Showing posts with label Decisions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Decisions. Show all posts
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Human Beings and Frogs
Human Beings and frogs are the two creatures in nature who have tremendous power to adjust.
Put a frog in a vessel of water and start heating the water. As the temperature of the water rises, the frog is able to adjust its body temperature accordingly. The frog keeps on adjusting with increase in temperature. Just when the water is about to reach boiling point, the frog is not able to adjust anymore. At that point the frog decides to jump out. The frog tries to jump but is unable to do so, because it lost all its strength in adjusting with the water temperature. Very soon the frog dies.
What killed the frog? Many of us would say the boiling water.
But the truth is what killed the frog was its own inability to decide when it had to jump out.
Final Words:
We all need to adjust with people and situations, but we need to be sure when we need to adjust and when we need to face. There are times when we need to face the situation and take the appropriate action.
If we allow people to exploit us physically, emotionally or financially, they will continue to do so. We have to decide when to jump. Let us jump while we still have the strength!
-- Author Unknown
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Just Decide, Friend
I was waiting to pick up a friend at the airport when I had one of those life changing experiences, the kind that you sometimes hear other people talk about, the kind that sneaks up on you unexpectedly. This one occurred a mere two feet away from me.
As I was straining to locate my friend amongst the line of passengers exiting, I noticed a man coming towards me carrying two light bags. He stopped right next to me to greet his family.
First he motioned to his youngest son (maybe 6 years old) as he laid down his bags. He crouched down and they gave each other a long, loving hug. As they seperated enough to look in each other's face, I heard the father say, "Its too good to see you, son I missed you so much!" His son smiled somewhat shyly, averted his eyes and replied softly,"Me too dad!
Then the man stood up and gazed in the eyes of his oldest son (maybe 9 or 10 years old) and while cupping his son face in his hands said," You are already quite the young man. I love you very much." They too shared a very loving and tender hug.
While this was happining a baby girl was squirming excitedly in her mother's arms, never once taking her little eyes off the wonderful sight of her returning father. The man said "hi baby girl!" as he gently took the child from her mother. He quickly kissed her face all over and then held her close to her chest while rocking her from side to side. The little girl instantly relaxed and simply laid her head on his shoulder, motionless in pure contentment.
After several moments, he handed his daughter to his eldest son and declared, "I have saved the best until last!" and proceeded to give his wife, the longest and most loving kiss I ever remember seeing.
He gazed into her eyes for several seconds and then silently mouthed "I love you so much." They started looking into each others eyes, beaming big smiles at one another, while holding both hands. For an instant they reminded me of newlyweds, but I knew by the age of their kids that they couldn't possibly be.
I puzzled about it for a moment then realized how totally engrossed I was in this wonderful display of unconditional love not more than an arm's lenght away from me. I suddenly felt uncomfortable, as if I was invading something sacred, but was amazed to hear my own voice nervously ask,"Wow! How long have you two been married?" "We've been together 14 years in total and married for 12 of those." he replied, without breaking his gaze from his lovely wife's face."Well then how long have you been away?" I asked. The man finally turned and looked at me, still beaming his smile."Two whole days".
Two days?! I was stunned by the intensity of greeting, I had assumed he had been gone for at least several weeks - If not months. I know my expression betrayed me, I said almost offhandedly, hoping to end my intrusion with some semblance of grace, "I hope my marriage is still that passionate after 12 years!"
The man suddenly stoped smiling and looked straight into my eyes and with forcefulness that burned right into my soul, he said something that just left me a different person. He said, "Don't hope, friend ... Decide!" Then he flashed me his wonderful smile again, shook my hand and said "God Bless!" With that he and his family turned and strode away together.
I was still watching that exceptional man and his special family walking away when my friend came up to me and asked," What are you looking at?" Without hestiating, and a with a curious sense of certainty, I replied, "My future!" "I wish I could be such a wondeful wife of such a wonderful man."
-- Author Unknown
As I was straining to locate my friend amongst the line of passengers exiting, I noticed a man coming towards me carrying two light bags. He stopped right next to me to greet his family.
