Stories with a moral

Find Gold”

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a poor farmer came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the he laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded After the farmer picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained manygold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway.

The farmer learned what many others never understand, that every obstacle, every single crisis, the storms in life and all experiences of adversity present an opportunity for growth.

In life, we are presented with similar obstacles. Whether we blame someone for it and complain about it or like the farmer we take responsibility for it
is a matter of choice.
If we are wise and take up responsibility for the obstacles presented to us,
we are sure to “find gold”
once the obstacle is gone!
.

Sand and Stone. A story of Forgiveness

A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand:
TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE.
They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him. After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone:
TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE.
The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him,
After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why The other friend replied When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it.
LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND ANDTO CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE.
They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them. Send this phrase to the people you'll never forget. It's a short message to let them know that you'll never forget them.
MORAL:
Do not value the THINGS you have in your life..But value WHO you have in your life!.

Your invisible compass

Two friends went out to play golf and were about to tee off, when one noticed that his partner had only one golf ball. "Don't you have at least one other ball in case yours gets lost?" he asked. 

The man replied, "This is a very special golf ball. I won't lose it so I don't need another one." 

His friend looked skeptical. "Really? Well, what happens if you miss your shot and the ball goes in the lake?" 

"That's okay," he replied, "this special golf ball floats. I'll get it back."

"Then what happens if you hit it into the trees and it gets lost among the bushes and shrubs?" 

The other replied, "That's okay too. You see, this special golf ball has a homing beacon. I'll find it – no problem."

"Okay. Let's say our game goes late, the sun goes down, and you slice it off the fairway. What are you going to do then?" 

"No problem, this ball is florescent. I'll be able to see it in the dark." 

His friend seemed convinced. "Wow, where did you get a golf ball like that anyway?" 

"I found it."

Have you ever wished you had a guidance system like that golf ball? Who among us doesn't know how it feels to be lost? And there are many different we ways can get lost. One of my sons, now a young man, spoke with some sadness about his teen-age years. He made some poor choices for a while. That day, while looking back at those difficult years, he commented, "I lost my way." At one time or another we've all lost our way.

Have you ever wished you had a guidance system so that, when you lose your way, you know you won't be lost for long? And the truth is – we do. We each have an inner guidance system, an invisible compass, hidden deep inside. We each have the ability to find the answers we need, to find our way in life when we're lost – to find our way back home.

Life coaches remind us that we are naturally creative, resourceful and whole. Therefore, the best coaches don't give answers. They stimulate our creativity and remind us that we are already resourceful and whole and can come up with solutions ourselves. 

Similarly, we may pay a lot of money for psychological counseling, but, as any good counselor knows, it's not advice most of us require. So a skilled therapist will help us to find the way…by ourselves…back to ourselves. They help us look inside where we will find what guidance we need. 

Call it an inner voice. Call it spiritual guidance. Call it a gift. 

When I've lost my way or when I am confused about a path to take, I remember that mostanswers I need I already possess – deep inside. I am naturally creative, resourceful and whole. If I consult my invisible compass, I'll know what to do. I think that is what author Vernon Howard meant when he said, "Inner guidance is heard like soft music in the night by those who have learned to listen." 

Can you hear the music? Are you learning to listen?

Steve Goodier

Fulfilling A Promise

Ever since the beginning The girl’s family member disagree her relationship with the boy. Saying that because of family background, if she insist of being together with the boy, she’ll suffer for her whole lifetime.

Because of the pressure applied by family members, she frequently quarrel with him. The girl does love the boy, she used to ask him, “How much do you love me?” Because the boy is not good with words, he used to make her angry. With additional comment from her parents, her mood get even worse. 

The boy, has become her “anger releasing target”. And the boy, just silently allowed her to continuously release her anger on him. Read more after the break...

Later, the boy graduated from University. He plan to further study overseas but before he left. He proposed to the girl… ” I, don’t know how to say nice words but I do know that, I love you. If you agree, I am willing to take care of you, the whole life. About your family members, I will work hard to convince them and agree on us.”

“Marry me, will you?”, the girl agreed.

And her parents, looking at the effort shown by the boy, agreed with them. Finally, before the boy go oversea, they are engaged. The girl stay back in the hometown, step into the working society where as the boy continuing his study oversea. They maintained their relationship through telephone and letters. Although time is difficult to get through with, but both of them never give up.

One day, the girl left home for work as usual on her way to the bus stop, a car lose control and knock her down. As she awake from unconsciousness, she saw her parents and realize how seriously she got hurt and how fortunate of her, not to get killed.

