Doctor of Street Dogs

Sandip Karan- Doctor of Street Dogs

By Kashik Sengupta-

This story centres around a man, Sandip Karan, whose love for street dogs knows no bounds.
His home-cum-kennel houses 40 street dogs that are mostly sick. Some have lost their legs, some suffer from liver ailments and some have cancer, but they are treated with a rare care and compassion by this self-taught veterinarian who learned his lessons while assisting veterinary surgeons for years.

Now confident enough to successfully perform surgeries, Sandip Karan is lucky to have found assistants in his mother Saraswati and wife Moumita. He says he is not doing any charity but only his duty. He does not believe in chaining the animals or caging them. They are left free to roam around and take rest in any
part of his house. Quite popular in his locality in Kolkata as the ‘street dog doctor’, Sandip loves to cook food for his four-legged patients. When called to treat a street dog in a faraway place, he sometimes brings home his ‘patient’ if the situation demands ‘hospitalisation’. He ensures its safe journey to the place it came from after recuperating.

Massive numbers of street dog in his area is dying due to the liver problem. Dogs are many people's best friends, so an ailment is as crushing to you as it is harmful to your best buddy.
Liver failure is one of those ailments that causes extreme harm to your dog, and if not taken care of properly, liver failure may even cause death.

According to Dog Health Guide, there are nine signs of liver failure in dogs. These signs include jaundice, which is the yellowing of the dog's eyes, vomiting, lethargy, appetite and weight loss, diarrhoea and an increase in drinking and urination. However, the aforementioned symptoms may not appear until the advanced stage of liver failure.

He has, till date, treated around 2500 street dogs in his own locality and around. Half of his patients had cancer–those having vincristine cancer have been cured. Not all his neighbors take kindly to his work though, he had to face their wrath on many occasions. However, that does not prevent him from dreaming
of a house (he does not want to call it a shelter) for his loved ones. He is trying to raise funds for his NGO, Concern for Animal and Environment.

Dogs are left free to roam around and take rest in any part of Sandip Karan’s
house.

Sandip Karan carries a patient home for treatment.

A young patient is given a bath by Sandip.

A patient injured by a fast-moving car recovers at Sandip Karan’s house after an operation.

Saraswati, Sandip’s mother, prepares food for all the patients.

Sandip Karan and his wife Moumita administer anti-rabies vaccine to a street dog.

Sandip Karan administers distemper vaccine to a dog during one of his housecalls. Canine distemper is a viral disease that affects animals living with families.

Dr. Rajib Ray (centre) a dentist comes to Mr. Sandip Karan’s house for a personal meeting. Dr. Rajib Ray is one of the donors to Karan’s NGO, Concern For Animal And Environment Welfare.

Courtesy: Kaushik Sengupta, Social Documentarary Photographer

 

Moral Stories IX

MORAL STORIES

MADE TO FLY

Once there was a king who received a gift of two magnificent falcons from Arabia. 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 member 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, "May be I need someone more familiar with the countryside to understand the nature of this problem." So he cried out to his court, "Go and get 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." The 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."

Moral : We are all made to fly- to realize our incredible potential as human beings. But instead of doing that, we sit on 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, the comfortable, the mundane. So for the most part, our lives are mediocre instead of exciting, thrilling and fulfilling.

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THINK OUT OF BOX

Many hundreds of years ago in a small Italian town, a merchant had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to the moneylender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the merchant’s beautiful daughter so he proposed a bargain. He said he would forgo the merchant’s debt if he could marry the daughter. Both the merchant and his daughter were horrified by the proposal.

The moneylender told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty bag. The girl would then have to pick one pebble from the bag. If she picked the black pebble, she would become the moneylender’s wife and her father’s debt would be forgiven. If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father’s debt would still be forgiven. But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.

They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the merchant’s garden. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag. He then asked the girl to pick her pebble from the bag.

What would you have done if you were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you have told her? Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:

1. The girl should refuse to take a pebble.

2. The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the moneylender as a cheat.

3. The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his debt and imprisonment.

The above story is used with the hope that it will make us appreciate the difference between lateral and logical thinking.

The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles.

“Oh, how clumsy of me,” she said. “But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked.” Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had picked the white one. And since the moneylender dared not admit his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an advantageous one.

MORAL: Most complex problems do have a solution, sometimes we have to think about them in a different way.

