The Art of Giving

*The Art of Giving

**

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"Rivers do not drink their own water, nor do tree eat their own fruit, nor
do rain clouds eat the grains reared by them.
The wealth of the noble is used solely for the benefit of others? *

*Even after accepting that giving is good and that one must learn to give,
several questions need to be answered.

The first question is 'when should one give*?*'

Yudhisthir asks a beggar seeking alms to come the next day.
On this, Bhim rejoices, that Yudhisthir his brother, has conquered death!
For he is sure that he will be around tomorrow to give. Yudhisthir gets the
message.
One does not know really whether one will be there tomorrow to give!
The time to give therefore is NOW.
**
The next question is 'how much to give?'

One recalls the famous incident from history.
Rana Pratap was reeling after defeat from the Moghals. He had lost his
army , he had lost his wealth , and most important he had lost hope, his
will to fight.
**At that time in his darkest hour , his erstwhile minister Bhamasha came
seeking him and placed his entire fortune
at the disposal of Rana Pratap. With this, Rana Pratap raised an army and
lived to fight another day.
The answer to this question how much to give is " Give as much as you can!

The next question is 'what to give?'

It is not only money that can be given. It could be a flower or even a
smile. It is not how much one gives but how one gives that really matters.
**When you give a smile to a stranger that may be the only good thing
received by him in days and weeks!
"You can give anything but you must give with your heart !

One also needs answer to this question 'whom to give?'
Many times we avoid giving by finding fault with the person who is seeking.
However, being judgmental and rejecting
a person on the presumption that he may not be the most deserving is not
justified.
"Give without being judgmental!"

*Next we have to answer *'How to give*?

*Coming to the manner of giving, one has to ensure **that the receiver does
not feel humiliated, nor the giver feels proud by giving.
**'Let not your left hand know what your right hand gives? **
Charity without publicity and fanfare, is the highest form of charity.* *
'Give quietly !*

*While giving let not the recipient feel small or humiliated. **
After all what we give never really belonged to us.
We come to this world with nothing and will go with nothing.
The thing gifted was only with us for a temporary period.
Why then take pride in giving away something which really did not belong to
us?
*
*Give with grace and with a feeling of gratitude.

What should one feel after giving ?

We all know the story of Eklavya. When Dronacharya asked him for his right
thumb as "Guru = Dakshina".
He unhesitatingly cut off the thumb and gave it to Dronacharya.
There is a little known sequel to this story.. Eklavya was asked whether he
ever regretted the act of giving away his thumb when he was dying.
His reply was "Yes ! I regretted this only once in my life. It was when
Pandavas were coming in to kill Dronacharya
who was broken hearted on the false news of death of his son Ashwathama and
had stopped fighting.
It was then that I regretted the loss of my thumb.
**If the thumb was there, no one could have dared hurt my Guru?
The message to us is clear.
Give and never regret giving !
*
*And the last question is* *' How much should we provide for our heirs ? *

*Ask yourself , 'Are we taking away from them the **"gift of work? - a
source of happiness!' *

*The answer is given by Warren Buffett: "Leave your kids enough to do
anything, but not enough to do nothing!"

I would conclude by saying: let us learn the Art of Giving, and quoting
Sant Kabir:
"When the wealth in the house increases ,
When water fills a boat ,
Throw them out with both hands !

This is the wise thing to do!
*

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ONE BEDROOM FLAT - Written by an Indian Software Engineer ,nice one

ONE BEDROOM FLAT - Written by an Indian Software Engineer

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As the dream of most parents I had acquired a degree in SoftwareEngineer and joined a company based in USA, the land of braves andopportunity. When I arrived in the USA, it was as if a dream had cometrue.

Here at last I was in the place where I want to be. I decided I wouldbe staying in this country for about Five years in which time I wouldhave earned enough money to settle down in India.

My father was a government employee and after his retirement, the only asset he could acquire was a decent one bedroom flat.

