It is easier to criticize, but difficult to improve.

Once upon a time there was a painter who had just completed his course under disciple hood of a great painter. This young artist decided to assess his skills of skills so he decided to give his best strokes on the canvass. He took 3 days and painted beautiful scenery.
Suddenly an idea flashed in his mind and he decided to display it on a busy street-square of that small town he was resident of. He wanted people’s opinion about his caliber and painting skills.
He put his creation at a busy street-crossing. And just down below a board which read-”Gentlemen, I have painted this piece. Since I’m new to this profession I might have committed some mistakes in my strokes etc. Please put a cross wherever you see a mistake.”
While he came back in the evening to collect his painting he was completely shattered to see that whole canvass was filled with Xs (crosses) and some people had even written their comments on the painting.
Disheartened and broken completely he ran to his master’s place and burst into tears. Sobbing and crying inconsolably he told his master about what happened and showed the pathetic state of his creation which was filled with marks everywhere. Such was the state that colors were not visible, only things one could see were crosses and correction remarks.
This young artist was breathing heavily and master heard him saying ”I’m useless and if this is what I have learnt to paint I’m not worth becoming a painter. People have rejected me completely. I feel like dying”
Master smiled and suggested “My Son, I will prove that you are a great artist and have learnt a flawless painting.” Young disciple couldn’t believe it and said “I have lost faith in me and I don’t think I am good enough. Don’t make false hopes..
“Do as I say without questioning it. It WILL work.” Master interrupted him. ”Just paint exactly similar painting once again for me and give it to me. Will you do that for your master?” Master instructed.
Young artist reluctantly agreed and two days later early morning he presented a replica of his earlier painting to his master. Master took that gracefully and smiled. ”Come with me.” master said.
They reached the same street-square early morning and displayed the same painting exactly at the same place. Now master took out another board which read -”Gentlemen, I have painted this piece. Since I’m new to this profession I might have committed some mistakes in my strokes etc. I have put a box with colours and brushes just below. Please do a favour. If you see a mistake, kindly pick up the brush and correct it.” Master and disciple walked back home.
They both visited the place same evening. Young painter was surprised to see that actually there was not a single correction done so far. But master wasn’t satisfied as yet and he told his disciple “May be one day was too little a time for people to come up with ideas and take out time out of their busy schedules to correct it so let us keep it here for one more day. Tomorrow is Sunday, so we can expect some corrections coming in.”
Next day again they visited and found painting remained untouched. They say the painting was kept there for a month for no correction came in!
It is easier to criticize, but difficult to improve.

The Most Important Part of the Body

What do you think is the most important part of your body?

I recently came across this story on “Inspirational Stories for Your Soul” that I thought was intriguing and which raised a good question…what is the most important part of the human body? Can you guess what it might be? The answer may surprise…and inspire you!

My mother used to ask me what is the most important part of the body and, through the years, I would take a guess at what I thought was the correct answer.

When I was younger, I thought sound was very important to us as humans so I said “my ears, mommy”.
She said “No, many people are deaf. But you keep thinking about it and I will ask you again soon.”

Several years passed before she asked me again. Since my last attempt, I contemplated a correct answer. So I told her “Mommy, sight is very important to everybody, so it must be our eyes.”
She looked at me and told me that I was learning fast but the answer is not correct because there are many people who are blind.

Stumped again, I continued my quest for knowledge and over the years she asked me a couple more times and always the same answer “No. But you are getting smarter every year, my young child.”

Then last year my Grandpa died. Everybody was hurt. Everybody was crying. Even my father cried. I remember that especially because it is only the second time I saw him cry.
My Mom looked at me when it was our turn to say our final good-bye to Grandpa.

She asked me “Do you know the most important body part yet? And I was shocked she asked me this now. I always thought this was a game between her and me.
She saw the confusion on my face and told me, “This question is very important. It shows that you have really lived in your life. For every body part you gave me in the past, I have told you that it was wrong and given you an example why. But today is the day you need to learn this important lesson.”

