Great Articles
When Steve Jobs Changed My Life !
STEVE JOBS
“You’ve got to find what you love”
This is the text of the Commencement address by Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, delivered on June 12, 2005.
I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Just three stories.
The first story is about connecting the dots
I dropped out of
It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: "We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?" They said: "Of course." My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers.
She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college. And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents' savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn't see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn't interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting. It wasn't all romantic. I didn't have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor friends' rooms, I returned coke bottles for the 5 cent deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the 7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example:
None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But 10 years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, its likely that no personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards 10 years later.
Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.
My second story is about love and loss
I was lucky - I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4,000 employees. We had just released our finest creation - the Macintosh - a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a failing out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.
I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down - that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me - I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.
I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.
During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the world's first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. in a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I retuned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.
I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn’t been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith. I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.
My third story is about death
When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.” It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.
Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool. I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost every thing - all external expectations, all price, all fear of embarrassment or failure-these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important, Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.
About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn't even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor's code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you'd have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your good byes.
I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I hid a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I am fine now.
This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope its the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty that when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept.
No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of life. It is life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new.
Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.
Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma-which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
When I was young, there was an amazing publication called ‘The Whole Earth Catalog’, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in
Stewart and his team put out several issues of ‘The Whole Earth Catalog’, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was mid 1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on it, you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish, And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin a new, I wish that for you.
Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.
Thank you all very much.
***********************************************************
In life, go straight and turn right.. always and in all ways.
My name is Nick Vujicic and I give God the Glory for how He has used my
testimony to touch thousands of hearts around the world! I was born
"defect". As you can imagine, I was faced with many challenges and
obstacles.
"Consider it pure joy, my Brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds."
....To count our hurt, pain and struggle as nothing but pure joy? As my
parents were Christians, and my Dad even a Pastor of our church, they knew
that verse very well. However, on the morning of the 4th of December 1982
in
was "Praise God!". Their firstborn son had been born without limbs! There
were no warnings or time to prepare themselves for it. The doctors we
shocked and had no answers at all! There is still no medical reason why
this had happened and Nick now has a Brother and Sister who were born just
like any other baby.
The whole church mourned over my birth and my parents were absolutely
devastated. Everyone asked, "if God is a God of Love, then why would God
let something this bad happen to not just anyone, but dedicated
Christians?" My Dad thought I wouldn't survive for very long, but tests
proved that I was a healthy baby boy just with a few limbs missing.
Understandably, my parents had strong concern and evident fears of what
kind of life I'd be able to lead. God provided them strength, wisdom and
courage through those early years and soon after that I was old enough to
go to school.
The law in
school because of my physical disability. God did miracles and gave my Mom
the strength to fight for the law to be changed. I was one of the first
disabled students to be integrated into a main-stream school.
I liked going to school, and just try to live life like everyone else, but
it was in my early years of school where I encountered uncomfortable times
of feeling rejected, weird and bullied because of my physical difference.
It was very hard for me to get used to, but with the support of my
parents, I started to develop attitudes and values which helped me
overcome these challenging times. I knew that I was different but on the
inside I was just like everyone else. There were many times when I felt so
low that I wouldn't go to school just so I didn't have to face all the
negative attention. I was encouraged by my parents to ignore them and to
try start making friends by just talking with some kids. Soon the students
realized that I was just like them, and starting there God kept on
blessing me with new friends.
There were times when I felt depressed and angry because I couldn't change
the way I was, or blame anyone for that matter. I went to Sunday School
and learnt that God loves us all and that He cares for you. I understood
that love to a point as a child, but I didn't understand that if God loved
me why did He make me like this? Is it because I did something wrong? I
thought I must have because out of all the kids at school, I'm the only
weird one. I felt like I was a burden to those around me and the sooner I
go, the better it'd be for everyone. I wanted to end my pain and end my
life at a young age, but I am thankful once again, for my parents and
family who were always there to comfort me and give me strength.
Due to my emotional struggles I had experienced with bullying, self esteem
and loneliness, God has implanted a passion of sharing my story and
experiences to help others cope with whatever challenge they have in their
life and let God turn it into a blessing. To encourage and inspire others
to live to their fullest potential and not let anything get in the way of
accomplishing their hopes and dreams.
One of the first lessons that I have learnt was not to take things for
granted."And we know that in all things God works for the best for those who love
Him."
That verse spoke to my heart and convicted me to the point where that I
know that there is no such thing as luck, chance or coincidence that these
"bad" things happen in our life.
