TEN RULES TO LIVE BY: ONLYFOR
LAZY,LOUSY AND CRAZY CLOWNS.
1. LIVE TO RELAX.
2. LOVE YOUR BED, IT IS YOUR TEMPLE.
3 IF SOME ONE COMES TO VISIT YOU TO RELAX, STAND(LAY DOWN)
BESIDE HIM.
4 RELAX IN THE DAY, SO THAT YOU CAN SLEEP AT NIGHT.
5 WORK IS HOLY, SO DON’T ATTACK IT.
6 DON’T DO SOMETHING TOMORROW, THAT YOU CAN DO THE DAY
AFTERWARDS.
7. WORK AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE, LET OTHERS DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE
DONE.
8. DON’T WORRY, NOBODY DIED FROM DOING NOTHING ,BUT YOU
COULD GET HURT AT WORK!
9 IF YOU FEEL LIKE DOING WORK, SIT DOWN AND WAIT UNTIL THAT
FEELING GOES AWAY.
10 DON’T FORGET, WORKING IS HEALTHY! SO LEAVE IT FOR THE
SICK PEOPLE.
HAVE A FUNTASTIC AND GREAT DAY.
Monday, April 30, 2007
TEN RULES TO LIVE BY:- APPLICABLE FOR
ONLY LAZY,LOUSY AND CRAZY CLOWNS.
1.LIVE TO RELAX.
2 LOVE YOUR BED, IT IS YOUR TEMPLE.
3 IF SOME ONE COMES TO VISIT YOU TO RELAX, STAND(LAY DOWN)
BESIDE HIM.
4 RELAX IN THE DAY, SO THAT YOU CAN SLEEP AT NIGHT.
5 WORK IS HOLY, SO DON’T ATTACK IT.
6 DON’T DO SOMETHING TOMORROW, THAT YOU CAN DO THE DAY
AFTERWARDS.
7.WORK AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE, LET OTHERS DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE
DONE.
8.DON’T WORRY, NOBODY DIED FROM DOING NOTHING ,BUT YOU
COULD GET HURT AT WORK!
9. IF YOU FEEL LIKE DOING WORK, SIT DOWN AND WAIT UNTIL THAT
FEELING GOES AWAY.
10.DON’T FORGET, WORKING IS HEALTHY! SO LEAVE IT FOR THE
SICK PEOPLE.
HAVE A FUNTASTIC AND GREAT DAY.
ONLY LAZY,LOUSY AND CRAZY CLOWNS.
1.LIVE TO RELAX.
2 LOVE YOUR BED, IT IS YOUR TEMPLE.
3 IF SOME ONE COMES TO VISIT YOU TO RELAX, STAND(LAY DOWN)
BESIDE HIM.
4 RELAX IN THE DAY, SO THAT YOU CAN SLEEP AT NIGHT.
5 WORK IS HOLY, SO DON’T ATTACK IT.
6 DON’T DO SOMETHING TOMORROW, THAT YOU CAN DO THE DAY
AFTERWARDS.
7.WORK AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE, LET OTHERS DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE
DONE.
8.DON’T WORRY, NOBODY DIED FROM DOING NOTHING ,BUT YOU
COULD GET HURT AT WORK!
9. IF YOU FEEL LIKE DOING WORK, SIT DOWN AND WAIT UNTIL THAT
FEELING GOES AWAY.
10.DON’T FORGET, WORKING IS HEALTHY! SO LEAVE IT FOR THE
SICK PEOPLE.
HAVE A FUNTASTIC AND GREAT DAY.
Good Impression is the best impression.
7 Rules for Making a Good Impression
Among the seven suggestions: Respond to e-mails within 24 hours. And don't use business cards as cues to bombard new contacts with pitches by Carmine Gallo
Getting favorable word out on a tiny budget is one of the perennial challenges facing small-business owners. Advertising is often too expensive, so most business owners rely on good old fashioned networking and word of mouth. However some are better at it than others (see BusinessWeek. com's Smart Answers podcast, 4/18/07, "Instituting a Client Appreciation Program"). Here are seven rules that will guarantee a strong first impression and a powerful,
lasting one.
Rule #1: Respond within 24 Hours
During the course of researching my next book, I came across an interesting trend. The people who run the most successful companies are the most responsive. When I leave a voice message or send an e-mail these individuals get back to me immediately with information, whether they're at the office or traveling. One woman who oversees 5,000 employees makes it a policy to respond to e-mail within 24 hours. She says her responsiveness provides a model for her employees. If she responds quickly to employee questions or concerns, they in turn understand the importance of getting back to customers in a short amount of time.
Even if you don't have an immediate answer, acknowledge receiving an e-mail or voice message within 24 hours or less, and let the person know you're considering the request or taking action on it.
Rule #2: Greet People with Enthusiasm
When a customer or employee calls and you choose to answer, it implies that you have time to talk. Far too many people continue to multitask during phone conversations. Those of us on the other end of the line can sense it, especially when you give one-word answers to our questions and we hear typing in the background!
Give your customers and employees your full attention. Greet them like you're sincerely excited to hear from them. And if the time isn't right, be professional enough to set a later time to give them your full attention.
Rule #3: Make Eye Contact
In conversations with customers or employees, look them in the eye. I know you might love your Blackberry, but please refrain from checking your device during the conversation. Think about how it makes you feel when the person you're talking to continually takes her eyes off
you to check out other people in the room. I'll tell you how I feel — like it's a waste of time to even finish the conversation.
Give customers and employees your full attention. It makes people feel as though their opinions and insights are valued. It will help you make a powerful and lasting impression.
Rule #4: Leave Smart Voice Messages
First of all, don't leave long, rambling messages with your phone number at the end. Keep the script concise. Leave your name, time you called, and phone number at the beginning. Repeat the phone number at the end, s-l-o-w-l-y. There's also nothing worse than a drawn out
game of phone tag. It can't hurt to leave a specific time when you can be reached. Of course, if you leave a time, be there to answer the call!
Rule #5: Respect Contacts
A conference organizer recently told me attendees have started complaining about fellow participants who treat business cards they have picked up at booths as open invitations to cram in-boxes with solicitations. If someone gives you a card, it's an invitation to begin a conversation. It isn't permission to leave a constant bombardment of e-mail sales pitches under the guise of "newsletters. " It's also not an invitation to send 10-MB files that explain what your business does.
Rule #6: Mind Your E-Mail
Speaking of e-mail, keep your correspondence concise. Time is limited. Use a subject line with no more than three to five words that grab your reader's attention. Give the pertinent information in the first line or two, and keep your correspondence to one or two short paragraphs (unless of course a detailed memorandum is expected). Also, don't forget to use proper punctuation and grammar. The spell-check function exists on your computer for a reason. Use it.
Rule #7: Remember Small Touches
When was the last time you received a handwritten note? I bet you remember it. I do. After a brief conversation with the chief executive officer of a well-known franchisor, I was surprised to
receive an envelope in the mail with a short handwritten thank-you note along with several coupons for his product. The coupons were for small amounts, but the gesture left a big impression on me.
My insurance and financial planning adviser gets plenty of business from me because of numerous, small touches during the year. Several times a year I can expect to receive a handwritten note, a short voice message, or a copy of an article that I might find valuable
given what he knows about my interests. None of these touches are accompanied by a hard sell, but I wouldn't consider bringing my business to anyone else.
Business is far too competitive to risk making a bad impression. But it's not that hard to make a positive one. Just think about the way you like to be treated as a client. Follow these seven rules to stand apart.
Among the seven suggestions: Respond to e-mails within 24 hours. And don't use business cards as cues to bombard new contacts with pitches by Carmine Gallo
Getting favorable word out on a tiny budget is one of the perennial challenges facing small-business owners. Advertising is often too expensive, so most business owners rely on good old fashioned networking and word of mouth. However some are better at it than others (see BusinessWeek. com's Smart Answers podcast, 4/18/07, "Instituting a Client Appreciation Program"). Here are seven rules that will guarantee a strong first impression and a powerful,
lasting one.
Rule #1: Respond within 24 Hours
During the course of researching my next book, I came across an interesting trend. The people who run the most successful companies are the most responsive. When I leave a voice message or send an e-mail these individuals get back to me immediately with information, whether they're at the office or traveling. One woman who oversees 5,000 employees makes it a policy to respond to e-mail within 24 hours. She says her responsiveness provides a model for her employees. If she responds quickly to employee questions or concerns, they in turn understand the importance of getting back to customers in a short amount of time.
Even if you don't have an immediate answer, acknowledge receiving an e-mail or voice message within 24 hours or less, and let the person know you're considering the request or taking action on it.
Rule #2: Greet People with Enthusiasm
When a customer or employee calls and you choose to answer, it implies that you have time to talk. Far too many people continue to multitask during phone conversations. Those of us on the other end of the line can sense it, especially when you give one-word answers to our questions and we hear typing in the background!
Give your customers and employees your full attention. Greet them like you're sincerely excited to hear from them. And if the time isn't right, be professional enough to set a later time to give them your full attention.
Rule #3: Make Eye Contact
In conversations with customers or employees, look them in the eye. I know you might love your Blackberry, but please refrain from checking your device during the conversation. Think about how it makes you feel when the person you're talking to continually takes her eyes off
you to check out other people in the room. I'll tell you how I feel — like it's a waste of time to even finish the conversation.
Give customers and employees your full attention. It makes people feel as though their opinions and insights are valued. It will help you make a powerful and lasting impression.
Rule #4: Leave Smart Voice Messages
First of all, don't leave long, rambling messages with your phone number at the end. Keep the script concise. Leave your name, time you called, and phone number at the beginning. Repeat the phone number at the end, s-l-o-w-l-y. There's also nothing worse than a drawn out
game of phone tag. It can't hurt to leave a specific time when you can be reached. Of course, if you leave a time, be there to answer the call!
