Story of the day

                         A stork was very kind and helpful to other animals and birds. She was loved by all. A cunning fox was envious of the stork. He wanted to mock the stork. He invited the stork to his house for dinner. The fox served soup in two flat plates. The fox enjoyed the soup and the trick he played to laugh at the stork. The stork could not drink anything from the flat plate with his long beak. She was sad but did not quarrel. She pretended to drink from the plate and thanked the fox. She invited the fox for a dinner in her house the next day.                         The fox arrived in time. He was surprised to see soup served in two different types of vessels. Soup for the fox was served in a large plate. The soup for the stork was taken in a tall jar. Both of them relished the dish. The fox was very sorry for having tried a trick to make fun of the noble stork. They parted as good friends.                         Jesus Christ taught the golden rule of life during his sermon on the mount: “Do for others what you want them to do for you.” This golden rule is taught by all religions.

Moral Stories

Daily Quote

"In order to have wisdom we must have ignorance."

-Theodore Dreiser

Everyone starts out being ignorant. To have wisdom, you must first have a lack of wisdom. That way, you can fill the gaps with new knowledge that can help fill more of those ignorant gaps in your mind. Also, being ignorant will inspire you to ask questions so that you can learn and not be ignorant anymore. Those questions will spark the answers and conversation that will help you gain wisdom. Think of it this way: Ignorance leads to questions. Questions lead to answers. Answers lead to further study, and further study leads to knowledge and wisdom. So it's ok to be ignorant! Just do something about it and a whole new world of knowledge will be opened and the fog from your eyes will be lifted.

Daily Quote

"Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground."

-Theodore Roosevelt

Reach big, but don't get carried away. Set big goals and try to achieve them, but don't get over your head! Keep your feet on the ground while you look at the stars. If the stars don't seem so high, that's fine. Start small. But make sure your feet are on the ground. The stars will seem higher and higher as you get better, and soon you will be soaring. You will be soaring through the sky, with your feet still anchored firmly to the ground with a lead rope. The point is, you can set big goals and dream. The sky's the limit! Just remember to keep your feet on the ground while you do it. That way, you won't get carried away, blown off course, and you won't be so stressed about being in over your head.

Quote of the day

"Have a heart that never hardens, a temper that never tires, a touch that never hurts."

-Charles Dickens

Be softhearted and kind and gentle. What you give is what you receive, so don't expect everyone to be nice and kind and helpful to you if you are demanding to them. Go about life thinking of it this way: whatever you do, no matter how big or small, will come back to you in that exact way sooner or later. Even if whatever it is doesn't come back to you in that exact way, it will come back similarly. If you are a tyrant, you will not get kindness and respect back. If you are a kind and gentle person, people will generally be kinder and gentler. 

Story of the day

                 Two young and pretty parrots were seated on the topmost branch of a tree. They started a quarrel. Each one claimed that he was more beautiful than the other. They argued angrily and were about to attack each other physically. Then they heard an affectionate call from a lower branch of the same tree.                 A cunning cat was seated there, watching the conflict carefully with intense interest. He tried to console the birds with his apparently pleasing words. "Do not fight, my dear birds", he told them. "I will tell you who is more beautiful. We will have a beauty contest. I will be your judge. Please come close to me so that I can examine you clearly and pronounce my just judgment."                 Excited on hearing this offer, the foolish birds moved towards the cat. They were blind with envy and enmity and could not realize the real aim of the cunning cat. Suddenly the mother parrot reached the scene. She sensed the imminent danger and immediately pushed the young parrots away. She gave a stern warning to them to fly away. Seated safely on the highest branch, she convinced the parrots that the cat was actually planning to pounce on them and eat them as soon as they came near him. They realized their mistake and breathed a sigh of relief. They thanked their mother for arriving in time to save them. They were really sorry for losing their senses by their ignorance and arrogance. The mother drew them close to her body and told them affectionately, "Listen, children, both of you are equally beautiful. Try to love and appreciate each other. No one wins by an argument."                Real beauty is not made by the use of outward aids such as the costly cosmetics we may apply, the way we do our hair, or the jewellery we put on, or the dresses we wear. Instead, true beauty consists of our true inner self, the  innocence of our character which is of the greatest value in God's sight.

Moral Stories

Daily Quote

"When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That's my religion."

-Abraham Lincoln

When you do something good, it is natural to feel good about it, and about yourself. When you do something bad, the feeling of wanting to hide in shame is also natural. Except for some people who are perfectly fine with being bad. But even then, the badness weighs them down, even if it takes time for them to realize that. But being good will make you feel good, so be good, for goodness sake! 

Daily Quote

If you believe that every day is the best one in the year, you can think that way. Life is so much better like that! Don't you think? Isn't the best day of the year just the best? I think so too. So don't you think it would be nice if every day was the best? Then write it on your heart that every day is the best! Believe it, and it can be yours. Think it, and it will be yours. Make every day the best. When every day is the best, you will have a better attitude towards helping others! So make every day the best by helping people in need. Nothing makes your heart feel fuller.

