Quote of the day

It can be nice as well as troubling to look back at what you've done in the past. Sometimes, when it is nice to look back at it all, it is nice to see all of your accomplishments (especially recent ones) and the good things that happened to you and those you love and the world. Sometimes, looking back can be a bit more troubling. You see those times when you made a major mistake that ended up costing you big time. You see those times when, maybe, a relationship went wrong or someone close to you got hurt. You can see all sorts of devastation. Since what happens in the present soon becomes past, make it count for your future.

Quote of the day

"If you wish to be loved, show more of your faults than your virtues."

-Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton

When saying this, don't assume that I am telling you to be horrible at everything you do. What I am saying is that if you want to be loved, you shouldn't just show all of your perfections. Nobody likes someone who appears to be good at everything. People like to see a couple faults every now and again; it shows them that you are, in fact, human. Everybody makes mistakes, and sometimes letting people see your mistakes can be a good thing. I know of some people who don't show anything but their "perfections;" and that itself seems a bit like a flaw (in my personal opinion). Not to mention they aren't exactly my most favorite people to be around. They are always acting like they are better than everyone. For your sake as well as others, simply be human. Show your faults, show your perfections. A perfect blend of the two makes for a very likable person.

Daily Quote

"When all else is lost, the future still remains."

-Christian Nestell Bovee

The future is always out there. It is an opportunity to do, well, anything you want to do! When you feel sad, or down, or life just seems to be tough, the future will always be there for you as an opportunity to try again. Keep trying... While the first time may not be a success, it helps break the ground to an amazing future. Keep trying. When all else seems lost, you've got plenty of time to find it again. The sky's the limit. Do what you love, love what you do. If you walk into things simply because you want to and because that is what you love to do, then if you win or if you lose, it doesn't matter. You are doing it out of the joy of doing it. Remember that experience can be more powerful then any award you will ever be given. Experience is knowledge for life, awards are just a piece of paper or a plaque or a trophy or a ribbon. There is more to life then those physical items. Winning provides the winner with a sense of pride, which is something good that comes out of it. But no matter if you win or not, the experience you gain and the friends you make are what really count.

Daily Quote

When we are by ourselves, we can't do as much. There are some things we can't lift by ourselves; we need someone to carry the weight with us. There are some things we can't make by ourselves; we need someone to hold it steady while we glue it down. There are so many things that are so much easier to do with someone else. Together, you and I can do so much in this world. Grab a friend or two or three or four or more and do something great!

Story of the day

Around 50,000 people are reported to die of snake-bite every year in India. Now a polyvalent anti-snake-venom-serum is available in most of the Indian hospitals. This antiserum (antivenom) counteracts the poisonous venoms of the four most common poisonous snakes of India –Indian cobra (Naja naja), common krait (Bangarus caeruleus), Russel’s viper (Daboia russelii) and saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus). Victims of snake-bite can be saved if brought to hospitals without delay.

A person was walking along a bushy passage in an Indian village when he accidentally stepped on a poisonous snake and was bitten by it. He cried aloud. People rushed to the scene and carried the victim to the main road expecting to get a vehicle to carry the victim to the nearest hospital. Meanwhile some of the villagers spotted the snake. They threw stones at it and then beat it with sticks till it became motionless and apparently dead. They quickly transferred the snake into a briefcase and entrusted it to the persons who accompanied the victim to the hospital. They hoped that the treatment would be more specific and effective if the type of snake was known by an examination of the dead snake.

On arriving at the hospital, the patient was shifted to the casualty room. The briefcase carrying the beaten snake was placed near the door of the casualty. The doctor informed that he would examine the specimen after examining the victim and administering the essential treatments to save the victim’s life. The bystanders were anxiously waiting outside, actively discussing the tragedy.

A thief was wandering through the hospital hoping to steal some valuable belongings of the patients. The briefcase placed near the casualty door caught his attention. When no one was noticing him, he snatched the briefcase and swiftly moved out of the hospital. Reaching a lonely spot, he opened the suitcase expecting a fortune. But unfortunately, the wounded snake gave a sharp bite on the hands of the thief and wounded him. He cried aloud, but there was no one in the isolated spot to hear his cry. He fainted, fell down and met his death without receiving any medical care.

