Life

 

Be done with it

Once, a wise man held a seminar to teach people how to get rid of sorrows in their life.

Many people gathered to hear the wise man’s words.

The man entered the room and told a hilarious joke to the crowd. The crowd roared in laughter.

After a couple of minutes, he told the same joke, and only a few of them smiled.

When he told the joke for the third time, no one smiled anymore.

The wise man smiled and said, “You can’t laugh at the same joke over and over. So why do you cry over the same problem over and over?”

FRUIT OF DEEDS

 

Fruit of deeds

One day Shankar and Parvati went on a tour. 

On the way they noticed that many children were swimming in a pond, but one child was sad and sitting alone.

Parvati asked Shankar, “Why is this child sad?”

Shankar said, “Look at the child carefully.”

Parvati saw that the child did not have both hands, because of which he was unable to swim.

Parvati requested Shankar to give hands to this child using His power so that he can swim too.

Shankar  said, “We cannot interfere in anyone's work because every soul faces the consequences of his deeds.”

On repeated requests by Parvati, Shankar gave him hands. That boy also started swimming in the water.

After a week, Shankar and Parvati passed from there again. This time the case was reversed, only that kid was swimming and all the other kids were outside.

“Did you see that?” Parvati asked in a worried tone. “That boy is drowning the kids in the water and so they all are running.”

Shankar replied, “Every person bears the fruits according to his deeds. God is not responsible for anyone's deeds.”

He did the same thing by hands in previous lives so he did not have hands.

He has started harming others again by using hands.

Nature works according to the rules, no bias with anyone.

 

According to the deeds, someone is handicapped, someone is beggar, someone is poor, someone is rich but everyone is changeable.

If someone does bad deeds today while living in palaces or in the intoxication of money, then he will have to pay for it tomorrow.

 

 

An incident from the life of Amitabh Bachchan

 Be humble, it costs nothing.

This incident is from the life of Amitabh Bachchan.

It was narrated by him.

Amitabh Bachchan says.....

At the peak of my career, I was once travelling by plane. The passenger next to me was elderly gentleman dressed in a simple shirt and pants. He appeared to be middle class and well educated.

Other passengers perhaps recognised who I was but this gentleman appeared to be unconcerned about my presence. He was reading his paper, looking out of the window, and when tea was served, he sipped it quietly.

Trying to strike a conversation with him I smiled.

The man courteously smiled back and said “Hello”.

We got talking and I brought up the subject of cinema and movies and asked, “Do you watch films?”

The man replied, “Oh, very few. I did see one many years ago.”

I mentioned that I worked in movie industry.

The man replied, “Oh that’s nice. What do you do?”

I replied, “I am an actor.”

The man nodded, “Oh that’s wonderful!”

And that was it.....

When we landed, I held out my hand and said, “It was good to travel with you. By the way my name is Amitabh Bachchan.”

The man shook my hand and said, “Thank you. Nice to have met you. I am J.R.D. Tata.”

I was stunned at his reply.

I learned on that day that no matter how big you think you are, there is always someone bigger.

J.R.D. Tata, a business icon taught me a lesson for life.

“Be humble, it costs nothing.”

We meet a lot of people in life. But few leave a permanent memory. All we need to do is respect and accept.

Goddess Durga

 Durga

Goddess Durga, (Maa Shakti or Devi Maa) is the protective mother of the universe.

She is one of the most popular deities, a protector of all that is good and harmonious in the world.

Sitting astride a lion or tiger, the multi-limbed Maa Durga battles the forces of evil in the world.

In Sanskrit, Durga means "a fort" or "a place that is difficult to overrun," an apt metaphor for this deity's protective, militant nature.

Maa Durga is sometimes referred to as Durgatinashini, which literally translates into "the one who eliminates sufferings."

As major gods and goddesses have multiple incarnations, Durga is no different; among her many avatars are Kali, Bhagvati, Bhavani, Ambika, Lalita, Gauri, Kandalini, Java, and Rajeswari.

