Power of non-violence

Dr. Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and founder of the M.K.Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, in his June 9 lecture at the University of Puerto Rico shared the following story:

I was 16 years old and living with my parents at the institute my grandfather had founded 18 miles outside of Durban , South Africa, in the middle of the sugar plantations.

We were deep in the country and had no neighbors, so my two sisters and I would always look forward to going to town to visit friends or go to the movies.

One day, my father asked me to drive him to town for an all-day conference, and I jumped at the chance.

Since I was going to town, my mother gave me a list of groceries she needed and, since I had all day in town, my father asked me to take care of several pending chores, such as getting the car serviced.

When I dropped my father off that morning, he said, "I will meet you here at 5:00 p.m., and we will go home together."

After hurriedly completing my chores, I went straight to the nearest movie theatre. I got so engrossed in a John Wayne double-feature that I forgot the time. It was 5:30 before I remembered.

By the time I ran to the garage and got the car and hurried to where my father was waiting for me, it was almost 6:00. He anxiously asked me, "Why were you late?" I was so ashamed of telling him I was watching a John Wayne western movie that I said, "The car wasn't ready, so I had to wait," not realizing that he had already called the garage.

When he caught me in the lie, he said: "There's something wrong in the way I brought you up that didn't give you the confidence to tell me the truth. In order to figure out where I went wrong with you, I'm going to walk home 18 miles and think about it."

So, dressed in his suit and dress shoes, he began to walk home in the dark on mostly unpaved, unlit roads. I couldn't leave him, so for five-and-a-half hours I drove behind him, watching my father go through this agony for a stupid lie that I uttered. I decided then and there that I was never going to lie again.

I often think about that episode and wonder, if he had punished me the way we punish our children, whether I would have learned a lesson at all. I don't think so.
I would have suffered the punishment and gone on doing the same thing.

But this single non-violent action was so powerful that it is still as if it happened yesterday. That is the power of non-violence.

Worth reading

A simple man tells how his booking an air ticket for his father, his
First flight, brought emotions and made him realize that how much we all
Take for granted when it comes to our parents.

My parents left for our native place on Thursday and we went to the
Airport to see them off. In fact, my father had never traveled by air
Before, so I just took this opportunity to make him experience the same.
In spite of being asked to book tickets by train, I got them tickets on
Lufthansa.

The moment I handed over the tickets to him, he was surprised to see
That I had booked them by air. The excitement was very apparent on his
Face, waiting for the time of travel. Just like a school boy, he was
Preparing himself on that day and we all went to the airport, right from
Using the trolley for his luggage, the baggage check-in and asking for
Window seat and waiting restlessly for the security check-in to happen.

He was thoroughly enjoying himself and I, too, was overcome with joy
Watching him experience all these things.

As they were about to go in for the security check-in, he walked up to
Me with tears in his eyes and thanked me. He became very emotional and
It was not as if I had done something great but the fact that this meant
A great deal to him.

When he said thanks, I told him there was no need to thank me.

But later, thinking about the entire incident, I looked back at my life.


As a child how many dreams our parents have made come true. Without
Understanding the financial situation, we ask for football, dresses,
Toys, outings, etc. Irrespective of their affordability, they have
Satisfied all our needs. Did we ever think about the sacrifices they had
To make to accommodate many of our wishes?

Did we ever say thanks for all that they have done for us?

Same way, today when it comes to our children, we always think that we
Should put them in a good school. Regardless of the amount of donation,
We will ensure that we will have to give the child the best, theme
Parks, toys, etc. But we tend to forget that our parents have sacrificed
A lot for our sake to see us happy, so it is our responsibility to
Ensure that their dreams are realized and what they failed to see when
They were young, it is our responsibility to ensure that they
Experience all those and their life is complete.

Many times, when my parents had asked me some questions, I have actually
Answered back without patience.. When my daughter asks me something, I
Have been very polite in answering. Now I realize how they would have
Felt at those moments.

Let us realize that old age is a second childhood and just as we take
Care of our children, the same attention and same care need to be given
To our parents and elders.

Rather than my dad saying thank you to me, I would want to say sorry for
Making him wait so long for this small dream.. I do realize how much he
Has sacrificed for my sake and I will do my best to give the best
Possible attention to all their wishes. Just because they are old does
Not mean that they will have to give up everything and keep sacrificing
For their grandchildren also. They have wishes, too..

Take care of your parents.

Cracked Pot

Here’s some good old Chinese wisdom!
An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole, which she carried across her neck.
One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.
At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.
For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.
But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.
After 2 years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream.
“I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.”
The old woman smiled, “Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side?
That’s because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.”
“For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table.”
Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.”Each of us has our own unique flaw…
But it’s the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.
You’ve just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

A Constant Relationship

A Constant Relationship

quote of the day

everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together. .....

Thought for the day

[2:155] And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Sabirin (the patient ones, etc.).

[2:156] Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: "Truly! To Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return."

[2:157 They are those on whom are the Salawat (i.e. blessings, etc.) (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided-ones.

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

Hope u wil tear for sure....

One day, when I was a freshman in high school,

I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school.
His name was Kyle.

It looked like he was carrying all of his books.

I thought to myself, 'Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday?

He must really be a nerd.'

I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends
tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.

As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him.

They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so
he landed in the dirt.
His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet
from him...
He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes
My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him as he crawled around
looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye.
As I handed him his glasses, I said, 'Those guys are jerks.' * *

They really should get lives.
' He looked at me and said, 'Hey thanks!'
There was a big smile on his face.
It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.

I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived.
As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him
before..

He said he had gone to private school before now.
I would have never hung out with a private school kid before.
We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books.
He turned out to be a pretty cool kid.
I asked him if he wanted to play a little football
with my friends

He said yes.

We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked
him, and my * *friends thought the same of him.

Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again
I stopped him and said, 'Boy, you are gonna really build some serious
muscles with this pile of books everyday!

' He just laughed and handed me half the books.

Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends..

When we were seniors we began to think about college.

Kyle decided on Georgetown and I was going to Duke.

I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never

be a problem.

He was going to be a doctor and I was going for business on a football
scholarship..

Kyle was valedictorian of our class.

I teased him all the time about being a nerd.

He had to prepare a speech for graduation.

I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak

Graduation day, I saw Kyle.

He looked great.

He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school.

He filled out and actually looked good in glasses.

He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him.

Boy, sometimes I was jealous!

Today was one of those days.
I could see that he was nervous about his speech.
So, I smacked him on the back and said, 'Hey, big guy, you'll be great!'
He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and
smiled.

Thanks,' he said.

As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began
'Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those
tough years.
Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach...but mostly your
friends....

I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift
you can give them.
I am going to tell you a story.'

I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the
first day we met.
He had planned to kill himself over the weekend.
He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to
do it later and was carrying his stuff home.
He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.

'Thankfully, I was saved.

My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable..'
I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us
all about his weakest moment.

I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile..

Not until that moment did I realize it's depth.

Never underestimate the power of your actions..
With one small gesture you can change a person's life.

For better or for worse.
God puts us all in each others lives to impact one another in some way.

Look for Good in others.