The Story of an EAGLE

The Eagle has the longest life-span of its species. It can live upto 70 years. But to reach this age, the eagle must make a very difficult decision! In its 40th year, the eagle's long and flexible Talons can no longer grab a prey which serves as food. Its long and sharp beak becomes bent. Its old-aged and heavy wings, due to their thick feathers, stick to its chest and make it difficult to fly.

Then, the eagle is left with only two options: DIE or go through a painful process of CHANGE!

This process lasts for 150 days (5 months). The process requires the eagle to fly to a mountain top and sit on its nest. There the eagle knocks its beak against a rock until it plucks it out. Then the eagle will wait for the new beak to grow back after which it will pluck out its talons. When its talons grow back, the eagle starts plucking its old aged feathers. And after this the eagle takes its famous flight of rebirth and LIVES for 30 more years!!

Why is Change needed???

In order to survive and live.

Ø  We too have to start the change process.

Ø  We sometimes need to get rid of the unpleasant old memories, negative habits and our fixed mind set.

Ø  Only Freed from the past burdens can we take advantage of the present.

Ø  If an eagle can make a life saving and life changing decision at the age of 40....why can't we?

Ø  In order to take on a New Journey ahead, let go of your negative old limiting beliefs.

Ø  Open up your mind and let yourself fly high like an eagle!

Ø  When it rains, all birds occupy shelter. But the EAGLE avoids the rain by flying above the clouds....

The problem is common to all but the attitude to solve it makes the difference!

Don't be afraid of change...accept it gracefully..!!!

Parenthood

A long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it everyday. He climbed the tree top, ate the apples, took a nap under the shadow... He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him. Time went by... the little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree everyday. 

One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad.” Come and play with me," the tree asked the boy.” I am no longer a kid, I don't play around trees anymore." The boy replied, "I want toys. I need money to buy them."

The tree said, "Sorry, but I don't have money... but you can pick all my apples and sell them. So, you will have money." The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples. The tree was sad.

One day, the boy returned and the tree was so excited.” Come and play with me,” the tree said. The boy said, "I don't have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help me?" "Sorry, but I don't have a house. But you can chop off my branches to build your house." So the boy cut all the branches of the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the boy never came back since then. The tree was again lonely and sad.

One hot summer day, the boy returned and the tree was delighted.” Come and play with me!" the tree said. "I am sad and getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?” said the boy. "Use my truck to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy.” So the boy cut the tree truck to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up for a long time.

Finally, the boy returned after he left for so many years. "Sorry, my boy, but I don't have anything for you anymore. No more apples for you... "The tree said. "I don't have teeth to bite" the boy replied. "No more truck for you to climb on" "I am too old for that now" the boy said. "I really can't give you anything ... the only thing left is my dying roots" the tree said with tears. "I don't need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years." The boy replied. "Good! Old tree roots is the best place to lean on and rest. Come, Come sit down with me and rest." The boy sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears...

This is a story of everyone. The tree is our parent. When we were young, we loved to play with Mom and Dad... When we grew up, we left them... only came to them when we needed something or when we were in trouble. No matter what, parents will always be there and give everything they could to make you happy. You may think the boy is cruel to the tree but that's how all of us are treating our parent.

Remember Parents give children their ALL, all that children can give them in turn is LOVE.  

Stay Connected and Stay Blessed

Father is flying a kite. His son is watching him carefully.

After some time son says "Dad. Because of the string the kite is not able to go any further higher."

Hearing this, the father smiles and breaks the string.

The kite goes higher after breaking of the thread and then shortly after that it comes and falls on the ground.

The child is very dejected and sad.

The father sits next to him and calmly explains:

"Son, in life we reach a certain level of prosperity and then we feel that there are certain things in our life that are not letting us grow any further like Home, Family, Culture, Friendship etc. We feel we want to be free from those strings which we believe are stopping us from going higher."

"But, remember son. Going higher is easier than staying at the higher level."

"And friends, family and culture etc are the things that will help us stay stable at the high heights that we have achieved. If we try to break away from those strings our condition will be similar to the kite."

Moral

"Never go away from culture, family, friends and relationships as they help keep us stable while you are flying high."

Don't Judge People So Fast

A 24-year old boy looking out through a train's window shouted, 

Dad, look, "the trees are going behind; they are moving very fast" 

His Dad simply stared at him with so much joy and smiled! A young couple seated nearby looked at the 24-year old and thought to themselves, he's so grown up but so childish, he must have a mental disorder for his father not to be bothered. Suddenly the young man exclaimed again; 

Dad, look, "the clouds are running with us" 

The couple could not resist and said to the old man, why don't you take your son to a good doctor may be a psychiatrist? The old man smiled and said I just did. 

We are just coming from a doctor but not a psychiatrist ; we are just coming from the hospital. My son was blind from birth. He just got his sight today for the very first time, his behavior may seem stupid to you, it's more than a miracle to me. 

The young couple just sat down there, lost for words with a mixture of tears and shame in their eyes. 

Everybody on earth has a story; 

don't judge people so fast or jump into conclusion about their private affairs; you don't know where they are coming from or what they have to deal with. The truth behind their story might surprise you. Take it  easy with others, even if you have a perfect life.

Stop Hating

A kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game.

The teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic bag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name of a person that the child hates.

So the number of potatoes that a child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number of people he/she hates.

So when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with the name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes;

some 3 while some up to 5 potatoes. The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes in the plastic bag wherever they go (even to the toilet) for 1 week.

Days after days passed by, and the children started to complain due to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes.

Besides, those having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1 week, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended....

The teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes with you for 1 week?". The children let out their frustrations and started complaining of the trouble that they had to go through having to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go.