The wise king, Solomon, teaches us, “Wealth that you get by dishonesty will do you no good, but honesty can save your life. It is better to have a little, honestly earned, than to have a large income gained dishonestly.” 

 
The sin of stealing includes dishonest business practices, cheating, evading of taxes, refusing to repay debts, plagiarism and keeping unauthorised property.

We take every effort to preserve our treasure on earth. We waste a major share of our time, health and energy to amass fame, wealth and glory. Jesus Christ taught, “No one can be a slave of two masters; he will hate one and love the other; he will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

The love of money is a source of all evil. Money may fetch us amusement, but not happiness; a bed, but not sleep; books, but not brains; a car, but not safety; companions, but not friends; education, but not wisdom; flattery, but not respect; food, but not appetite; a house but not a home; luxuries, but not culture; medicines, but not health; ornaments, but not beauty; a violin, but not music. Money is like sea water; the more we drink, the thirstier we get.

Moral Stories

Quote of the day

Success is usually acquired throughout a long period of time by doing actions one by one. Success is the sum of all of your small efforts repeated frequently until the larger goal is achieved. Sometimes success is a 2 step deal. Sometimes, it is a 100+ step deal. Success comes in many sizes, but the work going into it is what counts. You can bend down and touch your toes and call it an accomplishment, but what is going into it? Are the little steps going into that toe touch actually something you are proud of stating? Be sure that every little thing going into the big thing is worth contributing to the overall success. Just like a layered cake-- you want every layer to be just as tasty or even tastier than the one before, but all of them make up the cake of success.

Daily Quote

“To return evil for good is devilish; to return good for good is human; to return good for evil is divine.”

-Alfred Plummer

If you take something good and swap it for something evil, that is just devilish and plain wrong. If you take something good and swap it for another something good, well that is simply human. Humans are always taking something good and responding with good. But to take something evil and make it good is divine. Think of these things being swapped as, for example, personalities. If you take an innocent, nice person and turn them evil, you are doing the complete wrong thing and being extremely devilish. The normal human way is to respond to someone's good mood with your good mood, or someone's decent mood with your good/decent mood, or whatever the case might be. Usually we match moods. If someone yells at you angrily, you angrily yell back. That's normal. That's not changing the person's overall personality. But taking someone who is evil and somehow making them good, while it is a challenge, it is absolutely divine.

Daily Quote

"It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness."

-Charles Spurgeon

People tend to put themselves in the mindset of 'if I get more stuff, I will be happier.' Well, I am here to tell you that this is not true. I have told you in the past and I will tell you again: objects don't bring happiness. Perhaps an object belonged to your late grandmother. You may argue that the object brings you happiness because it makes you think of your grandma. Well, it isn't the actual object that is making you happy, it is the sentimental value and memories behind it. Another example is a really old and beaten up plush lamb I got when I was born. For the longest time, I thought it was the object that made me happy. I realize now that it is the fact that it is as old as I am or maybe the fact I hadn't gone a night without it with me in my room or on my bed (unless she was lost or I was on vacation). It was the time I had spent with her. The love I had poured on her as I pretended she was real. It was all of those telepathic conversations we shared to help me work through a problem once (when I was really little). It was all of those times when I laughed with her when I was happy or those times when I cried into her mangled fur when I was sad. It is the more important things behind the actual object that make it special: time, love, care, family heirloom, etc. So getting more objects and physical 'things' won't make you happier... How much you enjoy them and in what ways are what makes them special.

Quote of the day

"Few things in the world are more powerful than a positive push. A smile. A world of optimism and hope. A 'you can do it' when things are tough."

-Richard M. DeVos

A little bit of positive encouragement can lift someone's spirits and help them push forwards. Many things in life drag us down, and a little bit of encouragement helps so much. Make someone's day bearable and give them a little bit of positive reinforcement.

Story of the day

A singing bird flew into a forest and sat on the branch of a tree. The bird sang with a melodious voice. Every animal in the forest listened spellbound, appreciating and admiring the music of the gifted singer. Animals from nearby areas rushed to the scene, lulled by the sweet sound of the song. A worm was seated on a leaf of the lowest branch of the tree on which the bird rested. With all its strength the worm crawled into a crevice from where it could not see the bird.