I had complete peace knowing that God won't let anything happen to us in
our life unless He has a good purpose for it all. I completely gave my
life to Christ at the age of fifteen after reading John 9. Jesus said that
the reason the man was born blind was "so that the works of God may be
revealed through Him." I truly believed that God would heal me so I could
be a great testimony of His Awesome Power. Later on I was given the wisdom
to understand that if we pray for something, if it's God's will, it'll
happen in His time. If it's not God's will for it to happen, then I know
that He has something better. I now see that Glory revealed as He is using me just the way I am and inways others can't be used.
MORE ON SAME STORY
But something's do...
*****************************************************************************************************
Love Story of Narayana Murthy and Sudha Murthy
It was in Pune that I met Narayan Murty through my
friend Prasanna who is now the Wipro chief, who was
also training in Telco. Most of the books that
Prasanna lent me had Murty's name on them which
meant that I had a preconceived image of the man.
Contrary to expectation, Murty was shy,bespectacled
and an introvert. When he invited us for dinner.. I was
a bit taken aback as I thought the young man was
making a very fast move. I refused since I was the
only girl in the group. But Murty was relentless and
we all decided to meet for dinner the next day at 7.30
p.m. at Green Fields hotel on the Main Road,Pune.
The next day I went there at 7' o clock since I had to
go to the tailor near the hotel. And what do I see?
Mr. Murty waiting in front of the hotel and it was
only seven. Till today, Murty maintains that I had
mentioned (consciously!) that I would be going to the
tailor at 7 so that I could meet him...And I maintain
that I did not say any such thing consciously or
unconsciously because I did not think of Murty as
anything other than a friend at that stage. We have
agreed to disagree on this matter.
Soon, we became friends. Our conversations were filled
with Murty's experiences abroad and the books that he
has read. My friends insisted that Murty was trying to
impress me because he was interested in me. I kept
denying it till one fine day, after dinner Murty said,
I want to tell you something. I knew this was it. It
was coming. He said, I am 5'4" tall. I come from a
lower middle class family. I can never become rich in
my life and I can never give you any riches. You are
beautiful, bright, and intelligent and you can get
anyone you want. But will you marry me? I asked Murty
to give me some time for an answer. My father didn't
want me to marry a wannabe politician,(a communist at
that) who didn't have a steady job and wanted to build
an orphanage...
When I went to Hubli I told my parents about Murty and
his proposal. My mother was positive since Murty was
also from Karnataka, seemed intelligent and comes from
a good family. But my father asked: What's his job,
his salary, his qualifications etc? Murty was working
as a research assistant and was earning less than me.
He was willing to go dutch with me on our outings. My
parents agreed to meet Murty in Pune on a particular
day at10 a. m sharp. Murty did not turn up. How can I
trust a man to take care of my daughter if he cannot
keep an appointment, asked my father.
At 12noon Murty turned up in a bright red shirt! He
had gone on work to Bombay, was stuck in a traffic jam
on the ghats, so he hired a taxi(though it was very
expensive for him) to meet his would-be father-in-law.
Father was unimpressed. My father asked him what he
wanted to become in life. Murty said he wanted to
become a politician in the communist party and wanted
to open an orphanage. My father gave his verdict. NO.
I don't want my daughter to marry somebody who wants
to become a communist and then open an orphanage when
he himself didn't have money to support his family.
Ironically, today, I have opened many orphanages
something, which Murty wanted to do 25 years ago. By
this time I realized I had developed a liking towards
Murty which could only be termed as love. I wanted to
marry Murty because he is an honest man. He proposed
to me highlighting the negatives in his life. I
promised my father that I will not marry Murty without
his blessings though at the same time, I cannot marry
anybody else. My father said he would agree if Murty
promised to take up a steady job. But Murty refused
saying he will not do things in life because somebody
wanted him to. So, I was caught between the two most
important people in my life.
The stalemate continued for three years during which
our courtship took us to every restaurant and cinema
hall in Pune. In those days, Murty was always broke.
Moreover, he didn't earn much to
manage. Ironically today, he manages Infosys
Technologies Ltd., one of the world's most reputed
companies. He always owed me money. We used to go for
dinner and he would say, I don't have
money with me, you pay my share, I will return it to
you later. For three years I maintained a book on
Murty's debt to me.. No, he never returned the money
and I finally tore it up after my
wedding. The amount was a little over Rs 4000. During
this interim period Murty quit his job as research
assistant and started his own software business. Now,
I had to pay his salary too! Towards
the late 70s computers were entering India in a big
way.
During the fag end of 1977 Murty decided to take up a
job as General Manager at Patni Computers in Bombay.
But before he joined the company he wanted to marry me
since he was to go on training
to the US after joining. My father gave in as he was
happy Murty had a decent job, now.
