Thus 'Ticks On' Time endlessly!

“Oh! Dear! It’s Great! Come, walk…. Yes! Yes! one two three…come…. come…. Oh! You have done it!” the Mom screamed out of her excitement.... The one year old little one thus beautifully put his 'First Step' forward with all round watch from his Mom….

"A for Apple, B for............" the Mom was explaining the Alphabets.... The two and half yr Old was repeating the letters / words with broken accent.... 

“Aakash! Wait here and don't go anywhere…. I'll be back in a minute!” ordered the Mom who had to just divert her attention from her little son.... The 7 yr child waited there holding her bag till his Mom returned….

“I want you to learn this…. Now try to repeat it and you soon will be an expert here!” the dad said.... The 12 yr old Aakash repeated that and became conversant with it soon….

“Just go and get these items from the Market!” the 18 yr old son was instructed....“Dad can I go after 15 minutes?  The Match is going to end now!” pleaded the Cricket Fan son....

“We are going out…. Are you coming?’ the 23 yr grown-up son was asked…. “No, Mom and Dad! you go ahead…. My friends are coming home… We've planned…..” mustered certain courage and hinted his interest the grown up young man....

“Should we look into any issues of yours?” the 28 old son was enquired....  “Nope…. I am OK! Dad….. Let me see!” was the brief answer of the son who was making terms with a personal issue of his life....

“How is the job going on?…. Any issues?” the son of mid thirties was enquired.... “It’s OK, Dad….. Too much pressure…. Some issues are there…. I think I can manage!” was the quick answer from the Manager turned son....

Soon, the 45 old matured son was heard talking to a Colleague…. “My father, will not understand all this… I have to help him out in teaching the fundamentals and make him accustomed to these Computers a little so that he can spend sometime daily browsing……”

In his early fifties, heard the same man of all responsibilities around saying to some one…. “Mom needs some help to walk a few yards daily in our Compound Yard…. I just have to guide her so that she will have her evening breeze for a while and thus can relax herself…. And I purchased the latest Tablet for dad.... I need to make him learn the Operation.... It's already 5 PM.... See you tomorrow!”

Choice-less Actions….

“I don’t know in which direction I should act…. If I am taking care in one direction, certain problems I foresee…. Leaving that path, if I stick to another route, there are other problems…. If I simply stop doing all these, it is still a bigger problem.... I am confused on how to go ahead in my situation…. I need some advice!”

“Dear! You have presently certain basic issues in front of you, the issues surely have to be resolved at any cost and here keeping quite is never the right way…. Further, it is doubtless to say that these issues have to be resolved to the best of your abilities too….

In the first instance, I advise you not to decide your actions at the back of such a confused mind presently with you....,  A confused mind or an agitated mind never can perceive the right actions of life…. The best way here is to sit in a corner and ponder over for a while with a sincere question pointed at you alone…. Why am I here in this situation at this point of time?

If I spend a little time thus, it will be quickly evident to me that I am in this situation today, because I constantly deviated from my ‘Right Actions’ over a long period and it is high time I stop deviating thus and start living in the right way….

And that right way forever is…. Constantly remembering the 'Original Purpose' of all my actions; the more deeper I can perceive this 'Original Requirement'; the better would be the situation.... Thus, it is evident to me that I am for a purpose here this moment at this place…. Why not I start doing that 'Particular Action' straight away let what protests may come from around…. Here, I should manage all these hurdles nicely without yielding and at the same time without arguing on that….

If more protest comes from outside, I should be more strict in sticking to my actions till it is point of balance where in I perceive immediate physical threats…. If physical threats are imminent, let me pause till the threats subside and start actions once again with full vigor…. As I proceed thus in this direction, more and more grip I will have on the situation with every bit of 'Right Action' and soon in time the very initial protestors alone will be appreciating this 'My Royal Path!'

Thus alone you should be progressing in your life, with the discharge of these 'Choice-less Actions' all the time and that way, whatever may be the end result, Peace is sure the Gain!”

Taking Care in the Right Spirit....