Rule #5: Respect Contacts
A conference organizer recently told me attendees have started complaining about fellow participants who treat business cards they have picked up at booths as open invitations to cram in-boxes with solicitations. If someone gives you a card, it's an invitation to begin a conversation. It isn't permission to leave a constant bombardment of e-mail sales pitches under the guise of "newsletters. " It's also not an invitation to send 10-MB files that explain what your business does.
Rule #6: Mind Your E-Mail
Speaking of e-mail, keep your correspondence concise. Time is limited. Use a subject line with no more than three to five words that grab your reader's attention. Give the pertinent information in the first line or two, and keep your correspondence to one or two short paragraphs (unless of course a detailed memorandum is expected). Also, don't forget to use proper punctuation and grammar. The spell-check function exists on your computer for a reason. Use it.
Rule #7: Remember Small Touches
When was the last time you received a handwritten note? I bet you remember it. I do. After a brief conversation with the chief executive officer of a well-known franchisor, I was surprised to
receive an envelope in the mail with a short handwritten thank-you note along with several coupons for his product. The coupons were for small amounts, but the gesture left a big impression on me.
My insurance and financial planning adviser gets plenty of business from me because of numerous, small touches during the year. Several times a year I can expect to receive a handwritten note, a short voice message, or a copy of an article that I might find valuable
given what he knows about my interests. None of these touches are accompanied by a hard sell, but I wouldn't consider bringing my business to anyone else.
Business is far too competitive to risk making a bad impression. But it's not that hard to make a positive one. Just think about the way you like to be treated as a client. Follow these seven rules to stand apart.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Abundance
5 Keys to Abundance- Use it don't lose it.
Are you really open to abundance in your life? Recently on Oprah, I heard a shocking statistic: Over 70% of people who experience a financial windfall from such strokes of luck as winning the lottery or inheriting a large sum of money tend to be back to where they were financially within just a few short years.
Most of us think this would never happen to us. Our thoughts probably run along the lines of, "If I won a million, two million, ten million dollars [take your pick], it would change my life forever. All my worries would be gone. I'd be happy."
How can it be that what seems like an inevitable happy ending just doesn't turn out to be true for such a large majority of people? Are those who come serendipitously into wealth dumber than we are? Are they all spendaholics, compulsive gamblers, inept business people, or at the very least so codependent that they can't say "no" to family and friends who ask for handouts?
It's true that many of us who are not used to handling large sums of money are inept with it. It's also true that a lot of us are codependent enough to fall prey to wanting to be loved by giving everything we have. If we're already doing that, we'll probably do it more, not less, if given half a chance. And if some of us aren't spendaholics now, like kids in a candy store, we certainly might become crazed with buying the first time we have a wad of cash in our hands. But even these shortcomings and lapses in judgment don't explain the expected fate of 70% of us who would end up no better—and possibly worse emotionally due to shame—than before our sudden wealth.
Many of us don't budget at all, claiming that there isn't enough money to do so. We pretend we aren't choosing to use up our available resources with the argument (while our debts mount), "I work hard for my money. I should get to enjoy it." We fall deeper and deeper into debt, feel incredible stress, depression, and shame, and wind up having to work harder and longer. And still we continue to shoot ourselves in the foot arguing that we deserve to spend our money any way we want to. We treat ourselves like entitled brats, demanding that reality fit our fantasy. But underneath this façade of entitlement, we are deluded by what I call The Big Lie. More about that in a moment.
There is no one roadmap to creating abundance, just as there is no single roadmap to creating a loving relationship. To find a relationship, you can date online, join a club, hang out at your favorite pub, buy a dog, or ask friends to set you up. To make more money, you can find a better-paying job, go back to school, learn a new skill, ask for a raise, gamble, or play the lottery. Getting isn't the biggest problem for most of us, whether it's a relationship or money; the trick is to learn how to keep and build upon what we get.
Until we open up to abundance and become "spiritually fit" to receive, the truth is that we are just as likely to deplete our treasure chest the same way our neighbors do and just as likely to find ourselves continually short on cash and long on debt. So here are five keys to building, maintaining, and enjoying abundance:
1.Embrace the true meaning of abundance: Abundance is that which already exists. In an abundant state, we understand that we are dipping into an overflowing well. Abundance is everywhere. Equally, it is within us. We are abundant. We don't have to seek abundance. We can say yes or no to this belief. It is up to us.
2.Stop using the world as a reflection of your worthiness: The Big Lie I mentioned earlier is the belief that we are unworthy. Most of us decide base our worthiness on outside barometers such as who likes us, what kind of house or car we have, how much money we make, how much education we have, or what clothes we wear. As long as we measure our worth based on outside factors, we our happiness is at the whim of others.
3.Practice worthiness as though it's a skill: While some of us were born believing we were worthy, life experiences may have convinced us otherwise. To retrain our thoughts, we must change our behaviors. Ask yourself what you would be doing differently right now, today, tomorrow, next week, this year if you already believed you were entirely worthy. What behaviors and activities would you stop? Which ones would you start? Make a commitment to yourself to "fake it 'til you make it." Practice your new behaviors until they become second nature, replacing the old habits you are shedding. Change your actions and your thoughts are sure to follow.
4.Recognize what your jealousy is telling you: Jealousy is what we experience when we don't believe we will have (or deserve to have) what someone else has. Therefore, jealousy comes from a belief in lack. If we put the first three keys into active practice, our jealousy will dissolve into gratitude for that which already exists. Gratitude doesn't mean that we become complacent. It means that we strive, not from fear and lack, but from the joy of thriving.
5.Be generous now: If you wait until you "have enough," whatever that means to you, the message you are telling yourself is that there is lack within and around you. Abundance thinking is a leap of faith for many of us. Faith, by definition, is only validated once we have made the leap. My friend had promised to tithe to his church and then "cheated" because he was broke. One day of scarcity led to the next until he woke up one day and realized that he was not trusting abundance (or God) at all. He was waiting for proof. How could waiting for proof be an act of faith? That day he took a deep breath and emptied the change from his pockets into the church's coffers. Immediately he felt the peace that goes along with keeping an agreement with oneself, no matter how difficult it is. He also felt strength in choosing to decide to have faith. Almost immediately, his phone began ringing off the hook with work offers. For him, this was wonderful evidence. But even more lovely, he didn't even need the evidence at that point. Since he already trusted, he was less fearful about the ups and downs of business and felt more relaxed about experiencing abundance however it presented itself.
Will you get rich by practicing these five keys? Nobody knows what the Universe has in store for us. But you can begin to define rich in new ways that give you appreciation for the abundance that already exists. You are already a wealth of knowledge, support, energy, artistry, compassion, and ideas. How can you maximize and share your abundant wealth today?
Are you really open to abundance in your life? Recently on Oprah, I heard a shocking statistic: Over 70% of people who experience a financial windfall from such strokes of luck as winning the lottery or inheriting a large sum of money tend to be back to where they were financially within just a few short years.
Most of us think this would never happen to us. Our thoughts probably run along the lines of, "If I won a million, two million, ten million dollars [take your pick], it would change my life forever. All my worries would be gone. I'd be happy."
How can it be that what seems like an inevitable happy ending just doesn't turn out to be true for such a large majority of people? Are those who come serendipitously into wealth dumber than we are? Are they all spendaholics, compulsive gamblers, inept business people, or at the very least so codependent that they can't say "no" to family and friends who ask for handouts?
It's true that many of us who are not used to handling large sums of money are inept with it. It's also true that a lot of us are codependent enough to fall prey to wanting to be loved by giving everything we have. If we're already doing that, we'll probably do it more, not less, if given half a chance. And if some of us aren't spendaholics now, like kids in a candy store, we certainly might become crazed with buying the first time we have a wad of cash in our hands. But even these shortcomings and lapses in judgment don't explain the expected fate of 70% of us who would end up no better—and possibly worse emotionally due to shame—than before our sudden wealth.
Many of us don't budget at all, claiming that there isn't enough money to do so. We pretend we aren't choosing to use up our available resources with the argument (while our debts mount), "I work hard for my money. I should get to enjoy it." We fall deeper and deeper into debt, feel incredible stress, depression, and shame, and wind up having to work harder and longer. And still we continue to shoot ourselves in the foot arguing that we deserve to spend our money any way we want to. We treat ourselves like entitled brats, demanding that reality fit our fantasy. But underneath this façade of entitlement, we are deluded by what I call The Big Lie. More about that in a moment.
There is no one roadmap to creating abundance, just as there is no single roadmap to creating a loving relationship. To find a relationship, you can date online, join a club, hang out at your favorite pub, buy a dog, or ask friends to set you up. To make more money, you can find a better-paying job, go back to school, learn a new skill, ask for a raise, gamble, or play the lottery. Getting isn't the biggest problem for most of us, whether it's a relationship or money; the trick is to learn how to keep and build upon what we get.
Until we open up to abundance and become "spiritually fit" to receive, the truth is that we are just as likely to deplete our treasure chest the same way our neighbors do and just as likely to find ourselves continually short on cash and long on debt. So here are five keys to building, maintaining, and enjoying abundance:
1.Embrace the true meaning of abundance: Abundance is that which already exists. In an abundant state, we understand that we are dipping into an overflowing well. Abundance is everywhere. Equally, it is within us. We are abundant. We don't have to seek abundance. We can say yes or no to this belief. It is up to us.
2.Stop using the world as a reflection of your worthiness: The Big Lie I mentioned earlier is the belief that we are unworthy. Most of us decide base our worthiness on outside barometers such as who likes us, what kind of house or car we have, how much money we make, how much education we have, or what clothes we wear. As long as we measure our worth based on outside factors, we our happiness is at the whim of others.
