The Hen and Golden Eggs

I heard this story during my childhood.

A man has a hen that laid one golden egg every morning. Thus the family was happy to have such a nice hen. Lucky though the family was, but the wife of the man said to him, “Look, we are getting only one golden egg every day. I think, there is lot of gold in the stomach of this hen, so why not to get the whole gold today itself and become rich in a day.” So with the advice of the wife, the man decided to kill the hen. But as soon as he killed the hen, he found that the hen was just like any other hen. Thus the family was not able to get any gold and also lost the hen.

My learning

I should not be much greedy. Much wants more and loses all.

Story redrafted and retold by: Keshav Singhal

Balloon Seller

I heard under mentioned story from the mouth of my late grand mother many times during my childhood. Somewhat different but similar story I read these days in a self-help famous book.

There was a balloon seller in a town. He used to sell balloons at fairs. He was having balloons of different colours, such as red, violet, green, yellow, pink, blue. Children at fairs used to purchase balloons from him. Whenever his business seemed to be slow, he used to release a light-weight gas (helium) filled balloon into the air. Looking to coloured balloon in the air flying upward the sky, children asking their parents to got them purchase balloons from the balloon seller. In this way, the balloon seller was able to increase his sales. He used to continue this process whole day in fairs.

There was a child, who wanted to purchase a violet colour balloon. That day the child noticed that the balloon seller had not released violet colour balloon, so he went to the balloon seller and asked, “Whether violet colour balloon would also fly?” Unnoticing the observation of the child, the balloon seller asked the boy, “Why are you asking this question?” “Because I wanted to purchase a violet colour balloon that does fly into the air and I have not seen violet colour balloon flying into the air”, replied the child.

Concern with the question of the child, the balloon seller replied, “Dear Child, It is not the colour of the balloon that flies it into the air; it is what is inside the balloon that takes it go up into the air.” After narrating this story, my grand mother used to say – “This story applies to you also. Your will power and positive attitude are the gases, inside you, which will take you upward that to the road of your success.”

My learning

'Positive attitude' and 'will power' are essential to get success.

Story redrafted and retold by: Keshav Singhal

Two brothers at the front 

I heard similar story during my childhood.

There were two brothers, Jim and Tom, working in the same battalion of Army. They were at the front in a war against enemy country. During the war, Jim (one of the brothers) fell by an enemy bullet and other fellow soldiers saw that. Tom (one who escaped) told to his fellow soldier, “My brother has fell down. I am going to him.” The fellow soldier said, “Your brother, Jim is probably dead and there is no use in risking your life at this moment to bring his body. Let us wait for some time.” But Tom went there. Just as he reached there and took his brother on his shoulders, the wounded brother died. When Tom returned back with the body of his dead brother, the fellow soldier said, “There, you see, you risked your life for nothing. Your brother is dead.”

You know, what Tom said to the fellow soldier?

Tom said, “No, I did what my brother expected of me, and I have my satisfaction that I reached there in time. When I crept up to my brother, he was breathing and when I took him in my arms, you know what my brother told to me.”

The fellow soldier asked, “What?”

“My brother said, ‘Tom, I knew you would come and I am happy that you came’ and after saying these words my brother left for heaven”, replied Tom.

My learning

There are certain family (personal) loyalties, which involves certain obligations and such duties are performed out of love.

Story redrafted and retold by: Keshav Singhal

Two frogs

I heard this story during my childhood.

There were two frogs, which lived together in a marsh. They were happy and enjoying living together, helping each other. One hot summer the marsh dried up. With no option to live in the marsh, both frogs left the marsh to look for another cool place to live in, where they can get water. With their continuous searching, they came near to a deep well. One frog looked down into the well, and said to the other frog – “Look, it is a nice place to live. It’s cool and there is enough water. Let us jump in and settle in this well.” But the other frog replied – “Friend, do not be so fast in your decision. If we jump and start our living here and suppose this well dried up like the marsh, how will we get out again from this deep well?”

My learning

I should think twice before I act.

Moral of the story: The prudent person looks before leaping.