She looked down at me like only a mother can. I saw her eyes well up with tears. She said,
“Son the most important body part is your shoulder.” Was it because it held up my head?
She replied, “No, because it can hold the head of a friend or loved one when they cry. Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on sometime in life, my son.

I only hope that you have enough love and friends that you will always have a shoulder to cry on when you need it.”

Then and there I knew the most important body part was not selfish, it was sympathetic to the pain of OTHERS.

You are a friend and, whenever you want, you can cry on my shoulder!!!

People will forget what you said.
People will forget what you did,

BUT REMEMBER…

People will never forget how you made them feel.

A Dog’s Tale: When Things Go Wrong

Sometimes in life, things are never what they may seem.

Many years ago, a friend of mine told me the following true story……

When he was growing up, a neighbor of his, Scott, had a big, Golden Retriever, Max, as a pet. Max would get into everything…the garden, the trash cans, ground hog holes, etc. and occasionally, ransack their neighbor’s things. One neighbor, Mr. Swanson, had told Scott and his family that if he ever saw Max come into their yard again, he would call the police and the pound then have Max taken away.

One day Scott and his family came home after school and called for Max. To their horror and astonishment, their dog held a dead, white rabbit in its mouth. The first thing they thought was, where did Max find a white rabbit?  All the rabbits that they ever saw hopping around the yard were either brown or gray but not white.

Then a bone-chilling awareness dawned on them…their neighbors, the Swanson’s, had two children who had a white, rabbit for a pet and it lived in a cage in their back yard. Could the dog have wondered into their yard and snatched the rabbit out of its cage? The only way that they would know for certain was to find out for themselves.

Lucky for them, the Swanson’s weren’t home, so Scott warily walked into the yard and looked upon the cage. To his chagrin, he found the small door to the rabbit cage wide open and there wasn’t a rabbit to be found.

Heart pounding and racing back home, Scott told his parents that the rabbit’s cage was empty and he was certain that Max had taken the little critter out of its pen, killed it, and brought it home to show the family as they arrived.

Scott and his parents were not only upset but scared. Max had once again gone into their neighbor’s yard but this time he went over the line…he had killed their pet. Mr. Swanson would have Max taken away. What were they going to do? They had to think of something quick…the Swanson’s would be home within the hour.

Suddenly, Scott’s dad had an inspiration. They would drive down to the local pet store and try to find a white rabbit that they could purchase. Imagine how excited they were when there was a white rabbit for sale!

As fast as they could, they drove back to Scott’s house and handed the rabbit to Scott. Scott ran back into the Swanson’s yard, put the bunny back into the cage, closed the door and left.

Scott and his family were very, very excited. The Swanson’s “pet” was back home where it belonged, Max was safe and nobody would know that anything had happened, Now, all they had to do was wait and see if the Swanson’s would notice.

Twenty minutes later, they saw the Swanson car pull into the driveway and watched as the family went into the house. After waiting, for seemed to be an eternity, a blood-curdling scream emanated from the Swanson’s backyard. Scott, along with his family, ran into the Swanson’s yard to see what had happened.

There, they found Mrs. Swanson, looking white as a ghost, shaking from head to toe. Mr. Swanson came dashing out of their house followed by their two kids. Scott’s father asked, what’s the matter? What’s wrong? Mrs. Swanson just stood their shaking her head in shock and disbelief.

After a minute or so, she calmed down and said in a slow, quiet voice, “I just don’t understand it. The most amazing thing has happened. You see, Snowball, our pet rabbit died last night. I took it out of its cage and buried it in our garden. When I came home to pick some tomatoes and onions for dinner, I saw that the spot where I had buried Snowball was empty…and he was back in its cage!!!”

Scott and his parents stood there in utter amazement. Max hadn’t killed the Swanson’s rabbit at all…it was dead and he had dug it up!!