(Suggested by Sathyam)
![From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life by [Arthur C. Brooks]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51VCWBdoD5L.jpg)
“To the overachievers, success addicts, and tired strivers who are fairly confident you can’t keep it up forever but will try anyway—this book is for you. Arthur Brooks shows you it’s possible to build a life that really does get better with age.” —Simon Sinek, optimist andauthor of Start with Why and The Infinite Game
“From Strength to Strength is a wise and inspiring guide to reimagining the rest of your life. If you’re a striver tired of striving, this remarkable book is for you.” —Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive, When, and A Whole New Mind
“Brooks appears to have a clear strategy here: first he horrifies you, then he bucks you up. An alternate title for this book could be The Good News About Your Inevitable Decline. Most of us strivers believe we can keep racing until we run out of road. Arthur is trying to save us pain and maximize our contributions to the species. Every ambitious person should read this.” —Dan Harris, author and former ABC News anchor
The story of two Farmers:
Once upon a time,.in a small village lived two poor farmers. They had small piece of land on which they worked hard to take care of their own and their family’s needs.
Suddenly, both of them died on the same day. Yamraj (God of Death) took both of them together to God.
God asked them, ‘What was missing in your life?’
One of the farmers said angrily, ‘You gave me nothing and I lived a very painful life. I had to work in the fields like a bull all my life & whatever I earned had to be spent on just feeding myself & my family. I couldn’t wear good clothes or feed my family good food & whenever I was able to make some extra income, someone would come & take away all. I had nothing left with me.’
After listening to him God again asked, ‘What do you want now? What should I make you in your next life?’
The farmer replied, “God, do something so that I never have to give anything to anyone. I only receive money and things from all sides.’
God said, ‘Ok. You can go now. I will give you the life you have asked for.’
He left.
Now, it was the turn of the other farmer. God asked him, ‘What was missing in your life?’
The farmer, with folded hands said ‘God, You have already given me everything. A good family, some land, plenty of food to eat. I and my family never slept hungry.
There was only one shortcoming in my life which I regretted my whole life & still do today. Sometimes, hungry or thirsty people used to come to my door, to ask for food but I was not able to give them anything as I didn’t have enough to give & they had to return from my door, hungry.’
God asked him, ‘What do you want now? What do you want to be in your next life?’
The farmer pleaded with God, ‘God, do something so that no one will ever go away from my door, thirsty or hungry.’
God said, ‘Ok. You can leave now. You will be given what you asked for.’
Both the farmers were born in the same village on the same day. The farmer who asked only to recieve money from all sides but not give anything to anyone – he became a beggar in the village. Now he didn’t have to give anything to anyone. Anyone who passed by him, used to give him money & things.
Moral: It is often seen that, mostly people always like others’ things more & because of this they are not able to live their life well & are never happy. If you want to live a good life, think good. Do not count just the shortcomings of your life, rather be grateful & enjoy what God has given & serve others, you’ll never lack anything & will ways be happy.
On the other hand, the farmer who didn’t ask God for anything except that there would be never a day when anyone has to leave his house thirsty and hungry – became the richest man of that village.
-Osho
( contributed by Mr Balasunder)
……There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says “Morning, boys. How’s the water?” And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes “What the hell is water?”………
……Here’s another didactic little story. There are these two guys sitting together in a bar in the remote Alaskan wilderness. One of the guys is religious, the other is an atheist, and the two are arguing about the existence of God with that special intensity that comes after about the fourth beer. And the atheist says: “Look, it’s not like I don’t have actual reasons for not believing in God. It’s not like I haven’t ever experimented with the whole God and prayer thing. Just last month I got caught away from the camp in that terrible blizzard, and I was totally lost and I couldn’t see a thing, and it was 50 below, and so I tried it: I fell to my knees in the snow and cried out ‘Oh, God, if there is a God, I’m lost in this blizzard, and I’m gonna die if you don’t help me.’” And now, in the bar, the religious guy looks at the atheist all puzzled. “Well then you must believe now,” he says, “After all, here you are, alive.” The atheist just rolls his eyes. “No, man, all that was was a couple Eskimos happened to come wandering by and showed me the way back to camp.”…..
Continue reading( Parthasarathy introduced to Onetusk by Mr. Maharaja)
Going to office and concentrating on an ordinary job itself becomes tough for most of us when a near and dear one is sick at home. Living with the knowledge that the new born son will never grow up to be a normal human being, continuing to take care of the boy for over four decades can be crushing enough. In addition, attending to wife hit by Parkinson’s disease over two decades ago. Still, achieving eminence in journalism, running a newspaper as an editor, serving as central minister of the country, continuing to produce book after book and deliver public lectures – are by no means ordinary achievements for anybody.
Arun Shourie👇
( Contributed by Mr. Balasundar)
Tagore said: “I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.”
This is the purpose of the religious life to awaken joy through service to and for one another.
Continue reading
“If there is anything in us, it is not our own; it is a gift of God. But if it is a gift of God, then it is entirely a debt one owes to love, that is, to the law of Christ. And if it is a debt owed to love, then I must serve others with it, not myself. Continue reading
And the Lord said to the Rabbi, “Come, I will show you Hell.” They entered a room where a group of people sat around a huge pot of stew. Continue reading
ONE TUSK 