Seeing this rapid retreat, a rabbit asked the worm, "Why do you go away from the singer, while all of us are watching the bird and listening to the song with ardent admiration?" The worm said in a soft voice, "I saw the bird staring at me. After finishing the song the bird would feel tired and hungry. Most probably the stare was to identify me as a tasty snack. So I moved away to this safer place."

Virtues and prayer serve as our armour in the fight against temptations. We must be alert to avoid even minor causes of temptations to sins which are obstacles to a pure and peaceful life. We can gain the power to resist massive temptations if we practise resisting minor temptations of life regularly and constantly with the power of prayer and faith in God's infinite grace. God will grant us the strength to resist temptations.

Daily Quote

Unfortunately, we can't just wake up one morning and be at the heights of greatness. We have to work at it. And the road is not always smooth. In fact, it is seldom an easy journey. Becoming great takes courage. Bravery. Humility. Kindness. Determination. Flexibility. All sorts of things. You will come across all sorts of obstacles, but the key is to never give up. Seek help from others, don't try to take it all upon your own shoulders. Be calm and flexible in anything and everything. The road will be rough, but take your time and be careful; for the road is narrow and it is easy to fall off.

Daily Quote

Be happy with everything you have, because getting more things won't make you any happier. Getting more will simply make you happy for a short time before you want more again. Seek joy in life, because happiness and joy actually aren't the same thing. Happy is only temporary. Joy is everlasting. Joy is so much stronger. So seek joy in everything you do and say. Speaking of, be happy with the person you are. Don't think you are lesser than someone because you aren't as stylish as them, or you aren't as tall, short, pretty, popular, or anything else as them. That doesn't matter. Be happy with the person you are. Be generous with both of those blessings. Money is only paper, and be happy with it (it falls under the category of being happy with everything you have). Share that gift with those in need. Money is only paper, like I said, but it can do so much and change so many lives for good or bad. So put it towards a good use-- others in need. Also put other possessions towards others; for example: clothing drives, book drives, any other drives, etc. Give away your own personality too. Use your unique talents to make someone's day special. Do all of this, and you won't have to search the internet for "how to be happy in life" or "how to be happy alone" or simply "how to be happy" anymore.

Quote of the day

"Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me."

-Carol Burnett

Nobody can change your life like you can. You are the person who makes your own decisions, you are the one who deals with yourself in every way. You swallow your own food; nobody can do that for you. You fall asleep by yourself; nobody can snap their fingers and make your entire body limp and asleep. You are the only one who can breathe for yourself. Don't let anyone push you around and act like they can change your life for you! You can do it yourself, and only you can do it! So quit letting everyone else tell you what to do (except for rules and important things like that-- some things tell you what to do because it is what is safest for you and others around you) and get a hold on your own life! It's your life. Live it and love it.

Story of the day

There is a tale about an old trick used to trap and capture wild monkeys. The hunters take a large nut with hard shell. A hole is made in the shell, just sufficient in size to let a monkey put its hand through it, but not big enough to let it withdraw its folded fist from the nut, when it is full of grabbed food. They put into the nut foods with fine smell such as orange peels, peanuts or small fruits. The nut is fastened firmly to a heavy rock or large tree and the trap is left in a place where monkeys visit regularly. Attracted by the smell of the food, an approaching monkey may eagerly introduce its hand inside the nut and grab a fistful of the food.

As the hunters approach, the monkey tries its best to leave the nut, but by instinct the monkey does not relax its grip on the food and so cannot escape from the trap. The frightened monkey may scream and try hard to pull out its hand but it tightens its grip as it lacks the sense to release its grasp. The monkey is then easily captured.

Like the monkey in this story, we hold on to several silly pleasures and sinful situations. We have to be ready to leave our attachment to worthless worldly pleasures and affinity to material objects to gain true freedom and gather greater goals. Our desires impede our freedom. We should detach ourselves from these tempting desires. Otherwise we become slaves of sin. When we clasp worldly interests we fail to open our hands to receive the bliss of heavenly happiness. Will a person gain anything if he wins the whole world but loses his life or soul?

