This is a story from Greece. An orphan boy used to collect twigs from the jungle and sell them in bundles in the town. One day, a passerby stopped by his side and asked the boy:

“Boy, did you tie this bundle yourself?”

“Yes sir, I sell these bundles every day.” The boy replied.

“Show me how you made up the bundle,” the man requested.

The boy undid the ropes and arranged the twigs again in front of the stranger. The stranger was amazed. He had tied them up so beautifully.

“Will you come with me?” he asked.

“I will see that you go to school and that you get food to eat.”

“Yes,” said the boy.

Can you guess who this boy was? He was Pythagoras, the famous mathematician and philosopher.

Each one has a gift. This boy’s gift of being able to make bundles look so beautiful changed his whole life. In the same way your talent can change you whole life.

How do you pack your bag? Do you just dump all the things into the bag? Or do you arrange them neatly? Do you take special care? How do you keep your books? Do you scribble all over? Are the covers falling off? All these indicate what sort of person you are. All these indicate whether you have an eye for the beautiful. The way you conduct your self in the work place, at home, at a picnic – all these indicate what sort of manners you have, what sort of a person you are.

All of us live in this world. Somehow we study. Somehow we work. But only some know how to live life. Only some people know how to make the best of life. Only some people use their talents to understand the meaning of life and live accordingly. You may have everything you need – money, a house, a car and a good kith and kin. Yet you feel empty inside. Why? This is because you do not know how to live.

Suppose you have a beautiful house surrounded on all four sides by huge grounds. But the whole place is full of wild grass. There are some potted plants in the verandah, but they have not been watered for days. There is an expensive sofa set in the drawing room, but the curtains are filthy. You have plenty of clothes, but not one of them looks washed. Your cupboard is full of books, but they have all been dumped there. There is no order or neatness. Do you understand now what is meant by learning the art of how to live?

Remember, life is not a jungle. It is a garden that must be maintained with love, interest and care. Only then, it is beautiful. Whatever you do, do with love, interest and care. Your life will surely be beautiful like the garden.

When your life is beautiful, you will be happy. If you are happy, you will be healthy. Happiness is like the season of spring. Sadness is like autumn season, when all the leaves fall. Have you noticed that when one member in the house is sad, the whole family feels not good. The house seems unhappy. This is why you must always try to be happy. Even if you are sad, try to smile.

Learn to be happy. That is the secret of good life. Enjoy all the wonderful things that have been created for you. Whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly. Get involved with activities. Mix well with people.

Don’t keep your head buried only in books or stick with your computer. Look around you and smile. Let the aim of life be in your eyes. Let your heart be full of hope. Let there be music in your voice. Let there be a smile on your lips. Walk with a song. Live with a laugh.

Some experiences will be pleasant, other experiences will be unpleasant. So what? You can learn to smile through all your experiences. The neem flower is bitter, isn’t it? But you can learn to extract the sweet nectar from the neem flower. This is the great art of living.

Etiquette or good manners are another important art. Make it a part of your life.

Let us take a look at this incident. There was once a series of interviews being held. One candidate followed another into the interview room, and then out of it. The interesting thing was, a book lying on the floor, just below the table at which each candidate sat for the interview. But, not one of them picked it up. Finally, a very ordinary looking boy dressed in ordinary clothes walked into the room. The moment he noticed the book, he picked it up, dusted it with his handkerchief, and placed it on the table. Yes, you are right. He got the job.

Etiquette is an art that makes the ugly beautiful. It lends fragrance to beauty. Make your life beautiful and fragrant.