A man in his mid forties was an active man.... He was doing well in his job and had a good family life.... He was further managing his finances reasonably good and was active in his investments.... He was ready for any amount of exertion both physical and mental as he had a strong conviction that serving the people involved and working hard in his profession were the best ways of living in the world as then he would be the man of real freedom.... No doubt, he was correct! But there was a problem that was simmering for quite some time for which he could never find a right answer.... His problem was….

• His boss always pointed him out, often thrust more work at him and thus was never satisfied.... 
• His family, often expected him to be giving out and doing more.... 
• His friends and relatives expected him to be more careful and thoughtful in all investments as he was not in pace with his contemporaries.... 

Thus, he was sad….

During this time, once he happened to meet one of his close friends who was a man of certain clarity and who understood life in the right spirit.... Naturally, in the discussions the man came out voluntarily with his problem and further, at the insistence of his friend explained the same in detail…. The friend heard all of that, smiled at him and said, “Dear!  A simple issue which you could have resolved long back and thus could have been at peace all these days, you really missed all these days….” The man looked at his friend unable to understand what he was speaking....

The friend continued….

“Look my dear! You have a life….True life in front…. And you have to live that at Base Level at all costs! That is what Mother Nature expects you to do and that is your bounden duty....  Please live for yourself first at that Base Level, not for anyone else…. Then only for others as per your duty and thus you can really help them.... Further, while discharging your duties, please forever remember that....

• You can do only one work at a time.... 
• You are not working to satisfy the whims and fancies of people with whom you are interacting..... 
• In certain intervals of all your bounden duties, your own take care and relaxation ride over any priority people are talking of....  
• Where, all of you have to share something during discharge of your bounden duties, you are neither less nor a written off personality!” 

While leaving, the friend smiled and quipped, “But, while doing all this, never ascertain your right verbally at anytime as that is not at all required; instead simply live through it, that’s all!”

The man at last found a Right Solution to his Perennial Problem!

It is worth a 'Trial' in this direction!

I heard this story in my childhood.... 

Once a horse race was conducted between two horse owners in a peculiar way, the condition being the owner whose horse loses by trailing behind will get a prize!  May be a peculiar proposal but the problem is how to conduct the race? Both horses do not move at all when the start signal goes! As the organisers were struggling in finding a solution, a wise man gave a suggestion…. Exchange the owners of horses on the horses…. Now the race became practical and there was one winner, the other loser!

The inference here is.... I always want to win and I will do the best under the 'Ownership' feeling!

The same Concept is further stressed here …. 

Give a garden to a man and say that it is not his own, he soon turns that into a graveyard; but give him a graveyard and say that it is his own, he turns it into a garden!

It is right that we have to do the 'Best' all the time, but it is equally known that while doing in this way, we often suffer from the problems of fear, worry, anxiety and tension in us.… To say in simple words….’We are constantly stressed!’  Because of this again the 'Best' from us stops or the 'Quality' waters down.... It is truly a sad state…. Then what is the solution?

Now, for a while, why not we think the other way? i.e., If a garden is given to me, I try to maintain it in the 'Best' possible way and take care.... Here, my energies continuously go in the direction of betterment around instead of destruction and in this process definitely no stress is felt in me most of the time....

The reason behind this gain is the force of the fact in Nature that ‘Nothing belongs to me!’  As I am made of belongingness, this disowning is not easy.... But it is worth make a trial of disowning something for some time!

When a miser felt that why not he carry his gold with him when he leaves the world, some one remarked that there is no way as that melts....

The fact is that we cannot carry anything with us.... May be, a few times, what I build or accumulate here will be utilized by my own so called opponent after I leave!

If that is all my hold, why should be I so much determined in calling ‘My own’ all the time, and accumulate every where?

It is said that a cow is worshipped because it gives while living!

And where disowning starts, giving invariably follows....

We embrace Democracy with all jest and shun Dictatorship or Authoritarian Rule, because in Dictatorship the Ownership exists where as in Democracy there is no True Owner!

The understanding should be…. Let my thoughts of doing towards winning, gaining and accumulating be constantly replaced by a single thought of doing the 'Best' in the given situation and lighten the 'Rest' if not zeroed!