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THINK BETTER AND DIFFERENT



Many hundreds of years ago there was a King who had a huge kingdom. The king was very powerful. He was having everything but still he was not complete. The king was having only 1 Eye and 1 leg. One day he called all his kingdom people and asked all of them to call upon all the best painters so that he can have a beautiful portrait of himself.

All the people of his kingdom were surprised to hear the words of king.

King declared that whoever draw beautiful portrait of King that person will be awarded with big amount of money and appointed as the best painter of the kingdom. Next day all painters were called, and king was sitting in front of them.  All the painters saw the king and thought how could they draw a beautiful portrait of king with the defects in one eye and one leg.

All the painters tried hard to draw beautiful portrait of king but they failed.

They said No to king and took their step back. The king was so depressed after watching all these, then suddenly one painter came up with the picture of king. The painter drew a classic picture of the king. It was the fantastic picture. The picture was shown in front of the kingdom and everybody was surprised.

Guess what was surprising about the picture???

The surprising thing was the painter used the kings weakness as his strength in the picture.

He painted the king AIMING for HUNT. Targeting with ONE Eye Closed and One Leg Bent.

The king and the people of kingdom were shocked with painters creation. The king praises the painter and awarded him with best painter title and the money.

MORAL :“When you think better and think different, the Weakness in the Business eases in accomplishing the Business Goals”

Moral Stories VIII

MORAL STORIES

THE WEIRD CUSTOM

There was a kingdom and the kings were elected once in every five years. No one wanted to become the king of that Kingdom, since they had a custom of leaving each king after his period of five years in a dangerous forest nearby to gain Peace and enlightenment. Sources said that no one ever survived in that forest so far.

One man volunteered to become a king. He enjoyed his five years of tenure as a king and finally the day came to set him inside the dangerous forest. He happily came forward to go to the forest. The people of the kingdom were confused why the king was so happy to get into the forest.

Out of curiosity  one of them asked the King about his happiness.

The King replied, “I knew clearly about our custom.

So, in the first year, I sent 100 soldiers to kill all the dangerous animals in the forest.

In the second year, I sent 500 wood cutters to cut all the trees.

In the third years I sent 1000 farmers to turn the forest into a cultivating land.

In the fourth year I sent 2000 villagers to build houses there and settle there.

In the fifth year I built a palace there. Now, there is a new kingdom waiting for me. Why should I worry?”

Moral: Every Problem has a solution if thought over it with calm.

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THE POWER OF SELF CONFIDENCE

There was a business executive who was deep in debt and could see no way out.

Creditors were closing in on him. Suppliers were demanding payment. He sat on the park bench, head in hands, wondering if anything could save his company from bankruptcy.

Suddenly an old man appeared before him. ”I can see that something is troubling you,” he said.

After listening to the executive’s woes, the old man said, “I believe I can help you.”

He asked the man his name, wrote out a cheque, and pushed it into his hand saying, “Take this money. Meet me here exactly one year from today, and you can pay me back at that time.”

Then he turned and disappeared as quickly as he had come.                                      

The business executive saw in his hand a check for $500,000, signed by John D. Rockefeller, then one of the richest men in the world!

“I can erase my money worries in an instant!” he realized. But instead, the executive decided to put the uncashed cheque in his safe. Just knowing it was there might give him the strength to work out a way to save his business, he thought.

With renewed optimism, he negotiated better deals and extended terms of payment. He closed several big sales. Within a few months, he was out of debt and making money once again.

Exactly one year later, he returned to the park with the uncashed cheque. At the agreed-upon time, the old man appeared. But just as the executive was about to hand back the cheque and share his success story, a nurse came running up and grabbed the old man.

“I’m so glad I caught him!” she cried. “I hope he hasn’t been bothering you. He’s always escaping from the rest home and telling people he’s John D. Rockefeller.”

And she led the old man away by the arm. The astonished executive just stood there, stunned. All year long he’d been wheeling and dealing, buying and selling, convinced he had half a million dollars behind him.

Suddenly, he realized that it wasn’t the money, real or imagined, that had turned his life around. It was his newfound self-confidence that gave him the power to achieve anything he went after.

Moral: Never Ever lose self-confidence in life as it can make you achieve milestones which might seem impossible at first.

