Mohan Kabir's musings: At the pointof death, a man called his children a...

Mohan Kabir's musings:  At the pointof death, a man called his children a...:   At the point of death, a man called his children and he advised them to follow his footsteps so that they can have peace of mind in all th...

 

At the point of death, a man called his children and he advised them to follow his footsteps so that they can have peace of mind in all that they do.

 His daughter, Sara, said,

"Daddy, it’s unfortunate you are dying without a penny in your bank..

Other fathers that you tag as being corrupt, thieves of public funds left houses and properties for their children; even this house we live in is a rented apartment..

Sorry, I can't emulate you, just go, let's chart our own course..

 Few moments later, their father gave up the spirit..

 Three years later, Sara went for an interview in a multinational company..

At interview the Chairman of the committee asked,

"Which Smith are you..??"

 Sara replied, "I am Sara Smith. My Dad Tom Smith is now late.."

Chairman cuts in, "O my God, you are Tom Smith's daughter..?"

 He turned to the other members and said, "This Smith man was the one that signed my membership form into the Institute of Administrators and his recommendation earned me where I am today. He did all these free. I didn't even know his address, he never knew me. He just did it for me”

He turned to Sara, "I have no questions for you, consider yourself as having gotten this job, come tomorrow, your letter will be waiting for you”

Sara Smith became the Corporate Affairs Manager of the company with two Cars with Drivers, A duplex attached to the office, and a salary of £1,000,000 per month excluding allowances and other costs.

After two years of working in the company, the MD of the company came from America to announce his intention to resign and needed a replacement. A personality with high integrity was sought after, again the company's Consultant nominated Sara Smith.

In an interview, she was asked the secret of her success,,

With tears, she replied, "My Daddy paved these ways for me. It was after he died that I knew that he was financially poor but stinking rich in integrity, discipline and honesty".

She was asked again, why she is weeping since she is no longer a kid as to miss her dad still after a long time..

She replied, "At the point of death, I insulted my dad for being an honest man of integrity. I hope he will forgive me in his grave now. I didn't work for all these, he did it for me to just walk in".

 So, finally she was asked, "Will you follow your father's footsteps as he requested ?"

And her simple answer was, "l now adore the man, I have a big picture of him in my living room and at the entrance of my house. He deserves whatever I have after God".

 Are you like Tom Smith..?

It pays to build a name, the reward doesn't come quickly but it will come however long it may take and it lasts longer..

Integrity, discipline, self-control and fear of God makes a man wealthy, not the fat bank account..

 .

 

 

 

Mohan Kabir's musings: Reward just to Paint a boat A painter was asked t...

Mohan Kabir's musings:  Reward just to Paint a boat A painter was asked t...:   Reward just to Paint a boat A painter was asked to paint a boat by a rich man. The painter  brought with him paint and brushes and began t...

 Reward just to Paint a boat

A painter was asked to paint a boat by a rich man.

The painter  brought with him paint and brushes and began to paint the boat a bright red, as the owner asked him. While painting, he noticed that there was a small hole in the hull, and quietly repaired it.

When finished painting, he received his money and left. 

The next day, the owner of the boat came to the painter and presented him with a nice cheque, much much higher than the payment for painting. 

The painter was surprised and said "You've already paid me for painting the boat Sir!"

"But this is not for the paint job. It's for having repaired the hole in the boat."

"Ah! But it was such a small service... certainly it's not worth paying me such a high amount for something so insignificant."

"My dear friend, you do not understand. Let me tell you what happened.

When I asked you to paint the boat, I forgot to mention about the hole. When the boat dried, my kids took the boat and went on a fishing trip. They did not know that there was a hole. I was not at home at that time.

When I returned and noticed they had taken the boat, I was desperate because I remembered that the boat had a hole. Imagine my relief and joy when I saw them returning from fishing.

Then, I examined the boat and found that you had repaired the hole! You see, now, what you did? You saved the life of my children! I do not have enough money to pay your 'small' good deed."

Reflection:

So, no matter who, when or how. Just continue to help, sustain, wipe tears, listen attentively and carefully repair all the 'leaks' you find, because you never know when one is in need of us.

You may have repaired numerous 'boat holes' along the way of several people without realizing how many lives you've saved.

Today i did like to take a pause and say a  thank to Everyone who Repaired my boat during these challanging times in every way like Good Wishes, thoughts, love, care & prayers, it made a big difference in my life. 