Story of the day

                         A father and his son were walking along a road in a mountain range. All around them, they could see majestic mountains with magnificent beauty. Suddenly the son stepped on a shaky stone, slipped and fell down. He cried aloud in great pain. To his surprise, he heard a similar cry from the distant mountainside. He turned around and asked aloud, "Hey! Who are you?" The ghostly voice replied the same question, "Hey! Who are you?" The boy quickly lost his temper. He shouted, "Come out, you coward and show me your face!" To his surprise, the weird voice repeated his threatening words.                        The boy got furious and shouted a chain of foul words at the top of his voice and received the same words in return. He complained to his father and sought his help to punish the enigmatic enemy. The wise father was watching the events with a smile. He asked his son to say aloud, "You are a good boy. I love you." The boy obeyed and was glad to hear the same nice words of welcome from his apparent opponent.                        The boy was quite confused. he asked his father about the mystery. The father explained the mechanism of 'echo' as a reflection of his sound from the distant mountain ranges. He added, "If you shout bad words, you will hear similar words as echo. If you send blessings, you will be blessed in return. This is true of life too. When we do good deeds for others, we receive similar gifts from others." The boy was enlightened. He sang a hymn melodiously and was overjoyed to hear its enchanting echoes.                        Our life is a reflection of our actions. It gives back to us whatever we say or do. To receive love, we must shower love on others. Even in the midst of misfortune, hardship and trials, let us speak only positive words which comfort others.                        A person will reap exactly what he sows.                        Let us be kind and tender-hearted to one another, and forgive one another.


Story Credit Goes To Moral Stories
(Dr. Babu Philip)

Quote of the day

"The flower that smells the sweetest is shy and lowly."

-William Wordsworth

This is similar to the mockingbird story. When all of the princes heard the beautiful song, they thought it came from the beautiful bird. In reality, it came from the little brown bird. The sweetest flowers are also the ones that aren't as pretty, even though all things have a beauty of their own. Tulips, daffodils, violets, and all of those big colorful famous flowers don't actually smell good. Sometimes they don't smell at all! The flowers that smell nice are the small unnoticed ones. If you are a bold person, then be bold. Don't get me wrong... But the shyer and lowlier people are usually the sweetest. 

But don't forget, just be who you are. Don't change yourself for the sake of others! The pretty flowers can smell nice, too! Like roses. Roses can smell really nice. So be yourself. If you are a big flower, be a rose. If you are a small flower, then that's great too!

Daily Quote

Matthew 7:1

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ²For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Don't judge others, or you will be judged too. You will be judged in the same way you judge others and you will be judged as strongly as you judged others. For it is the Lord who will be judging you for judging his children. So do not judge, and you shall not be judged in return.

Or at least, you won't be judged by God. Who knows what others will do. But those who don't judge tend to be better well respected.

Daily Story

                                             A girl stayed with her parents and elder sister in a cottage near a forest. She used to collect water in a pot from a neighbouring stream and carry it home every day. One day in a severe summer, while returning from the stream with a pot filled with water, she noticed an old tree on the way. It was badly affected by the severe heat and drought. It was shedding its withered leaves and many of its branches had already dried up. Its withered roots were exposed above the ground and seemed to beg for a drop of water. The girl had a very kind, generous and compassionate nature and she felt pity for the dying tree. She lovingly poured the water in her pot over the drying roots of the dying tree.
                               To her surprise she noticed that as the soil moved along the flowing water, a brightly coloured jewel box became visible  under a root. She eagerly collected the box using a stick and opened it. It had a rich collection of gold coins, expensive jewels and exquisite ornaments. She carried it home and her parents were glad to get such a valuable treasure. They told her, it was a gift of God - a reward for the kindness she showed to the dying tree.                               Her elder sister was envious of her sister's fortune and she wanted to own a similar treasure. She ran to the tree carrying a stick in her hand. She madly thrust the stick  into every hole under the tree  in search of a treasure. Suddenly a poisonous snake  emerged from a hole as she poked at it.  The snake sprang upon her, biting her to death. Her jealousy, envy and greed led to her tragic death.                               Envy or jealousy is a serious sin. Let us be of help to any one in need, especially the poor, the sick and the needy. Jesus taught, “Happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them!"                               Peace of mind makes the body healthy, but where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is also disorder and every kind of evil. Whoever does not love, does not know God, for GOD IS LOVE.

Moral Stories

Quote of the day

"Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend."

-Albert Camus

Sometimes, we just need a friend. Leading can be fun, but sometimes even the biggest leaders need to feel neutral. Don't ever let a friend walk behind you, for they follow because they aren't bold enough to do their own thing. Also, you may not lead. Don't let them walk in front of you, because friendships aren't about one overpowering person forcing the other one to do things. Just walk beside one another in harmony and just be each others' friends. Sometimes, that is all you need.

Quote of the day

The universe is full of the most amazing things. For example, the Hubble telescope was able to see galaxies and galaxies and galaxies out there similar to our own, while looking at only the tiniest fraction of the sky! There is so much to discover, so much to explore. Even on our own earth. There is so much out there just waiting for the moment when we will invent something new that will lead us to new discoveries. The world is full of so much wonder. Go outside, and you will see. Look around. Isn't it beautiful? Look closer, too. The fine lines and patterns on leaves, the tiny detail of the surface of a rock, the fine hairs on an ant. Everything is made with an incredible amount of detail. Just looking at those wonders gives a feeling like no other. In some people who love the environment like me, it gives a feeling that feels like it could make a blind man see, a mute man sing, and a deaf man hear the song of nature. Look around, and imagine the possibilities out there, beyond our earth, beyond our solar system! Take your mind on a journey beyond what is known. Then sharpen your wits and make that vision reality.

