The bamboo

ONE DAY I DECIDED TO QUIT
I quit my job,
my relationship,
my spirituality…
I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with god

“God”, I asked,
“Can you give me one good reason not to quit?”.His answer surprised me. “Look around”, He said. “Do you see the fern and the bamboo ? “Yes”, I replied. “When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water.The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor.Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.  He said, “In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed.But I would not quit. In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit.” He said. “Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant. But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive.

I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle.”

He asked me. “Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots”.

“I would not quit on the bamboo.I will never quit on you.”

“Don’t compare yourself to others.” He said.

”The bamboo had a different Purpose than the fern.
Yet they both make the forest beautiful.”

"Your time will come”, God said to me.
“You will rise high”.

“How high should I rise?” I asked.

“How high will the bamboo rise?” He asked in return.

“As high as it can?” I questioned.

”Yes.” He said, “Give Me glory by rising as high as you can.”

I left the forest and brought back this story.

Never, Never, Never, Give up!!
"In life, each  relationship will have feelings and differences. ....it's Always better to be melted in feelings than to be frozen with differences"

Contributed by
Sh Vineet ji

Your Angel

A baby asked God,"They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow,  but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?" God said, "Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you."  The child further inquired, "But tell me, here in heaven I don't have to do anything but sing and smile to be happy." God said, "Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you. And you will feel your angel's love and be very happy."  Again the small child  asked, "And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don't know the language?" God said,"Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel  will teach you how to speak."
"And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?"  God said,"Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray."

"Who will protect me?"

God said, "Your angel will defend you even if it means risking her life."

"But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore."

God said, "Your angel will always talk to you about Meand will teach you the way to come back to Me, even though I will always be next to you."

At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from Earth could be heard and the child hurriedly asked, "God, if I am to leave now, please tell me my angel'sname."

God said,You will simply call her....mom!

Contributed By
Mr Kamaljeet ji

Are You Hurt ?

On his first day in office as President, when Abraham Lincoln entered to give his inaugural address , one man stood up. He was a rich Aristocrat. He said, “Mr. Lincoln, you should not forget that your father used to make shoes for my family.” And the whole Senate laughed; they thought they had made a fool of Lincoln. But certain people are made of a totally different mettle. Lincoln looked at the man directly in the eye and said, “Sir, I know that my father used to make shoes for your family, and there will be many others here. Because he made shoes the way nobody else can, he was a creator. His shoes were not just shoes; he poured his whole soul into them. I want to ask you, have you any complaint? Because I know how to make shoes myself. If you have any complaint I can make you another pair of shoes. But as far as I know, nobody has ever complained about my father’s shoes. He was a genius, a great creator and I am proud of my father”.
The whole Senate was struck dumb. They could not understand what kind of man Abraham Lincoln was. He was proud because his father did his job so well that not even a single complaint had ever been heard.

Remember:

“No one can hurt you without your consent.”
“It is not what happens to us that hurts us. It is our response that hurts us. Be excellent at your work no matter what work you do,

Happiness is always yours.

Contributed by
Mrs Shruti Chaabra

MIracle

An eight-year-old child heard her parents talking about her little brother. All she knew was that he was very sick and they had no money left. They were moving to a smaller house because they could not afford to stay in the present house after paying the doctor's bills. Only a very costly surgery could save him now and there was no one to loan them the money.

When she heard her daddy say to her tearful mother with whispered desperation, 'Only a miracle can save him now', the little girl went to her bedroom and pulled her piggy bank from its hiding place in the closet. She poured all the change out on the floor and counted it carefully.

Clutching the precious piggy bank tightly, she slipped out the back door and made her way six blocks to the local drugstore. She took a quarter from her bank and placed it on the glass counter.

"And what do you want?" asked the pharmacist.

"It's for my little brother," the girl answered back. "He's really very sick and I want to buy a miracle."

"I beg your pardon?" said the pharmacist.

"His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my daddy says only a miracle can save him. So how much does a miracle cost?"

"We don't sell miracles here, child. I'm sorry," the pharmacist said, smiling sadly at the little girl.

"Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough, I can try and get some more. Just tell me how much it costs."

