WRITING ON THE SAND

A story tells that two friends were walking through               

the desert. During some point of the journey they had

an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in

the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without

saying anything, wrote in the sand: "TODAY MY BEST

FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE."  WRITING ON THE SAND

They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where

they decided to take a bath. The one who had been

slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning,

but the friend saved him. After he recovered from the

near drowning, he wrote on a stone: "TODAY MY BEST

FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE."

The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend

asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand

and now, you write on a stone, why?"

WRITING ON THE STONEThe other friend replied: "When someone hurts us we

should write it down in sand where winds of

forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does

something good for us, we must engrave it in stone

where no wind can ever erase it."

LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND AND TO CARVE

YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE.

FACE OF GOD…

A newspaper photographer was sent to Ecuador in 1987 to cover the earthquake that devastated much of the country. In midst of such catastrophic suffering, he witnessed a scene of compassion that moved him so deeply that he wrote a story about it. Here is his account:

" The line was long but moving briskly and in that line, at the very end, was a young girl about twelve years of age. She waited patiently as all those up front of that long line received a little rice, some canned food and a little fruit. Slowly but surely, she was getting closer to the front of the line, closer to the food that was being distributed.

The young girl did not notice the growing despair on the faces of those distributing the food. The food was running out. Instead, the young girl's attention seemed to be riveted on three younger children who were standing at a distance, across the street."

At long last she stepped forward to get her share of the food. All that was left was a solitary banana.

Quitely she took the precious gift and smiled her gratitude.

Then she ran across the street to the three younger children. She peeled the banana very carefully and divided it into three equal parts.She placed one part of the food into the hands of each famished child.

Then she sat down and with a smile, licked the inside of the banana peel."

"At that moment", the photographer concluded, "I swear I saw the face of GOD!"

The Star Thrower...

Our world has been profoundly influenced by the thoughts, beliefs and actions of all its past and present habitants. History is created not only by those whose names are revered and celebrated, but also by the infamous and unknown. All those who live, carve out in some special way their very own niche.

In his book, "The Star Thrower", Loren E.Eisley talks of the day when he was walking on the beach sands where hundreds of starfish had been washed up on the shore.

He noticed a little boy picking up the starfish one by one and throwing them back into the ocean.

He observed the boy for a few minutes, accosted him and asked what he was upto.

The boy replied that he was returning the starfish to the sea, otherwise, they would die.

Eisley was both touched and amused. He asked the boy; how saving a few when so many were doomed would make any difference whatsoever?

The boy picked up a starfish and as he threw it back, said…

"It's going to make a lot of difference to this one!"

Eisley left the beach and went home to continue writing only to discover that he could not type a single word.

He returned to the beach and spent the rest of the day helping the little boy throw starfish into the sea.

STRENGTH OF CALMNESS

                                                               Successful or Useful?

When asked what he wished to become, as a young man, Nobel Laureate Albert Einstein was reported to have said, "I want to become a useful person, not a successful person."

Asked what he meant by it, the eminent physicist replied, "A successful person is one who takes from society more than what he gives it. A useful person is one who gives the society more than what he takes from it."

                                                                     STAY CALM

When you feel like saying something

That you know you will regret,

Or keenly feel an insult

Not quite easy to forget,

That's the time to curb resentment

And maintain a mental peace,

For when your mind is tranquil

All your ill thoughts simply cease.

It's easy to be angry

When defrauded or defied,

To be peeved and disappointed

If your wishes are denied;

But to win a worthwhile battle

Over selfishness and spite,

You must learn to keep strict silence

Though you know you're in the right.

So keep your mental balance

When confronted by a foe,

Be it enemy in ambush

Or some danger that you know.

If you are poised and tranquil

When all around is strife,

Be assured that you have mastered

The most vital thing in life.