Story Of A Mouse And A Mousetrap

There was a mouse who used merrily live with a chicken, a pig and a cow in a farmyard. One day while the mouse was looking through the wall crack, he saw the farmer and his wife open a package. “What food might this contain?” the mouse wondered. He was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap!!

The mouse realized that he was in big trouble. Hence he retreating to the farmyard and proclaimed this warning: “There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!”

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, “Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. THAT’S NOT MY PROBLEM! I cannot be bothered by it.”

The mouse turned to the pig and told him, “There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!”

The pig sympathized, but said, “I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray.. Be assured you are in my prayers.”

The mouse turned to the cow and said, “There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!”

The cow said, “Wow, Mr. Mouse. I’m sorry for you, but it’s no skin off my nose.”

So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer’s mousetrap all alone…

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house – the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey.

The farmer’s wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it. It was a venomous snake whose tail was caught in the trap. Unfortunately the snake went on to bit the lady.

The farmer rushed her to the hospital. When she returned home she still had a fever. Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup. So the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup’s main ingredient – the chicken!

But his wife’s sickness continued. Friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig!

But, alas, the farmer’s wife did not get well. She eventually died.

Large number of people came for her funeral and the farmer had to slaughter the cow to provide enough meat for all of them for the funeral luncheon.

And the mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.

Words Of Wisdom…

The next time you hear someone is facing a problem and you think it doesn’t concern you, remember – when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk. We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.

Each of us is a vital thread in another person’s tapestry. Our lives are woven together for a reason. One of the best things to hold onto in this world is a friend.

Source: http://smilepls.com/story-of-a-mouse-and-a-mousetrap/

12 Simple Ways to Create Joy in Your Life

It’s easy to get caught up with worries during difficult times. You may even think that finding joy involves a great deal of work or money. This isn’t true at all – there are plenty of ways to create joy in your life right now!

Here are some ideas to help you enjoy more happiness every day:

1. Turn off the news, TV, and computer. While theses things can be helpful to keep you informed and entertained, it’s important to remember life without them. You’ll be amazed at how many projects you can complete without these distractions!

* For example, instead of mindlessly watching another rerun of Seinfeld, complete a photo album or redecorate a room.

2. Take a class. Almost everyone has a hobby they’ve been meaning to try for a long time. It’s time to actually do it. Take the plunge and take a class!

* Most communities have a mail-out or website that lists their class schedule. You’ll find that they’re affordable too!

3. Get in touch with a friend. The Internet has made it easier than ever to reconnect with people from your past. Whether you last spoke to your friend last month or decades ago, it can be a joyful activity. Reflect on your friendship and discuss the good times you’ve had.

4. Start a garden. There are many plants and herbs that you can grow both indoors and outdoors. Experiment with different plants or grow some vegetables that you’ll enjoy later on, too. There’s nothing like the taste of homegrown vegetables!

5. Dabble in arts and crafts. There are so many fun activities that involve arts and crafts. Just take a trip down the aisle of your local craft store to get some ideas. For low cost alternatives, go to your nearest dollar store. You’ll be amazed at your new treasures!

6. Go for a walk or a nature hike. Take your family or go alone. Walking and hiking can be a great break in your day. You’ll be able to reflect, relax, and enjoy the fresh air.

7. Organize a sports night. Get some of your friends together for a game every once in awhile. It’s always beneficial to get a little exercise and it will be fun to socialize, too.

8. Start stargazing. On a peaceful, clear night, get in touch with nature in a different way. Enjoy the stars! Pick up an astronomy guide and learn to identify the planets and constellations.

9. Try journaling. One great way to reflect on your day and get to know yourself is by journaling. For additional fun, pretend you’re writing to a long lost friend or write a letter to yourself in the future.

10. Learn to cook something new. It’s always a good idea to add exciting new meals to your repertoire. Find a recipe website or a cookbook and try something you’ve never tried before.

11. Have a game night. Gather your family together for some fun and games. Invite friends over to add to the fun. If you’re feeling especially creative, try designing your very own board game and play that one.

12. Be a tourist. You can become a tourist without ever leaving your hometown. It’s likely that you haven’t been everywhere in your town. Pretend you’re on vacation and try all the tourist attractions. You’ll learn something new and may even discover places you’ll enjoy visiting often!

You’ll soon find that opportunities for joy in your life are around every corner. With a little creative thinking, you can have a great time every day, and you don’t have to spend a lot of money to do it, either.

Source: http://personaldevelopmentmaster.com/12-simple-ways-to-create-joy-in-your-life.html

Everyday in life is a special day..

A friend of mine opened his wife’s underwear drawer and picked up a silk paper wrapped package; “This, – he said – isn’t any ordinary package.” He unwrapped the box and stared at both the silk paper and the box. “She got this the first time we went to New York, 8 or 9 years ago. She has never put it on. Was saving it for a special occasion.

