The Sun and The Cave

"One day the sun and a cave struck up a conversation. The sun had trouble understanding what “dark” meant and the cave didn’t quite get the hang of “light and clear” so they decided to change places.

The cave went up to the sun and said, “Ah, I see, this is beyond wonderful. Now come down and see where I have been living.” 

The sun went down to the cave and said, “Gee, I don’t see any difference

When the sun went down, it took its light along and even the darkest corners were illuminated. That's why the sun couldn't see any difference. 

I love one of the quotes from an old book that said "The enlightened ones can never be sent to hell or pushed into darkness. They carry their heaven on their shoulders all the time".

We thought that heaven is a place where were we are supposed to go, perhaps it was a state of mind we were supposed to achieve.

If you are full of darkness within, full of negativity, fear and doubt, you become a cave unknowingly. It's a hell within and no matter how much you accumulate, you still remain hollow. 

If you are illuminated like the sun, then the darkness of the cave wouldn't matter. You could be in the worse of circumstances, you'll still be able to find a blessing somewhere.

RUN THE DISHWASHER TWICE.

source-unknown

When I was at one of my lowest (mental) points in life, I couldn’t get out of bed some days. I had no energy or motivation and was barely getting by.

I had therapy once per week, and on this particular week I didn’t have much to ‘bring’ to the session. He asked how my week was and I really had nothing to say.

“What are you struggling with?” he asked.

I gestured around me and said “I dunno man. Life.”

Not satisfied with my answer, he said “No, what exactly are you worried about right now? What feels overwhelming? When you go home after this session, what issue will be staring at you?”

I knew the answer, but it was so ridiculous that I didn’t want to say it.

I wanted to have something more substantial.

Something more profound.

But I didn’t.

So I told him, “Honestly? The dishes. It’s stupid, I know, but the more I look at them the more I CAN’T do them because I’ll have to scrub them before I put them in the dishwasher, because the dishwasher sucks, and I just can’t stand and scrub the dishes.”

I felt like an idiot even saying it.

What kind of grown ass woman is undone by a stack of dishes? There are people out there with *actual* problems, and I’m whining to my therapist about dishes?

But my therapist nodded in understanding and then said:

“RUN THE DISHWASHER TWICE.”

I began to tell him that you’re not supposed to, but he stopped me.

“Why the hell aren’t you supposed to? If you don’t want to scrub the dishes and your dishwasher sucks, run it twice. Run it three times, who cares?! Rules do not exist, so stop giving yourself rules.”

It blew my mind in a way that I don’t think I can properly express.

That day, I went home and tossed my smelly dishes haphazardly into the dishwasher and ran it three times.

I felt like I had conquered a dragon.

The next day, I took a shower lying down.

A few days later. I folded my laundry and put them wherever the fuck they fit.

There were no longer arbitrary rules I had to follow, and it gave me the freedom to make accomplishments again.

Now that I’m in a healthier place, I rinse off my dishes and put them in the dishwasher properly. I shower standing up. I sort my laundry.

But at a time when living was a struggle instead of a blessing, I learned an incredibly important lesson:

THERE ARE NO RULES.

RUN THE DISHWASHER TWICE!!! STOP GIVING YOURSELF RULES!!!

The Real meaning of Kurukshetra war

 It is said in the texts that 80% of the fighting male population of the civilization was wiped out in the eighteen days #Mahabharata war.

Sanjay, at the end of the war went to the spot where the greatest war took place; Kurukshetra.

He looked around and wondered if the war really happened, if the ground beneath him had soaked all that blood, if the great Pandavas and Krishna stood where he stood.

“You will never know the truth about that!” said an aging soft voice.

Sanjay turned around to find an Old man in saffron robes appearing out of a column of dust. 

“I know you are here to find out about the Kurukshetra war, but you cannot know about that war till you know what the real war is about.” the Old man said enigmatically.

“What do you mean?” 

"The Mahabharata is an Epic, a ballad, perhaps a reality, but definitely a philosophy."

The Old man smiled luring Sanjay into more questions.

“Can you tell me what the philosophy is then?” Sanjay requested.

"Sure." began the Old man. 

