જેટલી જરૂર શાકમાં મીઠાની રહે છે, એટલી જ જરૂર પરમાર્થમાં સંસારની રહે છે. મીઠું નહિ હોય તો શાક બેસ્વાદ લાગે. પણ મીઠું વધુ પડતું પડી ગયું તો તો શાક ખાઈ જ નહીં શકાય. તે જ પ્રમાણે સંસાર અને પરમાર્થનો સંબંધ છે.
- શ્રી બ્રહ્મચૈતન્ય મહારાજ ગોંદવલેકર
Saturday, December 31, 2011
સંસાર જરૂર પુરતો જ કરવો...
- શ્રી બ્રહ્મચૈતન્ય મહારાજ ગોંદવલેકર
Friday, December 30, 2011
Carrot, Egg, and Coffee Bean
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She didn’t know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up, she was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as soon as one problem was solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, ' Tell me what you see.' 'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.
Mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hardboiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.
The daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?' Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently.
The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.
The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.
The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.
'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
Think of this: Which am I?
* Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
* Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?
* Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.
When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.
MORAL: The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.
Courtesy: An article contributed by a co-worker in my department’s weekly newsletter
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, ' Tell me what you see.' 'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.
Mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hardboiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.
The daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?' Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently.
The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.
The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.
The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.
'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
Think of this: Which am I?
* Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
* Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?
* Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.
When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.
MORAL: The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.
Courtesy: An article contributed by a co-worker in my department’s weekly newsletter
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Self Appraisal
A little boy went to a telephone booth which was at the cash counter of a store and dialed a number.
The store-owner observed and listened to the conversation:
Boy : "Lady, Can you give me the job of cutting your lawn?
Woman : (at the other end of the phone line) "I already have someone to cut my lawn."
Boy : "Lady, I will cut your lawn for half the price than the person who cuts your lawn now."
Woman : “I'm very satisfied with the person who is presently cutting my lawn.”
Boy : (with more perseverance) "Lady, I'll even sweep the floor and the stairs of your house for free.”
Woman : “No, thank you.”
With a smile on his face, the little boy replaced the receiver. The store-owner, who was listening to all this, walked over to the boy.
Store Owner : "Son... I like your attitude; I like that positive spirit and would like to offer you a job."
Boy : "No thanks”
Store Owner : “But you were really pleading for one.”
Boy : “No Sir, I was just checking my performance at the job I already have. I am the one who is working for that lady I was talking to!"
Moral: Aim to excel in what you are doing. Success automatically follows.
Courtesy: An article contributed by a co-worker in my department’s weekly newsletter
The store-owner observed and listened to the conversation:
Boy : "Lady, Can you give me the job of cutting your lawn?
Woman : (at the other end of the phone line) "I already have someone to cut my lawn."
Boy : "Lady, I will cut your lawn for half the price than the person who cuts your lawn now."
Woman : “I'm very satisfied with the person who is presently cutting my lawn.”
Boy : (with more perseverance) "Lady, I'll even sweep the floor and the stairs of your house for free.”
Woman : “No, thank you.”
With a smile on his face, the little boy replaced the receiver. The store-owner, who was listening to all this, walked over to the boy.
Store Owner : "Son... I like your attitude; I like that positive spirit and would like to offer you a job."
Boy : "No thanks”
Store Owner : “But you were really pleading for one.”
Boy : “No Sir, I was just checking my performance at the job I already have. I am the one who is working for that lady I was talking to!"
Moral: Aim to excel in what you are doing. Success automatically follows.
Courtesy: An article contributed by a co-worker in my department’s weekly newsletter
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
IBM's Tech-Predictions for the next 5 years...
IBM '5 in 5' predicts no more passwords, mind-reading smartphones...
Hoping for a lot of progress on the technologies that help people with disabilities!
Hoping for a lot of progress on the technologies that help people with disabilities!