Well, I guess this is it. He got near the bed and placed the gift box next to the other clothings he was taking to the funeral house, his wife had just died. He turned to me and said:

“Never save something for a special occasion. Every day in your life is a special occasion”.

I still think those words changed my life. Now I read more and clean less. I sit on the porch without worrying about anything. I spend more time with my family, and less at work. I understood that life should be a source of experience to be lived up to, not survived through. I no longer keep anything. I use crystal glasses every day. I’ll wear new clothes to go to the supermarket, if i feel like it. I don’t save my special perfume for special occasions, I use it whenever I want to. The words “Someday…” and “One Day…” are fading away from my dictionary. If it’s worth seeing, listening or doing, I want to see, listen or do it now.

I don’t know what my friend’s wife would have done if she knew she wouldn’t be there the next morning, this nobody can tell. I think she might have called her relatives and closest friends.

She might call old friends to make peace over past quarrels. I’d like to think she would go out for Chinese, her favourite food. It’s these small things that I would regret not doing, if I knew my time had come. I would regret it, because I would no longer see the friends I would meet, letters… letters that i wanted to write “One of these days”. I would regret and feel sad, because I didn’t say to my brothers and sons, not times enough at least, how much I love them.
Now, I try not to delay, postpone or keep anything that could bring laughter and joy into our lives. And, on each morning, I say to myself that this could be a special day. Each day, each hour, each minute, is special. Live for today, for tomorrow is promised to no-one. If you got this, it’s because someone cares for you and because, probably, there’s someone you care about.

Source: unknown

Quote of the day..

“The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don’t define them, learn about them, or even seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them.” ~ Denis Waitley

Appreciation

One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a big company.

He passed the first interview, the director did the last interview, made the last decision.

The director discovered from the CV, that the youth’s academic result is excellent all the way, from the secondary school until the postgraduate research, never has a year he did not score.

The director asked, “Did you obtain any scholarship in school?” and the youth answered “none”.

The director asked, ” Is it your father pay for your school fees?” the youth answered, my father passed away when I was one year old, it is my mother who paid for my school fees.

The director asked, ” Where did your mother worked?” the youth answered, my mother worked as cloth cleaner. The director requested the youth to show his hand, the youth showed a pair of hand that is smooth and perfect to the director.

The director asked, ” Did you ever help your mother washed the cloth before?” The youth answered, never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books, furthermore, my mother can wash cloths faster than me.

The director said, I had a request, when you go back today, go and help to clean your mother’s hand, and then see me tomorrow morning.

The youth felt that its chance of landing the job is high, when he went back, he happily wanted to clean his mother’s hand, his mother feel strange, happy but mixed with fear, she showed her hand to the kid.

The youth cleaned his mother’s hand slowly, his tear drop down as he did that. It is first time he found his mother’s hand is so wrinkled, and there are so many bruises in her hand. Some bruises incites pains so strong that shiver her mother’s body when cleaned with water.

This is the first time the youth realized and experienced that it is this pair of hand that washed the cloth everyday to earn him the school fees, the bruises in the mother’s hand is the price that the mother paid for his graduation and academic excellence and probably his future.

After finishing the cleaning of his mother hand, the youth quietly cleaned all remaining clothes for his mother.

That night, mother and sons talked for a very long time.

Next morning, the youth went to the director’s office

The director noticed the tear in the youth’s eye, asked: ” Can you tell you what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?”

The youth answered, ” I cleaned my mother’s hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes’

The director asked, ” please tell me your feeling.”

The youth said, Number 1, I knew what is appreciation, without my mother, there would not the successful me today. Number 2, I knew how to work together with my mother, then only I can realize how difficult and tough to get something done. Number 3, I knew the importance and value of family relationship.

The director said, ” This is what I am asking, I want to recruit a person that can appreciate the help of other, a person that knew the suffering of others to get thing done, and a person that would not put money as his only goal in life to be my manager. You are hired.

Later on, this young person worked very hard, and received the respect of his subordinates, every employees worked diligently and in a team, the company’s result improved tremendously.

A child who has been protected and habitually given whatever he did, he developed “entitlement mentality” and always put himself first. He is ignorant of his parent’s effort. When he started work, he assumed every people must listen to him, and when he became a manager, he would never know how suffering his employee and always blame others. For this kind of people, he can have good result, may be successful for a while, but eventually would not feel sense of achievement, he will grumble and full of hatred and fight for more. If we are this kind of protective parent, did we love the kid or destroy the kid?

You can let your kid lived in a big house, eat a good meal, learn piano, watch a big screen TV. But when you are cutting grass, please let them experienced it. After a meal, let them washed their plate and bowl together with their brothers and sisters. It is not because you do not have money to hire a maid, but it is because you want to love them in a right way. You want them to understand, no matter how rich their parent are, one day their hair will grow gray, same as the mother of that young person. The most important thing is your kid learn how to appreciate the effort and experience the difficulty and learn the ability to work with others to get thing done.