"The Pandavas are nothing but your five senses, sight, smell, taste, touch and sound...and do you know what the Kauravas are?" he asked narrowing his eyes. 

 "The Kauravas are the hundred vices that attack your senses everyday but you can fight them... and do you know how?

Sanjay shook his head again.

“When Krishna rides your chariot!”

The Old man smiled brighter and Sanjay gasped at that gem of insight.

"Krishna is your inner voice, your soul, your guiding light and if you let your life in his hands you have nothing to worry."

Sanjay was stupefied but came around quickly with another question.

“Then why are Dronacharya and Bhishma fighting for the Kauravas, if they are vices?”

The Old man nodded, sadder for the question. 

"It just means that as you grow up, your perception of your elders change. The elders who you thought were perfect in your growing up years are not all that perfect. They have faults. And one day you will have to decide if they are for your good or your bad.  Then you may also realize that you may have to fight them for the good. It is the hardest part of growing up and that is why the Geeta is important."

Sanjay slumped down on the ground, not because he was tired but because he could understand and was struck by  the enormity of it all. 

 "What about Karna?" he whispered.

“Ah!” said the Old man. “You have saved the best for last. Karna is the brother to your senses, he is desire, he is a part of you but stands with the vices. He feels wronged and makes excuses for being with the vices as your desire does all the time. Does your desire not give you excuses to embrace vices?"

Sanjay nodded silently. He looked at the ground, consumed with a million thoughts, trying to put everything together and then when he looked up the Old man was gone.... He had disappeared in the column of dust..... leaving behind the great philosophy of Life!

Everything you love probably be lost..but!

 At 40, Franz Kafka (1883-1924), who never married and had no children, walked through the park in Berlin when he met a girl who was crying because she had lost her favourite doll. She and Kafka searched for the doll unsuccessfully.

Kafka told her to meet him there the next day and they would come back to look for her.

The next day, when they had not yet found the doll, Kafka gave the girl a letter "written" by the doll saying "please don't cry. I took a trip to see the world. I will write to you about my adventures."

Thus began a story which continued until the end of Kafka's life.

During their meetings, Kafka read the letters of the doll carefully written with adventures and conversations that the girl found adorable.

Finally, Kafka brought back the doll (he bought one) that had returned to Berlin.

"It doesn't look like my doll at all," said the girl.

Kafka handed her another letter in which the doll wrote: "my travels have changed me." the little girl hugged the new doll and brought her happy home.

A year later Kafka died.

Many years later, the now-adult girl found a letter inside the doll. In the tiny letter signed by Kafka it was written:

"Everything you love will probably be lost, but in the end, love will return in another way."

#kafka #thedoll

A pencil is not a pencil

Once upon a time........A boy was watching his grandmother write a letter. At one point he asked:

‘Are you writing a story about what we’ve done? Is it a story about me?’

His grandmother stopped writing her letter and said to her grandson:

I am writing about you,... actually, but more important than the words is the pencil I’m using. I hope you will be like this pencil when you grow up.’

Intrigued, the boy looked at the pencil. It didn’t seem very special.

‘But it’s just like any other pencil I’ve ever seen!’

‘That depends on how you look at things. It has seven qualities which, if you manage to hang on them, will make you a person who is always at peace with the world.’

‘First quality: you are capable of great things, but you must never forget that there is a hand guiding your steps. We call that hand God, and He always guides us according to His will.’

‘Second quality: now and then, I have to stop writing and use a sharpner. That makes the pencil suffer a little, but afterwards, he’s much sharper. So you, too, must learn to bear certain pains and sorrows, because they will make you a better person.’

‘Third quality: the pencil always allows us to use an eraser to rub out any mistakes. This means that correcting something we did is not necessarily a bad thing; it helps to keep us on the road to justice.’

‘Fourth quality: what really matters in a pencil is not its wooden exterior, but the graphite inside. So always pay attention to what is happening inside you.’

 'Fifth quality: it always leaves a mark. in just the same way, you should know that everything you do in life will leave a mark, so try to be conscious of that in your every action.'

'Sixth quality : It gets shorter and shorter while in use, so also life. Make the most while it lasts.'

'Finally the Seventh quality of pencil is : It writes till the very end. Be useful and productive till your dying day.'