Then the teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry your hatred for somebody inside your heart. It gets rotten, starts smelling bad and eclipse your own personality.

LIFE IS TO SHORT TO LOVE, I DON’T KNOW HOW PEOPLE MANAGE TO HATE

Selfless Love

My wife called, 'How long will you be with that newspaper? Will you come here and make your darling daughter eat her food?'

I tossed the paper away and rushed to the scene. My only daughter Fatima looked frightened.

Tears were welling up in her eyes. In front of her was a bowl filled to its brim with Curd Rice. Fatima is a nice child, quite intelligent for her age. She has just turned eight. She particularly detested Curd Rice. My mother and my wife are orthodox, and believe firmly in the 'cooling effects' of Curd Rice! I cleared my throat, and picked up the bowl.

'Fatima, darling, why don't you take a few mouthful of this Curd Rice? Just for Dad's sake, dear.

Fatima softened a bit, and wiped her tears with the back of her hands.

'OK, Dad. I will eat - not just a few mouthfuls, but the whole lot of this.

But, you should...' Fatima hesitated. 'Dad, if I eat this entire curd Rice, will you give me whatever I ask for?'....

Oh sure, darling'.... 'Promise?'......... 'Promise'.

I covered the pink soft hand extended by my daughter with mine, and clinched the deal.

'Ask Mom also to give a similar promise', my daughter insisted.

My wife put her hand on Fatima's, muttering 'Promise'. Now I became a bit anxious.

'Fatima dear, you shouldn't insist on getting a computer or any such expensive items. Dad does not have that kind of money right now. OK?'

'No, Dad. I do not want anything expensive'.

Slowly and painfully, she finished eating the whole quantity.

I was silently angry with my wife and my mother for forcing my child eat something that she detested. After the ordeal was through, Fatima came to me with her eyes wide with expectation.

All our attention was on her.

'Dad, I want to have my head shaved off, this Sunday!' was her demand.

'Atrocious!' shouted my wife, 'A girl child having her head shaved off? Impossible!' 'Never in our family!' my mother rasped.

Fatima darling, why don't you ask for something else? We will be sad seeing you with a clean-shaven head.'

'No, Dad. I do not want anything else', Fatima said with finality.

'Please, Fatima, why don't you try to understand our feelings?' 

I tried to plead with her.

'Dad, you saw how difficult it was for me to eat that Curd Rice'.

Fatima was in tears. 'And you promised to grant me whatever I ask for.

Now, you are going back on your words. Was it not you who told me the story of an ancient King, and its moral that we should honour our promises no matter what?'

It was time for me to call the shots. 'Our promise must be kept.'

'Are you out your mind?' chorused my mother and wife.

'No. If we go back on our promises, she will never learn to honour her own.

Fatima, your wish will be fulfilled.'

With her head clean-shaven, Fatima had a round-face, and her eyes looked big and beautiful.

On Monday morning, I dropped her at her school. It was a sight to watch my hairless Fatima walking towards her classroom. She turned around and waved. I waved back with a smile. Just then, a boy alighted from a car, and shouted, 'Fatima, please wait for me!'

What struck me was the hairless head of that boy.

'May be, that is the in-stuff', I thought. 'Sir, your daughter Fatima is great indeed!' Without introducing herself, a lady got out of the car, and continued, ' that boy who is walking along with your daughter is my son Ahmed. He is suffering from... ... leukaemia.' She paused to muffle her sobs.

Ahmed could not attend the school for the whole of the last month. He lost all his hair due to the side effects of the chemotherapy. He refused to come back to school fearing the unintentional but cruel teasing of the schoolmates.

'Fatima visited him last week, and promised him that she will take care of the teasing issue.

But, I never imagined she would sacrifice her lovely hair for the sake of my son! Sir, you and your wife are blessed to have such a noble soul as your daughter.'

I stood transfixed. And then, I wept. 'My little Angel, you are teaching me how self-less real love is!'

The happiest people on this planet are not those who live on their own terms but are those who change their terms for the ones whom they love.
Love Touch And Inspire your FRIENDS "The life is short, the vanities of world are transient but they alone live who live for others; the rest are more dead than alive”

The Crow and the Peacock

A crow lived in the forest and was absolutely satisfied with his life as he had ample food, beautiful trees to nest upon and loving birds all around who would stand with him whenever in need. But one day he saw a swan. “This swan is so white,” he thought, “and I am so black. This swan must be the happiest bird in the world.”

He expressed his thoughts to the swan. “Actually,” the swan replied, “I was feeling that I was the happiest bird around until I saw a parrot while flying over plains of south east Asia. It had two colours and a lovely red necklace around his neck. I now think the parrot is the happiest bird in creation.” The crow then approached the parrot. The parrot explained, “I lived a very happy life until I saw a peacock dancing in a zoo. I have only two colours, but the peacock has multiple colours and while dancing it looks as if rainbow has fallen down from sky.”

The crow then visited a peacock in the zoo and saw that hundreds of people had gathered to see him. After the people had left, the crow approached the peacock. “Dear peacock,” the crow said, “you are so beautiful. Every day thousands of people come to see you. When people see me, they immediately shoo me away. I think you are the happiest bird on the planet.”

The peacock replied, “I always thought that I was the most beautiful and happy bird on the planet. But because of my beauty, I am entrapped in this zoo. I have examined the zoo very carefully, and I have realized that the crow is the only bird not kept in a cage. So for past few days I have been thinking that if I were a crow, I could happily roam everywhere.”

We make unnecessary comparison with others and become sad. We don’t value what God has given us.  This all leads to the vicious cycle of unhappiness.  Learn to be happy in what you have instead of looking at what you don’t have.   There will always be someone who will have more or less than you have.  Person who is satisfied with what he/she has, is the happiest person in the world.