Two minute story: The old fable of the tortoise and the hare

Overconfidence will often be punished by embarrassing failure.

You know the old fable of the tortoise and the hare ...

Once upon a time a tortoise and a hare had an argument about who was faster.

They decided to settle the argument with a race. They agreed on a route and started off the race.

The hare shot ahead and ran briskly for some time. Then, seeing he was far ahead of the tortoise, he thought he’d sit down and rest for a while before continuing the race. He sat down under a tree and soon fell fast asleep.

The tortoise, plodding along, soon overtook him, passed him, crossed the finish line, and won the race.

The hare woke up and realized he’d lost.

Many people will conclude that Slow and Steady win the race. When I read the story, I feel that the real lesson is not about the tortoise at all, it’s about the hare.

The hare made a huge mistake, believing in it's ability but then not actually proving it. In real life, you may have that great skill, one which everyone agrees, but you must still showcase that skill to win the competition.

Moral: Success depends on using your talents, not just having them.

Try to please everybody, and you will please nobody

A merchant along with his son was going to the market on a donkey to sell his wares. On their way, a man passed by them and said, “How can they be so cruel to make the donkey carry both of them.” The merchant heard this and immediately alighted from the donkey, letting his son ride on it. Soon, he came across a group of men, who commented, “See how lazy is that boy, he is letting his father walk while he is riding.” The merchant immediately asked the boy to get off the donkey, and he got on.

They would have walked no further when he saw two women saying to each other that the merchant should feel ashamed to let the boy walked in the hot sun. The merchant got confused and asked the boy to get on the donkey while they went on town.

Later, passers-by scolded them saying they were abusing the donkey by riding on it. Frustrated, both the boy and merchant got off the donkey, cut down a pole, tied the donkey’s feet to the pole, and carried it on their shoulders. Seeing this, people started laughing.

While crossing a bridge, the donkey got one of his feet loose, kicked out, forcing the boy to drop his end of the pole. In the commotion, the donkey feels over the bridge and drowned, and they tied together with its forefeet. A wise man, who was watching all this said, “Try to please everybody, and you will please nobody.”

This life lesson teaches us that even if we encounter criticism that is unfair and spiteful, we should ignore it and do things the way we deem to be correct.

A very short story about four people

This is a very short story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. Everybody said Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it but Nobody realised that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

This is a story about four people named, Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have. 

(Author Unknown)        

A box full of kisses

The story goes back some time ago. 

A man punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree.

Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, “This is for you. Daddy."

The man was embarrassed by his earlier over reaction, but his anger flared again when he found out the box was empty.

He yelled at her, stating, "Don't you know, when you give someone a present, there is supposed to be something inside?"

The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and cried, "Oh, Daddy, it's not empty at all. I blew kisses into the box. They're all for you, Daddy."

The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl and he begged for her forgiveness.

Only a short time later, an accident took the life of the child. It is also told that her father kept that gold box by his bed for many years and whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.

In a very real sense, each one of us, as humans beings, have been given a gold container filled with unconditional love and kisses ... from our children, family members, friends, and God. 

There is simply no other possession, anyone could hold, more precious than this.

A man finds a wallet with R700 in it

A man found a wallet with R700 in it. However, after returning it to the owner, he was accused of stealing 50 rand. 

A man named Steven found a wallet with R700 in it. Some days later, he saw a notice stating that a rich man had lost his wallet and was willing to offer R50 to anyone who returned it.

Steven soon returned it to Henry, the wallet owner who counted the money and accused the man of taking the reward already. According to him, the wallet had R750 when he lost it.

This caused an argument between the two men. Eventually, they headed to court to sort out their differences. They both presented their case before a magistrate judge, with Henry accusing Steven of stealing R50 from the wallet.

Henry concluded by asking the judge to believe his claims, and in response, the judge replied, saying he believed him, leaving Steven devastated.

The judge asked to see the wallet. He then took the wallet from the rich man and handed it to Steven. Confused, Henry asked the judge what he was doing.

The judge looked at the rich man and explained that even though he believes what he said about having R750 in his wallet, the claims would affect his final judgment.

He continued by saying if Henry insists that he had R750 in his wallet, the missing wallet Steven returned must belong to somebody else.