I wanted to do some thing more than him. I started feeling homesick andlonely as the time passed. I used to call home and speak to my parentsevery week using cheap international phone cards. Two years passed, twoyears of Burgers at McDonald's and pizzas and discos and 2 yearswatching the foreign exchange rate getting happy whenever the Rupeevalue went down.

Finally I decided to get married. Told my parents that I have only 10days of holidays and everything must be done within these 10 days. Igot my ticket booked in the cheapest flight. Was jubilant and wasactually enjoying hopping for gifts for all my friends back home. If Imiss anyone then there will be talks. After reaching home I spent homeone week going through all the photographs of girls and as the time wasgetting shorter I was forced to select one candidate.

In-laws told me, to my surprise, that I would have to get married in2-3 days, as I will not get anymore holidays. After the marriage, itwas time to return to USA, after giving some money to my parents andtelling the neighbors to look after them, we returned to USA.

My wife enjoyed this country for about two months and then she startedfeeling lonely. The frequency of calling India increased to twice in aweek sometimes 3 times a week. Our savings started diminishing. Aftertwo more years we started to have kids. Two lovely kids, a boy and agirl, were gifted to us by the almighty. Every time I spoke to myparents, they asked me to come to India so that they can see theirgrand-children.

Every year I decide to go to India. But part work part monetaryconditions prevented it. Years went by and visiting India was a distantdream. Then suddenly one day I got a message that my parents wereseriously sick. I tried but I couldn't get any holidays and thus couldnot go to India. The next message I got was my parents had passed awayand as there was no one to do the last rights. The society members haddone whatever they could. I was depressed. My parents had passed awaywithout seeing their grand children.

After couple more years passed away, much to my children's dislike andmy wife's joy we returned to India to settle down. I started to lookfor a suitable property, but to my dismay my savings were short and theproperty prices had gone up during all these years. I had to return tothe USA.

My wife refused to come back with me and my children refused to stay inIndia. My 2 children and I returned to USA after promising my wife thatI would be back for good after two years.

Time passed by, my daughter decided to get married to an American andmy son was happy living in USA. I decided that had enough and wound-upevery thing and returned to India. I had just enough money to buy adecent 02 bedroom flat in a well-developed locality.

Now I am 60 years old and the only time I go out of the flat is for theroutine visit to the nearby temple. My faithful wife has also left meand gone to the holy abode.

Sometimes I wondered was it worth all this? My father, even afterstaying in India, had a house to his name and I too have the samenothing more.

I lost my parents and children for just ONE EXTRA BEDROOM.

Looking out from the window I see a lot of children dancing. Thisdamned cable TV has spoiled our new generation and these children arelosing their values and culture because of it. I get occasional cardsfrom my children asking I am alright. Well at least they remember me.

Now perhaps after I die it will be the neighbors again who will beperforming my last rights, God Bless them. But the question stillremains 'Was all this worth it?'

I am still searching for an answer...... ......... .!!!!

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Life Is Too Short To Waste Time Hating Anyone - Take time and read

Life Is Too Short To Waste Time Hating Anyone - Take time & read

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,

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 the 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 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

BENEFITS IN STONE!!!

They say it takes a

minute to find a special

person, an hour to

appreciate them, a day

to love them, but then

an entire life

to forget them.


Send this phrase to

the people you'll never

forget. If you don't

send it to anyone,

it means you're in a

hurry and that you've

forgotten your friends.

Take the time to live!


Do not value the THINGS

you have in your life. But value

WHO you have in your life!

" Happiness is not something you find, it's something you create…"

'Life Is Too Short To Waste Time Hating Anyone'

 

 

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ten 10 Easy principles of peace of mind.......

1. Do Not Interfere In Others' Business Unless Asked:

Most of us create our own problems by interfering too often in others'affairs. We do so because somehow we have convinced ourselves that ourway is the best way, our logic is the perfect logic and those who donot conform to our thinking must be criticized and steered to the rightdirection, our direction. This thinking denies the existence ofindividuality and consequently the existence of God.. God has createdeach one of us in a unique way.

No two human beings can think or act in exactly the same way. All menor women act the way they do because God within them prompts them thatway. Mind your own business and you will keep your peace.