WE WERE MARRIED IN MURTY'S HOUSE IN BANGALORE ON
FEBRUARY 10, 1978 WITH ONLY OUR TWO FAMILIES PRESENT.I
GOT MY FIRST SILK SARI. THE WEDDING EXPENSES CAME TO
ONLY RS 800 (US $17) WITH MURTY AND I POOLING IN RS
400 EACH.
I went to the US with Murty after marriage. Murty
encouraged me to see America on my own because I loved
travelling. I toured America for three months on
backpack and had interesting experiences which will
remain freshin my mind forever. Like the time when the
New York police took me into custody because they
thought I was an Italian trafficking drugs in Harlem.
Or the time when I spent the
night at the bottom of the Grand Canyon with an old
couple. Murty panicked because he couldn't get a
response from my hotel room even at midnight. He
thought I was either killed or kidnapped.
IN 1981 MURTY WANTED TO START INFOSYS. HE HAD A VISION
AND ZERO CAPITAL...initially I was very apprehensive
about Murty getting into business. We did not have any
business background.. Moreover we were living a
comfortable life in Bombay with a regular pay check
and I didn't want to rock the boat. But Murty was
passionate about creating good quality software. I
decided to support him.
Typical of Murty, he just had a dream and no money. So
I gave him Rs 10,000 which I had saved for a rainy
day, without his knowledge and told him, This is all I
have. Take it. I give you three years
sabbatical leave. I will take care of the financial
needs of our house. You go and chase your dreams
without any worry. But you have only three years!
Murty and his six colleagues started Infosys in
1981,with enormous interest and hard work. In 1982 I
left Telco and moved to Pune with Murty. We bought a
small house on loan which also became the
Infosys office. I was a clerk-cum-cook-cum-programmer.
I also took up a job as Senior Systems Analyst with
Walchand group of Industries to support the house. In
1983 Infosys got their first
client, MICO, in Bangalore. Murty moved to Bangalore
and stayed with his mother while I went to Hubli to
deliver my second child, Rohan. Ten days after my son
was born, Murty left for the US on
project work. I saw him only after a year, as I was
unable to join Murty in the US because my son had
infantile eczema, an allergy to vaccinations. So for
more than a year I did not step outside our
home for fear of my son contracting an infection. It
was only after Rohan got all his vaccinations that I
came to Bangalore where we rented a small house in
Jayanagar and rented another
house as Infosys headquarters. My father presented
Murty a scooter to commute. I once again became a
cook, programmer, clerk, secretary, office assistant
et al. Nandan Nilekani (MD of Infosys)
and his wife Rohini stayed with us. While Rohini
babysat my son, I wrote programs for Infosys. There
was no car, no phone, and just two kids and a bunch of
us working hard, juggling our lives and
having fun while Infosys was taking shape. It was not
only me but also the wives of other partners too who
gave their unstinted support. We all knew that our men
were trying to build something
good.
It was like a big joint family,taking care and looking
out for one another. I still remember Sudha
Gopalakrishna looking after my daughter Akshata with
all care and love while Kumari Shibulal cooked for all
of us. Murty made it very clear that it would either
be me or him working at Infosys. Never the two of us
together... I was involved with Infosys initially.
Nandan Nilekani suggested I should be on the Board but
Murty said he did not want a husband and wife team at
Infosys. I was shocked since I had the relevant
experience and technical qualifications.
He said, Sudha if you want to work with Infosys, I
will withdraw, happily. I was pained to know that I
will not be involved in the company my husband was
building and that I would have to give up a
job that I am qualified to do and love doing.
It took me a couple of days to grasp the reason behind
Murty's request.. I realized that to make Infosys a
success one had to give one's 100 percent. One had to
be focussed on it alone with no
other distractions. If the two of us had to give 100
percent to Infosys then what would happen to our home
and our children? One of us had to take care of our
home while the other took care of
Infosys.
I opted to be a homemaker, after all Infosys was
Murty's dream. It was a big sacrificebut it was one
that had to be made. Even today, Murty says, Sudha, I
stepped on your career to make mine. You are
responsible for my success. I might have given up my
career for my husband's sake.
But that does not make me a doormat....
Last week, an IITian committed suicide. People who commit suicide do it when they feel there's no future. But wait, isn't IIT the one place where a bright and shining future is a foregone conclusion? It just doesn't add up, does it? Why would a young, hardworking, bright student who has the world ahead of him do something like this? But the answer is this-in our constant reverence for the great institution (and I do believe IITs are great), we forget the dark side. And the dark side is that the IITs are afflicted by the quintessential Indian phenomenon of academic pressure, probably the highest in the world.
I can rant about the educational system and how it requires serious fixing, or I can address the immediate-try my best to prevent such suicides. For this column I have chosen the latter, and I do so with a personal story.
