replied, 'God has given me everything I need, and I am thankful for it.'

The old farmer added, 'It is strange you should come by today because I had a dream last night. In my dream a voice told me, 'The richest man in the valley will die tonight.' I don't know what it means, but I thought I ought to tell you.'

Carl snorted, 'Dreams are nonsense,' and galloped away, but he could not forget Hans' words: 'The richest man in the valley will die tonight.'

He was obviously the richest man in the valley, so he invited his doctor to his house that evening.

Carl told the doctor what Hans had said. After a thorough examination, the doctor told the wealthy landowner, 'Carl, you are as strong and healthy as a horse. There is no way you are going to die tonight.'

Nevertheless, for assurance, the doctor stayed with Carl, and they played cards through the night.

The doctor left the next morning and Carl apologized for becoming so upset over the old man's dream.

At about nine o'clock, a messenger arrived at Carl's door.'What is it?' Carl demanded.

The messenger explained, 'It's about old Hans. He died last night in his sleep.

'*******

Being rich has nothing to do with money or possessions. But it has everything to do with having a relationship with God.

Five More Minutes.

2008-11-22T03:39:00.000-08:00

While at the park one day, a woman sat down next to a man on a bench near a playground. That's my son over there, she said, pointing to a little boy in a red sweater who was gliding down the slide.

He's a fine looking boy, the man said. That's my son on the swing in the blue sweater. Then, looking at his watch, he called to his son. What do you say we go, Todd

Todd pleaded, Just five more minutes, Dad. Please Just five more minutes. The man nodded and Todd continued to swing to his heart's content.

Minutes passed and the father stood and called again to his son. Time to go now Again Todd pleaded, Five more minutes, Dad. Just five more minutes.

The man smiled and said, O.K.

My, you certainly are a patient father, the woman responded.

The man smiled and then said, My older son Tommy was killed by a drunk driver last year while he was riding his bike near here. I never spent much time with Tommy and now I'd give anything for just five more minutes with him. I've vowed not to make the same mistake with Todd. He thinks he has five more minutes to swing. The truth is, I get Five more minutes to watch

Modern Panchtantra Story

2008-11-22T03:33:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time, there was a software engineer who used to develop programs on his Pentium machine, sitting under a tree on the banks of a river. He used to earn his bread by selling those programs in the Sunday market.

One day, while he was working, his machine tumbled off the table and fell in the river. Encouraged by the Panchatantra story of his childhood (the woodcutter and the axe),

He started praying to the River Goddess. The River Goddess wanted to test him and so appeared only after one month of rigorous prayers. The engineer told her that he had lost his computer in the river.

As usual, the Goddess wanted to test his honesty. She showed him a match box and asked, "Is this your computer ?" Disappointed by the Goddess' lack of computer awareness, the engineer replied, "No."

She next showed him a pocket-sized calculator and asked if that was his.

Annoyed, the engineer said "No, not at all!!"

Finally, she came up with his own Pentium machine and asked if it was his.

The engineer, left with no option, sighed and said "Yes."

The River Goddess was happy with his honesty. She was about to give

Him all three items, but before she could make the offer, the engineer

Asked her, "Don't you know that you're supposed to show me some better computers before bringing up my own ?"

The River Goddess, angered at this, replied, "I know that, you stupid donkey! The first two things I showed you were the Trillennium and the Billennium, the latest computers from IBM !". So saying, she disappeared with the Pentium!!

********
Moral :

If you're not up-to-date with technology trends, it's better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you're a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.

Confidence & Self Esteem

2008-11-22T03:25:00.001-08:00

Confidence and Self-Esteem were best friends. They went everywhere together. If Confidence bought a new dress, Self-Esteem bought one just like it. They were very close.

One day a new kid came to their school. His name was Peer Pressure. He had a friend called Hateful Words. They decided to give Confidence a hard time.

They constantly teased her. They forced her to do terrible things. It was so terrible that Confidence lost Self-Esteem. When Self-Esteem wanted to start some classes, Confidence said they wouldn't be any good.

Then one day, Peer Pressure introduced Confidence to Doubt. He wanted to ruin Confidence, but Peer Pressure said he couldn't yet. Self Esteem couldn't understand what was wrong with Confidence. Confidence now hung around with Depression, Low Self-Esteem, and Overeating.

