out of one’s reach 放在句子中对be动词的时态有什么要求吗?sth be out of our reach.没有时间状语可以用一般过去时么？
看时间状语和上下文不过常用一般时态,即：一般现在是或一般过去时
为您推荐：
其他类似问题
sth be out of our reach...可以用任何时态。例如：The apple 【is 】out of the little boy's reach.
The bananas 【were】 out of the girl's reach but her father helped her and gave one of them to her.In my opinion, the oranges 【will be】 out of your reach because the orange trees are very high.
时态是由句子的时间状语决定的，没有时间状语，没法决定动词时态的
扫描下载二维码Jokes and Anecdotes
and Anecdotes
&&&&&&&&&&&&Sometimes
we need to lighten up, not take life so seriously. And sometimes life does not
seem to offer enough circumstance for laughter as we need. So in that regard,
here is a page of humor and jokes that will lighten things up a bit. Jokes are
first and anecdotes are below. Some
of these jokes are religiously or philosophically oriented, and others are just
for fun. Take your pick. But remember, the jokes are for laughs and not to be
taken overly seriously.
THE RED PHONE
&&&&&&&&&&&&This
is a joke that I often tell, with my own embellishments, while on lecture tours
in India. You’ll see why.
&&&&&&&&&&&&There
was a simple and little Hindu priest who lived in Mathura. Once he had the
chance to go visit the Pope at the Vatican in Italy. After traveling to the
Vatican, he walked up the steps and through the halls of the opulent building
where the Pope stayed. He looked in awe at the beautiful marble floors and
majestic columns. Then he came into the Pope’s office and he greeted the Pope
who was seated behind his desk. The little Hindu priest sat nearby and they
exchanged pleasantries. Then the Hindu priest noticed a red phone sitting at the
end of the desk. So the Hindu priest asked what it was.
&&&&&&&&&&&&“Oh,
that’s my hotline to God,” replied the Pope. “Whenever things get too
difficult and I need to have a personal talk with God, I give Him a call.” &
&&&&&&&&&&&&“Oh,”
said the priest. “Would you mind if I tried it?”
&&&&&&&&&&&&“No,
not at all,” the Pope responded.
&&&&&&&&&&&&So
the little Hindu priest picked up the phone, dialed the number, and sure enough,
he got through to God. So he offered his respects and prayers, said he was very
happy to talk to Him, and then hung up the phone after only five minutes. He was
a simple priest and did not have much more to say to God. He then thanked the
Pope for the privilege of using the special red phone.
&&&&&&&&&&&&The
Pope replied, “Oh that is quite all right. By the way, that will be $75.”
&&&&&&&&&&&&“Seventy-five
dollars?” inquired the Hindu priest.
&&&&&&&&&&&&“Oh
yes,” said the Pope. “You know, long distance charges. It’s a long way
from here to God, you know.”
&&&&&&&&&&&&So
the priest pulled out his wallet and gave the pope the seventy-five dollars.
&&&&&&&&&&&&Several
months later, the Pope had the opportunity to visit India, and it was arranged
for him to come to Mathura and visit the little Hindu priest. So the Pope
approached the little hut of the Hindu priest, ducking his head as he walked
through the door. He sat in a chair in front of the little table where the Hindu
priest was pleased to again meet the Pope. They exchanged greetings when the
Pope noticed the same kind of red phone on the priest’s table as he had at the
Vatican. So the Pope asked what that was.
&&&&&&&&&&&&“Why,
I also have a hotline to God,” replied the Hindu priest.
&&&&&&&&&&&&“Do
you mind if I use it?” asked the Pope. “I really have a lot on my mind.”
&&&&&&&&&&&&“Please
do,” responded the priest.
&&&&&&&&&&&&So
the Pope got on the phone and got a good connection and managed to get through
to God. He offered his prayers, but then had many things to discuss. He talked
about the trouble in the Vatican, the difficulties with the priests and legal
charges in the United States, the changing attitudes of the congregation in
England and Europe, and so on. Fifteen minutes went by, then a half-hour, then
finally after nearly an hour he was able to put the phone down. Then he said,
“Thank you very much. I feel a lot better now. I had so much to talk about. By
the way, how much will that be?”
&&&&&&&&&&&&The
Hindu priest thought a moment and then said, “Two rupees.”
&&&&&&&&&&&&“What,”
the Pope replied, surprised at how inexpensive it was. “Why so cheap?”
&&&&&&&&&&&&“Why
don’t you know?” asked the little Hindu priest. “Here it is a local
MOST FAMOUS MAN WHO EVER LIVED
&&&&&&&&&&&&One
day many years ago at a school in South London a teacher said to the class of
5-year-olds, &I'll give $20 to the child who can tell me who was the most
famous man who ever lived.&
&&&&&&&&&&&&An
Irish boy put his hand up and said, &It was St. Patrick.& The teacher
said, &Sorry Alan, that's not correct.&
&&&&&&&&&&&&Then
a Scottish boy put his hand up and said, &It was St. Andrew.& The
teacher replied, &I'm sorry, Hamish, that's not right either.
&&&&&&&&&&&&Finally,
a Gujarati boy raised his hand and said, &It was Jesus Christ.& The
teacher said, &That's absolutely right, Jayant, come up here and I'll give
you the $20.&
&&&&&&&&&&&&As
the teacher was giving Jayant his money, she said, &You know Jayant, since
you are Gujarati, I was very surprised you said Jesus Christ.& Jayant
replied, &Yes, in my heart I knew it was Lord Krishna, but business is
business!&
NEW BIBLICAL REVELATIONS
&&&&&&&&&&&&This
comes from a Catholic elementary school. Kids were asked questions about the Old
and New Testaments. The following statements about the Bible were written by
children. They have not been retouched or corrected. (Incorrect spelling has
been left in.)
1. In the first book of the bible,
Guinessis, God got tired of creating the world, so he took the Sabbath off.