3.Practice worthiness as though it's a skill: While some of us were born believing we were worthy, life experiences may have convinced us otherwise. To retrain our thoughts, we must change our behaviors. Ask yourself what you would be doing differently right now, today, tomorrow, next week, this year if you already believed you were entirely worthy. What behaviors and activities would you stop? Which ones would you start? Make a commitment to yourself to "fake it 'til you make it." Practice your new behaviors until they become second nature, replacing the old habits you are shedding. Change your actions and your thoughts are sure to follow.
4.Recognize what your jealousy is telling you: Jealousy is what we experience when we don't believe we will have (or deserve to have) what someone else has. Therefore, jealousy comes from a belief in lack. If we put the first three keys into active practice, our jealousy will dissolve into gratitude for that which already exists. Gratitude doesn't mean that we become complacent. It means that we strive, not from fear and lack, but from the joy of thriving.
5.Be generous now: If you wait until you "have enough," whatever that means to you, the message you are telling yourself is that there is lack within and around you. Abundance thinking is a leap of faith for many of us. Faith, by definition, is only validated once we have made the leap. My friend had promised to tithe to his church and then "cheated" because he was broke. One day of scarcity led to the next until he woke up one day and realized that he was not trusting abundance (or God) at all. He was waiting for proof. How could waiting for proof be an act of faith? That day he took a deep breath and emptied the change from his pockets into the church's coffers. Immediately he felt the peace that goes along with keeping an agreement with oneself, no matter how difficult it is. He also felt strength in choosing to decide to have faith. Almost immediately, his phone began ringing off the hook with work offers. For him, this was wonderful evidence. But even more lovely, he didn't even need the evidence at that point. Since he already trusted, he was less fearful about the ups and downs of business and felt more relaxed about experiencing abundance however it presented itself.
Will you get rich by practicing these five keys? Nobody knows what the Universe has in store for us. But you can begin to define rich in new ways that give you appreciation for the abundance that already exists. You are already a wealth of knowledge, support, energy, artistry, compassion, and ideas. How can you maximize and share your abundant wealth today?
Some thing to Ponder intellectually
The following is the philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip. You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just read the e-mail straight through, and you'll get the point.
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winner for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.
How did you do?
The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners .
**********************************************
Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
Easier?
The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not only the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care .
Pass this on to those people who have made a difference in your life.
"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia." (Charles Schultz)
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winner for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.
How did you do?
The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners .
**********************************************
Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
Easier?
The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not only the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care .
Pass this on to those people who have made a difference in your life.
"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia." (Charles Schultz)
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
An important info-Pl forward by mail to all your friends
Dear Friends,
Tamilnadu kidney Research Foundation
There is a foundation called TANKER (Tamilnadu kidney Research
Foundation), where they treat all kidney related problems free of cost. They even do Dialysis free of cost. Please forward this message and let people utilize this opportunity. It can help people who are in need.
Please forward this e-mail to all your friends...
For details check the following website.
http://www.tankerfoundation.com
Email: tankerfoundation@tankerfoundation.com
Tamilnadu kidney Research Foundation
There is a foundation called TANKER (Tamilnadu kidney Research
Foundation), where they treat all kidney related problems free of cost. They even do Dialysis free of cost. Please forward this message and let people utilize this opportunity. It can help people who are in need.
Please forward this e-mail to all your friends...
For details check the following website.
http://www.tankerfoundation.com
Email: tankerfoundation@tankerfoundation.com
Thursday, April 12, 2007
LONG LIVED LOVE ENDED IN BEING (G)OLDEST COUPLE.
The story goes like this:-
As I walked home one freezing day, I stumbled on a wallet someone
had lost in the street. I picked it up and looked inside to find
some identification so I could call the owner. But the wallet
contained only three dollars and a crumpled letter that looked as
if it had been in there for years.
The envelope was worn and the only thing that was legible on it
was the return address. I started to open the letter, hoping to
find some clue. Then I saw the dateline--1924. The letter had
been written almost sixty years ago.
It was written in a beautiful feminine handwriting on powder blue
stationery with a little flower in the left-hand corner. It was a
"Dear John" letter that told the recipient, whose name appeared
to be Michael, that the writer could not see him any more because
her mother forbade it. Even so, she wrote that she would always
love him.
It was signed, Hannah.
It was a beautiful letter, but there was no way except for the
name Michael, that the owner could be identified. Maybe if I
called information, the operator could find a phone listing for
the address on the envelope.
"Operator," I began, "this is an unusual request. I'm trying to
find the owner of a wallet that I found. Is there anyway you can
tell me if there is a phone number for an address that was on an
envelope in the wallet?"
She suggested I speak with her supervisor, who hesitated for a
moment then said, "Well, there is a phone listing at that
address, but I can't give you the number." She said, as a
courtesy, she would call that number, explain my story and would
ask them if they wanted her to connect me. I waited a few minutes
and then she was back on the line. "I have a party who will speak
with you."
I asked the woman on the other end of the line if she knew anyone
by the name of Hannah. She gasped, "Oh! We bought this house from
a family who had a daughter named Hannah. But that was 30 years
ago!"
"Would you know where that family could be located now?" I asked.
"I remember that Hannah had to place her mother in a nursing home
some years ago," the woman said. "Maybe if you got in touch with
them they might be able to track down the daughter."
She gave me the name of the nursing home and I called the number.
They told me the old lady had passed away some years ago but they
did have a phone number for where they thought the daughter might
be living.
I thanked them and phoned. The woman who answered explained that
Hannah herself was now living in a nursing home.
This whole thing was stupid, I thought to myself. Why was I
making such a big deal over finding the owner of a wallet that
had only three dollars and a letter that was almost 60 years old?
Nevertheless, I called the nursing home in which Hannah was
supposed to be living and the man who answered the phone told me,
"Yes, Hannah is staying with us."
Even though it was already 10 p.m., I asked if I could come by to
see her. "Well," he said hesitatingly, "if you want to take a
chance, she might be in the day room watching television."
I thanked him and drove over to the nursing home. The night nurse
and a guard greeted me at the door. We went up to the third floor
of the large building. In the day room, the nurse introduced me
to Hannah.
She was a sweet, silver-haired old timer with a warm smile and a
twinkle in her eye.
I told her about finding the wallet and showed her the letter.
The second she saw the powder blue envelope with that little
flower on the left, she took a deep breath and said, "Young man,
this letter was the last contact I ever had with Michael."
She looked away for a moment deep in thought and then said
Softly, "I loved him very much. But I was only 16 at the time and
my mother felt I was too young. Oh, he was so handsome. He looked
like Sean Connery, the actor."
"Yes," she continued. "Michael Goldstein was a wonderful person.
If you should find him, tell him I think of him often. And," she
hesitated for a moment, almost biting her lip, "tell him I still
love him. You know," she said smiling as tears began to well up
in her eyes, "I never did marry. I guess no one ever matched up
to Michael..."
I thanked Hannah and said good-bye. I took the elevator to the
first floor and as I stood by the door, the guard there asked,
"Was the old lady able to help you?"
I told him she had given me a lead. "At least I have a last name.
But I think I'll let it go for a while. I spent almost the whole
day trying to find the owner of this wallet."
I had taken out the wallet, which was a simple brown leather case
with red lacing on the side. When the guard saw it, he said,
"Hey, wait a minute! That's Mr. Goldstein's wallet. I'd know it
anywhere with that right red lacing. He's always losing that
wallet. I must have found it in the halls at least three times."
"Who's Mr. Goldstein?" I asked as my hand began to shake.
"He's one of the old timers on the 8th floor. That's Mike
Goldstein's wallet for sure. He must have lost it on one of his
walks."
I thanked the guard and quickly ran back to the nurse's office. I
told her what the guard had said. We went back to the elevator
and got on. I prayed that Mr. Goldstein would be up.
On the eighth floor, the floor nurse said, "I think he's still in
the day room. He likes to read at night. He's a darling old man."
We went to the only room that had any lights on and there was a
man reading a book. The nurse went over to him and asked if he
had lost his wallet. Mr. Goldstein looked up with surprise, put
his hand in his back pocket and said, "Oh, it is missing!"
"This kind gentleman found a wallet and we wondered if it could
be yours?"
I handed Mr. Goldstein the wallet and the second he saw it, he
smiled with relief and said, "Yes, that's it! It must have
dropped out of my pocket this afternoon. I want to give you a
reward."
"No, thank you," I said. "But I have to tell you something. I
read the letter in the hope of finding out who owned the wallet."
The smile on his face suddenly disappeared. "You read that
letter?"
"Not only did I read it, I think I know where Hannah is."
He suddenly grew pale. "Hannah? You know where she is? How is
she? Is she still as pretty as she was? Please, please tell me,"
he begged.
"She's fine...just as pretty as when you knew her." I said
softly.
The old man smiled with anticipation and asked, "Could you tell
me where she is? I want to call her tomorrow." He grabbed my hand
and said, "You know something, mister, I was so in love with that
girl that when that letter came, my life literally ended. I never
married. I guess I've always loved her. "
"Mr. Goldstein," I said, "come with me."
We took the elevator down to the third floor. The hallways were
darkened and only one or two little night-lights lit our way to
the day room where Hannah was sitting alone watching the
television. The nurse walked over to her.
"Hannah," she said softly, pointing to Michael, who was waiting
with me in the doorway. "Do you know this man?"
She adjusted her glasses, looked for a moment, but didn't say a
word. Michael said softly, almost in a whisper, "Hannah, it's
Michael. Do you remember me?"
She gasped, "Michael! I don't believe it! Michael! It's you! My
Michael!"
He walked slowly towards her and they embraced. The nurse and I
left with tears streaming down our faces.