Story redrafted and retold by: Keshav Singhal

P.S. - I am adding comments of Mr. Pradeep, one of the iLand friends, for  information of readers/iLand friends:

 Pradeep said...  12:19 PM | 26/Aug/08 | |

You are right with the perspective......but sometime its always not too wise to think too much........to carry your story a bit further it may have a ending like this......the frog who suggested for jumping into the well thought for the moment and analysed the chances of well getting dried out.....he analysed by the past record that the well have sufficient water in it and chances are very less that water be dried out of the well, while if he does not jump into the well he may die searching other options and may be does not end anywhere.....he bid farewell to other frog and jumped into the well and saved his life, while other frog hesitatingly did not jumped into the well and try finding out other better options nearby but it was not to be and ultimately died searching ....

Thanks, Mr. Pradeep.

Now I am also adding comments of Mr. Vedula rs, iLand friend from Hyderabad –

 vedula rs said...            4:38 PM | 26/Aug/08 | |

you both are right.the person who work only can make a mistake.the person who do not work very little or no chance to make a mistake.so let us decide what we have to do.

Thanks, Mr. Vedula.

I heard under mentioned story during my childhood.

There was a little boy, who once saw a jar full of nuts on a table in a room of his home. His mummy was in another room. The boy wanted to have some of those nuts. He thought, “If I ask mummy, she will give me a few nuts, but I will take a big handful with my own efforts.”

So he went near to the table and without asking his mother, he put his hand into the jar and grabbed as many as nuts as he could hold. But when he tried to pull his hand out, he found that he was unable to get his hand out with nuts. The neck of the jar was too small. When he tried, his hand was held fast, but he did not want to drop any of the nuts. He tried again and again, but he could not get the whole handful out. At last he began to cry.

As the mother was in another room, so listening to the voice of her son, she rushed to the room. She asked her son, “Why are you crying?”

Sobbing the boy said, “I am unable to take this handful of nuts out of the jar.”

The mother said to the boy, “Don’t be so greedy, my dear son! Just take two or three nuts, and you will be able to get your hand out without any trouble.”

The boy did as his mummy told and thought – “How easy this is. I might have thought of this myself.”

My learning

If I grasp for too much, I may end up getting nothing at all. So I should not be greedy too much.

Story redrafted and retold by: Keshav Singhal

A man can be his own teacher, trainer, coach, advisor, friend and ‘disciplinarian’. I learnt self-control (self-discipline) from the following story, which I heard during my childhood.

There was a black crow, who once stole a piece of meat. The crow flew to a tree and held the piece of meat in his beak. A fox saw the crow and wanted to get the piece of meat from the crow for herself. The fox looked up into the tree and raised her voice in a sweet manner to the crow – “Crow brother! How beautiful you are! Crow brother! Your feathers are beautiful than the dove’s. Is your voice as sweet as you look so beautiful? If so you must be the king of birds. I wish to hear your sweet voice song.” So delighted by hearing the praise from the mouth of the fox, the crow opened his mouth to sing a song and the piece of meat fell down. The fox seized upon the piece of meat and ran away. And thus the crow lost the piece of meat.

My learning: Ostentatious display (vanity) is largely a matter of self-control or lack thereof. Others may try to satisfy my ego for their benefits, but it is up to me to constrain it.

Story redrafted and retold by: Keshav Singhal

Implementation Plan for forthcoming ISO 9001:2008 QMS Standards

International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Accreditation Forum (IAF) have announced schedule for implementation of accredited certification to forthcoming ISO 9001:2008 QMS Standard. Both organizations have agreed on an implementation plan to ensure a smooth transition of accredited certification to forthcoming ISO 9001:2008 QMS Standard.

मेरी बेटी की कविता अपनी मम्मी के नाम …. 

मित्रों, 
मेरी बेटी दीप्ति ने नीचे दी कविता 5 दिसंबर 2003 को लिखी थी, जो आज भी प्रासंगिक है. 

"माँ, आपसे सीखा है 
हर मुशकिल का सामना करना 
हर परिस्थिती में खड़े रहना 
खड़े रहना, उस पेड़ की तरह जो विनम्रता मे तो झुकता है, 
पर तूफान से नही गिरता. 
माँ, आप ही ने दिया है 
वो प्यार जो कभी कमजोर नही होने देता मुझे. 
जब भी कभी अपने को असहाय पाती हूँ, 
तो केवल आपकी याद ही एक आत्मविश्वास जगाती है,  
और
प्रेरित करती है कि मुझ में शक्ति है, मुझ में साहस है, कि मैं कर सकती हूँ. 
माँ, सदा साथ रहना ... 
मुझे खुशी है कि आप हो मेरे पास, मेरे लिए, मुझमें आत्मविश्वास जगाने के लिए …. 