2. Adam and Eve were created from an
apple tree. Noah's wife was called Joan of Ark. Noah built an ark, which the
animals come on to in pears.
3. Lot's wife was a pillar of salt by
day, but a ball of fire by night.
4. The Jews were a proud people and
throughout history they had trouble with the unsympathetic Genitals.
5. Samson was a strong man who let
himself be led astray by a Jezebel like Delilah.
6. Samson slayed the Philistines with
the axe of the Apostles
7. Moses led the Hebrews to the Red
Sea, where they made unleavened bread which is bread without any ingredients.
8. The Egyptians were all drowned in
the dessert. Afterwards, Moses went up on Mount Cyanide to get the ten
ammendments.
9. The first commandment was when Eve
told Adam to eat the apple.
10. The seventh commandment is thou
shalt not admit adultery.
11. Moses died before he ever reached
Canada. Then Joshua led the Hebrews in the battle of Geritol.
12. The greatest miracle in the Bible
is when Joshua told his son to stand still and he obeyed him.
13. David was a Hebrew king skilled
at playing the liar. He fought with the Finklesteins, race of people who lived
in Biblical times.
14. Solomon, one of David's sons, had
300 wives and 700 porcupines.
15. When Mary heard that she was the
mother of Jesus, she sang the Magna Carta.
16. When the three wise guys from the
East side arrived, they found Jesus in the manager.
17. Jesus was born because Mary had
an immaculate contraption.
18. St. John the blacksmith dumped
water on his head.
19. Jesus enunciated the Golden Rule,
which says to do one to others before they do one to you. He also explained,
&a man doth not live by sweat alone.&
20. It was a miracle when Jesus rose
from the dead and managed to get the tombstone off the entrance.
21. The people who followed the Lord
were called the 12 decibels.
22. The epistles were the wives of
the apostles.
23. One of the oppossums was St.
Matthew who was also a taximan.
24. St. Paul cavorted to
Christianity. He preached holy acrimony, which is another name for marriage.
25. Christians have only one spouse.
This is called monotony
&CHURCH BULLETIN BLOOPERS
&&& Thank God for church ladies with typewriters. These sentences
actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services:
*&&& Bertha Belch, a missionary from Africa, will be speaking
tonight at Calvary&Methodist. Come hear Bertha Belch all the way from Africa.
*&&& The sermon this morning: &Jesus Walks on the Water.& The
sermon tonight:&&Searching for Jesus.&
*&&& Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to
get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Don't forget your
*&&& The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been
canceled due to a&conflict.
*&&& Remember in prayer the many who are sick in our community.
Smile at someone&who is hard to love. Say &Hell& to someone who doesn't care
much about you.
*&&& Don't l et worry kill you off - let the Church help.
*&&& Miss Charlene Mason sang &I will not pass this way again,&
giving obvious&pleasure to the congregation.
*&&&&For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a
nursery&downstairs..
*&&& Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They
need all the help&they can get.
*&&& The Rector will preach his farewell message after which
the choir will sing:&&Break Forth Into Joy.&
*&&& Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24
in the church.&So&ends a friendship that began in their school days.
*&&& A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the
church hall.. Music&will follow.
*&&& At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be
&What Is&Hell?& Come early and listen to our choir practice.
*&&& Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the
addition of several&new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
*&&& Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items
to be&recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
*&&& The church will host an evening of fine dining, super
entertainment and&gracious hostility.
*&&& Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication
to follow.
*&&& The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every
kind. They may be&seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
*&&& Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM.
All ladies are&invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B. S. is
*&&& Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM.
Please use the&back door.
*&&& The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet
in the Church&basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend
this&tragedy.
*&&& Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First
Presbyterian Church Please&use large double door at the side entrance.
*&&& The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new tithing
campaign slogan&last Sunday: &I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours.&
IN RABBIT HEAVEN
&&&&&&&&&&&&Once
there was a married couple who promised each other that who ever died first
would come back to tell the other what heaven was like. It happened to be that
the husband died first. And sure enough, one evening the wife heard the voice of
her husband, and she asked him, so what was it like.
&&&&&&&&&&&&He
began to describe, “Well, first I get up in the morning and have an organic
salad, then I have sex, then I eat again, then in the afternoon I have more sex.
Then I have another meal of natural food, and again have more sex in the evening
before I go to sleep.”
&&&&&&&&&&&&The
wife was quite surprised at this and asked, “So that is what it is like in
&&&&&&&&&&&&The
husband replied, “Who said anything about heaven? I’m a bunny rabbit in
DEATH OF A SENATOR
&&&&&&& A powerful senator dies after a
prolonged illness. His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the
&&&&&&& &Welcome to Heaven,& says St. Peter.
&Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high
official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you.&
&&&&&&& &No problem, just let me in,& says
&&&&&&& &Well, I'd like to but I have orders
from higher up. What we'll do is have you spend one day in Hell and one in
Heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity.&
&&&&&&& &Really, I've made up my mind. I want
to be in Heaven,& says the senator.
&&&&&&& &I'm sorry but we have our rules.&
&&&&&&& And with that, St. Peter escorts him
to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to Hell. The doors open and he
finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a club
and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had
worked with him, everyone is very happy and in evening attire. They run to greet
him, hug him, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at
the expense of the people.
&&&&&&& They play a friendly game of golf and
then dine on lobster and caviar. Also present is the Devil, who really is a very
friendly guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such
a good time
that, before he realizes it, it is time to go. Everyone gives him a big hug and
waves while the elevator rises.
&&&&&&& The elevator goes up, up, up and the
door reopens on Heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him.
&&&&&&& &Now it's time to visit Heaven.&
&&&&&&& So 24 hours pass with the head of
state joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the
harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours
have gone by
and St. Peter returns.
