Value yourself

I read this story last vacation and found it worth sharing.

A famous man entered a seminar hall thronged with large gathering. Before addressing the crowd, he just slipped into his pocket and fished out 500 USD.

He broke the ice with this question “How many of you would want this?”

Expectedly, all the hands from the floor shot up in the air and everyone screamed I want I want……

Then he dropped the note on the floor and tramped it under his foot. He picked up and said again, how many would want this note now?

A good number of hands still remained in the air.

What he did next pinched some of people present there because they thought the man was going to destroy the note.

Now this time he crumpled the note to the extent of tearing and asked again “how many of you would still like this?” surprisingly, he didn’t see any hands going down although they were exhausted.

After a while, the man said “all of us are like the note”.

No matter how hard it was crushed, it still had the same value like the uncrushed ones. Even though the note found its place under the foot, it still didn’t decrease in its significance and sustained its value.

Likewise, we are no different.

Many a times, In the course of making decision and propounding new ideas, we go astray and fall numerous times. In spite of our best effort, we often topple down with indigestible ridicule which almost leaves us hopeless to stand up for next round.

What we should know is; whether we are beaten or jeered at, we still have values like the wrinkled note.

In the end, the man said “never let your yesterday’s disappointment overshadow tomorrows dream”. Everybody gathered in the foyer applauded him in standing ovation for his marvelous lesson.

Do you grumble still....?

If we still growl over recreational facilities accessible around us, it’s high time we regard them with our greatest gratitude.

I sighted these two little boys near public toilet in the heart of Thimphu town. Moved by their improvised way of entertainment, it alerted me to be happy with whatever I play.

They taught me- simplicity is the key to happiness.

The miracle of life

The first time I saw him was in dilapidated tavern which remotely bore a resemblance of brothel with erotic placards hung loosely over the walls. The rusted fan failed to cool the customers and the room gradually teemed up assorted sweats. His deep socketed blood shot eyes and high cheek bones brought me dreadful impression. No doubt, he was no lesser than what I have long before doubted.

I feared the idea of befriending his company. But as a first timer in distant East, I had no other choices than to know him better with each passing day. Somehow, we got linked through our common friends.

Since he was couple of years elder to me, I revered him like I did to my own kin. However, He never revealed his good name and insisted me to call “dost” because he found it cool by that name and I already thought it fool.

Despite his decent status and beautiful quarter to house in, he was not happy. What was going astray wondered me? Although he didn’t make any mention of what was wrong with him, I was confident that it would come unfurling sometime later. Hence I didn’t dare to ask either.

His reckless splurging of money on procuring stuffs and getting stoned everyday gave me no room for going beyond than usual.

How could he be so sumptuous, spending huge amount on something that is of no good to him? In my eyes, I saw him buying early death and living many days at a time. To my dismay, he was even ready to spare his everyday necessities and travel miles in search of doses only to seek fugitive joy.

One time, he toured me around his friends place. They all had one thing in common- a portrait of Bob Marley to which all of them were greatly influenced. Hardly anybody cared for what was there in the dinner. How they were going to get the next stock was their concern.

Sadly, I have watched plenty of the amateurs spewing out what they have just forcefully inhaled in and saw them get tortured like poisoned rats. Only few wise could make their way out of the league. Many morons found it cool like my friend once did and committed every evening simply to power up what they proudly called capacity.

Alas! It paid the final price. Before I could grasp him further, he was fired from job. After that, his presence became extinct.

Intriguingly, a man in whom I saw death once is now living by the high morale. I met him last winter. Eyes which were once blood red became hopeful and life which was once unlit got lighted now. He was refined and had put on lots of weight.

Since his French leave, he had been helping people from all walks of life with his experiences in drugging and extricated many from the dope way. I looked up to his noble deeds with great admiration almost forgetting the wound of his memories.

I offered prayers for his sobriety and way before I could say goodbye, he talked a book “The miracle of life” authored by him.

I am hopeful that the book will hold treasures for those caught in the mesh of addiction and bring miracle like it had to him.

The old man and the sea: A review

What would win- age or experience? Who would rule- man or nature?

Set out in a huge sea, Hemingway’s noble price winner book in literature “The old man and the sea” is a story of willpower and bravery.

Old Santiago, who is optimistic and desperate, is out on fishing for eighty four days but hasn’t caught even a single fish. Battered with mockery, he cruises alone in the sea leaving behind his loyal friend only to test his frail strength.

On eight fifth day of fishing, a giant fish takes up his bait. Challenged by the tireless sea and the giant fish, old Santiago is not spared for his emaciated body rather unmercifully challenged, and exasperated to the extent of yielding in presence of nobody. But thronged with perseverance, the old man endures until the end to emerge as the undisputed champion of the battle.

The story tells us about the man’s resistance to defeat, of hardships and being unflinching in the battle front of life.