Thank You

Mohan Kabir's musings: Stand up for what is right, will you...One morning...

Mohan Kabir's musings: Stand up for what is right, will you...One morning...: Stand up for what is right, will you... One morning, when our new teacher of "Introduction to the Rights" entered the classroom, t...

Stand up for what is right, will you...

One morning, when our new teacher of "Introduction to the Rights" entered the classroom, the first thing that he did was to ask the name of a student who was seated on the first bench:

“What is your name?” “My name is Kumar, Sir.” “Leave the classroom, and I don't want to ever see you in my class!”, screamed the unpleasant teacher. Kumar was bewildered. When he got hold of his senses, he got up quickly, collected his belongings and left the classroom.

All were scared and angry, however nobody spoke anything. “Well!”, said the new teacher, “what purpose do the enacted Laws serve...?” We were afraid, but slowly gained confidence and we began to answer his questions.

“So that there is an order in our Society.” “No!”, the teacher answered. “To accomplish them." “No!” “So that the wrong people pay for their actions?” “No...! Is it that nobody knows to answer this question...!?"

“So that there is Justice,” said a girl timidly.

“At last! That’s it...! So that there is justice. And now, what is the use of Justice...?"

All began to feel uneasy by such rude attitude. However, we followed answering: “To safeguard the Human Rights...!" “Well, what more?” asked the teacher. “To differentiate the Right from the Wrong... To Reward the Good...” “Ok, that is not bad; however... Answer this question: Did I act correctly when expelling Kumar from the classroom...?" All were quiet, nobody answered. “I want a Decisive and Unanimous Answer...!” “NO...!" we all replied in unison. “Could you’ll say I committed injustice?” “Yes!”

“And why didn't anybody do anything in that respect? So why do we need Rules and Laws if we don't have the necessary will to practice them? _Each one of you has the obligation of Complaining when you witness an Injustice.

All of you! Do not stay quiet, never again! Go and call Kumar,” he said staring at me.

On that day I received the most practical lesson in my course of Law.

*When we don't Defend our Rights*, we _*lose our Dignity*_ and ~_*Dignity is not Negotiable*_~...

(Read somewhere, source anon)

Mohan Kabir's musings: Weather the stormLife is found to be caught up in...

Mohan Kabir's musings:  Weather the stormLife is found to be caught up in...:   Weather the storm Life is found to be caught up in storms so very often. And you are not yourself when you are in a storm. You don’t know ...

 Weather the storm

Life is found to be caught up in storms so very often. And you are not yourself when you are in a storm. You don’t know what to do. At those moments all your spiritual practices, concepts, ideas and ideals fall apart. Your devotion, your love and all the beautiful things you cherish in your life, simply don’t seem to be there or mean anything. You are under the influence of a big storm. A whirlwind rises in you and throws you off balance.

What do you do? Nothing is helpful. You sit, close your eyes and try to meditate. But the mind is all over the place. You feel as though you are in a burning furnace, and you don’t know how to put the fire out. And the more effort you make to cool it down, and put it out, the more the fire burns, the more the restlessness and agitation increase. You are yourself only between the storms. How many storms rise in your life, and how frequently do they rise? The less frequent they are, the more you are yourself. At those moments you are happy; you are settled. You are calm. Just think of those moments of intense restlessness, agitation and feverishness. The breath becomes heavier. The body becomes unbearable. You are not at all aware of the mind. But that is not what you are. You get a glimpse of the clearness of yourself between two storms. But life seems to be like the ocean – wave after wave lashing you one after another.

This is the only problem. This is the only basic problem in the universe. There is no other problem. You can attach it to one thousand causes or reasons, but the problem is how to free your life from this storm which has gripped it.

The first thing to do is to become aware of this. At that moment, the storm will subside. First, stop regretting things. For no reason, there is turmoil in the mind. When your mind cools down and you experience that inner cool, soft and delicate aspect of yourself, there is a big relief.

No one storm can be there all the time. It is impossible. It comes and subsides.

Your mind is like a wind – a whirlwind, subsiding and cooling down. That is your true nature. That is love. You have been resisting restlessness all this time. Now If you see it is there. Okay, so let it be there. It is a part of nature.’ The storm is also part of nature. Stop resisting the storm. Take it, gulp it in its totality; go deep into it and you will see it is nothing. It is just created out of yourself, your mind and your consciousness. In that aspect of you, you are your Self.

*Know that there is a power, some power; someone who is really caring for you.*

Not just someone there is only One in the whole universe. That One in the universe is caring and taking care of you. You can relax, rest and be peaceful.