This way the Stress is sure 'Out' and Peace is 'In' without a say!  

The Way for Peace in Life is always Unique....'Care for the Other!'

The Epic Story says....

The two Attendants to Lord Vishnu once stopped the Great Sage from entering Vaikuntam, the Abode of the Lord....  The Sage got very angry and cursed both of them forever to be borne on the Earth....  After the Sage left, the Attendants prayed to Lord Vishnu to bless them by reversing the curse.... The Lord said that it would not be possible to do that one hundred percent but offered them a concession as they were the ardent Devotees of the Lord.... The concession was....“You will have eleven births on the Earth, all these lives you will remain as Devotees of mine and come back to me.... Or, you will have three births on the Earth hating me all the time; I will come to you, kill you and take you back....  The choice is yours….”

Without a second thought, the two devoted Attendants opted for the second choice saying that they could not take eleven births on the earth!

This may be a Story from our Sacred Epic but one Truth is evident here Viz.,....That life on Earth is not all that rosy and the highly devoted Attendants too never hesitated hating their own Lord in order to cut down the number of births here... It indirectly means that,  Peace here is highly shaky, never stable and can be lost in no time! And equally, it is my duty forever to see that it would not happen so easily in my life time…. Thus alone, the purpose of living would be met and of course, the 'Rest' is always through the Grace of Lord....

The Peace of my mind stays with me only when I am ready to deny 'myself' a little at every moment…. And the invariable attitude for that to materialize is.... I will always accommodate my next man everywhere as much as possible!

Meaningful Life....

When it is truly understood by me that

• Nothing was great done by me in the past 
• Nothing great can be done by me in the present and 
• Nothing great will be done by me in future.... 

I will straight away start doing ‘The Right' in my life.... Else I can never locate this 'Right!'

What does it mean?

I always have a task in front of me to be done…. And the discharge of my basic responsibility is forever associated with that Work…. It can be a Work that is naturally taken up by me as part of my liking, tradition, unique position, luck or the one taken up for my earning and living….

Let me put a question to myself daily when I begin this very Work….

'Can I do this One in the Right Way?'  

Here, the Right Way is basically nothing but doing the Work for which the job is created in this world or exists by itself…. If this much is done, the best is sure done by me in this life and confidently I can raise my head above all as the Owner of reasonable Peace and Happiness in my life coming up....

The Great Saint had said,

“Whenever we go to a new place on a visit, we first take a lodging accommodation, set up ourselves there and go round the town / city for sight-seeing, as when it becomes dark, we have a place secured for rest and stay in the night…. It should not be the other way…. 'It is already night and I have no place to rest!'  

In the same way, we have to first secure ourselves in life when we start living…. The 'Right Way' of doing our Work is nothing but securing against all future turmoils of life which form the dark part of our life including a few times, the evening of life too!”

Have we surely secured ourselves here?  If not, WHY NOT THIS MOMENT?

The 'Naughty Child'....

### The First Grade child was showing proudly all his Certificates he got till then to the visitor to their house.... The visitor counted the Certificates, smiled, patted him and said, “Oh! You already have six Certificates of yours! Nice….” The little one, wide eyed exclaimed, “No, I have one more Certificate of mine!” The visitor asked curiously, “What is it?” The child replied, “It is my Birth Certificate but dad always keeps it with himself….”

### A father sitting in his car told his 9 yr old son to get down, go and make use of the Rest Room facilities which were a little away and come back....  “Don’t touch any thing there.... It is a nuisance and costs dearly with that hygiene around!” he strictly instructed his son.... The boy finished his work, returned with a beaming face and said, “Dad! I exactly followed your advice and touched only all the points where it is clearly written ‘Touch Free!'"

### An elderly gentleman said to his friend, “I love my grand child very much!” 

The friend said, “What greatness is there in that? Every one likes his / her grand child....”

