Big Rocks Of Life

One day, an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will never forget. As he stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers he said, Okay, time for a quiz, and he pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouth Mason jar and set it on the table in front of him.
He also produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, is this jar full
Everyone in the class yelled, Yes.
The time management expert replied, Really
He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. He dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks.
He then asked the group once more, Is the jar full
By this time the class was on to him. Probably not, one of them answered.
Good! he replied.
He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all of the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel.
Once more he asked the question, Is this jar full
No! the class shouted.
Once again he said, Good.
Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim.
He looked at the class and asked, What is the point of this illustration
One eager beaver raised his hand and said, The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in it!
No, the speaker replied, that's not the point. The truth is, this illustration teaches us that if you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all.
What are the 'big rocks' in your life, time with your loved ones, your faith, your education, your dreams, a worthy cause, teaching or mentoring others Remember to put these 'big rocks' in first or you'll never get them in at all. So, tonight, or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this short story, ask yourself this question What are the 'big rocks' in my life Then, put those in your jar first.

Why Me? Oh GOD.....Why Me??

Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player was dying of AIDS which he got due to infected blood he received during a heart surgery in 1983. From world over, he received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed:
'Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease'?
To this Arthur Ashe replied:
'The world over --
50 million children start playing tennis,
5 million learn to play tennis,
500,000 learn professional tennis,
50,000 come to the circuit,
5000 reach the grand slam,
50 reach Wimbledon,
4 to semi final,
2 to the finals,
when I was holding a cup I never asked GOD 'Why me?' .....
And today in pain I should not be asking GOD 'Why me?' '

'Happiness keeps you Sweet,
Trials keep you Strong,
Sorrow keeps you Human,
Failure keeps you humble and Success keeps you glowing,
but only Faith & Attitude Keeps you going...

The Road NOT Taken...

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

--Robert Frost

"The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost is a poem that seems simple and direct but actually has a two-fold meaning. Frost lures in the readers with a rhythmic poem that could have a figurative or literal meaning depending upon the reader's assessment.

Literally, "The Road Not Taken" is about a traveler who is walking in the woods and has come upon two roads. The traveler cannot travel both roads and thus must make a decision which one to walk. He evaluates both roads and chooses the road less traveled realizing that he cannot back. The poem ends by the traveler stating that his choosing the road less traveled has made all the difference.

Figuratively, "The Road Not Taken" can be applied to a person's life. The traveler is a person who has two choices, which are represented in the poem by the two roads in the woods. The person takes the time to consider both choices and all sides to them by examining the paths. The traveler cannot come back to the other road and as in life if a choice is made, it is impossible to redo. The person must choose between the choices many make or the choice that few make.

My interpretation of the meaning of the Poem: Life if all about making choice, it offers you options all the time, and it's upto you to choose the path and move on....

Whatever choice you make, will have some influence on your circle of life(s).

Nachiketa - very old story of an obedient Indian child

There is an inspiring story in the Kath Upanishad about a little boy named Nachiketa. He was the son of Udalak rishi. Once Udalak organized a yagna to please the deities. It was customary in those days to donate cows to Brahmins at the end of the yagna. Udalak was a miser and he donated old and weak cows to the Brahmins. None of the cows yielded any milk. This disturbed Nachiketa. He asked his father about it, "Father, to whom would you give me in charity?" This made his father very angry, but he decided not to say anything. When Nachiketa repeated the question, Udalak lost his temper and said, "I give you to Yama (Lord of Death)." Yama is the king of Yamapuri-hell. Hearing this Nachiketa went to Yama's kingdom. It was his father's command. It would not be proper for him to disobey his father. 'I should fulfil his wish,' thought Nachiketa, even if it means leaving home.

However his father realized his mistake and tried to stop him but Nachiketa did not stop. He reached Yama's kingdom and was told by Yama's guards that he had gone out for three days. Nachiketa decided to wait at his doorstep till he returned . He waited for three days. No food, no water. Three fasts ! Yama returned on the fourth day and saw little Nachiketa at his doorstep. He felt pained for keeping a Brahmin waiting without welcoming him, without food and water. It was a sin not to welcome an atithi -guest at the doorstep. He scolded his wife Yami for not welcoming him. Both rushed around the house to serve Nachiketa. One went to fetch water. The other brought a mat for him to sit on. Yama still did not feel completely satisfied in serving him. So he told Nachiketa, " Dear child, I have offended you by keeping you waiting for three days. To wash my sin I request you to ask for three boons."

Then Yama spoke to Nachiketa: "Since thou, an honored guest, you have waited in my house three days unfed, ask of me three boons in return, I shall grant them". Then first he prayed: " Grant to my father peace and to know and welcome me when I return." Yama answered: "Be it so." Nachiketa asked again: " In the Heaven-world there is no fear; there is neither hunger, nor old age, nor fear of death. Reveal to me the sacred fire that leads to Heaven and immortality." Then Yama described the sacred fire- what stones for its altar, and how disposed; and Nachiketa said it over, learning the lesson taught by Yama. Yama spoke again: " I grant thee, furthermore, that this sacred fire be known for ever by thy name; thine is the fire that leads to Heaven, thy second boon."

Nachiketa asked again: " The great mystery of what cometh after death; he is, some say; others say, he is no more. This great doubt I ask thee to resolve." Yama replied: " Even the gods of old knew not this; this is a matter hard to be learnt; ask me any other boon only ask not of death." But Nachiketa insisted to resolve mystery after death and no other boon. Yama explained that the goal of sacred wisdom, of goodly works and faith, is Om! This word is Brahman, the supreme. He who doth comprehend this word, whatever he desires is his.

Thus having learnt the wisdom taught by Yama, and finding Brahman, Nachiketa was freed from death.