There cannot be an ocean without waves. Every event touches life somewhere on its surface. It creates movement. Take all that comes with both your hands. Don’t say that it is impossible or not possible for you. This thought of something being not possible means that you are resisting. This is making the storms stay for long periods. Stand there with your arms open. Say, ‘Whatever storms come, let them, I’m here.’ You grow out of them. You become bigger.

Tell yourself :

“Come what may, there is nothing that can destroy me. It may be excruciatingly painful, but it doesn’t matter. It still cannot destroy or kill me. I am here. I am much, much bigger than all these emotions, commotions or waves. They all rise inside me, in me, and in no way can they destroy me. I will let them be.”

So when a storm arises, just be with it. Do not try to get rid of the storm. Be with it; go into it. And, of course, you have your meditation and spiritual practices to help purify your whole system. It’s such a blessing.

Mohan Kabir's musings: Everyyear Krishna's parents took him to his grand...

Mohan Kabir's musings:  Everyyear Krishna's parents took him to his grand...:   Every year Krishna's parents took him to his grandmother's house for the summer break, and they would return home on the same trai...

 

Every year Krishna's parents took him to his grandmother's house for the summer break, and they would return home on the same train after two weeks.                                         

Then one day Krishna tells his parents:

′′ I'm grown up now, What if I go to grandma's house alone this year???"

After a brief discussion parents agree.

Here they are standing on the train station, greeting him, giving him one last tip through the window, as Krishna continues to repeat:

′′ I know, you've already told me so many times...!"

Train is about to leave and father whispers:

′′ My son, if you suddenly feel bad or scared, this is for you!...... ′

And he slips something into his pocket.

 Now the boy is all alone, sitting on the train, without his parents, for the first time...

He looks at the scenery through the window that scrolls..

Around him strangers hustle, make noise, enter and exit the compartment, he gets that feeling that he is alone.. A person even gives him a sad look...

So this boy is feeling more uncomfortable...

And now he's scared.

He lowers his head, snuggles in a corner of the seat, tears rise to his eyes.

At that point he remembers his father putting something in his pocket.

With a trembling hand he seeks to grop this piece of paper, he opens it:

"Son, don't worry, I am  in the next compartment..."

 This is how it is in life...

When we think we are all by ourselves, we have no one, remember, Cosmic Will has slipped a note into your pocket!  

I AM TRAVELLING WITH YOU, I AM WITHIN YOUR REACH, CALL ON ME...                                

 

Mohan Kabir's musings: A man, who regularly attended family & group mee...

Mohan Kabir's musings:  A man, who regularly attended family & group mee...:   A man, who regularly attended family & group meetings suddenly, without any notice, stopped participating. After a few weeks, one ver...

 A man, who regularly attended family & group meetings suddenly, without any notice, stopped participating. After a few weeks, one very cold night the leader of that group decided to visit him.

He found the man at home, alone, sitting in front of a fireplace where a bright fire burned.

The man welcomed the leader. There was great calm & silence.

The two men only watched the dancing flames around the logs that crackled in the fireplace.

After a few minutes the leader, without saying a word, examined the logs that formed the fire and selected one of them, glowing most brightly of all, and removed it to the side with a pair of tongs. Then he sat down again.

The host was paying attention to everything, fascinated. Before long, the lone log’s flame subsided, until there was only a momentary glow and the fire soon went out.

In a short time what was previously bright light and heat had become nothing more than a black dead piece of wood. Very few words had been spoken since the greeting.

Before preparing to leave, the leader picked up the useless piece of wood with the tongs and placed it again in the middle of the fire. Immediately, the piece of wood was rekindled, fuelled by the light and heat of the burning logs around it.

When the leader was about to leave & had reached the door, the host said: ‘Thank you for your visit and for your beautiful lesson. I'll return to the group soon.’

Why is a group important in our lives ?

Very simple:

Because each member that withdraws takes fire and heat from the rest.

It's worth reminding group members that they are a part of the flame.

It's also good to remind us that we are all responsible for keeping each other's flame burning.

And we must promote the union among us so that the fire is really strong, effective & lasting. Keep the fire burning.

THE GROUP IS ALSO A FAMILY

It doesn't matter if sometimes we are bothered by so many messages, quarrels and misunderstandings.

Mohan Kabir's musings: Just stay....be there.....The on-duty nurse took ...

