Heaven knows

There are many posts in this blog relate to how we can achieve success in life.

However, being too obsessed with success and failure can be dangerous. Because once we are too attached to them, we'll lost our freedom in life. They (success and failure) will become the one to control our life. They will become the only goal and reason for us to live in this world.

Furthermore, we may even reach a stage when we don't even feel happy anymore even though we achieve success.

There was a well known doctor who enjoys huge popularity at a city. One day, a young lady visited him. After examining her, he found a tumour in her ovarium. She needs to go through operation to remove it.

After short preparation, the operation begins. With the latest technology, this operation is a small case for an experienced doctor like him.

He then cut the stomach of the patient, working towards the ovarium. However before he makes his way to the ovarium, he stopped suddenly and the sweat poured down his face. What he'd seen was a baby and not tumour.

He faced a dilemma. If he cut off the foetus and tell the patient that it's a tumour, his patient will thank him and he'll keep his good reputation. On the other hand if he admits his mistake then it'll ruin his reputation.

After couple seconds, he came with a decision to put down the knife. He then sit quietly in his office waiting for the patient to regain her consciousness.

Afterwards, he walked into the room and told his patient and her family saying: "I'm sorry, I have mis-diagnosed. You are pregnant and there's no tumour. Luckily, we found it in time and the baby's doing well. You'll give birth to a healthy and cute baby."

The patient and her family were shocked. After a couple seconds, husband of the patient went out suddenly and grabbed the doctor and said: "You're a bad doctor, I will sue you!"

The baby grows healthily but the doctor was sued and almost went bankrupt.

A friend of his laughed at him saying: "Why don't you just let it be a mistake? Just say that it's a wierd looking dead foetus. Who'll know?" The doctor smiled then replied: "Heaven knows!"


** Heaven is the sky in our heart. God is the mighty God in our heart. If our heart has principle, then we will not be attached to gain and loss. Our heart will never be controlled by gain and loss.

Please remove one of my eyes

Often we can secretly jealous of other people's luck. Although we might congratulate him/her, we can sometimes feel envy and wish those good things happen to us as well. So before our eyes turn green, lets read the following story.

Once upon a time, a man prayed for God. God answered him, saying: "From now on, I can satisfy all your needs and desires on one condition: I must grant all your wishes twice better to your neighbour."

Then the man started to think - if I get a box of gold, that poor man living next to me will get two boxes. If I get a real beautiful lady as my wife, then that brat will get two pretty ladies.

He got quite angry after thinking and therefore told God: "Oh Your Mighty God! Please remove one of my eyes!"


** This world is so big. Everybody has enough space to live. Someone's luck does not mean other's lost.

We live our own life. We walk our own path. Other people can never steal away our luck and similarly, they also can never take our lost. So why bother to feel envy?

We might admire someone's achievement and wish it will happened to us as well. But instead of staying where we are, why don't we start to put effort so we can walk the same path as them? Lets start to walk on our own path to success from tomorrow on!

Every little thing

In previous post, we have discussed on how a little gesture of kindness towards other people can change our life. Now today, we are going to look at how a little gesture may not always be 'small'. At here, I mean the result it brings.

Once a time, a reporter from a publication made an appoinment with a well-know professor. The professor agreed immediately. The appoinment meant to last for 2 hours. However, the professor politely asked to stop the interview within the first 3 minutes they met. The reporter then felt ackward.

She didn't understand how this could happen, and therefore search for the answer. After a while, a student of that well known professor told her the reason why the professor left after only 3 minutes meeting her. It is all because she took off her shoe straight in front of him and crossed her legs. After hearing it, the reporter was shocked!

In fact, everytime when she's not walking, she has a habit of taking off her shoes everytime she sits. It helps her to relax, and that 'politeness' and 'ethic' have never cross her mind. Unfortunately, her small habits could create such a big problem.

People will never tripped off by a mountain. We are often tripped off because of a small stone. In fact, a small matter might not be that small at all.

