The Magnificence of a MOTHER....

Mother  MOTHER  This is a truly BEAUTIFUL piece.  Please read this at a slow pace,  digesting every word and in leisure....  Do not hurry.....this is a treasure...  For those lucky to still be blessed with your Mom,  this is beautiful.  For those of us who aren't,  this is even more beautiful.  For those who are moms,  you'll love this.  The young mother set her foot  on the path of life.  'Is this the long way?' she asked.  And the guide said: 'Yes,  and the way is hard  And you will be old before  you reach the end of it..  But the end will be better  than the beginning.'  But the young mother was happy,  and she would not believe  that anything could be better  than these years.  So she played with her children,  and gathered flowers for them along the way,  and bathed them in the clear streams;  and the sun shone on them, and the young Mother cried,  'Nothing will ever be lovelier than this.'  Then the night came,  and the storm, and the path was dark,  and the children shook with fear and cold,  and the mother drew them close  and covered them with her mantle,  and the children said,  'Mother, we are not afraid,  for you are near, and no harm can come.'  And the morning came,  and there was a hill ahead,  and the children climbed and grew weary,  and the mother was weary.  But at all times she said to the children,  'A little patience and we are there.'  So the children climbed,  and when they reached the top they said,  'Mother, we would not have done it without you.'  And the mother, when she lay down at night  looked up at the stars and said,  'This is a better day than the last,  for my children have learned fortitude  in the face of hardness.  Yesterday I gave them courage.  Today, I've given them strength.'  And the next day came strange clouds  which darkened the earth,  clouds of war and hate and evil,  and the children groped and stumbled,  and the mother said:  ' Look up. Lift your eyes to the light.'  And the children looked and saw  above the clouds an everlasting glory,  and it guided them beyond the darkness.  And that night the Mother said,  'This is the best day of all,  for I have shown my children God.'  And the days went on,  and the weeks and the months and the years,  and the mother grew old  and she was little and bent.  But her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage. And when the way was rough, they lifted her, for she was as light as a feather; and at last they came to a hill, and beyond they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide. And mother said, 'I have reached the end of my journey.. And now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk alone, and their children after them.'  And the children said, 'You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates.' And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her. And they said: 'We cannot see her but she is with us still. A Mother like ours is more than a memory. She is a living presence.......'  Your Mother is always with you.... She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street; she's the smell of bleach in your freshly laundered socks; she's the cool hand on your brow when you're not well. Your Mother lives inside your laughter. And she's crystallized in every tear drop. She's the place you came from, your first home; and she's the map you follow with every step you take. She's your first love and your first heartbreak, and nothing on earth can separate you.  Not time, not space... not even death!

 

NO PLACE FOR GOD

A gentle and well respected old Negro one day decided that he would like to become a member of the church near his home. He called on the pastor of the old fashioned church and told him of his desire.

My dear man said the pastor with a touch of aloofness. I do not think you will be happy here though I appreciate your good intention. Really you would be most uncomfortable among my people and I am afraid it would be quite embarrassing to you and perhaps to them. I suggest you think it over and meditate and see if God does not give you some direction.

A week later, the old Negro met the pastor on the street, stopped him and said, Reverend, I took your advice and prayed and meditated and finally God sent me a message. He said I should not bother any more trying to join your church. He said that He hād been trying to get in there Himself for years without success.

You may ask where i am now and how i can meet you now.

But I am within your heart and we can meet whenever you sincerely want me


A BEAUTIFUL SONG  DEPICTING THE SAME BY BAHADUR SHAW JAFER

TUM SE HAMNE DIL KO LAGAAYA, JO KUCH HAI, SO TU HI HAI.

EK TUJHKO APNA PAAYA, JO KUCH HAI, SO TU HI HAI.


SAB KE MAKAM DIL KA MAKIM TU, KAUN SA DIL HAI JISME NAHIN TU.

HAR EK DIL MEIN TU HI SAMAAYA, JO KUCH HAI, SO TU HI HAI.

KYA MALAYAA, KYA KRISTAN, KYA HINDU, KYA MUSSALMAN,

JAISA CHAAHA SAB KO BANAAYA, JO KUCH HAI, SO TU HI HAI.