In the shop was a well-dressed customer. He stooped down and asked the little girl, "What kind of a miracle does you brother need?"

"I don't know," she replied with her eyes welling up. "He's really sick and mommy says he needs an operation. But my daddy can't pay for it, so I have brought my savings".

"How much do you have?" asked the man.

"One dollar and eleven cents; but I can try and get some more", she answered barely audibly.

"Well, what a coincidence," smiled the man, "A dollar and eleven cents - the exact price of a miracle for little brothers."

He took her money in one hand and held her hand with the other. He said, "Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the kind of miracle you need."

That well-dressed man was Dr Carlton Armstrong, a neurosurgeon. The operation was completed without charge and it wasn't long before Andrew was home again and doing well.

"That surgery," her mom whispered, "was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost."

The little girl smiled. She knew exactly how much the miracle cost ... one dollar and eleven cents ... plus the faith of a little child.

Perseverance can make miracles happen! Miracle can come in various forms - as a doctor, as a lawyer, as a teacher, as a police ,as a friend, as a stranger and many others..

A river cuts the rock not because of its power, but because of its consistency.

Never lose your hope & keep walking towards your vision.

Somewhere I felt it has closely touched my life...... there's a message for us all.....

Contributed by Ojasvita ji

Poor or Rich

Who is poor?

A wealthy woman goes to a saree store and tells the boy at the counter "Bhaiya show some cheap sarees. It is my son's marriage and I have to give to my maid."

After sometime, the maid comes to the saree shop and tells the boy at the counter "Bhaiya show some expensive sarees. I want to gift my Mistress on her son's marriage"

Poverty is in the mind or in the purse?

Who is Rich?

Once, a lady with her family was staying in a 3-star hotel for a picnic. She was the mother of a 6 month old baby.
"Can I get 1 cup of milk?" asked the lady to the 3-star hotel manager.
"Yes madam", he replied.
"But it will cost 100 bucks". "No problem", said the lady.
While driving back from hotel, the child was hungry again.
They stopped at a road side tea stall and took milk from the tea vendor
"How much?” she asked the tea vendor.
"Madam, we don't charge money for kid's milk", the old man said with a smile.
"Let me know if you need more for the journey". The lady took one more cup and left.
She wondered, "Who’s richer? The hotel manager or the old tea vendor?

Sometimes, in the race for more money, we forget that we are all humans. Let's help someone in need, without expecting something in return. It will make us feel better than what money can.
Coffee never knew that it would taste so nice and sweet, before it met milk and sugar.
We are good as individuals but become better when we meet and blend with the right people....

Stay connected.

"The world is full of nice people... If you can't find one... Be one.

contributed by Sh. Gothi ji

मक्की का दाना

एक समय की बात हैं, के श्री गुरू नानक देव जी महाराज और उनके दो शिष्य बाला और मरदाना किसी गाँव में जा रहे थे। चलते-चलते रास्ते में एक मकई का खेत आया। बाला स्वाभाविक बहुत कम बोलता था, मगर जो मरदाना था, वो तर्क करता था। मकई का खेत देख कर मरदाने ने गुरू नानकजी महाराज से सवाल किया के बाबाजी इस मकई के खेत में जितने दाने हैं, क्या वो सब पहले से निर्धारित कर दिऐ गए हैं कि कौन इस का हकदार हैं और यह किस के मुँह में जाऐंगे। तो इस पर गुरू नानकजी महाराज ने कहा बिल्कुल इस संसार में कहीं भी कोई भी खाने योग्य वनस्पति पर मोहर पहले से ही लग गई हैं और जिसके नाम की मोहर होगी वही जीव उसका ग्रास करेगा। गुरूजी की इस बात ने मरदाने के मन् के अन्दर कई सवाल खड़े कर दिए, मरदाने ने मकई के खेत से एक मक्का तोड़ लिया और उसका एक दाना निकाल कर हथेली पर रख लिया और गुरू नानकजी महाराज से यह पूछने लगा बाबाजी कृपा करके आप मुझे बताए के इस दाने पर किसका नाम लिखा हैं, इस पर गुरू नानकजी महाराज ने जवाब दिया के इस दाने पर एक मुर्गी का नाम लिखा हैं। मरदाने ने गुरूजी के सामने बड़ी चालाकी दिखाते हुए, मकई का वो दाना अपने मुँह मे फेंक लिया और गुरूजी से कहने लगा के कुदरत का यह नियम तो बढ़ी आसानी से टूट गया। मरदाने ने जैसे ही वो दाना निगला वो दाना मरदाने की श्वास नली में फस गया। अब मरदाने की हालत तीर लगे कबूतर जैसी हो गई। मरदाने ने गुरू नानक देव जी को कहा के बाबाजी कुछ कीजिए नहीं तो मैं मर जाउंगा, गुरू नानक देव जी महाराज ने कहा, बेटा ! मैं क्या करू कोई वैद्य या हकीम ही इसको निकाल सकता हैं। पास के गाँव मे चलते हैं, वहाँ किसी हकीम को दिखाते है। मरदाने को लेकर वो पास के एक गाँव में चले गए।

