Story to
reflect Upon 3
MOTHER
A man stopped at a flower shop to order some flowers to be
wired to his mother who lived two hundred miles away.
As he got out of his car he noticed a young girl sitting on the
curb sobbing.
He asked her what was wrong and she replied, "I wanted to
buy a red rose for my mother.
But I only have seventy- five cents, and a rose costs two
dollars."
The man smiled and said, "Come on in with me. I'll buy you
a rose."
He bought the little girl her rose and ordered his own
mother's flowers.
As they were leaving he offered the girl a ride home.
She said, "Yes, please! You can take me to my mother."
She directed him to a cemetery, where she placed the rose
on a freshly dug grave.
The man returned to the flower shop, canceled the wire
order, picked up a bouquet and drove the two hundred miles
to his mother's house.
Reflection
* How often have we taken things for granted ... not valuing
the things that really matter such as showing the gratitude
and love that we owe to so many people. We get caught up
in a never- ending process of 'busyness' . We fail to realize
that at any time death can flatten all our material
possessions and worldly achievements, power and honor.
* What really matters ultimately are the intangible things ...
the love, kindness, gratitude, generosity, compassion and
care we display towards others. The development of these
qualities is our true 'wealth' ... qualities that help us grow
spiritually, qualities that lead us to true peace, happiness
and freedom.
* Live not a life that will cause us to regret in our parting
days .
* Do the positive things NOW ... do them when we still CAN.
Wait not before it is too late.
* Living a life meaningfully would entail touching others'
lives so that they become more happy and peaceful. When a
life is lived meaningfully, then that life can die joyfully.

STORY TO
REFLECT UPON 4
Fate is in your own hands
Once upon a time, there was a general who was
leading his army into battle against an enemy ten
times the size of his own.
Along the way to the battle field, the troops stopped by
a small temple to pray for victory.
The general held up a coin and told his troops, "I am
going to implore the gods to help us crush our enemy.
If this coin lands with the heads on top, we'll win. If it's
tails, we'll lose. Our fate is in the hands of the gods.
Let's pray wholeheartedly."
After a short prayer, the general tossed the coin. It
landed with the heads on top. The troops were
overjoyed and went into the battle with high spirit.
Just as predicted, the smaller army won the battle.
The soldiers were exalted, "It's good to have the gods
on our side! No one can change what they have
determined."
"Really?" The general show them the coin - both sides
of it were heads.
Reflections
* One's destiny is not fixed or decided by the gods or 'Fate'. One's
destiny is within our own hands.
* The Law of Cause and Effect reigns supreme - the present is
conditioned to a good extent by the past; the future is not fixed ... it
depends primarily on a set of causes and conditions of the present.
* The outcome of a deed or action depends on various factors and
conditions ... one of the most important being one's mental state of
mind/attitude ... concentration, mindfulness, confidence and other
positive qualities of the mind.
* 'IF WE THINK WE CAN, WE CAN' is certainly a good point to
practice.