"See," I said. "See how the Good Lord works! If it's meant to be,
it will be."
About three weeks later I got a call at my office from the
nursing home. "Can you break away on Sunday to attend a wedding?
Michael and Hannah are going to tie the knot!"
It was a beautiful wedding with all the people at the nursing
home dressed up to join in the celebration. Hannah wore a light
beige dress and looked beautiful. Michael wore a dark blue suit
and stood tall. They made me their best man.
The hospital gave them their own room and if you ever wanted to
see a 76-year-old bride and a 79-year-old groom acting like two
teenagers, you had to see this couple.
A perfect ending for a love affair that had lasted nearly 60
years.
J.KANNAN
As I walked home one freezing day, I stumbled on a wallet someone
had lost in the street. I picked it up and looked inside to find
some identification so I could call the owner. But the wallet
contained only three dollars and a crumpled letter that looked as
if it had been in there for years.
The envelope was worn and the only thing that was legible on it
was the return address. I started to open the letter, hoping to
find some clue. Then I saw the dateline--1924. The letter had
been written almost sixty years ago.
It was written in a beautiful feminine handwriting on powder blue
stationery with a little flower in the left-hand corner. It was a
"Dear John" letter that told the recipient, whose name appeared
to be Michael, that the writer could not see him any more because
her mother forbade it. Even so, she wrote that she would always
love him.
It was signed, Hannah.
It was a beautiful letter, but there was no way except for the
name Michael, that the owner could be identified. Maybe if I
called information, the operator could find a phone listing for
the address on the envelope.
"Operator," I began, "this is an unusual request. I'm trying to
find the owner of a wallet that I found. Is there anyway you can
tell me if there is a phone number for an address that was on an
envelope in the wallet?"
She suggested I speak with her supervisor, who hesitated for a
moment then said, "Well, there is a phone listing at that
address, but I can't give you the number." She said, as a
courtesy, she would call that number, explain my story and would
ask them if they wanted her to connect me. I waited a few minutes
and then she was back on the line. "I have a party who will speak
with you."
I asked the woman on the other end of the line if she knew anyone
by the name of Hannah. She gasped, "Oh! We bought this house from
a family who had a daughter named Hannah. But that was 30 years
ago!"
"Would you know where that family could be located now?" I asked.
"I remember that Hannah had to place her mother in a nursing home
some years ago," the woman said. "Maybe if you got in touch with
them they might be able to track down the daughter."
She gave me the name of the nursing home and I called the number.
They told me the old lady had passed away some years ago but they
did have a phone number for where they thought the daughter might
be living.
I thanked them and phoned. The woman who answered explained that
Hannah herself was now living in a nursing home.
This whole thing was stupid, I thought to myself. Why was I
making such a big deal over finding the owner of a wallet that
had only three dollars and a letter that was almost 60 years old?
Nevertheless, I called the nursing home in which Hannah was
supposed to be living and the man who answered the phone told me,
"Yes, Hannah is staying with us."
Even though it was already 10 p.m., I asked if I could come by to
see her. "Well," he said hesitatingly, "if you want to take a
chance, she might be in the day room watching television."
I thanked him and drove over to the nursing home. The night nurse
and a guard greeted me at the door. We went up to the third floor
of the large building. In the day room, the nurse introduced me
to Hannah.
She was a sweet, silver-haired old timer with a warm smile and a
twinkle in her eye.
I told her about finding the wallet and showed her the letter.
The second she saw the powder blue envelope with that little
flower on the left, she took a deep breath and said, "Young man,
this letter was the last contact I ever had with Michael."
She looked away for a moment deep in thought and then said
Softly, "I loved him very much. But I was only 16 at the time and
my mother felt I was too young. Oh, he was so handsome. He looked
like Sean Connery, the actor."
"Yes," she continued. "Michael Goldstein was a wonderful person.
If you should find him, tell him I think of him often. And," she
hesitated for a moment, almost biting her lip, "tell him I still
love him. You know," she said smiling as tears began to well up
in her eyes, "I never did marry. I guess no one ever matched up
to Michael..."
I thanked Hannah and said good-bye. I took the elevator to the
first floor and as I stood by the door, the guard there asked,
"Was the old lady able to help you?"
I told him she had given me a lead. "At least I have a last name.
But I think I'll let it go for a while. I spent almost the whole
day trying to find the owner of this wallet."
I had taken out the wallet, which was a simple brown leather case
with red lacing on the side. When the guard saw it, he said,
"Hey, wait a minute! That's Mr. Goldstein's wallet. I'd know it
anywhere with that right red lacing. He's always losing that
wallet. I must have found it in the halls at least three times."
"Who's Mr. Goldstein?" I asked as my hand began to shake.
"He's one of the old timers on the 8th floor. That's Mike
Goldstein's wallet for sure. He must have lost it on one of his
walks."
I thanked the guard and quickly ran back to the nurse's office. I
told her what the guard had said. We went back to the elevator
and got on. I prayed that Mr. Goldstein would be up.
On the eighth floor, the floor nurse said, "I think he's still in
the day room. He likes to read at night. He's a darling old man."
We went to the only room that had any lights on and there was a
man reading a book. The nurse went over to him and asked if he
had lost his wallet. Mr. Goldstein looked up with surprise, put
his hand in his back pocket and said, "Oh, it is missing!"
"This kind gentleman found a wallet and we wondered if it could
be yours?"
I handed Mr. Goldstein the wallet and the second he saw it, he
smiled with relief and said, "Yes, that's it! It must have
dropped out of my pocket this afternoon. I want to give you a
reward."
"No, thank you," I said. "But I have to tell you something. I
read the letter in the hope of finding out who owned the wallet."
The smile on his face suddenly disappeared. "You read that
letter?"
"Not only did I read it, I think I know where Hannah is."
He suddenly grew pale. "Hannah? You know where she is? How is
she? Is she still as pretty as she was? Please, please tell me,"
he begged.
"She's fine...just as pretty as when you knew her." I said
softly.
The old man smiled with anticipation and asked, "Could you tell
me where she is? I want to call her tomorrow." He grabbed my hand
and said, "You know something, mister, I was so in love with that
girl that when that letter came, my life literally ended. I never
married. I guess I've always loved her. "
"Mr. Goldstein," I said, "come with me."
We took the elevator down to the third floor. The hallways were
darkened and only one or two little night-lights lit our way to
the day room where Hannah was sitting alone watching the
television. The nurse walked over to her.
"Hannah," she said softly, pointing to Michael, who was waiting
with me in the doorway. "Do you know this man?"
She adjusted her glasses, looked for a moment, but didn't say a
word. Michael said softly, almost in a whisper, "Hannah, it's
Michael. Do you remember me?"
She gasped, "Michael! I don't believe it! Michael! It's you! My
Michael!"
He walked slowly towards her and they embraced. The nurse and I
left with tears streaming down our faces.
"See," I said. "See how the Good Lord works! If it's meant to be,
it will be."
About three weeks later I got a call at my office from the
nursing home. "Can you break away on Sunday to attend a wedding?
Michael and Hannah are going to tie the knot!"
It was a beautiful wedding with all the people at the nursing
home dressed up to join in the celebration. Hannah wore a light
beige dress and looked beautiful. Michael wore a dark blue suit
and stood tall. They made me their best man.
The hospital gave them their own room and if you ever wanted to
see a 76-year-old bride and a 79-year-old groom acting like two
teenagers, you had to see this couple.
A perfect ending for a love affair that had lasted nearly 60
years.
J.KANNAN
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Its all about Indian cricket & its players
The present cricket scenario in India- the matter needs earnest and serious thinking and honest remedial measures by the Govt./BCCI.
This article is being posted WITHOUT ANY PREJUDICE WHATSOEVER
To be accepted in its right spirit and perspective.
Is it a controversy between: -
Players Vs Coach?
Players Vs Selection Committee.
Sr. Players Vs Jr Players. ?
OR
Is it a Scandal?
OR
Mockery?
OR
The players attempting to make fool of Cricket Lovers and enthusiasts?
What reasonably faithful and honest answer you guys have for us?
Any how it’s utter shame on the part of all the players more so the senior players for having tarnished the glory, Name & Fame of the Indian Cricket in the current W.C.
It is rather ridiculous and absurd to find fault with the coach at this belated stage after humiliating defeat in the hands of KIDS OF CRICKET instead of accepting the truth of defeat with due respect to humanity and with humility, rather than trying to apply the dirtiest trick of “PASSING ON THE BUCK” my dear players.
What were you all doing during the past couple of months under the coaching of Greg?
Why did you all not come out with facts and truths(if at all any?) then to BCCI ? Mr. Greg turned out be hostile and disliked by you only after you guys failed to deliver victory results? You guys lost the matches miserably in the ab-initio stage itself and trying to escape by finding scapegoat in Coach-What a shame?
What the hell the captain was doing? What the hell all you guys were doing?
Scratching your b….ls? (‘Am sorry I leave the blank to your guess without any offence whatsoever) instead of taking up, issues if any with BCCI. The moment you guys smelt that there is going to be change in the coaching squad, you guys are trying to escape from your utter failures, by making unacceptable and illegitimate statements and talks through media. Don’t think that your beloved cricket lovers and enthusiasts are clowns-they have better sense than you all. Don’t make statements like cricket is my life, will do anything for the game, bla bla and all. We have seen what you guys have done for our country now.
First of all bear in mind that cricket is your lively-hood. What all you guys have made. Amassed and built is because of cricket and through cricket and you have massive cricket lovers and enthusiasts who were instrumental for your monetary built ups, and none of you guys can deny this truth.
Stop bulshit atleast from now on, or else will sting unbearable, instead be honest and truthful to yourself by taking the game in all seriousness to bring back the lost glory, name and fame.
