The Falcon & The Branch

Once there was a king who received a gift of two magnificent falcons. They were peregrine falcons, the most beautiful birds he had ever seen. He gave the precious birds to his head falconer to be trained.

Months passed, and one day the head falconer informed the king that though one of the falcons was flying majestically, soaring high in the sky, the other bird had not moved from its branch since the day it had arrived.

The king summoned healers and sorcerers from all the land to tend to the falcon, but no one could make the bird fly.

He presented the task to the members of his court, but the next day, the king saw through the palace window that the bird had still not moved from its perch.

Having tried everything else, the king thought to himself, "Maybe I need someone familiar with the countryside to understand the nature of this problem." So he cried out to his court, "Go and get me a farmer".

In the morning, the king was thrilled to see the falcon soaring high above the palace gardens. He said to his court, "Bring me the doer of this miracle".

Th court quickly located the farmer, who came and stood before the king. The king asked him, "How did you make the falcon fly?

With his head bowed, the farmer said to the king, "It was very easy, your highness. I simply cut the branch where the bird was sitting."

We are all made to fly - to realize our incredible potential as human beings. But at times we sit in  our branches, clinging to the things that are familiar to us. The possibilities are endless, but for most of us, they remain undiscovered. We conform to the familiar. So for most part, our lives are mediocre instead of exciting, thrilling and fulfilling.

Let us learn to destroy the branch of fear we cling to and free ourselves to the glory of flight.

Author Unknown

The Cockroach Theory for Self Development

At a restaurant, a cockroach suddenly flew from somewhere and sat on a lady.

She started screaming out of fear.

With a panic stricken face and trembling voice, she started jumping, with both her hands desperately trying to get rid of the cockroach.

Her reaction was contagious, as everyone in her group also got panicky.

The lady finally managed to push the cockroach away but...it lands on another lady in the group.

Now, it was the turn of the other lady in the group to continue the drama.

The waiter rushed forward to their rescue. In the relay of throwing, the cockroach next fell upon the waiter.

The waiter stood firm, composed himself and observed the behavior of the cockroach on his shirt. When he was confident enough, he grabbed it with his fingers and threw it out of the restaurant.

Sipping my coffee and watching the amusement, the antenna of my mind picked up a few thoughts and started wondering, was the cockroach responsible for their histrionic behavior?

If so, then why was the waiter was not disturbed? He handled it near to perfection, without any chaos.

It is not the cockroach, but the inability of those people to handle the disturbance caused by the cockroach, that disturbed the ladies.

I realized that, it is not the shouting of my father or my boss or my wife that disturbs me, but it's my inability to handle the disturbances caused by their shouting that disturbs me.

It's not the traffic jams on the road that disturbs me, but my inability to handle the disturbance caused by the traffic jam that disturbs me.

More than a problem, it's my reaction to the problem that creates chaos in mi life.

by Sundar Pichai

Priceless Gifts You Can Give

The Gift of Listening

No interruptions, no daydreaming, no planning your responses. Just listen.

The Gift of Affection

Be generous with appropriated hugs, kisses, pats on the back, and hand holding.

The Gift of Laughter

Share articles, positive news, funny stories, and cartoons to tell someone, "I love to laugh with you."

The Gift of a Compliment

A simple and sincere "You look great in read", "You did a super job," or "That was a wonderful meal" can make someone's day.

The Gift of Solitude

Be sensitive to the times when others want nothing more than to be left alone.

The Gift of a Cheerful Disposition

The easiest way to feel good is to extend a king word to someone, even if it's just saying hello or thank you.

The Gift of Friendship

Without friends life would hardly be worth living, let your friends know just how much they mean to you today.

The Gift of Your Smile

A simple smile breaks all the barriers of language and culture. Smile and the world smiles with you!

Author Unknown

Eagle Mountain

https://youtu.be/HmLOCfGaBzc

The Seasons of Life

There was a man who had fours sons. He wanted his sons to learn to not judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.

When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.

The first son said that the three was ugly, bent, and twister.

The second son said no - it was covered with green buds and full of promise.

The third son disagreed, he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.

 The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and dropping with fruit, full of life and fulfilment.

The man the explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but one season in the tree's life.

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are - and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life - can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.

If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfilment of your fall.

Don't judge a life by one difficult season. Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.

 From livelifehappy.com

Lokesvara

                           https://youtu.be/3A01XRSKd98

Life

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will.

You will have your heart broken probably, more than once and it's harder every time.

You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken.

You'll fight with your best friend.

You'll blame a new love for things an old one did.

You'll cry because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you love.

So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute if happiness you'll never get back.

Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin.

Author Unknown

San Simeon

                             https://youtu.be/PRMrUgtgF7U

Be a Good One

Pablo Picasso, the great Spanish painter and sculptor, once said this about his ability: " My mother said to me, if you become a soldier, you'll be a general; if you became a monk, you'll end up as Pope. Instead, I became a painter and wound up as Picasso, "No lack of confidence here!

But he would have agreed with Abraham Lincoln. "Whatever you are", said Lincoln, "be a good one." He demonstrated the wisdom of that advice with his own life. And in this present age, which often seems to be contented with mediocrity, his words summon a yearning for improvement and growth.

I think it helps to remember that excellence is not a place at which we arrive so much as a way of travelling. To do and be our best is a habit among those who hear and understand Lincoln's admonition.

Viennese-born composer Frederick Loewe, whom we remember from his musical scores that include - My Fair Lady, Gigi and Camelot, was not always famous. He studied piano with the great masters od Europe and achieved huge success as a musician and composer in his early years. But when he immigrated to the United States, he failed as a piano virtuoso. For a while he tried other types of work including prospection for gold and boxing. But he never gave up his dream and continued to play piano and write music.

During those years, he could not always afford to make payments on his piano. One day, bent over the keyboard, he heard nothing but the music that he played with such rare inspiration. When he finished and looked up, he was startled to find that he had an audience - three moving men who were seated on the floor.

They said nothing and made no movement toward the piano. Instead, they dug into their pockets, pooled together enough money for the payment, placed it on the piano and walked out, empty handed. Moved by the beauty of music, these men recognized excellence and responded to it.

Whatever you are, be a good one. If what you do is worth doing, if you believe that who you are is of value, then you can't afford to be content with mediocrity. When you choose the path of excellence through this life, you will bring to it your best and receive the best it can offer in return. And you will know what is to be satisfied.

By Steve Goodier

Lucinda

 https://youtu.be/eXqZ8XDtntk