Moral Stories

Daily Quote

Students in particular spend their days pretty much cramming information into their minds. Unfortunately, people begin thinking in a way too logical way, and they begin to lose the sense of what is actually right. Things that are simple begin to feel like they're not an option. Common sense basically is the simple and obvious solution to many problems. So when you get more and more information and you begin to not use ideas that seem too simple, your common sense is lost. Learning is good, of course. Just be careful to remember that there are simple solutions that are just as effective, if not more effective.

Daily Quote

You've probably heard that laughter is the best medicine or therapy or something like that. Smiling and laughter is, in fact, quite powerful. A smile can completely make someone have a better day. A laugh can bring joy into someone's heart. Smiles and laughter are two things that are contagious in a way. Spread the good things, because they will most likely come back to you in some way sometime. Smile! It's free and super easy to do. Smiling uses less muscles than frowning, therefore making it easier to do. So smile! Spread the free therapy to those who need it most, and those who don't! Everyone can use a smile, and you have an infinite amount of them, so share that gift with the world!

Story of the day

A father was working in his garden. His child was with him, trying his best to impress his father by performing minor works as directed by his father. The father saw a stone in the garden near his son and asked him to remove it. “We will plant a nice plant there instead”, he said. The child tried to move the stone but it did not move. He declared aloud that he could not move it. The father was at a distance and so he replied aloud, “Try again. Use all your means to remove it.” The child used all his might and still could not dislodge the stone. So he started to cry aloud. The father ran to him and pacified him. “I told you to use all your means, didn’t I?’ he asked. “Yes, I tried my best”, replied the crying child. “But you forgot about me, my dear. You could have sought my help. Why didn’t you include me in your ‘means’?” the child was enlightened. Working along with his father, he could easily move the large stone and plant a new plant in its place.

This happens to all of us. When we fail in an action, we feel depressed and dejected. We may forget God and His infinite strength. We must seek His help, always.

He is sure to help us, if our action suits His plan for us.

Without God, we are zeroes.

With God, we are heroes.

Moral Stories

Quote of the day

Hello again. The internet was down yesterday yet again, but now I think it should be working fine. Thanks for your patience!
-LifeOO

"If you can dream it, you can do it."

-Walt Disney

Believe in your dreams, because they can take you places you never could have imagined! If you can dream it, you can probably do it. The time, resources, and effort needed to do it may be difficult to come by, but it is possible. With the right team and the right mindset, anything is possible. Remember that there is no "I" in team. Working together with people can get the job done quicker and more efficiently. Dream up an idea. Put it to action. Make it reality.

Daily Quote

"The water in a vessel is sparkling; the water in the sea is dark. The small truth has words which are clear; the great truth has great silence."

-Rabindranath Tagore

When water is taken in small amounts, it looks clear. When in vast amounts, it looks dark. The ocean is vast. The ocean looks dark. But when you take a bucket when you are down at the beach and you dip it into the ocean, the water you will get looks clear. Small truths make things clear, but big truths silence things up. A small-ish lie with a small-ish truth will simply clear things up and show what actually happened. But big lies, long lasting lies, lies that consist of secrets that have been kept for long periods of time are the ones that, when finally revealed, bring a great silence. These big lies can get so big that people begin taking sides. When the truth comes out, all that is left behind is silence. For the moment, anyway. Later, people will probably get angry. But don't lie, at least tell the truth quickly after the fact. The longer it lasts, the worse it gets... Be careful, because at one point you won't even realize how tangled in the lie's web you've gotten before it's too late.

Daily Story

     A big fish and a small fish lived in a large pond. The big fish was proud of his size and strength and used to laugh at the small fish. He mocked at the small fish boastfully, “How dare you talk to me? You are too small and silly. I am so strong and stout. You are too tiny and frail. It is a shame to say that you belong to the family of fishes.” But the small fish loved his big brother and respected him. Suddenly a net was lowered by a fisherman to catch the fishes.

     Both of them were caught in the net, but the small fish could easily escape through a mesh of the net. The large fish was caught in the net, entangled and entrapped in its meshes. The small fish saw sadly his big friend being caught in the net and raised from the water. The net was carried to the land. The haughty big fish jumped in vain to escape. He lost his breath and perished. But the small fish swam silently across the pond to a safer spot, worried about the fate of his friend.

     Pride leads to destruction, and arrogance to downfall. No one is respected unless he is humble; arrogant people are on the way to ruin. Pride goes before a fall.