When Durga appears as herself, she manifests in one of nine appellations or forms: Skandamata, Kusumanda, Shailaputri, Kaalratri, Brahmacharini, Maha Gauri, Katyayani, Chandraghanta, and Siddhidatri. Collectively known as the Navadurga.

Befitting her role as mother protector, Maa Durga is multi-limbed so that she may always be ready to battle evil from any direction.

In most depictions, she has between eighteen arms and holds a symbolic object in each hand.

Durga carries a variety of weapons and other items that she uses in her fight against evil. Each has a symbolic meaning.

Maa Durga is frequently depicted standing atop or riding a tiger or lion, which represents power, will, and determination.

In riding this fearsome beast, Maa Durga symbolizes her mastery over all these qualities. Her bold pose is called Abhay Mudra, which means "freedom from fear."

 

 

FESTIVALS

 

NAVARATRI

During the festival of Navratri, Hindus celebrate the goddess Durga’s victory over the evil Mahishasura. It is said that Lord Brahma, who is the creator among trinity, had bestowed Mahishasura the gift of immortality, ensuring that he would never die. Nevertheless, this boon has one condition the one who would be able to defeat Mahishasura would be a woman. Mahishasura accepted the gift happily as he didn’t believe any woman could kill him. However, after passage of some years, no deity was able to stop Mahishasura and his followers from attacking humanity on Earth as they became stronger over time.  After seeing this situation, the three most powerful Hindu gods—Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva decided to unite and create the goddess Durga, who will be powerful and strong enough to defeat Mahishasura. To defeat Mahishasura, the gods gave lots of weapons to the Goddess Durga before going for the battle.

The demon fought with Goddess Durga for ten days. These ten days were really difficult for Goddess Durga. During these days, Mahishasura constantly changed his form to mislead the goddess Durga. But when he at last transformed into a buffalo, Goddess Durga was able to win over him. Hence, this way, Goddess Durga defeated Mahishasura and got victory over the demons.

During these nine days of Navratri, some devotees also observe fast. The nine colours of Navratri have great significance. They symbolise nine incarnations of the Goddess. There is a lot of dancing that is Garba done during the festivities as well! Some people also do Dandiya Raas during Navratri. From elders to youngsters, all enjoy these nine days of Navratri with full joy and excitement.

Words Worth Reading

                             The 5 Ws of life

 WHO you are is what makes you special.

Do not change for anyone.

 WHAT lies ahead will always be a mystery.

Do not afraid to explore.

 WHEN life pushes you over, you push back harder.

 WHERE there are choices to make, make the one you won’t regret.

 WHY things happen will never be certain.

Take it in stride and move forward.

STORY FROM PANCHATANTRA

 The Frozen Snake

A man was returning home from work one cold winter evening, when he saw something black on the ground.

It was a snake.

The snake appeared frozen.

Feeling sorry for the reptile, the man wrapped it in his blanket to keep it warm.

When he reached home, he set the snake gently down before the fire so that it will feel warm.

The man’s children were excited and waited around the snake and watched it gradually come back to life. 

Wanting to help the snake recover faster, the man’s youngest son bent down to stroke it.

However, the snake raised its head, bared its fangs and was about to strike the boy when the man struck it with his axe.

Moral of the Story: Don’t expect a snake to change its nature.There are some who never change their nature, regardless of how good we behave with them. Always stay alert and maintain the distance from those who only think about their benefits.

A KING'S PAINTING

 

A king’s painting

 Once upon a time, there was a Kingdom.

The king there only had one leg and one eye, but he was very intelligent and kind.

Everyone in his kingdom lived a happy and a healthy life because of their king.

One day the king was walking through the palace hallway and saw the portraits of his ancestors.

He thought that one day his children will walk in the same hallway and remember all the ancestors through these portraits.

But, the king did not have his portrait painted.

Due to his physical disabilities, he wasn’t sure how his painting would turn out.

So he invited many famous painters from his and other kingdoms to the court.

The king then announced that he wants a beautiful portrait made of himself to be placed in the palace.

