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Inspirational Story 33 - Eight monkeys

Eight monkeys

Eight monkeys are put in a room.
In the middle of theroom is a ladder, leading to a bunch of bananas hanging from a hook on the ceiling.
Each time a monkey tries to climb the ladder, all the monkeys are sprayed with ice water, which makes them miserable.
Soon enough, whenever a monkey attempts to climb the ladder, all of the other monkeys, not wanting to be sprayed, set upon him and beat him up.
Soon, none of the eight monkeys ever attempts to climb the ladder.
One of the original monkeys is then removed, and a new monkey is put in the room.
Seeing the bananas and the ladder, he wonders why none of the other monkeys are doing the obvious.
But undaunted, he immediately begins to climb the ladder.
All the other monkeys fall upon him and beat himsilly.
He has no idea why.
However, he no longer attempts to climb the ladder.
A second original monkey is removed and replaced.
The newcomer again attempts to climbthe ladder, but all the other monkeys hammer the crap out of him.
This includes the previous new monkey, who, grateful that he’s not on the receiving end this time, participates in the beating because all the other monkeys are doing it.
However, he has no idea why he’s attacking the new monkey.
One by one, all the original monkeys are replaced.
Eight new monkeys are now in the room.
None of them have ever been sprayed by ice water.
None of them attempt to climb the ladder.
All of them will enthusiastically beat up any new monkey who tries, without having any idea what.

How many of us have been following actions of others in our life without even knowing its purpose?

Inspirational Story 32 - Ballons

Ballons

Once a group of 50 people was attending a seminar.

Suddenly the speaker stopped and started giving each person a balloon.
Each one was asked to write his/her name on it using a marker pen.
Then all the balloons were collected and put in another room.

Now these delegates were let in that room and asked to find the balloon which had their name written, within 5 minutes.

Everyone was frantically searching for their name, pushing, colliding with each other, and there was utter chaos.

At the end of 5 minutes, no one could find their own balloon.

Now each one was asked to randomly collect a balloon and give it to the person whose name was written on it.
Within minutes everyone had their own balloon.

The speaker began:
This is exactly happening in our lives. Everyone is frantically looking for happiness all around, not knowing where it is. Our happiness lies in the happiness of other people. Give them their happiness, you will get your own happiness.

Inspirational Story 31 - Two falcons

Two falcons

Once there was a king who received a gift of two magnificent falcons.
They were peregrine falcons, the most beautiful birds he had ever seen. 
He gave the precious birds to his head falconer to be trained.

Months passed, and one day the head falconer informed the king that though one of the falcons was flying majestically, soaring high in the sky, the other bird had not moved from its branch since the day it had arrived.

The king summoned healers and sorcerers from all the land to tend to the falcon, but no one could make the bird fly.

He presented the task to the member of his court, but the next day, the king saw through the palace window that the bird had still not moved from its perch.

Having tried everything else, the king thought to himself, “May be I need someone more familiar with the countryside to understand the nature of this problem.”
So he cried out to his court, “Go and get a farmer.”

In the morning, the king was thrilled to see the falcon soaring high above the palace gardens.
He said to his court, “Bring me the doer of this miracle.”

The court quickly located the farmer, who came and stood before the king.
The king asked him, “How did you make the falcon fly?”

With his head bowed, the farmer said to the king, “It was very easy, your highness. I simply cut the branch where the bird was sitting.”

We are all made to fly — to realize our incredible potential as human beings.
But at times we sit on our branches, clinging to the things that are familiar to us.
The possibilities are endless, but for most of us, they remain undiscovered.
We conform to the familiar, the comfortable, and the mundane.
So for the most part, our lives are mediocre instead of exciting, thrilling and fulfilling.
Let us learn to destroy the branch of fear we cling to and free ourselves to the glory of flight!

Inspirational Story 30 - Barber

Barber

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 customer.

"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 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 un-kept.
The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber, "You know what? Barbers do not exist."

"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."

Inspirational Story 29 - Triple Filter

Triple Filter

In ancient India, One day a person met the great Chanakya, and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"
"Hold on a minute," Chanakya replied.
"Before telling me anything I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."

"Triple filter?"

"That's right," Chanakya continued.
"Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say. That's why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"
"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and..."
"All right," said Chanakya.
"So you don't know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"
"No, on the contrary..."
"So," Chankaya continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left, the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"
"No, not really."
"Well," concluded chankaya, "if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"

MORAL:
Use this triple filter each time you hear loose talk about any of your near and dear ones.

Inspirational Story 28 - Four candles

Four candles

In a room there were four candles burning.
The ambiance was so soft you could hear them talking.

The first one said, “I am PEACE, however nobody can keep me lit. I believe I will go out.”

It’s flame rapidly diminishes and goes out completely.

The second one says, “I am FAITH. Most of all I am no longer indispensable, so it does not make any sense that I stay lit any longer.”

When it finished talking a breeze softly blew on it putting it out.