The elderly with a smile said softly, “There is another reason for that…. See! I have my own personal needs due to my age and the related health problems and whenever we as a family are out, often it becomes difficult to search for the facilities or make others wait for me.... But when I go out along with my grand child, all these are easily available at my convenience as the little one too needs them often!”

###  An elderly man was narrating 'A Life Event' of a well known Personality to his friend.... "This distant Relative of mine, you know.... Got engaged on Monday, married on Tuesday, fell sick on wednesday, died on Thursday and buried on Friday.... The Week days in Order.... I still remember all these Chronological Happenings!"

The 7 yr old grand child with him listening to what his Grand Pa had said, instantly asked him with a big doubt on his face, "Dadaji! I understand, the first two and last two happening immediately but how is that the middle three too happened on the consecutive days?"

###  The Grand Father was out with his one and half yr old Grand child in his Apartment Complex.... The child slowly walked ahead a little distance away from him....

"Dear!  don't go away like that.... Come back" he said controlling the movement of the child....

To his surprise, the child started slowly walking backwards....

Each is a 'Gem' around in his / her 'Own Way!'

A man was a weird personality and that was what everyone around talked of.... He never used to do one work straight…. Further he used to be indisciplined, rough in his dealings and used to cause certain nuisance around…. He was thus branded as an irresponsible and unsocial personality.... And people used to criticize his actions most of the times..... Thus all around him had written him off as not at all a useful Personality at any point of time….

Suddenly, there was a requirement of attending to a person who had become seriously sick and certain Special Works had to be done in respect of the sick man.... The man had to be handled in a way that many around found too sensitive to do....

The so called weird man all the while standing there suddenly asked, “What is the requirement?”

Someone said sarcastically, “What is the use of you asking this question? You cannot do one straight work in normal times.... Can you handle him in this grave situation?”  Rest, all around kept silence showing their concurrence to the sarcastic remark made....

The man without a wait, straight away went to the sick man, started doing that very basic Work which was very much required at that point of time and thus was of a Great Help to the sick man in no time.....

All were aghast with that Work so nicely handled by the written of man which they thought that an experienced man in that line alone could do.... But they conveniently forgot the simple Truth there that for such sensitive works more than experience the 'Will Power' was very much needed....

Observing this Unique Activity, a wise man thought, “God always bestows a Special Capability on each individual that becomes truly useful in times of certain crisis which most of the times never felt at all.... Further, the Almighty always positions all individuals in such a way that the 'Right Help' comes from such a man to the man requiring that 'Help' and nothing less.... And here, all around so well trained by man made mechanisms waiting to help out would never match with that particular individual’s Skill.... A Unique Built-in Mechanism in Nature!" 

The 'Little One' around….

• A child faces the world next through his / her own appearance and expression.... These are original to each child and he / she never modifies the same easily for surroundings except for self protection.... 

• The child is all inquisitive to learn the maximum when he / she thus faces the world.... The opinions / beliefs are the least mostly for existence and he / she is all open to learn from the surroundings through questioning, questioning and only questioning…. Nature is invariably the Right Teacher in this Scenario.... 

• The child never forms opinions about good and bad.... He / she knows only to smile at all around him / her and that smile is a natural outcome of the feeling of Oneness in Nature.... A thief who came to the house to rob, having finished the job by keeping the inmates under threat and was leaving the place, when happened to glance at the child among the inmates, the little one in no time extended a broad smile at him.... 

• The child is amidst various forces around which may be protective or a threat, but moves freely without an iota of knowledge of these beyond except for the immediate need and safety requirements.... 

• The child is the Future Promise to the Nation and would be a Ruler tomorrow at one of the various Levels in the Society around.... And that Future Ruler does the job in front with dedication and love only when he / she as child receives the same from the Caretaker and others at large.... 

So, the next time.... Whatever may be the problems with me / the turmoil in me, however busy I may be and wherever I may be, whenever I come across a child with an explicit innate curiosity, let me spend a moment in reciprocating that through a smile and a wish in my heart for the betterment of the little one in his / her future life and truly speaking out, it costs nothing for me!

What is my 'True Contribution' here?