Any painter who can carry out this should come forward.

He will be rewarded based on how the painting turns up.

All of the painters began to think that the king only has one leg and one eye.

How can his picture be made very beautiful?

It is not possible and if the picture does not turn out to look beautiful then the king will get angry and punish them.

So one by one, all started to make excuses and politely declined to make a painting of the king.

But suddenly one painter raised his hand and said, “I will make a very beautiful portrait of you which you will surely like.”

The king became happy hearing that and other painters got curious. The king gave him the permission and the painter started drawing the portrait.

He then filled the drawing with paints.

Finally, after taking a long time, he said that the portrait was ready!

All of the courtiers, other painters were curious and nervous thinking, how can the painter make the king’s portrait beautiful because the king is physically disabled?

What if the king didn’t like the painting and gets angry?

But when the painter presented the portrait, everyone in the court, including the king, left stunned.

The painter made a portrait in which the king was sitting on the horse, on the one-leg side, holding his bow and aiming the arrow with his one eye closed.

The king was very pleased to see that the painter has made a beautiful portrait by cleverly hiding the king’s disabilities. The King gave him a great reward.

 

Moral: We should always think positive of others and ignore their deficiencies. We should learn to focus on the good things instead of trying to hide weaknesses. If we think and approach positively even in a negative situation, then we will be able to solve our problems more efficiently.

 

Meet the scientist Marie Curie

 

I am Marie Curie

 

     I am Marie Curie, a scientist. I was born in Warsaw, Poland on 7th November, 1867. My original name was Maria Sklodowska, but my family called me Manya. My parents were both teachers. My dad taught me Maths and Physics. I was a very bright student, had a sharp memory, and did very well in my school.

     As I grew up my family started facing troubles and tough times. This was because Poland was under the control of Russia at that time. We were not allowed to read and write anything in Polish language. My father lost his job because he supported the Polish rule. When I was ten years old my dear elder sister, Zofia, became sick and died of Typhus disease. Two years later my mother also died from tuberculosis. This was a difficult time for me.

     After graduating from high school, I wanted to attend a university. But this wasn't something that young women did in Poland in the 1800s because the university was only for men. However, there was a famous university in Paris, France called the Sorbonne where women could study. But I did not have money to go there. Somehow I started working and arranged the money for my studies. After three years I got my degree in Physics. Later, I met Pierre Curie. He was also a scientist. We fell in love with each other and got married and soon we had our first child, a daughter named Irene.

     Do you know what scientific achievements I have done when I was alive? No? Then let me tell you. I became fascinated by rays that were recently discovered by scientists Wilhelm Roentgen and Henri Becquerel. Roentgen had discovered X-rays and Becquerel had found rays given off by an element called uranium. I began to do more experiments on them. One day I was examining a material called pitchblende. I expected there to be a few rays from the uranium in pitchblende, but instead I found a lot of rays. I realized that there must be a new, undiscovered element in pitchblende. I and my husband spent many hours in the science lab investigating pitchblende and the new element. We eventually figured out that there were two new elements in pitchblende. So, we had discovered two new elements for the periodic table. I named one of the elements as polonium after my homeland Poland. I named other as radium because it gave off such strong rays. We then came up with the term radioactivity to describe elements that emitted strong rays.

     In 1903, we were awarded with the prestigious Nobel Prize in Physics for our work in radiation. Because of this I became the first woman to be awarded the prize. Later, in 1911 I won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for discovering the two elements, polonium and radium. So I was the first person to be awarded two Nobel Prizes. I became very famous. Scientists came from around the world to study radioactivity with me. Soon doctors found that radiology could help with curing cancer. The Curie Institute in Paris was founded by me in 1921 and is still a major cancer research facility. Finally, I died on 3rd July, 1934. This was because of overexposure to radiation, both from my experiments and from my work with X-ray machines. This is why today there are lots of safety measures to keep scientists from getting overexposed to the rays.

 

Article

 

Comfort zone

 

Our comfort zone is the place we are most at home.