Looking at her parents, with their faced got all wet by their tears, she tried to comfort them. But then, she found out that She can’t even spell out a word, she tried her best to make some voice but all she managed, was to breath without any voice. She’s mute. According to the doctor, the injury affected her brain, and that cause her to be mute for the rest of her life. Listening to her parents persuade, but can’t even reply with a single word, the girl collapsed. Throughout the days, others than crying silently, still it is crying.

Later, the girl discharged from hospital. Returning to her home, everything is still like before. Except that the phone ring, has turned into the worst nightmare of hers. Ring after ring, continuously stimulate her, stimulating her pain But she can’t tell the boy. She don’t want to be a burden to him, and wrote him a letter telling him that she no longer want to wait, the relationship between them ended, and even returned him the engagement ring. Facing the letters and telephone from the boy, all she can do, is to allow tears falling from her eyes.

Her father decided to move, after seeing the pain she is suffering. Hoping that she could forget everything and be happier into a new environment, the girl started to learn, slowly picking up sign language and start over again. Also telling herself to forget the boy.

One day, her best friend tell her that the boy’s back. He’s searching all around for her, she asked her best friend not to tell him about her and asked her to tell him to forget her. After that for more than a year there was no news of boy. One day her best friend tells her, that the boy is getting married soon, and passed the Wedding Card to her. She open the card sadly, but she found her name on the card.

The moment she want to ask her best friend, the boy appear in front of her. With an unfamiliar sign language, he told her ”I spent more than a year’s time, to force myself to learn sign language, in order to tell you, I have not forgot our promise, give me an opportunity, let me be your voice. I love you.”
Looking at the slow sign language by the boy, and the engagement ring she gave back to him, She finally smiled.

Moral: Do not be a coward and run away whenever there is a problem, remember that every problem has a solution, never ever break someone’s heart, you may not know when it will happen to you.

...................

Moral: Unlock your Mind...

Houdini was a master magician as well as a fabulous locksmith. He boasted that he could escape from any Jail cell in the World in less than an hour, provided he could go into the celldressed in street clothes. Houdini became very famous. A small town in the British Isles built a new Jail, which they were extremely proud of. They issued Houdini a challenge.

"Come give us a try", they said. Houdini loved the publicity and the money attached with it, so he accepted. The day of the challenge came. By the time Houdini arrived, excitement was at a fever pitch. Houdini rode triumphantly into the town and walked into the cell. He proudly walked into the cell and the Big Iron door was closed. Houdini took off his coat and went to work. Secreted in his belt was a flexible tough and durable ten-inch piece of steel, which he used to work on the lock.
At the end of 15 minutes his confident expression had disappeared. At the end of 30 minutes he was looking confused. At the end of an hour he was drenched in perspiration.

After two hours...Houdini literally collapsed against the door - which opened...! Yes, it had never been locked.........except in his mind........where he viewed it was as firmly locked as if a thousand locksmiths had put their best efforts in making the lock for it. One little push and Houdini could have easily opened the door........ ..But he didn't. 


Many times a little extra push is all you need to open your opportunity door. In the game of life you will discover, as you set your goals and unlock your mind, that the world will unlock its own treasures and rewards to you. Realistically, Most locked doors are in our minds.
Moral: Unlock your Mind...Think Great Thoughts...Do Great Things...
.....

......A mot

A man moved into the small town and bought a little house across the street from the railroad tracks. Every morning he noticed an elderly lady walking along the tracks picking up something and putting it into a bag that she carried. The man got curious about this lady and so he went to the corner "Mom & Pop" grocery story that had been there forever and asked the owner about this lady. "Oh, that's the widow Jacobs. Every day she comes half way across town to pick up the coal that is spilled on the tracks when the early morning train runs through town." "But there hasn't been a steam locomotive using coal on these tracks for years," replied the new resident. "That's right," said the store owner. "When the steam train stopped running, old Mr. Simpson who runs the hardware store was concerned that the Widow Jacobs would no longer have coal to heat and cook with. He knew she was too proud to take charity, so he decided to get up early every morning, take a bag of coal and drop it along the tracks. The Widow Jacobs still thinks the steam train runs by here every morning. I think Old Mr. Simpson has been doing that for about 5 years now. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“There was a rich Jew who never gave alms to the poor or contributed to charitable causes. People in his small village never called him by name. They simply referred to him as The Miser.
One day, a beggar came to the door of The Miser. “Where to you come from?” The Miser asked.
“I live in the village,” answered the beggar.
“Nonsense” cried the Miser. “Everyone in this village knows that I do not support beggars.”
In that same village, there lived a poor shoemaker. He was a most generous man who responded to every person in need and every charitable cause that was brought to his attention. No one was ever turned away empty-handed from his door.
One day The Miser died. The village leaders decided to bury him on the edge of the cemetery. No one mourned his passing. No one followed the funeral procession to the place of burial.
As the days passed, the rabbi heard disturbing news regarding the shoemaker. “He no longer gives alms to the beggars,” complained one man. “He has refused every charity that has approached him,” declared another.
“Has anyone asked about his change?” inquired the rabbi?
“Yes,” replied the first man. “He says that he no longer has money to give away.”
Soon the rabbi called on the shoemaker. “Why have you suddenly ceased giving money toworthy causes?”
Slowly the shoemaker began to speak. “Many years ago, the man who was called The Miser came to me with a huge sum of money and asked me to distribute it to beggars and charities. He made me promise that I would not reveal the source of the money until after he died. Once every month he would visit me secretly and give me additional money to distribute. I became known as a great benefactor even though I never spent a penny of my own money. I am surprised that no one questioned me earlier. How could anyone who earned the wages of a shoemaker give away as much money as I have all these years?”