&&&&&&& &Well then, you've spent a day in
Hell and another in Heaven. Now choose your eternity.&
&&&&&&& He reflects for a minute, then the
senator answers, &Well, I would never have said it, I mean Heaven has been
delightful, but I think I would be better off in Hell.&
&&&&&&& So St. Peter escorts him to the
elevator and he goes down, down, down to Hell. Now the doors of the elevator
open and he is in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He
sees all his friends,
dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags. The Devil
comes over to him and lays his arm on his neck.
&&&&&&& &I don't understand,& stammers the
senator. &Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and club and we ate
lobster and caviar and danced and had a great time. Now all there is, is a
wasteland full of
garbage and my friends look miserable.
&&&&&&& The Devil looks at him, smiles and
says, &Yesterday we were campaigning...Today you voted for us!&
THE SCIENTIST AND GOD
&&&& A scientist approaches God, and says to Him, &Look, God,
we don't need you anymore.& Nowadays, we can do all sorts of things that
used to be considered miraculous.& We can transplant organs, giving new life
to a dying man, we can cure almost any disease, and we can even clone
animals.& It won't be long, and we'll be able to clone humans, too.& So, I'm
sorry, but you are just outdated&.
&&&& God listens patiently to the scientist and says, &I can
see that you believe you don't need me, and I understand.& However, I love
you, and I don't want to see you make a big mistake, so why don't we make
sure?& I say we should have a man-making contest, just to be sure.&
&&&& The scientist replies, &I'll take that challenge&.&
God says, &Ok, let's do it the way I did it in the old days, with Adam and
Eve&.& The scientists says, &No problem&, and reaches down to scoop up&a
handful of dirt.
&&&& &Whoa, hold on there a minute&, God says.& &You get your
OWN dirt&.
A PROPER CHRISTIAN LADY
An honest man was being tailgated by a stressed-out woman on a busy boulevard.
Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right thing,
stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by
accelerating through the intersection.
The tailgating woman hit the roof, and the horn, screaming in frustration as she
missed her chance to get through the intersection with him.
As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into
the face of a very serious police officer.
The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the
police station where she was searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed
in a cell.
After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door.
She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was
waiting with her personal effects.
He said, &I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your
car while you were blowing your horn, flipping the guy off in front of you, and
cussing a blue streak at him.
I noticed the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the ‘What Would Jesus Do’
bumper sticker, the 'Follow Me to Sunday School' bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk. Naturally, I assumed you had stolen
A MAN BEFORE ST. PETER&&&
A man appeared before St. Peter at the pearly gates. &Have you ever done
anything of particular merit?& St. Peter asked.
&&& &Well, I can think of one thing,& the man offered. &Once, on
a trip to the Black Hills out in South Dakota, I came upon a gang of
high-testosterone bikers, who were threatening a young woman. I directed them to
leave her alone, but they wouldn't listen. So, I approached the largest and most
heavily tattooed biker and smacked him on the head, kicked his bike over, ripped
out his nose ring and threw it on the ground. I yelled, 'Now, back off biker boy
or you'll answer to me!'&
&&& St. Peter was impressed. &When did this happen?&
&&& &Just a couple minutes ago.&&&THERE IS NO CHAIR
An eccentric philosophy professor gave a one question final exam after a
semester dealing with a broad array of topics. The class was already seated and
ready to go when the professor picked up his chair, plopped it on top of his
desk and wrote on the board:
&Using everything we have learned this semester, prove that this chair does
not exist.&
Fingers flew, erasers erased, notebooks were filled in furious fashion. Some
students wrote over 30 pages in one hour attempting to refute the existence of
the chair. One member of the class however, was up and finished in less than a
A week later when the grades were posted, the rest of the group wondered how he
could have gotten an &A& when he had barely written anything at all.
His answer consisted of two words: &What chair?&
General Ashcroft is visiting an
elementary school in late 2003. After the typical civics presentation to the
class, he announces, &All right, boys and girls, you can all ask me
questions now.&
A young boy named Bobby raises his
hand and says, &I have three questions:
1. How did Bush win the election with
fewer votes than Gore?
2. Why are you using the USA Patriot
Act to limit Americans' civil liberties?
3. Why hasn't the U.S. caught Osama
bin Laden yet?&
&&&&&&&&&&&&Just
then the bell sounds and all the kids run out to the playground. Fifteen minutes
later, the kids come back in class and again. Ashcroft says, &I'm sorry we
were interrupted by the bell. Now, you can all ask me questions.&
A young girl named Charlene raises
her hand and says, &I have five questions:
1. How did Bush win the election with
fewer votes than Gore?
2. Why are you using the USA Patriot
Act to limit Americans' civil liberties?
3. Why hasn't the U.S. caught Osama
bin Laden yet?
4. Why did the bell go off 20 minutes
5. Where's Bobby?
POTATO SACKS
This is for older people. Younger
people try it at their own risk. This is working well for me.
&&&&&&&&&&&&For
those of us getting along in years, here is a little secret for building your
arm and shoulder muscles. You might want to adopt this regimen. Three days a
week works well.
&&&&&&&&&&&&Begin
by standing straight, with a 5-LB. potato sack in each hand.
&&&&&&&&&&&&Extend
your arms straight out from your sides and hold them there as long as you can -
try to reach a full minute. Relax.
&&&&&&&&&&&&After
a few weeks, move up to 10-LB. potato sacks, and then 50-LB. potato sacks, and
eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-LB. potato sack in each hand
and hold your arms straight out for more than a full minute.
&&&&&&&&&&&&After
you feel confident at that level, start putting a couple of potatoes in each of
the sacks, but be careful not to overdo it...