Personally, I think a small habit of reflecting our behaviour and action every night before we sleep will help us in improving ourself. The truth and elderly advice can often be our standards in how to treat other people.

Good people will have good return

This story happened when Lincoln owned a grocery shop. One day, he realised that his customer had forgotten to bring home the tea he bought. He then quickly closed the shop and send the tea leaves to the customer personally.

On another occasion, he realised that he made mistakes when returning some change to customer. Again, he closed the shop and returned the remaining change to his customer.

Finally, his shop was closed and he went bankrupt. Therefore he needs to auction off his horse carriage to pay off debt. A farmer brought the carriage and returned it to him, saying: "A good man should not went through misfortune, I believe that God will help you".

Indeed, ten years later, he became U.S president.

If other people wish for your success, then you definitely will achieve it. But when others wish for your failure, then you will fail for sure.

My parents always remind me that a business often depends on many elements to succeed. One of the elements is the people we deal with (that includes customer, suppliers and even our competitors).

Furthermore, the supports from other people can turn someones failure into success. Lets improve our attitudes toward everybody and help others. Every small thing like what Lincoln did in the story will definitely brighten our future.

Can we all do it starting from tomorrow?

Step one - be quiet and calm

There was a carpenter who accidentally lost his watch when he worked. Holding his axe, he started to search for his watch on the floor. He searched under all furniture, moving all the utensils.

His partners started to help and they came up with lots of ideas on how to find the watch. However, they all failed to find the watch.

During lunch time, a boy went to search and found the watch in no time. The carpenter was surprised and asked him how he could find it easily. The boy then replied: "I only kneel down quietly and the sound of your watch tickling became clear. That's how I found it."

There are many times in life when we only need to calm our self down and quietly listen to our brain 'tickling'. The solution will came up itself!

Calm down and be quiet can always be the first step to solution every time we face problems or even during emergency.

Even more, inspiration often comes from a quiet state of mind.

Premiere again

Dear readers,

Hello again to fellow readers! It's been awhile since I updated this blog.
It's not because Wisdom cafe doesn't have anything to offer, it's only lack of inspiration and courage ;-p

We all have our time when we reach certain point in life and suddenly feel discouraged. At that time, all our normal activities seem to be less attractive and even boring. Also, socializing can suddenly become too much energy consuming and in one word, we just want to be alone. I call it as 'off timing' stage in life.

So how can these 'off timing' stage happened? I used to enjoy those activities before and how could I lost interest? Well, world changes. Weather can change. Spring can come and go. Similarly, human heart changes all the time. Therefore something we used to love in the past might not be the one we love to do anymore.

Nevertheless, life moves on. Once we discover things that we love to do, we'll up to the road again! It can be hobbies or activities like drawing/reading/watching movies or even be some passions developed towards one or two particular things.

To find those things that will interest us, we need to explore! Try something you have never done before! Observe people surround you, look for new and fresh activities you think you might enjoy! Read news, magazines and your local magazine/newspaper. Check on what happenned in your communities. We all may come up with the jewels that will add colours to our life.

The next posts will contain some short inspiring stories from a collection. Hope it could benefit all our readers and motivate all of us in our journey to a better future.

Love,
J

When we make comments

We are living in the world where there are millions of people with millions of different perspectives. Inevitable, some matters can be seen in different ways. As a result, even a simple matter can be right or at the same time can be wrong. Is this matter right or wrong, good or bad, useful or useless?

Instead of working out the decision, what about if we go back to the source of the question. Are we the right person to judge? Do we really understand about this particular subject/person? Are we an expert and have done a research in this subject? These are questions we need ask ourselves prior to making personal comment.

If we answer NO in any of those questions, it means we are unqualified to do that. On one hand, our comment will not be objective. On the other hand, what effect can our comment bring to the subjected person?

Depending on the person who judge, a matter can be right or wrong, good or bad. Whatever a person looking for might be something that the other person hate. We can never please everybody.