Daily Story

                                A king had a beautiful and intelligent princess as his only child. When she grew up, he announced that she would be married to a prince who proves his wisdom in a test to be held in his palace. On the appointed day, a large number of princes from different kingdoms reached the palace, hoping to marry the princess and become the heir to the throne.                                The princes assembled in the royal hall and introduced themselves. Suddenly the whole place was filled with the melodious music of a bird. The king led the princes to a neighbouring hall where the singing bird was kept. Two cages were hung from the roof at one end of the hall. The princes watched the birds from the other end of the hall. After a while, the music stopped. The king led the princes to the cages and showed them the birds. One was a very beautiful and multi-coloured parrot with fine feathers and attractive features. The other was a small grey nightingale with brownish feathers and no apparent beauty. The princes were then led to the court and asked the same question, "Which of the two birds had sung the sweet song?"                                All the princes except one emphatically replied that the pretty parrot was the gifted singer who filled the place with the enchanting music. Only one had a different answer. That prince affirmed that the song was sung by the nightingale. This prince who correctly identified the singer without bias and prejudice was declared as the winner. Others were influenced and misled by the extraordinary beauty of the colourful parrot. They assumed that a sweet voice could arise only from a pretty bird. The wise prince married the princess and after the king's death, ruled the country successfully. During his rule everyone had equal rights and opportunities and his period was recorded in history as a golden age of peace and prosperity.                                Prejudice, discrimination, racism and judgement by external appearances have plagued humanity for centuries. Such biased judgements do not reflect truth or reality. God does not show partiality or favouritism. God judges everyone by the same standard. We must use intelligent interpretations and just judgement to arrive at sensible conclusions and wise decisions. We must not treat people in different ways according to their outward appearances. Appearances can be deceptive.

Daily Quote

try to help everyone get to the top. There is room for everyone to get to the top, and everyone deserves to be at the top. A selfish person who was already at the top would try to keep everyone else lower so they could have the glory of being the best of the best for themselves. What you should do instead is help everyone and work with them to get their talents to bloom. Help them to use their talents correctly and help them get higher in life. This is also why we have charity and service work. To help and serve others so that they can have the strength, motivation, and support needed to get up higher in their lives and in the world. Go out and help today.

Brainy Quote

Quote of the day

"Freedom is nothing but a chance to be better."

-Albert Camus

Being free gives you the chance to express yourself. It gives you the chance to do better and to be better. It gives you a second chance-- a fresh start. Even freedom from your previous lifestyle gives you the chance to be different and better. Freedom comes with a price, though. It comes with responsibility. If you are to be freed from something like your parents (when you go off to college) you suddenly get the big responsibility of sustaining yourself. But freedom as a whole gives an individual some space to blossom and grow and be better in all aspects of their life.

Story of the day

                          The ostrich is the world's largest living bird and lays the largest egg on earth. It is the fastest two-legged land animal, second only to the cheetah in running speed. This is a fictitious story about an ostrich whose timely help saved the life of a lonely traveller and his camel.                          The man was travelling alone on his camel through an extensive desert. His supply of water and food exhausted and he fell down fainted. He was not aware of the safer route of the caravan which touched the oases to replenish the stock of water and food.                          An ostrich came that way. He made a deep study of the situation. He found the man's water-bottle, open and empty, lying on the dry sand. It had a leather strap used to tie it to the man's body. The ostrich caught the bottle's strap in his mouth and proceeded to the nearest oasis.                           An oasis is an isolated fertile area within a desert which is blessed with water and vegetation. Oases are formed when severe storms carry away enormous amounts of dust and sand burrowing the land to a level near the water-table. An oasis is stabilized and maintained by the vegetation. Migrating birds may deposit seeds and droppings creating vegetation in the oases.                                  In the present oasis, there was a pond with fresh water, surrounded by several fruit bearing trees like date-palm, peach, fig, olive and apricot. The ostrich dipped the bottle in the water and filled it. Then he carried it back to the fainted man and placed it close to his head. The man was awakened by the contact with the cold water. He rose with all his might and drank the water. Regaining his lost strength, he stood up and thankfully embraced the ostrich. The ostrich led him and the camel to the oasis nearby, where they could rest, drink and eat and collect water and food for their onward journey. While relaxing at the oasis, the man could meet and join a caravan which came to the oasis for resting. The man gratefully bid farewell to the bird who saved his precious life.                           Jesus Christ taught, "Happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them !".

Moral Stories

Daily Quote

"I do not want horses or diamonds - I am happy in possessing you."

