2019-06 - Shine in your own way...

A samurai who was known for his nobility and honesty once asked a monk, "Why do I feel so inferior? I have faced death many times, have defended those who are weak. Nevertheless, upon seeing you meditating, I felt that my life had absolutely no importance whatsoever."

The master invited him in and led him to his room.

"Do you see the moon, how beautiful it is? It will cross the entire firmament, and tomorrow the sun will shine once again."

"But sunlight is much brighter, and can show the details of the landscape around us: trees, mountains, clouds."

"I have contemplated the two for years, and have never heard the moon say: why do I not shine like the sun? Is it because I am inferior?"

"Of course not", answered the samurai. "The moon and the sun are different things; each has its own beauty. You cannot compare the two."

"So you know the answer. We are two different people, each fighting in his own way for that which he believes, and making it possible to make the world a better place; the rest are mere appearances."

~ Author Unknown

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We are each gifted in a unique and important way.” 

~ Evelyn Dunbar

2019-05 - The Story of the Hoe...

A farmer ploughed the land with a hoe day after day, year after year. One day he couldn't help but ask himself, "Why am I working so hard? Where is my life heading?"

Shortly afterwards, a monk came to his house to ask for alms. The monk looked free and happy, which deeply impressed the farmer. This life seemed admirable and the farmer made up his mind to become a monk.

He went back to his house, packed up his hoe and left his house at last. However, he could not stop thinking of his hoe whenever he came across green paddies. Every now and then, he would rush back home just to feel the hoe and then return to the temple.

After seven or eight years, he felt that something was missing. "Why am I not yet a free and happy monk? There is something I haven't let go of. Now it's time to get rid of my burden!" He rushed back home, picked up the hoe and threw it into a lake. "I succeeded!", he couldn't resist crying out loud.

Just at that moment, a king, happened to pass by. He overheard the cry and went to ask the monk, "What did you win? Why are you so cheerful?" "I have conquered the devils in my heart. I have let all my burdens go."

~ Master Cheng Yen

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There's a victory in letting go of your expectations.

~ Mike White

2019-04 - The Right Teaching...

Once, there was a renowned monk who lived in a beautiful monastery with many of his pupils. His teachings were known to be very effective and many of his students grew up to become great masters themselves.

One day, one of them was caught stealing from his fellow-students and they reported him to the monk. But he took no action against the boy. A few days later the same boy was again caught stealing. And again the head monk did nothing to punish him.

This angered the other students who drew up a petition asking for the dismissal of the thief. They threatened to leave en masse if the boy was allowed to stay in the monastery.

The teacher called a meeting of the students. When they had assembled, he said to them: "You are good boys who know what is right and what is wrong. If you leave, you will have no trouble in joining some other school. But what about your brother who does not even know the difference between right and wrong? Who will teach him if I don't? No, I cannot ask him to go even if it means losing all of you."

Tears coursed down the cheeks of the boy who had stolen. He never stole again and in later life became renowned for his integrity.

~ Michael Rambost

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The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.

~ Mark Van Doren

2019-03 - The Marble Statue...

In the middle of a beautiful city, there was a museum laid with beautiful marble tiles with a huge marble statue as a part of the display. Many people visited the museum and admired the beautifully crafted statue. One night, the marble tiles started talking to the marble statue.

Tiles: Hey statue, Don't you think that it is not fair that everybody comes here to admire you while ignoring and stepping on me. Both of us were born from the same cave and yet the world treats us so differently now. This is so unfair!

Marble Statue: Yes you are right my brother. But, do you still remember the day when the sculptor tried to work on you but you resisted his tools. Since you resisted his tools he couldn't work on you. When he decided to give up on you, he started working on me instead. I knew at once that I would be something different and unique after his efforts. I bore all the painful tools he used on me and allowed him craft me as he wanted!

Marble Tiles: But those tools were so painful.

Marble Statue: My brother, there is a price for everything in life. Since, you decided to resist and gave up half way, you can't blame anybody who steps on you now.!

~ Jesse Knowels.

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The harder the knocks you go through in life, the more you learn and put them to use in the future!

~ Elizabeth Ross

2019-02 - Helpful strangers...

Leaving a store, I returned to my car only to find that I'd locked my keys and cell phone inside.

A teenager riding his bike saw me kick a tire and say a few choice words. "What's wrong?" he asked. I explained my situation. "But even if I could call my wife," I said, "she can't bring me her car key, since this is our only car."

He handed me his cell phone. "Call your wife and tell her I'm coming to get her key." "That's a seven miles round trip." "Don't worry about it."

An hour later, he returned with the key. I offered him some money, but he refused. "Let's just say I needed the exercise," he said. Then, like a cowboy in the movies, he rode off into the sunset.

~ Clarence W Stephens

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There are no strangers here; Only friends you haven't yet met.

~ William Butler Yeats