News of a suicide always brings back one particular childhood memory. I was 14 years old when I first seriously contemplated suicide. I had done badly in chemistry in the Class X half yearly exam. I was an IIT aspirant, and 68% was nowhere near what an IIT candidate should be getting. I don't know what had made me screw up the exam, but I did know this, I was going to kill myself. The only debate was about method.
Ironically, chemistry offered a way. I had read about copper sulphate, and that it was both cheap and poisonous. Copper sulphate was available at the kirana store. I had it all worked out.
My rationale for killing myself was simple-nobody loved me, my chemistry score was awful, I had no future and what difference would it make to the world if I was not there. I bought the copper sulphate for two rupees-probably the cheapest exit strategy in the world.
I didn't do it for two reasons. One, I had a casual chat with the aunty next door about copper sulphate, and my knowledgeable aunty knew about a woman who had died that way. She said it was the most painful death possible, all your veins burst and you suffer for hours. This tale made my insides shudder. Second, on the day I was to do it, I noticed a street dog outside my house being teased by the neighborhood kids as he hunted for scraps of food. Nobody loved him. It would make no difference to the world if the dog wasn't there. And I was pretty sure that its chemistry score would be awful. Yet, the dog wasn't trotting off to the kirana store. He was only interested in figuring out a strategy for his next meal. And when he was full, he merely curled up in a corner with one eye open, clearly content and not giving a damn about the world. If he wasn't planning to die anytime soon what the hell was I ranting about? I threw the copper sulphate
in the bin. It was the best two bucks I ever wasted.
So why did I tell you this story? Because sometimes the pressure gets too much; like it did for the IITian who couldn't take it no more. On the day he took that dreadful decision, his family and friends were shattered, and India lost a wonderful, bright child. And as the silly but true copper sulphate story tells you-it could happen to any of us or those around us. So please be on the lookout, if you see a distressed young soul, lend a supportive, non-judgmental ear. When I look back, I thank that aunt and that dog for unwittingly saving my life. If God wanted us to take our own life, he would have provided a power off button. He didn't, so have faith and let his plan for you unfold. Because no matter how tough life gets and how much it hurts, if street dogs don't give up, there is no reason why we, the smart species, should. Makes sense right?
- CHETAN BHAGAT
- (IIT Delhi, IIM Ahmedabad)
**************************************************************************
An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem
science has with God, The Almighty.
He asks one of his new students to stand and .....
Prof: So you believe in God?
Student: Absolutely, sir.
Prof: Is God good?
Student: Sure.
Prof: Is God all-powerful?
Student: Yes.
Prof: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him.
Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't. How is
this God good then? Hmm?
(Student is silent.)
Prof: You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fellow. Is God
good?
Student: Yes.
Prof: Is Satan good?
Student: No.
Prof: Where does Satan come from?
Student: From...God...
Prof: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?
Student: Yes.
Prof: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct?
Student: Yes.
Prof: So who created evil?
Student does not answer.
Prof: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible
things exist in the world, don't they?
Student: Yes, sir.
Prof: So, who created them?
Student has no answer.
Prof: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the
world around you. Tell me, son...Have you ever seen God?
Student: No, sir.
Prof: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?
Student: No, sir.
Prof: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God? Have
you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?
Student: No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Prof: Yet you still believe in Him?
Student: Yes.
Prof: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science
says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?
Student: Nothing. I only have my faith.
Prof: Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has.
Student: Professor, is there such a thing as heat?
Prof: Yes.
Student: And is there such a thing as cold?
Prof: Yes.
Student: No sir. There isn't.
(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)
Student: Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega
heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don't have anything
called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we
can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is
only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold.
Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of
it.
(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)
Student: What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?
Prof: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?
Student: You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You
can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light....But if you
have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't
it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it were you would be able to make
darkness darker, wouldn't you?
Prof: So what is the point you are making, young man?
Student: Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.
Prof: Flawed? Can you explain how?
Student: Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is
life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the
concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science
can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has
never seen, much less fully understood either one.
To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that
death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of
life: just the absence of it.
Now tell me, Professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a
monkey?
Prof: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of
course, I do.
Student: Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?
(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the
argument is going.)
Student: Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and
cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not
teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher? (The
class is in uproar.)
Student: Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's
brain?
(The class breaks out into laughter.)
Student: Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt
it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to
the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science
says that you have no brain, sir.
With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?
(The room is silent. The professor stares at the student, his face
unfathomable.)
Prof: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.
Student: That is it sir... The link between man & god is FAITH. That is all
that keeps things moving & alive.
.
.
.
.
.
. WANT TO KNOW WHO THAT STUDENT WAS
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
. A.P.J Abdul Kalam - The Present President of India !
Once upon a time there was a bunch of tiny frogs.... who arranged a running competition.
The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower.