Enjoy Your Life At Every Moment
Once a fisherman was sitting near seashore, under the shadow of a tree and enjoying the beauty of nature.
Suddenly a rich businessman passing by approached him and enquired as to why he was sitting under a tree and not working.
To this the poor fisherman replied that he had caught enough fishes for the day.
Hearing this, the rich man got angry and said: “Why don’t you catch more fishes instead of sitting in shadow wasting your time?”
Fisherman asked: “What would I do by catching more fishes?”
Businessman: “You could catch more fishes, sell them and earn more money, and buy a bigger boat.”
Fisherman: “What would I do then?”
Businessman: “You could go fishing in deep waters and catch even more fishes and earn even more money.”
Fisherman: “What would I do then?”
Businessman: “You could buy many boats and employ many people to work for you and earn even more money.”
Fisherman: “What would I do then?”
Businessman: “You could become a rich businessman like me.”
Fisherman: “What would I do then?”
Businessman: “You could then enjoy your life peacefully.”
Fisherman: “What do you think I’m doing right now?”
MORAL : You don’t need to wait for tomorrow to be happy and enjoy your life. You don’t even need to be rich and powerful to enjoy life. LIFE is at this moment, enjoy it to the fullest. As some great men had said “My riches consist not in extent of my possessions but in the fewness of my wants”.
Courtesy: An article contributed by a co-worker in my department’s weekly newsletter
Suddenly a rich businessman passing by approached him and enquired as to why he was sitting under a tree and not working.
To this the poor fisherman replied that he had caught enough fishes for the day.
Hearing this, the rich man got angry and said: “Why don’t you catch more fishes instead of sitting in shadow wasting your time?”
Fisherman asked: “What would I do by catching more fishes?”
Businessman: “You could catch more fishes, sell them and earn more money, and buy a bigger boat.”
Fisherman: “What would I do then?”
Businessman: “You could go fishing in deep waters and catch even more fishes and earn even more money.”
Fisherman: “What would I do then?”
Businessman: “You could buy many boats and employ many people to work for you and earn even more money.”
Fisherman: “What would I do then?”
Businessman: “You could become a rich businessman like me.”
Fisherman: “What would I do then?”
Businessman: “You could then enjoy your life peacefully.”
Fisherman: “What do you think I’m doing right now?”
MORAL : You don’t need to wait for tomorrow to be happy and enjoy your life. You don’t even need to be rich and powerful to enjoy life. LIFE is at this moment, enjoy it to the fullest. As some great men had said “My riches consist not in extent of my possessions but in the fewness of my wants”.
Courtesy: An article contributed by a co-worker in my department’s weekly newsletter
Monday, December 26, 2011
Struggles in life...
A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared on the cocoon. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further. So the man decided to help the butterfly.
He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and the butterfly would be able to fly and also support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.
What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.
Moral: Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been and we could never fly!
Courtesy: An article contributed by a co-worker in my department’s weekly newsletter
He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and the butterfly would be able to fly and also support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.
What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.
Moral: Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been and we could never fly!
Courtesy: An article contributed by a co-worker in my department’s weekly newsletter
Saturday, December 24, 2011
CLUB 99
Once upon a time, there lived a King who, despite of his luxurious lifestyle, was neither happy nor content.
One day, the King came upon a servant who was singing happily while he worked. This fascinated the King; why was he, the Supreme Ruler of the Land, unhappy and gloomy, while a lowly servant had so much joy. The King asked the servant, 'Why are you so happy?'
The man replied, 'Your Majesty, I am nothing but a servant, but my family and I don't need too much - just a roof over our heads and warm food to fill our tummies.'
The King was not satisfied with that reply. Later in the day, he sought the advice of his most trusted advisor. After hearing the King's woes and the servant's story, the advisor said, 'Your Majesty, I believe that the servant has not been made part of The Club 99.'
'The Club 99? And what exactly is that?' the King inquired.