There are so many people with different tastes, different perspectives. Therefore lets not get depressed or even give up when someone critises us. Because there must be another people who might be interested with what we do.

Similarly, we might get confused when there are people who praise us and at the same time critise us. To clear this up, we have to think carefully whether it comes from a person who truly understand us or not. Same way goes to a subject matter. When someone praises about a subject, we have to consider carefully if this person is an expert in that area.

To conclude, we need to learn to be objective and not easily affected by comments, criticism and continuous changing fashion.

Envy me?

There are many times in life when we would meet someone that we think is better than us. He/she is smart, good looking, high achiever and all boys/girls are going after her/him. Looking at those people who seem to own everything we want can sometimes be depressing.

What's more when our eyes are flashing green, we would often sulk into self conscious. Questions like "I wish I was like her", "why it is not me?", "how can she has those things that I would never have?" and "I'm so useless, why I can not be like her?" would keep popping up.

However, you will never know a story behind a book just from its front cover. You gotta dig down into a person in order to know if he/she is really what you think he/she is. And most of the time, the result can be shocking!

Once upon a time, there was a youngster who needs to go to another village. He has to cross a deep forest and climb a mountain in order to arrive at that village. When he is about to depart, his family remind him: "When you meet any beasts, don't panic, quickly climb up a tree and you'll be saved."

He remembered it and then walked carefully on his own. After quite a long time, he didn't see any dangerous animals. He thought that maybe his family was overly exaggerating. Thus he relaxed down and began to walk freely. But at the same time, a tiger rushed out of nowhere and targeted him. He then climbed the tree quickly.

The tiger then circling the tree and tried to jump up to it. The youngster was so scared and panicked. As the result, he fell down from the tree and coincidentally fell on the top of the tiger.

He held to the tiger tightly. Afterwards, the tiger got scared and ran away. On the opposite site of the area, a man looked at the youngster that had just rode a tiger. He was impressed and said: "This person is so charismatic that he could ride a tiger! He looks so good and seems like enjoying himself so freely."

Then the youngster could only replied: "You thought that I was so charismatic and enjoying myself? But you have no idea that I'm scared to death."

This story summed up that when we see someone's appearance, he/she might look like so well polished. While we envy them, we might never know what exactly they are thinking. Or even what they've been through.

Once we understand what exactly he/she needs, then we probably won't feel envy. Or we can even feel sad for him/her. Therefore, lets not feel envious toward others without knowing the truth. We should walk our own path and get a real feeling about our life.

Let us work hard to add colours to our own life. Let us develop our good habits and personal qualities. We should always remember that there is always a purpose for a person to be born into this world.

Do not envy others because each person has his/her own situation

Just follow the flow

There is a temple that has a big yard surrounding it. The yard is full of different trees and when it's windy, the leaves would fell everywhere.

In the temple, there was a little monk who looks after those leaves. However this job is getting harder when it comes to winter and autumn. It also takes longer to clean up all the leaves. Therefore the little monk could no longer be patient and decided to come up with some plan.

Another monk knows about this problem, thus he told the little monk: "Tomorrow before you start cleaning, why don't you shake the tree and let all the nearly-fall leaves to fall? Then there won't be any leave fall down the next day and you don't have to sweep it anymore."

The little monk thinks that it is actually a good idea and the next day, he shakes the tree as hard as he could. He then cleaned up all the fallen leaves deligently. Although he is perspiring so much, he feels happy as tomorrow he doesn't need to sweep the yard anymore.

Next day, this little monk walked confidently to the backyard. To his suprise, the situation is the same as the day before: the yard is covered in leaves. For a second, the little monk is lost.

Then, a wise old monk comes and tell him: "Silly child, everything in this world comes and goes. It doesn't matter how hard you shook the tree yesterday, there are leaves that will still fall today. Let me give you some words, it could be useful."

