Sparrows----My Fav Story

Sparrows

(K. A. Abbas)

The sun was setting behind the mango grove which fringed the western extremity of the village when Rahim Khan returned from the fields. Broad and strong despite his fifty odd years, with the plough on his shoulders, and driving his two oxen, he walked through the main street of the village with a haughty and unfriendly air. As he approached the chaupal where a dozen or so peasants were collected for their evening smoke, the hilarious tones of gossip died down to cautious whispers. It was only when he had vanished round the corner and the heavy tread of this footsteps was heard no more that Kallu, passing the communal hookah to another, remarked, 'There goes the hard-hearted devil!' To which Nanha, the fat sweet-seller added: 'He is getting worse and worse every day. Only yesterday he beat poor Ramoo's child for throwing a pebble at his oxen.' Ramnath, the officious zaildar, volunteered further details of Rahim Khan's recent cruelties. 'And the other day he very nearly killed my mare for straying into his field.' The zaildar, of course, thought it quite irrelevant to mention that the straying of his mare had been specially planned by his mischievous sons. The old grey-haired patel was, as always the last to open his toothless mouth. And as usual, his words were prefaced by a pious invocation to the Almighty. 'Hari Ram!' he muttered, 'I have never seen such a cruel man. He has compassion neither for a child nor for helpless animal. No wonder his own sons have run away from home.

The subject of their conversation, meanwhile, had reached his hut which , almost symbolically, stood gaunt and aloof, at a distance from the neighboring cluster of houses. Leaning the plough up against the low wall of his house, he proceeded to tie the oxen to a pair of big wooden stakes embedded in the ground just in front of the doorway.

'Bhai Rahim Khan!' an obsequious voice said behind him as he was about to enter the house.

'What is it?' he gruffly queried, turning round to address the old woman who had come out of the house nearest his own. As she hesitated to speak he fired a volley of questions: 'What is it? I won't eat you. Why don't you speak, woman? Has your son been arrested again for revenue arrears or has your daughter-in-law delivered another baby?'

As she stopped for breath, the woman summoned up all her courage to utter two words, 'Your wife...' '....has run away'. He completed the sentence with a grin which broadened with the realization that he had guessed right.

'No, no,' the woman hastily explained with an apologetic look, as if she herself were responsible for his wife's absence. 'She has only gone to her brother at Nurpur and will be back in a few days.'

'Bah!' he flung back at her, opening the door. He knew that his wife would never come back.

Seething with inward wrath he entered the dark hut and sat down on the charpoy. A cat mewed in a corner. Finding no one else on whom to vent his anger he flung it out, slamming the door with violence.

There was no one to give him water to wash his dust-laden feet and hands, no one to give him supper, no one whom he could curse and beat. Rahim Khan felt uncomfortable and unhappy. He had always been angry with his wife when she was there, but her absence angered him still more.

'So she's gone,' he mused, lying down on the cot, having decided to go to sleep without his food. During the thirty years of their married life he had always felt that she would leave him one day and, at one time, he had even hoped she would. Six years ago, his eldest son Bundu had run away from home because of a more than usually severe beating. Three years later, the younger one, Nuru joined his brother. Since that day, Rahim Khan had felt sure his wife too would run away to her brother's house. But now that she had gone, he felt unhappy--not sorry , no, for he had never loved his wife--but only uncomfortable, as if a necessary piece of furniture had been removed. With her gone, on whom could he shower the outpourings of an embittered heart?

For thirty years his wife had been both the symbol and the target of all his grievances against his family, against society, against life.

As a youth there had been none in the village to beat him in feats of athletic skill--in wrestling, in kabadi in diving from the canal bridge. He had loved a girl, and wanted to join a touring circus which happened to pass through the village. In the circus, he had felt, lay the key to his ambitions--a career after his own heart--travel-fame. And in Radha, the daughter of Ram Charan, the village banya, he thought he had found this soul-mate. He had first noticed her watching him at a wrestling match and it had been the greatest moment of this life when, standing up after vanquishing his adversary, he had found Radha looking at him with the light of love in her eyes. After that there had been a few brief and furtive meetings when the unlettered but romantic youth had declared his love in passionate though halting words. But his parents had killed both ambitions. Circus work was too lowly and immoral for a respectable peasant. Anyway, his father, grandfather and all his ancestors had tilled the land, so he too had to do it. As for marrying Radha, a Hindu, a Kafir, the very idea was infamous and irreligious.

For some time, Rahim Khan, with youthful resentment, toyed with the idea of open rebellion. But the tradition of centuries of serfdom ran in his blood and, however, indignant he might have felt at his father's severity, he could not summon enough courage to defy paternal authority and social traditions. After a few days, the circus left the village without Rahim Khan and the furtive romance with Radha, too came to an abrupt end. Rahim Khan's father slyly suggested to Ram Charan that his daughter was now fifteen and ought to have been married long ago, not failing to hint at the disastrous consequences of late marriages. Within a few weeks Radha was married to Ram Lal, a middle-aged, pot-bellied banya of the neighboring village. With a few sad tears shed in the solitude of the night in memory of her hopeless romance with Rahim Khan, she quickly reconciled to her fate and proceeded forthwith to be mother of half-a-dozen children.