लव यू 'माँ' 

- दीप्ति” 

Meree betee kee kavitaa apnee mammee ke naam ….

Mitron,

Meree betee deepti ne neeche dee kavitaa 5 disambar 2003 ko likhee thee, jo aaj bhee prasangik hai.

”maan, aapse seekhaa hai
har mushakil ka saamnaa karnaa
har paristhitee men khade rahnaa
khade rahnaa, us ped kee tarah jo vinamrataa me to jhuktaa hai,
par tufaan se nahee girtaa.
maan, aap hee ne diyaa hai
wo pyaar jo kabhee kamjor nahee hone deta mujhe.
jab bhee kabhee apne ko asahay paati hun,
to kewal aapkee yaad hee ek aatmvishavaas jagaati hai
aur

prerit karati hai ki mujh me shakti hai, mujh me saahas hai, ki main kar sakti hun.
maan, sadaa saath rahnaa
mujhe khushi hai ki aap ho mere pass, mere liye, mujhmen aatmavishwaas jagaane ke liye ….
Love you 'maan'
- Deepti”

P.S. - My daughter (Miss) Deepti Singhal (M. Tech) is an Engineer, presently working in a leading organization.

3-M Practice

‘3-M Practice’ is also known as ‘the big 3’. This is an integral part of the Japanese manufacturing system. ‘3-M Practice’ is popularly known for the three Japanese mantras of ‘muri’, ‘mura’ and ‘muda’.

The ‘3-M Practice’ is popularly practice in many parts of the world because it brings down the cost of production to bare minimum without effecting the quality of manufactured product. When an organization implements the ‘3-M Practice’, the effect of elimination of muda (wastage) is immediately visible. The impact of other two – ‘muri’ and ‘mura’ – are equally significant.

I believe there are three D's associated with daughters' - Daughters are Daddys' Delight!!. While mothers love for her children is widely written & spoken about , the stern faced but soft hearted Daddys are often overlooked.

As I try to recall memories of Daddy when he were younger, my mind conjures up a hazy picture of a skinny man in bell-bottoms. Thick unruly hair, dark skin, prominent moustache - my mind's eye can see way beyond that. Captivated in the recesses of my memories is the steely resolve in the honey coloured eyes, the veins jutting out at the back of his palm(the result of relentless hard work) and a bright, heart warming smile, which even in this day & age reveals the child within him. And it comes even more so to the fore when he talks about his childhood. Daddy had the kind of childhood that kids of the present generation can only read about. His eyes sparkle some more when he narrates his childhood capers and before your eyes unfolds a man whose soul seems connected to the elements of nature.

Listening to his animated talks of his childhood adventures easily drifts you to a world which you would've loved to be a part of. Hunting, fishing, swimming, rowing - he seems to have done it all!We could never overlook the mischievous gleam in his eyes that shone to the hilt when he spoke of how he, along with his bunch of friends used to steal fruits from people's backyards. My didi would often ask him as to how he got the time to study amidst all this. He would laugh in reply. As if to say that in time you will realise that life's lessons are not to be learned within the four walls of a classroom.

Certain people exhibit certain qualities that helps them stand out from the rest. When it comes to Dad it is his optimism. From the time I came of age I never saw him in a pessimistic frame of mind. He might've had self doubts in moments of privacy (Although I can't bring myself to believe that). Every task, however big or small, that he has undertaken, he has fulfilled it successfully with a positive frame of mind. It took me a while to realize that such positivity stems from a firm belief in GOD. In good times and bad his trust in HIM never faded, in fact it increased manifold. It is this devotion that must've helped him see thru' the toughest time of his life during which he saw major upheavals in his personal and professional life. I've seen him stand like a rock amongst a financial crisis. At the age of 50 when many would relax and reminisce about the life they've had I've seen my father restart his life.And thru' the trying times he has had, he never lost his sense of humour.