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LETTING GO OF RESENTMENTS

A story tells of a merchant in a small town who had identical twin sons. The boys worked for their father in the department store he owned and, when he died, they took over the store.

Everything went well until the day a dollar bill disappeared. One of the brothers had left the bill on the cash register and walked outside with a customer. When he returned, the money was gone.

He asked his brother, "Did you see that dollar bill on the cash register?" His brother replied that he had not.

But the young man kept probing and questioning. He would not let it alone. "Dollar bills just don't get up and walk away! Surely you must have seen it!"

There was subtle accusation in his voice. Tempers began to rise. Resentment set in. Before long, a deep and bitter chasm divided the young men. They refused to speak. They finally decided they could no longer work together and a dividing wall was built down the center of the store. For twenty years hostility and bitterness grew, spreading to their families and to the community.

Then one day a man in an automobile licensed in another state stopped in front of the store. He walked in and asked the clerk, "How long have you been here?"

The clerk replied that he'd been there all his life. The customer said, "I must share something with you. Twenty years ago I was "riding the rails" and came into this town in a boxcar. I hadn't eaten for three days. I came into this store from the back door and saw a dollar bill on the cash register. I put it in my pocket and walked out. All these years I haven't been able to forget that. I know it wasn't much money, but I had to come back and ask your forgiveness."

The stranger was amazed to see tears well up in the eyes of this middle-aged man. "Would you please go next door and tell that same story to the man in the store?" he said. Then the man was even more amazed to see two middle-aged men, who looked very much alike, embracing each other and weeping together in the front of the store.

After twenty years, the brokenness was mended. The wall of resentment that divided them came down.

Moral:

It is so often the little things that finally divide people- words spoken in haste; criticisms; accusations; resentments. And once divided, they may never come together again. The solution, of course, is to let it go. There is really nothing particularly profound about learning to let go of little resentments. But for fulfilling and lasting relationships, letting them go is a must. Refuse to carry around bitterness and you may be surprised at how much energy you have left for building bonds with those you love.



Moral Stories VII

MORAL STORIES

WHO I AM MAKES DIFFERENCE

A teacher in New York decided to honor each of her seniors in high school by telling them the difference they each made.

She called each student to the front of the class, one at a time. First she told each of them how they had made a difference to her and the class. Then she presented each of them with a blue ribbon imprinted with gold letters which read, “Who I Am Makes a Difference.” Afterwards the teacher decided to do a class project to see what kind of impact recognition would it have on a community. She gave each student three more ribbons and instructed them to go out and spread this acknowledgment ceremony. Then they were to follow up on the results, see who honored whom and report back to the class in about a week.

One of the boys in the class went to a executive in a nearby company and honored him for helping him with his career planning. He gave him a blue ribbon and put it on his shirt. Then he gave him two extra ribbons and said, “We’re doing a class project on recognition, and we’d like you to go out, find somebody to honor, give them a blue ribbon, then give them the extra blue ribbon so they can acknowledge a third person to keep this acknowledgment ceremony going. Then please report back to me and tell me what happened.”

Later that day the junior executive went in to see his boss, who had been noted, by the way, as being kind of a grouchy fellow. He sat with his boss and told him that he deeply admired him for being a creative genius. The boss seemed very surprised. The junior executive asked him if he would accept the gift of the blue ribbon and would he give him permission to put it on him. His surprised boss said, “Well, sure.” The executive took the blue ribbon and placed it right on his boss’s jacket above his heart. As he gave him the last extra ribbon, he said, “Would you do me a favor? Would you take this extra ribbon and pass it on by honoring somebody else? The young boy who first gave me the ribbons is doing a project in school and we want to keep this recognition ceremony going and find out how it affects people.”

That night the boss came home to his 14-year-old son and sat him down. He said, “The most incredible thing happened to me today. I was in my office and one of the executives came in and told me that he admired me and gave me a blue ribbon for being a creative genius. Imagine. He thinks I’m a creative genius. Then he put this blue ribbon that says ‘Who I Am Makes A Difference’” on my jacket above my heart. He gave me an extra ribbon and asked me to find somebody else to honor. As I was driving home tonight, I started thinking about whom I would honor with this ribbon and I thought about you. I want to honor you.