Within our comfort zones, there is little stress and strain.

Many of us are reluctant to move out of our comfort zones.

We feel great in our comfort zones, but that is not where we need to be.

“A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” Getting stuck in a routine is easy to do.

Comfort zones encourage in us an attitude of learned helplessness or hopelessness, making progress or evolution stiffer.

The capability to take risks by marching outside our comfort zone is the rudimentary or primary way by which we grow.

In fact, comfort zones are not really about comfort, they are about anxiety or fear.

We have to break the chains of fear to get outside.

Once we do this, we will learn to enjoy the process of taking risks and growing in the process.

While staying in our comfort zone can result in constant, stable performance, walking out of our comfort zone into a new task can create the conditions for ideal performance.

Learning, creating, growing happen only when we step outside our castle and endeavour into the wilderness.

People who regularly seek out fresh experiences tend to be more productive and emotionally resilient than those who remain stuck in routine.

Innovation or invention happens when we move outside our comfort zone.

Being stagnant in routine often results in plunging creativity or ingenuity.

Brian Tracy rightly said, “Move out of your comfort zone.

You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.”

Whatever goal we are trying to accomplish, no doubt, at some stage we will have to make a move that makes us feel uncomfortable. 

Greatness is found beyond our comfort zones.

 

STORY

 

God dwells in all beings

There lived in a forest a holy man who had many disciples.

One day he taught them to see Narayana(God) in all beings and hence have a reverential attitude towards everyone.

     The disciples once went onto the forest to gather wood for the sacrificial fire.

Suddenly they heard a loud voice warning them, “Get out of the way, a mad elephant is coming”.

All of them except one disciple ran away and took shelter in a safe place.

The disciple reasoned that since the Guru had taught them to see Narayana i.e. God, in every being, the elephant is also God in another form and if so why should he run away from it.

He stood still bowed before the elephant and began to sing its praises.

The mahout of the elephant shouted, “Run away! Run away!” but the disciple didn’t move.

The animal having seized him with his trunk, forcefully threw him on the ground.

     Coming to know what had happened, his teacher (Guru) and brother-disciples came to the spot where he was lying and carried him to the hermitage.

After some first-aid, he soon gained consciousness.

Then the teacher asked him, “You saw the animal coming and also heard the warning, then why didn’t you run away?”

The disciple replied, “Sir you taught us to see God in every being, hence I thought that the animal is also God in another form and hence I didn’t run away.”

Then the teacher corrected him saying, “Yes my child, it is true that the elephant was God in another form but the mahout who was driving the elephant was also God and he instructed you to run away. Since all are manifestations of God, why didn’t you trust the mahout’s words? You should have heeded the words of the mahout God.”

No doubt God dwells in all beings but we should be intimate with all good people and must keep away from evil minded.

For instance, God is also in the tiger, but surely you cannot embrace the tiger on that account.

So always remember to keep safe distance from unholy, unrighteous, wicked and evil persons though God dwells in them as well.

FOLKTALE

 

The story of mice

Folktales convey cultural values in a very subtle manner. They try to bring meaning to life by connecting objects around us and weaving coherent relationships among them that encourage a stable and harmonious society. Most folktales are handed down through generations by oral traditions. They serve the dual purpose of training and engaging the current generation as well as passing the values to the next generation.

Traditionally, communities living around farms in small villages are not exposed to modern educational systems. While they may not be able to explain or understand the world in modern terms, they have a deep understanding of the universe and the interdependence of all human beings. The following story conveys an important message that humans, animals and plants are created to have a harmonious life with mutual dependence. If one lives this way, there can be prosperity and happiness for all; but on the other hand, if interdependency is replaced by competition, it can lead to instability, constant confrontations and unhappiness. This message has a lot more significance when we see the direction the modern world is going in --- selfish with the desire to help only those that benefit us.

 

Once upon a time, there was a young couple who lived in a forest. They were farmers; they worked hard to get their land ready for the crop they wanted to sow for their own consumption. But, just as they were about to saw the seeds, they realized that they did not have any. The farmer’s wife suggested that they go to the gods to seek help.

