Don't copy if you can't paste

A popular motivational speaker was entertaining his audience He said "The best years of my life were spent in the arms of a woman who wasn't my wife!"
 
The audience was in silence and shock. The speaker added "And that woman was my mother" Laughter and applause.
 
A week later, a top IT manager trained by the motivational speaker tried to crack this very effective joke at home. He was a bit foggy after a drink.
 
He said loudly, "The greatest years of my life were spent in the arms of a woman who was not my wife". The wife went wild with shock and rage.
 
Standing there for 30 seconds trying to recall the second half of the joke, the manager finally blurted out ".... and I can't remember who she was!"
 
Moral of the story:

Don't copy if you can't paste!

Clay Balls

A man was exploring caves by the Seashore.  In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls.  It was like someone had rolled clay balls and left them out in the sun to bake.   They didn't look like much, but they intrigued the man, so he took the bag out of the cave with him.  As he strolled along the beach, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could. 
 

He thought little about it, until he dropped one of the clay balls and it cracked open on a rock .  Inside was a beautiful, precious stone!
 

Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls.  Each contained a similar treasure.  He found thousands of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left.  
 

Then it struck him.  He had been on the beach a long time. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure into the ocean waves.  Instead of thousands of dollars in treasure, he could have taken home tens of thousands, but he had just thrown it away! 
 

It's like that with people.  We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the external clay vessel.  It doesn't look like much from the outside.  It isn't always beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it. 
 

We see that person as less important than someone more beautiful or stylish or well known or wealthy.  But we have not taken the time to find the treasure hidden inside that person. 
 

There is a treasure in each and every one of us.  If we take the time to get to know that person, and if we ask God to show us that person the way He sees them, then the clay begins to peel away and the brilliant gem begins to shine forth.
 

May we not come to the end of our lives and find out that we have thrown away a fortune in friendships because the gems were hidden in bits of clay. May we see the people in our world as God sees them.

Monkey and a Dolphin

One day long ago, some sailors set out to sea in their sailing ship. One of them brought his pet monkey along for the long journey.
 
When they were far out at sea, a terrible storm overturned their ship. Everyone fell into the sea, and the monkey was sure that he would drown. Suddenly a dolphin appeared and picked him up.
 
They soon reached the island and the monkey came down from the dolphin's back. The dolphin asked the monkey, "Do you know this place?"
 
The monkey replied, "Yes, I do. In fact, the king of the island is my best friend. Do you know that I am actually a prince?"
 
Knowing that no one lived on the island, the dolphin said, "Well, well, so you are a prince! Now you can be a king!"
 
The monkey asked, "How can I be a king?"
 
As the dolphin started swimming away, he answered, "That is easy.. As you are the only creature on this island, you will naturally be the king!"
 
MORAL: Those who lie and Boast may end up in trouble.
 

Two Bedroom Flat

As the dream of most parents I had acquired a degree in Software Engineering and joined a company based in USA , the land of braves and Opportunity. When I arrived in the USA ; it was as if a dream had come true.

Here at last I was in the place where I wanted to be. I decided I would be Staying in this country for about Five years in which time I would have Earned enough money! To settle down in India . My father was a government employee and after his retirement, the only Asset he could acquire was a decent one bedroom flat. I wanted to do some Thing more than him. I started feeling homesick and lonely as the time Passed. I used to call home and speak to my parents every week using Cheap international phone cards. Two years passed, two years of Burgers at McDonald's and pizzas and discos and 2 years watching the foreign Exchange rate getting happy whenever the Rupee value went down.

Finally I decided to get married. Told my parents that I have only 10 Days of holidays and everything must be done within these 10 days. I got my Ticket booked in the cheapest flight. Was jubilant and was actually Enjoying hopping for gifts for all my friends back home. If I miss anyone Then there will be talks. After reaching home I spent home one week going Through all the photographs of girls and as the time was getting shorter I was forced to select one candidate.In-laws told me, to my surprise, that I would have to get married in 2-3 Days, as I will not get anymore holidays. After the marriage, it was time
To return to USA , after giving some money to my parents and telling the Neighbours to look after them, we returned to USA .
My wife enjoyed this country for about two months and then she started Feeling lonely. The frequency of calling India increased to twice in a Week sometimes 3 times a week. Our savings started diminishing. After two more Years we started to have kids. Two lovely kids, a boy and a girl, were Gifted to us by the almighty. Every time I spoke to my parents, they
Asked me to come to India so that they can see their grand-children.

