Learning from Stories

Learning form Stories - Deflation

2007-05-16T09:27:00.000+05:30

Once a van got stuck in a underpass. The driver has underestimated the height of the underpass and short of few inches - the stuck van neither moved forward nor backward. Police soon arrived and then engineers were called in - all trying to figure out a way out.

that's when a child, part of the curious onlookers suggested - "why don't you just deflate the tyres" - and lo the van could be moved out of the underpass!

your learnings

Ratnesh Mathur

Calvin's Magic Trick

2007-05-08T16:33:00.000+05:30

This week's story is one of the calvin's comic strip. See if you can come up with atleast three different learnings - remember there is magic inside you!

The Atheist

2007-05-05T11:55:00.000+05:30

An atheist was spending a quiet day fishing when suddenly his boat was attacked by a water monster. In one easy flip, the beast tossed him and his boat at least a hundred feet into the air. The monster then opened its mouth while waiting below to swallow man and boat. As the man sailed head over heels and started to fall towards the open jaws of the ferocious beast he cried out, "Oh, my God! Help me!" Suddenly, the scene froze in place.

As the atheist hung in midair, a booming voice came out of the clouds and said, "I thought you didn't believe in Me!"
"God, come on, give me a break!" the man pleaded, "Just seconds ago I didn't believe in water monsters either!"
"Well," said God, "now that you are a believer you must understand that I won't work miracles to snatch you from certain death in the jaws of the monster, but I can change hearts. What would you have me do?"
The atheist thinks for a minute and then says, "God, please have the Loch Ness Monster believe in You also." God replies, "So be it."

The scene starts in motion again with the atheist falling towards the ravenous jaws of the ferocious beast. Then the Monster folds his claws together and says, "Lord, bless this food You have so graciously provided....."

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

2007-05-04T22:38:00.000+05:30

Mother duck called all her ducklings together just before they were old enough to go out on their own and she spoke, "I have something to tell you"
"What?" they ask, excitedly.

The mother ducks calms them down and tells them, "I am a duck and each
of you is a duck, In addition there are many things for a duck to know
in this life. I've taught you all I can teach except for one thing"

The little ducks are now even more excited, "What, What it is", they
ask.
"Now I want you to listen closely and listen well", she tells them.
"Every day, every hour, indeed every moment of your lives you have a
decision to make. If you don't make it, it will be made for you. Your
decision is this: Do you want to be a duck or a dinner?"

After the mother duck has spoken, the little ducks are hushed and stick
close by her.

Who is right?

2007-05-04T12:34:00.000+05:30

Mullah was invited by a philosopher to share a meal at a local restaurant. The waiter informed that the special of the day was FISH, which was promptly ordered by both.

When the two fishes came, one fish was significantly smaller than the other. Mullah without any hesitation picked up the big one and placed it in his own plate.

Immediately the philosopher gave Mullah a big lecture about social etiquettes, ethics, customs and traditions et al.

When the philosopher was through, Mullah Asked, "So sir, What you would have done?"

"Taken the smaller fish", The philosopher replied matter of factly.

At this Mullah promptly placed the smaller fish in philosopher's plate and said with a gleaming smile, "So, here you are!"

Is there anything to tell?

2007-05-03T12:33:00.000+05:30

A famous story called "The Three Fridays" tells about Mullah Nasrudin going to Friday services. Because he is the religious leader, he was to have prepared a sermon, but he always procrastinates.

This particular Friday, he gets up in front and while stalling for time asks the people, "How many of you know what I'm going to say today?" Of course no one raised a hand because they had no idea. Mullah Nasrudin scoffed and said, "Why should I waste my time on such ignorant people? Go home and come back better prepared next week."

The next Friday rolled around and again Mullah Nasrudin was not prepared. He got up and asked the same question. The people all raised their hands because they did not want to appear stupid. Mullah Nasrudin smiled and said, "Good! Since you all know, then I won't have to tell you. Goodbye. We'll see you when you come back next week?"

The next Friday, the people planned ahead because they did not want Mullah Nasrudin to get away with such a trick. When he asked the question, they looked at each other with knowing looks and half of them raised their hands and half didn't. But again, Mullah Nasrudin got the better of them because he said, "That's wonderful. Those of you who know can tell those who don't know," and he sat down.

A Little poor girl and a Rich man and The Lion or the Fox

2007-05-03T12:32:00.000+05:30

A Little poor girl and a Rich man

As usually, an orphan, a little girl, stood at the street corner begging for food, money or whatever she could get. Now, this girl was wearing very tattered clothes, was dirty and quite disheveled. A well-to-do you man passed that corner without giving the girl a second look. But, when he returned to his expensive home, his happy and comfortable family, and his well-laden dinner table, his thoughts returned to the young orphan. He became very angry with God for allowing such conditions to exist. He reproached God, saying, "How can you let this happen? Why don't you do something to help this girl???" Then he heard God in the depths of his being responding by saying "I did. I created you."

The Lion or the Fox

A man in a forest saw an injured fox. While he was pitying on the fox's condition and chances of survival, he saw a lion make a kill of a deer, eat a part of it and leave a share for the injured fox.

Impressed by 'way of God' - in providing for all - the man too sat down waiting for the God to take care of him.

After days of starving the Man started shouting - "God I thought you were great, that you shall provide for all your children, but I am getting to be disappointed".

At that he heard the God's voice, "Fool, check what you learn from your life - the message was not to copy the fox but to learn from Lion".

What is paradise?

2007-05-02T12:31:00.000+05:30

Has this question ever bothered you? Here are some perspectives

Two people are lost in the desert. They are dying from hunger and thirst. Finally, they come to a high wall. On the other side they can hear the sound of a waterfall and birds singing. Above, they can see the branches of a lush tree extending over the top of the wall. Its fruit look delicious.

One of them manages to climb over the wall and disappears down the other side. The other, instead, returns to the desert to help other lost travelers find their way to the oasis.

What is Buddha?

2007-05-01T12:26:00.000+05:30

A renowned Zen master said that his greatest teaching was this: Buddha is your own mind.

So impressed by how profound this idea was, one monk decided to leave the monastery and retreat to the wilderness to meditate on this insight. There he spent 20 years as a hermit probing the great teaching.

One day he met another monk who was traveling through the forest. Quickly the hermit monk learned that the traveler also had studied under the same Zen master. "Please, tell me what you know of the master's greatest teaching."

The traveler's eyes lit up, "Ah, the master has been very clear about this. He says that his greatest teaching is this: Buddha is NOT your own mind."