The magistrate also said if Steven was a liar and thief like Henry claimed, he would not have returned the wallet to him in the first place.

By now, Henry was getting agitated by the judge’s approach to the matter. Still, he listened keenly, wondering what would happen next. He hoped the magistrate would rule in his favor.

The judge called Henry and Steven to come closer to him before giving his judgment. The two men were undoubtedly anxious to know their fate.

With both men standing in front of him, the magistrate explained that if the wallet did not belong to Henry, Steven would have to keep the wallet until the actual owner steps forward.

Disappointed by the judgment, Henry asked what would happen to his money. The judge looked at him and sarcastically replied saying:

“Well, we’ll just have to wait until somebody finds your wallet with the R750 in it.”

A Glass of Milk

Once, there was a poor boy who made a living by selling various objects from door to door. This was the way he earned money to pay for his school.

One day, as he was walking from house to house as usual, he felt very hungry and weak. He felt that he couldn't walk even a few steps. He decided to ask for food at a house. He knocked on the door and was stunned to see a beautiful young girl open the door. With much hesitation, he asked the girl for a glass of water.

The young girl understood his condition and offered him a huge glass of milk. With an astonished look, the boy drank the milk very slowly.

"How much do I owe you for this milk?" he asked her.

The girl replied, "I do not want any money for this."

The boy thanked the girl from the bottom of his heart and left the place.

Years passed by. The young girl grew up. In her youth, unfortunately, she fell ill and was diagnosed with the rarest kind of nervous disorder. Many experienced doctors were baffled at her condition, and she was admitted in the city hospital with the most advanced facilities.

Dr. Kevin, a renowned neuro specialist was called in by the hospital to examine her. Even with his extraordinary expertise, Dr. Kevin found the girl's illness very hard to cure. However, with perseverance and hard work that lasted months, he was finally able to get the disease under control. With careful medication and monitoring, the girl was completely cured in the end.

Everyone praised the doctor, but the girl was quite worried about how much the hospital bill would come to. Her family had just a little money kept away in the bank, which was by no means enough to pay for such a long treatment in that reputed hospital.

The girl was given the hospital bill finally. With trembling hands, she opened it. She was stunned to see that the bill had been crossed out and cancelled, and there was a note underneath signed by Dr. Kevin.

"Bill paid years ago with a glass of milk!"

The Two Zebras

Along a beautiful enchanted river path, two zebras walk side by side, enjoying the fresh air and tranquillity of each moment.

They are best friends and have been for many years. Both have taken a different lifestyle approach to the main zebra herd, and choose instead to seek enlightenment.

The path twists a turns matching the river it’s following until it comes to a crossing point. It is here our two zebras must cross the river, wading through the current to the other side.

As they start taking their zebra socks and shoes off, suddenly a lion jumps out from the bushes beside them!

“Excuse me,” asks the Lion politely, “but I’m terribly frightened of the water and fast flowing current, would one of you be able to carry me across.”

Without thought or hesitation one of the zebras tells the lion to climb on his back, and hold on tight. With shoes and socks in one hand and a lion on one of the zebra’s backs, the three wade across the river to the safety of the other side.

The lion thanks the zebra and disappears into the undergrowth. The two zebras look at each other for a moment, then carry on wandering along the path, in silence. Once again enjoying the tranquility of each moment.

It turned out that one of our zebra wasn’t enjoying the moment at all. The zebra who hadn’t picked up the lion was beginning to get himself quite worked up about something. Muttering under his breath as they walked, and the more he muttered under his breath, the more he was getting worked up.

Finally he broke the silence, it was too much for him to bare any longer: “Why did you pick that lion up and allow it to climb on your back, are you insane?” He demanded: “Lions eat us for breakfast, lunch and dinner! What were you thinking?” He raged further.

“Brother,” the second zebra calmly replied, “this happened many many miles back, it was I who carried the lion on my back and it was I who placed him down on the other side, over an hour ago. So why, brother, are you still carrying the lion with you?

Moral of The Story:

We all can become obsessed with thoughts running around in our minds, Letting Go is easy to say but sometimes seemingly so difficult too do. To master this vital skill for happiness requires practice and training of the mind. Seeing how we naturally Let Go of our sense impressions, sound, smells, sights, that we have no interest in, as just one example, helps us see the skills needed to truly Let Go.