My days are really hectic and when I come home I don’t pay a lot of attention to you. Sometimes I scream at you for not getting good enough grades in school and for your bedroom being a mess, but somehow tonight, I just wanted to sit here and, well, just let you know that you do make a difference to me. Besides your mother, you are the most important person in my life. You’re a great kid and I love you!”

The startled boy started to sob and sob, and he couldn’t stop crying. His whole body shook. He looked up at his father and said through his tears, “I have been contemplating suicide, Dad, because I didn’t think you loved me. Now I know you care.”

The boss went back to work a changed man. He was no longer a grouch but made sure to let all his employees know that they made a difference. The executive helped several other young people with career planning and never forgot to let them know that they made a difference in his life. The young boy and his classmates learned a valuable lesson.

Moral :Every individual in our life, Team has its own importance and we should learn to value it.
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THE MIRACLE OF PURE SELFLESS HELPING HEART

Tess was a precocious eight year old when she heard her Mom and Dad talking about her little brother, Andrew. All she knew was that he was very sick and they were completely out of money. They were moving to an apartment complex next month because Daddy didn’t have the money for the doctor bills and our house.

Only a very costly surgery could save him now and it was looking like there was no-one to loan them the money. She heard Daddy say to her tearful Mother with whispered desperation, “Only a miracle can save him now.”

Tess went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet. She poured all the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. Three times, even. The total had to be exactly perfect. No chance here for mistakes. Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall’s Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief sign above the door.

She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention but he was too busy at this moment. Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she could muster. No good.

Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter. That did it!

“And what do you want?” the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice. “I’m talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven’t seen in ages,” he said without waiting for a reply to his question.

“Well, I want to talk to you about my brother,” Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone. “He’s really, really sick… and I want to buy a miracle.”

“I beg your pardon?” said the pharmacist.

“His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?”

“We don’t sell miracles here, little girl. I’m sorry but I can’t help you,” the pharmacist said, softening a little. “Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn’t enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs.”

The pharmacist’s brother was a well-dressed man. He stooped down and asked the little girl, “What kind of a miracle does your brother need?”

“I don’t know,” Tess replied with her eyes welling up. “I just know he’s really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy can’t pay for it, so I want to use my money.”

“How much do you have?” asked the man from Chicago. “One dollar and eleven cents,” Tess answered barely audibly. “And it’s all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to.

“Well, what a coincidence,” smiled the man. “A dollar and eleven cents – the exact price of a miracle for little brothers.” He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten and said, “Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let’s see if I have the kind of miracle you need.”

That well-dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed without charge and it wasn’t long until Andrew was home again and doing well. Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place.

“That surgery,” her Mom whispered. “Was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost.”

Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost… one dollar and eleven cents … plus the faith of a little child.

Moral: Your faith, your love, your beauty, your truth is a hundred times more powerful than doubt. Have faith in yourself and be kind hearted. It helps.

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It Is Easier To Criticize, But Difficult To Improve!

Once upon a time there was a painter who had just completed his course. He took 3 days and painted beautiful scenery. He wanted people's opinion about his calibre and painting skills.

He put his creation at a busy street-crossing. And just down below a board which read -"I have painted this piece. Since I'm new to this profession I might have committed some mistakes in my strokes etc. Please put a cross wherever you see a mistake."

While he came back in the evening to collect his painting he was completely shattered to see that whole canvass was filled with Xs (crosses) and some people had even written their comments on the painting.

Disheartened and broken completely he ran to his master's place and burst into tears.

This young artist was breathing heavily and master heard him saying "I'm useless and if this is what I have learnt to paint I'm not worth becoming a painter. People have rejected me completely. I feel like dying"

Master smiled and suggested "My Son, I will prove that you are a great artist and have learnt flawless painting. Do as I say without questioning it. It WILL work."

Young artist reluctantly agreed and two days later early morning he presented a replica of his earlier painting to his master. Master took that gracefully and smiled.

"Come with me." master said.

They reached the same street-square early morning and displayed the same painting exactly at the same place. Now master took out another board which read -"Gentlemen, I have painted this piece. Since I'm new to this profession I might have committed some mistakes in my strokes etc. I have put a box with colors and brushes just below. Please do a favour. If you see a mistake, kindly pick up the brush and correct it."

Master and disciple walked back home.

They both visited the place same evening. Young painter was surprised to see that actually there was not a single correction done so far. Next day again they visited and found painting remained untouched. They say the painting was kept there for a month for no correction came in!

