HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED?

About a hundred years ago, a man looked at the morning newspaper and to his surprise and horror, read his name in the obituary column. The news papers had reported the death of the wrong person by mistake. His first response was shock. Am I here or there? When he regained his composure, his second thought was to find out what people had said about him. 

The obituary read, "Dynamite King Dies." And also "He was the merchant of death." This man was the inventor of dynamite and when he read the words "merchant of death," he asked himself a question, "Is this how I am going to be remembered?"

He got in touch with his feelings and decided that this was not the way he wanted to be remembered. From that day on, he started working toward peace. His name was Alfred Nobel and he is remembered today by the great Nobel Prize.

Just as Alfred Nobel got in touch with his feelings and redefined his values, we should step back and do the same. Today could be a wonderful occasion on a happy Onam day

Remember to ask these questions to your self in the end of the day

What is your legacy?

How would you like to be remembered?

Will you be spoken well of?

Will you be remembered with love and respect?

Will you be missed?

Motherhood means concern for the whole creation

Here comes a touching story of motherliness from the animal world. This story is told by a devotee who visited a temple in the midst of a forest near Wynad, Kerala. After his temple visit when he came out he spotted a tiny squirrel sealed on the top of a lintel,  which was squeaking with fear. Its mother obviously was away and a snake was making its way to the little squirrel and was about to catch it. 

At that moment from a nearby tree, a big owl flew in, pushed aside the snake and saved the little squirrel. The owl went back to its perch, but its attention was riveted on the helpless little squirrel. The devotee was fascinated by the timely action of the owl. After some time there came the snake again to snatch the squirrel. Lo! there flew in the owl again to save the helpless squirrel.  The snake retreated and the squirrel was saved. But the snake was not in a mood to give up. It came again after a brief interval. The owl got really angry and this time flew in with the intention of doing away with the snake and saving the squirrel from its cruel fate.

The devotee was overwhelmed seeing this expression of universal motherliness between two animals, even though the squirrel was the natural prey of the owl. The danger to the little squirrel in the absence of its mother touched a deep chord in the heart of the owl and it responded to it in the most touching way. The devotee could not help comparing it with what we find among humans, these days.

If only we keep our eyes open to the natural relationships and concern ever prevalent all around us, our minds can also expand and when it is filled with love and concern for all in the universe it raises us to the level of a Universal Being and we become entitled for the blessings of the Universe.