Stay safe, be well,
MY COMPUTER GUY
&&&&&&&&&&&&I
was having trouble with my computer. So I called Harold the computer guy, to
come over. Harold clicked a couple of buttons and solved the problem. He gave me
a bill for a minimum service call. As he was walking away, I called after him,
&So, what was wrong?&
&&&&&&&&&&&&He
replied, &It was an ID ten T error.&
&&&&&&&&&&&&I
didn't want to appear stupid, but nonetheless inquired, &An, ID ten T
error? What's that ... in case I need to fix it again?&
&&&&&&&&&&&&The
computer guy grinned.... &Haven't you ever heard of an ID ten T error
&&&&&&&&&&&&&No,&
I replied.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&Write
it down,& he said, &and I think you'll figure it out.& So I wrote
out ........ I D 1 0 T
&&&&&&&&&&&&I
used to like Harold...
THE PERFECT WIFE
&&&&&&&&&&&
I once met a man who said he was looking for the perfect wife. He told me that
he needed to find someone who was beautiful, kind, loving, and very spiritually
oriented. And yes, he had found such a women. But it did not work out. He said
she was so spiritual that she could not easily relate to the practical things in
the material world.&&&&&&&&&&&&
Then he found someone who was perfect. She was beautiful, kind, loving,
intelligent, organized& and practical in material affairs. She was just
what he was looking for. But he said that also did not work out. Why? Because
she was so practical that she really did not need him so much, and ended up
being a bit of a nag, always telling him what he should do. So he still looked
for the perfect woman.&&&&&&&&&&&
Then he found the perfect wife. She was beautiful, kind, loving, intelligent,
organized, practical in& material affairs, as well as spiritually inclined.
A perfect balance. No one could be better. She would make just what he was
looking for--the perfect wife.&&&&&&&&&&&&
So I asked him if they got married. No. Why not? Because she was also looking
for the perfect husband.&&&&
DOES GOD EXIST?
&&&&&&& A man went to a barbershop to have
his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to
have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects.
&&&&&&& When they eventually touched on the
subject of God, the barber said: &I don't believe that God exists.&
&&&&&&& &Why do you say that?& asked the
&&&&&&& &Well, you just have to go out in the
street to realize that God doesn't exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be
so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there
would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving a God who would
allow all of these things.&
&&&&&&& The customer thought for a moment,
but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument. The barber
finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the
barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an
untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt.
&&&&&&& The customer turned back and entered
the barber shop again and he said to the barber: &You know what? Barbers do not
&&&&&&& &How can you say that?& asked the
surprised barber. &I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!&
&&&&&&& &No!& the customer exclaimed.
&Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty
long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside.&
&&&&&&& &Ah, but barbers DO exist! What
happens is, people do not come to me.&
&&&&&&& &Exactly!&- affirmed the customer.
&That's the point! God, too, DOES exist! What happens, is, people don't go to
Him and do not look for Him. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in
the world.&
HAVING A BAD DAY?
Check these out.... these are actual
cases. When you think that things are not going your way... it could be worse.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&Fire authorities in
California found a corpse in a burned-out section of forest while assessing the
damage done by a forest fire. The deceased male was dressed in a full wet suit,
complete with scuba tanks on his back, flippers, and face mask.
&&&&&&&&&&&&A postmortem test
revealed that the man died not from burns, but from massive internal injuries.
Dental records provided a positive identification. Investigators then set about
to determine how a fully clothed diver ended up in the middle of a forest fire.
&&&&&&&&&&&&It was revealed that on
the day of the fire, the man went diving off the coast, some 20 miles from the
forest. The fire fighters, seeking to control the fire as quickly as possible,
had called in a fleet of helicopters with very large dip buckets. Water was
dipped from the ocean and emptied at the site of the forest fire.
&&&&&&&&&&&&You guessed it. One
minute our diver was making like Flipper in the Pacific, the next, he was doing
the breast stroke in a fire dip bucket 300 feet in the air. Some days it just
doesn't pay to get out of bed.
&___________________________________________
Still think you're having a bad day?
&&&&&&&&&&&&A man was working on his
motorcycle on the patio, his wife nearby in the kitchen. While racing the
engine, the motorcycle accidentally slipped into gear. The man, still holding
onto the handlebars, was dragged along as it burst through the glass patio
&&&&&&&&&&&&His wife, hearing the
crash, ran in the room to find her husband cut and bleeding, the motorcycle, and
the shattered patio door. She called for an ambulance and, because the house sat
on a fairly large hill, went down the several flights of stairs to meet the
paramedics and escort them to her husband.
&&&&&&&&&&&&While the attendants were
loading her husband, the wife managed to right the motorcycle and push it
outside. She also quickly blotted up the spilled gasoline with some paper towels
and tossed them into the toilet.
&&&&&&&&&&&&After being treated and
released, the man returned home, looked at the shattered patio door and the
damage done to his motorcycle. He went into the bathroom and consoled himself
with a cigarette while attending to his business. About to stand, he flipped the
butt between his legs.
&&&&&&&&&&&&The wife, who was in the
kitchen, heard a loud explosion and her husband screaming. Finding him lying on
the bathroom floor with his trousers blown away and burns on his buttocks, legs
and groin, she once again phoned for an ambulance. The same paramedic crew was
dispatched.
&&&&&&&&&&&&As the paramedics carried
the man down the stairs to the ambulance they asked the wife how he had come to
burn himself. She told them. They started laughing so hard, one slipped, the
stretcher and dumping the husband out. He fell down the remaining stairs,
breaking his arm.
&______________________________________________
Still having a bad day? Just
remember, it could be worse...
&&&&&&&&&&&&The average cost of
rehabilitating a seal after the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska was $80,000. At
a special ceremony, two of the most expensively saved animals were being
released back into the wild amid cheers and applause from onlookers. A minute
later, in full view, a killer whale ate them both.
&_____________________________________________
Still think you are having a bad day?
&&&&&&&&&&&&A woman came home to find
her husband in the kitchen shaking frantically, almost in a dancing frenzy, with
some kind of wire running from his waist towards the electric kettle. Intending
to jolt him away from the deadly current, she chopped him with a handy plank of
wood, breaking his arm in two places. Up to that moment, he had been happily
listening to his Walkman.