I have a little consolation and for that I indeed has to thank the (Indian Kerry Packer)
Mr. Subash Chandra, Chairman of Zee TV who made announcements thr’o media to form Indian Cricket league with lots of efforts and stringent measures unlike BCCI. And this will definitely do lot of good to Indian Cricket-Wait and See.
As of now we can look for only A PAWARFUL team in Indian Cricket instead of
Having A POWERFUL cricket team. Is it not true?
Yes indeed.
JK
This article is being posted WITHOUT ANY PREJUDICE WHATSOEVER
To be accepted in its right spirit and perspective.
Is it a controversy between: -
Players Vs Coach?
Players Vs Selection Committee.
Sr. Players Vs Jr Players. ?
OR
Is it a Scandal?
OR
Mockery?
OR
The players attempting to make fool of Cricket Lovers and enthusiasts?
What reasonably faithful and honest answer you guys have for us?
Any how it’s utter shame on the part of all the players more so the senior players for having tarnished the glory, Name & Fame of the Indian Cricket in the current W.C.
It is rather ridiculous and absurd to find fault with the coach at this belated stage after humiliating defeat in the hands of KIDS OF CRICKET instead of accepting the truth of defeat with due respect to humanity and with humility, rather than trying to apply the dirtiest trick of “PASSING ON THE BUCK” my dear players.
What were you all doing during the past couple of months under the coaching of Greg?
Why did you all not come out with facts and truths(if at all any?) then to BCCI ? Mr. Greg turned out be hostile and disliked by you only after you guys failed to deliver victory results? You guys lost the matches miserably in the ab-initio stage itself and trying to escape by finding scapegoat in Coach-What a shame?
What the hell the captain was doing? What the hell all you guys were doing?
Scratching your b….ls? (‘Am sorry I leave the blank to your guess without any offence whatsoever) instead of taking up, issues if any with BCCI. The moment you guys smelt that there is going to be change in the coaching squad, you guys are trying to escape from your utter failures, by making unacceptable and illegitimate statements and talks through media. Don’t think that your beloved cricket lovers and enthusiasts are clowns-they have better sense than you all. Don’t make statements like cricket is my life, will do anything for the game, bla bla and all. We have seen what you guys have done for our country now.
First of all bear in mind that cricket is your lively-hood. What all you guys have made. Amassed and built is because of cricket and through cricket and you have massive cricket lovers and enthusiasts who were instrumental for your monetary built ups, and none of you guys can deny this truth.
Stop bulshit atleast from now on, or else will sting unbearable, instead be honest and truthful to yourself by taking the game in all seriousness to bring back the lost glory, name and fame.
I have a little consolation and for that I indeed has to thank the (Indian Kerry Packer)
Mr. Subash Chandra, Chairman of Zee TV who made announcements thr’o media to form Indian Cricket league with lots of efforts and stringent measures unlike BCCI. And this will definitely do lot of good to Indian Cricket-Wait and See.
As of now we can look for only A PAWARFUL team in Indian Cricket instead of
Having A POWERFUL cricket team. Is it not true?
Yes indeed.
JK
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
It is indeed about Indian cricket now
What did the spectator miss when he went to the toilet?
The entire Indian Innings.
Where do Indian batsmen perform there best?
In Advertisements.
When would Agarkar have 100 runs against his name?
When he is bowling.
What is the most proficient form of footwork displayed by Indian batsmen?
The walk back to the pavilion.
How to increase the chances of Indian batsmen playing out the entire 50 overs?
Try giving them two innings to begin with, then try three and so on.
What is the Indian version of a hat-trick?
3 runs in 3 balls
What is the height of optimism ?
Sehwag coming out to bat applying sunscreen on his face.
Phone Call for Sehwag:
Indian Team Manager : "Hello"(over Phone)
Wife :"Can I talk to Sehwag, this is his wife."
Indian Team Manager:"Sorry, he is just going to bat"
Wife:"No Problem Manager, I will Hold on"
The entire Indian Innings.
Where do Indian batsmen perform there best?
In Advertisements.
When would Agarkar have 100 runs against his name?
When he is bowling.
What is the most proficient form of footwork displayed by Indian batsmen?
The walk back to the pavilion.
How to increase the chances of Indian batsmen playing out the entire 50 overs?
Try giving them two innings to begin with, then try three and so on.
What is the Indian version of a hat-trick?
3 runs in 3 balls
What is the height of optimism ?
Sehwag coming out to bat applying sunscreen on his face.
Phone Call for Sehwag:
Indian Team Manager : "Hello"(over Phone)
Wife :"Can I talk to Sehwag, this is his wife."
Indian Team Manager:"Sorry, he is just going to bat"
Wife:"No Problem Manager, I will Hold on"
Monday, April 02, 2007
MANAGEMENT CHALLENGE:-
It is a challenge to retain people in business. Therefore it is essential that a leader in business necessarily needs to be an effective, efficient and great communicator. In the background of hectic competition, organization needs to work with objectives, targets and deadlines to remain in the active competition. An effective leader in fact is the bridge between his superiors and his sub-ordinates. Having a VISION to reach the mission is another important quality in a leader
Planning and evaluating existing methods and procedures should be carried out on a regular basis to ensure prompt delivery of business objectives of the organization thus establishing operational excellence and efficiency.
Training is another important aspect for an organization as it is the only link that connects the gap between business and rapidly changing technology. It is essential before taking up a new project to encourage people connected with it, to learn and it should be on the hands-on learning process.
Bear in mind the following important leadership qualities and ensure you posses it always: -
Understand the business to the minute detail.
Set example for hard and efficient work.
Stay connected with your customers (they are the ones behind your success)
Set objectives, guidance and guidelines.
Posses excellent, effective and sharp communication skills.
You are sure to achieve your mission successfully as per time plan.
J.K
It is a challenge to retain people in business. Therefore it is essential that a leader in business necessarily needs to be an effective, efficient and great communicator. In the background of hectic competition, organization needs to work with objectives, targets and deadlines to remain in the active competition. An effective leader in fact is the bridge between his superiors and his sub-ordinates. Having a VISION to reach the mission is another important quality in a leader
Planning and evaluating existing methods and procedures should be carried out on a regular basis to ensure prompt delivery of business objectives of the organization thus establishing operational excellence and efficiency.
Training is another important aspect for an organization as it is the only link that connects the gap between business and rapidly changing technology. It is essential before taking up a new project to encourage people connected with it, to learn and it should be on the hands-on learning process.
Bear in mind the following important leadership qualities and ensure you posses it always: -
Understand the business to the minute detail.
Set example for hard and efficient work.
Stay connected with your customers (they are the ones behind your success)
Set objectives, guidance and guidelines.
Posses excellent, effective and sharp communication skills.
You are sure to achieve your mission successfully as per time plan.
J.K
Gratitude & appreciation
GRATITUDE & APPRECIATION:-
Gratitude is a quality of the soul. Its opposite, ingratitude, is a quality of the external ego. When we abide in soul consciousness, we give thanks for whatever we have, no matter how little or how much. When in ego consciousness, we are never satisfied, no matter how much we have. Gratitude is being thankful for life's little treasures, grateful for the opportunity to begin the day where we are, understanding the perfect place our karma and God's grace have brought us to. Unfortunately, it is an all-too-common way of our times that when something is done that is good, helpful or loving, it is often overlooked, treated as something expected. No acknowledgement is shown, no appreciation expressed. But if a shortcoming is seen, everyone is swift to point it out! Not only are they swift, quite often they are unkind as well. A Hawaiian civic leader lamented a few years ago that people are cruel in their complaints. "It's OK to criticize," she said, "but they should be kindly when doing so!"
Let's look at some common examples of not being grateful nor expressing appreciation. First example: The mother of two teenage boys works quite hard every day to take care of her sons' needs at home and at school. They take her efforts totally for granted and never say, "Thanks, Mom." Second example: A wife is faithfully attentive to her husband's needs and supportive of his career. The husband never bothers to thank her for her constant care. Third example: A husband works hard to financially support his family, even toiling weekends to earn extra income. The wife never expresses any thankfulness to him for his tireless efforts. Fourth example: A supervisor at work takes extra time with his staff to help improve their skills and advance their position. However, not one of them ever expresses thanks for his leadership. Unfortunately, they do enjoy an occasional jab at the boss and whispered gossip about his private life.
Here is a insightful quote on gratitude and appreciation. "I have faith in human integrity, in that unfailing 'still small voice of the soul' which each who listens for can hear. We are essentially pure souls temporarily living in a physical body. We can and should use our God-given gift of free will encased in love to make a difference in the world today, even if it is in a small way. All of us making the same difference together do so in a big way. Shishyas should be grateful to their gurus, husbands to their wives, wives to their husbands, parents to their children, children to their parents, students to their teachers and teachers to their students. It's far more effective to praise others and appreciate what we have than to find fault and complain about what we don't have!"
There is a helpful write-up in Living with Siva in which he gives two specific sadhanas, one for gratitude and the second for appreciation. The idea is to do the sadhana of gratitude first, then the sadhana of appreciation.
The sadhana of gratitude is to take out paper and pen and list all the good that has come into your life during the past five years. As memory is stimulated, the list will grow. It suggests that if you find yourself not able to even recall one good thing, write several times "I am a spiritual being of light maturing in the ocean of experience." This will stimulate a good memory, which will soon be followed by more. Feelings of loving appreciation will begin to flow toward those who helped you in the good times. Feelings of forgiveness will also well up for the bad times. This sadhana of gratitude echoes the wisdom found in the Kural's eleventh chapter, "On Gratitude:" "It is improper to ever forget a kindness, but good to forget at once an injury received."