-Clara Schumann

The physical things will never make you as happy as people will. Finding someone to love and someone who will love you for who you are is better than anything in the world. Find someone who makes you happy. Find someone that treats you like nothing less than a queen or king. Someone who treats you better than you deserve. When you find someone like that, you will realize that all of the material possessions seem like things you could easily sacrifice for the one you love. Find this joy in everyone, including your family and friends. Be happy with possessing your family instead of diamonds, friends instead of horses. Love everyone more than you love your things.

BrainyQuote

Daily Quote

"I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen."

-Ernest Hemingway

This is true. Many don't listen, many just talk and talk and talk. When you listen carefully, you can learn a whole lot. There is so much out there to learn that you will never learn if you don't listen. This also goes for letting people finish their sentences and not interrupting people. Sometimes someone says something and you interrupt by asking a question that will be answered in the end of the sentence that you didn't let them finish. Just listen. There is way too much everyone is missing because of their lack of ability to just shut their mouth and let someone else talk for once.

By popular request, I am now putting the name of the source on the bottom of each post in small print for those of you who receive these posts by email. You can look at a complete list of sources here. This can also be accessed directly from the home page. Click the sources tab on the top bar of the home page.

Today's quote comes from BrainyQuote

Quote of the day

Happiness doesn't come from material items... It comes from helping others. Give back to your community, and it will give back to you. Help others in need. But don't do it for your own personal feeling of happiness, do it so that everyone else can be happy. That is another component to happiness. You can't do things purposefully to get personal happiness. You need to do things to make others happy. Similar to jobs- do what you truly love, not just what will get you the most money. If you want to work at a pizza parlor because that is what you love doing, then so be it. If you wanted to work at Google because that is what you enjoy doing, so be it. But don't work at somewhere like Google if you only want the money and the perks. Do it out of the will to serve and work your best in something you enjoy. Same with service... Do it out of the goodness and humbleness of your heart. 

Story of the day

                            A major war was in progress. A soldier informed her mother, "Mommy, my military service is over. I am planning to return home. When I come home, I wish to bring along with me, a close friend of mine who was wounded seriously during the war. He lost one eye, one hand and one leg and needs our support." The mother stated casually, without any interest or enthusiasm, "OK, dear son, you may bring him. Let him stay with us for a few days."                                               Her words clearly conveyed that she did not appreciate a prolonged stay of the disabled soldier in their family. Two days later, she received a message from the military that her son had committed suicide and that his body would be brought to her home.                              When the soldier's body arrived, she was surprised to see that her son lacked an eye, a hand and a leg. Now it was very clear to her that her son had asked about her attitude to the 'disabled friend' just to assess her attitude to her own handicapped son. She was overcome with remorse for not having welcomed him wholeheartedly. She realized that if she had shown more love, care and kindness in her words, she would not have lost her dear son. She cried in agony for rejecting her own son. Words are like swords. Harsh words may act as sharp swords and inflict irreparable wounds in the minds of those who hear them. Such words may cause despair, dejection and discouragement. Careful use of the tongue is a prerequisite for peaceful life. Care, concern, compassion and kindness are essential for promoting a healthy, happy, harmonious and heavenly life.

Daily Story

                      The legend of Androcles and the lion has undergone several modifications through ages. It was adopted by Aesop in his famous fable where Androcles is portrayed as a fugitive slave who ran away from his cruel master and befriended a wounded lion which later refused to harm him.                      In his famous play, 'Androcles and the Lion' (1912) , George Bernard Shaw(1856-1950) presents Androcles as a compassionate Christian tailor who was saved in the Roman amphitheatre by the lion he once nursed.                      In one version of the story, it was the rule and custom of a country that any slave who ran away from his master was to be captured and  thrown into an arena before a  hungry lion. The king's army would  arrest such slaves and bring the culprits before the king for trial and judgment. Thousands of people used to gather around the arena to enjoy the public massacre.                     Fierce lions were captured from the forest by the hunters appointed by the king and kept in strong cages in the palace. They were starved before being let loose in the fenced arena into which the helpless slaves were thrown down mercilessly amidst the applause of thousands in the gallery around the arena.                     Androcles was a poor slave who suffered heavily under a cruel master. He escaped into a dense forest and sought refuge in a cave. He was chased by the king's armed guards who searched the forest thoroughly to find him.                     A wild lion with a large thorn stuck in its right paw entered the cave, limping on three legs and crying in great pain. He raised the swollen paw and showed it to Androcles who examined it with great care and compassion. He carefully removed the thorn and applied the fresh juice of medicinal herbs to alleviate the pain and cure the wound.  The lion felt relieved and licked the hands of Androcles as a mark of gratitude and love. He wagged his tail like a tame dog and left the cave thankfully. A few days later, the king's men traced Androcles and captured him. He was produced before the king. As Androcles was proved to have run away from his master, the king ordered that he shall be thrown to be eaten by a wild lion in the arena the next day.                     Thousands arrived to witness the cruel murder. The king and the queen was seated in a special box. Androcles was brought to the arena . He knelt down and prayed to God fervently. A hungry lion was brought in a cage in a carriage. Its heavy grating was opened and the lion was let free to attack the helpless Androcles. The hungry lion jumped from the cage into the arena, roaring fiercely, ready to pounce upon his prey. But, quite unexpectedly the lion became tame as he approached Androcles. He wagged his tail and licked Androcles with great affection. The lion recognized Androcles as the person who removed the thorn from his painful paw and affectionately nursed him before the lion was caught from the forest and was taken into the custody of the king's troops.                     Everyone was struck with wonder. The king learned from Androcles  the story of his encounter with the lion and praised his kindness. The king was deeply impressed by the compassionate behaviour of Androcles which enabled him to show mercy and love even to animals. The king stopped the practice of killing the slaves who ran away from their masters. Androcles was freed from slavery and was granted full freedom. Androcles was appointed as an important officer in the king's palace but he thankfully declined the offer and devoted his life to care for the poor, the sick and the illiterate people of his country.                     Jesus Christ taught, "Happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them!"