Rahim Khan also married. He had, of course, no choice in the matter. His parents selected the girl, fixed the date, ordered some gaudy clothes for him and some silver ornaments for his bride, sat him on a horse, and to the beat of a brass band, took him to the girl's house where the Nikah was duly preformed. To the Kazi's formal questions Rahim Khan mechanically nodded his head. Any other course was impossible. Nobody, of course, cared to ask the shy little girl who sat huddled in a dark room only dimly conscious of the fate to which she had been condemned. After the ceremony, Rahim Khan's father, in a mood of self-congratulation, boasted to his wife: 'See how meekly he obeyed me. You always feared he might refuse to fall in with our arrangements. I know there youngsters. They apt to be restless if their marriage is delayed. That is why our father's believed in marrying away their children early. Now he will be all right!'

At that very moment, standing on the threshold of the room where his wife awaited him much as a sheep awaits the butcher, Rahim Khan made a terrible resolve to avenge himself on his parents, his family, on society. He held them all responsible for the frustration of this life's dreams. And in his confused, illogical mind he regarded his bride as a symbol of this persecution to which he had been subjected. On her he would wreak his vengeance. Iron entered his hitherto kindly soul as he rudely pushed open the door.

That was thirty years ago, Rahim Khan reflected as he lay there on his cot in the dark hut. And hadn't he had his revenge? For thirty years he had ill-treated his wife, his children and his bullocks, quarrelled with everyone in the village and made himself the most hated person in the community. The thought of being so universally detested gave him grim satisfaction.

No one in the village, of course, understood or tried to understand the reasons for this strange transformation of the cheerful and kind young man into the beast that he had become. At first, their attitude towards him was one of astonished hostility, but later it changed to indifference mingled with fear. Of understanding and sympathy he received none. Shunned by everyone, with a bitterness ever gnawing at his heart, Rahim Khan sought consolation in the unquestioned authority over his wife which society allowed him.

For thirty years his wife had submitted to his persecution with the slave-like docility that is the badge of her tribe. Lately, indeed, she had become so used to corporal chastisement that it seemed unnatural if a whole week passed without beating. To Rahim Khan beating his wife had become a part of his very existence. As sleep gathered round him, his last thought was whether he would be able to endure a life without having an opportunity of indulging in what had now become his second nature. It was perhaps the only moment when Rahim Khan had a feeling, not exactly of affection for his wife, but of loneliness without her. Never before had he realized how much the woman he hated was a part of his life.

When he awoke it was already late forenoon and he started the day by cursing his wife, for it was she who used to wake early every morning. But he was in no great hurry today. Lazily he got up and, after his ablutions, milked the goats for his breakfast which consisted of the remains of the previous day's chapattis soaked in fresh milk. Then he sat down for a smoke, with his beloved hookah beside him. Now the hut was warm and alight with the rays of the sun streaming in through the open window. In a corner they revealed some cobwebs and, having already decided to absent himself from his fields, he thought he would tidy his hut. Tying some tags to the end of a long pole, he was about to remove the cobwebs when he saw a nest in the thatched roof. Two sparrows were fluttering in and out, twittering constantly.

His first impulse was to wreck the nest with one stroke of his pole, but something within him made him desist. Throwing down the pole, he brought a stool and climbed up on it to get a better view of the sparrows' home. Two little featherless mites of red-flesh, baby sparrows hardly a day old, lay inside, while their parents hovered round Rahim Khan's face, screaming threateningly. He barely had a glimpse of the inside of the nest when the mother sparrow attacked him.

Next day he resumed his daily work. Still no one talked to him in the village. From morning till late in the afternoon he would toil in the field, ploughing the furrow and watering the crops, but he returned home before sunset. Then he would lie on his cot, smoking his hookah and watching with lively interest the antics of the sparrow family. The two little ones had now grown into fine young birds, and he called them Nuru and Bundu after his lost sons whom he had not seen for several years. The four sparrows were his only friends in the world. His neighbours were still frightened of him and regarded his recent peaceful behaviour with suspicion. They were genuinely astonished that for some time no one had seen him beating his bullocks. Nathoo and Chiddoo themselves were very happy and grateful and their bruised bodies had almost healed.

One monsoon evening, when the sky was overcast with threatening clouds, Rahim Khan returned from the fields a little earlier than usual. He found a group of children playing on the road. They ran away as they saw him, and even left their shoes behind in their haste. In vain did Rahim Khan shout, 'Why are you running away? I am not going to beat you.' Meanwhile, it had started drizzling and he hurried homewards to tie up the bullocks before the big downpour came.

Entering his hut, Rahim Khan lighted the earthenware oil lamp and placed some crumbs of bread for the sparrows before he prepared his own dinner. 'O Nuru! O Bundu!' he shouted, but the sparrows did not come out. Anxious to find out what had happened to his friends, he peered into the nest and found the quartet scared and sitting huddled up within their feathers. At the very spot where the nest lay, the roof was leaking. Rahim Khan took a ladder and went out in he pouring rain to repair the damage. By the time the job was satisfactorily done he was thoroughly drenched. As he sat on the cot, Rahim Khan sneezed, but he did not heed the warning and went to sleep. Next morning he awoke with a high fever.

When the villagers did not see him going to the fields for several days they grew anxious and some of them came to see what the matter was. Through a crack in the door they saw him lying on the cot talking, so they thought, to himself. 'O Bundu, O Nuru, who will feed you when I am gone?'

The peasants shook their heads sympathetically. 'Poor fellow,' they said, 'he has gone mad. we will send for his wife to look after him.'

Next morning when Rahim Khan's wife, anxious and weeping, came with her sons, a group of neighbours collected in sympathy. The door was locked from the inside, and in spite of loud knocking no one opened it. When they broke their way in they found the large and gaunt frame Rahim lying in the brooding silence of the room, broken only by the fluttering of four sparrows.