The pencil may vanish but the marks it leaves stay on ...

The unseen hands

A young labourer came to a restaurant one evening to have a meal. The owner engaged him in a conversation and found out that he was saving to bring his family to the city so they could get a chance at a better life. He had an aged mother, a wife and two young sons who he hoped to give a good education so they could have a more decent life. He had just arrived the city and found some menial work at a scrap metal site down the road. It was going to be his only meal of the day and he could only spend a few cents.

The owner was impressed with his hardwork and diligence, and his family values. He encouraged the labourer and wrapped his meal for him. He took his order personally and told him that it would cost him 50 cents.

Several years went by and the labourer stopped at the restaurant every evening to get his one meal of the day and chat with the restaurant owner who always encouraged him and asked about his aged mother, his wife and young sons, and how his plans were going.

Finally, the labourer came by one evening with a happy smile on his face. He had bought a modest house in a good neighborhood with a good school for his boys and he had just sent for his family to join him. The restaurant owner was very happy for him and congratulated him. The labourer then told him that he was in a mood to celebrate and he would be spending an entire 5 dollars on his meal that evening. The restaurant owner told him it was well-deserved, wrapped up his meal and he went on his way home.

When the labourer got home and opened up his meal pack, he was shocked to see that it was the same type of food he had been having every day for the last 6 years. He was very disappointed because he had been looking forward to a feast to celebrate his  big achievement. He certainly deserved something better after scrimping on his meals all those years. He was mad at the restaurant owner and felt robbed of his money and his celebration. He felt he had been cheated by his very good friend.

He immediately went back to the restaurant to make his complaint. The restaurant owner had already left and he met one of the staff with whom he was quite familiar.

"Say, John, I think you guys gave me the wrong meal pack today. You see, I got this same type of meal every day for 50 cents but today I am celebrating and decided to spend 5 whole dollars at your restaurant. But I was cheated and got just the same meal as every other day!"

"Well, sir, this is our most expensive meal and it costs 5 dollars!"

It suddenly dawned on the labourer that he had not been cheated at all by his friend. In fact, the restaurant owner had been giving him their best meal which cost 5 dollar for 50 cents for 6 years! He felt very ashamed of himself for thinking that his good friend had cheated him.

"It's all a misunderstanding then," he said and turned to leave quickly to hide the tears in his eyes.

"One minute, sir," said the staff. "My boss said you were going to come back and that I was to give you this bag."

When the labourer opened the bag, he found all the 50 cents he had ever spent at this restaurant. Unable to hold back the tear now, he sat down on a bench and wept quite unashamedly.

√ He had judged too quickly

√ He'd felt entitled and a little prideful because of his sense of arrival

√ He had repaid kindness with suspicion and anger

√ He had failed to give proper thanks where it was due...

WHY?

 *Because he had been unable to see or recognise the hand that was behind the scene helping him all this time!* 

Friends, sometimes because we don't yet have the car and the house and the fine things, we fail to recognise the simple things that God gives us daily. And so we are ungrateful and unappreciative and even a little entitled when we go to Him to complain about the things we don't have. We are prideful of our little achievements when we have a few fine things or feel like we have arrived.

But does God condemn us? Is He mad at us? Does He take back everything because of our foolishness?

NO...

Like the restaurant owner, even though He gives us of His best and always looks out for us to encourage us, He is there to pick us up when we stumble or fall. Even when we don't see or appreciate His goodness and kindness to us, He never stops being gracious and kind to us or tires of hearing our complaining and griping. In fact, He opens His storehouse and gives us even more than we deserve when we are at our lowest. 

 *"GOD, I DON'T SEE YOUR HAND BEHIND THE SCENES BUT SINCE I'M STILL ALIVE I KNOW YOU ARE THERE HOLDING ME UP AND HELPING ME. AND I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU THANK YOU!"* 

Friend, if this message blessed you, don't keep it to yourself. Share it with someone else now so they know GOD CARES!

Be patient, trust life and I Love you"

The little boy came from school on Saturday and told his father, my teacher has given us home-work to Hug 10 people and tell them - "Be patient, trust life and I Love you".

The Dad said - "OK, we will go to the Mall tomorrow morning and do it".