I won't have access to a computer for a week or so, but I will try to catch up on posts when I get my computer back. See you soon, I hope your holidays were full of joy and compassion and mercy!
-LifeOO

Daily Quote

Christmas is the time when Jesus was born into the world, giving the world the gift of the word of the Lord and later, forgiveness of all sins of all of mankind. We celebrate this holiday by giving to others. But really, any type of giving is Christmas. Anything that gives back to the world and community is Christmas. So every time we love others and give, it is Christmas. 

Many people love Christmastime because it is a time of giving and joy and happiness. If you like it so much, then you should give always! It not only makes others happy, but it makes you the happiest of all! And don't forget-- if you are on the receiving end of the gift, show gratefulness. Many people are less fortunate to be receiving such a gift. Not only that, though, but the giver will be happy just seeing you happy!

Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays to all!
-LifeOO

Quote of the day

"If you haven't got any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble."

-Bob Hope

To be grateful and kind, you must have charity in your heart. To help yourself, you must first be able to help others. It is really quite simple. Just give back to the world around you, and the world will give back to you. Without doing your share of helping those in need, your heart will have a terrible disease... selfishness. Greed, hate, nastiness. Even if you are the nicest person ever, your heart is still full of the worst kind of heart trouble. Those who do their share of service to God's children and all of God's creations tend to be the nicest, most respectable people.

Quote of the day

The more complicated and elaborate our system of communication is, the less we end up communicating. Face to face, that is, anyway. See, back in the old days, they had to communicate face to face. They had to take horses and travel long distances to deliver letters or messages by mouth directly. Later on, they had telegrams. People who couldn't afford them would still travel and speak mouth to mouth, but less people than before the telegram. Later, early phone systems came out. Those who had a phone got to use that for communication, others used telegrams, and fewer spoke directly! Even later, computers came out and email became a possibility (not at the same time as computers were released, but later of course), and you get the point: less people used all of the other systems and less people spoke direct. As life went on, more was invented: high speed internet and email and cell phones and smartphone cell phones and tablets and Skype and FaceTime and all sorts of amazing communication devices! Unfortunately, less people communicate face to face! It is hurting our ability to communicate. So I encourage all of you to speak directly when you can... If you can. 

Daily Quote

"Maybe Christmas, the Grinch thought, doesn't come from a store."

-Dr. Seuss

Christmas doesn't come from a store. It never will. It comes from the heart. The true story of Christmas is when Jesus was born, with all of those alleluias and all of that star of wonder and such. Jesus came for us so that he could die for us, and in the spirit of his birthday, we celebrate with joy and the gift of giving. Bring joy into someone's life this Christmas and holiday season, give back by giving the gift of joy and mirth. It's the most wonderful time of the year! Everyone is so much happier, so much friendlier, so much more willing to give. Put aside the 'stuff' and try to find the joy of Christmas that you will not find in the store.

Daily Quote

To be great, you can't stand above them. By that, I mean you cannot be somewhat of a dictator above everyone, but you need to rule with them. Listen to their ideas. Use their ideas. Don't act superior to them, be one of them. Don't be some sort of ruling authority, just be with them and do things with them and act as if you are simply one of them. You can become truly great when you aren't trying to be all high and mighty.

Quote of the day

"Nobody is perfect, and I am a perfect example."

-Unknown

This quote speaks the truth, but in a fun way. It says that nobody is perfect. That is so true, everyone is unique and different in their own special ways. I am a perfect example of imperfection. Everyone has flaws, everyone makes mistakes, everyone does things that get on some people's nerves. Nobody is perfect. We just have to accept the fact that as humans it is impossible to be perfect. We can still try our hardest and do our best, but we will never be perfect.

The reason this quote says the truth in a fun way is because the quote then turns around and talks about how the author of the quote is perfect-- at not being perfect!