Story of Life

Apparently, they are there to file a divorce.Lawyer was very puzzled,

after having a chat with them, he got their story....




This couple had been quarreling all their 40 over yrs of marriage nothing

ever seems to go right.They hang on because of their children, afraid that

it might affect their up-bringing. Now, all their children have already grown up,

have their own family, there's nothing else the old couple have to worry about,

all they wanted is to lead their own life free from all these years of unhappiness

from their marriage, so both agree on a divorce....







Lawyer was having a hard time trying to get the papers done,

because he felt that after 40 yrs of marriage at the age of 70,

he couldn't understand why the old couple would still want a divorce..




While they were signing the papers, the wife told the husband..




"I really love u, but I really cant carry on anymore, I'm sorry.."




"Its o.k, I understand.." said the husband. Lookin at this, the lawyer

suggested a dinner together, just 3 of them,wife thought,

why not, since they are still gonna be friends..




At the dining table, there was a silence of awkardness.




The first dish was roasted chicken, immediately, the old man took the drumstick

for the old lady.."take this, its your favourite.."




Looking at this, the lawyer thought maybe theres still a chance, but the wife

was frowning when she answer.."This is always the problem, you always think

so highly of yourself, never thought about how I feel,

don't you know that I hate drumsticks?"




Little did she know that, over the years, the husband have been trying

all ways to please her, little did she know that drumsticks was the husband's

favourite. Little did he know that she never thought he understand her at all,

little did he know that she hates drummsticks even though all he wants is the best for her.




That night, both of them couldn't sleep, toss and turn, toss and turn...after hours,

the old man couldn't take it anymore, he knows that he still loves her,

and he cant carry on life without her, he wants her back, he wants to tell her,

he is sorry, he wanted to tell her "I love you"...




He picks up the phone, starting dialing her number....ringing never stops..he never stop dialing....

On the other side, she was sad, she couldn't understand how come after all these years,

he still doesn't understand her at all, she loves him a lot, but she just cant take it anymore....

phone's ringing, she refuses to answer knowing that its him...

"whats the point of talking now that its over...I have ask for it and now

I wanna keep it this way, if not I will lose face.."she thought...still ringing...

she have decided to pull out the cord... Little did she remember,

he have heart problems...




The next day, she received news that he had passed away...

she rushed down to his apartment, saw his body, lying on the couch still holding on to the phone...

he had a heart attack when he was still trying to get through her phone line....




As sad as she could be...she will have to clear his belongings.. .when she was looking

thru the drawers, she saw this insurance policy, dated from the day they got married,

with the beneficiary being her... And together in those file, there was this note...







"To my dearest wife, by the time you're reading this, I'm sure I'm no longer around,

I bought this policy for you, though the amount is only $100k, I hope it will be able

to help me continue my promise that I have made when we got married, I might not

be around anymore, I want this amount of money to continue taking care of you,

just like the way I will if I could have live longer. I want you to know Iwill always be around,

by your side... I love you"




Tears flowed like river......




"When you love someone, let them know... You never know what will happen the next minute....

Learn to build a life together.. Learn to love each other. For who they are.. Not what they are..."

The fallen Tomato Cart

I pass through this very intersection every morning with so much ease. Today, the
pace is skewed. There is a sense of disarray as motorists try to push past each other
through the traffic light. The light here always tests their agility because if you miss
the green, you have to wait for another three minutes before it lets you go past
again. Those three minutes become eternity for an otherwise time-insensitive nation
on the move. Today, there is a sense of chaos here. People are honking, skirting
each other and rushing past. I look out of my window to seek the reason. It is not
difficult to find because it is lying strewn all over the place.
A tomato seller’s cart has overturned. There are tomatoes everywhere and the
rushing motorists are making pulp of it. The man is trying to get his cart back on its
four rickety wheels and a few passersby are picking up what they can in an attempt
to save him total loss. Though symbolic in the larger scheme of things, it is not a
substantive gesture. His business for the day is over.
The way this man’s economics works is very simple. There is a money lender who
lends him money for just one day, at an interest rate of Rs 10 per day per Rs 100
lent. With the money, he wakes up at 4 am to go to the wholesale market for
vegetables. He returns, pushing his cart a good five miles, and by 7 am when the
locality wakes up, he is ready to sell his day’s merchandise. By the end of the
morning, some of it remains unsold. This his wife sells by the afternoon and takes
home the remainder, which becomes part of his meal. With the day’s proceeds, he
returns the interest to the money lender and goes back to the routine the next day.
If he does
not sell for a day, his chain breaks.
Where does he go from here? He goes back to the money lender, raises capital at
an even more penal interest and gets back on his feet. This is not the only time that
destiny has upset his tomato cart. This happens to him at least six times every year.
Once he returned with a loaded cart of ripe tomatoes and it rained heavily for the
next three days. No one came to the market and his stock rotted in front of his own
eyes. Another time, instead of the weather, it was a political rally that snowballed
into a confrontation between two rival groups and the locality closed down. And he is
not alone in this game of extraneous factors that seize not only his business but also
his life. He sees this happen to the “gol-gappa” seller, the peanut seller and the
“vada pao” seller all the time. When their product does not sell, it just turns soggy.
Sometimes they eat some of it. But how much of that stuff can you eat by yourself?
So, they just give away some and there is always that one time when they have to
simply throw it away.
Away from the street-vendor selling perishable commodity with little or no life
support system, the corporate world is an altogether different place. Here we have
some of the most educated people in the country. We don the best garbs. We do not
have to push carts; our carts push us. We have our salary, perquisites, bonuses,
stock options, gratuities, pensions and our medical insurance and the group accident
benefit schemes. Yet, all the while, we worry about our risks and think about our
professional insecurity. We wonder, what would happen if the company shifted
offices to another city? What would happen if the department closed down? What
would happen if you were to take maternity leave and the temporary substitute
delivered better work than you did? What would happen if the product line you are
dealing with simply failed? In any of those eventualities, the worst that could happen
would still be a lot less than having to see your cartful of tomatoes getting pulped
under the screeching wheels of absolute strangers who have nothing personal
against you.
All too often we exaggerate our risks. We keep justifying our professional concerns
till they trap us in their vicious downward spiral. Devoid of education, sophisticated
reasoning and any financial safety net, the man with the cart is often able to deal
with life much better than many of us. Is it time to look out of the window, into the
eyes of that man to ask him, where does he get it from? In his simple stoicism, is
probably, our lost resilience