KAABA MEIN KYA, DEVAL MEIN KYA, TERI PARASTHISH HOGI SAB JAAN.

SABNE TUJHKO SIR HAI JHUKAAYA, JO KUCH HAI, SO TU HI HAI.

ARSH SE LEKAR FARSH JAMEEN TAK, AUR JAMEEN SE ARSH BAREEN TAK,

JAHAN BHI DEKHA TU HI NAJAR AAYA, JO KUCH HAI SO TU HI HAI.

SOCHA SAMJHA, DEKHA BHALA, TUJH JAISA KOI NAJAR NA AAYA.

AB YE SAMAJH ‘SADHU’ MEIN AAYA, JO KUCH HAI, SO TU HI HAI.

The house with the golden windows

The little girl lived in a small, very simple, poor house on a hill and as she grew she would play in the small garden and as she grew she was able to see over the garden fence and across the valley to a wonderful house high on the hill – and this house had golden windows, so golden and shining that the little girl would dream of how magic it would be to grow up and live in a house with golden windows instead of an ordinary house like hers.

And although she loved her parents and her family, she yearned to live in such a golden house and dreamed all day about how wonderful and exciting it must feel to live there.

When she got to an age where she gained enough skill and sensibility to go outside her garden fence, she asked her mother is she could go for a bike ride outside the gate and down the lane. After pleading with her, her mother finally allowed her to go, insisting that she kept close to the house and didn’t wander too far. The day was beautiful and the little girl knew exactly where she was heading! Down the lane and across the valley, she rode her bike until she got to the gate of the golden house across on the other hill.

As she dismounted her bike and lent it against the gate post, she focused on the path that lead to the house and then on the house itself…and was so disappointed as she realized all the windows were plain and rather dirty, reflecting nothing other than the sad neglect of the house that stood derelict.

So sad she didn’t go any further and turned, heart broken as she remounted her bike … As she glanced up she saw a sight to amaze her…there across the way on her side of the valley was a little house and its windows glistened golden …as the sun shone on her little home.

She realized that she had been living in her golden house and all the love and care she found there was what made her home the ‘golden house’. Everything she dreamed was right there in front of her nose!

Remember those who serve

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10 year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. "How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked. "50¢," replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.

"Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired. By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient. "35¢!" she brusquely replied.\

The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left.

When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies. You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip!

The Law Of Attraction

The Law Of Attraction
Follow my videos on vodpod

Taming the tongue

Once upon a time an old man spread rumors that his neighbor was a thief. As a result, the young man was arrested. Days later the young man was proved innocent. After having been released he sued the old man for wrongly accusing him.

In court the old man told the Judge: 'They were just comments, didn't harm anyone.'

The judge, before passing sentence on the case, told the old man:

'Write all the things you said about him on a piece of paper. Cut them up and on the way home throw the pieces of paper out. Tomorrow, come back to hear the sentence.'

The next day, the judge told the old man: 'Before receiving the sentence, you will have to go out and gather all the pieces of paper that you threw out yesterday.'

The old man said: 'I can't do that! The wind spread them and I won't know where to find them.'

The judge then replied: 'In the same way, simple comments may destroy the honour of a man to such an extent that one is not able to fix it. If you can't speak well of someone, rather don't say anything.'



Let's all be masters of our mouths, so that we won't be slaves of our words.

Nothing is lost until you say it is.

Two frogs accidentally fell into a huge, tall bowl of cream that was kept in the floor of a restaurant. For a long time, the frogs tried helplessly jumping out of the bowl, however it was impossible for them to jump that high while swimming in the viscous, slippery cream.

Finally, the first frog said "I have tried enough. I have thought about the situation - there is no way out. We are going to die. I am going to stop struggling as it of no use. I suggest you give up too.” It gave up the struggle, became fully submerged in the cream, and soon died. 

The second frog said "I cannot see a way out of this this moment. I am however going to attempt getting out until I exhaust the last ounce of energy in my body". The second frog kept on paddling and trying to jump out of the bowl of cream.

After a couple of hours, the cream started to solidify, and it became easier and easier for the frog to swim in it. The frog's continuos paddling was starting to churn the cream into butter!! With little more effort, the frog was able to jump out, while sitting on the butter that had now completely solidified!