Via: http://sokuninfo.blogspot.com/

Do Not Believe..

Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it.
Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many.
Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books.
Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.
Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations.
But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.
[Buddha]

Express Yourself

Expressing How You Feel Can Release a Lot of Tension

Expressing yourself can help you keep in touch with how you are feeling. It can also release a lot of tension that you may be carrying around with you. Sometimes when people get out of touch with how they feel, their feelings burst out in situations or ways that are embarrassing or inappropriate.

Everyone needs some time to themselves to reflect on their feelings. Being able to express how you feel may help you make better decisons about what is right for you now.

Ways of Expressing Yourself

Finding out the best way for you to express yourself can be rewarding. You may find that you enjoy expressing yourself in a particular way, such as painting, playing sport, singing, drumming, or even doing something like kicking ball or yelling at a tree. If you don’t know what way suits you, try some of the following suggestions.

Write About How you Feel

Writing may be a useful way to explore your feelings. Some people keep diaries, others just write down whatever comes into their head. You may want to write a story about whatever is happening in your life now (try ‘Scream it Dream it’), or even make up a story based on some past event in your life. Writing poetry works for some people so you might like to try that. You can use the “Journal” in the members section of Reach Out! to record your thoughts and feelings in a way that is confidential.

Play Sport

Playing sport lets you express yourself in a physical way. There are plenty of opportunities to yell or curse or feel elated when things go well. Team sports allow you to express yourself and combine your energy with others both in verbal and non-verbal ways.

Draw or Paint

Even if you don’t think of yourself as artistic, drawing and painting are useful ways of expressing yourself. No one else has to see what you do. You may just want to experiment with drawing lines, sketching, colours and so on.

Sing, Play Music, or Shout

Singing along to your favourite songs or playing a musical instrument is another way to express yourself. Sing in the shower or out in a park. If you play an instrument or sing regularly you may find that you even start writing your own songs or music to express how you feel.

Dance

Dance is a form of self-expression. Put on some music at home or go out and dance as much as you like.

Source: http://www.reachout.com.au/default.asp?ti=325

How to Express Yourself

Being creative helps you achieve your goals more effectively. It leads you to new pathways, and you will hardly believe what you find out about yourself. It’s also a way of venting, and for teenagers, a way of finding yourself.

STEPS

1. Never think of yourself too seriously. Don’t put pressure on yourself to be perfect! If you don’t have restrictions on yourself, it gives you more room to just let yourself flow creatively. Don’t worry about being perfect. Perfection is boring anyway, and it’s also kind of…unoriginal.
2. Find a place that inspires you and that will help spark your creativity. Maybe you like a place that is quiet and feels private to you, such as the outdoors – calm, serene, and beautiful. Or maybe you have a bright colorful room that makes you feel artistic. Maybe you like starry nights – whatever it is, revel in it!
3. Experiment with different mediums. Never be afraid to try something new. If you want to try sculpting, go for it! If you don’t like it, you can always just stop. But how will you know whether or not you’re a secret writing/painting/sewing genius is you never try it?
4. Meditate. Relax. Get away from the outside world. Forget about the grocery shopping you have to do. You are in your own personal space — be with yourself.
5. Find examples. If you think you might be interested in art, go to an art museum or find artists online. If you like writing, read a variety of books and investigate classical authors. It’s a type of self-education, and it’s what seperates the true intelectuals from everybody else: a willingness to explore, learn, and discover.
6. Consider starting a journal to use everyday. It doesn’t even have to be the kind of journal that you write in. It could be a doodle journal, or a sketch journal, or a poetry journal. Just use it to record your emotions day-to-day, in a place where no one can see them if you don’t want them to.

TIPS

Be yourself! Even though you are consciously trying to be more expressive, it doesn’t mean that you have to act like a totally different person.

WARNING

Some people may have weird reactions to your more creative life.

Source: http://www.wikihow.com/Express-Yourself

Great 3 Things in Life..

Three things in life that, once gone, never come back

1. Time
2. Words
3. Opportunity

Three things in life that can destroy a person

1. Anger
2. Pride
3. Unforgiveness

Three things in life that you should never lose

1. Hope
2. Peace
3. Honesty

Three things in life that are most valuable

1. Love
2. Family & Friends
3. Kindness

Three things in life that are never certain

1. Fortune
2. Success
3. Dreams

Three things that make a person

1. Commitment
2. Sincerity
3. Hard work

Don’t give up Loving . . .

There was this guy who saw a scorpion floundering around in the water. He decided to save it by stretching out his finger, but the scorpion stung him. The man still tried to get the scorpion out of the water, but the scorpion stung him again.

A man nearby told him to stop saving the scorpion that kept stinging him.

But the boy said: “It is the nature of the scorpion to sting. It is my nature to love. Why should I give up my nature to love just because it is the nature of the scorpion to sting?”

Don’t give up loving.
Don’t give up your goodness.
Even if people around you sting . . .