2. Forgive And Forget:

This is the most powerful aid to peace of mind. We often develop illfeelings inside our heart for the person who insults us or harms us. Wenurture grievances. This in turn results in loss of sleep, developmentof stomach ulcers, and high blood pressure. This insult or injury wasdone once, but nourishing of grievance goes on forever by constantlyremembering it. Get over this bad habit. Life is too short to waste insuch trifles. Forgive,20Forget, and march on. Love flourishes in givingand forgiving.


3. Do Not Crave For Recognition:

This world is full of selfish people. They seldom praise anybodywithout selfish motives. They may praise you today because you are inpower, but no sooner than you are powerless, they will forget yourachievement and will start finding faults in you. Why do you wish tokill yourself in striving for their recognition? Their recognition isnot worth the aggravation. Do your duties ethically and sincerely.


4. Do Not Be Jealous:

We all have experienced how jealousy can disturb our peace of mind. Youknow that you work harder than your colleagues in the office, butsometimes they get promotions; you do not. You started a businessseveral years ago, but you are not as successful as your neighbor whosebusiness is only one year old. There are several examples like these ineveryday life. Should you be jealous? No.

Remember everybody's life is shaped by his/her destiny, which has nowbecome his/her reality. If you are destined to be rich, nothing in theworld can stop you. If you are not so destined, no one can help youeither. Nothing will be gained by blaming others for your misfortune.Jealousy will not get you anywhere; it will only take away your peaceof mind.


5. Change Yourself According To The Environment:

If you try to change the environment single-handedly, the chances areyou will fail. Instead, change yourself to suit your environment. Asyou do this, even the environment, which has been unfriendly to you,will mysteriously change and seem congenial and harmonious.


6. Endure What Cannot Be Cured:

This is the best way to turn a disadvantage into an advantage. Everyday we face numerous inconveniences, ailments, irritations, andaccidents that are beyond our control. If we cannot control them orchange them, we must learn to put up with these things. We must learnto endure them cheerfully. Believe in yourself and you will gain interms of patience, inner strength and will power.


7. Do Not Bite Off More Than You Can Chew:

This maxim needs to be remembered constantly. We often tend to takemore responsibilities than we are capable of carrying out. This is doneto satisfy our ego. Know your limitations. . Why take on additionalloads that may create more worries? You cannot gain peace of mind byexpanding your external activities. Reduce your material engagementsand spend time in prayer, introspection and
meditation. This will reduce those thoughts in your mind that make yourestless. Uncluttered mind will produce greater peace of mind.


8. Meditate Regularly:

Meditation calms the mind and gets rid of disturbing thoughts. This isthe highest state of peace of mind. Try and experience it yourself. Ifyou meditate earnestly for half an hour everyday, your mind will tendto become peaceful during the remaining twenty-three and half-hours.Your mind will not be easily disturbed as it was before.

You would benefit by gradually increasing the period of dailymeditation. You may think that this will interfere with your dailywork. On the contrary, this will increase your efficiency and you willbe able to produce better results in less time.


9. Never Leave The Mind Vacant:

An empty mind is the devil's workshop. All evil actions start in thevacant mind. Keep your mind occupied in something positive, somethingworthwhile. Actively follow a hobby. Do something that holds yourinterest. You must decide what you value more: money or peace of mind.Your hobby, like social work or religious work, may not always earn youmore money, but you will have a sense of fulfillment and achievement.Even when you are resting physically, occupy yourself in healthyreading or mental chanting of God's name.


10. Do Not Procrastinate And Never Regret:

Do not waste time in protracted wondering " Should I or shouldn't I?"Days, weeks, months, and years may be wasted in that futile mentaldebating. You can never plan enough because you can never anticipateall future happenings. Value your time and do the things that need tobe done.

It does not matter if you fail the first time. You can learn from yourmistakes and succeed the next time. Sitting back and worrying will leadto nothing. Learn from your mistakes, but do not brood over the past.DO NOT REGRET. Whatever happened was destined to happen only that way.Why cry over spilt milk?

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