Mohan Kabir's musings:  Just stay....be there.....The on-duty nurse took ...:  Just stay....be there..... The on-duty nurse took the anxious young Army Major to the bedside. "Your son is here," she said softl...

 Just stay....be there.....

The on-duty nurse took the anxious young Army Major to the bedside.

"Your son is here," she said softly, to the old man lying there on the bed. She had to repeat the words several times before the patient's eyes opened. Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young uniformed Major standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand. The Major wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man's limp ones, squeezing a message of love and encouragement. The nurse, observing the touching moments, brought a chair so that the Major could sit beside the bed. "Thank you Ma'am!" a polite acknowledgement followed. All through the night, the young Major sat there in the poorly lit ward, holding the old man's hand and offering him words of love and strength. Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the officer move away and rest awhile. He graciously refused. Whenever the nurse came into the ward, he was oblivious of her and of the night noises of the hospital - the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans of the other patients. Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, only held tightly to his son all through the night. Along towards dawn, the old man died. The Major released the now lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited... Finally, she returned & started to offer words of sympathy, but the Major interrupted her "Who was that man?" he asked. The nurse was startled, "He was your father," she answered. "No, he wasn't," the Major replied. "I never saw him before in my life." "Then why didn't you say something when I took you to him?" "I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his son just wasn't here!" The nurse listened on, confused. "When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me, I stayed." "So then what was the purpose of your visit here, at the hospital, Sir?", the nurse queried of him. "I came here tonight to find a Mr. Vikram Salaria. His son was Killed in J&K last night, and I was sent to inform him." 'But the man whose hand you kept holding whole night was Mr. Vikram Salaria!' They stood in complete silence. There couldn't be anything more assuring for a dying man than his son's hand !!

*The next time someone needs you ... just be there & Just stay !

Mohan Kabir's musings: Are you taking care of yourself!A cobbler lived in...

Mohan Kabir's musings: Are you taking care of yourself!A cobbler lived in...: Are you taking care of yourself! A cobbler lived in a large village and he was the only cobbler in town, so he was responsible for repairing...

Are you taking care of yourself!

A cobbler lived in a large village and he was the only cobbler in town, so he was responsible for repairing the boots of everybody else. However, he didn’t have time to repair his own boots. This wasn’t a problem at first, but over time, his boots began to deteriorate and fall apart. While he worked feverishly on the boots of everyone else, his feet got blisters and he started to limp. His customers started to worry about him, but he reassured them that everything was ok.However, after a few years, the cobbler’s feet were so injured that he could no longer work and no-one’s boots got repaired. As a consequence, soon the entire town started to limp in pain, all because the cobbler never took the time to repair his own boots.

This simple principle is so often disregarded. If you don’t look after yourself, after a while you’ll be no good to anyone else either. Your best intentions will mean nothing and you’ll be unable to do what you’re meant to do. This goes for leaders, social workers, teachers advocates even parents.

If you don’t take the time to care for yourself, no-one else will. Are you taking care of yourself ? Have a good time ahead and kindly take care of yourself.

Mohan Kabir's musings: The Fused Bulb Concept

Mohan Kabir's musings: The Fused Bulb Concept:   Most of us adorn all that we are not , little do we realise how temporary all our costumes are ! A senior executive retired and shifted fr...

The Fused Bulb Concept

 Most of us adorn all that we are not , little do we realise how temporary all our costumes are !

A senior executive retired and shifted from his palatial official quarters to the housing society, where he owned a flat. He considered himself big and never talked to anyone. Even while walking in the society park every evening, he ignored others, looking at them with contempt. One day, it somehow transpired that an elderly person sitting beside him started a conversation, and they continued to meet. Every conversation was mostly a monologue with the retired executive harping on his pet topic, “Nobody can imagine the big post and high position I held before retirement; I came here due to compulsions”; and so on, and the other elderly person used to listen to him quietly. After many days, when the retired executive was inquisitive about others, the elderly listener opened his mouth and said, “After retirement, we are all like fused bulbs. It does not matter what a bulb’s wattage was, how much light or glitter it gave, after it gets fused.” He continued, “I have been living in this society for the last 5 years and have not told anyone that I was a Member of the Parliament for two terms. On your right, over there is Vermaji, who retired as General Manager in Indian Railways. Over there is Singh Saheb, who was a Major General in the Army. That person sitting on the bench in spotless white dress is Mehraji, who was the chief of ISRO before retirement. He hasn’t revealed it to anyone, not even to me, but I know." “All fused bulbs are now the same – whatever itsb wattage was – 0, 10, 40, 60, 100 watts – it doesn’t matter now. Neither does it matter what type of bulb it was before it got fused – LED, CFL, Halogen, Incandescent, fluorescent, or decorative. And that, my friend, applies to you too. The day you understand this, you will find peace and tranquillity even in this housing society.” "The rising sun as well as the setting sun are both beautiful and adorable. But, in reality, the rising sun gets more importance and adoration, and is even worshipped , whereas the setting sun is not given the same reverence. It is better to understand this sooner than later”. Our current designation, title and power are not permanent. Keeping lot of emotions with these things only complicate our life when we lose this one day. Be humble..be nice. Throw away the arrogance. After all people will remember you and not your designation. People do not make friends with Retd IAS, OAS, but how good a person you are. Remember that when the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box.!

