All For the Good

A close aide of the king had the habit of looking at every situation, good or bad, and commenting, "All for the good". This habit landed him in trouble one day when on a hunting trip, due to a faultily loaded gun, the king's finger was blown off. The aide remarked, "All for the good". The king was furious at such insensitiveness and had him imprisoned.

A few months later, while on a hunt, the king was captured by some cannibals, who had the custom of sacrificing human to their deity. As they were preparing to sacrifice the king, they noticed the king's missing finger and being too superstitious to sacrifice a less than perfect specimen to their deity, set him free.

The king realised the truth behind the comment and summoned his aide. He narrated his near brush with death and apologised for his hasty decision. True to form, the aide remarked, "All for the good." The king was surprised, but the aide explained, "Had your majesty not imprisoned me, I would have surely accompanied you on the hunt and the cannibals would have had no problem sacrificing a 'perfect' specimen like me to their deity."

The king, amused by his aide's attitude, rewarded him and made him his chief advisor.


Do you see life filled with independent events or a series of events, in turn connected with a bigger purpose?

When will you start seeing life as a whole?


~Taken from "How full is your cup?: 64 stories that can transform the way you look at life" by J M Sampath~

Cod Liver Oil for the Dog

A man began to give large doses of cod liver oil to his pet dog because he had been told that it was good for dogs. Each day he would hold the protesting dog between his knees, force its jaws open and pour the oil down its throat.

One day the dog broke away and spilt the oil on the floor. Then to the man's great surprise, it not only lapped up the oil that was spilt on the floor but came back to lick the spoon.

That was when the man discovered that, what the dog had been fighting was not the oil but the manner in which is was being given.


What is more important...'giving' or 'giving your way'?

How can you become sensitive to others' way of receiving?


~Taken from "How full is your cup?: 64 stories that can transform the way you look at life" by J M Sampath~

Change...

The Sufi Bayazid says this about himself:

I was a revolutionary when I was young and my only prayer to God was...

"Lord, give me the energy to change the world."

As I approached middle age and realised that half my life was gone without my changing a single soul, I changed my prayer to...

"Lord, give me the grace to change all those who come in contact with me. Just my family and friends and I shall be content."

But now that I am old, I pray thus...

"Lord, give me the grace to change myself. If I had prayed for this right from the start I would not have wasted my life."


What motivates you to attempt changing others?

What holds you from seeing yourself as the beginning of all change you want to see in the world?


~Taken from "How full is your cup?: 64 stories that can transform the way you look at life" by J M Sampath~

Present Moment

Once the clock master, while fixing a clock, heard the pendulum plead, "Please sir, leave me alone. Think of the number of times I will have to tick day and night, sixty times each minute, sixty minutes an hour, twenty four hours a day, three sixty five days a year, for year upon year... I could never do it."

But the master replied wisely, "Don't think of the future. Just do one tick at a time and you will enjoy every tick for the rest of your life." And the pendulum decided to follow the master's words and is still ticking away merrily.


As you are pulled by the past and the future, how much of the present do you miss out?

What does it take to be in the present?


~Taken from "How full is your cup?: 64 stories that can transform the way you look at life" by J M Sampath~

I Stopped Long Ago...

A woman was at her singing lessons. She had such a jarring voice that her neighbour could take it no more. He managed to finally summon up the courage to knock at her door and say, "Madam, if you don't stop your singing, I think I'll go mad!"

"What are you talking about?" said the woman. "I stopped two hours ago!"


Do you respond to people or the image you hold of them?

Why do you imprison people in your mind?

What preoccupations of yours prevent you from seeing life as it is?


~Taken from "How full is your cup?: 64 stories that can transform the way you look at life" by J M Sampath~

Who Am I?

The Wemmicks were small wooden people, carved by a woodworker named Eli. Every Wemmick looked different. But they did the same thing all day. They gave each other stickers. The talented and pretty ones always got stars. But the Wemmicks with rough surfaces and chipped paint got dots, which meant they were no good.

Punchinello always got dots even though he tried hard to earn stars. Soon he started believing he was a no-good Wemmick. One day he met a Wemmick called Lulia with no dots or stars. It wasn't that other Wemmicks didn't try to give her stickers; it was just that the stickers did not stick on her. Punchinello was curious to know how this was possible and Lulia asked him to meet Eli.

Punchinello felt very happy in Eli's company. "Don't worry about your dots," Eli said. "After all, they are given by fellow Wemmicks. But you are special to me because I made you."

"But why don't stickers stick on Lulia," he asked. "Because the stickers only stick if you let them!" Punchinello thought "I think Eli really means it." And at that moment a dot fell to the ground. Soon he had no stickers sticking to him and he felt good deep within.


How much do you get carried away by what others think of you?

What holds you from accepting yourself as you are deep within?


~Taken from "How full is your cup?: 64 stories that can transform the way you look at life" by J M Sampath~

The Filthy Neighbour

A: You should see how dirty my neighbour is, and her house! Even her children are always dirty! It is almost a disgrace to be living in the same neighbourhood. Take a look at the clothes she has hung outside on the line!

B: (Looks out of A's dirty windows) I think, the clothes are quite clean... The streaks are on your window!


How often do you clean your glasses before you see others?

How objective are the glasses you wear?


~Taken from "How full is your cup?: 64 stories that can transform the way you look at life" by J M Sampath~

The Cracked Pot

A water bearer carried two pots, slung from the ends of a pole. One was a whole pot and the other had a crack.

The whole pot was proud of its perfection and the other, ashamed of its deformity. One day, the cracked pot pleaded, "Master, why do you continue to use me when I can deliver only half my load?"

Understanding the pot's dilemma, the water bearer said, "Look on the sides of the path we take everyday." The pot did and was pleasantly surprised to see a bed of vibrant flowers on its side, whereas the other side was dry and barren! "You may not be delivering your full load, but you are the reason for these lovely flowers, which I take to my master for his daily prayers!" concluded the wise man.


Do you realise that it is not about how perfect or imperfect you are, but what you are creating with your contributions that make the real difference?


~Taken from "How full is your cup?: 64 stories that can transform the way you look at life" by J M Sampath~

How Full Is Your Cup?

A Zen master received a university professor who came to enquire about Zen.

The master served tea, filling his visitor's cup to the brim, and continued pouring.

The professor watched him until he could no longer restrain himself. "It is full. No more will go in!"

"Like this cup," the master said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?"


Do you walk into a situation to show what you already know or to understand about the situation?

How open are you to life?


~Taken from "How full is your cup?: 64 stories that can transform the way you look at life" by J M Sampath~