A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants....
The race began....
Honestly,no one in crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower.
You heard statements such as:
"Oh, WAY too difficult!!"
"They will NEVER make it to the top."
or:
"Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!"
The tiny frogs began collapsing. One by one....
Except for those, who in a fresh tempo, were climbing higher and higher....
The crowd continued to yell, "It is too difficult!!! No one will make it!"
More tiny frogs got tired and gave up....
But ONE continued higher and higher and higher....
This one wouldn't give up!
At the end everyone else had given up climbing the tower. Except for the one tiny frog who, after a big effort, was the only one who reached the top!
THEN all of the other tiny frogs naturally wanted to know how this one frog managed to do it?
A contestant asked the tiny frog how he had found the strength to succeed and reach the goal?
It turned out....
That the winner was DEAF!!!!
The wisdom of this story is:
Never listen to other people's tendencies to be negative or pessimistic.... because they take your most wonderful dreams and wishes away from you -- the ones you have in your heart!
Always think of the power words have.
Because everything you hear and read will affect your actions!
Therefore:
ALWAYS be....
POSITIVE!
And above all:
Be DEAF when people tell YOU that you cannot fulfill your dreams!
Always think:
God and I can do this!
Pass this message on to 5 "tiny frogs" you care about.
Give them some motivation!!!
Most people walk in and out of your life....but FRIENDS leave footprints in your heart
In two days tomorrow will be yesterday. Today is no special day and I have no particular reason for writing to you... I have no news to tell you.... nor any problems to discuss with you.... or gossip to tell you... It's only one of those happy moments ... when I thought of you... and I would like to share these thoughts with you...
MANY SMILES BEGIN BECAUSE OF ANOTHER SMILE...
To The World You Might Be One Person; But To One Person You Might Be the World.
You have been Tagged by the Froggy, which means you are a great friend!!
***********************************************************************************
Think Twice before you do anything.
This is a true story which happened in the States.
A man came out of his home to admire his new truck.
To his puzzlement, his three-year-old son was happily hammering dents into the shiny paint of the truck.
The man ran to his son, knocked him away, hammered the little boy's hands into pulp as punishment.
When the father calmed down, he rushed his son to the hospital. Although the doctor tried desperately to save the crushed bones, he finally had to amputate the fingers from both the boy's hands.
When the boy woke up from the surgery & saw his bandaged stubs, he innocently said, " Daddy, I'm sorry about your truck." Then he asked, "but when are my fingers going to grow back?"
The father went home & committed suicide.
Think about this story the next time someone steps on your feet or u wish to take revenge. Think first before u lose your patience with someone u love. Trucks can be repaired. Broken bones & hurt feelings often can't.
Too often we fail to recognise the difference between the person and the performance. We forget that forgiveness is greater than revenge.
People make mistakes. We are allowed to make mistakes. But the actions we take while in a rage will haunt us forever.
Pause and ponder. Think before you act. Be patient. Forgive & forget. Love one and all.
If you judge people, you have no time to love them. -- Mother Teresa
***********************************************************************************
DETERMINATON
In 1883, a creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. However bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea. It just could not be done. It was not practical. It had never been done before.
Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. He thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done. He just had to share the dream with someone else. After much discussion and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up and coming engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built.
Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome. With great excitement and inspiration, and the headiness of a wild challenge before them, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.
The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to walk or talk or even move.
"We told them so.""Crazy men and their crazy dreams.""It`s foolish to chase wild visions."
Everyone had a negative comment to make and felt that the project should be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built. In spite of his handicap Washington was never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever.
He tried to inspire and pass on his enthusiasm to some of his friends, but they were too daunted by the task. As he lay on his bed in his hospital room, with the sunlight streaming through the windows, a gentle breeze blew the flimsy white curtains apart and he was able to see the sky and the tops of the trees outside for just a moment.
It seemed that there was a message for him not to give up. Suddenly an idea hit him. All he could do was move one finger and he decided to make the best use of it. By moving this, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife.
He touched his wife's arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted her to call the engineers again. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was under way again.
For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife's arm, until the bridge was finally completed. Today the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its glory as a tribute to the triumph of one man's indomitable spirit and his determination not to be defeated by circumstances. It is also a tribute to the engineers and their team work, and to their faith in a man who was considered mad by half the world. It stands too as a tangible monument to the love and devotion of his wife who for 13 long years patiently decoded the messages of her husband and told the engineers what to do.
Perhaps this is one of the best examples of a never-say-die attitude that overcomes a terrible physical handicap and achieves an impossible goal.
Often when we face obstacles in our day-to-day life, our hurdles seem very small in comparison to what many others have to face. The Brooklyn Bridge shows us that dreams that seem impossible can be realised with determination and persistence, no matter what the odds are.
