*Life poses so many bumps. You have to face a lot of inconveniences, troubles and difficulties to reach your goal. The natural reaction is to avoid all those bumps. But once you start to face them, you find your will power become strong. You become a person of determination. These bumps will make your will power steel-like ready to meet all difficulties and trails in your life.
As teenagers, you are by now aware of the simple truth that life is full of challenges. If often does not work the way you plan. Unexpected things happen to derail your journey. It does not mean that you should stop your journey and retreat. Then life loses its shine. It loses even its grip.
Challenges never come with a prior warning. They always come unannounced. You should be on the alert. You should not be caught sleeping. Your education has to prepare you for this task. If that does not happen, education has no meaning.
Sir Isaac Newton had a pet dog named Diamond. One day a sudden movement by the dog caused a burning candle to fall on the pile of manuscripts. It was reduced to ashes in no time. The manuscripts were the only record of his twenty years of painstaking research. All that Newton did was to stroke the dog gently and say, `Oh Diamond, you do not know what mischief you have done me!’ the setback did not deter him from going ahead with his work. On the other hand, he worked with more zeal to reach his goal.
Great men and women were determined to face whatever lay ahead of them. They worked hard to achieve their goals. They faced misfortunes and failure on the way but they refused to give up. Whatever came their way, they took it as a challenge Newton did not give up when twenty years of his work was reduced to ashes. On the other hand, he continued to work with renewed vigor.
A responsible person is one who is bold enough to say in the face of all odds and difficulties.’ I can! I will!’ he moves ahead in spite of failures. Difficulties and failures should be treated as challenges. It is through failures a person learns, improves and finally succeeds. You should not be discouraged by failures. On the other hand you should make a renewed effort to overcome you mistakes. You should turn your obstacles into a stepping –stone to success.
Ramesh returned home late one evening. He saw a note at the door signed by his great friend Ravi, who had been away for many years. His friend lived in a village eleven kilometers away. Ramesh was keen to meet him. He took out his bicycle but there was very little air its tyre. The sky was dark. There were not even stars.
As Ramesh proceeded, he felt the bumps. He was almost thrown off the road many times. He had to pedal very carefully. At times the movement was at a snail’s pace. He was not even sure he would be able to meet his friend. With great difficulty he negotiated all the potholes and stones and reached the village. His friend was waiting for him even without sleep. It was a reunion between Ramesh and his –lost friend Ravi. All the difficulties he had to face were worth this meeting.
Life also poses so many bumps. You have to face a lot of inconveniences, troubles and difficulties to reach your goal. The natural reaction is to avoid all these bumps. But once you start to face them, you find your will power become strong. You become a person of determination. These bumps will make your will power steel-like, ready to meet all difficulties and trials in your life.
Never let obstacles and failures discourage you. Keep doing your work and success will be yours. Be prepared for the unexpected. If you are a person of will power and determination, nothing can defeat you. Be thankful for the obstacles that come your way, for they prepare you for the bigger unavoidable obstacles you will meet in your life.
Be of help to your family members
On a Sunday morning, little James was bored. He had finished studying and had nothing to do. There was no one to play with. `Mother could always do with some help, maybe I can help her!’ he thought.
He ran into the kitchen, where mother was cooking. `May I help you? James asked hopefully. Mother looked at him and smiled. `You are too little to cook,’ she said, `but you can pick up all the toys lying around.’ James was disappointed that he could not help him mother. He picked up all the toys put them neatly in the toy rack.
James then thought he should help his father. He went out and saw father washing his two-wheeler. `May I wash the two–wheeler for you, father’ James. `No, you are too little to do it. But you can bring some water for me in your little bucket.’ James was disappointed again, but he promptly fetched water in a little bucket five times and went inside the house.
James went back into the kitchen. His mother was washing dishes. `May I wash the dishes, mother?’ mother smiled again and said, `Oh, no thank you my dear son. You are too little to do dishes, but could you please talk to Sweta until I am finished. She has started to cry.
James rushed into the living room. His baby sister Sweta was crying in her playpen. James pulled her out of the playpen and played with her. She stopped crying immediately.
James felt sad nobody needed his help. When mother finished doing the dishes, she told James and to go and tell dad that lunch will be ready on the table in five minutes. James did.
At lunch, James was too sad to eat. He wished he were not so little. Mother noticed that James was not eating. `What is wrong, James?’ asked. `I do not like being little.’ James said. `Why not?’ asked father. `Because I am too little to help anybody,’ said James, and as he did, a tear rolled down his little cheek.