Moral of the story:

It is easier to criticize, but DIFFICULT TO IMPROVE!

So don't get carried away or judge yourself by someone else’s criticism and feel depressed...

JUDGE YOURSELF! YOU ARE YOUR BEST JUDGE!!!

Moral Stories Part VI

MORAL STORIES

THE BOSS 

Working 12 to 18 hours a day was not uncommon for scientists at the rocket launching station, Thumba. A group of such scientists were frustrated due to the work pressure and meeting their boss' demands; however, they were loyal to him.

On a particular day, a scientist picked up enough courage to go up to his boss and say, "Sir, I have promised my children that I will take them to the exhibition this evening. Therefore, I have to leave the office at 5:30 pm. Can I leave early today, Sir?"

His boss replied, "Alright. You may leave early today."

The scientist was happy for having received the permission and went on to continue his work. He stayed on to work after lunch, and, as always, got so engrossed in his work that that he peered at his watch only when he thought he was done. Unfortunately, it was past 08:15 pm.

With a jolt, he remembered his promise to his children. He looked for his boss who was not in his office. Having told him just that morning, he wrapped up work and hurried home.

As he drove home, he felt very guilty for letting his children down. He reached home. The children were not at home while his wife was busy reading. He felt that initiating any conversation with her would only add fuel to fire and stayed momentarily quiet.

Looking up at him, his wife asked, "Do you want something hot to drink or have dinner right away?"

The man could only ask, "Where are the children?"

His wife said, “Don’t you now? Your boss came here at 5.15 PM and took the children to the exhibition you promised to take them to".

He was surprised. But, it did not take him too long to guess what happened.

The boss who granted him permission observed him working very seriously well past 5.00 p.m. He thought to himself that the scientist will not leave the work until it is done, but if he has promised his children a visit to exhibition, then they deserve it. So, he took the lead in taking them to the exhibition himself.

By the way , can you take a guess who this boss could be??

He was none other than Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam.

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THE BIG MONK

Once upon a time a big monk and a little monk were travelling together. They came to the bank of a river and found the bridge was damaged. They had to wade across the river. There was a pretty lady who was stuck at the damaged bridge and couldn't cross the river. The big monk offered to carry her across the river on his back. The lady accepted. The little monk was shocked by the move of the big monk. 'How can big brother carry a lady when we are supposed to avoid all intimacy with females?' thought the little monk. But he kept quiet. The big monk carried the lady across the river and the small monk followed unhappily. When they crossed the river, the big monk let the lady down and they parted ways with her.

All along the way for several miles, the little monk was very unhappy with the act of the big monk. He was making up all kinds of accusations about the big monk in his head. This got him madder and madder. But he still kept quiet. And the big monk had no inclination to explain his situation. Finally, at a rest point many hours later, the little monk could not stand it any further, he burst out angrily at the big monk, 'How can you claim yourself a devout monk, when you seize the first opportunity to touch a female, especially when she is very pretty? All your teachings to me make you a big hypocrite”. The big monk looked surprised and said, 'I had put down the pretty lady at the river bank many hours ago, how come you are still carrying her along?'

MORAL: This very old Chinese Zen story reflects the thinking of many people today. We encounter many unpleasant things in our life. They irritate us and they make us angry. Sometimes, they cause us a lot of hurt, sometimes they cause us to be bitter or jealous.. But like the little monk, we are not willing to let them go away. We keep on carrying the baggage of the 'pretty lady' with us. We let them keep on coming back to hurt us, make us angry, make us bitter and cause us a lot of agony. Why ? Simply because we are not willing to put down or let go of the baggage of the 'pretty lady'. We should let go of the pretty lady immediately after crossing the river that is after the unpleasant event is over. This will immediately remove all our agonies. There is no need to be further hurt by the unpleasant event after it is over.

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NEVER GIVEUP ATTITUDE 

Nick Vujicic is an Australian evangelist and motivational speaker who was born with no arms and legs. He was suffering from Tetra-Amelia syndrome, a rare disorder characterized by the absence of all four limbs. But this doesn't stop him from taking his life ahead.

