Short Stories Worth Reading, and Feeling
Source Internet and Newspapers

1. Fall and Rise
Today, when I slipped on the wet tile floor a boy in a wheelchair caught me before I slammed my head on the ground. He said, “Believe it or not, that’s almost exactly how I injured my back 3 years ago .

2. A father's advice
Today, my father told me, “Just go for it and give it a try! You don’t have to be a professional to build a successful product. Amateurs started Google and Apple. Professionals built the Titanic

3. The power of uniqueness.
Today, I asked my mentor – a very successful business man in his 70’s – what his top 3 tips are for success. He smiled and said, “Read something no one else is reading, think something no one else is thinking, and do something no one else is doing.

4. Looking Back
Today, I interviewed my grandmother for part of a research paper I’m working on for my Psychology class. When I asked her to define success in her own words, she said, “Success is when you look back at your life and the memories make you smile.

5. Try and U shall know
I am blind by birth. When I was 8 years old, I wanted to play baseball. I asked my father- "Dad, can I play baseball?" He said "You'll never know until you try." When I was a teenager, I asked him, - "Dad Can I become a surgeon?". He replied "Son, you'll never know until you try." Today I am a Surgeon, just because I tried!

6. GOODNESS & GRATITUDE
Today, after a 72 hour shift at the fire station, a woman ran up to me at the grocery store and gave me a hug. When I tensed up, she realized I didn’t recognize her. She let go with tears of joy in her eyes and the most sincere smile and said, “On 9-11-2001, you carried me out of the World Trade Center.”

7. LOVE CONQUERS PAIN
Today, after I watched my dog get run over by a car, I sat on the side of the road holding him and crying. And just before he died, he licked the tears off my face.

8. A DOOR CLOSES TO OPEN ANOTHER
Today at 7AM, I woke up feeling ill, but decided I needed the money, so I went into work. At 3PM I got laid off. On my drive home I got a flat tire. When I went into the trunk for the spare, it was flat too. A man in a BMW pulled over, gave me a ride, we chatted, and then he offered me a job. I start tomorrow.

9. LOOKING BACK
Today, as my father, three brothers, and two sisters stood around my mother’s hospital bed, my mother uttered her last coherent words before she died. She simply said, “I feel so loved right now. We should have gotten together like this more often.”

10. AFFECTION
Today, I kissed my dad on the forehead as he passed away small hospital bed. About 5 seconds after he passed, I realized it was the first time I had given him a kiss since I was a little boy.

11. INNOCENCE
Today, in the cutest voice, my 8-year-old daughter asked me to start recycling. I chuckled and asked, “Why?” She replied, “So you can help me save the planet.” I chuckled again and asked, “And why do you want to save the planet?” “Because that’s where I keep all my stuff,” she said.

12. KINDNESS
Today, a boy in a wheelchair saw me desperately struggling on crutches with my broken leg and offered to carry my backpack and books for me. He helped me all the way across campus to my class and as he was leaving he said, “I hope you feel better soon.”.

13. SHARING
Today, I was traveling in Kenya and I met a refugee from Zimbabwe. He said he hadn’t eaten anything in over 3 days and looked extremely skinny and unhealthy. Then my friend offered him the rest of the sandwich he was eating. The first thing the man said was, “We can share it.”

14. DOING MY BIT
"Let me tell you a story I remember from my childhood: A terrible fire had broken out in the forest. All the animals were running away, including the lion, king of the forest. Suddenly, the lion saw a tiny bird rushing towards the fire. He asked the bird, 'what are you doing?' To the lion’s surprise, the bird replied 'I am on my way to extinguish the fire.' He laughed and said, 'how can you kill the fire with just one drop of water, in your beak?' The bird was adamant, and said, 'But I am doing my bit.'" 
--Kailash Satyarthi, 2014 Nobel Prize for Peace

15. CHEERS TO LIFE
John worked at a meat distribution factory. One day, when he finished with his work schedule, he went into the meat cold room (Freezer) to inspect something but in a moment of bad luck, the door closed and he was locked inside with no help in sight. Although he screamed and knocked with all his might, his cries went unheard as no one could hear him. Most of the workers had already gone and outside the cold room (freezer), it's impossible to hear what was going on inside. Five hours later, whilst John was on the verge of death, the security guard of the factory eventually opened the door and saved him. John then asked the security guard what he came to do there as it wasn't part of his work routine.

 His replies: "I've been working in this factory for 35 years. Hundreds of workers come in and out every day but you're one of the few who greets me in the morning and says goodbye to me every night when leaving after working hours. Many treat me as if I am invisible. So today like every other day, you greeted me in your simple manner "Hello" at the entrance when resuming for work, But curiously after working hours today, I observed I've not heard your "Good bye see you tomorrow". Hence I decided to check around the factory. 