Even the most distant dream can be realized with determination and persistence
***********************************************************************************
HELL OR HEAVEN?
One day while walking down the street a highly
> > successful Human
> > > Resources Manager was tragically hit by a bus and
> > she died. Her soul
> > > arrived up in heaven where she was met at the Pearly
> > Gates by St.
> > > Peter himself.
> > >
> > > "Welcome to Heaven," said St. Peter. "Before you get
> > settled in
> > > though, it seems we have a problem. You see,
> > strangely enough, we've
> > > never once had a Human Resources Manager make it
> > this far and we're
> > > not really sure what to do with you."
> > >
> > > "No problem, just let me in," said the woman.
> > >
> > > "Well, I'd like to, but I have higher orders. What
> > we're going to do
> > > is let you have a day in Hell and a day in Heaven
> > and then you can
> > > choose whichever one you want to spend an eternity
> > in."
> > >
> > > "Actually, I think I've made up my mind, I prefer to
> > stay in
> > Heaven",
> > > said the woman
> > >
> > > "Sorry, we have rules..."
> > >
> > > And with that St. Peter put the executive in an
> > elevator and it went
> > > down-down-down to hell.
> > >
> > >
> > > The doors opened and she found herself stepping out
> > onto the putting
> > > green of a beautiful golf course. In the distance
> > was a country club
> > > and standing in front of her were all her friends -
> > fellow
> > executives
> > > that she had worked with and they were well dressed
> > in evening gowns
> > > and cheering for her. They ran up and kissed her on
> > both cheeks and
> > > they talked about old times. They played an
> > excellent round of golf
> > > and at night went to the country club where she
> > enjoyed an excellent
> > > steak and lobster dinner.
> > >
> > > She met the Devil who was actually a really nice guy
> > (kind of cute)
> > > and she had a great time telling jokes and dancing.
> > She was having
> > > such a good time that before she knew it, it was
> > time to leave.
> > > Everybody shook her hand and waved goodbye as she
> > got on the
> > elevator.
> > >
> > > The elevator went up-up-up and opened back up at the
> > Pearly Gates
> > and
> > > found St. Peter waiting for her.
> > >
> > > "Now it's time to spend a day in heaven," he said.
> > So she spent the
> > > next 24 hours lounging around on clouds and playing
> > the harp and
> > > singing. She had great time and before she knew it
> > her 24 hours were
> > > up and St. Peter came and got her.
> > >
> > >
> > >"So, you've spent a day in hell and you've spent a
> > day in heaven. Now
> > > you must choose your eternity,"
> > >
> > > The woman paused for a second and then replied,
> > "Well, I never
> > thought
> > > I'd say this, I mean, Heaven has been really great
> > and all, but I
> > > think I had a better time in Hell."
> > >
> > > So St. Peter escorted her to the elevator and again
> > she went
> > > down-down-down back to Hell.
> > >
> > > When the doors of the elevator opened she found
> > herself standing in
> > a
> > > desolate wasteland covered in garbage and filth. She
> > saw her friends
> > > were dressed in rags and were picking up the garbage
> > and putting it
> > > in sacks.
> > >
> > > The Devil came up to her and put his arm around her.
> > >
> > >
> > >"I don't understand," stammered the woman, "yesterday
> > I was here and
> > > there was a golf course and a country club and we
> > ate lobster and we
> > > danced and had a great time. Now all there is a
> > wasteland of garbage
> > > and all my friends look miserable."
> > >
> > > The Devil looked at her smiled and told...
> > >
> > > .
> > >
> > > .
> > >
> > > .
> > >
> > > .
> > >
> > > .
> > >
> > > .
> > >
> > > .
> > >
> > > .
> > >
> > > .
> > >
> > > .
> > >
> > > .
> > >
> > > .
> > >
> > > .
> > >
> > > .
> > >
> > > .
> > >
> > > .
> > >
> > > .
> > >
> > > .
> > >
> > > "Yesterday we were recruiting you, today you're an Employee.."
MORAL: Bad things or bad areas or bad habbits may look beautiful or may be easy to deal with but fact is that they still are bad. They may look good for some time but slowly and steadily they start loosing their lusture. So stick to good people, good places, good habbits, good ideas and and many more good things no matter how tough they may seem to conquer.
************************************************************************************
A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got
together to visit their old university lecturer.
Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in
work and life. Offering his guests coffee, the lecturer went
to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and
an assortment of cups: porcelain, plastic, glass, some
plain-looking and some expensive and exquisite, telling them
to help themselves to hot coffee.
When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the
lecturer said: "If you noticed, all the nice-looking,
expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and
cheap ones. While it is but normal for you to want only the
best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and
stress. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the
cup, but you consciously went for the better cups and are
eyeing each other's cups."