Quote of the day

Hello! Sorry for not posting for the past few days... The internet was down!

Unless it goes down again, I will hopefully be able to post regularly again!

-LifeOO

"The sea complains upon a thousand shores."

-Alexander Smith

The ocean is so vast, it can crash upon thousands of seashores. It can unleash its fury on thousands of seashores, and it can be calm on thousands of shores. People work in a similar way. We can influence many depending on our actions and words. So make sure that you are careful what you say and do, because there could be many people watching you carefully and learning from you! Be a good influence. Be the person you would want to learn from.

Quote of the day

"Life's like a roller coaster: there will be ups as well as downs, smooth patches as well as rough ones, and all sorts of sudden stops, drops, and turns; but you have to simply go with it and enjoy the ride."

-Anonymous

Life is, in many ways, like a roller coaster. At times you will feel up, at times you will feel down. Sometimes, it will feel like your life is smooth sailing. Other times, it feels like your days are pretty rough. Life is unexpected; things may happen to people who are important to you, and while it feels like your life has suddenly come to a stop or major drop, you will keep moving again. Like a roller coaster, your life is short, so you must enjoy each and every exhilarating moment until the very end. When the roller coaster of your life slows down before 'disembarking,' use the time to catch your breath. Don't be sad because it's over... smile because it happened! End your journey peacefully and know that you are moving on to someplace much better.

Daily Quote

"Kind words do not cost much. Yet they accomplish much."

-Blaise Pascal

Saying something doesn't cost much. All it costs is a little teensy tiny effort to actually say the words, and maybe a little bit of air as well. But the point is it really doesn't take much to make or break someone's day. You have to be careful because once the words are said, they can't be taken back. So make sure that what you say isn't something you'll regret later.
Kind words accomplish so much. They can inspire someone to soar to greater heights. So remember: Use your words to build people up, not tear them down. Words can spill like a waterfall, but the water just can't get sucked up the waterfall again. Be careful with what you say. Kind words accomplish much and are easy to say, but mean words tear people apart and are possibly even easier to say.

Daily Quote

"Most people have to talk so they won't hear."

-May Sarton

Many times, people don't want to hear what others are saying to them. Many people feel that they are right and they can't hear what others are trying to say to them. Most of the time, the other people are actually trying to help the person improve, but humans, in order to maintain our huge egos, tune the other person out thinking that we are right and they are wrong. That's a big problem. If everyone thinks that they are right and everyone else is wrong, then this world isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Some people talk a lot so they don't have to even hear the people talking. Let me rephrase that-- some people talk so that others don't get the opportunity to potentially try to help you. This is a sad thing for our world. If only we could all just live peacefully and talk it out without believing that you are more right than they ever will be...

If only world peace really did exist.

Story of the day

Competitions in sports and games were announced in a school in a remote village. Most of the students came from the poor rural area around the school. Many attended the classes mainly for enjoying the free noon- meal, which was a big boon for the poor pupils, whose parents could not afford to provide even regular food for their children. The first prize for the winner in the racing competition was an electric iron. The second prize was an umbrella.
Little Johnny came from a very poor family. He was a good sprinter and everyone was sure that he would win the first prize in the race with ease. But on the day of the competition, while the race was almost over, Johnny, who was leading in the race, was found to slow down. He let the second boy overtake him and reach the finishing point as the first. Johnny gladly received the new umbrella as the second prize.
Johnny’s class-teacher was watching the race. He came to Johnny and asked him why he had voluntarily sacrificed the first prize though he was sure to get it. He told his teacher, “Sir, I have no use with an electric iron, the first prize. There is no electricity in our poor house. Moreover, I wished to give the new umbrella as a loving gift to my little sister, Lily, who has no umbrella to come to school on rainy days. She shares my torn umbrella and usually both of us get wet on rainy days. So I needed the second prize.” The teacher was deeply moved on hearing these loving words of little Johnny.
A racing competition was in progress in a school for the mentally retarded children. Three students were positioned in a line and were trained to run at maximum speed towards the finishing line. After several trials, the teachers could train them to compete in the race. On the day of the final competition, several invited guests were present, along with the parents of the children. The signal was fired to start the race. The three friends started the race. A little later, one of the students slipped and fell down. Immediately the other competitors stopped their race and cared for their friend. They consoled him and held his hands firmly. Then they marched forward, still holding the hands of the fallen boy with utmost care on either side. They reached the finishing point together and were really happy that they could finish the race together. Everyone in the audience was moved by this act of tender care. Many were found to be in tears.
Peace and joy are the results and reflections of a pure and innocent heart. Let us learn to listen to the whisper of our conscience. That is the word of God from within us.