Sadly, the third candle spoke in its turn.
“I am LOVE. I have not gotten the strength to stay lit. People put me aside and don’t understand my importance. They even forget to love those who are nearest to them.”
And waiting no longer it goes out.

Suddenly a child entered the room and saw three candles not burning.
“Why are you not burning you are supposed to stay lit till the end.”

Saying this the child began to cry.
Then the fourth candle said, “Don’t be afraid, while I am still burning we can re-light the other candles, I am HOPE.”

With shining eyes, the child took the candle of Hope and lit the other candles.

The flame of Hope should never go out from our life and that each of us can maintain HOPE, FAITH, PEACE and LOVE.

Inspirational Story 27 - Crow

Crow

A Crow Lived in the Forest and was absolutely satisfied in life.

But one day he saw a swan.
This swan is so white and I am so black...crow thought.

This swan must be the happiest bird in the world.

He expressed his thoughts to the swan. 
"Actually," the swan replied, "I was feeling that I was the happiest bird around until I saw a parrot, which has two colors. I now think the parrot is the happiest bird in creation."

The crow then approached the parrot. 
The parrot explained, "I lived a very happy life—until I saw a peacock. I have only two colors, but the peacock has multiple colors."

The crow then visited a peacock in the zoo and saw that hundreds of people had gathered to see him.

After the people had left, 
The crow approached the Peacock.

"Dear Peacock, You are so beautiful. Every day thousands of people come to see you. When people see me, they immediately shoo me away. I think you are the happiest bird on the planet."

The peacock replied, "I always thought that I was the most beautiful and happy bird on the planet. But because of my beauty, I am entrapped in this zoo. I have examined the zoo very carefully, and I have realized that the crow is the only bird not kept in a cage. So for past few days I have been thinking that if I were a crow, I could happily roam everywhere."

Inspirational Story 26 - Essay

Essay

A teacher from Primary School asks her students to write a essay about what they would like God to do for them.
At the end of the day, while marking the essays, she read one that made her very emotional.

Her husband, who had just walked in, saw her crying and asked her 'What happened?'

She answered 'Read this. It is one of my student's essay.'

'Oh God, tonight I ask you something very special.
Make me into a television.
I want to take its place and live like the TV in my house.

Have my own special place, And have my family around ME.
To be taken seriously when I talk.
I want to be the centre of attention and be heard without interruptions or questions.
I want to receive the same special care that theTV receives even when it is not working.
Have the company of my dad when he arrives home from work, even when he is tired.
And I want my mom to want me when she is sad and upset, instead of ignoring me.
And I want my brothers to fight to be with me.

I want to feel that family just leaves everything aside, every now and then, just to spend some time with me.
And last but not least, ensure that I can make them all happy and entertain them.
Lord I don't ask you for much.
I just want to live like a TV.'

At that moment the husband said 'My God, poor kid. What horrible parents!'

The wife looked up at him and said 'That essay is our son's !!!'

Inspirational Story 25 - Empty Jar

Empty Jar

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.
When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls . He then asked the students if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar.
He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open areas between thegolf balls .
He then asked the students again if the jar was full.
They agreed it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.
Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
He asked once more if the jar was full.
The students responded with an unanimous “yes.”
The professor then produced a cup of water from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.
“Now,” said the professor as the
laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things–your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions–and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.
The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.
The sand is everything else–the small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you."

Inspirational Story 24 - A glass of water

A glass of water

The 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 theglass 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.

MORAL:
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.

Inspirational Story 23 - Other side of the paper

Other side of the paper

A Father was reading a magazine and his little daughter every now and then distracted him.
To keep her busy, he tore one page on which was printed the map of the world.
He tore it into pieces and asked her to go to her room and put them together to make the map again.

He was sure she would take the whole day to get it done.
But the little one came back within minutes with perfect map.
When he asked how she could do it so quickly, she said, “Oh…. Dad, there is a man’s face on the other side of the paper….. I made the face perfect to get the map right."
She ran outside to play leaving the father surprised.

MORAL OF THE STORY:
There is always the other side to whatever you experience in this world.

Inspirational Story 22 - Farmer's donkey

Farmer's donkey

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well.
The animal cried piteously for ...hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do.
Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.
He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him.
They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well.
At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly.
Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.
A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well.
He was astonished at what he saw.
With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing.
He would shake it off and take a step up.
As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up.
Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

MORAL : Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt.
The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up.
Each of our troubles is a steppingstone.
We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up!
Shake it off and take a step up.

Inspirational Story 21 - Enjoying every moment of life

Enjoying every moment of life

Once a fisherman was sitting near seashore, under the shadow of a tree.
Suddenly a rich businessman passing by approached him and enquired as to why he was sitting under a tree and not working.
To this the poor fisherman replied that he had caught enough fishes for the day.