Author: Dhamma Tāpasā*(Andrew Hallas)

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Simba, onthou wie jy is...

2012-08-07
Jonathan Jansen

BAIE dankie vir die uitnodiging om by jul witjas-seremonie te praat. As derdejaar-dokters in opleiding staan julle aan die vooraand van diens in een van die opwindendste beroepe. Ek kom ook uit een van die hulpprofessies, onderwys, en net soos maatskaplike werkers en verpleegkundiges het ons nie beroepe gekies om ryk te word nie; maar om ’n verskil te maak in die lewe van diegene wat ons dien.

 
Gister het ek een van die staatshospitale in die township besoek om die hoofde van kliniese dienste te ontmoet. Hulle het klinies depressief gelyk. Hulle werk hard en ten spyte van baie probleme met personeelvoorsiening, toerusting en veiligheid streef hulle daarna om ’n uitstekende diens aan die armste mense in die land te bied. Maar hulle het opgehou om hul werk te geniet en dus is die eerste les wat ek met julle wil deel, dat julle nooit die vreugde moet verloor nie.

 
Een van die grootste probleme in Suid-Afrika is dat ons vergeet het hoe om te lag. Ons is heeltemal te ernstig en ons neem ons lawaaierige politici heeltemal te ernstig op. Lag maak gesond en gee perspektief. En lag neem jou ver buite die grense van jou onmiddellike probleme.Soek daagliks na die wonderlike dinge in die hospitaal wat jou inspireer: die optimisme van siek kinders, grasie van ’n ouer pasiënt en die wonderwerke van tegnologie. Daar is baie om voor dankbaar te wees. Onthou jy is een van ’n handvol jong mense wat by die universiteit met die beste kliniese opleiding in die land sal gradueer.

Die tweede les is: Moet nooit jou passie verloor nie. Die verskil tussen ’n goeie kliniek of skool of maatskappy en ’n slegte een is dat die mense daarin gedryf word deur hul passie om te dien en vasberadenheid om goed te doen. As jy as jong dokter jou passie verloor, sal jou pasiënte dit in jou houding teenoor jou werk opmerk. Passie is aansteeklik, want dit inspireer mense om hul peil te verhoog.

 
My derde les kom uit my gunsteling-toneel in The Lion King. Simba is mismoedig, ’n uitgewekene uit die koninkryk, en vaderloos sedert die dood van sy pa. Hongersnood bedreig die gebied wanneer die droogte voortduur. Skielik verskyn ’n droombeeld van sy pa, Mufasa, in ’n waterpoel. Die Koning van die Leeus uiter die woorde wat my elke keer dat ek dit hoor, ontroer: “Simba, onthou wie jy is.”

Die jong leeu het nodig gehad om te hoor dat hy spesiaal is, dat hy van koninklike bloed kom, en dat hy bestem is om te lei namens die volgelinge onder sy gesag. Daar sal dae kom dat jy twyfel of jy die regte beroepskeuse gemaak het. Pasiënte onder jou sorg gaan sterf. Jy gaan diepe wanhoop en frustrasie ervaar as die mediese voorrade van die staatsdepartement wéér nie daar aankom nie. Die lang ure gaan jou uitmergel en jy kan in die versoeking kom om tou op te gooi. As dit gebeur, wil ek pleit: Onthou wie jy is.

Want jy is nie ’n gewone werker nie. Jy is die volmaakte vakman. Jy staan tussen lewe en dood, gesondheid en siekte, heelword en gebrokenheid.

Ons weet wat die vlak van diens in ons staatshospitale is. Die kultuur van die openbare sektor gaan dreig om jou te oorweldig, om jou genot en passie te vernietig. Maar ek glo in teenkulturele leierskap; die soort leierskap wat die oormag konfronteer en daarbo uitstyg.

 
Moenie soos die vaal mure van jou hospitaal word nie en moet nooit swig voor die negatiwiteit en slagoffersindroom van mense wat al te lank daar is nie. Omring jouself met diegene wat optimisties is en vasberade is om ’n verskil te maak.