The rabbi called all the villagers together and told them the story. “The Miser has lived by the Scriptures, keeping his charity a secret,” the rabbi told them. Then they all walked to the grave of The Miser and prayed. Before the rabbi died, he asked to be buried near the fence, next to the grave of the man known as The Miser.

-- Everyone has a thought. Everyone has an idea. Everyone has an opinion. Everyone has asolution. Everyone has a problem… 
____________________________________________________________
This is the story on how some fish living in the ocean debated among them about the “truths of life.”
A Lantern fish who only lives in the depth of the Ocean gave his opinion about the extent of life.

“Life is complete darkness. That is why the Creator has giving us our own light so we can seein the darkness. Thus, we were created to be in the darkness and this is where we will stay.”

A Shark meanwhile disagreed with the Lantern fish’s opinion. Although the Shark was unable to go that deep into the Ocean to meet the Lantern fish; the Shark assumed through the information disseminated by an Octopus; that all Lantern fish are narrow minded.

“Come up here into my territory, and you will see something different, if you live to tell,” was the Shark’s comment.

A Shark has experienced light and also has experienced that there is life above the Ocean. However, a Shark is not into philosophical/religious conversations. A Shark is there to enjoy himself by being feared. There is no time for this sort of talk when he can smell his next prey nearby.

A Dolphin, heard all of these rumors. The Octopus accomplished a great job disseminating the information in all different directions.

The Dolphin had his own opinion. “Life is vast. It is light and darkness. It is water and air. It is fish and human beings with their machines. There is no end to it.”

That mention of “air” was confusing for many fish, for they though that everything that existed was water. As a matter of fact, most fish only had experienced water in their lives but not air.

It was “normal” to believe in water only. That was the common, accepted and respected tradition.
The Dolphin left the scene and started jumping outside the water but the other fish from below were not able to see that far from below.

Every fish gave their own idea to the gossiper Octopus. Every fish has their own opinion, their own “truth.”

A Seagull flying by caught a small fish by diving into the Ocean. That fish was versed in the recent philosophical discussions of life. The Seagull, took its prey to a nearby rock to be devoured.
The fish told the Seagull before his death: “ Now, I understand what the Dolphin said about life… but even more.”


The Seagull replied: “Death brings greater understanding about life,” and swallowed the fish.
............................

TIME - YOUR MOST PRECIOUS RESOURCE

When the angel of death came to Joe Smith, to accompany him to his real home, Joe dismissively responded “I am not ready to die as I have so much left to do. Do you mind coming back later?”

The Angel replied, sorry your time is up and we must leave now.

Joe enquired, “don’t you know who I am? I am Joe Smith, one of the richest men in the world.

The Angel nodded “I know all about you as I do everyone else; now hurry along, Let’s go.”

Joe pleaded; “if I were to give you 10% of my fortune, which is over a billion dollars, will you turn a blind eye and return a year later?”

The Angel shook his head and replied, “you don’t seem to understand Joe. It is time to go”

For the next few moments, Joe tried his best to negotiate with the angel giving away more of his fortune for lesser time. He finally succumbed and offered “if I were to give you all my fortune, which is 10 billion dollars, will you give me 5 minutes so that I can call my wife and children and tell them that I love them? I have never told them this and it is very important to me that they know how I feel about them. I also need to seek forgiveness from 2 people that I have hurt the most. All I ask is 5 minutes!”

The Angel paused and looked at Joe curiously and asked, “how long did it take you to make your 10 billion dollars?”

Joe replied, “30 years my friend – it took me a whole 30 years – it’s a great deal in exchange for 5 minutes, take it – you will never have to work another day in your life. “

The Angel shook his head and said “I really do not understand you human beings! If you are willing to give up 30 years of your lives’ work for 5 minutes, then why did you not make the most of every minute while you had it? How did you value your time? Where were your priorities? Why did you not say or do the things that really mattered?”

The lights went off a second later, Joe was gone. His 10 billion dollars could not buy him the time to do what really mattered.