Quote credits to my grandmother who found this quote for me! :)

Story of the day

                          A king had three daughters. He wanted to test their love for him. He called them and asked them, "Tell me how much do you love me."                          The eldest daughter said, "Father, I love you like jewelry." The king was very pleased with her as he was very fond of gold and jewels and had a large collection of exquisite jewelry in his palace. The second daughter said, "Father, I love you like the best wine!" The king was happy to hear this as he was addicted to wines and other alcoholic drinks.                          Then the youngest daughter replied, "Dear Father, I love you like salt." The king became furious on hearing this reply. Angrily, he shouted, "What do you mean, you mean creature? Salt is a useless, cheap and ordinary object which you can find even in the poor slums of my kingdom. I know you don't love me. I don't want to see you again. Go away."                          But the youngest daughter met the palace chef and requested him to avoid salt in all the dishes to be served during the royal feast on the next day. The old chef had a special affection to the youngest princess as she was simple, humble and innocent. He agreed to do as she wished.                          During the feast, the king tasted his favorite dishes and cried aloud, "What is this? It has no taste at all!" He summoned the chef and questioned him. The wise chef answered, "Oh, Sir, I was afraid to include salt in the royal dishes because yesterday you declared in the court that salt was a useless and ordinary article. I avoided it ."                          The king learned a lesson. He realized the importance of salt and asked the youngest daughter to forgive him for his harsh remarks and rash behavior  He understood the extent of  her love towards him and embraced her.                          Salt is important and indispensable for mankind in many different ways:1. Salt enhances the taste and flavor of food and makes it pleasant and palatable. Without salt, many foods become insipid. Its deficiency in food is felt easily.2.Salt preserves food and prevents putrefaction.3.Salt dissolves in water and mixes fully with food. It apparently disappears by dissolution or disintegration. Lumps of salt in food may cause objectionable taste.4. It remains as an invisible presence in the dishes. Other spices like chilly and turmeric give conspicuous color which makes their presence visible.                          Jesus Christ advised his followers to be the 'salt of the earth'. By this he wished  that they should mingle freely with others and add flavor to the life of every one to promote peace, fellowship, joy and harmony in society by their silent and sincere service. By their humble and unpretentious actions they have a major role in preserving the integrity, values and moral principles of society. They should be deeply concerned with the well-being of all and serve as the 'salt of society'.

Daily Quote

"I made decisions that I regret, and I took them as learning experiences... I'm human, not perfect, like anybody else."

-Queen Latifah

Look back on your failures as learning experiences. Nobody is perfect, everyone is human. You just need to take your bad experiences and turn them into learning experiences. Then take those learning experiences and do better next time.

Daily Quote

"Life is an adventure in forgiveness."

-Norman Cousins

Something we all must learn to do is forgive. Instead of being Odysseus style (which is glory [doing anything for glory, no matter how bad it is- even killing people], revenge [when something does something that is shameful to you, you get revenge on them. And by that, it could be their own deaths], and shame [which is as it sounds; if you do something that brings me shame or I do something shameful, that is my equivalent of bad]), we should be Jesus style. Jesus style is centered more around forgiveness. Of course, modern day Odysseus style wouldn't be as deadly, but it would be more of mean gossip and bullying. In life we should all strive to be more Jesus style. It is the best thing we can do.

Story of the day

                          The 'pearl oyster' is a marine bivalve mollusk of the family 'Pteriidae'. It has a natural procedure to protect itself from foreign substances. Occasionally, by an accident, a foreign particle such as a  grain of sand or a parasite may gain entry into the  inner body of the oyster between the mantle and the shell causing great discomfort, irritation and possibly, pain to the oyster.

                         'Nacre' is the mineral substance secreted by the mantle of the oyster to fashion the shell. As the oyster is unable to expel the intruding foreign body, it initiates a natural defensive reaction. The mantle secretes 'nacre', the smooth, hard, crystalline mineral, layer upon layer around the irritant intruder to coat it and cover it completely. In course of time, the covered irritant becomes a beautiful, silky, lovely and  lustrous gem called a pearl. It has a shimmering iridescence and a special inner glow not found in other types of gems.

                          The coating of nacre consists of microscopic crystals of calcium carbonate, aligned perfectly with one another so that light transmitted along the axis of one crystal is reflected and refracted by another to display a spectacular spectrum of light and colour.

                          A similar situation may arise in our life frequently. Our mind may be hurt and wounded by adverse conditions and the unkind behaviour and harsh words of others. When we are ignored, rejected, misunderstood or ill-treated by prejudice or hatred, our mind gets wounded.

                         By trusting in the infinite love of God, we can let Him cover our wounds and sorrows by several layers of His healing love. Like the pearl made in the oyster from the healing wound, we too can develop precious pearls of peace, strength and sanctity in our mind and soul by the soothing and sanctifying grace of God. It is said that adversity is the best university to perfect our personality.

                         We must accept the sufferings and pain of life with the spirit of sacrifice.  In life, troubles, suffering and failures may fall on us. Let us not worry about them or feel helpless or hopeless. We should not let the troubles defeat us or bury us. Let us use every failure as a stepping-stone and not as a stumbling-block.

                         Our life is like a boat, sailing through the sea of the world. We may be threatened by the tempests of troubles, tribulations and temptations. But we can sail safely if our faith is strong. God has control over the forces of nature. He may give us tests and trials so that we may grow further and stronger, but he never abandons us during hard times. God is with us in our joys and tears throughout our life.

                                  God has plans to bring to us prosperity and not disaster.

Quote of the day

"I start a picture and I finish it."

-Jean-Michel Basquiat

Once you start something, you should always pull through. Go through with it. Don't give up! Many people give up... not realizing how close they are to success! Besides, the rewards when you finish something are great. They can range from earning actual money or actual stuff to the feeling of self-accomplishment. Besides, when you only complete things partially, the incomplete things pile up and you begin to feel worse and worse. Complete it all now- pull through with your actions. Once you start something, only you can finish it.  