Moral of the story:

1) Your future may not appear bright today. You may not be able to see the light in the end of your tunnel yet. Don't lose hope too soon. Things will change for the better.

2) Give up your anxiety, fear and worry, and stay positive. Put your 100% attention to the tasks that you have currently undertaken. Things will work itself out.

3) Do not listen to the people who ask you to give up on your dreams. Listen to your inner voice instead.

4) You may be very close to success and yet not know it. Don't give up.

5) Nothing is lost until you say it is.

I AM THAT

Tatwamasi

A highly successful businessman in his late eighties, was on his deathbed. Some of his family members and close employees gathered together and came to meet him. They asked him “Sir, tell us about what you have learnt about life and business”.

The old man said :

"I was very fortunate and did very well in my early years. By my late thirties, I had built a vast business empire. At that time , I was disillusioned to think that I was the real estate that I owned, the businesses that I ran, the bank balance I had, and the exotic fleet of cars I owned and proudly drove. I could not think of myself being separate from my wealth.

Then the great depression came, and most of my fortune was wiped out in just a matter of months. I was completely disheartened - for a while it felt as if I had died. I had to begin the business again from scratch. For a few years I struggled, and then business improved slowly. In another decade, I built my entire business again, piece by piece, just like it was before the depression. And then in a few more years, things really took off, and my net-worth became twice of what it was before the depression.

It is when I lost everything and then built it up again that I came to the deep realization that I was not my bank balance, my businesses, and all my prosperity. Rather, I am that invisible force - the power that creates all the wealth outside, at my will. Although the external prosperity could be taken away in no time, the real me, that magical, creative force, can never be taken away from me, simply because I AM THAT (force)"

Story of Appreciation...

One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a big company. He passed the first interview; the director did the last interview, made the last decision.

The director discovered from the CV, that the youth's academic result is excellent all the way, from the secondary school until the postgraduate research, never was a year he did not score.

The director asked, "Did you obtain any scholarship in school?" and the youth answered "none".

The director asked, Is it your father who paid for your school fees?" the youth answered, my father passed away when I was one year old, it is my mother who paid for my school fees.

The director asked, Where did your mother work?" the youth answered, my mother worked as a cloth cleaner.

The director requested the youth to show his hand, the youth showed a pair of hand that were smooth and perfect to the director. The director asked, Did you ever help your mother wash the clothes before?"

The youth answered, never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books, furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me. The director said, I have a request, when you go back today, go and help to clean your mother's hand, and then see me tomorrow morning.

The youth felt that as the chance of landing the job is high, when he went back, he happily wanted to clean his mother's hand, his mother felt strange, happy but mixed with fear, she showed her hands to the kid.

The youth cleaned his mother's hand slowly, his tears dropped down as he did that. It is the first time he found his mother's hands so wrinkled, and there are so many bruises in her hand. Some bruises incite pains so strong that shiver his mother's body when cleaned with water.

This is the first time the youth realized and experienced that it is this pair of hand that washed the cloth everyday to earn him the school fees, the bruises in the mother's hand is the price that the mother paid for his graduation and academic excellence and probably his future.

After finishing the cleaning of his mother hand, the youth quietly cleaned all remaining clothes for his mother. That night, mother and son talked for a very long time.

Next morning, the youth went to the director's office. The director noticed the tear in the youth's eye, asked: Can you tell what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?"

The youth answered, I cleaned my mother's hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes'

The director asked, please tell me your feeling."

The youth said:

Number 1, I knew what is appreciation, without my mother, there would not be the success for me today.

Number 2, I knew how to work together with my mother, then only I can realize how difficult and tough to get something done.

Number 3, I knew the importance and value of family relationship.

The director said, " This is what I am asking, I want to recruit a person that can appreciate the help of other, a person that knew the suffering of others to get thing done, and a person that would not put money as his only goal in life to be my manager. You are hired.

Later on, this young person worked very hard, and received the respect of his subordinates, every employee worked diligently and in a team, the company's result improved tremendously.