To a comment that being a Great Personality He was having a small addiction, the Great Saint said, “Let it be there in this life…. Else what is the interest for this body to continue living on this earth?”

That was the 'Simplicity' of the Master who accepted the deficiency in Him ‘AS IS’ never speaking of Himself as great….

The Contemporary Philosopher was approached by his disciples for His acceptance to form an Association of them with He, as the Head but the Great Saint refused permission for the same saying instead of good, evil may prevail around such Associations…. Subsequently, when the disciples had gone ahead with their proposal as their own Right of Expression and formed the Association, He instantly proclaimed, “As the Official Head, I hereby dissolve the Association!”

That was the 'Openness' and 'No Ownership' feeling of the Great Man as he preached the same….

Another Great Personality said…. "If all living beings of the Universe stand in a queue in the descending order as per their skills and strengths, I would like to stand behind the smallest and the weakest….”

That was the 'Humility of Expression' with the Great Man….

When I thus hear about the simple Proclamations and Assertions of the Great People, let it be.... either in accepting their own short comings, showing their 'No Possessive Attitude' or 'Worldly Interest' etc all of them ultimately leading to the Unique Way of expressing the 'Selfless Attitude', let me too contribute 'My Bit' in this direction without an exception and further be ready to do more if possible and thus be 'Blessed' in this life!

The Missing Link in all Welfare Activities....

A king thought thus…

“There is no point in saying that my people in my Kingdom should prosper when I do not allocate money for their welfare and development in sufficient amounts.... There is always a tendency on behalf of Rulers to allocate meager amounts for the welfare and development and expect people to grow and prosper.... This can happen only when the King truly allots a big chunk of budget for these activities.…

But where big amounts are involved, invariably there will be corruption and misuse and these amounts are likely to be diverted into personal pockets unless proper checks are kept on spending and the corrupt Officials are booked in time and punished mercilessly….

The picture thus being crstal clear, I will allocate sizable amounts towards these programs in this year and follow up the spending simultaneously proclaiming stringent punishments for those who try to pocket these funds so that the monies go into the right hands!”

The king discussed the matter with the Minister who cautioned him on the likely failure of the ambitious plan in some quarters even if followed up with all vigor..... The King felt bad for the Minister's pessimistic approach but paying no heed to the advice, simply had gone ahead with his proposal....

Some time had passed....

Slowly, the King noticed that at the back of the whole process, certain groups of people were quite relaxing with the funds released where as certain other groups were starving without any development at their end…. And he could not understand why it happened….

The Minister made some quick enquiries and presented the details to the King.... He said, “Your Highness! All the time, Your Majesty had strictly ensured that huge sums are allocated and no one can pocket the funds; that's all! Here, the funds were available for the Programs and the Officials could not touch them for their personal use as they were strictly monitored for any misuse of these amounts....  In the process, they became dull and took no interest in proper distribution of the funds.... So when the year end approached and they have to tally the accounts through spending, they simply dumped the funds in easy areas close to them on excess welfare and development…. Meaning…. The people in these areas were given everything plenty and thus they started relaxing with the excess.... The groups with meager release of funds were suffering with the shortages as usual…. Your Highness had for gotten to ensure the proper distribution among all which surely needs taking certain definite pains by the Officials and doing the related activities beyond their own self interests and that devotion was missing!”

Where do I stand in this 'Comparative Life?'

A man of mid forties had made many attempts to succeed in few ventures but unfortunately fate never favored him and he miserably failed round the corner….Thus, he had left with no option other than continuing the task with him for his living, was into it and thus leading his life….

On one of the occasions, he happened to meet an old colleague and quickly found that his colleague who was little less than him earlier was doing a better job with more earnings and perks of settlement in life compared to his own.… On a second occasion, he met one of his Assistants in the earlier jobs who happened to be a smart man, changed few jobs quickly and became a Senior Executive in one of the topmost Companies…. Another of his colleagues was found to become in no time, the Managing Director of a Company through higher studies and thus had gone up in his status too fast…..

The most distressing factor was that even a man who was many times written off by his Bosses earlier, found prospering in a different business of his choice doing much better….

