The Trap

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A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmerand his wife open a package.What food might this contain?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 thehouse!"The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said,"Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it isof no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it."

The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrapin 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 youare in my prayers."The mouse turned to the cow. She 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 toface 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 thedarkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail thetrap 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 youtreat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took hishatchet 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 farmerbutchered the pig.The farmer's wife did not get well; she died. So many peoplecame for her funeral that the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.

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

In the book of Genesis, Cain said this about Abel, his brother,to our God: "Am I my brother's keeper?"We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keepan eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.

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

BUTTERFLY

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further.

So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.

Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us.
We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly!

15 Feb, 2007

What is valentine day ?

Let me introduce myself. My name is Valentine. I lived in Rome during the third century. That was long, long ago! At that time, Rome was ruled by an emperor named Claudius. I didn't like Emperor Claudius, and I wasn't the only one! A lot of people shared my feelings.

Claudius wanted to have a big army. He expected men to volunteer to join. Many men just did not want to fight in wars. They did not want to leave their wives and families. As you might have guessed, not many men signed up. This made Claudius furious. So what happened? He had a crazy idea. He thought that if men were not married, they would not mind joining the army. So Claudius decided not to allow any more marriages. Young people thought his new law was cruel. I thought it was preposterous! I certainly wasn't going to support that law!

Did I mention that I was a priest? One of my favorite activities was to marry couples. Even after Emperor Claudius passed his law, I kept on performing marriage ceremonies -- secretly, of course. It was really quite exciting. Imagine a small candlelit room with only the bride and groom and myself. We would whisper the words of the ceremony, listening all the while for the steps of soldiers.

One night, we did hear footsteps. It was scary! Thank goodness the couple I was marrying escaped in time. I was caught. (Not quite as light on my feet as I used to be, I guess.) I was thrown in jail and told that my punishment was death.

I tried to stay cheerful. And do you know what? Wonderful things happened. Many young people came to the jail to visit me. They threw flowers and notes up to my window. They wanted me to know that they, too, believed in love.

One of these young people was the daughter of the prison guard. Her father allowed her to visit me in the cell. Sometimes we would sit and talk for hours. She helped me to keep my spirits up. She agreed that I did the right thing by ignoring the Emperor and going ahead with the secret marriages. On the day I was to die, I left my friend a little note thanking her for her friendship and loyalty. I signed it, "Love from your Valentine."

I believe that note started the custom of exchanging love messages on Valentine's Day. It was written on the day I died, February 14, 269 A.D. Now, every year on this day, people remember. But most importantly, they think about love and friendship. And when they think of Emperor Claudius, they remember how he tried to stand in the way of love, and they laugh -- because they know that love can't be beaten!

13 Feb, 2007

THERE IS ALWAYS A BETTER WAY

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat.

A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.

Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?"

The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way."
What he had written was: "Today is a beautiful day and I cannot see it."

Do you think the first sign and the second sign were saying the same thing?

Of course both signs told people the boy was blind. But the first sign simply told people to help by putting some money in the hat.

The second sign told people that they were able to enjoy the beauty of the day, but the boy could not enjoy it because he was blind.

The first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?

13 Feb, 2007

What you sow, so you reap

It is a law of nature that whatever action we take in this world, there is always a reaction. If we do well, we stand to gain a good reward. If we do badly, we should expect a bad outcome ultimately. "What you sow, so you reap," is a popular saying.

The Holy Qur'an has also guided us on this subject, it says: "If you do good, you do good to yourselves. Likewise, if you do evil, you do evil to yourselves." (17:7)

One of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was very fond of this verse of the Qur'an. He used to recite it loudly and repeatedly wherever he went.

A Jewish woman who had heard him once wanted to prove him wrong and thus make him unpopular among his people. She thought up a plot against him. She prepared some sweets mixed with poison and sent them to him as a present. When he received them, he went out of the city taking sweets with him.

On the way, he met two men who were returning home from a long journey. They appeared tired and hungry, so he thought of doing them a good turn. He offered them the sweets. Of course, he was not aware that they were secretly mixed with poison. No sooner had the two travelers taken the sweets, they collapsed and died.

When the news of their death reached Medina, the city where the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) resided, the man was arrested. He was brought in front of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and he related what had actually happened.

The Jewish woman, who had mixed poison with the sweets, was also brought to the court of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). She was stunned to see the two dead bodies of the travelers there. They in fact turned out to be her two sons who had gone away on a journey.

She admitted her evil intention before the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and all the people present. Alas, the poison she had mixed in the sweets to kill the companion of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had instead killed her own two sons.

Lesson to learn from this Real Life Story:

What a splendid example of a tragic reaction to a bad action; It shows how one reaps what he sows. "Do as you would be done by," are the words of wisdom from the learned and wise men of the past. They teach us to do well to others in the same way as we like others to do good to us.

12 feb, 2007

Jar and the Coffee

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar...and the coffee...

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.
"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things, your God, family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else the small stuff.

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

10 Feb, 2007

"Nothing is Impossible"

An old man lived alone. He wanted to spade his potato garden, but it was very hard work. His only son, who would have helped him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and mentioned his predicament. Dear Son: I am feeling pretty bad, because it looks like I won't be able to plant my potato garden this year. I hate to miss doing the garden because your mother always loved planting time. I'm just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. If you were here, all my troubles would be over. I know you would dig the plot for me, if you weren't in prison. Love, Dad

Shortly, the old man received this telegram "For HEAVEN'S SAKE, Dad, don't dig up the garden! That's where I buried the GUNS!"At 4 A.M. the next morning, a dozen FBI agents and local police officers showed up and started digging up the entire garden without finding any guns.