A child who had been protected and habitually given whatever he wanted developes "entitlement mentality" and always puts himself first. He is ignorant of his parent's effort. When he starts working, he assumes every people must listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never know the suffering of his employees and always blame others. For this kind of people can have good result, may be successful for a while, but eventually would not feel sense of achievement, he will grumble and full of hatred and fight for more. If we are this kind of protective parents, do we love the kid or destroy the kid?

You can let your kid live in a big house, eat a good meal, learn piano, watch a big screen TV. But when you are cutting grass, please let them experience it. After a meal, let them wash their plate and bowl together with their brothers and sisters. It is not because you do not have money to hire a maid, but it is because you want to love them in a right way. You wantthem to understand, no matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair will grow grey, same as the mother of that young person.

The most important thing is your kid has to learn how to appreciate

Wonderful Story...."LOVE"

A woman came out of her house and saw 3 old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them. She said "I don't think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat."

"Is the man of the house home?", they asked.

"No", she replied. "He's out."

"Then we cannot come in", they replied.

In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened.
"Go tell them I am home and invite them in!"

The woman went out and invited the men in"

"We do not go into a House together," they replied.

"Why is that?" she asked.

One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth," he said pointing to one of his friends, and said pointing to another one, "He is Success, and I am Love." Then he added, "Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home."

The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed. "How nice!!", he said. "Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth!"

His wife disagreed. "My dear, why don't we invite Success?"

Their daughter-in- law was listening from the other corner of the house. She jumped in with her own suggestion: "Would it not be better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love!"

"Let us heed our daughter-in- law's advice," said the husband to his wife.

"Go out and invite Love to be our guest."

The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, "Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest."

Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other 2 also got up and followed him. Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success: "I only invited Love, Why are you coming in?"

The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or Success, the other two of us would've stayed out, but since you invited Love, wherever He goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success!!!!! !"

this is a new version, thought of sharing with u all, i know you might have read it.

Timeless Lessons From the 7 Principles of the Eagle

This topic is hot and has great life-changing impact. It seems the lessons from the 7 principles of the eagles is timeless. What are these principles that makes the eagle so special. What lessons can we derive from them.

1. The Eagle Flies At High Altitude And It does Alone. This is an amazing principle of the eagle which very few people can cope with. The eagle is not found among sparrows or other smaller birds. The eagles flies in altitude only one kind of bird can fly-the eagle. Never with other birds and never in flocks. What is the lesson here? If you ever want to do something great in life, learn to be alone and when you are with people, share your time with people of same ambition and desires.

2. The Eagle Has Strong And Unbelievable Vision: This vision is so sharp to the extent that it can capture objects 5 kilometers from the air. No matter the obstacle, the eagle focus on its prey and does not back out until the prey is captured. Many obstacle will appear to distract you in life. Stay focused and never allow dissenting views and voices to deter you from your vital goals in life.

3. The Eagle Eats Fresh Prey. Vultures can feed on dead animals but not the eagle. The eagle is so choosy and special that it feeds on fresh prey only. What is the import of this principle to you? Stale information will never do you good. Update yourself regularly with fresh information from reliable sources. Research your subject areas and use it for maximum benefit.

4. The Eagle Gets Excited In The Midst Of Storm. Other animals can run from adversity but not the eagle. The eagle loves gathering cloud. In fact, it thrive best in the midst of storm and winds. How often do you allow opposition to discourage you? Learn from the eagle. Use life's storm to be better, wiser, greater, wealthier and healthier. Challenges should be your stepping stone to your success and not to your destruction. Learn to rest and soar during the time of storm in your life. That is the secret of the eagle.

5. The Eagle Tests Before Trusting. There is a saying that says 'trust but verify'. I believe it was coined from the principle of the eagle. This principle is peculiar to the female eagle which subject the male eagle to vigorous testing before allowing the male to mate with her. This principle could be applied in our relationship with others especially when we want to enter one kind of agreement or partnership with others. Test the commitment of people before you trust them with your time and resources.

6. The Eagles Prepares For Training: The male and female eagles takes the baby eagle to a mountain top at high altitude to prepare it for the challenge of flying at great heights. When the baby eagle is released, the free fall at first is frightening but the mother eagle soon come to the rescue and the process is repeated again until the baby eagle can fly alone at high altitude in the manner of the parents. Challenges of life are inevitable. It is a training period for higher responsibilities. The better you are at managing your battles in life, the wiser and more responsible you become. Preparation is vital for future success.