As the man compared with these people, he felt miserable and was almost angry in himself that he was the only person who never progressed beyond and stayed with modest growth in his job for almost so many years.... He was thus depressed and was just out of mood…

A well-wisher of him, a man of true wisdom and deep thinking who observed him for a while started questioning him for the apathy he was showing on many issues and taking no interest in the usual activities…At length the man was out….

The well wisher listened to him in full, smiled, patted him and said, “Dear! In this life all cannot be at the so called 'The height' in their lives…. Thus as seen, many are small earners but all these people have one great quality in them…They are fully contented with what they got in life.... It is just a comparative life we are living even though it appears almost real that I lost a fortune in my life… My fortune for a big Earner is peanuts and a fraction of it for a small Earner is a whole time achievement of life…..This is the trick our mind plays on us pressuring us at any level saying that 'You are losing!'

Here, the right way is correcting my wrong actions and be ready to take up any challenge at my level which reasonably is feasible considering my other responsibilities in life and my own temperament…. Ultimately The Almighty has a bigger Plan for me and in that Plan I have a greater Role to play…Thus for ever I should feel happy as I am playing that Role incessantly without wasting my precious time in idling or the so called 'distractive enjoyments and pleasures beyond!’

“If you can do this much and understand this doing, I can say that you as a truly contented man is the biggest achiever in life with peace of mind at the back where the impermanent to certain extent have been replaced by the Permanent!”

Love alone conquers all the hurdles....

A child was temporarily left in the care of a few young well-wishers as the mother had to go on an urgent work for a while.... After sometime, the child started crying and soon it was uncontrollable.... All the young men were trying their best to console and keep the child calm till the mother returns....

One said, “Let us play with the child…. Play is the best for a child!”

The second one said, “More than play, the best method is to divert the child’s attention.... This is a method generally used by many mothers….”

Another said, “Let us move the child out for a little while. Fresh air, openness and coolness will surely calm the child!”

The next person said, “We will put the child to sleep by rocking and singing a song.... My mother always used to do that!”

A dynamic young man said,  "All these methods are doubtful.... Let us communicate to the child directly.... There by the child would be comfortable and crying will simply stop!”

A smiling youth said, “You all have forgotten the most important thing…. The child is hungry.... Have you noticed it? Let us feed the child....”

The last young man said, “Nothing works so easily! The only way to calm down the child is…. Let us go to the child’s level and try to resolve the problem at that level through our simple actions.... When the levels thus match, sure the child responds! I read this technique in some book....”

Thus all of them tried their best to calm down the child.... But Unfortunately, nothing worked.... And some methods appeared working, but failed in no time! Soon all people were helpless...

In the mean time, the mother returned and hearing the cry from a distance itself rushed towards the child, hugged and comforted the little one…. And the child instantly was cool and calm and after a brief rocking by the mother, went to sleep blissfully in no time!

A Comedy of Errors....

###  A serious class was being conducted for the Commerce Students on Stock Markets.... The topic of discussion for the day was IPOs....The Instructor initiated the lecture and just casually asked the class, “Any one knows when a Company goes for an IPO?”

“When the Company funds are mis-used and spent away by the unscrupulous Management beyond a limit, to get the required Working Capital for running the minimum day to day business of the Company in the Financial Year, the Promoters go in for an IPO and raise funds from the public” was the instantaneous answer….

###  The members of a Management Office had a novel idea of improving their image.... Accordingly, a ‘Complaint Box’ was set up in front of their Office with a Caption, 'You are requested to give your Complaints without any hesitation.... We wish to genuinely attend to all of them and give you a trouble free Service!'

In a few days the box was full.... The Committee Members when glanced through the complaints made, soon found that they really had no idea of resolving the different issues brought out for a solution.... To circumvent this deficiency, they had another great idea, “Why not take suggestions from them to correct all these and capture the ideas?”; indeed a clever motive!

Accordingly a 'Suggestion Box' was set up by the side with a Caption, 'Your Valuable Suggestions for improvement are needed!' Next day itself the box was full…. When the Committee Members happily opened the Box, all the suggestions had one common message, 'We suggest change of the present Management!'