Confused, the old man wrote another note to his son telling him what happened and asking him what to do next. His son's reply was "Go ahead and plant your potatoes, Dad, It's the best I could do for you from here.

"Moral Of the Story -NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN THE WORLD, IF YOU HAVE DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING DEEP FROM YOUR HEART, YOU CAN DO IT. IT IS THE THOUGHT THAT MATTERS NOT WHERE YOU ARE OR WHERE THE PERSON IS "

The Difference

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I got up early one morning

and rushed right into the day;

I had so much to accomplish

that I didn't have time to pray.

Problems just tumbled about me,

and heavier came each task.

Why doesn't God help me I wondered.

He answered, You didn't ask.

I wanted to see joy and beauty,

but the day toiled on, gray and bleak;

I wondered why God didn't show me.

He said, But you didn't seek.

I tried to come into God's presence

I used all my keys at the lock.

God gently and lovingly chided

My child, you didn't knock.

I woke up early this morning,

and paused before entering the day;

I had so much to accomplish

that I had to take time to pray.

07 Feb, 2007

Silent Love

From the very Begining, the girl's family objected strongly on her dating this guy. Saying that it has got to do with family background, & that the girl will have to suffer for the rest of her life if she were to be with him. Due to family's pressure, the couple quarrel very often. Though the girl love the guy deeply, but she always ask him: "How deep is your love for me?"As the guy is not good with his words, this often cause the girl to be very upset. With that & the family's pressure, the girl often vent her anger on him. As for him, he only endure it in silence. After a couple of years, the guy finally graduated & decided to further his studies in overseas.

Before leaving, he proposed to the girl: "I'm not very good with words. But all I know is thatI love you. If you allow me, I will take care of you for the rest of my life. As for your family, I'll try my best to talk them round. Will you marry me?" The girl agreed, & with the guy's determination, the family finally gave in & agreed to let them get married. So before he leave, they got engaged.The girl went out to the working society, whereas the guy was overseas, continuing his studies.They sent their love through emails & phone calls. Though it's hard, but both never thought of giving up.

One day, while the girl was on her way to work,she was knocked down by a car that lost control. When she woke up, she saw her parents beside her bed. She realised that she was badly injured. Seeing her mumcrying, she wanted to comfort her. But she realized that all that could come out of her mouth was just a sigh. She has lost her voice......The doctors says that the impact on her brain has caused her to lose her voice. Listening to her parents' comfort, but with nothing coming out from her, she broke down. During the stay in hospital, besides silencecry,.....it' s still just silence cry that companied her.

Upon reaching home, everything seems to be the same. Except for the ringing tone of the phone. Whichpierced into her heart everytime it rang. She does not wish to let the guy know & not wanting to be a burden to him, she wrote a letter to him saying that she doesnot wish to wait any longer.With that, she sent the ring back to him. In return, the guy sent millions & millions of reply, and countless of phone calls,. . all the girl could do,besides crying, is still crying....The parents decided to move away, hoping that she could eventually forget everything & be happy. With a new environment, the girl learn sign language & started a new life. Telling herself everyday that she must forget the guy.

One day, her friend came & told her that he's back. She asked her friend not to let him know what happened to her. Since then, there wasn't anymore news of him. A year has passed & her friend came with an envelope, containing an invitation card for the guy's wedding. The girl was shattered. When she open the letter, she saw her name in it instead. When she was about to ask her friend what's going on, she saw the guy standing in front of her. He used sign language telling her "I've spent a year's time to learn sign language. Just to let you know that I've not forgotten our promise. Let me have the chance to be your voice. I Love You. With that, he slipped the ring back into her finger.

The girl finally smiled.

06 Feb, 2007

Happiness in making others Happy

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.

Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by.

Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it. In his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

Days and weeks passed.

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside.

He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.

It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.

The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.

She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."

Epilogue:

There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.

04 Feb, 2007

"A GREAT PLEASURE IN LIFE IS DOING WHAT PEOPLE SAY YOU CANNOT DO".

I want to tell a story of a rabbit and a wolf.Once upon a time a rabbit and a wolf were best friends.They were leading a happy life.After some days severe drought occurred.The wolf was not able to tolerate the hunger.So,after the 3 days of drought,it said to rabbit,"hey, i am going to eat you.I am not able to tolerate".The rabbit was shocked and said,"I am your best friend.So please don't eat me".But wolf didn't hear anything and went near rabbit to eat it.Rabbit started running and wolf was chasing it.Then after a long run,there was no way and there was only a small hole.Rabbit was afraid to do what.Wolf was nearing it.Then suddenly rabbit struggled and entered that hole.Wolf tried much.But i was not able to enter since it was so small.Then it said,"rabbit i wont eat you.You come out".Then rabbit came out and wolf said,"How u was able to enter that hole?It is so small".The rabbit replied,"Stupid wolf,YOU ARE RUNNING FOR FOOD AND I AM RUNNING FOR MY LIFE".

So it is in our hands that whether we have to run after food or run after life.When we run for life we can achieve all the things.We should eat to live and not sacrifice our whole life for food.The life becomes meaningful only when we want to achieve something.So, always be ambitious and achieve something and we should try to make India-a developed country.