Daily Quote

Be yourself. Even if you know that if you were yourself, everyone would shun you to the end of eternity. Of course, no one would do that. In fact, it is really nice when people are their true selves. It is quite frustrating, though, when you see someone you've known your whole life... Except that it's not them anymore. They are being someone they are not just because they want to be like everyone else. Be unique! Who wants to be like everyone else, anyway? I dare you- be yourself. It may be frightening, it may be strange. Your real you could be frightening or strange, too. Just be yourself..
I know that's what I want to see in someone. Chances are, others want that too.

This is an incredibly important lesson that even many adults still haven't figured out.

Trust me. Be yourself.

Daily Quote

Everyone is talented in their own ways. Everyone brings a different flavor to the table, and everyone is unique. Listen to what they have to say, it is important just because it is them who said it. There is only one of them- so treasure each word. Same for everyone! Everyone is so unique, a beautiful creation of God. There are no two alike- not even the most identical of twins! Therefore, each word anyone says is special. So give everyone a chance. Realize their talents, originality, and listen to their important things that they say. No matter if you think it is important or not.

Quote of the day

"Some of us think holding on makes us strong; but sometimes it is letting go."

-Hermann Hesse 

This is a really good quote. It is true, too. sometimes you just have to let go... there are other types of strength other than muscle strength. One of the most important things to be strong at doing is letting things go. Let those mean comments or insults just roll off of your shoulders. Don't get me wrong, it is incredibly difficult. It is a skill that even many adults haven't yet discovered. Engaging in the fight can only make it worse. Letting it go will make it disappear... Usually. The person picking on you will usually try to keep getting at you to try to make you mad, but don't let them! They can keep trying all they want but they should never succeed! Eventually, it will bother them that you aren't affected by their hurricane of doom, and they will finally move on. Let go, let it roll off of your shoulders.

Quote of the day

"Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential."

-Winston Churchill 

Keep on trying. You will never know how much potential you have until you give it a go! Of course, you will never get it 100% perfectly the first try if you've never done it before. You need to put in continuous effort. Keep trying, and eventually your potential will unlock itself. That unlocked potential will run loose and become skill. Once you have that skill, it is yours for the keeping, but you still must work to maintain it. None of your skills would be possible without trying hard to succeed! Keep trying! Your potential will step into the light and become kinetic!

Daily Quote

"There are more people who wish to be loved than there are who are willing to love."

-Nicolas Chamfort

Everyone wants to be loved. The feeling when you realize someone doesn't like you is not a good one. Everyone wants to feel the love of others, everyone wants to be appreciated. But not all of them are willing to love back! Some just want all of the love but couldn't care less about the person themselves. For example, if a girl plays hard-to-get but doesn't actually like the person, yet she persists on playing hard to get as if the person could have a chance at her eventually, she probably just likes the feeling of being loved. Even if she absolutely couldn't love that person if the world was ending! That is unfortunate, though. Everyone deserves to be loved, and everyone should love everyone else - even if it is so deep in their hearts that they barely know it is there - because that is what God wants us to do. Love your neighbors as yourself, that is unless you hate yourself. Which you should learn to stop doing and get some help before you hurt yourself. But in conclusion, if everyone loved everyone else, the world would be such a happier place. Unfortunately though, this is the real world and we just have to accept it. That doesn't mean you can't try, though; get out there and smile at someone. but more importantly, get them to smile back. :)

Daily Quote

"It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are."

-E. E. Cummings 

Being yourself is really hard, take my word for it. Especially when you are younger... There are so many other influences you have to balance out. The positive and negative influences from your teachers and elders/adults, the positive and negative influences from your peers. There are so many people who want you to be one thing, while others want you to be another. You just have to let your true self shine through. And keep a good habit of it. It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.

Story of the day

This is a great twist on the story of the wise crow!

The summer was very hot. Water was scarce. A thirsty crow searched for water everywhere. At last she found a small amount of water in a tall pot made of clay. She could not reach the water to drink. She was worried. Then she remembered the story of the wise crow that gathered small pebbles and dropped them patiently into the water in a pot. This raised the water level and then he could drink it easily. But this crow was very lazy to collect a lot of small pebbles. She did not have the patience to follow the wise crow. So she lifted a large piece of rock with great effort and dropped it into the pot. The pot broke with a loud noise. All the water was lost. The lazy crow remained thirsty and flew away in shame.

When someone is seen to carry a very heavy load instead of carrying it repeatedly as smaller loads safely and more effortlessly, just because he is lazy to make more journeys, he is said to carry a foolishly heavy load or a 'lazy man's load'. There is a popular proverb in Malayalam, "Madiyan mala chumakkum" meaning that a lazy man carries a mountain!

In the story the crow was lazy to collect a large number of smaller stones and so dropped a large one with a great effort and that broke the pot. We must remember the wise words, “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop!”

Quote of the day

Today I am sharing with you this special quote my mother shared with me. Enjoy it, and I hope it makes you think.
-LifeOO

Daily Quote

"To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful. This is power, it is glory on earth and it is yours for the taking."