###  An Orator was invited to speak on the promotion of a Standard Sanitary Product which essentially was a replica of purity as the Manufacturers' claimed….He was given a paper just to read out as he might not know the subject in detail.... The man kept the same in his pocket, relaxed for a while and approached the dais....

As usual he made his beginning…. “…….Your good health forever is our primary concern.... For the same reason, our Product is made totally in a pure uncontaminated environment where we pay the highest attention for the basic hygiene…. In our ultra clean Laboratories where you do not find a speck of dust, we diligently….” and took out the chit given to him from his pocket and started reading.…"collect the dirty garbage from all the corners, segregate the same into the dry and the wet garbages, keep the dry one in a corner to dispose off at the end of the week, take the wet and further segregate all the green smelly portions…..”

At this point of time, the Manager ran to the dais, pulled the Speaker from there and saved the situation.... On enquiry, it was found that the Speaker carried a similar chit in his pocket to be given to his servant boy in his house before leaving which he forgot to do....

The 'Help' around....

A young man had a tough problem in life.... As he was trying his best to resolve the issue, his elder brother happened to visit him and helped him in that process.... The young man was highly relieved.... Subsequently, he encountered another conflicting issue.... That too had got his brother’s help in time!  Life went on that way and a few years passed by....

Suddenly the young man had the toughest problem with him and he thought that he was gone forever.... But strangely, the brother did not turn up but only made a verbal enquiry in respect of the difficulty the young man encountered.... The young man was really sad and felt that his brother did not really care for him.... He could somehow resolve the issue himself and was recovering from the damage.... After a few weeks, his brother visited him and made a personal enquiry regarding the problem....

The young man was really annoyed.... He straight away shot at him,  “You helped me so nicely on two occasions, what prevented you from coming to my rescue on this occasion which every one around felt as the toughest problem of my life?”

The brother smiled and told him thus, “Dear! You are totally mistaken.... We are only doing our jobs independently all the time and have to continue doing that way only.... Meaning, I never came to you to help you in a special way.... I was continuously doing my duty.... On two occasions, I happened to be with you, on the third; somewhere else....  And when I was with you, I did what was required at that moment; that's all.... Neither less nor more! 

If you truly understand, life is like a journey going on continuously.... Imagine, we are on an urgent errand and are traveling by train.... Suppose on the way, a co-passenger falls sick and the train is to be detained there for some time....   We still whole heartedly extend all our help required in that direction and never think of reaching our destination in time by neglecting the sick passenger!  But at the same time, none of the passengers will get off specially at an intermediate station to help out some one in need on the platform....  In a similar way I was doing my actions all these days and continue to do even now....” 

The young man was taken aback by the openness and clarity of thoughts of his brother!

The 'Tight Rope Walk!'

The Head of the family had a peculiar problem…. When he was authoritative, his family members used to be obedient and follow his advices & instructions but in that scenario he used to feel 'bad'  that he was harsh  to them…. But, the moment he became lenient, there used to be chaos and some order lost and in the process as the Head, he once again needed to correct them…. And that correction invariably used to be again through authority alone…. Thus he was feeling sad and could never understand the right way of action there….

One fine day,  he could no more control the whole within himself and discussed the same with a family friend and an elderly well-wisher and at length sought a right solution to his problem….

The elderly wise man listened to him, smiled and said, “Dear!  I understand your sensitivity here with respect to your family members and how much you love them…. That’s exactly the reason of your predicament at this point of time….” the elderly paused a while and continued….

“See! Whatever may be your reaction, you agree that you have to do the ultimate good to your family and there alone lies your entire gist of action…. This in turn is your bounden duty and law bound responsibility too….

Please try do not act here as if you own your family…. No doubt, it is a difficult job but not an impossible task and if you really mind  freeing yourself from the present turmoil, you should rise and act in the right way….

The members are bound to listen to you if you insist in the right way as that alone is good for them…. But, along with this, your harshness and forceful thrusting may come up without yourself knowing it…. And that should definitely be avoided….