The early days were quite difficult for him. Throughout his childhood, Nick not only dealt with the typical challenges in school, but he also struggled with depression and loneliness. But eventually, he came in terms with his disability and, at the age of seventeen, Nick started his own non-profit organization, ‘Life Without Limbs’. Today, he gives motivational speeches all across the world about life with a disability, on hope, and on finding meaning in life. He also talks about his belief that God can use any willing heart to do his work and that God is big enough to overcome any disability. It is his small foot on his left hip that helps him balance and enables him to use his one foot to type, write with a pen and pick things up between his toes

MORAL: Never ever give up. There is no laughter without tears; no joy without sorrow! 

Moral Stories Part V

MORAL STORIES

THE JAPANESE WAY

The Japanese love fresh fish. But the waters around Japan have not held as many fish as they used to, for decades now. To feed the Japanese population, fishing boats got bigger and went farther than ever. The return trip took more time, and the fish were not fresh.

To solve this problem, fish companies installed freezers on their boats. However, the Japanese customers could taste the difference between fresh & frozen fish. And they did not like the taste of frozen fish.

So, fishing companies installed fish tanks. They would catch the fish and stuff them in tanks, fin to fin. After a little thrashing around, they were tired, dull, and lost their fresh-fish taste. The fishing industry faced an impending crisis. But that was resolved and today, they get fresh- tasting fish in Japan. How did they manage to do that?

To keep the fish tasting fresh, the Japanese fishing companies still put the fish in the tanks but along with a small shark. To stay alive, the fish have to constantly stay on the move. Which also happens to keep them fresh!!

Moral – At work, sharks are the new challenges that we face every day, in current tasks or processes, or when facing customers.  You are active, energized & happy when you are constantly conquering challenges. You have the resources, skills & abilities to make a difference. Think about innovative ways /ideas to overcome these challenges.

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IF OPPORTUNITY DOESN'T KNOECK, THEN BUILD DOOR

A jobless man applied for the position of “office boy” at a very big firm.

The  manager interviewed him, then a test: clean the floor. “You are hired” he said, “give me your email address, and I’ll send you the application to fill, as well as when you will start.” The man replied “I don’t have a computer, neither an email.”

“I’m sorry”, said the manager, “if you don’t have an email that means you do not exist. And who doesn’t exist, cannot have the job.” The man left with no hope at all. He didn’t know what to do, with only $10 US in his pocket.

He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy a 10 KG tomato crate. He then sold the tomatoes in a door to door round. In less than two hours, he succeeded to double his capital. He repeated the operation 3 times, and returned home with $60 US. The man realized that he can survive by this way, and started to go every day earlier, and return late. Thus, his money doubles or triples every day. Shortly later, he bought a cart, then a truck, and then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles.

5 years later, the man became one of the biggest food retailers in the US. He started to plan his family’s future, and decided to have a life insurance.

He called an insurance broker, and chooses a protection plan. When the conversation was concluded, the broker asked him his email. The man replied: “I don’t have an email.” The broker replied curiously, “you don’t have an email, and yet have succeeded to build an empire. Do you imagine what you could have been if you had an email?”

The man thought for a while, and replied: “An office boy!”

Moral: Sometimes, the greatest difficulties give us the opportunity to try a new approach in life.

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LIVING THE CAB RIDE

It was just before five o'clock in the morning when he arrived at the address and honked the horn. After waiting a few minutes, he walked to the door and knocked.

"Just a minute," answered a seemingly frail, elderly voice.

He could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened and there stood a very small woman, probably in her 90's, wearing a faded print dress. On her head was a pillbox hat with a veil pinned to it. The cabby thought it was like something out of a 1940's movie.

A small, nylon suitcase was by her side. Peering inside the door, the cabby saw that the apartment seemed tired, almost empty, and with all the furniture covered with sheets. There appeared to be no clocks on the walls; no knick-knacks on shelves; no utensils on the kitchen counter. A cardboard box stood in the corner, filled with old photo albums and glassware.

"Would you please carry my bag to your car," she said.

He loaded the small suitcase in the trunk of his cab, then returned to the front step to assist the old woman. Taking his arm, they walked slowly toward the cab, and she thanked the cabby continuously for his kindness.

"It's really nothing," he said. "I just try to treat all my passengers the way I would want my family to be treated."

"Oh, you're such a good boy," she said. When she had settled in the cab's rear seat, the elderly woman gave the cabby an address, then asked if they could drive through downtown.