"Now, if Life is coffee, then the jobs, money and position
in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and
contain Life, but the quality of Life doesn't change."
"Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to
enjoy the coffee in it."
So folks, don't let the cups drive you...enjoy the coffee
instead
***********************************************************************************
He met her on a party. She was so outstanding, many guys chasing
after her,while he was so normal, nobody paid attention to him. At the end
of the party,he invited her to have coffee with him,she was surprised,
but due to being polite, she promised.
They sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say
anything,she felt uncomfortable, she thought, please, let me go home...
suddenly he
asked the waiter: "Would you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it
in my coffee."
Everybody stared at him, so strange! His face turned red, but,
still,he put the salt in his coffee and drank it. She asked him curiously:
"Why you have this hobby?"
He replied: "When I was a little boy, I was living near the sea,
I liked playing in the sea, I could feel the taste of the sea , just like
the taste of the salty coffee. Now every time I h! ave the salty coffee, I
always think of my childhood, think of my hometown, I miss my hometown so
much, I miss my parents who are still living there." While saying that tears
filled his eyes. She was deeply touched.
That's his true feeling, from the bottom of his heart. A man who
can tell out his homesickness, he must be a man who loves home, cares
about home,has responsibility of home.Then she also started to speak, spoke
about her faraway hometown,her childhood, her family. That was a really
nice talk, also a beautiful beginning of their story.
They continued to date. She found that actually he was a man who
meets all her demands; he had tolerance, was kind hearted, warm, careful.
He was such a good person but she almost missed him!Thanks to his
salty coffee!Then the story was just like every beautiful love story,
the princess married the prince, then they were living the happy life. And,
every time she made coffee for him, she put some salt in the coffee, as she
knew that's the way he liked it.
After 40 years, he passed away, left her a letter which said:
"My dearest, please forgive me, forgive my whole life lie.This
was the only lie I said to you - the salty coffee.Remember the first time we
dated?
I was so nervous at that time, actually I wanted some sugar, but I said
salt It was hard for me to change so I just went ahead.I never thought
that Could be the start of our communication! I tried to tell you
the truth many times in my life, but I was too afraid to do that,
as I have promised not to lie to you for anything.. Now I'm dying, I afraid
of nothing so I tell you the truth: I don't like the salty coffee, what a
strange bad taste.
But I have had the salty coffee for my whole life! Since I knew
you, I never feel sorry for anything I do for you.Having you with me is my
biggest happiness for my whole life. If I can live for the second time,
still want to know you and have you for my whole life, even though I have to
drink the salty coffee again."
Her tears made the letter totally wet. Someday,someone asked her:
"What's the taste of salty coffee?"
"It's sweet." She replied.
Bcoz love is not 2 forget - but 2 forgive.
not 2 c - but understand
not 2 hear - but 2 listen
not 2 let go - but HOLD ON !!!!
************************************************************************************
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.
Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he
could see outside the window.
The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.
As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by.
Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it. In his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.
Days and weeks passed.
One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the
lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.
As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside.
He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.
It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.
The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.
She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."
Epilogue:
There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.
Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.
If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy.
"Today is a gift, that's why it is called the present."
*******************************************************
An Interesting Story
Never underestimate your Clients' Complaint, no matter
how funny it might seem!
This is a real story that happened between the
customer of General
Motors and its Customer-Care Executive . Pls read
on.....
A complaint was received by the Pontiac Division of
General Motors:
'This is the second time I have written to you, and I
don't blame you
for not answering me, because I sounded crazy, but it
is a fact that
we have a tradition in our family of Ice-Cream for
dessert after
dinner each night,but the kind of ice cream varies so,
every night,
after we've eaten, the whole family votes on which
kind of ice cream
we should have and I drive down to the store to get
it. It's also a
fact that I recently purchased a new Pontiac and
since then my trips
to the store have created a problem.....
You see, every time I buy a vanilla ice-cream, when I
start back from
the store my car won't start. If I get any other kind
of ice cream,
the car starts just fine. I want you to know I'm
serious about this
question, no matter how silly it sounds ."What is
there about a
Pontiac that makes it not start when I get vanilla ice
cream, and easy
to start whenever I get any other kind?" The Pontiac
President was
understandably skeptical about the letter, but sent an
Engineer to
check it out anyway.
The latter was surprised to be greeted by a
successful, obviously well
educated man in a fine neighborhood. He had arranged
to meet the man
just after dinner time, so the two hopped into the car
and drove to
the ice cream store. It was vanilla ice cream that
night and, sure
enough, after they came back to the car, it wouldn't
start.