But, if you are lax beyond, your people take it easy and it is never good for them at crucial stages even though  you may well be satisfied and feel that you love your people…. Thus this too should be avoided….

So, your day to day exercise should be….

Hold the reigns and be tough but only for a specific period in a day and when it is time to relax for every one, do not carry over your rule with a feeling in you that you should maintain a distance to do this management…. Here simply be with them and communicate heart to heart…. But your discipline again starts the next day without fail….

Thus, what ever may be your feelings towards your people out of your emotional attachment, managing day to day activities in the right direction has to take place ultimately and any lapse is detrimental to the family welfare and any authority beyond is the cruelty towards the members…. A balanced act alone does good to every one including to yourself too ultimately!”

'Zero' Conflict Zones….

Broadly, all my actions at any point of time of my life towards my people can be grouped into three categories…. 

• Actions which I have to perform without an exception and if I do not do them, never in life can any other substitute action from my side or from others truly make up for the deficiency generated and the regret for ever stays.... Meaning, a life or a few lives involved including mine are once for all permanently get affected or damaged.... All welfare works from my side towards me as well as towards my people come under this category and it is never wisdom on my behalf to say a 'No' to these actions, postpone them or go slow there at any point of time in my life.... 

• Actions which I have to begin with my involvement but gradually and quickly should taper off so that after a while, the people for whom I have initiated these actions will only be doing them all by themselves.... It is basically the responsibility of streamlining the lives of my people and leaving them into the world as the right matured individuals.... 

• The third type actions are those which I need not and should not propose at any point of time or aid myself for the same but totally leave them to my people whatever may be the outcome except for a minor advising here and there.... In case I am pulled into these actions, I should sincerely be trying to come out at the earliest and be off from the scene.... Here the motto is 'Non Intervention' all the time.... 

Thus, if I can truly recognize each of 'my Action' and do that in the way stated, the 'Conflict in my life' is surely minimized or eliminated and my 'Peace of mind' forever stays....

The Sanctity of a strong 'Customer Base'....

A man of mid thirties had worked hard in his own small business he started at a young age after graduation and brought it to a success.... He used to pay utmost attention to his Customers and it became a habit with him.... Day and night, holiday or a working day and ultimately himself well or not well the man used to take certain attention, sincerely answer the Customer, see that his / her immediate need was taken care.... This attitude in him continued without a stop and his business flourished without a let down….

“I am ready to serve my Customer at an extra cost.... If required, I don’t mind spending more than what I receive in the process but want to regain the his / her satisfaction and you know one satisfied Customer brings you ten future Customers….” thus he used to say.... His devotion to Customer was so unique and unmatched that the other Contenders in the field were automatically kept off without a say....

Such a personality too slowly started thinking different…. It happens…. It is said that we are different roughly at every five year stages of life.... Thus, the man of mid thirties as he entered forties, was a dissatisfied man who felt that his ambition in life was different and some how he got into this unending working…. Soon it gained momentum, he could no more control himself and on one of the days met an elderly well-wisher who was known for his wisdom and sincerely sought his advice on winding up the business.... “I want to do some thing extra ordinary in life and that way monies are never a problem with me.... I feel that I got into a wrong line of this business….” said the man....

The elderly looked at him, smiled and said, “My dear! As I know, you are doing an honest business and you are not after money.... Had these not been the reasons with you, I would have straight away told you to pursue what you liked to do.... But you know….” the elderly paused a while and continued, “You have built an Empire in time through your dedication, hard work and with a ‘Never mind attitude....’ The outcome of these three entities is always sacred and that has to be respected for ever.... If you get away from this Empire, soon unscrupulous and money minded people surely occupy the field and instead of devotion and dedication, greed and looting would prevail everywhere which bring in untold miseries and unhappiness all around.... And the Customers here thus suffer and of course at large, the people too....”

“Let me tell you.... Your dissatisfaction should never bring down this Empire!   Let your Customers alone say that they would be happy if you do this.... Till that time what has gained momentum should continue and that way alone you are doing the best in / for your life...” concluded the gentleman....