Moral Stories

Quote of the day

The way we think of others and act towards them greatly affects how they think of and act towards us. If there is someone you really, really don't like and you don't have the self-control to keep it in and be nice to them anyway, then they will see your being mean to them and they will probably dislike you and be mean back. Think about it-- the people you don't like are the people who have something against you or the people you have something against. Or maybe they did something to you, or maybe you did something to them. Anything could be the reason why you hate them. There are tons of reasons... None of them are good reasons, though. Try being nice to others, and maybe they will be nice in return! It is the circle of kindness.

Daily Quote

"Never a lip is curved with pain that can't be kissed into smiles again."

-Bret Harte

This doesn't necessarily mean literally. I mean, I'm sure it does, but what it means to me is that no matter how down you or someone else is/are, you or they can always be fixed up again. If you are sad, you can be cheered. If you feel broken inside, you can be mended. No matter how hopelessly lost you feel, you can always be found. Show friendliness and kindness to everyone, especially if they look a bit down. Try to bring them up again. It may be difficult, but you can do it!

Also take a look at the quote again-- look how rhythmical and poetic it is! It's written in iambic pentameter, I believe. It flows so nicely!

Daily Story

Milo of the ancient city of Kroton, a Greek colony of Southern Italy, was a legendary wrestler with extraordinary strength, who won the Olympic wrestling championship six times between the years 540 to 516 B.C.

While he was a boy, his father gifted a newborn bull calf to Milo. He used to lift up the calf in his arms and carry it on his back everyday. Since it grew up only gradually, Milo did not notice the change in its weight. He continued the exercise everyday and his strength grew along with his calf. He could easily lift it in his arms even when it grew into an adult bull. This enabled him to become an athlete of unparalleled strength and stamina.

The story of Milo’s successful training teaches us a lesson in spiritual development. We can gain the power to resist great temptations if we practice resisting minor temptations of life regularly and constantly with the power of prayer and faith in God’s infinite grace. God will grant us the strength to endure temptations.

The pretty, smooth and round pebbles found near waterfalls are formed by years of slow, natural grinding and polishing. Similarly, our wilful and prayerful resistance to even minor temptations gradually reforms our character and leads to a life of spiritual strength and moral maturity.

Quote of the day

One of the greatest tests of courage here on earth in our physical bodies is to get up and keep going every time you get defeated. Move on, don't dwell in the past, and don't be a sorry sport. Nobody wants to play a game with someone who gets furious and starts blaming everyone for everything every time they lose, now do they? These people aren't fun to be around. A great way to remember how you should act towards others is by thinking of how you enjoy others acting around/to you.

One of the greatest tests thrown at us while we live here on earth is to be able to be defeated without completely destroying ourselves... and without completely destroying everyone and everything else.

Quote of the day

Something incredibly important in communicating with someone else is understanding both sides of the conversation. This means both what you can hear them saying to you, and also the stuff that can't be heard. You need to watch and pay attention because sometimes facial expressions or silences followed by certain looks might be implying that the conversation really needs to stop. But also watch for certain looks or actions that might tell you that they have had a bad day or the topic is sensitive. Certain looks can really help when finding words to use. If you are a good person, you will take their expressions and shape the conversation so that it doesn't hit any little bruises or patches. But it is incredibly important to hear what isn't said in communicating. Sometimes, looks or actions are more powerful than words themselves.

Daily Quote

The time when you should relax is the times when you feel the most like you don't have any time for that. For example, if you have an important something or another that has to get done by a deadline in the extremely near future, it is natural for you to be stressed out of your mind. But that would be a perfect time to relax for a minute. Give yourself a break to just let go for a moment before resuming the stress of the day. Sometimes, you just have to take a break! Doing something stressful without giving yourself a breather every now and then can hurt your mind. You really must take breaks to keep your mind fresh. Remember that next time you're studying for a test or doing something stressful in your job!