The old monk then picks up a branch and writes on floor: "Old hair will eventually fell from the head, old leaves will also fell off from the tree. Everything no matter big or small, it will be gone once the time arrives."

Finally, the little monk understands. There are many things in this world that cannot be rushed. We are only looking for trouble if we try to overthrow the rule of nature.

The only way is to face all the bitterness/sweetness/sourness in this life bravely. In fact, sending away an old one and welcoming a new one is a form of happiness in this life.

Since then, the little monk has changed. He works hard everyday to clean the yard. After seeing this, the old monk feels happy and said: "Today we sweep the old leaves off floor and tomorrow we welcome new flowers to the trees."

Persistent, way to success

Have you ever think of how a successful person can achieve his/her today's result? There are lots of people adore movie stars and singers, but have they ever think of how much hardship and dedication these movie stars/singers take to be able to achieve today's success?

Furthermore, everyone from scientists, intellects to primary school students recognise the success of Thomas Alva Edison. However how many people know that it takes him hundred times of experiments to invent bulb? From one trial to another, we could feel how Edison being persistent in achieving his goal.

Long time ago in China, there was Master Ming Hui. He felt that his disciple has no patience in doing things. Everytime when this disciple has problem or experiences failure, he would lost courage. He often gives up easily.

One night, Master Ming Hui gave his disciple a wood board and a small knife. He wanted him to slice the board with all of his might. After every first slice, the master would keep the board. And so on everynight, Master Ming Hui asks this disciple to cut/slice on the top of previous cut continuously. This lasts for several months. Until one night, the board is finally broken into half after this disciple slices the last cut.

Then Master Ming Hui said to this disciple: "You might never think that this board can be cut into half such easily. You don't even waste any energy. Do you know that your success in life is not depends on how strong your first strike is? But it depends on your commitment and being persistent in pursuing it."

We all look for success in our life, some of us are lucky enough to be able to achieve it, but some of us maybe not. Although we know that success takes more than luck, yet we often forget about how much hardship and commitment involved behind an achievement!

Road to success is a process. It takes continuous work. Every tower starts from sands. Once we progress, always be humble. As long as we do every single task wholeheartedly and continuously, we must be able to achieve success.

The finest fragment of fox fur, when sewn together, will make a robe.

Never Regret

In this life, there are many unfortunate endings resulted from a simple misunderstanding. Small thing such as a smell of unusual perfume on a husband's clothes can lead to a suspicion that he's having affair .

Sometimes we might be lucky to get the matter clear up quickly . But how many sadness and wounds have been created along the way? Let alone on how many chance we can have to clear up those misunderstandings .

Won't it be better if we think carefully and wisely before we make a decision? At least we won't make a mistake that would make us regret later .

Someone ever said that: "There is such a thing as destiny. But we as a human have choice. Whatever the choice we made, we should not regret and therefore lets choose it carefully".

Let's read the following story:
Long time ago at Alaska, there were a young couple who got married and the wife got pregnant. However, the wife past away from giving labour to a child.
The man then live a very busy life, working and look after his child. No one take care of the child, therefore he trained a dog. That dog was so clever, it listened and took a good care of the child. The dog could even bring a bottle to feed the child.

One day, the owner left and told the dog to look after his child. The owner went to other village and because of heavy snow, he was unable to come back.

The next day when he came back, his dog came and greet him. The owner opened the door and he saw there was blood everywhere. The child could not be seen anywhere. There was blood on the bed and he looked at the dog. It has blood on its mouth.

The owner thought that the dog might have killed the child and he then emotionally took a knife. He then cut down its head which killed the dog instantly.

Then suddenly, there was some voices. He found his child under the bed and there was no wound on him. He was confused and looked at the dog. There was a deep wound on the dog. And beside it, there was a wolf's corpse. On its mouth, there was blood from the dog's corpse. He then immediately realised that his dog had protected his baby from the wolf.

Isn't it sad ? Misunderstanding happens everytime when someone does not understand, when someone is impatient, lack of thinking and can not think from different perspectives. People get misunderstand when they cannot self-reflecting and when they are too emotional .