The Engineer returned for three more nights. The first
night, they got
chocolate. The car started. The second night, he got
strawberry. The
car started. The third night he ordered vanilla. The
car failed to
start.
Now the engineer, being a logical man, refused to
believe that this
man's car was allergic to vanilla ice cream. He
arranged, therefore,
to continue his visits for as long as it took to solve
the problem.
And toward this end he began to take notes: He jotted
down all sorts
of data: time of day, type of gas uses, time to drive
back and forth
etc.
In a short time, he had a clue: the man took less time
to buy vanilla
than any other flavor. Why? The answer was in the
layout of the
store.Vanilla, being the most popular flavor, was in a
separate case
at the front of the store for quick pickup. All the
other flavors were
kept in the back of the store at a different counter
where it took
considerably longer to check out the flavor.
Now, the question for the Engineer was why the car
wouldn't start
when it took less time. Eureka - Time was now the
problem - not the
vanilla ice cream!!!! The engineer quickly came up
with the answer:
"vapour lock". It was happening every night; but the
extra time taken
to get the other flavors allowed the engine to cool
down sufficiently
to start. When the man got vanilla, the engine was
still too hot for
the vapour lock to dissipate.
Remember :
Even crazy looking problems are sometimes real and all
problems seem
to be simple only when we find the solution , with
cool thinking.
************************************************************************************
ATTITUDE IS WHAT IT COUNTS!
I am feeling pretty bad because it looks like I
won't be able to plant my potato garden this year. I hate to miss doing the garden, because your mother always loved planting time. I'm just getting too old to be digging
up a garden plot. If you were here, all my troubles would
be over. I know you would dig the plot for me, if you weren't in prison.
............................
Shortly, the old man received this telegram: "For
Heaven's sake, Dad, don't dig up the garden!! That's where I buried the GUNS!!"
At 4 a.m. the next morning, a dozen FBI agents and
local police officers showed up and dug up the entire garden without finding any guns.
Confused, the old man wrote another note to his son
telling him what happened, and asked him what to do next.
His son's reply was: "Go ahead and plant your
potatoes,
Dad.......................... It's the best I could do
for you from here."
Moral:
NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN THE WORLD, IF YOU HAVE DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING DEEP FROM YOUR HEART, YOU CAN DO IT. IT IS THE THOUGHT THAT MATTERS NOT WHERE YOU ARE OR WHERE THE PERSON IS.
***************************************************************************
Spirituality... I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with God. God, I said. Can you
give me one good reason not to quit His answer surprised me...
Look around, He said. Do you see the fern and the bamboo
Yes, I replied.
When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them.
I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth.
Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo
seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew
more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed.
But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.
In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not
quit. In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would
not quit. He said.
Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the
fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...But just 6 months later the
bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing
roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I
would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle. He said
to me.
Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you
have actually been growing roots
I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you.
Don't compare yourself to others. He said. The bamboo had a different
purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful.
Your time will come, God said to me. You will rise high
How high should I rise I asked.
How high will the bamboo rise He asked in return.
As high as it can I questioned
Yes. He said, Give me glory by rising as high as you can.
I left the forest and bring back this story. I hope these words can help you
see that God will never give up on you.
He will never give up on you!
WHEN A LIZARD CAN, WHY CAN'T WE?
This is a true story that happened in Japan .
In order to renovate the house, someone in Japan breaks open the wall.
Japanese houses normally have a hollow space between the wooden walls.
When tearing down the walls, he found that there was a lizard stuck
there
because a nail from outside hammered into one of its feet. He sees
this,
feels pity, and at the same time curious, as when he checked the nail,
it
was nailed 10 years ago when the house was! first built.
What happened?
The lizard has survived in such position for 10 years! In a dark wall
partition for 10 years without moving, it is impossible and
mind-boggling.
Then he wondered how this lizard survived for 10 years! without moving
a
single step--since its foot was nailed!
So he stopped his work and observed the lizard, what it has been doing,
and what and how it has been eating. Later, not knowing from where it
came, appears another lizard, with food in its mouth. Ah! He was
stunned
and touched deeply. For the lizard that was stuck by nail, another
lizard
has been feeding it for the past 10 years...
Imagine? it has been doing that untiringly for 10 long years, without
giving up hope on its partner.
Think, will u do that to your partner?
Think that will you do it to your Mom,
Who brought you after a big struggle of Nine long months ?
Or at least to your Dad, Friends, Co-workers, brothers and Sisters?
Imagine what a small creature can do that a creature blessed with a
brilliant mind can't.
As information and communication technology advances, our access to
information becomes faster and faster. But the distance between human
beings . . . is it getting closer as well?
...Please never abandon your loved ones
posted by Parag Kalra @ 9:33 AM
0 comments
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home