Principled, witty and charming - today my father stands tall before me as my life's greatest inspiration. And for all the years that I've walked on this earth I've yet to come across anyone who can measure up to my father - my hero!

On October 27, 1980 Kalpana Chawla wrote a poem to her friend, which she titled 'Toward the Goal'............. 


Dive deep down

An aim awaits

Pearls peep

For your hands to reach

Just yours

For years, decades and ages

A door lies locked

A pearl in the shell

A secret in the brain

Open it

Break it

Reveal it

Fly high

“People see things that are and say, why? I see things that can be and say, why not?”

                                                                -  George Bernard Shaw

Rules are tormenting to follow and exciting to flout, but they are set nevertheless. From what we eat to how we live is governed by a set of rules. But matters of the heart are beyond the mundane….no tried and tested methods work here. Its no surprise then that eyebrows are raised when a 20 something finds her soul mate in a middle aged man or when a 25 year old settles for a 30 year old bride . Tongues wag and gossips spread even faster than wildfires……I often wonder why love is not spared of the centuries old diktats. If two people in love agree to look beyond caste, creed, culture, color, race and age and decide to be together in good times and worse, then we need to celebrate the triumph of love. Not dwell on the logics and reasons of why they should not defy the obvious. Let love flourish within you and in the lives of those around you, don’t bind it down to follow norms for there is nothing more pure than love that brings two souls together!

And I’m here…..in a crowd of people. I smile, I talk and laughter fills the air. Life seems so good….everything’s bright and fair. I excel at my work, my seniors pat my back. I plan to learn more, to make up for what I lack. Over a cup of tea, I share a joke or two…..there is a sense of comfort with colleagues old and new. I’m drowned in the lap of comfort…this place is new and good. I’m thanking God every minute….because I know I should. For a woman I’ve come quite far….there is a shower of praises. I don’t let prejudices cow me down….life is full of mazes. A career, money and place under the sun, I’ve made a mark of my own. Mom and Dad are happy, their lil girl has grown.

The setting is so perfect….life seems like a dream. My bag of goodies is full, its flowing over the brim. What then does my heart yearn for….the craving has begun to hurt....I seem to be searching for someone, people mill around me but…..

There is a voice I need to hear, a hand I want to hold….I want to live a lifetime with you…..With you I want to watch sunsets gold…….its the circle of your arms that I’m yearning for, not these wordly snares. If you come back to me again.....my heart I promise I’ll bare…….the feelings that I have left unexpressed, I’ll give them the form of words, your love has taught me the meaning of life…I love you so much it hurts…………

Rudyard Kipling
If

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

One phone call from my didi, announcing that she was taking me to Dubai for a wide variety of reasons, changed my life and the size of my wallet drastically . I went on a shopping binge because the plan of action was to get a job in Dubai while on visit . So, though it is a shopper’s paradise i added a few good outfits in my kitty before i could attack the malls....So I, me, myself landed in the land of Arabs  with no clue about which way life would go henceforth. That kept me away from family, friends n blogs (that explains my absence from iland).

Dubai is not the same old place some said, the standard of living has increased by leaps and bounds and it is not so easy to find the right kind of jobs nemore.....Despite the warnings I left the carefree, happy-go-lucky goan life miles behind n found myself trapped in a not so exciting life behind a closed door flat.....Two months of struggling helped me land a job as a Network Engineer in Sony Gulf....my folks were thrilled at my new found success and compliments flowed in like wine from heaven.....
So, i had finally made it !!! The crème de la crème of shopping malls to choose from, the view of the Burj-al-Arab while on my way for work, an MNC to work in........well can life get any better??? 
Surprisingly yes...........I happened to speak to a fellow Indian and he put in words what had been on my mind since the time I came here.......he said, "This place has everything to offer, except that lil something and even after years of living here u realize that it is that lil something that is absolutely essential to live life........." By that he probably meant the feeling of belonging – to ur family, ur people n ur country. The feeling of walking down the street and knowing that u’ll come across a couple of familiar faces and stop to enquire how they are doing….knowing that u never have to renew a visa that decides whether u stay or leave…….knowing that 15^th August and 26^th January are a celebration……(sigh!)