By : SUBROTO BAGCHI
(Subroto Bagchi is co-founder & CEO of MindTree Consulting)

A small story that may make a BIG change in YOU
Professor began his class by holding up a glass with some water in it. He held it up for all to see & asked the students
"How much do you think this glass weighs?"

'50gms!' .... '100gms!' .....'125gms' ...the students answered.



"I really don't know unless I weigh it," said the professor, "but, my question is:

What would happen if I held it up like this for a few minutes?"

'Nothing' …..the students said.

'Ok what would happen if I held it up like this for an hour?' the professor asked.

'Your arm would begin to ache' said one of the student

"You're right, now what would happen if I held it for a day?"

"Your arm could go numb, you might have severe muscle stress & paralysis & have to go to hospital for sure!"
….. ventured another student & all the students laughed

"Very good.

But during all this, did the weight of the glass change?"
asked the professor.

'No'…. Was the answer.

"Then what caused the arm ache & the muscle stress?"

The students were puzzled.

"What should I do now to come out of pain?" asked professor again.

"Put the glass down!" said one of the students

"Exactly!" said the professor.

Life's problems are something like this.
Hold it for a few minutes in your head & they seem OK.

Think of them for a long time & they begin to ache.
Hold it even longer & they begin to paralyze you. You will not be able to do anything.

It's important to think of the challenges or problems in your life,
But EVEN MORE IMPORTANT is to 'PUT THEM DOWN' at the end of every day before You go to sleep.

That way, you are not stressed, you wake up every day fresh &strong & can handle any issue, any challenge that comes your way!


So, when you leave office today,
Remember friend to
'PUT THE GLASS DOWN TODAY! '

EIGHT LIES OF A MOTHER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

EIGHT LIES OF A MOTHER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1.The story began when I was a child;
I was born as a son of a poor family.
Even for eating, we often got lack of food.
Whenever the time for eating, mother often gave me her portion of rice.
While she was removing her rice into my bowl,
she would say "Eat this rice, son. I'm not hungry".
That was Mother's First Lie


2.When I was getting to grow up,
the persevering mother gave her spare time for fishing in a river near our house,
she hoped that from the fishes she got,
she could gave me a little bit nutritious food for my growth.
After fishing, she would cook the fishes to be a fresh fish soup,
which raised my appetite. While I was eating the soup,
mother would sit beside me and eat the rest meat of fish,
which was still on the bone of the fish I ate.
My heart was touched when I saw it.
I then used my chopstick and gave the other fish to her.
But she immediately refused it and said "Eat this fish, son.
I don't really like fish."
That was Mother's Second Lie.

3.Then, when I was in Junior High School,
to fund my study,
mother went to an economic enterprise to bring some used-matches boxes that would be stuck in.
It gave her some money for covering our needs.
As the winter came,
I woke up from my sleep and looked at my mother who was still awoke,
supported by a little candlelight and within her perseverance she continued
the work of sticking some used-matches box.
I said, "Mother, go to sleep, it's late,
tomorrow morning you still have to go for work.
" Mother smiled and said "Go to sleep,
dear. I'm not tired."
That was Mother's Third Lie.

4.At the time of final term,
mother asked for a leave from her work in order to accompany me.
While the daytime was coming and the heat of the sun was starting to shine,
the strong and persevering mother
waited for me under the heat of the sun's shine for several hours.
As the bell rang, which indicated that the final exam had finished,
mother immediately welcomed me and poured me a glass of tea
that she had prepared before in a cold bottle.
The very thick tea was not as thick as my mother's love,
which was much thicker. Seeing my mother covering with perspiration,
I at once gave her my glass and asked her to drink too.
Mother said "Drink, son. I'm not thirsty!".
That was Mother's Fourth Lie.

5.After the death of my father because of illness,
my poor mother had to play her role as a single parent.
By held on her former job, she had to fund our needs alone.
Our family's life was more complicated. No days without sufferance.
Seeing our family's condition that was getting worse,
there was a nice uncle who lived near my house came to help us,
either in a big problem and a small problem.
Our other neighbors who lived next to us saw that our family's life was so unfortunate,
they often advised my mother to marry again. But mother,
who was stubborn, didn't care to their advice,
she said "I don't need love."
That was Mother's Fifth Lie.

6.After I had finished my study and then got a job,
it was the time for my old mother to retire.
But she didn't want to; she was sincere to go to the marketplace every morning,
just to sell some vegetable for fulfilling her needs.
I, who worked in the other city, often sent her some money to help her in fulfilling her needs,
but she was stubborn for not accepting the money.
She even sent the money back to me.
She said "I have enough money."
That was Mother's Sixth Lie.