First he motioned to his youngest son (maybe 6 years old) as he laid down his bags. He crouched down and they gave each other a long, loving hug. As they seperated enough to look in each other's face, I heard the father say, "Its too good to see you, son I missed you so much!" His son smiled somewhat shyly, averted his eyes and replied softly,"Me too dad!
Then the man stood up and gazed in the eyes of his oldest son (maybe 9 or 10 years old) and while cupping his son face in his hands said," You are already quite the young man. I love you very much." They too shared a very loving and tender hug.
While this was happining a baby girl was squirming excitedly in her mother's arms, never once taking her little eyes off the wonderful sight of her returning father. The man said "hi baby girl!" as he gently took the child from her mother. He quickly kissed her face all over and then held her close to her chest while rocking her from side to side. The little girl instantly relaxed and simply laid her head on his shoulder, motionless in pure contentment.
After several moments, he handed his daughter to his eldest son and declared, "I have saved the best until last!" and proceeded to give his wife, the longest and most loving kiss I ever remember seeing.
He gazed into her eyes for several seconds and then silently mouthed "I love you so much." They started looking into each others eyes, beaming big smiles at one another, while holding both hands. For an instant they reminded me of newlyweds, but I knew by the age of their kids that they couldn't possibly be.
I puzzled about it for a moment then realized how totally engrossed I was in this wonderful display of unconditional love not more than an arm's lenght away from me. I suddenly felt uncomfortable, as if I was invading something sacred, but was amazed to hear my own voice nervously ask,"Wow! How long have you two been married?" "We've been together 14 years in total and married for 12 of those." he replied, without breaking his gaze from his lovely wife's face."Well then how long have you been away?" I asked. The man finally turned and looked at me, still beaming his smile."Two whole days".
Two days?! I was stunned by the intensity of greeting, I had assumed he had been gone for at least several weeks - If not months. I know my expression betrayed me, I said almost offhandedly, hoping to end my intrusion with some semblance of grace, "I hope my marriage is still that passionate after 12 years!"
The man suddenly stoped smiling and looked straight into my eyes and with forcefulness that burned right into my soul, he said something that just left me a different person. He said, "Don't hope, friend ... Decide!" Then he flashed me his wonderful smile again, shook my hand and said "God Bless!" With that he and his family turned and strode away together.
I was still watching that exceptional man and his special family walking away when my friend came up to me and asked," What are you looking at?" Without hestiating, and a with a curious sense of certainty, I replied, "My future!" "I wish I could be such a wondeful wife of such a wonderful man."
-- Author Unknown
Thursday, August 19, 2010
No Regrets
At the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris, the sport of canoe racing was added to the list of international competitions. The favorite team in the four-man canoe race was the United States team. One member of that team was a young man by the name of Bill Havens.
As the time for the Olympics neared, it became clear that Bill's wife would give birth to their first child about the time that the U.S. team would be competing in the Paris games. In 1924 there were no jet airliners from Paris to the United States, only slow ocean going ships. And so Bill found himself in a dilemma. Should he go to Paris and risk not being at his wife's side when their baby was born? Or should he withdraw from the team and remain with his family?
Bill's wife insisted that he go to Paris. After all, competing in the Olympics was the culmination of a life long dream. But Bill felt conflicted and, after much soul searching, decided to withdraw from the competition and remain home, where he could support his wife when the child arrived. He considered being at her side his highest priority, even higher than going to Paris to fulfill his dream.
As it turned out, the United States four-man canoe team won the gold medal in Paris. And Bill's wife was late in giving birth to their child. She was so late, in fact, that Bill could have competed in the event and returned home in time to be with her when she gave birth.
People said, "What a shame." But Bill said he had no regrets. For the rest of his life, he believed he had made the better decision.
Bill Havens knew what was most important to him. Not everybody figures that out. And he acted on what he believed was best. Not everybody has the strength of character to say no to something he or she truly wants in order to say yes to something that truly matters. But for Bill, it was the only way to peace; the only way to no regrets.
There is an interesting sequel to the story of Bill Havens ...