The child woke up all spirited up in the morning, got ready. Went to his Dad and said - "lets go!!"

The father said - "there is Heavy rainfall, I fear nobody might be there".

The Child still insisted. So the Father drove in the horrible rainy weather to the Mall.

They stood in the mall for 1 hour, and the little boy hugged 9 people.

His father then said - "now lets go, its raining heavily and we shouldn't get stuck!"

Sadly the son went along with his father's orders. As they where driving past, the child pointed at a random house. Said - "please dad, just 1 person is remaining, I will go to that house and complete my homework"!

The father smiled and pulled the car over.

The child went to the door and began to ring the bell and pound the door strongly with his knuckles. He kept waiting. Finally the door was opened gently.

A lady came out with a very sad look and gently asked:

"What can I do for you, son?

With radiant eyes and a bright smile the child said:

"Ma'am my teacher has told to Hug 10 people and tell them - "Be patient, trust life and I Love you".

I have hugged 9. May I hug you and pass the message to you.

The Lady embraced him, and started crying profusely.

On seeing that the Boy's father came out of the car. He went to the lady and asked - "Any problem madam?"

She composed herself, took them inside, gave them a cup of tea and then told his father -

"My husband died a while ago leaving me totally alone in this world. Today morning the loneliness took over me. Since morning I have been thinking that this is the end of the road for me.

Then I took a chair and a rope to my bedroom and decided to end my life. As I was seeing the world for one last time, I begged for forgiveness to GOD and then heard this knock. I thought to leave it. But then nobody comes to visit me.

When I opened the door, I couldn't believe what my eyes saw this little child. And when he said , "Be patient, trust life and I Love you".

I knew it was a message from God.

Suddenly I realized I don't want to die anymore, and have decided to make something productive of my life.

*REMEMBER - Give positive thoughts to people.*

*Tell them you stand by them.*

*And even if nothing, just listen to them.*

You could be the medium that saves a life.!

The captain of a ship

A ship was in a sea in a bad weather for days. The visibility was not good because of a heavy fog. The captain was observing the sea. Suddenly he saw a small light in the sea. He understood that another ship was coming towards his ship.

Immediately the captain sent a message to the other ship, 

"We are on a collision course (Hitting way). It is good if you change your way, 30 degrees." 

After a few seconds, the captain received a message 

"You are advised to change your way 30 degrees!" 

The captain sent another message " Im the Captain of this ship.I order you to change your direction". 

After a few seconds, the captain received a message 

"Not possible. you have to change your direction to avoid hitting." 

The captain became furious. He sent another message 

"This is a US battleship, the second largest in the United States. 

I demand that you immediately change your course!” 

Then came a message from the other side. 

"This is not a ship. This is a lighthouse".

The captain was shocked after seeing that message.

Many times, we strongly believe we are right and the other person is wrong. Sometimes our age, experience and knowledge are not useful to make a good decisions. so we must carefully listen to others words to make a good decision.

Love people as they are..!

From the diary of Sayyed Jaffrey..

I was 19 when I was married to Mehrunima who was 17. As I grew up, I was very fascinated by the british culture in colonial India. I learnt to speak English fluently, wear suits with grace, and developed impeccable etiquettes. But Mehrunima grew up to be my complete opposite - homely, a typical housewife. All my advices and admonishments couldn't change her basic personality - an obedient wife, a doting mother and a good homemaker.

But she was not what I wanted. More I tried to change her, more we drifted apart. Gradually she metamorphosed from a cheerful affectionate young girl into a quiet insecure woman. Meanwhile I started getting attracted to a co-actor of mine who was all what I wanted in my wife.

After 10 years of marriage, l divorced Mehrunima, left my home and married my co- actor. I had ensured financial security of Mehrunima and my kids . For about 6-7 months everything went well. Then I started realising, my new wife was not caring and affectionate. She was only concerned about her beauty, her ambitions, her wants and desires. Sometimes I missed Mehrunima's caring touch and concern for my welfare.

Life moved on . I and my new wife were 2 persons living in a house, not one soul living in a home. I never went back to find out what happened to Mehrunima and my kids.
After about 6 -7 years of my second marriage, I came across an article on a Madhur Jaffrey, an upcoming famous chef who had recently launched a book of her own recipes. The moment I looked at the picture of the smart elegant lady, I was stunned. It was Mehrunima. But how could it be ??? She had remarried and changed her maiden name too.