"Well, it's not the shortest way," he answered quickly.

"Oh, I don't mind," she said. "I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospital."

He glanced in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening.

"I don't have any family left," she continued in a small voice. "The doctors say I don't have very long. I'd really love to see the city one more time."

The cabby reached over and quietly shut off the meter.

"What route would you like to take," he asked. And for the next two hours, the cabby and his precious passenger drove through the streets of 'her' city. She showed him the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator; the place where her old school, now demolished, once stood; the church in which she was married, her children were baptized, and from which both of them had been buried.

They drove through neighborhood where she and her husband had lived as newlyweds and after their family began to grow. She had him pull up in front of a discount furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom, and told him how much she had enjoyed dancing as a girl.

Sometimes she would ask the driver to slow in front of a particular building, or corner, and then would sit staring out into a different time and place, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sunrise was cresting the horizon, she announced that she was tired.

"Let's finish our journey now," she said quietly.

They drove in silence then to the hospital, a tidy, small, single-storey building with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two members of the hospital staff came out to meet the cab as soon as it pulled to the front door. They were solicitous and intent, and quite probably had been expecting her. The cabby removed the small suitcase from his car and took it to the door, handing it to one of the hospital workers. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair, looking exhausted.

"How much do I owe you," she asked very quietly, reaching for her purse.

"Nothing, Missus," he said. "You've already paid me."

"Oh, now, you have to make a living," she said.

"There will be other passengers," he replied. Then, intuitively, he bent and gave her a warm hug. She held tightly to him.

"Thank you," she said. "You've given an old lady a few moments of joy."

The cabby squeezed her hand, then walked slowly back to his car. Behind him, a door shut; the sound of a closing of a life.

He didn't pick up any more passengers during that shift. He simply drove aimlessly through the city streets, lost in thought.

"What if that woman had gotten an impatient or angry driver? What if he had refused the call and gone home instead? What if he had honked only once, then driven away?"

On reflection, he realized that he had just done the most important thing in his life. With his own eyes glistening, he drove slowly home.

Moral: We are conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware, beautifully wrapped in what others may consider small ones. People may not remember exactly what we did or said - but they will always remember how we made them feel.



Moral Stories Part IV

MORAL STORIES

VALUE HAS A SIGNIFICANCE

A well-known speaker started off her seminar by holding up a Rs. 1000 note. In the room of 200 people, she asked, “Who would like this Rs. 1000 note?”

Hands started going up. She said, “I am going to give this note to one of you but first let me do this”

She proceeded to crumple the note up. She then asked, “Who still wants it?”

Still the hands were up in the air. “Well,” she replied, “What if I do this?”

And she dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. She picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty.

“Now who still wants it?”

Still the hands went into the air.

“My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson.

No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth Rs 1000/-.

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value.”

Moral – You are special…..Don’t ever forget it!

 Never let yesterday’s disappointments overshadow tomorrow’s dreams.

“VALUE HAS A SIGNIFICANCE”….. ONLY IF IT IS VALUED BY YOU

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UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

 Some time ago, a friend of mine punished his 4 year old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and he became infuriated when the small child tried to decorate a box to put under the tree. Nevertheless the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said “This is for you Daddy.” He was embarrassed by his earlier over reaction... He opened the box and his anger flared again when he found the box was empty. Then he yelled at her: DON'T YOU KNOW when you give someone a present there's supposed to be something inside of it??? The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said, “Oh Daddy it's not empty, I blew kisses into the box, all for you Daddy.” The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged her for forgiveness. My friend told me that he kept that gold box near his bed for years. 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 of us has been given a gold container filled with unconditional love and kisses.

MORAL: Unconditional Love, yes this is the bottom line of this real-life story; most of our present mechanical lives miss this part every now and then.

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TWO TRAVELLING ANGELS

Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guest room. Instead the angels were given a small space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied, "Things aren't always what they seem."

The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest. When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field. The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel how could you have let this happen? The first man had everything, yet you helped him, she accused. The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let the cow die.

"Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied. "When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn't find it."

"Then last night as we slept in the farmer’s bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave him the cow instead.

Moral : Things aren't always what they seem." Sometimes that is exactly what happens when things don't turn out the way they should. If you have faith, you just need to trust that every outcome is always to your advantage. You just might not know it until sometime later...