Hearing this the rich man got angry and said: Why don’t you catch more fishes instead of sitting in shadow wasting your time?
Fisherman asked: What would I do by catching more fishes?
Businessman: You could catch more fishes, sell them and earn more money, and buy a bigger boat.
Fisherman: What would I do then?
Businessman: You could go fishing in deep waters and catch even more fishes and earn even more money.
Fisherman: What would I do then?
Businessman: You could buy many boats and employ many people to work for you and earn even more money.
Fisherman: What would I do then?
Businessman: You could become a rich businessman like me.
Fisherman: What would I do then?
Businessman: You could then enjoy your life peacefully.
Fisherman: What do you think I’m doing right now?

We don’t need to wait for tomorrow to be happy and enjoy our life.

Inspirational Story 20 - A bag of nails

A bag of nails

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 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.

Inspirational Story 19 - Merchant's daughter

Merchant's daughter

In a small town, a merchant had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to the moneylender.

The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the merchant's beautiful daughter so he proposed a bargain.
He said he would forgo the merchant's debt if he could marry the daughter.
Both the merchant and his daughter were horrified by the proposal.

The moneylender told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty bag.
The girl would then have to pick one pebble from the bag.
If she picked the black pebble, she would become the moneylender's wife and her father's debt would be forgiven.
If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father's debt would still be forgiven.
But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.

They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the merchant's garden.
As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles.
As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag.
He then asked the girl to pick her pebble from the bag.
The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble.
Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles.

"Oh, how clumsy of me," she said.
"But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked." Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had picked the white one.
And since the moneylender dared not admit his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an advantageous one.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Most complex problems do have a solution.

Inspirational Story 18 - A pound of butter

A pound of butter

There was a farmer who sold a pound of butter to the baker.
One day the baker decided to weigh the butter to see if he was getting a pound and he found that he was not.
This angered him and he took the farmer to court.
The judge asked the farmer if he was using any measure.
The farmer replied, "Your Honor, I am primitive. I don't have a proper measure, but I do have a scale."
The judge asked, "Then how do you weigh the butter?"
The farmer replied, "Your Honor, long before the baker started buying butter from me, I have been buying a pound loaf of bread from him. Every day when the baker brings the bread, I put it on the scale and give him the same weight in butter. If anyone is to be blamed, it is the baker."

Inspirational Story 17 - Judging people

Judging people

A 24 year old boy seeing out from the train’s window shouted, “Dad, look the trees are going behind!”

Dad smiled and a young couple sitting nearby, looked at the 24 year old’s childish behaviour with pity, suddenly he again exclaimed, “Dad, look the clouds are running with us!”

The couple couldn’t resist and said to the old man, “Why don’t you take your son to a good doctor?”

The old man smiled and said, “I did and we are just coming from the hospital, my son was blind from birth, he just got his eyes today.”

MORAL:
Every single person on the planet has a story.
Don’t judge people before you truly know them.
The truth might surprise you.

Inspirational Story 16 - King and painter

King and painter

There was a King who had one Eye and one leg.
He asked all the painters to draw a beautiful portrait of him.
But none of them could bcoz how could they paint him beautifully with the defects in one eye and one leg.
Eventually one of them agreed and drew a classic picture of the King.
It was a fantastic picture and surprised everyone.
He painted the King AIMING for a HUNT. Targeting with ONE Eye Closed and One Leg Bent.

Inspirational Story 15 - Wooden apples

Wooden apples

There once was a happy monkey wandering the jungle, eating delicious fruit when hungry, and resting when tired.
One day he came upon a house, where he saw a bowl of the most beautiful apples.
He took one in each hand and ran back into the forest.

He sniffed the apples and smelled nothing.
He tried to eat them, but hurt his teeth.
They were made of wood, but they were really beautiful, and when the other monkeys saw these wooden apples, he held onto them even tighter.

He admired his new possessions proudly as he wandered the jungle. They glistened red in the sun, and seemed perfect to him.

He became so attached to them, that he didn't even notice his hunger at first.
A fruit tree reminded him, but he felt the apples in his hands.

He couldn't bear to set them down to reach for the fruit.
In fact, he couldn't relax, either, if he was to defend his apples.
A proud, but less happy monkey continued to walk along the forest trails.

The apples became heavier, and the poor little monkey thought about leaving them behind.
He was tired, hungry, and he couldn't climb trees or collect fruit with his hands full.

He suddenly thought what if he just let go?

Letting go of such valuable things seemed crazy, but what else could he do?
He was so tired.
Seeing the next fruit tree, and smelling it's fruit was enough.
He dropped the wooden apples and reached up for his meal.
He was happy again.

So how many Wooden Apples are we carrying?

Like that little monkey, we too carry things that seem too valuable to let go.

A man carries an image of himself as "productive" - carries it like a shiny wooden apple.
But in reality, his busyness that leaves him tired, and hungry for a better life.
Still, letting go seems crazy. Even his worries are sacred apples - they prove he's "doing everything he can."
He holds onto them compulsively.

The monkey might be found dead of hunger, under a beautiful tree, with fruit within reach, but still we are grasping his wooden apples.

Only if we choose to let these go.
We will we be able to receive with open hands!