वहाँ एक हकीम मिले उस हकीम ने मरदाने की नाक मे नसवार डाल दी, नसवार बहुत तेज थी नसवार सुंघते ही मरदाने को छींके आनी शुरू हो गई। मरदाने के छीँकने से मकई का वो दाना गले से निकल कर बाहर गिर गया। जैसे ही दाना बाहर गिरा पास ही खड़ी मुर्गी ने झट से वो दाना खा लिया। मरदाने ने गुरू नानक देव जी से क्षमा माँगी और कहा बाबाजी मुझे माफ़ कर दीजिए, मैंने आपकी बात पर शक किया।

Edited and Compiled by
Smt. Kanchan ji
(Senior member ~"Yaatra" watsapp group)

Act of God!

Once upon a time Shri Krishna and Arjun saw a poor brahmin begging when they went for a stroll. Arjun had pity on him and he gave a small bag full of gold coins to him. Receiving it the brahmin  started for his house happily but a robber snatched the bag from him on the way. The anguished brahmin again started begging. The next day Arjun again saw the brahmin and asked him the reason for begging again. On hearing the painful happening with the brahmin, once again he had pity on him and this time he gave him gemstone ruby.
The brahmin took it and reached his home and he hid the same in pot because of fear of its being stolen. He slept soundly as he was very tired. While he was sleeping , his wife took the pot and went to the river to fetch water in it. When she dipped the pot into the river the ruby also floated away with the flow of water. When the brahmin came to know about it, cursing his luck he again started begging. When Arjun and Shri Krishna saw him in this poor condition again, They went to him  to know what all had happened to him again. At this Arjun felt disappointed and thought prosperity can never come in the life of this. unfortunate brahmin . Lord Krishna smiled and said "Now, look how his fortune will change!". Lord krishna  gave him two paise . At this Arjun  asked him " oh lord when the gold coins and ruby could not help him to get rid of his poverty. Then how would these two paisa help him ".   Hearing this god smiled and asked Arjun to follow the brahmin. On the way the brahmin thought while walking that he could not get the food even for a single person with this 2 paise and why the god had given him such a small amount in charity.
While he was thinking so he saw a fisherman with the fish struggling for its life in the net. Brahmin had pity on it. And he thought that these two paise will not satisfy his hunger. Then he bought that fish from the fisherman to save its life and put it into his kamandal. When the fish felt uneasy in it then ruby came out of its mouth. The brahmin shrieked with happiness saying "I have got it. Ihave got it.!!"
At that time luckily the robber who had robbed him of the gold coins was passing through the same path and  heard the words of  brahmin and  thought that brahmin had recoginized him  He started begging pardon of the brahmin out of fear and returned him all the gold coins.In this war the brahmin manage to get back all his gold coins and ruby. Observing this Arjun bowed before god and understood the secret message of the act of God!