The advisor replied, 'Your Majesty, to truly know what The Club 99 is, place 99 Gold coins in a bag and leave it at this servant's doorstep.' The King did as advised by his advisor.
When the servant saw the bag, he took it into his house. When he opened the bag, he let out a great shout of joy. So many gold coins! He began to count them. After several counts, he was at last convinced that there were 99 coins. He wondered, 'What could've happened to that last gold coin? Surely, no one would leave 99 coins!' He looked everywhere he could, but that final coin was elusive. Finally, exhausted he decided that he was going to have to work harder than ever to earn that gold coin and complete his collection. From that day, the servant's life was changed. He was overworked, horribly grumpy, and castigated his family for not helping him make that 100th gold coin. He even stopped singing while he worked.
Witnessing this drastic transformation, the King was puzzled. When he sought his advisor's help, the advisor said, 'Your Majesty, the servant has now officially joined The Club 99.'
He continued, 'The Club 99 is a name given to those people who have enough to be happy but are never contented, because they're always yearning and striving for that extra 1, saying to themselves: 'Let me get that one final thing and then I will be happy for life.'
Moral: We can be happy, even with very little in our lives. But the minute we're given something bigger and better, we want even more! We lose our sleep, our happiness, we hurt the people around us; all these as a price for our growing needs and desires. And we stop living life then. Let us live simple and be simple.
Courtesy: An article contributed by a co-worker in my department’s weekly newsletter
One day, the King came upon a servant who was singing happily while he worked. This fascinated the King; why was he, the Supreme Ruler of the Land, unhappy and gloomy, while a lowly servant had so much joy. The King asked the servant, 'Why are you so happy?'
The man replied, 'Your Majesty, I am nothing but a servant, but my family and I don't need too much - just a roof over our heads and warm food to fill our tummies.'
The King was not satisfied with that reply. Later in the day, he sought the advice of his most trusted advisor. After hearing the King's woes and the servant's story, the advisor said, 'Your Majesty, I believe that the servant has not been made part of The Club 99.'
'The Club 99? And what exactly is that?' the King inquired.
The advisor replied, 'Your Majesty, to truly know what The Club 99 is, place 99 Gold coins in a bag and leave it at this servant's doorstep.' The King did as advised by his advisor.
When the servant saw the bag, he took it into his house. When he opened the bag, he let out a great shout of joy. So many gold coins! He began to count them. After several counts, he was at last convinced that there were 99 coins. He wondered, 'What could've happened to that last gold coin? Surely, no one would leave 99 coins!' He looked everywhere he could, but that final coin was elusive. Finally, exhausted he decided that he was going to have to work harder than ever to earn that gold coin and complete his collection. From that day, the servant's life was changed. He was overworked, horribly grumpy, and castigated his family for not helping him make that 100th gold coin. He even stopped singing while he worked.
Witnessing this drastic transformation, the King was puzzled. When he sought his advisor's help, the advisor said, 'Your Majesty, the servant has now officially joined The Club 99.'
He continued, 'The Club 99 is a name given to those people who have enough to be happy but are never contented, because they're always yearning and striving for that extra 1, saying to themselves: 'Let me get that one final thing and then I will be happy for life.'
Moral: We can be happy, even with very little in our lives. But the minute we're given something bigger and better, we want even more! We lose our sleep, our happiness, we hurt the people around us; all these as a price for our growing needs and desires. And we stop living life then. Let us live simple and be simple.
Courtesy: An article contributed by a co-worker in my department’s weekly newsletter
Sunday, December 18, 2011
For Programmers...
Any code of your own that you haven’t looked at for six or more months might as well have been written by someone else.- Eagleson’s Law
Debugging is twice as hard as writing the code in the first place. Therefore, if you write the code as cleverly as possible, you are–by definition–not smart enough to debug it.- Brian Kernighan
It's hard enough to find an error in your code when you're looking for it; it's even harder when you've assumed your code is error-free.- Steve McConnell
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