THE NOBLE KING AND SANSKRIT SLOKAS
There was a noble king who offered 1000 Gold coins to anyone who composed
original Sanskrit verses. Lots of great scholars and Brahmins came to his
Assembly to present their works but every time they found that their work
was heard previously. The king had four pundits : one who was Empathy - Who
remembered after listening any thing once. Another was Dispatch - Who
remembered anything after listening twice. The third one was Tripartite -
who remembered anything after listening thrice. The fourth one was Chaturpathi
- who remembered anything after listening four times.
So every time a pundit would come and recite a Sanskrit sloka, the Ekpathi
would recite it again. Having heard it twice, the Dwipathi would say,
that this is
not original as he also heard this.. and so on.. Thus, the king would not
have to give out 1000 Gold coins to any one.
Once a poor Brahmin after unsuccessfully presenting his
work to the king went to Kalidasa and sought his guidance. Kalidasa wrote
him an original verse and asked him to present it to the king. The next day,
when the Brahmin went to the King's Court and said his original sloka, none
of the Pundits recited it back. So the king had to award 1000 Gold coins and
then asked the pundits why did not they recite back?
The pundit told that the meaning of the Sloka was:&
&O King, please return the 1000 Gold coins that your father took from my
father...&& If they had recited back, then it would prove they had in
fact been a witness to the king's father having taken 1000 Gold coins. And
as they kept quiet, the king had to give 1000 Gold coins.&&
WHAT'S YOUR RELIGION&
I was walking across a bridge one day and I saw a man
standing on the edge, about to jump off. I immediately ran over and said,
&Stop! Don't do it!&
&Why shouldn't I?& he asked.
I said, &Well, there's so much to live for.&
&Like what?&
he asked.&
&Well... are you religious or atheist?&
&Religious.&
&Me too! Are you Christian or Jewish?&
&Christian.&&
&Me too! Are you Catholic or Protestant?&
&Protestant.&&
&Me too! Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?&
&Baptist.&&
&Wow! Me too! Are you Baptist Church of God or Baptist
Church of the Lord?&
Church of God.&&
&Me too! Are you Original Baptist Church of God, or are
you Reformed Baptist Church of God?&
&Reformed Baptist Church of God.&&
&Me too! Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God
reformation of 1879, or Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of
&Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915.&&
To which I said, &Die, heretic scum!& and pushed him off.
{To some people, many
similarities are outweighed by only one difference.}
and Parables
SAND AND STONE
&&&&&&&&&&&&A
story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. During some point
of the journey, they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in
the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, he
wrote in the sand: Today my best friend slapped me in the face.
&&&&&&&&&&&&They
kept on walking, until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath.
The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but his
friend saved him. After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a
stone: Today my best friend saved my life.
&&&&&&&&&&&&The
friend, who had slapped and saved his best friend, asked him, &After I hurt
you, you wrote in the sand, and now, you write on a stone, why?&
&&&&&&&&&&&&The
other friend replied: &When someone hurts us, we should write it down in
sand, where the winds of forgiveness can erase it away, but when someone does
something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase
it. Learn to write your hurts in the sand and to carve your blessings in stone.
&&&&&&&&&--
YOU ARE SPECIAL
A well known speaker started off his seminar by&holding up&a $20 bill.
&&& In the room of 2000, he asked. &Who would like this $20
bill?& Hands started going up. He said,&&I am going to give this $20 to one of
you - but&first,&let me do this.&
&&&&He proceeded to crumple the 20 dollar note up. He&then&asked, &Who still
wants it?& Still the hands were up in&the air.
&&& &Well,& he replied, &what if I do this?& He&dropped it on&the
ground and&started to grind it into the floor with his shoe.&He picked it up,
now crumpled and dirty.&&Now, who still wants it?&
&&&&Still the hands went into the air.&&My friends, you have all learned a
very valuable&lesson.&No matter what I did to the money, you still&wanted
it&because it did not decrease in value. It was still&worth&$20.
&&& &Many times in our lives,&we are dropped, crumpled,&and
ground into the dirt...........&&by the decisions we make and&the
circumstances that come our way.&We feel as tho&but no
matter what happened or what will happen,&you will never lose your value.&
&&& &Dirty or clean,&crumpled or finely creased,&you are still
priceless&to those who love you.&The worth of our lives comes,&not in what we
do or who we know,&but by... WHO WE ARE.
&&&&You are SPECIAL...&d o n 't& e v e r& f o r g e t& i t.
&&&&&A man was sleeping one night in
his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light, and God appeared. The Lord
told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of
his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all
his might. So, this the man did, day after day.
&&&&&For many years he toiled from
sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface
of the unmoving rock, pushing with all of his might. Each night the man returned
to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in
&&&&&Since the man was showing
discouragement, the adversary (Satan) decided to enter the picture by placing
thoughts into the weary mind: &You have been pushing against that rock for a
long time, and it hasn't moved.& Thus, he gave the man the impression that the
task was impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and
disheartened the man.
&&&&&Satan said, &Why kill yourself
over this? Just put in your time, giving jus and that will
be good enough.& So that's what the weary man planned to do, but decided to make
it a Matter of Prayer and to take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.
&&&&&&Lord,& he said, &I have labored
long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have
asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a
millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing? The Lord responded compassionately,
&My friend, when I asked you to serve Me and you accepted, I told you that your
task was to push against the rock with all of your strength, which you have
done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task
was to push. And now you come to Me with your strength spent, thinking that you
have failed. But, is that really so?
&&&&&&Look at yourself. Your arms are
strong and muscled, your b your hands are callused from
constant pressure, your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition
you have grown much, and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have.
&&&&&&True, you haven't moved the
rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith
and trust in My wisdom. That you have done. Now I, my friend, will move the
&&&&&**At times, when we hear a word
from God, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what He wants, when
actually what God wants is just a simple obedience and faith in Him. By all
means, exercise the faith that moves mountains, but know that it is still God
who moves the mountains.**
When everything seems to go wrong
.... just P.U.S.H.!