When misunderstandin happens, people can only think of other's mistakes . Therefore, it gets worse until something regretful happens. In the story, such a terrible event happened as a result of simple misunderstanding between a human and his pet. What else will happen if the misunderstanding is actually involve 2 people?

Life can be tricky sometimes, but at least let us think twice before we act... Talk to that person! No matter how hard it is! Deep breath and encourage yourself!

Nothing is more worst than having too many things that we regret when we grow old...

Suspicious and Misunderstandings

Long time ago, there was a shoemaker who lost one of his equipments. He suspected that it was his neighbour who stole his utensil. And his suspicious was growing as the day passed . Whenever his neighbour talked or stayed at home, this shoemaker couldn't help but getting more suspicious .

One day, there were few people came to see this neighbor. The shoemaker was even more suspicious. One day, this shoemaker was going to store his new made shoes into a cupboard. But when he opened it, all shoes fell out. When he picked up those shoes, he found the utensil that he's been looking for under the cupboard . In fact, he just realised that one of his workers must've put the utensil on the floor and accidentally kicked it. Finally, all of his suspicions and misunderstanding towards his neighbor are gone.

From this story, we can see that as a human being we need to have a strong foundation towards how to be a descent person and how to handle problems properly. One of the difficulties of being a human is to control emotions and desires. Upon that all, we have to have a stabilized mind.

On handling the problem, difficulty lays on how to make a decision under various circumstances where there are many conflicts involved . Therefore when we face a problem, suspicious is OK, but we should not be too emotional. Even more, we need to be more careful and able to distinguish right and wrong. Only when there is an evidence, we can make a decision and take action. Otherwise, a wrong decision might lead to a wrong action which could then harm ourself besides harming others and turn the problem into worst.

A wrong decision is like throwing a stone into the sea and it could never be retrieved back.

Anger

There are many times in our life when we feel angry . We are angry towards people, we are angry towards the world and even more we could get angry towards ourselves . We are angry because things are not going smoothly as we like. We are angry because of our dissapointment. We are angry because we could not fullfill our needs/desire. Even more, we could get angry because we are dissapointed with our own self .

Everytime we get angry, we'd like to express it through shouting, damaging and hurting people . But did you know, after we do all of those stuffs, the problem is still there and it won't go away ? Even more, we put our relationships with people around us like friends and family at stake. So what should we do ?

Lets read the following story:

One day, a teacher asked his students: "Why someone would often shout or talk loudly when he/she's angry?" After thinking for a while, a student answered: "Because at that time, he lost his patience and therefore he shout".
"But..." the teacher asked back, "the person he spoke to is standing just right to him. Why should he shout? Is it because he could not speak softly?"
Almost all of the students gave the reasons they could think of. However none of those answers are satisfying.

So the teacher said: "When two persons are angry to each other, their hearts are separated although they are close to each other physically. Therefore, they have to shout. But strangely, the louder they shout, the angier they become and the gap between their heart is getting bigger. As a result, they have to shout louder."

The teacher then continued: "On the other hand, what will happen when two people fall in love? They are not shouting but they speak softly and gently. No matter how soft they speak, both of them could listen to it clearly. How can this hapapen?"

The teacher then looked at his student and they all went into deep thinking but no one answering the question. Then he said, "It is because when two people fall in love, their hearts stay next to each other. At the end, even without a word, they could understand each other."

He continued, "When you are angry, don't keep a distance between your hearts. Even more, don't use words that could create distance between your heart and others. During this time, say nothing could be a WISE thing to do. Because TIME will help you going through this."

It is hard to control ourself when we are angry. However, sometimes we need to control our emotions for the sake of everything. We never want to do anything that'll make us regret once this anger is gone . Therefore, lets calm down and speak less when we are angry. Do something you enjoy and always tell yourself: "There is no unsolve-able problem in this world. All it takes is time and patience" .