The sadhana of gratitude is a good one to do now and then. Of course, if we do it regularly we don't have to go back for the full five years. But definitely if we are feeling, shall we say, a little down, not fully inspired, if we are looking at the glass as half empty rather than half full, it is a good time to do this sadhana, because then we will recall all the inspiring events that have taken place in our life and all the people who have done wonderful things for us.
Focusing on the good things in our life leads naturally to the sadhana of appreciation. This sadhana is to approach those to whom you are grateful and tell them to their face, while looking deep into their eyes, how much you esteem and value them. Be specific. That is the key. You don't want to just say, "You are wonderful."
Rather you want to point out specific qualities so that he or she knows you really, deeply feel what you are saying, that it is not just a surface compliment. Convince him or her that you are sincere by your kind words, smiling face and if appropriate by also giving a big hug.
Unfortunately, such loving encounters do not happen often enough in today's world. Words of appreciation are words people do not frequently hear and points out that loving appreciation is a magic formula that works both ways. When we commend another, we are automatically uplifted. He encourages us to express appreciation to community leaders, business associates, spiritual mentors, family members and friends as often as we can.
To prepare yourself for the appreciation sadhana, you can practice by standing before a mirror and looking at your face and saying aloud, "I am grateful to you and appreciate your being in my life." You can then describe the many good actions you have done during the past five years. Once you feel comfortable appreciating yourself, you are ready to begin appreciating others. This exercise helps overcome any shyness you may feel.
A person who is quite well known in the world of helping individuals verbalize appreciation is Helice Bridges. She has visited the island of Kauai a few times and had the opportunity to meet her in person. Helice is the creator of the "Who I am makes a difference" blue ribbon. She is an expert at motivating individuals to express appreciation. Her message to schools is a simple affirmation, "Who I am makes a difference—a social vaccine uniting youth and community to make a difference." She told a number of inspiring stories, one of which is about a teacher who one day acknowledged every student in the class. The teacher spoke to all his students, one at a time, expressing how he appreciated them and mentioning the qualities in them that he valued. He was very careful to verbalize specific qualities for each student. It was not just a generalization, such as "You are wonderful," "You are smart." Rather, the teacher strove to really see the person and acknowledge that student for the different fine qualities that he or she had. Part of this process was what some call a "pay forward." The teacher gave each student two ribbons with the assignment to appreciate one more person outside of the class and then give that person a ribbon with which to appreciate someone else. Having just been praised, the students felt better about themselves, and this catalyzed some of them to express how much they appreciated one or both of their parents—something that would not have happened otherwise.
We have some excellent opportunities coming up to verbalize our appreciation. Mother's Day is coming up in May. You may wonder why Mother's Day, Father's Day and Grandparent's Day in our global activity calendar, even though they are not officially celebrated in Mauritius. It is because these days are natural opportunities to express appreciation. "Okay, it's Mother's Day. What do we do? Appreciate Mother!" It is a great time to share our appreciation, and, as Gurudeva says, be specific. Talk about specific points, because that will make her feel you really thought about it and your appreciation has heartfelt sincerity behind it. In June we have Father's Day, the man's turn, and in September we have Grandparent's Day.
A few years ago a number of our youth devotees in Malaysia held a surprise Mother's Day event. Let me share part of their description of it. "After the normal satsang events, bhajans and meditation, we announced our surprise, got each amma to come forward and stand in front, and each of her children put a huge garland on her and gave her a bookmark, a card, and a beautiful single rose package (all done by us), and prostrated to each amma's feet, hugged her and wished her well on this day. By now, most ammas were already busy wiping away small bits of tears from their eyes!"
Our last story of appreciation is about the boss of one of our devotees. She was quite happy about a new job, in particular the way in which her new boss showed appreciation to her and others in her work group. She begins: "I really did want to show my appreciation to my boss and what better way than to show it on Boss's Day? I marked it on my calendar and took him to lunch at a restaurant of his choosing and got him some gifts. When I did this, all of my co-workers were reminded about Boss's Day. They too went out to get balloons, gifts and cards for their boss as well. The two supervisors said they did not even realize that it was Boss's Day. They had never celebrated it before, and they were so thankful for everything. As a matter of fact, both bosses were overjoyed that we thought about them, as they have been doing a lot for us."
In conclusion, make the gratitude and appreciation sadhanas part of your life. Take time to write down the many events for which you are thankful. Then choose at least one person and verbalize your appreciation for who he is and how he has helped or inspired you. Remember, when sharing your love with others, be specific, smile and realize you are helping change the world for the better. Those you uplift will learn from your example and later uplift others in their life.
Express gratitude and make it a habit to appreciate whenever deserves.
JK
Gratitude is a quality of the soul. Its opposite, ingratitude, is a quality of the external ego. When we abide in soul consciousness, we give thanks for whatever we have, no matter how little or how much. When in ego consciousness, we are never satisfied, no matter how much we have. Gratitude is being thankful for life's little treasures, grateful for the opportunity to begin the day where we are, understanding the perfect place our karma and God's grace have brought us to. Unfortunately, it is an all-too-common way of our times that when something is done that is good, helpful or loving, it is often overlooked, treated as something expected. No acknowledgement is shown, no appreciation expressed. But if a shortcoming is seen, everyone is swift to point it out! Not only are they swift, quite often they are unkind as well. A Hawaiian civic leader lamented a few years ago that people are cruel in their complaints. "It's OK to criticize," she said, "but they should be kindly when doing so!"
Let's look at some common examples of not being grateful nor expressing appreciation. First example: The mother of two teenage boys works quite hard every day to take care of her sons' needs at home and at school. They take her efforts totally for granted and never say, "Thanks, Mom." Second example: A wife is faithfully attentive to her husband's needs and supportive of his career. The husband never bothers to thank her for her constant care. Third example: A husband works hard to financially support his family, even toiling weekends to earn extra income. The wife never expresses any thankfulness to him for his tireless efforts. Fourth example: A supervisor at work takes extra time with his staff to help improve their skills and advance their position. However, not one of them ever expresses thanks for his leadership. Unfortunately, they do enjoy an occasional jab at the boss and whispered gossip about his private life.
Here is a insightful quote on gratitude and appreciation. "I have faith in human integrity, in that unfailing 'still small voice of the soul' which each who listens for can hear. We are essentially pure souls temporarily living in a physical body. We can and should use our God-given gift of free will encased in love to make a difference in the world today, even if it is in a small way. All of us making the same difference together do so in a big way. Shishyas should be grateful to their gurus, husbands to their wives, wives to their husbands, parents to their children, children to their parents, students to their teachers and teachers to their students. It's far more effective to praise others and appreciate what we have than to find fault and complain about what we don't have!"
There is a helpful write-up in Living with Siva in which he gives two specific sadhanas, one for gratitude and the second for appreciation. The idea is to do the sadhana of gratitude first, then the sadhana of appreciation.
The sadhana of gratitude is to take out paper and pen and list all the good that has come into your life during the past five years. As memory is stimulated, the list will grow. It suggests that if you find yourself not able to even recall one good thing, write several times "I am a spiritual being of light maturing in the ocean of experience." This will stimulate a good memory, which will soon be followed by more. Feelings of loving appreciation will begin to flow toward those who helped you in the good times. Feelings of forgiveness will also well up for the bad times. This sadhana of gratitude echoes the wisdom found in the Kural's eleventh chapter, "On Gratitude:" "It is improper to ever forget a kindness, but good to forget at once an injury received."
The sadhana of gratitude is a good one to do now and then. Of course, if we do it regularly we don't have to go back for the full five years. But definitely if we are feeling, shall we say, a little down, not fully inspired, if we are looking at the glass as half empty rather than half full, it is a good time to do this sadhana, because then we will recall all the inspiring events that have taken place in our life and all the people who have done wonderful things for us.
Focusing on the good things in our life leads naturally to the sadhana of appreciation. This sadhana is to approach those to whom you are grateful and tell them to their face, while looking deep into their eyes, how much you esteem and value them. Be specific. That is the key. You don't want to just say, "You are wonderful."
Rather you want to point out specific qualities so that he or she knows you really, deeply feel what you are saying, that it is not just a surface compliment. Convince him or her that you are sincere by your kind words, smiling face and if appropriate by also giving a big hug.
Unfortunately, such loving encounters do not happen often enough in today's world. Words of appreciation are words people do not frequently hear and points out that loving appreciation is a magic formula that works both ways. When we commend another, we are automatically uplifted. He encourages us to express appreciation to community leaders, business associates, spiritual mentors, family members and friends as often as we can.
To prepare yourself for the appreciation sadhana, you can practice by standing before a mirror and looking at your face and saying aloud, "I am grateful to you and appreciate your being in my life." You can then describe the many good actions you have done during the past five years. Once you feel comfortable appreciating yourself, you are ready to begin appreciating others. This exercise helps overcome any shyness you may feel.
A person who is quite well known in the world of helping individuals verbalize appreciation is Helice Bridges. She has visited the island of Kauai a few times and had the opportunity to meet her in person. Helice is the creator of the "Who I am makes a difference" blue ribbon. She is an expert at motivating individuals to express appreciation. Her message to schools is a simple affirmation, "Who I am makes a difference—a social vaccine uniting youth and community to make a difference." She told a number of inspiring stories, one of which is about a teacher who one day acknowledged every student in the class. The teacher spoke to all his students, one at a time, expressing how he appreciated them and mentioning the qualities in them that he valued. He was very careful to verbalize specific qualities for each student. It was not just a generalization, such as "You are wonderful," "You are smart." Rather, the teacher strove to really see the person and acknowledge that student for the different fine qualities that he or she had. Part of this process was what some call a "pay forward." The teacher gave each student two ribbons with the assignment to appreciate one more person outside of the class and then give that person a ribbon with which to appreciate someone else. Having just been praised, the students felt better about themselves, and this catalyzed some of them to express how much they appreciated one or both of their parents—something that would not have happened otherwise.