7.After graduated from Bachelor Degree,
I then continued my study to Master Degree.
I took the degree, which was funded by a company through a scholarship program,
from a famous University in America .
I finally worked in the company. Within a quite high salary,
I intended to take my mother to enjoy her life in America .
But my lovely mother didn't want to bother her son,
she said to me "I'm not used to."
That was Mother's Seventh Lie.

8.After entering her old age,
mother got a flank cancer and had to be hospitalized.
I, who lived in miles away and across the ocean,
directly went home to visit my dearest mother.
She lied down in weakness on her bed after having an operation.
Mother, who looked so old, was staring at me in deep yearn.
She tried to spread her smile on her face;
even it looked so stiff because of the disease she held out.
It was clear enough to see how the disease broke my mother's body,
thus she looked so weak and thin.
I stared at my mother within tears flowing on my face.
My heart was hurt, so hurt, seeing my mother on that condition.
But mother, with her strength, said "Don't cry, my dear.
I'm not in pain."
That was Mother's Eight Lie.


After saying her eighth lie, She closed her eyes forever!

"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of who you are"

"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of who you are"

Don't miss even a single word... Every second is worth reading this mail... Too good

An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem science has with God, The Almighty.

He asks one of his new students to stand and.....

Prof: So you believe in God?

Student: Absolutely, sir.

Prof : Is God good?

Student: Sure.

Prof: Is God all-powerful?

Student : Yes.

Prof: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him.

Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm?

(Student is silent.)

Prof: You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?

Student:Yes.

Prof: Is Satan good?

Student : No.

Prof: Where does Satan come from?

Student: From...God...

Prof: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?

Student: Yes.

Prof: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct?

Student: Yes.

Prof: So who created evil?

(Student does not answer.)

Prof: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?

Student: Yes, sir.

Prof: So, who created them?

(Student has no answer.)

Prof: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you.

Tell me, son...Have you ever

seen God?

Student: No, sir.

Prof: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?

Student: No, sir.

Prof: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?

Student: No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.

Prof: Yet you still believe in Him?

Student: Yes.

Prof: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn't exist.

What do you say to that, son?

Student:Nothing. I only have my faith.

Prof: Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has.

Student:Professor, is there such a thing as heat?

Prof: Yes.

Student:And is there such a thing as cold?

Prof: Yes.

Student: No sir. There isn't.

(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)

Student : Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat.

But we don't have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't go

any further after that.

There is no such thing as cold . Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of

heat

. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy . Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it .

(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)

Student: What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?

Prof: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?

Student : You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright

light, flashing light....But if

you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? In

reality, darkness isn't. If it were you would be able to make

darkness darker, wouldn't you?

Prof: So what is the point you are making, young man?

Student: Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.

Prof: Flawed? Can you explain how?

Student: Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one.To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it.

Now tell me, Professor.Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?

Prof: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.

Student: Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?

(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going.)

Student: Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher? (The class is in uproar.)

Student: Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain?

(The class breaks out into laughter.)

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain,sir.

With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?

(The room is silent. The professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable.)

Prof: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.

Student: That is it sir... The link between man & god is FAITH . That is all that keeps things moving & alive.

NB: I believe you have enjoyed the conversation...and if so...you'll probably want your friends/colleagues to enjoy the same...won't you?....

this is a true story, and the

student was none other than.........


APJ Abdul Kalam, the former president of India .

Change yourself before you change

The train has started moving. It is packed with people of all ages, mostly with the working men and women and young college guys and gals. Near the window, seated a old man with his 30 year old son. As the train moves by, the son is overwhelmed with joy as he was thrilled with the scenery outside..

“See dad, the scenery of green trees moving away is very beautiful"

This behavior from a thirty year old son made the other people feels strange about him. Every one started murmuring something or other about this son. “This guy seems to be a crack...” newly married Anup whispered to his wife.

Suddenly it started raining... Rain drops fell on the travelers through the opened window. The Thirty year old son, filled with joy “see dad, how beautiful the rain is ..."

Anup's wife got irritated with the rain drops spoiling her new suit.

Anup," cant you see its raining, you old man, if ur son is not feeling well get him soon to a mental asylum. and don’t disturb public henceforth"


The old man hesitated first and then in a low tone replied " we are on the way back from hospital, my son got discharged today morning , he was a blind by birth, last week only he got his vision, these rain and nature are new to his eyes.. Please forgive us for the inconvenience caused..."


The things we see may be right from our perspective until we know the truth. But when we know the truth our reaction to that will hurt even us. So try to understand the problem better before taking a harsh action

Cemented Emotions

TRUST



TRUST is a very important factor for all relationships. When trust is broken, it is the end of the relationship. Lack of trust leads to suspicion, suspicion generates anger, anger causes enmity and enmity may result in separation.

A telephone operator told me that one day she received a phone call. She answered, "Public Utilities Board." There was silence. She repeated, "PUB." There was still no answer. When she was going to cut off the line, she heard a lady's voice, "Oh, so this is PUB. Sorry, I got the number from my Husband's pocket but I do not know whose number it is."

Without mutual trust, just imagine what will happen to the couple if the telephone operator answered with just "hello" instead of "PUB".



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NO POINTING FINGERS




A man asked his father-in-law, "Many people praised you for a successful marriage. Could you please share with me your secret?"
The father-in-law answered in a smile, "Never criticize your wife for her shortcomings or when she does something wrong. Always bear in mind that because of her shortcomings and weaknesses, she could not find a better husband than
you."