These girls were friends of Peer Pressure. Self-Esteem no longer had any friends. She no longer felt good about herself. She went to see her Imaam. Imaam Good Words told her how to talk to Confidence. He introduced her to his daughter, Encouragement.

Encouragement and Self-Esteem went to find Confidence. Self Esteem hoped she wasn't too late. The girls found Confidence in a stupor. She was no longer a vibrant, happy young girl. There were dark circles under her eyes. She had gained so much weight from eating that she couldn't move.

Encouragement gasped and Self-Esteem cried. She begged Encouragement to do something.

Encouragement began to hug Confidence. She kissed her and loved her. She told her that she was a beautiful young lady who had a lot going for her.

Encouragement held Confidence so tightly that Self-Esteem thought she would smother her. Confidence began to cry. As she cried, she seemed to lose weight. Then a bright light suddenly glowed from Confidence and she began to smile.

Peer Pressure and his friends didn't like what Encouragement was doing and tried to attack her. They hit at her and pulled at her, but they couldn't pull her away from Confidence. Then Confidence began to speak.

"Get away from me, Peer Pressure. Take your friends and go. You no longer have any power over me." Confidence was now a glowing light. She and her friends made sure that Peer Pressure and his gang never bothered anyone in their town again.

***********

If you feel that Encouragement is not your friend, then try to find Encouragement in yourself. Self-Esteem and Confidence will follow.

What is on the other side?

2008-11-22T03:23:00.000-08:00

A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was preparing to leave the examination room and said, with tears in his eyes, "Doctor, I am afraid to die, please tell me what is on the other side?"

Very quietly, the doctor said, "I don't know"

"You don't know?" said the sick man, "How come you don't know what is on the other side?"

The doctor was holding the handle of the door.

On the other side of the door, there was a sound of scratching and whining. As he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.

Turning to the patient, the doctor said, "Did you notice my dog? It has never been in this room before; it didn't know what was inside except that its master was here.

When the door opened, it sprang in without fear.

We don't know what is on the other side of death, but we know that our Master is there and that is quite enough".

Boy and Tree

2008-11-11T02:44:00.000-08:00

There was one time a very young boy, who used to spend time playing by a tree.

One day he got bored and he said to the tree, "I'm bored, I've played with these toys too many times!"

The tree replied, "OK, you can climb up on me and play on my branches."

The boy got really happy with this suggestion and he had a lot of fun playing and sitting high up, on the branches of the tree.

When he started school, he spent more time away from the tree, but one day he came back to it, and the tree was overjoyed to see its young companion, and it encouraged him to climb on, but he refused.

"My clothes are going to get dirty if I climb up on you."So the tree thought for a while, and said, "OK, bring a rope and tie it to me, and you can use my branches as a swing."

The boy liked that idea, so he did that too, and would come back every other day to sit for a while on that swing.

Whenever he used to get hot, the tree told him to rest in its shade.

As he got older, and moved on to college, times became harder on him and he ran short of food, so he went back to the tree which he had stopped visiting for a long time.

The tree recognised him immediately and welcomed him, but he was hungry and complained to the tree, "I don't have any food to eat, my stomach is cringing with hunger."

So the tree said, "Pull down my branches and take off the fruit, and fill yourself up."

The young guy didn't even hesitate, but jumped up and tore off one of the smaller branches and ate to his fill.

Over the weeks, he tore off all the branches and ate all the fruit.

After the fruits had all gone, he went away and didn't come back to the tree.

When he reached his middle ages, he came back to the tree and said to it, "I have been very successful in life.

I have earned a lot of money, I have a huge house and I have found a great wife.

Now I want to travel and see the world."

The tree was now very old, but to help its long time companion, it didn't wait, and said, "Bring a saw, cut off my trunk and make a boat. Then you will see the wonders of the world."

So again, without hesitation the man cut down the tree.

The same tree which he had played on, ate its fruit, laid in its shade; he cut it down and made a boat.

As soon as it was finished, he sailed away and wasn't seen by his people again.

One day, an old man, walked past the tree.