The man went to the land of gods and requested some seeds. The gods said they did not need any food grown on their land and did not stock seeds. Disappointed by the answer, the man returned to Earth and wandered around in search of seeds.

The man met an old lizard and explained his situation. The lizard, who lives on rocks and in deserts, suggested that he should try his luck with a crab, who lives near water bodies. The distressed man asked the crab for seeds. The crab suggested he go to the boar who digs for food. The boar, in turn, directed him to the tiger, the head of the forest. The tiger promptly said,”I hunt other animals and don’t eat any plants.” He suggested the man should ask the squirrel who lives on nuts and fruits.

The man approached a squirrel and for the first time, he found direct help. The squirrel showed the man a variety of seeds that he had hoarded. Unfortunately, all those seeds were from huge trees and none of them were suitable to grow grains and vegetables.

With a heavy heart, the man walked away in despair. On his way, a mouse encountered him and enquired why he was so sad. Upon hearing the man’s story, the mouse gleefully led him to his abode and shared his large collection of vegetable and grain seeds. The man was overwhelmed with joy and was grateful to the mouse for sharing the bounty. The man took some seeds, profusely thanked the mouse and promised the mouse that after his crop was harvested, he would definitely give the mouse some seeds as a return for the flavour.

      The man took the seeds and planted them. Time passed and he had one bumper crop after another and enjoyed his success. He completely forgot about the mouse or the return favour he had promised. When his house was full of grains, the mouse came by to collect a few. The couple shouted at the mouse and chased him away, accusing him of stealing their hard-earned wealth. The mouse thought that it was unfair of the couple to forget their promise and deny him even a small share of seeds in return. Therefore the clever mouse showed up every year and took his share of seeds.

 

This is the story the villagers tell their children when mice take their grains away. This teaches the children not to get angry at the mice, kill them or drive them away.

All the wealth we possess has been provided by nature and it is for us to share; we should not deny the due share for each creature. People should develop an altruistic attitude and live harmoniously with nature rather than fight, control and exploit parts of nature.

KNOW ABOUT ME

 

I am an Olympic Orange

      I am a yummy, juicy fruit that is orange in colour. I can give you plenty of energy to play sports. 

     All Olympic sports persons eat me regularly to win games and medals. This is why I am called a power food. 

     If you bite into me I will burst in your mouth with my tasty flavour and make your taste buds dance with joy. 

     I can kill all bad viruses in your body so that you don’t get cough and cold. I also have a magic material inside me that can make you look young even when grow old like your grandpa.

 I also have plenty of fibre that can help you in good digestion. So enjoy me to your heart’s content. I am physically not strong because I am a little soft and squishy. So, don’t squeeze me too much as I will become out of shape. And if you squeeze my skin into your eyes it can make you cry because it releases a gaseous stingy liquid. But don’t worry as it is not poisonous or harmful. 

      By the way, I also have plenty of other delicious friends who can help you in many ways. Together we control the world of health. 

     We are the jewels of your dining table. We come in all shapes, sizes and colours. We exist to make you humans happy. We help you avoid doctors and their expensive treatments like painful injections and bitter medicines. We can also make you run faster, jump higher and help you do great things in your school and college. 

     Do you want to know how we do all that magic? I will tell you how. We can do such wonderful things because some of us are good for your brain, some for your heart, some for your skin, and some for your bones, and so on. We are like warriors and can easily fight with all those nasty troublemakers hiding in your body. Aren’t we fellows’ great? But if you don’t eat us then those horrible troublemakers will always make you sick, tired, and weak. Then you will not be able to play sports or climb a hill. Now I am sure you don’t want to be such a weakling, do you?

 

Hindu mythology

 

ARUNI

       Aruni of Panchala was a dedicated student of the ancient sageDhoumya. In the days of yore, a student had to stay with the teacher andhelp in theteacher’s daily chores in order to receive the knowledge he sought.