When the job gets you down ... just
When people don't react the way you
think they should.... just P.U.S.H.
When your money is &gone& and the
bills are due.... just P.U.S.H.!
When people just don't understand you
.... just... P.U.S.H.!
S= Something
H= Happens
WHY GO TO THE TEMPLE?
&&&&&&& A 'devotee' goer wrote a letter to
the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to the
'I've gone for 30 years now, he wrote, and in that time I have heard something
like 3,000 mantras. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of
them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the Gurus are wasting theirs by giving
services at all.. &
&&&&&&& This started a real controversy in
the 'Letters to the Editor' column, much to the delight of the editor.. It went
on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher: I've been married for 30 years
now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me,
I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know
this... They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work.
If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today.
Likewise, if I had not gone to the Temple for nourishment, I would be
spiritually dead today!&
&&&&&&& When you are DOWN to nothing..... God
is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and
receives the impossible!
&&&&&&& Thank God for our physical AND our
spiritual nourishment!
&&&&&&& All right, now that you're done
reading, send it on!!! I think everyone should read this!!
You gave me strength to carry on,
When my body was so torn.
And lifted me on wings of love,
When my spirit was so worn.
Through all the times when in despair,
When I hung my head in shame.
You came to me when I knelt down,
As I called upon your name.
And when my heart was troubled,
With more heartache than I could bear.
You caught each and every tear I shed,
In a bottle you have up there.
And when I get to Vaikuntha,
I'll kneel before your feet.
You'll wipe away all my tears,
For my soul is yours to keep.
May you and your family be blessed.
Please keep the blessed Lord Krishna moving from house to house.
WHEN YOUR HUT IS ON FIRE&
&&&&The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up&on a
small,&uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for GOD to&rescue him.
Every day&he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed&forthcoming.
Exhausted,&he eventually managed to build a little hut out of&driftwood
to protect&himself from the elements, and to store his few&possessions.
&&&&One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived&home to find
his&little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the&sky. He felt the
worst&had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned&with
disbelief,&grief, and anger. He cried out, &GOD! How could you&do this
&&&&Early the next day, he was awakened by the&sound of a
ship&approaching the island! It had come to rescue him!&&How did you
know I was&here?& asked the weary man of his rescuers. &We saw&your
smoke signal,&&they replied.
&&&&The Moral of This Story:&It's easy to get discouraged when things
are&going bad, but we&shouldn't lose heart, because GOD is at work in
our&lives, even in the&midst of our pain and suffering. Remember that
the&next time your little&hut seems to be burning to the ground,
may be&a smoke signal that&summons the Grace of GOD.
NAILS IN THE FENCE
There&once was a little boy who had a bad&temper. His Father gave him a bag of
nails&and told him that every time he lost his&temper, he must hammer a nail
into the back&of the fence. The first day the boy had&driven 37 nails into the
fence. Over the next&few weeks, as he learned to control his&anger, the number
of nails hammered daily&gradually dwindled down. He discovered&it was easier
to hold his temper than to&drive those nails into the fence.&
Finally the day came when the boy didn't&lose his temper at all. He told his
father&about it and the father suggested that the&boy now pull out one nail
for each day that&he was able to hold his temper.&The days passed and the
young boy was finally&able to tell his father that all the nails&were gone.
The father took his son by the&hand and led him to the fence. He said,
&You&have done well, my son, but look at the&holes in the fence. The fence
will never be&the same. When you say things in anger,&they leave a scar just
like this one. You&can put a knife in a man and draw it out.&It won't matter
how many times you say I'm&sorry, the wound is still there.&
&A verbal&wound is as bad as a physical one.&Friends are very rare jewels,
indeed. They&make you smile and encourage you to succeed.&They lend an ear,
they share words of praise&and they always want to open their hearts to us.&&
&&&&&&&Show your&friends how much you care. Send this
to&everyone you consider a FRIEND, even if&it means sending it back to the
person who&sent it to you. If it comes back to you,&then you'll know you have
a circle of friends.
&THE PACK OF BISCUITS
&&&&&&& One night there was a woman at the
airport who had to wait for several hours before catching her next flight. While
she waited she bought a book and a pack of biscuits to spend the time. She
looked for a place to sit and waited.
&&&&&&& She was deep into her book, when
suddenly she realized that there was a young man sitting next to her who was
stretching his hand, with no concern whatsoever, and grabbing the pack of
cookies lying between them. He started to eat them one by one.
&&&&&&& Not wanting to make a fuss about it
she decided to ignore him. The woman, slightly bothered, ate the cookies and
watched the clock, while the young and shameless thief of biscuits was also
finishing them.
&&&&&&& The woman started to get really angry
at this point and thought, &If I wasn't such a good and educated person, I would
have given this daring man a black eye by now.&
&&&&&&& Every time she ate a biscuit, he had
one too. The dialogue between their eyes continued and when only one biscuit was
left, she wondered what was he
going to do.
&&&&&&& Softly and with a nervous smile, the
young man grabbed the last biscuit and broke it in two. He offered one half to
the woman while he ate the other half.
&&&&&&& Briskly she took the biscuit and
thought, &What an insolent man! How uneducated! He didn't even thank me!& She
had never met anybody so fresh and sighed relieved to hear her flight announced.
&&&&&&& She grabbed her bags and went towards
the boarding gate refusing to look back to where that insolent thief was seated.
After boarding the plane and
nicely seated, she looked for her book which was nearly finished by now.
&&&&&&& While looking into her bag she was
totally surprised to find her pack of biscuits nearly intact. If my biscuits are
here, she thought feeling terribly, those
others were his and he tried to share them with me.