-Agnes de Mille 

If you are like me, you won't want to dance. You will claim you can't. For the majority of my life, that was my mindset. I can't dance. I will never be able to dance. But my friends showed me how- it's really not hard. In fact, there is no method to it. When your friends are doing it, just get in a group, and basically jump around to the beat of the music. It's actually quite fun, it makes you feel like something much more than what you are. And it's all yours. You control the dance, you can take that amazing feeling. Dance until your feet won't allow it any more! Experience it for yourself! 

I just got back from a dance, in fact! I started out not wanting to do it at all, I stood in the corner. But my friends showed me the way, and by the end, I was dancing more than even they were! I was the one getting them to dance! Let yourself go, it can be worth something! Trust me.

Daily Story

                        A boy was flying a colorful kite in an open space on a windy day. By careful and skillful manipulation of the string attached to the kite, he could raise it from the ground. Strong winds raised the kite to greater heights. The boy was glad to see his kite soar up into the sky. His friends watched his work with wonder.                       A small bird was attracted by the kite’s swift movements. The bird challenged the kite for a race to reach still greater heights. The kite silently followed the bird but became almost stationary at a stable height. The bird flew back to investigate the cause of the kite’s unexpected halt. The bird was surprised to see that the kite was being pulled by a boy towards him using the string fastened to the kite. As the bird was not aware of the kite’s mechanism of ascent and stability, he assumed that it was caught in a trap and that the boy was trying to capture it. The silly bird decided to rescue the kite from its plight and snapped the string by a sharp bite with his sleek beak and set it fully free. But the kite lost its balance, control and stability. Descending haphazardly following the wind and gravity, it landed on a tall tree. The bird was surprised to see the kite entangled in the branches of the tree and cried aloud, inviting it to resume the race. Seeing no response, the bird left the scene, wondering about the fate of the kite.                        The pull on the string is the driving force behind the kite’s ascent and stability. But to an ignorant person, the string may appear to hamper the progress of the kite. Adverse conditions in life have a similar role in shaping our personality and destiny. It is said that adversity is the best university for our education and training.                        Our life is stabilized by the pull of several strings. The teachings of our religion and Holy Scriptures, the whisper of our conscience to follow the righteous path, the instructions of our parents, teachers and other well-wishers and the rules of the state and society are the strings holding us in a stable state physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Let us learn that these are not bonds restricting our freedom or hindrances to our progress. They are essential for our smooth and sustained progress to perfection and sanctity.                        Freedom is not the right to do as we please, but the liberty to do what we ought to do. Rules are framed to make our freedom full and fair. Voluntary sacrifice of personal rights is the basis of peaceful social life. There is no liberty without limitations; no freedom without responsibility. Commandments of God and the laws of our Nation do not curtail our freedom; they make our liberty a reality. Cicero said, “We are in bondage to the law in order that we may be free.”

Quote of the day

"When you have confidence, you can have a lot of fun. And when you have fun, you can do amazing things."

-Joe Namath 

Go into things with confidence. Be strong, and you can have fun. And when you are doing things for fun and not as if you are being harshly graded, then you can do amazing things. It's just like taking a test or going into an audition for something. You are going to be nervous. Sometimes, you get so nervous you don't do as great on your test/audition. But going into it with confidence- that's something different. If you have enough confidence, your test can be fun. I mean, you know the answers, right? Yes! You do! Because you are confident that you do! And your audition can be fun too. Treat it as if you are just practicing at home. Have confidence, it will all be ok! And when you have fun, you can do amazing things. Getting the role from your audition or making it into whatever you are auditioning for, or getting a good grade on your test. Have confidence, have fun, do amazing things!

Quote of the day

Make friends early. You will need them later, for support. Emotionally, physically, mentally... You get the point. Make your friends before you need them, build their trust. Build the friendship, strengthen it to the point where it is virtually indestructible. Unfortunately, childhood friendships tend to come to an end when everyone goes their separate ways- off to collage. But while you still have them, make friends so that when you really need them, they will be there. For example, if you need a friend to take you to the nurse because you fell and your ankle is twisted in a way it shouldn't be, you will have one. If you forgot your textbook and aren't able to do your homework, they will be there to send pictures of the textbook pages. If you go through your first heartbreak or your thousandth, they will be there to offer a shoulder to cry on. Friends are amazing. They are such a gift from God, and for that I am thankful.

Daily Quote

"Great effort springs naturally from great attitude."
-Pat Riley 

When you have a good attitude about something, you will likely put more effort into it. For example, if your job is one you are not very enthusiastic about, you may not have the best attitude. You also may not put forth your best effort. If you absolutely love your job, on the other hand, then you will likely have a much much better attitude. You will naturally put much more effort into your work. Even if you don't like your job, have a good attitude. More will get done, and quicker.

Daily Quote

"You can be the moon and still be jealous of the stars."

Gary Allan 

People will always be jealous. We just want more. You can be the king or queen of the world, and you would still be jealous of your people. If you don't have what someone else has, likely that you will be jealous. After all, jealousy is all the fun you think that they had.