It hadnt recovered from the time he had cut it down. He went up to the tree, but didn't say anything.

He felt the tears coming down from his eyes.

This time the tree spoke in a faint voice, "I'm sorry. I don't have a trunk for you to climb, nor fruit for you to eat, nor branches of shade for you to lie in. All I have now are my deep roots."

The old man whispered, "That's fine. Tree roots are the best place to lie down, snuggle up and sleep after a long life."

The tree symbolizes our parents, and the boy symbolizes us.

The moral of the story is that we make use of our parents like tissue, and use them all up, and don't even give thanks, but they stay with us till the very end.

The bowl

2008-11-11T02:42:00.000-08:00

A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead.

He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.

After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble.

At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight.When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side.

When he was close enough, he called out, "Excuse me, where are we?"?"This is Heaven, sir," the man answered.

"Wow! Would you happen to have some water?" the man asked."Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up."

The man gestured, and the gate began to open. "Can my friend," gesturing toward his dog, "come in, too?" the traveler asked.? I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets."

The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog.

After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence.

As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book. "Excuse me!" he called to the man. "Do you have any water?"? "Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on in."

"How about my friend here?" the traveler gestured to the dog.? "There should be a bowl by the pump." They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it.

The traveler filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, then he gave some to the dog.

When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree.?

"What do you call this place?" the traveler asked.

"This is Heaven," he answered.

"Well, that's confusing," the traveler said. "The man down the road said that was Heaven, too."

"Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's hell."

"Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?"

"No, we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind."

MOUSE TRAP STORY

2008-11-11T02:40:00.000-08:00

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.

What food might this contain? The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.

Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning : There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. " "I cannot be bothered by it."

The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The pig sympathized, but said, I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. "Be assured you are in my prayers."

The mouse turned to the cow and said "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose." So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap alone.

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught.

The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital, and she returned home with a fever.

Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient.

But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.

The farmer's wife did not get well; she died.

So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.

The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.

So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember -- when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk.

We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.

SEND THIS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS EVER HELPED YOU OUT AND LET THEM KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE.

REMEMBER,,,, EACH OF US IS A VITAL THREAD IN ANOTHER PERSON'S TAPESTRY; OUR LIVES ARE WOVEN TOGETHER FOR A REASON.

The Fork

2008-11-11T02:37:00.000-08:00

There was a woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things "in order", she contacted her pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in.

The woman also requested to be buried with her favorite Bible.

Everything was in order and the pastor was preparing to leave when the woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.

"There's one more thing," she said excitedly.

"What's that?" came the pastor's reply.

"This is very important," the woman continued. "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand."

The pastor didn't know what to say. "That surprises you, doesn't it?" the woman asked.

"Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the pastor.

The woman explained. "In all my years of attending church socials and potluck dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork'.

It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming... Like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance. So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder, 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to tell them : "Keep your fork...the best is yet to come".

The pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the woman the last time he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She KNEW that something better was coming.

At the funeral people were walking by the woman's casket and they saw the pretty dress she was wearing, her favorite Bible and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the pastor heard the question, "What's with the fork?" And over and over he smiled. During his message, the pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the woman about what it symbolized to her.

The pastor told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either. He was right.

So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you, oh so gently, that the best is yet to come.

What do we build in our lives?

2008-11-04T20:41:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time two brothers, who lived on adjoining farms, fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed without a conflict.

Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.

One morning there was a knock on John's door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's tool box.

"I'm looking for a few days' work" he said. "Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there I could help with? Could I help you?" "Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for you."

"Look across the creek at that farm. That's my neighbor; in fact, it's my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I'll do him one better."

"See that pile of lumber by the barn? I want you to build me a fence --an 8-foot fence -- so I won't need to see his place or his face anymore."

The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the post-hole digger and I'll be able to do a job that pleases you."

The older brother had to go to town, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day.

The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing.

About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job.

The farmer's eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge -- a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work, handrails and all -- and the neighbor, his younger brother, was coming toward them, his hand outstretched. "You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I've said and done."

The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other's hand.

They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox onto his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days. I've a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother.

"I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, but I have many more bridges to build.