We have some excellent opportunities coming up to verbalize our appreciation. Mother's Day is coming up in May. You may wonder why Mother's Day, Father's Day and Grandparent's Day in our global activity calendar, even though they are not officially celebrated in Mauritius. It is because these days are natural opportunities to express appreciation. "Okay, it's Mother's Day. What do we do? Appreciate Mother!" It is a great time to share our appreciation, and, as Gurudeva says, be specific. Talk about specific points, because that will make her feel you really thought about it and your appreciation has heartfelt sincerity behind it. In June we have Father's Day, the man's turn, and in September we have Grandparent's Day.
A few years ago a number of our youth devotees in Malaysia held a surprise Mother's Day event. Let me share part of their description of it. "After the normal satsang events, bhajans and meditation, we announced our surprise, got each amma to come forward and stand in front, and each of her children put a huge garland on her and gave her a bookmark, a card, and a beautiful single rose package (all done by us), and prostrated to each amma's feet, hugged her and wished her well on this day. By now, most ammas were already busy wiping away small bits of tears from their eyes!"
Our last story of appreciation is about the boss of one of our devotees. She was quite happy about a new job, in particular the way in which her new boss showed appreciation to her and others in her work group. She begins: "I really did want to show my appreciation to my boss and what better way than to show it on Boss's Day? I marked it on my calendar and took him to lunch at a restaurant of his choosing and got him some gifts. When I did this, all of my co-workers were reminded about Boss's Day. They too went out to get balloons, gifts and cards for their boss as well. The two supervisors said they did not even realize that it was Boss's Day. They had never celebrated it before, and they were so thankful for everything. As a matter of fact, both bosses were overjoyed that we thought about them, as they have been doing a lot for us."
In conclusion, make the gratitude and appreciation sadhanas part of your life. Take time to write down the many events for which you are thankful. Then choose at least one person and verbalize your appreciation for who he is and how he has helped or inspired you. Remember, when sharing your love with others, be specific, smile and realize you are helping change the world for the better. Those you uplift will learn from your example and later uplift others in their life.
Express gratitude and make it a habit to appreciate whenever deserves.
JK
GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION:-
Gratitude is a quality of the soul. Its opposite, ingratitude, is a quality of the external ego. When we abide in soul consciousness, we give thanks for whatever we have, no matter how little or how much. When in ego consciousness, we are never satisfied, no matter how much we have. Gratitude is being thankful for life's little treasures, grateful for the opportunity to begin the day where we are, understanding the perfect place our karma and God's grace have brought us to. Unfortunately, it is an all-too-common way of our times that when something is done that is good, helpful or loving, it is often overlooked, treated as something expected. No acknowledgement is shown, no appreciation expressed. But if a shortcoming is seen, everyone is swift to point it out! Not only are they swift, quite often they are unkind as well. A Hawaiian civic leader lamented to the Master a few years ago that people are cruel in their complaints. "It's OK to criticize," she said, "but they should be kindly when doing so!"
Let's look at some common examples of not being grateful nor expressing appreciation. First example: The mother of two teenage boys works quite hard every day to take care of her sons' needs at home and at school. They take her efforts totally for granted and never say, "Thanks, Mom." Second example: A wife is faithfully attentive to her husband's needs and supportive of his career. The husband never bothers to thank her for her constant care. Third example: A husband works hard to financially support his family, even toiling weekends to earn extra income. The wife never expresses any thankfulness to him for his tireless efforts. Fourth example: A supervisor at work takes extra time with his staff to help improve their skills and advance their position. However, not one of them ever expresses thanks for his leadership. Unfortunately, they do enjoy an occasional jab at the boss and whispered gossip about his private life.
Here is a insightful quote from Master on gratitude and appreciation. "I have faith in human integrity, in that unfailing 'still small voice of the soul' which each who listens for can hear. We are essentially pure souls temporarily living in a physical body. We can and should use our God-given gift of free will encased in love to make a difference in the world today, even if it is in a small way. All of us making the same difference together do so in a big way. Disciples should be grateful to their Master, husbands to their wives, wives to their husbands, parents to their children, children to their parents, students to their teachers and teachers to their students. It's far more effective to praise others and appreciate what we have than to find fault and complain about what we don't have!"
There is a helpful write-up from Master in Living with Siva in which he gives two specific sadhanas, one for gratitude and the second for appreciation. The idea is to do the sadhana of gratitude first, then the sadhana of appreciation.
The sadhana of gratitude is to take out paper and pen and list all the good that has come into your life during the past five years. As memory is stimulated, the list will grow. Master suggests that if you find yourself not able to even recall one good thing, write several times "I am a spiritual being of light maturing in the ocean of experience." This will stimulate a good memory, which will soon be followed by more. Feelings of loving appreciation will begin to flow toward those who helped you in the good times. Feelings of forgiveness will also well up for the bad times. This sadhana of gratitude echoes the wisdom found in the Kural's eleventh chapter, "On Gratitude:" "It is improper to ever forget a kindness, but good to forget at once an injury received."
The sadhana of gratitude is a good one to do now and then. Of course, if we do it regularly we don't have to go back for the full five years. But definitely if we are feeling, shall we say, a little down, not fully inspired, if we are looking at the glass as half empty rather than half full, it is a good time to do this sadhana, because then we will recall all the inspiring events that have taken place in our life and all the people who have done wonderful things for us.
Focusing on the good things in our life leads naturally to the sadhana of appreciation. This sadhana is to approach those to whom you are grateful and tell them to their face, while looking deep into their eyes, how much you esteem and value them. Be specific. That is the key. You don't want to just say, "You are wonderful."
Rather you want to point out specific qualities so that he or she knows you really, deeply feel what you are saying, that it is not just a surface compliment. Convince him or her that you are sincere by your kind words, smiling face and if appropriate by also giving a big hug.
Unfortunately, such loving encounters do not happen often enough in today's world. Words of appreciation are words people do not frequently hear. Master points out that loving appreciation is a magic formula that works both ways. When we commend another, we are automatically uplifted. He encourages us to express appreciation to community leaders, business associates, spiritual mentors, family members and friends as often as we can.
To prepare yourself for the appreciation sadhana, you can practice by standing before a mirror and looking at your face and saying aloud, "I am grateful to you and appreciate your being in my life." You can then describe the many good actions you have done during the past five years. Once you feel comfortable appreciating yourself, you are ready to begin appreciating others. This exercise helps overcome any shyness you may feel.
A person who is quite well known in the world of helping individuals verbalize appreciation is Helice Bridges. She has visited the island of Kauai a few times and both Gurudeva and I had the opportunity to meet her in person. Helice is the creator of the "Who I am makes a difference" blue ribbon. She is an expert at motivating individuals to express appreciation. Her message to schools is a simple affirmation, "Who I am makes a difference—a social vaccine uniting youth and community to make a difference." She told a number of inspiring stories, one of which is about a teacher who one day acknowledged every student in the class. The teacher spoke to all his students, one at a time, expressing how he appreciated them and mentioning the qualities in them that he valued. He was very careful to verbalize specific qualities for each student. It was not just a generalization, such as "You are wonderful," "You are smart." Rather, the teacher strove to really see the person and acknowledge that student for the different fine qualities that he or she had. Part of this process was what some call a "pay forward." The teacher gave each student two ribbons with the assignment to appreciate one more person outside of the class and then give that person a ribbon with which to appreciate someone else. Having just been praised, the students felt better about themselves, and this catalyzed some of them to express how much they appreciated one or both of their parents—something that would not have happened otherwise.
We have some excellent opportunities coming up to verbalize our appreciation. Mother's Day is coming up in May. You may wonder why Master put Mother's Day, Father's Day and Grandparent's Day in our global activity calendar, even though they are not officially celebrated in Mauritius. It is because these days are natural opportunities to express appreciation. "Okay, it's Mother's Day. What do we do? Appreciate Mother!" It is a great time to share our appreciation, and, as Master says, be specific. Talk about specific points, because that will make her feel you really thought about it and your appreciation has heartfelt sincerity behind it. In June we have Father's Day, the man's turn, and in September we have Grandparent's Day.
A few years ago a number of our youth devotees in Malaysia held a surprise Mother's Day event. Let me share part of their description of it. "After the normal satsang events, bhajans and meditation, we announced our surprise, got each amma to come forward and stand in front, and each of her children put a huge garland on her and gave her a bookmark, a card, and a beautiful single rose package (all done by us), and prostrated to each amma's feet, hugged her and wished her well on this day. By now, most ammas were already busy wiping away small bits of tears from their eyes!"
Our last story of appreciation is about the boss of one of our devotees. She was quite happy about a new job, in particular the way in which her new boss showed appreciation to her and others in her work group. She begins: "I really did want to show my appreciation to my boss and what better way than to show it on Boss's Day? I marked it on my calendar and took him to lunch at a restaurant of his choosing and got him some gifts. When I did this, all of my co-workers were reminded about Boss's Day. They too went out to get balloons, gifts and cards for their boss as well. The two supervisors said they did not even realize that it was Boss's Day. They had never celebrated it before, and they were so thankful for everything. As a matter of fact, both bosses were overjoyed that we thought about them, as they have been doing a lot for us."
In conclusion, make the gratitude and appreciation sadhanas part of your life. Take time to write down the many events for which you are thankful. Then choose at least one person and verbalize your appreciation for who he is and how he has helped or inspired you. Remember, when sharing your love with others, be specific, smile and realize you are helping change the world for the better. Those you uplift will learn from your example and later uplift others in their life.