&&&&&&& Too late to apologize to the young
man, she realized with pain, that it was her who had been insolent, uneducated
and a thief, and not him!!
SPIRITUAL COMMENTARY
&&&&&&& How many times in our lives, had we
known with certainty that something happened in a certain way, only to discover
later that it wasn't true?
&&&&&&& How many times has our lack of trust
within us made us judge other people unfairly with our conceited ideas, often
far away from reality!
&&&&&&& That is why we have to think twice
before we judge others. Let's always give others the benefit of the doubt before
we think badly of them!&THE INTELLIGENT MULE
&&&&&&& Once upon a time a farmer owned an
old mule. The mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule
'braying' after it fell into the well.&
&&&&&&& After carefully assessing the
situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the
mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his
neighbors together and told them what had happened...and enlisted them to help
haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.
&&&&&&& Initially, the old mule was
hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt
hit his back...a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a
shovel load of dirt landed on his back...HE SHOULD SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP!
This he did, blow after blow.
&&&&&&& &Shake it off and step up...shake it
off and step up...shake it off and step up!& he repeated to encourage himself.
No matter how painful the blows, or distressing the situation seemed the old
mule fought &panic& and just kept right on SHAKING IT OFF AND STEPPING UP!
&&&&&&& It wasn't long before the old mule,
battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well!
&&&&&&& What seemed like it would bury him,
actually blessed him...all because of the manner in which he handled his
adversity!!
SPIRITUAL COMMENTARY
&&&&&&& That's life! If we face our problems
and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or
self-pity...the adversities that come
along to bury us usually have within them the potential to benefit and bless us!
&&&&&&& Remember that forgiveness, faith,
prayer, self-confidence, determination and hope..all are excellent ways to
&SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP& out of the wells in which we find ourselves!
A PARABLE TO PONDER...
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&THE
&&&&&&&&&&&&Once
upon a time there was a rich King who had four wives. He loved the 4th wife the
most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to the finest of
delicacies. He gave her nothing but the best.
&&&&&&&&&&&&He
also loved the 3rd wife very much and was always showing her off to neighboring
kingdoms. However, he feared that one
day she would leave him for another.
&&&&&&&&&&&&He
also loved his 2nd wife. She was his confidant and was always kind, considerate
and patient with him. Whenever the King faced a problem, he could confide in
her, and she would help him get through the difficult times.
&&&&&&&&&&&&The
King's 1st wife was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in
maintaining his wealth and kingdom. However, he did not love the first wife.
Although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her!
&&&&&&&&&&&&One
day, the King fell ill and he knew his time was short. He thought of his
luxurious life and wondered, &I now have four wives with me, but when I
die, I'll be all alone.&
&&&&&&&&&&&&Thus,
he asked the 4th wife, &I have loved you the most, endowed you with the
finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you
follow me and keep me company?&
&&&&&&&&&&&&&No
way!&, replied the 4th wife, and she walked away without another word.
&&&&&&&&&&&&Her
answer cut like a sharp knife right into his heart. The sad King then asked the
3rd wife, &I have loved you all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you
follow me and keep me company?&
&&&&&&&&&&&&&No!&,
replied the 3rd wife. &Life is too good! When you die, I'm going to
remarry!& His heart sank and turned cold.
&&&&&&&&&&&&He
then asked the 2nd wife, &I have always turned to you for help and you've
always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me and keep me
&&&&&&&&&&&&“I'm
sorry, I can't help you out this time!&, replied the 2nd wife. &At the
very most, I can only accompany you to your grave.& Her answer came like a
bolt of lightning, and the King was devastated.
&&&&&&&&&&&&Then
a voice called out: &I'll leave with you and follow you no matter where you
go.& The King looked up, and there was his first wife. She was so skinny as
she suffered from malnutrition and neglect.
&&&&&&&&&&&&Greatly
grieved, the King said, &I should have taken much better care of you when I
had the chance!&
&&&&&&&&&&&&In
truth, we all have 4 wives in our lives: Our 4th wife is our body. No matter how
much time and effort we lavish in making it look good or feel good, it will
leave us when we die.
&&&&&&&&&&&&Our
3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, it will all go to
&&&&&&&&&&&&Our
2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for
us, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.
&&&&&&&&&&&&And
our 1st wife is our Soul. Often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power and
pleasures of the world.
&&&&&&&&&&&&However,
our Soul is the only thing that will follow us wherever we go. Cultivate,
strengthen and cherish it now, for it is the only part of us that will follow us
to the throne of God and continue with us throughout Eternity.
DID GOD CREATE EVIL?
&&&&&&& Did God create everything that
exists? Does evil exist? Did God create evil?
&&&&&&&&& A University professor at
a well known institution of higher learning challenged his students with
this question: &Did God create everything that exists?& A student bravely
replied, &Yes he did!&
&&&&&&&&& &God created everything?&
The professor asked. &Yes sir, he certainly did,& the student replied.
&&&&&&&&& The professor answered,
&If God created everything, then God created evil. And, since evil exists,
and according to the principal that our works define who we are, then we can
assume God is evil.&
&&&&&&&&& The student became quiet
and did not answer the professor's hypothetical definition. The professor,
quite pleased with himself, boasted to the students that he had proven once
more that religion was a myth.
&&&&&&& Another student raised his hand and
said, &May I ask you a question, professor?& &Of course,& replied the
professor.
&&&&&&& The student stood up and asked,
&Professor, does cold exist?& &What kind of question is this? Of course it
exists. Have you never been cold?& The other students snickered at the young
man's question.