Every year I decide to go to India . But part work part monetary Conditions prevented it. Years went by and visiting India was a distant dream. Then Suddenly one day I got a message that my parents were seriously sick. I Tried but I couldn't get any holidays and thus could not go to India . The Next message I got was my parents had passed away and as there was no one
To do the last rites the society members had done whatever they could. I Was depressed. My parents had passed away without seeing their grand children. After couple more years passed away, much to my children's dislike and my Wife's joy we returned to India to settle down. I started to look for a Suitable property, but to my dismay my savings were short and the Property prices had gone up during all these years. I had to return to the USA . My wife refused to come back with me and my children refused to stay in India. My 2 children and I returned to USA after promising my wife I Would be back for good after two years.

Time passed by, my daughter decided to get married to an American and my Son was happy living in USA . I decided that had enough and wound-up every Thing and returned to India . I had just enough money to buy a decent 02 Bedroom flat in a well-developed locality. Now I am 60 years old and the Only time I go out of the flat is for the routine visit to the nearby
Temple . My faithful wife has also left me and gone to the holy abode. Sometimes I wondered was it worth all this? My father, even after staying In India , had a house to his name and I too have the same nothing More.I lost my parents and children for just ONE EXTRA BEDROOM.

Looking out from the window I see a lot of children dancing. This damned Cable TV has spoiled our new generation and these children are losing their values and culture because of it.
 
I get occasional cards from my children Asking I am alright. Well at least they remember me.

Now perhaps after I die it will be the neighbours again who will be Performing my last rights, God Bless them. But the question still remains 'Was all this worth it?'
I am still searching for an answer...... ......... .!!!!

The Essence of Relationship

Little girl and her father were crossing a bridge.

 

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

Pathan doesn't pay

One fine day, a bus driver went to the bus garage, started his bus, and drove off along the route. No problems for the first few stops - a few people got on, a few got off, and things went generally well.

At the next stop, however, a big hulk of a Pathan got on. Six feet four, built like a wrestler, arms hanging down to the ground.

He glared at the conductor and said, "Pathan doesn't pay!" and sat down at the back.

Conductor didn't argue with Pathan, but he wasn't happy about it. The next day the same thing happened ? Pathan got on again, made a show of refusing to pay, and sat down. And the next day, and the next.

This grated on the bus driver, who started losing sleep over the way Pathan was taking advantage of poor conductor. Finally he could stand it no longer. He signed up for body building courses, karate, judo, and all that good stuff.

By the end of the summer, he had become quite strong; what's more, he felt really good about himself. So, on the next Monday, when Pathan once again got on the bus and said, "Pathan doesn't pay!"

The driver stood up, glared back at Pathan, and screamed, "And why not?"

With a surprised look on his face, Pathan replied, "Pathan has a bus pass."

Management Lesson: Be sure there is a problem in the first place before working hard to solve one.

Growing Roots

One day I decided to quit...
I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality... I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.
"God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"
His answer surprised me...
"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"
"Yes", I replied.
When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them.
I gave them light. I gave them water.
The fern quickly grew from the earth.
Its brilliant green covered the floor.
Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed.
But I did not quit on the bamboo..
In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.
And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed.
But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.
"In the third year, there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In the fourth year, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. "I would not quit." He said. "Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth.

Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant... But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.

It had spent the five years growing roots.

Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."

He said to me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots."

"I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you. " Don't compare yourself to others .." He said. " The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern ... Yet, they both make the forest beautiful."

Your time will come, " God said to me.. " You will rise high! " How high should I rise?" I asked.

How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.

"As high as it can? " I questioned.

" Yes... " He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can. "

I left the forest and bring back this story.

I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.

He will never give up on you.

Never regret a day in your life.

Good days give you happiness

Bad days give you experiences;

Both are essential to life.

A happy and meaningful life requires our continuous input and creativity. It does not happen by chance. It happens because of our choices and actions. And each day we are given new opportunities to choose and act and, in doing so, we create our own unique journey." Keep going...

Happiness keeps you Sweet, Trials keep you Strong, Sorrows keep you Human,
Failures keep you humble , Success keeps You Glowing, but Only God keeps You Going!