Mother patted James and pulled his cheek. `What do you mean, James? You helped me when you picked up all your toys. You sure helped me when you played with Sweta and allowed me time to do the dishes. Had it not been for you I would not have finished my chores yet.’ James' eyes beamed.
Father said, `And you helped me fetch water for washing the two-wheeler. It made my job a lot quicker.’
James looked at Sweta. She smiled at him as if to `thank you’ James had helped her by playing with her.
James smiled. He was very pleased. He had helped after all.
James was too little to help, but that did not stop him from having concern for his family members. Like James, all of us must have concern for our family. We must try to share the responsibilities and help our parents in their day-to-day chores. We must also care for and be helpful to our brothers and sisters.
How to stay happily married? This is the biggest question for most of the couples who are married. In today’s world most of the marriages are going either in annulment or divorce or most dangerous situation that is domestic violence. Most of the celebrity marriages in Hollywood are breaking. Most of them go to family counselor who just analyses them on basis of their behavior to some of his question instead of analyzing their ability to grow and let your partner grow in the relationship. Marriage is like stretchable rubber band the more you stretch the more elasticity until a time comes to its maximum stretch level where more pressure applied it breaks.
I hope to pinpoint the common elements that characterize them. These would include the ability of the husband and wife:
1) To communicate with each other,
2) To be close and mutually interdependent,
3) To meet each other’s practical and emotional needs,
4) To work and play together, and to plan, meet and solve their problems cooperatively and peacefully,
5) To share the duties and pleasures of parenthood,
6) To take pride and pleasure in each other’s accomplishments and sense of self esteem,
7) Not to be self – centered as a couple, but to be productive members of their community as individuals and as a couple,
8) To respect each other’s views, not to look upon a difference in opinion as criticism or loss of love,
9) To argue without quarreling and to settle arguments without prolonged periods of hostility or estrangement .A happy marriage does not necessarily mean one that is altogether devoid of any problems or conflicts.
10) To cultivate a sense of humour. To enjoy holidays together.
I feel the couples who follow most of these golden rules will have a strong relationship and also the saying will correctly apply that “Marriages are made in heaven”.
I have shared some basic tips regarding how to prepare ourselves for a trip with our family.
1.The first and fore most thing is to prepare a check list consisting of the list of items we need for the trip.
2.Ensure that all the items in the list are packed in appropriate bags and suitcases.
3.Ensure that you have keys for the suitcases and appropriate suitcase covers.Place the keys in the zip of the suitcase itself.Suitcase covers are very much important as they will avoid the accumulation of dirt and protect the suitcase from scratches.
4.Air pillows are very much important during travel.Carry appropriate pillow covers too to avoid accumulation of dust.
5.It is good to carry more number of plastic covers and polythene bags as they can be used to dump the used clothes.This way we can avoid mixing the used clothes with the new ones.
6.Carry sufficient packets of paper napkins and toilet rolls.
7.It is good to carry a medicinal kit that consists of basic medicines for head ache,fever and vomit ting.
8.It is good to have a small torch in your hand bag.
9.Cash can be distributed evenly among the adults who are travelling.
10.Have a separate pouch for carrying the travel tickets.Arrange it in a proper order.
11.It is good to carry a lock and a Key which would be helpful at times.
12.Ensure you switched off the mains at home if it is a long trip.
13.Ensure you have closed the regulator of the gas cylinder.If you have a mesh over the window then leave at least one window open.
14.Ensure you have closed all water taps.
15.Apply "Lakshman Rekha" or any other powder in places where the insects will give a visit.
16.Inform the milk man and the news paper vendor about your absence so that they avoid dropping papers and milk packets at your door step.
17.Keep all the valuable things in the locker before the day of travel.
18.It is good to carry the xerox of your medical records along with you.
19.Carry a pocket diary which consists of the phone numbers of all your friends and relatives.
20.Do not forget to charge your mobiles fully before you travel.Communication is very much important when we set out for a happy trip.
Hope these tips are useful to you!!!.
School was over; it was the start of the summer holidays. The teacher told his class to write an essay on the person they admired most-their hero.
`Mine is Bill Games,’ said Savita. `I want to be rich like him!’
`I will write about Sehwag,’ said James. `He is the best batsman in the world.’
`I can not choose between Aishwarya Rai and Kalpana Chawla,’ said Meena.
`They are both so wonderful!’
`What about you, Akbar?’ the teacher asked.
`I am going with my father to his village to meet my grandfather, Sir. I will think about my hero after we return. But sir, please tell us, do you have a hero too?’ Akbar asked.
`Yes, I do and I will you about him when we meet after the holidays,’ the teacher promised.