     It was a day of cold winter. Aruni was carrying the firewood he had collected for the sage's household. As he was passing by a field, which belonged to the sage, he noticed a breach in the embankment that was holding water in his teacher's field. He realized that the water would seep away and the field’s crops would die with no water.

"What should I do? If I stop to build the embankment I will be delayed and there is no firewood at the hermitage to keep the place warm. I better rush to the hermitage with the firewood and then come back to take care of the breach."

Meanwhile the sage and his disciples had assembled for the day's lesson. Aruni was missing.

      Soon Aruni rushed in, dropped the firewood in the courtyard, and informed the teacher about the breach of the embankment. Then he quickly rushed out.

     Sage Dhoumya felt proud of his disciple, "It is hard to get such a responsible disciple."

      Aruni ran all the way back to the troubled spot and tried to stop the leakage of water by putting some logs and mud. However, this did not stop the leak. The heavy pressure of water washed away the dam Aruni made. He felt helpless. It seemed impossible for him to stop the leakage without help. He thought for a while and then made a plan.

      It was getting dark and the teacher became worried. He called his disciples and set out looking for Aruni. As he called out for Aruni, he heard a faint voice, "Here I am master!"

     The teacher and his disciples rushed to the spot and saw Aruni lying on the breach, in order to hold the water in the field. The disciples quickly pulled Aruni out from the freezing water. He was repeatedly muttering, "The water is flowing out, the crops will die ---."

"Don't worry Aruni! We will take care of the breach," said the disciples.

"Never mind my son! You are more precious than the crop," said the teacher.

     Aruni was covered in a blanket and brought home. Sage Dhoumya himself tended to Aruni. The sage then blessed his disciple with pride, "You shall, forever, be renowned for your unmatched devotion and obedience to your guru.”

 

Hindu mythology

 

Agni Dev

     Agni Dev is one of the most important Vedic Gods. Agni Dev is the God of fire, the messenger of Gods, and accepts sacrifices made to Him from anyone who is devoted to His Lord. He was very important to the people living in the Vedic times, and they have 200 hymns addressed to Him in the Rig Veda. Eight of the ten books begin with praises for Agni, the God of fire.

     Agni is present in everyone’s heart. He is supposed to be the vital spark of life, and the food in people’s stomach is burnt by Agni. Agni is also the fire of the Sun, and gives it brilliance and heat that the Sun is known for. Agni is very essential for the survival and development of humans, which is why people have been praying to Him since ancient times.

     Agni is sometimes said to be the twin brother of Indra Dev, and is often closely associated with Him. In Vedic times, He occupied the most important position after Indra Dev.

     He is depicted as having two heads. One head signifies immortality, and the other is a symbol of life. He is often said to be the link between the heaven and earth, and humans and deities. He is associated with Vedic sacrifice, and takes sacrifices of the devotees to their beloved and much respected and adored Gods in His fire.

 

Sound

 

How is it that sound travels longer distances at night?

 

Sound, like light, can undergo reflection and refraction.

Refraction of sound waves is most noticeable when they travel from cold air into warm air.

During the night, the earth starts cooling, and the mass of air in contact with it becomes cooler than the air a few metres above. When sound waves originating at ground level travel obliquely through these masses of air, which are at different temperatures, refraction takes place at the interface between the two masses, and the sound waves, which in the daytime would have continued to travel upwards, are directed back to earth. This is the reason why sounds travel longer distances at night.

10) Ignition Temperature

WHY DOES PETROL IGNITE FASTER THAN WOOD?

Every substance begins to burn when it combines with the oxygen in the air, giving off heat and light. However, this process starts only when the material reaches a certain minimum temperature, called its ignition temperature (or ignition point).

Different materials have different ignition temperatures. Petrol has a very low ignition point, which means it needs only a little heat to catch fire. Wood, on the other hand, requires a much higher temperature to ignite, which is why it takes longer to burn.

