2015-34 - How Would You Like To Be Remembered?

About a hundred years ago, a man looked at the morning newspaper and to his surprise and horror, read his name in the obituary column. The news papers had reported the death of the wrong person by mistake.

His first response was shock. Am I here or there? When he regained his composure, his second thought was to find out what people had said about him.

The obituary read, "Dynamite King Dies." And also "He was the merchant of death." This man was the inventor of dynamite and when he read the words "merchant of death," he asked himself a question, "Is this how I am going to be remembered?" He got in touch with his feelings and decided that this was not the way he wanted to be remembered. From that day on, he started working toward peace. His name was Alfred Nobel and he is remembered today by the great Nobel Prize.

Just as Alfred Nobel got in touch with his feelings and redefined his values, we should 

step back and do the same.

What is your legacy?

How would you like to be remembered?

Will you be spoken well of?

Will you be remembered with love and respect?

Will you be missed?

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“I intend to leave after my death a large fund for the promotion of the peace idea, but I am skeptical as to its results.” 

~ Alfred Nobel

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2015-33 - Be happy…

One day a class professor handed out a surprise test, with the text facing down as usual. Once he handed them all out, he asked his students to turn the page and begin. To everyone's surprise, there were no questions... just a black dot in the centre of the page. The professor seeing the expression on everyone's face, told them, "I want you to write what you see there." The students, confused, got started on the inexplicable task.

At the end of the class, the professor took all the answer papers and started reading each one of them aloud in front of all the students. All of them with no exceptions, described the black dot, trying to explain its position in the middle of the sheet, etc.

After all the papers had been read, the classroom silent, the professor began to explain: "I am not going to grade you on this, I just wanted to give you something to think about. No one wrote about the white part of the paper. Everyone focused on the black dot - and the same thing happens in our lives. We have a white paper to observe and enjoy, but we always focus on the dark spots. Our life is a gift given with love and care, and we always have reasons to celebrate. However we insist on focusing only on the dark spots - the health issues that bother us, the lack of money, the complicated relationship with a family member, the disappointment with a friend, and so forth.”

“The dark spots are very small compared to everything we have in our lives, but they are the ones that pollute our minds.”

“Take your eyes away from the black spots in your life. Enjoy each moment that life gives you. Be happy and live a life filled with LOVE."

~ Author Unknown 

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“Do what you need to do and enjoy life as it happens.” 


~ John Scalzi
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2015-32 - Life is like a big bike race…

Life is like a big bike race, with the path to the finish line being your personal path.

At the start, we all ride together – sharing the camaraderie and enthusiasm. But as the race progresses, the initial joy gives way to the real challenges: tiredness, monotony, doubts about our own abilities.

Notice that some friends will give up, they are still going, but only because they do not know how to stop in the middle of a road, they are numerous, pedalling alongside the support car, talking amongst themselves and meeting an obligation.

Eventually we distance ourselves from them and are forced to cope with loneliness and unfamiliar bends in the road, not to mention problems with the bike. After some time, we may begin to wonder if it’s worth the effort.

Yes, it’s worth it. You just can’t quit.

Furthermore, if you stop pedalling, you begin falling.

~ Paulo Coelho 

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“In race of life, it does not matter who finishes first. What matters most is being able to complete your race.” 

~ Lailah Gifty Akita
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2015-31 - Phoenix of life

Life is a phoenix, can rise from the ashes

Presents a future at challenging situations

This altar of ashes is fountain of new life

War was thrusted, martyrdom shined

Memories of soldiers ignite beauties of life

Phoenix is a metaphor of life in action

Ashes remind us to celebrate greatness of those lives.

(Dr. Kalam wrote this poem to mark his visit to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Moscow where the ashes of the martyrs of the second world war Russian soldiers are kept. Seeing the newly-wed Russian couples getting themselves photographed at the memorial, the President wrote this poem.)

~ A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

(http://www.abdulkalam.nic.in)

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"Thinking should become your capital asset, no matter whatever ups and downs you come across in your life."

~ A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

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