It was a long journey to Premgarh. They traveled by train to a small town and then got on a bus. After a few hours, it stopped at a bus stop with a cement roof and benches. A big sign said: premgarh.
Akbar saw big, covered gharas, full of drinking water nearby. It was hot and the cool water was refreshing.
A man was waiting for them. `Welcome home, Ahamed Bhai. It has been a very long time!’ he called out to Akbar’s father and the two friends hugged each other.
`Yes! It has, Suraj. This is my son, Akbar,’ said Akbar’s father. Suraj Chacha picked up the boy and sat in the jeep. They loaded the luggage and drove off.
Akbar’s father pointed out the fields on either side of the road. `These fields belong to Suraj. The Wheat crop has been harvested. Soon it will be time to sow again.’
Akbar saw water gushing out of tube-wells and counted three tractors before they stopped outside a small brick house. Just outside the house, there was a big peepul tree with a Charpai under it. The old man sitting on it got up to welcome them.
`Haji Saheb, here are your son and grandson come to see you,’ called out Suraj Chacha.
Akbar’s father hugged the old man.
`Welcome home, my son!’ his father said.’ And how is my little Akbar?’
Akbar saw the twinkling eyes behind the glasses and smiled shyly at his grandfather.
`You must be hungry. Come in all of you,’ said grandfather and led them in to the house. They washed their hands at a hand ump outside the kitchen.
`Abba,’ said Akbar’s father, looking at the pipes leading to the stove. `I an see that the gobar gas plant has started working.’
`Thanks to Suraj,’ said grandfather proudly. With his help, the villagers have set enough gobar gas plants for all the houses here. Now the farmers can keep- their surroundings clean by using the cow dung. They use the gas for coking. The solid waste which remains n the plant becomes fertilizer for the fields. Three in one, they Akbar?’ he smiled.
Suraj Chacha took a long drink of the cool lassi and said, `it is with your blessings Haji Saheb. You taught us under the peepul tree outside, when we had neither a proper school nor a teacher here. You helped so many of us to study further in city schools and collages. But for you, I’d never have gone to agricultural collage.’
Grandfather turned to Akbar and said, `Suraj has paid me back fully and other girls and boys like him have helped their village in so many different ways.’
Just the postman brought a letter for grandfather. `It is from Surjit kaur in America,’ said grandfather. She is a doctor now and says she will be here soon to start a health center in Premgarh.
Haji, Saheb, she has never forgotten how you carried her on your back to the town hospital six miles away! She was only five! The typhoid fever would have killed her live if she had not been treated in time,’ Suraj Chacha told them.
`You must be tired. Rest today and we will meet again tomorrow,’ grandfather said.
When Akbar got up the next day, he saw the neighbors sweeping up fallen leaves and collecting them in sacks.
`We have compost spit,’ grandfather explained. `All the leaves are put into it. This gives us excellent manure for growing vegetables.’
Later, in the morning, he took Akbar and his father around the village. They saw the new school building with it airy classrooms. Different kinds of trees and flowers grew all rounds.
`This is our new school. Now that we have electricity, we can teach our children how to use computers. Suraj has bought two computers for the school. One of my old students has become a teacher in the city. He has promised to teach the children here during the summer holidays,’ grandfather said proudly.
`This is wonderful and very modern. We call it state of the art!’ said Akbar’s father.
`We call it state of the heart,’ said grandfather and chuckled.
He was also going to pick up the city school teacher who had promised computer lessons to the village children.
Their bus drove up. As they hugged grandfather‘s feet. Akbar rubbed his eyes in surprise. It was his class teacher!
`Namaste, Haji Saheb! Here I am, as promised, to give back some of the love you gave me as a child,’ he said.
He saw Akbar and said, `Hello Akbar, what are doing here?’
`Visiting my Hero,’ said Akbar, as he looked with shining eyes at his grandfather.
`Mine too!’ said his teacher softly.
Wherever they went, people greeted them warmly.
`Salaam Haji Saheb; how good to see Ahamed Bhai again.’
`Yet it is, Ansua Bai. And do not forget to boil the water before giving it to the new baby!’ Haji Saheb gave adviser to her.
They saw a young man riding a cycle. Grandfather called out to him. Then he took some money from his pocket and told him, `James, here are the three hundred rupees I promised you for new clothes, if you won a scholarship to the city school.
`Thank you, Haji Saheb. I can never repay what you have done for me,’ said the boy.
`Yes, you can, said grandfather,’ by helping other children in the village hen they need it.’
Within a few days it was time to go back. Grandfather drove up to the bus stop with Suraj Chacha, to say good-bye to Akbar and his father.
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