We all look forward to being loved and respected. Many people are afraid of losing face. Generally, when a person makes a mistake, he would look around to find a scapegoat to point the finger at. This is the start of a war. We should always remember that when we point one finger at a person, the other four fingers are pointing at ourselves.

If we forgive the others, others will ignore our mistake too.



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CREATING PERFECT RELATIONSHIPS?




A person visited the government matchmaker for marriage, SDU, and requested "I am looking for a spouse. Please help me to find a suitable one." The SDU officer said, "Your requirements, please." "Oh, good looking, polite, humorous, sporty, knowledgeable, good in singing and dancing. Willing to accompany me the whole day at home during my leisure hour, if I don't go out. Telling me interesting stories when I need companion for conversation and be silent when I want to rest." The officer listened carefully and replied, "I understand you need television."

There is a saying that a perfect match can only be found between a blind wife and a deaf husband, because the blind wife cannot see the faults of the husband and the deaf husband cannot hear the nagging of the wife. Many couples are blind and deaf at the courting stage and dream of perpetual perfect relationship. Unfortunately, when the excitement of love wears off, they wake up and discover that marriage is not a bed of roses. The nightmare begins.



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NO OVERPOWERING


Many relationships fail because one party tries to overpower another, or demands too much. People in love tend to think that love will conquer all and their spouses will change the bad habits after marriage. Actually, this is not the case. There is a Chinese saying which carries the meaning that "It is easier to reshape a mountain or a river than a person's character."

It is not easy to change. Thus, having high expectation on changing the spouse character will cause disappointment and unpleasantness.

It would be less painful to change ourselves and lower our expectations..



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RIGHT SPEECH



There is a Chinese saying which carries the meaning that "A speech will either prosper or ruin a nation." Many relationships break off because of wrong speech. When a couple is too close with each other, we always forget mutual respect and courtesy. We may say anything without considering if it would hurt the other party.

A friend and her millionaire husband visited their construction site. A worker who wore a helmet saw her and shouted," I, Emily! Remember me? We used to date in the secondary school." On the way home, her millionaire husband teased her, "Luckily you married me. Otherwise you will be the wife of a construction worker." She answered," You should appreciate that you married me. Otherwise, he will be the millionaire and not you."

Frequently exchanging these remarks plants the seed for a bad relationship. It's like a broken egg - cannot be reversed.



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PERSONAL PERCEPTION



Different people have different perception. One man's meat could be another man's poison. A couple bought a donkey from the market. On the way home, a boy commented, "Very stupid. Why neither of them rides on the donkey?" Upon hearing that, the husband let the wife ride on the donkey. He walked besides them. Later, an old man saw it and commented, "The husband is the head of family. How can the wife ride on the donkey while the husband is on foot?" Hearing this, the wife quickly got down and let the husband ride on the donkey.

Further on the way home, they met an old Lady. She commented, "How can the man ride on the donkey but let the wife walk. He is no gentleman."
The husband thus quickly asked the wife to join him on the donkey. Then, they met a young man. He commented, "Poor donkey, how can you hold up the weight of two persons. They are cruel to you." Hearing that, the husband and wife immediately climbed down from the donkey and carried it on their shoulders.

It seems to be the only choice left. Later, on a narrow bridge, the donkey was frightened and struggled. They lost their balance and fell into the river. You can never have everyone praise you, nor will everyone condemn you. Never in the past, not at present, and never will be in the future.

Thus, do not be too bothered by others words if our conscience is clear..


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BE PATIENT



This is a true story which happened in the States. A man came out of his home to admire his new truck. To his puzzlement, his three-year-old son was happily hammering dents into the shiny paint of the truck. The man ran to his son, knocked him away, and hammered the little boy's hands into pulp as punishment. When the father calmed down, he rushed his son to the hospital.

Although the doctor tried desperately to save the crushed bones, he finally had to amputate the fingers from both the boy's hands. When the boy woke up from the surgery & saw his bandaged stubs, he innocently said, "Daddy, I'm sorry about your truck." Then he asked, "but when are my fingers going to grow back?" The father went home & committed suicide.

Think about this story the next time someone steps on your feet or u wish to take revenge. Think first before u lose your patience with someone u love. Trucks can be repaired.. Broken bones & hurt feelings often can't. Too often we fail to recognize the difference between the person and the performance. We forget that forgiveness is greater than revenge.

People make mistakes. We are allowed to make mistakes. But the actions we take while in a rage will haunt us forever.



"Good Life starts only when you stop wanting a better One"

THE PUPPY IS DEAD .Author:Srinivasan Ramachandran

Rahul was rushing to finish his work. He had been waiting for this day for a long time. The day that he had yearned for has finally arrived. He had made all his plans a month back. He had stayed two days overnight to finish off his work. His project mates could see happiness radiating in his face. They could not understand the real reason though as they had seen him slog the entire week. He re-checked his wallet to confirm if the flight ticket was there. Then he checked the date and travel time for nth time again. Everything had gone as planned. He had completed his deliverable and the project was due for release the next day. He left a note to his Manger and started off rushing to the airport. On the way to the airport he made a call to her. The only other person on earth who knew what he was up to.

"Mama, Rahul here. Everything's fine. I am on my way to the airport. Will call you tomorrow. Take care Bye". ************************************************************************

"Rahul, a call for you" yelled Bharath.

Rahul was busy trying to fix an open issue.
"Hey buddy. Can you take down the name of the person and tell that I'll call them after an hour", replied Rahul. "But it seems the person wants to get some information and its urgent" said Bharath.