 
Want jy is nie ’n slagoffer nie; jy kan ’n verskil maak in ons openbare gesondheidstelsel met jou kliniese vaardighede, jou persoonlike passie en jou gevoel vir die mediese beroep. Voorspoed, my jong dokters, gaan verander die wêreld.

• Prof. Jansen, rektor van die Universiteit van die Vrystaat, het derdejaar- mediese studente
aan Kovsies toegespreek.

[Volksblad]

I am wearing a pair of shoes

I am wearing a pair of shoes.
They are ugly shoes.
Uncomfortable shoes.
I hate my shoes.
Each day I wear them, and each day I wish I had another pair.
Some days my shoes hurt so bad that I do not think I can take another step.
Yet, I continue to wear them.
I get funny looks wearing these shoes.
They are looks of sympathy.
I can tell in other's eyes that they are glad they are my shoes and not theirs.
They never talk about my shoes.
To learn how awful my shoes are might make them uncomfortable.
To truly understand these shoes you must walk in them.
But, once you put them on, you can never take them off.
I now realize that I am not the only one who wears these shoes.
There are many pairs in this world.
Some women are like me and ache daily as they try to walk in them.
Some have learned how to walk in them so that they don't hurt quite so much.
Some have worn the shoes so long that days will go by before they think about how much they hurt.
No woman deserves to wear these shoes.
Yet, because of these shoes I am a stronger woman.
These shoes have given me the strength to face anything.
They have made me who I am.

I will forever walk in the shoes of a woman who has lost a child

Wat het ek verkeerd gedoen om dit te verdien?

"Wat het ek verkeerd gedoen om dit te verdien of hoekom laat die Here toe dat dit met my gebeur?"

Hier is ‘n eenvoudige, maar logiese verduideliking!

‘n Dogter vertel aan haar Ma hoe alles verkeerd gaan in haar lewe. Sy het haar wiskundetoets gedruip, haar kêrel het haar skielik gelos, sy het nie 1ste span vir netbal gekry nie en boonop is haar beste vriendin se pa verplaas en sy gaan dus weg. Haar lewe voel soos een groot gemors!

Terwyl sy vertel is haar Ma besig om ‘n sjokoladekoek te bak. Sy kyk besorg na die dogter en vra of sy nie lus is vir iets lekkers om te eet nie.

“O ja!” sê die dogter, “Ma weet mos ek is mal oor Ma se sjokoladekoek!”

"Hier" sê haar Ma, "kry solank ‘n bietjie van die kookolie." 

"Yuck!" sê die dogter.

'Wat dan van ‘n rou eier?" Vra die Ma.

"Ooooh Gross, Ma!"

"Eet dan solank ‘n bietjie meel of bakpoeier" sê Ma.

"Maaaa! Daai goed is als yucky!"

Haar Ma glimlag stil en sê: "Dis waar, al hierdie bestanddele op hulle eie is glad nie lekker nie, maar wanneer ek dit alles bymekaar sit op die regte manier, maak dit die heerlikste sjokoladekoek! So werk ons God op dieselfde manier. Ons wonder baie kere hoekom sekere goed in ons lewens gebeur, maar wanneer ons God toelaat om dit alles in Sy tyd op Sy manier bymekaar te sit, werk dit altyd ten goede uit as ons bly glo en op Hom vertrou.

Ons moet dus leer om op Hom te vertrou en te glo dat dit alles deel is van Sy plan, om op die ou einde vir ons iets wonderliks te skep, want God se planne is nie ons planne nie, en God se tyd is nie ons tyd nie."

[Klik HIER vir nog inspirasie]

Fable of the porcupine

It was the coldest winter ever. Many animals died because of the cold. The porcupines, realising the situation, decided to group together to keep warm. This way they covered and protected themselves, but the quills of each one wounded their closest companions. After a while, they decided to distance themselves one from the other and they began to die, alone and frozen. So, they had to make a choice: either accept the quills of their companions or disappear from the Earth.

Wisely, they decided to go back to being together. They learned to live with the little wounds caused by the close relationship with their companions in order to receive the warmth that come from the others. This way they were able toe survive.

Moral of the story:

The best relationship is not the one that brings together perfect people, but when everyone learns to live with the imperfections of others and can admire the others person's good qualities.

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