7. When The Eagle Feels Weak, And About To Die, He Retires To A Place Far Away In The Dark. The eagle does this to shed old wind and grow new ones. Stress and fatigue is part of life. There is need to learn how to retire to a quite place for periodic retreat and strategic thinking with planning. The freshness gained from such practice improves productivity and quality of life. It also prolongs life. Take time to refresh. It is an indispensable tool for success and

longevity.

these are time tested lessons. i wish you all take some time off and read the book jonathan livingston seagull by Richard bach

Why do we read Geetha, even if we can't understand a Sanskrit word????

Story:

An old Farmer lived on a farm in the mountains with his young grandson. Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading his Bhagavath Geetha. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to imitate him in every way he could.

One day the grandson asked, "Grandpa! I try to read the Bhagavath Geetha just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Bhagavath Geetha do?"

The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, "Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water."

The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, "You'll have to move a little faster next time," and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead.

The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You're just not trying hard enough," and he went out the door to watch the boy try again.

At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back to the house. The boy again dipped the basket into river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty.

Out of breath, he said, "See Grandpa, it's useless!"

"So you think it is useless?" The old man said, "Look at the basket." The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean, inside and out.

"Son

that's what happens when you read the Bhagavath Geetha. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be changed, inside and out. That is the work of Krishna in our lives."

Lunch With God

A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with a bag of potato chips and a six-pack of root beer and started his journey.

When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old woman. She was sitting in the park, just staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to her and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the old lady looked hungry, so he offered her some chips. She gratefully accepted it and smiled at him.

Her smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered her a root beer. Again, she smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.

As twilight approached, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave; but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old woman, and gave her a hug. She gave him her biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?" He replied, " I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? She's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"

Meanwhile, the old woman, also radiant with joy, returned to her home. Her son was stunned by the look of peace on her face and he asked, "Mother, what did you do today that made you so happy?" She replied! "I ate potato chips in the park with God." However, before her son responded, she added, " You know, he's much younger than I expected."

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of. Which have the potential to turn a life around. People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime! Embrace all equally!

Lessons on Life

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.

When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted. The second son said no it was covered with green buds and full of promise. The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.

The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up. If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.


Moral:

Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest. Don't judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come some time or later

I can sleep when the wind blows

Years ago , a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast.

He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic . They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic , wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops.

As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received A steady stream of refusals.

Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. " Are you a good farm hand?" the farmer asked him. "Well, I can sleep when the wind blows, " answered the little man.

Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, Hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work.

Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!"

The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows ."

Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm.

To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred.

The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down.

Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.

******

When you're prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life?

Story of a Young Boy

It was a normal day. The divine Ganges, as usual, was flowing past the little cottages in Uttarkashi. But for the first time, the disciple of the great master, Sri Tapovanji Maharaj, saw a little excitement in his ever serene and poised guru.

An old devotee, a judge from Lucknow who had known the master for about 30 years, was coming. Since he was an elderly man, the guru told his disciple to receive him and see that all arrangements for his comfort were made.

The old gentleman had a complaint for the master. "Swamiji, my grandson doesn't listen. He smokes, comes home late at night, and has developed a number of vices. Swamiji, I have persuaded him to come with me. I have a feeling that if Swamiji will meet him, he will change."

Swamiji agreed. The boy came. He wouldn't remove his shoes, nor did he prostrate himself. It was an interesting case. How would the master handle him?

Swamiji received him with warmth and asked him, "What movie is going on in town nowadays?" "Do they teach anything in college these days?" With such conversation, the master won the confidence of the boy. When his confidence was captured, Swamiji said, "Leave all pooja and worship for your grandmother. But there is something you can do which is good for your health." The boy was interested. "Keep an alarm clock, and every day set the alarm at 5:00am. Even if you go to sleep late at night, it will be good for you to get up and go for a walk. Find a park 20 minutes away from your house. Sit there for 10 minutes, come back; and then, if you wish, you may go back to sleep."