I was shooting abroad at that time. She lived in US now. I caught the next flight to US. I inquired about her where abouts and went to meet her. She refused to see me. My daughter who was 14, and son who was 12, told her they wanted to talk to me one last time. Her new husband was by her side. He was also my children's legal father now.
To this date, I cannot forget what my children told me.

They told me that their new father knows the meaning of true love. He Broke Da Cage of Negativity. He accepted Mehrunima as she was and never tried to change her into what he himself was, because he loves her more than he loves himself. He let her evolve at her own pace and never tried to force his wishes on her. He accepted and enjoyed her person as it was. And she has bloomed into a confident loving affectionate self reliant lady today under her second husband's selfless love and acceptance.

Where as I was full of selfishness, demands and unacceptance of her persona had crushed her and then in my selfishness had discarded her. Creating a Cage of Negativity.

The greatest learning of my life- You don't change people you love, you love them as they are.

Dont we all?

I parked in front of the market sitting inside my car waiting for my son to get few items from the supermarket.

Coming my way from across the road was what society would consider a "tramp".

From his looks, he had no home, no clean clothes, and no money.

There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just don't want to be bothered.

This was one of those "don't want to be bothered times."

"I hope he doesn't ask me for any money,"  I thought.

He didn't.

He came and sat on the curb nearby but he didn't look like he could have enough money to even get a good meal.

After a few minutes, he spoke.

"That's a very nice  car you have there" he said.

He was ragged but he had an air of dignity around him.

I said, "thanks," and continued listening to the car radio.

He sat there quietly and the expected plea for money never came.

As the silence between us widened something inside me said, "ask him if he needs any help."

I was sure that he would say "yes" but I held true to the inner voice.

"Do you need any help?" I asked.

He answered in three simple but profound words that I shall never forget.

We often look for wisdom in great men and women and we expect it from those of higher learning and accomplishments.

I expected nothing but outstretched hands.

He spoke three words that shook me.

 *"Don't we all" ?* he said.

I was feeling high and mighty, successful and important, until those three words hit me like a shotgun.

*Don't we all?*

I needed help.

Maybe not for bus fare or a place to sleep or a meal,
but I needed help.

I reached in my wallet and gave him enough to get a warm meal and few other things for the day.

Those three little words still ring in my ears.

No matter how much you have, no matter how much you have accomplished,
you need help too.

No matter how little you have, no matter how loaded you are with problems,
you can give help.

Even if it's just a compliment, you can give that.

You never know when you may see someone that appears to have it all.

They are waiting on you to give them what they don't have.
A different perspective on life,
A listening ear,
A kind word,
An understanding smile....

The man was just a homeless stranger wandering the streets.

Maybe he was more than that.

Maybe he was sent by a power that is Great and Wise,
Maybe God looked down, called an Angel, dressed him like a tramp, then said, "go minister to that man inside the car, that man needs help."

*DON'T WE ALL?*

Let’s spend this lockdown period to reflect on life’s true meaning.

We come, we go; the in between defines who we truly are.

Stay Blessed.

The tale of truth and lie

According to a 19th century legend, the Truth and the Lie meet one day. The Lie says to the Truth: "It's a marvellous day today"! The Truth looks up to the skies and sighs, for the day was really beautiful. They spend a lot of time together, ultimately arriving beside a well. The Lie tells the Truth: "The water is very nice, let's take a bath together!" The Truth, once again suspicious, tests the water and discovers that it indeed is very nice. They undress and start bathing. Suddenly, the Lie comes out of the water, puts on the clothes of the Truth and runs away. The furious Truth comes out of the well and runs everywhere to find the Lie and to get her clothes back. The World, seeing the Truth naked, turns its gaze away, with contempt and rage.
The poor Truth returns to the well and disappears forever, hiding therein, its shame. Since then, the Lie travels around the world, dressed as the Truth, satisfying the needs of society, because, the World, in any case, harbours no wish at all to meet the naked Truth.

Don't know who wrote this but that's reality 👍