Rahul picked up the phone. "Hello this is Anjali here. Sorry to disturb you Rahul. I am in AFA project and I need some help from you".

Rahul was mesmerized by her voice. It's the same familiar voice that he had heard numerous times.

"Rahul! Are you there?" queried Anjali.

"Yes. Tell me Anjali. What can I do for you?" replied Rahul.

"Hey buddy not coming for lunch?" called out Bharath. Rahul had been explaining her and this call made him realize that 2 hrs had passed by. ************************************************************************

It has just been a couple of months. But her thought seemed to have evaded both Rahul's heart and his work. He had not been through this before and hence found it very strange.

"What's her name?" his mom asked Rahul casually while serving dinner. He was taken aback by this question.

"I can't get you ma." he replied.

"I know you beta. I can notice the difference in you. You need not tell me if you wish not to"

"Ma. I don't know what is happening to me. I've started liking her I suppose," he told his mom. The taxi came to a screeching halt outside the airport. Rahul got back to his senses. ************************************************************************

He boarded his flight to Pune. As the flight took off his thoughts drifted towards her. He imagined her cuddled up in his arms.
Her beautiful voice, echoed in his ears. All those pleasant memories and sweet nothing conversations rushed up in his mind.

Anjali: You're amazing. I can't believe that a person can have so much knowledge and yet be so humble

Rahul: That's very flattering. I think the same applies to you too.

Anjali: Me??

Rahul: I know that you had won the inter-corporate light music competition. Your voice is so beautiful. I admire your voice. It's a pleasure to work with you ma'am

Anjali: Thanks Rahul. How do you know that? Do you sing too?

Rahul: Not unless I want an evacuation in my area.

Anjali: Giggling… So you just listen and enjoy is it?

Rahul: Yeah! I don't sing but... (It can wait a little longer. I'll tell her when I meet her) Yes! For we people are not blessed with the talent that you have. All we can do is admire.

"We'll be landing in another 5 minutes" announced the flight attendant and this call got Rahul back to the present.

************************************************************************

Mithun: Dude! How was your journey?

Rahul: Fine buddy.

Mithun: Will you at least tell me now, the purpose of this trip?

Rahul: Just wait for another day dude. The secret would be out. By the way did you get me what I had asked for?

Mithun: Yes. Here! Have it. But you could have brought your own guitar. Why did you ask for a new one?

Rahul: It's getting late dude. Let's move. I'll answer all your questions tomorrow. With a friendly hug both of them parted outside the airport. ************************************************************************

Rahul displayed his ID card to the security person outside his office and rushed to the 10th floor of the building. He silently slipped into the work area. His eyes were frantically searching for her. Finally his eyes fell upon the object of his search. His Love.

She was dressed in a beautiful blue and white jeans shirt and her loosely coiled hair fell upon her shoulder. Rahul was dumbstruck. He felt an impulse to rush and hug her and kiss her on her cheeks. Controlling himself he sheepishly moved into the cubicle just behind hers. Mahesh who had just spotted Rahul almost yelled his name. Rahul jumped across and firmly held his hands across Mahesh's mouth. Rahul had moved with such pace that he almost toppled Mahesh from his chair. He hissed at Mahesh and asked him to remain silent. Rahul's voice was almost a whisper.

Rahul: Shhhh! I need help from you dude. No questions please. I need your PC for another 15 minutes. Take a break and be back and I can explain everything.

Mahesh: But! I have an urgent work to…

Rahul: Please dude! Just 15 mins.

Mahesh: Rahul had helped him a lot and he could not say a 'No' to Rahul. He silently left the place half curious and half puzzled. While all this happened, Anjali and her friends had settled in their cubicle. There seemed a buzz around the entire place. He slowly placed the guitar at the desk and logged into Mahesh's pc.

"The game starts now" he thought to himself. ************************************************************************
He logged into the messenger with his id and pinged her.

Rahul: Hi! Anjali!

Anjali: Hello! Good Afternoon. What's up weirdo?
(Rahul could hear her giggling in her cubicle as she typed in the reply)

Rahul: Nothing. Just relieved and happy that my project is finally going for a release tom J

Anjali: Wow! Treat! You had worked very hard and I am sure it would be a big success.

Rahul: Yeah! I am hoping the same. So how's your work going along?

Anjali: Not great yaar! Stuck up with coding for one of the screens.

Rahul: How about a cup of coffee?

Anjali: Coffee? Have you come here to Pune?

Rahul: Nope. (He put in a coffee cup symbol over the messenger and chuckled while doing so).

Anjali: Hey weirdo! Can you help me out in fixing up the error if you aren't too busy?

Rahul: Sure! Tell me the screen where you've got stuck up.

************************************************************************

Rahul got up slightly and saw Pooja and Lavanya entering Anjali's cube. He immediately ducked down and slid himself in his chair.

"Hey Anju! Common! Wind up your work fast. It's your b'day today and we had planned to leave early today" uttered Pooja.

"Yeah! I also don't feel like working today. But I am stuck up in a screen" replied Anjali.

Rahul: Hello! Will you tell me the place or screen pls…(pinged Anju in msgr)

"So what's the puppy saying? Wagging its tail? Huh" asked Pooja.

"Must be waiting for the biscuits I suppose," told Lavanya as she joined the conversation.
Just as Lavanya said this all three broke into a loud laughter.
Rahul was puzzled by this conversation and could not decipher what they were talking about.

"So what are you waiting for when you have the pup at your disposal. An intelligent pup, I must say. Just ask him to code the screen for you" told Pooja.