&&&&&&& The young man replied, &In fact, sir,
cold does not exist. According to the laws of physics, what we consider cold
is in reality the absence of heat. Every body or object is susceptible to
study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or
matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-460 F) is the total absence
and all matter becomes inert and incapable of reaction at that
temperature. Cold does not exist. We have created this word to describe how
we feel if we have no heat.&
&&&&&&& The student continued, &Professor,
does darkness exist?& The professor responded, &Of course it does.&
&&&&&&& The student replied, &Once again you
are wrong, sir, darkness does not exist, either. Darkness is in reality the
absence of light. Light we can study, but not darkness. In fact, we can use
Newton's prism to break white light into many colors and study the
various wave lengths of each color. You cannot measure darkness. A simple
ray of light can break into a world of darkness and illuminate it. How can
you know how dark a certain space is? You measure the amount of light
present. Isn't this correct? Darkness is a term used by man to describe what
happens when there is no light present.&
&&&&&&& Finally the young man asked the
professor, &Sir, does evil exist?& Now uncertain, the professor responded,
&Of course, as I have already said. We see it everyday. It is in the daily
examples of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and
violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but
&&&&&&& To this the student replied, &Evil
does not exist, sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is
simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that
man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil.
Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present
in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat, or the
darkness that comes when there is no light.&
&&&&&&& The professor sat down.
&&&&&&& The young man's name - - Albert
Einstein....&
BE CAREFUL HOW YOU
RECEIVE YOUR BLESSINGS
&&& A young man was
getting ready to Graduate College. For many months he had admired a
beautiful sports car in a dealer's& showroom, and
knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.
As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his
father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation his
father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he
was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed
his son a beautiful wrapped gift box. Curious, but& somewhat
disappointed the young man opened the box and found a Holy book Srimad
Bhagavad Geeta. Angrily, he raised his voice at his father and said, &With
all your money you give me a Srimad Bhagavad Geeta?& and stormed out of
the house, leaving the holy book. He never contacted his father again for a
long time.
Many years passed and the young man was
very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and a wonderful family,
but realized his father was very old and thought perhaps he should go to
him. He had not& seen him since that graduation day. Before he could
make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed
away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home
immediately and take care of things. When he arrived at his father's house,
sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search his father's
important papers and saw the still new Srimad Bhagavad Geeta, just as he had
left it years ago.
With tears, he opened the Srimad Bhagavad
Geeta and began to turn the pages. As he read those words, a car key
dropped from an envelope taped behind the Srimad Bhagavad Geeta. It had a
tag with the dealer's name,& the same dealer who had the sports car he
had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words
PAID IN FULL.
How many times do we miss GOD'S blessings
because they are not packaged as we expected? If this touched your heart,
please pass it on, does not matter what religion you belong to...the
message is for everyone.
CARROT, EGG OR
A daughter complained to her father about life and how hard things are for
her. She said she wanted to give up as she was tired of struggling. For just
as one problem was solved, another arose.&
Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen, filled three pots with water and
placed the fire on high.
Soon the three pots came to a boil. In one he placed carrots, in the other he
placed eggs and in the last he placed ground coffee beans. He let them sit and
boil, without saying a word. The daughter wondered what he was trying to do.
In half an hour he turned down the fire and took out the contents of the pots
and put them in bowls. Turning to her he said, “My dear child, what do you
see?” Smartly she replied, “Carrots, eggs and coffee.”
He brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted
that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After
shelling it, she observed it was hard-boiled now. Finally, he asked her to
take a sip of the fragrant coffee. She winced as it was very strong.
Humbly, she asked, “What does it mean father?” He explained, “Each of them
faced the same adversity, 100oC of boiling water. However, each
reacted differently. The carrot was strong, hard and unrelenting. But, after
going through boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg was fragile.
A thin outer shell protected a liquid centre. But after sitting in the boiling
water, the inside became hardened. However, the coffee beans are unique. After
they were in the boiling water, they became stronger and richer. Which one of
these are you?” he asked.
Are you the carrot that seems hard but with the smallest amount of pain,
adversity or heat, you wilt and become soft with no strength? Are you the egg,
which starts off with a malleable heart? But after a death, breakup, divorce
or layoff become hardened and stiff? Your shell looks the same but you are
bitter and tough inside. Or are you like the coffee bean? The bean does not
get its true flavour until it reaches 100oC. When the water gets
hotter, it just tastes better. When things are at their worst, you get better.
So how do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?&&
THE STORY OF THE WALLET
Once an old man was traveling by train on a pilgrimage to Brindavan. At
night, whilst he was asleep, his wallet fell from his pocket. A co-passenger
found it the next morning and enquired as to whom the wallet belonged. The
old man said it was his. A picture of Sri Krishna inside the wallet was
proof that the wallet really belonged to him.
&&&&&&& The old man then began to relate the
story of the wallet. He soon had a group of eager listeners around him.
Lifting up the purse for all to see, the old man said: This purse has a long
history behind it. My father gave it to me years ago when I was a mere
schoolboy. I kept my little pocket money in it and also a photograph of my
&&&&&&& Years passed. I grew up and began
studying at university. Like every youth, I became conscious of my
appearance. I replaced my parents' photograph with that of my own and I
would look at it often. I had become my own admirer.
&&&&&&& Then came marriage. Self-admiration
gave way to the consciousness of a family. Out went my own picture and I
replaced it with that of my wife's. During the day I would open the wallet
many times and gaze at the picture. All tiredness vanished and I would
resume my work with enthusiasm.
&&&&&&& Then came the birth of my first
child. What a joy I experienced when I became a father! I would eagerly rush
home after work to play with my little baby. Needless to say, my wife's
picture had already made way for the child's.
&&&&&&& The old man paused. Wiping his
tearful eyes, he looked around and said in a sad voice: Friends, my parents
passed away long ago. My wife too died five years ago. My son- my only son-
is now married. He is too busy with his career and his family. He has no
time for me. I now stand on the brink of death. I do not know what awaits me
in future. Everything I loved, everything I considered my own, has left me.
&&&&&&& A picture of the Lord now occupies
the place in my wallet. I know He will never leave me. I wish now that I had
kept HIS picture with me right from the beginning (and HIS thought in my
mind)! H all others are just passing shadows.
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