Interestingly, a substance does not always need a direct flame to start burning. If it is heated to its ignition temperature, it will catch fire on its own. For example, in a burning building, heat is often more dangerous than flames. Heat can travel through metal pipes, water pipes, or even gas lines, warming nearby materials until they reach their ignition temperature and start burning. In some cases, even brick walls can conduct enough heat to ignite combustible objects on the other side, causing secondary fires.

In short: Petrol burns quickly because of its low ignition temperature, while wood burns slowly because it needs more heat. Fire spreads mainly through heat transfer, not just flames.

9) Difference between heaven and hell

THE LESSON OF THE LONG SPOONS 

A curious seeker once asked the Divine, “Can you show me the difference between heaven and hell?”

The Divine gently led the seeker to two rooms.

In the first room, a great banquet table stood at the center, filled with a fragrant pot of stew. The aroma made the seeker’s stomach growl. But around the table sat people who were pale and weak. Each held a spoon with an impossibly long handle. They could scoop food easily, but no matter how hard they tried, they could not guide the spoons back to their own mouths. Hunger gnawed at them even though food was right before them.

The seeker trembled at the sight. “This is terrible,” he whispered. The Divine said softly, “Yes, this is what hell looks like.”

Then the seeker was led to the second room. Again, the same table, the same pot of stew, and the same long-handled spoons. But here, the people were strong, joyful, and full of laughter. The seeker blinked in confusion. “But how? Everything is the same!”

The Divine smiled. “Look closer.”

The seeker watched and realised: here, each person lifted a spoonful of stew and fed the one sitting across from them. In return, they too were fed. No one went hungry, for everyone thought of each other.

The Divine said, “The difference is not the table, or the spoons, or the food. The difference lies in the heart. Where there is selfishness, there is suffering. Where there is love and sharing, there is abundance. That is the difference between hell and heaven.”

Moral: Heaven and hell are not places far away—they are created by the way we treat one another.

8) When we ignore a warning, we all pay the price

THE SPARROW’S WARNING 

In a quiet village, a little sparrow lived in the eaves of a barn. One morning, she fluttered down and noticed the farmer carrying a box inside. Curious, she peeked through the window and saw him set down a shiny, metal cage with bait inside.

Her heart skipped a beat. “It’s a bird trap!” she gasped. Quickly, she flew to warn her friends in the meadow.

She first found the goat grazing and cried, “There’s a trap in the barn! Please be careful!”

The goat chewed calmly and replied, “Little one, I’m far too big to be caught in such a thing. That’s your problem, not mine.”

Next, she flew to the cat stretching under a tree. “There’s a trap in the barn! Please stay alert!”

The cat yawned lazily and said, “A trap for birds doesn’t bother me. You’re the one who should worry.”

Finally, she rushed to the horse. “There’s a trap in the barn! Someone might get hurt!”

The horse snorted and replied, “I’m sorry, Sparrow, but I can’t do anything about it. It doesn’t concern me.”

With no one to help, the sparrow returned to her nest, heavy with worry.

That very night, the trap snapped shut—not on a bird, but on a poisonous snake that slithered into the barn. Its tail was caught, and in fury it struck the farmer’s wife when she came to investigate.

She grew terribly ill, and the villagers said, “She must have chicken broth to recover.” The farmer caught a hen for the soup.

When her condition worsened, relatives and neighbours arrived to help. To feed them all, the farmer slaughtered the goat.

Despite their efforts, the woman passed away. For the funeral feast, the farmer killed the horse to provide enough meat for the mourners.

From her perch on the rafters, the sparrow wept. What began as her problem had swallowed them all.

Moral: When one thread in the fabric of life is pulled, the whole cloth shifts. Another’s burden may one day become our own. We are woven together—so let us care for one another.

7) Creating good news

CREATING LIGHT IN A DARK WORLD 

Everyone has inside them a piece of good news.

The young diarist Anne Frank, who inspired millions through her book 'The Diary of a Young Girl', once wrote:

“The good news is you don’t know how great you can be, how much you can love, what you can accomplish, and what your potential is.”