Well we all are like migratory birds here…..we’ll return to our nests when the sun sets….home is where the heart is folks!

Yet another Maa's day is here and I'm wrecking my brains trying to figure out what to gift my mom....Jus had a tiff with her this morning (one in a list of many  ). I know what she would like as a gift but I can't afford it. Bcoz I jus can't avoid arguing with her and its been aeons (yawn!....) since I gave up trying to explain to her the new mantra's of the 21st century. We share a normal mother-daughter relationship. She's not my best friend. I've never gone running to her to tell her of my first crush or the first valentine's card I received.

She finds my choice of clothes unimpressive, my hairstyles always look like disasters to her  (she's literally told me more than once that my hair look like the rats have nibbled at them). She would gladly hide my cell-phone in a place where i won't find it for ages coz she can't stand me chatting with my friends for hours. She's always complaining about what a spendthrift I am (my friends wonder how I manage to save more than they do!). She goes bonkers coz I haven't yet learned from her the tricks to prepare mouth-watering biryani's (Oh! they r a must u see to qualify me as the ideal muslim girl). I have to beg, plead and cry to convince her to let me hang out with my friends...........So by these standards the gift(s) that she would want from me is waaaaay beyond my reach.

But hey!there's one that'll more than make up for it I think!! It's inexpensive and yet the costliest, and it seems trivial but I know it'll be the most special one for her.......For, this year I'll gift her a "Thank You".....for standing by me, as professionally I treaded through a path that was supposed to be a man's domain, for waking up early in the morning to prepare my breakfast, for encouraging me throughout my school n college to participate in extra-curricular activities (so what if that meant a dip in the rankings). For being there despite our differences, for helping me grow into a strong, independent woman. And also for grudging at my faults n mistakes n blunders ( n there've been many of those I tell u........). For loving me despite the number of times I've hurt her n fought with her n back-answered her...............And most of all for being "my" exclusive "Mom/Mummy/Ammu/Ammi".....the most special miracle in my life........ 

When I first came across the title, "How Opal Mehta got kissed, got wild and got a life" I already knew that I wanted to get hold of this novel and read it. The title instantly sparked an interest. And that it was written by a 19 year old Indian studying at Harvard came as a pleasant surprise. I remember reading about Kaavya's interview where she has stated that she had earlier thought against having an Indian character for her novel as it might not get any takers, but later changed her mind. More of a reason to feel proud of a teenager whose very first literary attempt sky rocketed to the best-sellers list. And that is when the trouble began........
Charges of plagiarism leaped from all fronts and I still thought that she must have lifted some idea or maybe some characterisation. But that 40 odd passages were lifted from Megan McCafferty's novels, "Sloppy Firsts" and "Second Helpings," wasn't an easy news to digest. And while Kaavya apologised and her publishers backed her claim that it was done subconsciously and unintentionally, and some people debated, some argued, some sympathised, came the second round of accusations that Kaavya lifted scenes from Sophie Kinsella's novel, "Can you keep a secret?". You will find more of it here:

[http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/02/books/02auth.html?_r=1&n=Top%2
fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fPeople%2fV%2fViswanathan%2c%20
Kaavya&oref=slogin]

Kaavya's apology after the first round of accusations was found to be weak and not accepted by Megan McCafferty. The second time around she chose to remain mum. And finally the last nail in the coffin was driven - her novel was taken off the bookstores by the publishers.
Is there a lesson here for all of us to learn? What drove a 19 year old ( I believe she was 17 when she began writing it) to plagiarise to such an extent? Although I haven't read her novel, reviewers have noted that while she might not be a volcano of literary talent she's not a no-gooder either. Many believe she could have carried the novel on her own shoulders. Kaavya is guilty no doubt, but to crucify her to the hilt in forums and blogs would be stretching it a bit too far. As writers we all owe responsibility to our readers. Our writings can inspire or lead them to conspire.....And especially with blogomania looking to stay around for a long time to come we need to watch our step. There have been reports of wrong info being posted in blogs and questions have been raised about opinions being expressed in blogs about sensitive issues. And while many argue that writing is "freedom of ex-pression" and blogging is part of a personal domain, there's no denying the fact that we are influencing minds. And lets strive to do this more responsibly.....