I look forward to your greetings every day because to you, I am someone. By not hearing your farewell, I knew something had happened. Then I Sought and found you!

Moral Lesson:
 Be humble, love and respect those around you because life is too short. Try to have an impact on people in ways we can't even imagine especially the people that cross our path daily. Stay blessed!

16. MOTHER'S TRUE LOVE 
A young man after his father's death decided to leave his mother in the Home for the Aged with good intent though, but visited her off and on, with flowers and tid-bits of snacks. 
One morning he received a call from the authorities of the "Home for the Aged" saying his mother is serious and that she wants to see him.
He rushed to see his Mom who was in a critical state and with just a few hours in her hand.
He asked his Mom what can I do for you?
In this "Home for the Aged," the Mom replied, please instal fans for there are none here, at times the heat gets terribly unbearable and also have a fridge for the betterment of food because there have been several days I've slept hungry.
The baffled but sad son asked his mother, "Why didn't you ask for this all along when you were here and now with a few hours in your hand, why this request?"

The Mom replied, "it's ok dear, I've been able to manage with the heat, the hunger and the pain, but when you get old your children will send you here, I don't want you to suffer, I know you won't be able to manage, that's why." 

Today's India wants lot of Average Joes
by TSK. Raman

For us to have swachh thoughts all the time isn't really possible. Our mind is a traveller, if not a vagabond, sometimes it stumbles upon a treasure of wonderful ideas/thoughts and at other times is wastes away of useless, lousy thoughts. We are humans so we definitely can't hold on to this process, but what we can do is to fine tune our minds towards good, amicable thoughts. To accomplish this it is important for us to get more educated on the find art of living life. And when I say living I certainly do not mean the mundane 24/7/365 life, process – study, job, matrimony, family, functions, property, EMI's and eventually death.

Someday everyone of us have to meet up with out creator, then why do we make this life so boring and dull. This journey of life is only worth it, when a person has experienced life to the fullest!

The joy of lying down on the terrace (if you have the luxury of one) and looking up at the night sky that can offer a few stars to see, whatever little the haze of pollution spares for us. This to go with soft good old music of the olden days from masters like Md. Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Hemanth Kumar, Talat Mahomood, Mukesh, Lata Mangeskar, Asha Bhosle etc., which has the magic of transporting us into a totally different world, if not period.

How many of us actually lead a life that we really enjoy? 

When was the last time you walked into an art exhibition and enjoyed the art pieces on display or when is it that you walked into a music festival to enjoy the classical artists.
We behave just like machines, commercializing relationships and converting every flicker of opportunity into economic gains/financial benefits.

Let's talk now about the other area, and that of our kids.

There are dozens of schools in every square kilometer and expensive one's at that. 
The nut's and bolt's of the future are manufactured here and then transformed into masses (far more in numbers than the Chinese Factories). They are being made , I do not know with or without purpose thought, but are certainly made Engineering, Software, Electronics, IIT, IIM Medicine, Law, Civils and Business. If they fit into the moulds fine, else even God Almighty can't, because they don't really fit into any other stream or anywhere else. And like any other manufactured product that come with an expiration date these kids too, it occurs when the burden of social standards crush them to the ground leaving them devoid of any other option.

May I appeal to the parents to stop instrumenting your kids only for success, I would say, prepare them too for the failures that life will offer. If my guess is right with working parents, they hardly have anytime to teach or spend with their kids. The least best thing they could do next is to introduce them to books that will help guide them to improve knowledge and expose them to realities of life.

The India that these kids are growing in, needs more of smart average Joes endowed with abundance of common sense, who will know how to handle stress, success, failure with the same level headed-ness. Several research studies tells us that kids who indulge in at least one outdoor sport, read books, adventure travel, appreciate nature and art, grow not only as successful humans and family people but also become able administrators and professionals who will set the standards in society.

WLB
(Work-Life Balance)
by TSK. Raman

OH MY GOD - this is one of the most heard aspects in the last ten fifteen years, a thing that we didn't get to hear when we began our careers.

What has happened suddenly?

Many old timers would say everything has changed, including me at times,  mind you I am not against the progress we are making and the technologies aid this, but, it has taken a toll on us, who are the creators. What I concluded is our perceptions have changed drastically. Being grateful for our lives, our good health, our teams who makes us successful, our neighborhood, and of course our family, is one way to re-energize ourselves. The other way may be is to take frequent breaks of say 6-8 days and go traveling with once with a group of friends, then it could be old mates as far as the one's who schooled with you or went to college with you, or neighbors, or even people from the work place too. Such breaks can give you the verity and the fun you deserve, to enable you get back re-energized for another sprint at work.