Gratitude is a quality of the soul. Its opposite, ingratitude, is a quality of the external ego. When we abide in soul consciousness, we give thanks for whatever we have, no matter how little or how much. When in ego consciousness, we are never satisfied, no matter how much we have. Gratitude is being thankful for life's little treasures, grateful for the opportunity to begin the day where we are, understanding the perfect place our karma and God's grace have brought us to. Unfortunately, it is an all-too-common way of our times that when something is done that is good, helpful or loving, it is often overlooked, treated as something expected. No acknowledgement is shown, no appreciation expressed. But if a shortcoming is seen, everyone is swift to point it out! Not only are they swift, quite often they are unkind as well. A Hawaiian civic leader lamented to the Master a few years ago that people are cruel in their complaints. "It's OK to criticize," she said, "but they should be kindly when doing so!"
Let's look at some common examples of not being grateful nor expressing appreciation. First example: The mother of two teenage boys works quite hard every day to take care of her sons' needs at home and at school. They take her efforts totally for granted and never say, "Thanks, Mom." Second example: A wife is faithfully attentive to her husband's needs and supportive of his career. The husband never bothers to thank her for her constant care. Third example: A husband works hard to financially support his family, even toiling weekends to earn extra income. The wife never expresses any thankfulness to him for his tireless efforts. Fourth example: A supervisor at work takes extra time with his staff to help improve their skills and advance their position. However, not one of them ever expresses thanks for his leadership. Unfortunately, they do enjoy an occasional jab at the boss and whispered gossip about his private life.
Here is a insightful quote from Master on gratitude and appreciation. "I have faith in human integrity, in that unfailing 'still small voice of the soul' which each who listens for can hear. We are essentially pure souls temporarily living in a physical body. We can and should use our God-given gift of free will encased in love to make a difference in the world today, even if it is in a small way. All of us making the same difference together do so in a big way. Disciples should be grateful to their Master, husbands to their wives, wives to their husbands, parents to their children, children to their parents, students to their teachers and teachers to their students. It's far more effective to praise others and appreciate what we have than to find fault and complain about what we don't have!"
There is a helpful write-up from Master in Living with Siva in which he gives two specific sadhanas, one for gratitude and the second for appreciation. The idea is to do the sadhana of gratitude first, then the sadhana of appreciation.
The sadhana of gratitude is to take out paper and pen and list all the good that has come into your life during the past five years. As memory is stimulated, the list will grow. Master suggests that if you find yourself not able to even recall one good thing, write several times "I am a spiritual being of light maturing in the ocean of experience." This will stimulate a good memory, which will soon be followed by more. Feelings of loving appreciation will begin to flow toward those who helped you in the good times. Feelings of forgiveness will also well up for the bad times. This sadhana of gratitude echoes the wisdom found in the Kural's eleventh chapter, "On Gratitude:" "It is improper to ever forget a kindness, but good to forget at once an injury received."
The sadhana of gratitude is a good one to do now and then. Of course, if we do it regularly we don't have to go back for the full five years. But definitely if we are feeling, shall we say, a little down, not fully inspired, if we are looking at the glass as half empty rather than half full, it is a good time to do this sadhana, because then we will recall all the inspiring events that have taken place in our life and all the people who have done wonderful things for us.
Focusing on the good things in our life leads naturally to the sadhana of appreciation. This sadhana is to approach those to whom you are grateful and tell them to their face, while looking deep into their eyes, how much you esteem and value them. Be specific. That is the key. You don't want to just say, "You are wonderful."
Rather you want to point out specific qualities so that he or she knows you really, deeply feel what you are saying, that it is not just a surface compliment. Convince him or her that you are sincere by your kind words, smiling face and if appropriate by also giving a big hug.
Unfortunately, such loving encounters do not happen often enough in today's world. Words of appreciation are words people do not frequently hear. Master points out that loving appreciation is a magic formula that works both ways. When we commend another, we are automatically uplifted. He encourages us to express appreciation to community leaders, business associates, spiritual mentors, family members and friends as often as we can.
To prepare yourself for the appreciation sadhana, you can practice by standing before a mirror and looking at your face and saying aloud, "I am grateful to you and appreciate your being in my life." You can then describe the many good actions you have done during the past five years. Once you feel comfortable appreciating yourself, you are ready to begin appreciating others. This exercise helps overcome any shyness you may feel.
A person who is quite well known in the world of helping individuals verbalize appreciation is Helice Bridges. She has visited the island of Kauai a few times and both Gurudeva and I had the opportunity to meet her in person. Helice is the creator of the "Who I am makes a difference" blue ribbon. She is an expert at motivating individuals to express appreciation. Her message to schools is a simple affirmation, "Who I am makes a difference—a social vaccine uniting youth and community to make a difference." She told a number of inspiring stories, one of which is about a teacher who one day acknowledged every student in the class. The teacher spoke to all his students, one at a time, expressing how he appreciated them and mentioning the qualities in them that he valued. He was very careful to verbalize specific qualities for each student. It was not just a generalization, such as "You are wonderful," "You are smart." Rather, the teacher strove to really see the person and acknowledge that student for the different fine qualities that he or she had. Part of this process was what some call a "pay forward." The teacher gave each student two ribbons with the assignment to appreciate one more person outside of the class and then give that person a ribbon with which to appreciate someone else. Having just been praised, the students felt better about themselves, and this catalyzed some of them to express how much they appreciated one or both of their parents—something that would not have happened otherwise.
We have some excellent opportunities coming up to verbalize our appreciation. Mother's Day is coming up in May. You may wonder why Master put Mother's Day, Father's Day and Grandparent's Day in our global activity calendar, even though they are not officially celebrated in Mauritius. It is because these days are natural opportunities to express appreciation. "Okay, it's Mother's Day. What do we do? Appreciate Mother!" It is a great time to share our appreciation, and, as Master says, be specific. Talk about specific points, because that will make her feel you really thought about it and your appreciation has heartfelt sincerity behind it. In June we have Father's Day, the man's turn, and in September we have Grandparent's Day.
A few years ago a number of our youth devotees in Malaysia held a surprise Mother's Day event. Let me share part of their description of it. "After the normal satsang events, bhajans and meditation, we announced our surprise, got each amma to come forward and stand in front, and each of her children put a huge garland on her and gave her a bookmark, a card, and a beautiful single rose package (all done by us), and prostrated to each amma's feet, hugged her and wished her well on this day. By now, most ammas were already busy wiping away small bits of tears from their eyes!"
Our last story of appreciation is about the boss of one of our devotees. She was quite happy about a new job, in particular the way in which her new boss showed appreciation to her and others in her work group. She begins: "I really did want to show my appreciation to my boss and what better way than to show it on Boss's Day? I marked it on my calendar and took him to lunch at a restaurant of his choosing and got him some gifts. When I did this, all of my co-workers were reminded about Boss's Day. They too went out to get balloons, gifts and cards for their boss as well. The two supervisors said they did not even realize that it was Boss's Day. They had never celebrated it before, and they were so thankful for everything. As a matter of fact, both bosses were overjoyed that we thought about them, as they have been doing a lot for us."
In conclusion, make the gratitude and appreciation sadhanas part of your life. Take time to write down the many events for which you are thankful. Then choose at least one person and verbalize your appreciation for who he is and how he has helped or inspired you. Remember, when sharing your love with others, be specific, smile and realize you are helping change the world for the better. Those you uplift will learn from your example and later uplift others in their life.
Quotes for contemplation
USEFUL QUOTES FOR CONTEMPLATION
1. All truth goes through three stages :- -
First it is ridiculed, then it is violently opposed and at last it is accepted as self-evidence.
2. No man is my enemy and no man is my friend, all men are my teachers, some teach me
What to do some teach me what not to do.
3. Strange! How people don’t even know their neighbors are extremely curious to know if
There is extraterrestrial life.
4. Seek the infinite, for that alone is joy unlimited, imperishable, unfading, and self
Sustaining, unconditional, timeless. When you have this joy, human life becomes a paradise,
The light, the grace, the power the perfections of that which is highest in your inner
Consciousness, appear in your every day life.
5. People rarely disclose their character so clearly as when they describe some one else’s.
6. Ignorance is a powerful magician in human mind. It makes invisible that which is most visible.
7. If you don’t learn from your mistakes, there is no sense making them.
8. Mostly the mind is where the eyes are. Look not at anything, which may stimulate desire, or rouse egoistic ambition. The eyes have to be carefully guarded.
9. Our prosperity, our friends, our bondage and even our destruction are all in the end rooted in our tongue-control your tongue.
10. Avoid contact with such things as are likely to stimulate sense desire or excite the ego. This
Is necessary until strength is gained to stand the forces of the world.
J.KANNAN
1. All truth goes through three stages :- -
First it is ridiculed, then it is violently opposed and at last it is accepted as self-evidence.
2. No man is my enemy and no man is my friend, all men are my teachers, some teach me
What to do some teach me what not to do.
3. Strange! How people don’t even know their neighbors are extremely curious to know if
There is extraterrestrial life.
4. Seek the infinite, for that alone is joy unlimited, imperishable, unfading, and self
Sustaining, unconditional, timeless. When you have this joy, human life becomes a paradise,
The light, the grace, the power the perfections of that which is highest in your inner
Consciousness, appear in your every day life.
5. People rarely disclose their character so clearly as when they describe some one else’s.
6. Ignorance is a powerful magician in human mind. It makes invisible that which is most visible.
7. If you don’t learn from your mistakes, there is no sense making them.
8. Mostly the mind is where the eyes are. Look not at anything, which may stimulate desire, or rouse egoistic ambition. The eyes have to be carefully guarded.
9. Our prosperity, our friends, our bondage and even our destruction are all in the end rooted in our tongue-control your tongue.
10. Avoid contact with such things as are likely to stimulate sense desire or excite the ego. This
Is necessary until strength is gained to stand the forces of the world.
J.KANNAN
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