Her words remind us that human beings carry within them endless possibilities. Our ability to love, create, innovate, and adapt is far greater than our capacity to hate, destroy, or complain.

The Greatest Treasure

The world’s greatest treasure is not hidden in gold mines, diamond fields, or oil wells. It lies in the human mind. With your imagination, you can invent, discover, design, compose, and build things that can change the world. Many great ideas never see the light of day because people do not recognise their own potential. As the British statesman Benjamin Disraeli said:

“We are not creatures of circumstance; we are creators of circumstance.”

Turning Problems into Opportunities

Do not wait for opportunities to knock on your door. Very often, opportunities come disguised as problems. Global challenges like climate change, poverty, and disease also bring golden chances to innovate, create, and make the world better. Remember—every difficulty is an opportunity in disguise.

Creativity Brings Joy

Research shows that creative people are generally happier. Why? Because when we create, we not only express ourselves but also make life brighter for others. Think of innovators like Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg, and Sundar Pichai—their ideas have changed how we live, work, and connect.

But greatness does not depend on comfort or privilege. Some people who faced immense challenges turned them into strengths. For example, Nick Vujicic, born without arms or legs, says:

“I’m officially disabled, but I’m truly enabled because of my lack of limbs. My unique challenges have opened up unique opportunities to reach so many in need.”

His life shows us that limitations do not stop us—they can in fact lead us to new possibilities.

Lighting a Lamp

History is full of stories of young people who refused to curse the darkness and instead lit a lamp of hope. Each one of us has the power to create “good news” through imagination, innovation, and courage. Your creativity can awaken the sleeping giant within you and inspire others too.

Connecting Ideas

Creative ideas are often born when we connect old ideas in new ways. As Steve Jobs said:

“Creativity is connecting things.”

This is why innovators are always curious readers and learners. Books, experiences, and conversations feed their imagination. The more you read and explore, the more ideas you will have.

Final Thought

Keep yourself motivated by reading and listening to what inspires you. Remember, the world needs good news, and you can be the one to create it.

✨Every person has a spark of greatness. Use your creativity, courage, and love to spread good news and make the world brighter.

6) The laughing Buddha

HOTEI 

In Japan and China, there once lived a joyful monk named Hotei, also known as the Laughing Buddha. Unlike many teachers who gave long speeches or wrote books, Hotei never taught through words. His only teaching was laughter.

After he became enlightened, Hotei simply started laughing. Whenever people asked, “Why are you laughing?” he would laugh even more! He wandered from village to village, carrying nothing with him except his infectious laughter and a large cloth sack.

At first, people thought it was strange. They would ask themselves, “Why are we laughing with him when there is no reason?” Yet, the moment Hotei laughed, others couldn’t stop themselves from joining in. Slowly the entire crowd would burst into laughter—loud, carefree, and without any reason.

What amazed people was how different they felt after laughing with him. Their eyes felt brighter, their hearts lighter, and it seemed as if a heavy burden had been lifted from within. The laughter gave them a sense of joy and freedom that they had never experienced before.

For the next forty-five years of his life, Hotei did only this—he laughed and made others laugh. That was his message, his way of spreading happiness. In Japan, people loved him so much that even today you can find statues of the Laughing Buddha in almost every home.

But Hotei was more than just laughter. His name means “cloth sack,” because he always carried a bag full of gifts, food, and toys for children. He was chubby and smiling, with a big belly, which became a symbol of abundance, kindness, and good luck. Some people even believed he was an incarnation of Maitreya, the future Buddha.

Even today, many people keep statues of the Laughing Buddha in their homes, shops, and offices. They believe his presence spreads happiness, positivity, and prosperity. Rubbing his big belly is thought to bring good luck too!

Hotei’s life teaches us a simple yet powerful lesson: sometimes laughter itself is the best medicine and the greatest wisdom. We don’t always need a reason to laugh. True laughter comes from the heart, and it can heal, refresh, and bring people closer together.

✨ Moral: A cheerful heart spreads light everywhere. Just like Hotei, let your smile and laughter make the world a happier place.