Whatever you may want to do the key to happiness is the mindset of GRATITUDE.  

Being Fit. For me it has several dimensions not just being physically fit, includes, emotional and professional wellness too. For you to achieve this the first thing you should work on is your physical fitness. The best and the most recommended these days is to walk at least 10,000 steps a day (if you have a pedometer to measure goo, else  just keep counting and walking. An important aspect of keeping oneself fit is to keep your mind clear of negative emotions. One things therefore I would suggest is to listen to songs while you walk. Doing this you will feel high energy, which in itself will lead you to happiness. High energy and happiness comes mainly when you like what you do. 

The key things that will help you enjoy what you do is to fulfilling my own potential, while helping others fulfill theirs too Living my life free of comparisons, and true to myself rather than based on other people's expectations of me, and knowing I have the choices, including the choice to choose happiness. Even choices such as crisis management being a risk taker or a micro planner, learning how to handle success and failure.

Crisis management prepares me for opportunities within problems. Success is not everything but failures teach me a lot of lessons when we become despondent after the initial failures. Failures help me identify my competencies and create new upsides and success.

In conclusion I might submit introduce changes in your routine life and strike a balance.

Think About it, and I am serious

by TSK. Raman

A couple of days ago, I was driving, and the FM radio went off for few seconds. I thought, I should have an iPod. Then suddenly I realized that I have not used my iPod in last 6 months. And then, more things, Digital Camera in last 8 months, DVD player in last for the last 3 years and many more. Handy cam in last 4 years (I subsequently gifted it to my nephew). I can say consciously now, that I bought that Handy cam just out of impulse, which I used just six times only as long as it was with me. 

So, what's wrong and where?

When I look at myself or my friends I can see it everywhere. We are not happy with what we have but all are stressed and not happy for the things we don't have. I have a i10, but want a Honda City; Some one else has a Honda City, but wants a Skoda. Just after buying a new smart phone, we need another one. Better laptop, bigger TV, faster car, bigger house, more money, and I mean, these examples are endless.

The point is, is it actually worth it ?

Do we ever think if we actually need those things before we want them?

After this, I was forced to think what I need and what I don't. May be I didn't need the Handy cam or the iPod or that DVD player.

When I see my uncle back in his beautiful home, in Kerala, I envy him. He has a simple BPL colour TV, he doesn't need 32" Sony LCD wall mount. He has a cell phone worth Rs 1,000.00. Whenever I ask him to change the phone, he always says, "It’s a phone; I need this just for calls." And believe me; he is much happier in life than me with those limited resources and simple gadgets. The very basic reason why he is happy with so little is that he doesn't want things in life to make it luxurious, but he wants only those things which are making his life easier. It's a very fine line between these two, but after looking at my uncle's life style closely, I got the point. He needs a cell phone but not the iPhone. 

He needs a TV but not the 32" plasma. He needs a car but not an expensive one. 

Initially I had lot of questions. I am earning good; still I am not happy...why? 

I have all luxuries; still I am stressed.... why ? 

I had a great weekend, still I am feeling tired.....why?

I met lot of people, I thought over it again and again, I still don't know if I got the answers, but certainly figured out few things. I realize that one thing which is keeping me stressed is the "stay connected" syndrome. I realized that, at home also I am logged in on messengers, checking mails, using social networks, and on the top of that, the windows mobile is not letting me disconnected. On the weekend itself, trying to avoid unwanted calls and that is keeping my mind always full of stress.

I realized that I am spending far lesser money than what I earn; even then I am always worried about money and more money.

I realized that I am saving enough money I would ever need, whenever needed. Still I am stressed about job and salary and spend.

May be, many people will call this approach "not progressive attitude", but I want my life back.

Ultimately it's a single life, a day gone is a day gone. I believe if I am not happy tonight, I'll never be happy tomorrow morning.

I finally realized that meeting friends, spending quality time with your loved one's; spending time with yourself is the most important thing.

If on Sunday you are alone and you don't have anybody to talk with, then all that luxuries in life, all that money is wasted.

May be cutting down your requirements, re-calculating your future goal in the light of today's happiness is a worthwhile thing to do.

May be selling off your i10 and buying a Honda City on EMIs is not a good idea. I believe putting your happiness ahead of money is the choice we need to make.

I think, a lot can be said and done but what we need the most is re-evaluation of the value of happiness and time we are giving to our life and people associated with it

Think about it!