God is everwhere

Once a  man had the strong desire to have glimpse of God. He heard to the celestial announcement of God at night that "I am here and i shall come to you". The man got up in the morning & sat near the door & kept waiting for a long time, at that moment a poor man appeared before him & asked for something to eat but he didnt left that place giving the plea that he was waiting for God. After some time a blind man approached him & asked him for help to cross the road but again he gave the plea that he was waiting for God. After some time a thirsty man came & asked for water but he did not move from his place saying that he was waiting for God. In this way the whole day passed and God did'nt appear before him.At night he again heard celestial announcement that " I came to your place thrice, once I asked for water, the other time for food and in the  last to help me cross the road but you couldn't recognize me". God resides in every heart so we can feel his presence in all his creations by helping them in the hour of need.

True devotee

 एक बार अर्जुन को अहंकार हो गया कि वही भगवान के सबसे बड़े भक्त हैं। उनकी इस भावना को श्रीकृष्ण ने समझ लिया। एक दिन वह अर्जुन के साथ भ्रमण पर निकले । रास्ते में उनकी मुलाकात एक गरीब ब्राह्मण
से हुई। उसका व्यवहार थोड़ा विचित्र था। वह  रुखा सुखा भोजन  खा रहा था और उसकी कमर से तलवार लटक रही थी। अर्जुन ने उससे पूछा, ‘आप तो अहिंसा के पुजारी हैं। लेकिन फिर हिंसा का यह उपकरण तलवार क्यों आपके साथ है?’ ब्राह्मण ने जवाब दिया, ‘मैं कुछ लोगों को दंडित करना चाहता हूं।’‘ आपके शत्रु कौन हैं?’ अर्जुन ने जिज्ञासा जाहिर की। ब्राह्मण ने कहा, ‘मैं चार लोगों को खोज रहा हूं,ताकि उनसे अपना हिसाब चुकता कर सकूं। सबसे पहले तो मुझे नारद की तलाश है। नारद मेरे प्रभु को आराम नहीं करने देते,सदा भजन-कीर्तन कर उन्हें जागृत रखते हैं। फिर मैं द्रौपदी पर भी बहुतक्रोधित हूं। उसने मेरे प्रभु को ठीक उसी समय पुकारा, जब वह भोजन करने बैठे थे। उन्हें तत्काल खाना छोड़ पांडवों को दुर्वासा ऋषि के श्राप सेबचाने जाना पड़ा।‘आपका तीसरा शत्रु कौन है?’अर्जुन ने पूछा।‘ वह है हृदयहीन प्रह्लाद। उसनिर्दयी ने मेरे प्रभु को गरम तेल के कड़ाहे में प्रविष्ट कराया, हाथी के पैरों तले कुचलवाया और अंत में खंभे से प्रकट होने के लिए विवश किया।और चौथा शत्रु है अर्जुन। उसकी दुष्टता देखिए। उसने मेरेभगवान को अपना सारथी बना डाला।उसे भगवान की असुविधा का तनिक भी ध्यान नहीं रहा। कितना कष्टहुआ होगा मेरे प्रभु को।’ यह कहते ही ब्राह्मण की आंखों में आंसू आ गए। यह देख अर्जुन का घमंड चूर-चूर हो गया। उसने श्रीकृष्ण से क्षमा मांगते हुए कहा, ‘मान
गया प्रभु, इस संसार में न जाने आपके कितने तरह के भक्त हैं। मैं तो कुछ भी नहीं हूं।’















source#internet

The Self Defence

Once a saint visited village where all people were in trouble due to fear of a snake. The snake decided to have a glimpse of saint to get the blessings.When he met the saint for the first time , he was impressed by his divinity and decided to learn the lessons of life from the saint. The saint said that he is allowed to hunt for his food only and he should abandon killing of people.After that the behaviour of the snake was completely changed. Even the people of the village were relieved. But the life of snake became more difficult as he stopped biting people, Even people were aware of the change behaviour of snake. One day one farmer needed one rope for his work. Instead he decided to use snake for his work. This misuse badly hurt snake. He reached the saint. The saint was shocked to see the terrible condition of snake. He narrated the whole incidence of misuse of farmer and said that due to his promise he did not harm the farmer. The saint replied that he ordered him to stop biting people but not to stop hissing and for his self defense which was vital.It is very important in the world of spirituality too to protect oneself from the enemy. The words of the saint helped the snake to learn the exact meaning of the lesson.




source-internet