"Yeah! Throw him two additional smilies in the messenger and he would be happy to do the entire coding for you" added Lavanya.

Rahul could not believe what he was hearing.

Anjali: Hey weirdo! I am not feeling well today.Can you do the coding for the Balance Screen alone?

Rahul's hands were trembling and he was too shocked to reply.

Rahul: Just a min. (he forced himself to reply)

Anjali: Please dear! I have a doctor's appointment today and need to leave early.

"Here goes the second biscuit," told Pooja as she laughed. Rahul was in a state of complete disbelief. Tears started rolling down his eyes. It seemed to him as if the entire world was spinning.

"Wish I had one pup too. Can you check if the pup can help with my work too" told Lavanya and the three broke into laughter again. Rahul was sobbing now with tears all over his cheeks. He still could not believe what was happening.

"The pup seems a little reluctant today. Guess he needs more cajoling today" told Anjali. And this statement seemed to be the final nail on his coffin. He grunted in agony and pain.

"The puppy is dead' he typed into the messenger window and silently slipped out of the place.

************************************************************************
He seemed to be caught in a sea of emotions and he didn't even notice Mahesh who was returning back with a cup of coffee. He took the elevator to the terrace. Anjali finally saw the reply on the messenger window and was puzzled. She pulled the other two and showed them the reply.

"But how could he have known? Had he been here?" questioned Pooja.

"He actually asked me over for a cup of coffee initially but then put up a coffee mug icon over the msgr" replied Anjali.

Just as they were pondering, Mahesh entered his cubicle. He saw the guitar placed over his desk with a rose stuck between the strings and a card by its side. Just as he slipped open the card, a faint musical note "Happy Birthday to you" resonated from within. This caught the attention of Anjali and others as they turned back and moved into Mahesh's cubicle. "To Anjali! Wishing you many more happy returns of the day! With Love Rahul" read the card. Mahesh passed over the card to Anjali! She slipped open the card, and was dumbstruck not knowing what to do next. The faint b'day note was playing in the background. Mahesh now got a grip of the situation but couldn't still understand why Rahul left abruptly.

Rahul was crying over aloud in the terrace punching the wall with his fists. He never expected this to happen. He had decided to tell his love for her today and he was a bit apprehensive over her response. What hurt him more was the way she had considered him. As a mere utilizable commodity! "The puppy is dead! Its dead" he shouted as he kept landing punches on the wall. His knuckles were swollen and a taint of blood appeared over them.

His mobile rang all of a sudden. He was in no mood to talk to anyone. As he pulled up the mobile from his pocket he saw that it was his mother calling. He slowly pressed the answer button.

"Beta! How are you? What happened?" uttered his mother.
He wanted to tell her all that happened and for a moment wished that she were by his side. But words failed to come out from his mouth and it seemed as if a lump was stuck in his throat. There was a long silence and he finally managed to speak.

"I am fine ma" he replied.

"It wasn't your fault beta!" she told as if reading his mind. "You loved her from the core of your heart. If she didn't like you, it's her who's missing a wonderful person. It does hurt and I can understand. But remember that you have a person who is missing you a lot. Please come back home tonight for dinner" saying this she ended the call.

Her words comforted him and he felt a lot better. He wiped down his tears and kept staring at the heaven. Just then he received another call. It was Anjali calling. He wanted to smash the mobile against the wall and his blood was surging with anger. He controlled his emotions and pressed the answer button. "I am really sorry Rahul!

It was all meant to be fun and I never wanted to hurt you." she said. "The little pup loved you from all its heart. But it's dead and buried now! Goodbye." saying this he ended the call. Anjali tried calling Rahul again but he didn't attend the call. He switched off his mobile as he took the elevator to ground floor. He checked out of office and boarded a taxi to the airport.

Insight into Decision Making

A group of children were playing near two railway tracks, one still in use while the other disused. Only one child played on the disused track, the rest on the operational track.

The train is coming, and you are just beside the track interchange. You can make the train change its course to the disused track and save most of the kids. However, that would also mean the lone child playing by the disused track would be sacrificed. Or would you rather let the train go its way?

Let's take a pause to think what kind of decision we could make........ ........


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Most people might choose to divert the course of the train, and sacrifice only one child. You might think the same way, I guess. Exactly, to save most of the children at the expense of only one child was rational decision most people would make, morally and emotionally. But, have you ever thought that the child choosing to play on the disused track had in fact made the right decision to play at a safe place?

Nevertheless, he had to be sacrificed because of his ignorant friends who chose to play where the danger was. This kind of dilemma happens around us everyday. In the office, community, in politics and especially in a democratic society, the minority is often sacrificed for the interest of the majority, no matter how foolish or ignorant the majority are, and how farsighted and knowledgeable the minority are. The child who chose not to play with the rest on the operational track was sidelined. And in the case he was sacrificed, no one would shed a tear for him.

The great critic Leo Velski Julian who told the story said he would not try to change the course of the train, because, he believed that the kids playing on the operational track, should have known very well that track was still in use, and that they should have run away if they heard the train's sirens.. If the train was diverted, that lone child would definitely die because he never thought the train could come over to that track! Moreover, that track was not in use probably because it was not safe. If the train was diverted to the track, we could put the lives of all passengers on board at stake! And in your attempt to save a few kids by sacrificing one child, you might end up sacrificing hundreds of people to save these few kids.

While we are all aware that life is full of tough decisions that need to be made, we may not realize that hasty decisions may not always be the right one.

'Remember that what's right isn't always popular... and what's popular isn't always right.'

Everybody makes mistakes; that's why they put erasers on pencils.