Mohan Kabir's musings: The enlightened oneA man once came and spat on Bu...

Mohan Kabir's musings:  The enlightened oneA man once came and spat on Bu...:   The enlightened one A man once came and spat on Buddha’s face. His disciples were enraged. Red hot with anger, Ananda said, “This is too m...

 The enlightened one

A man once came and spat on Buddha’s face. His disciples were enraged.

Red hot with anger, Ananda said, “This is too much! Permit me to show this man what he’s done!’ But Buddha simply wiped his face and said, “Thank you, sir. You created a context in which I could see whether I can still be angry or not. And I’m not, and I’m tremendously happy. You also created a context for Ananda. Now, he can see that he can still be angry. Many thanks, we are grateful! Whenever you can have the urge to spit on someone, you can come to us.’

This was such a shock to the man that he couldn’t believe his ears! He’d expected to anger Buddha, and failed. He couldn’t sleep the entire night. Tossed and turned. The idea haunted him --- his spitting on Buddha remaining as calm as he’d been earlier, as if nothing had happened, wiping his face and thanking him... He remembered the incident again and again. That face. That calm and quiet face, those compassionate eyes. And when Buddha had said thank you, it had not been just a formality, he’d been really grateful with his entire being. So cool, so loving, so compassionate. The man couldn’t forgive himself. What had he done? Spitting on a man like Buddha!

Early the next morning, he rushed back, fell down at Buddha’s feet and said, ‘Forgive me, sir. I couldn’t sleep the whole night.’ Buddha said. ‘Forget it. There is no need to beg forgiveness for something that’s already passed.’ Buddha was sitting on the bank of the Ganges. He said to the man, ‘Look, each moment so much water is flowing down! Twenty-four hours have passed… Why are you still carrying something that no longer exists? Forget it.’

Then Buddha added. ‘And I cannot forgive you because I wasn’t angry with you in the first place. If I had been angry with you in the first place. If you really need forgiveness, ask Ananda. Fall at his feet—he will enjoy it!”

Such is the enlightened behavior of an enlightened human being, who responds to life as it comes, from moment to moment.

Mohan Kabir's musings: Your time will comeAn elephant and a dog became pr...

Mohan Kabir's musings: Your time will comeAn elephant and a dog became pr...: Your time will come An elephant and a dog became pregnant at the same time. Three months down the line the dog gave birth to six puppies. Si...

Your time will come

An elephant and a dog became pregnant at the same time. Three months down the line the dog gave birth to six puppies. Six months later the dog was pregnant again, and nine months on it gave birth to another dozen puppies. The pattern continued.

On the eighteenth month, the dog approached the elephant questioning, _”Are you sure that you are pregnant? We became pregnant on the same date, I have given birth three times to a dozen puppies and they are now grown to become big dogs, yet you are still pregnant. What's going on?” The elephant replied, _” There is something I want you to understand. What I am carrying is not a puppy but an elephant. I only give birth to one in two years. When my baby hits the ground, the earth feels it. When my baby crosses the road, human beings stop and watch in admiration, what I carry draws attention. So what I’m carrying is mighty and great.” Don’t lose faith when you see others receive answers to their prayers. Don’t be envious of others' testimony. If you haven’t received your own blessings, don’t despair. Say to yourself “My time is coming, and when it hits the surface of the earth, people shall yield in admiration.”

Mohan Kabir's musings: It begins with you. Value yourself, than others! I...

Mohan Kabir's musings: It begins with you. Value yourself, than others! I...: It begins with you. Value yourself, than others! If you don't see your worth, you will have people who don't see it either. If you a...