The boy asked, "What will happen?"

Swamiji said, "Do it for one month. I will tell you after a month."

After a month and a half, a letter came from the old devotee saying that the boy had changed.

The disciple who was none other than Sri Swami Chinmayananda, wondered how this change occurred. After four years when he got a chance to go to Lucknow, he met the totally changed boy and asked him, "What happened?"

The young boy said, "On the first day, I went thinking that the swami must be slightly . . . but he is a nice guy . . . I went to the park, heard the sweet chirping of the birds, saw the beautiful trees, felt the tender breeze - I stayed longer than 10 minutes.

“Next day, again I went because of the lovely memory. I exposed myself to the rising sun, heard the songs of the birds. After a week it was all the same. I was no longer interested. What else could come to my mind except a parade of my past? But when I saw what kind of man I was and what an ugly life I was living as compared to my innocent childhood, I decided to change!”

The boy became spiritual through solitude.

Man when left alone, will become spiritual. Materialism cannot survive when man starts thinking. The secular, the materialistic world, will not allow you to think. Therefore we have radio, television, dance, and so on - all to distract the mind.

Throw yourself into your own company. You are afraid of loneliness because you do not have the courage to meet yourself. When you are alone, you cannot but see the parade of your past - recognize how base your values are. You discover that you have a great image of yourself, but the real you is something else.

Thus, be in your own company! You need not search for God. Be with yourself, and you will turn to God!

Story of a Young Boy

It was a normal day. The divine Ganges, as usual, was flowing past the little cottages in Uttarkashi. But for the first time, the disciple of the great master, Sri Tapovanji Maharaj, saw a little excitement in his ever serene and poised guru.

An old devotee, a judge from Lucknow who had known the master for about 30 years, was coming. Since he was an elderly man, the guru told his disciple to receive him and see that all arrangements for his comfort were made.

The old gentleman had a complaint for the master. "Swamiji, my grandson doesn't listen. He smokes, comes home late at night, and has developed a number of vices. Swamiji, I have persuaded him to come with me. I have a feeling that if Swamiji will meet him, he will change."

Swamiji agreed. The boy came. He wouldn't remove his shoes, nor did he prostrate himself. It was an interesting case. How would the master handle him?

Swamiji received him with warmth and asked him, "What movie is going on in town nowadays?" "Do they teach anything in college these days?" With such conversation, the master won the confidence of the boy. When his confidence was captured, Swamiji said, "Leave all pooja and worship for your grandmother. But there is something you can do which is good for your health." The boy was interested. "Keep an alarm clock, and every day set the alarm at 5:00am. Even if you go to sleep late at night, it will be good for you to get up and go for a walk. Find a park 20 minutes away from your house. Sit there for 10 minutes, come back; and then, if you wish, you may go back to sleep."

The boy asked, "What will happen?"

Swamiji said, "Do it for one month. I will tell you after a month."

After a month and a half, a letter came from the old devotee saying that the boy had changed.

The disciple who was none other than Sri Swami Chinmayananda, wondered how this change occurred. After four years when he got a chance to go to Lucknow, he met the totally changed boy and asked him, "What happened?"

The young boy said, "On the first day, I went thinking that the swami must be slightly . . . but he is a nice guy . . . I went to the park, heard the sweet chirping of the birds, saw the beautiful trees, felt the tender breeze - I stayed longer than 10 minutes.

“Next day, again I went because of the lovely memory. I exposed myself to the rising sun, heard the songs of the birds. After a week it was all the same. I was no longer interested. What else could come to my mind except a parade of my past? But when I saw what kind of man I was and what an ugly life I was living as compared to my innocent childhood, I decided to change!”

The boy became spiritual through solitude.

Man when left alone, will become spiritual. Materialism cannot survive when man starts thinking. The secular, the materialistic world, will not allow you to think. Therefore we have radio, television, dance, and so on - all to distract the mind.

Throw yourself into your own company. You are afraid of loneliness because you do not have the courage to meet yourself. When you are alone, you cannot but see the parade of your past - recognize how base your values are. You discover that you have a great image of yourself, but the real you is something else.

Thus, be in your own company! You need not search for God. Be with yourself, and you will turn to God!