The child eventually born to Bill and his wife was a boy, whom they named Frank. Twenty eight years later, in 1952, Bill received a cablegram from Frank. It was sent from Helsinki, Finland, where the 1952 Olympics were being held. The cablegram read: "Dad, I won. I'm bringing home the gold medal you lost while waiting for me to be born."
Frank Havens had just won the gold medal for the United States in the canoe racing event, a medal his father had dreamed of winning but never did. Like I said, no regrets.
Thomas Kinkade eloquently said, "When we learn to say a deep, passionate yes to the things that really matter, then peace begins to settle onto our lives like golden sunlight sifting to a forest floor."
-- Steve Goodier, the publisher of the Life Support System ezine.
As the time for the Olympics neared, it became clear that Bill's wife would give birth to their first child about the time that the U.S. team would be competing in the Paris games. In 1924 there were no jet airliners from Paris to the United States, only slow ocean going ships. And so Bill found himself in a dilemma. Should he go to Paris and risk not being at his wife's side when their baby was born? Or should he withdraw from the team and remain with his family?
Bill's wife insisted that he go to Paris. After all, competing in the Olympics was the culmination of a life long dream. But Bill felt conflicted and, after much soul searching, decided to withdraw from the competition and remain home, where he could support his wife when the child arrived. He considered being at her side his highest priority, even higher than going to Paris to fulfill his dream.
As it turned out, the United States four-man canoe team won the gold medal in Paris. And Bill's wife was late in giving birth to their child. She was so late, in fact, that Bill could have competed in the event and returned home in time to be with her when she gave birth.
People said, "What a shame." But Bill said he had no regrets. For the rest of his life, he believed he had made the better decision.
Bill Havens knew what was most important to him. Not everybody figures that out. And he acted on what he believed was best. Not everybody has the strength of character to say no to something he or she truly wants in order to say yes to something that truly matters. But for Bill, it was the only way to peace; the only way to no regrets.
There is an interesting sequel to the story of Bill Havens ...
The child eventually born to Bill and his wife was a boy, whom they named Frank. Twenty eight years later, in 1952, Bill received a cablegram from Frank. It was sent from Helsinki, Finland, where the 1952 Olympics were being held. The cablegram read: "Dad, I won. I'm bringing home the gold medal you lost while waiting for me to be born."
Frank Havens had just won the gold medal for the United States in the canoe racing event, a medal his father had dreamed of winning but never did. Like I said, no regrets.
Thomas Kinkade eloquently said, "When we learn to say a deep, passionate yes to the things that really matter, then peace begins to settle onto our lives like golden sunlight sifting to a forest floor."
-- Steve Goodier, the publisher of the Life Support System ezine.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Give it a shot!
Question: There are 3 frogs on a leaf. If one of them decided to jump off the leaf into the water, how many frogs are there left on the leaf?
Answer: Three!
Why? The frog only DECIDED to jump! It didn’t!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dreaming of a personal accomplishment, most people make the mistake of waiting …
- Waiting until they’ve been trained
- Waiting till someone say’s they are ready
- Waiting till they have the proper tools
- Waiting till they’re better
- Waiting till they’re hired
- Waiting till they’ve been given the assignment
Ponder over this, my friends. Are you not unlike the frog; who decides to do this, decides to do that, but ended up not doing any?
In life, we have to make many decisions. Some easy; some hard. Most mistakes are not made by wrong decisions; Most mistakes are made due to our inability to take a right decision at the right time.
We have to live with the consequences of our decisions. And that is RISK.
-- Author Unknown
Answer: Three!
Why? The frog only DECIDED to jump! It didn’t!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dreaming of a personal accomplishment, most people make the mistake of waiting …
- Waiting until they’ve been trained
- Waiting till someone say’s they are ready
- Waiting till they have the proper tools
- Waiting till they’re better
- Waiting till they’re hired
- Waiting till they’ve been given the assignment
Ponder over this, my friends. Are you not unlike the frog; who decides to do this, decides to do that, but ended up not doing any?
In life, we have to make many decisions. Some easy; some hard. Most mistakes are not made by wrong decisions; Most mistakes are made due to our inability to take a right decision at the right time.
We have to live with the consequences of our decisions. And that is RISK.
-- Author Unknown
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