Gift of Love

Can I see my baby? the happy new mother asked. When the bundle was nestled in her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped. The doctor turned quickly and looked out the tall hospital window. The baby had been born without ears. Time proved that the babys hearing was perfect. It was only his appearance that was marred. When he rushed home from school one day and flung himself into his mothers arms, she sighed, knowing that his life was to be a succession of heartbreaks. He blurted out the tragedy. A boy, a big boy called me a freak. He grew up, handsome for his misfortune. A favorite with his fellow students, he might have been class president, but for that. He developed a gift, a talent for literature and music.But you might mingle with other young people, his mother reproved him, but felt a kindness in her heart. The boys father had a session with the family physician. Could nothing be done? I believe I could graft on a pair of outer ears, if they could be procured, the doctor decided. Whereupon the search began for a person who would make such a sacrifice for a young man. Two years went by. Then, You are going to the hospital, Son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But its a secret, said the father. The operation was a brilliant success, and a new person emerged. His talents blossomed into genius, and school and college became a series of triumphs. Later he married and entered the diplomatic service. But I must know! He urged his father, Who gave so much for me? I could never do enough for him. I do not believe you could, said the father, but the agreement was that you are not to know not yet. The years kept their profound secret, but the day did come one of the darkest days that a son must endure. He stood with his father over his mothers casket. Slowly, tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick, reddish-brown hair to reveal that the mother had no outer ears. Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut, he whispered gently, and nobody ever thought Mother less beautiful, did they? Real beauty lies not in the physical appearance, but in the heart. Real treasure lies not in what that can be seen, but what that cannot be seen. Real love lies not in what is done and known, but in what that is done but not known.

On a Cold Day in the Hills

The sunlight was glistening through the rain drops on the leaves of the few trees on the hill side. An old man lay in his tiny little hut on a mountain side. It had been raining all night and the broken slates in the roof could not contain the rain water as it seeped its way down the cracks. The worn out cotton stuffed quilt, that covered the old man was damp and musty and a sickening odour emanated from it. The old man with his untidy mop of grey hair and an unsightly stubble on his jaw, lay shivering as his body burned and shivered with fever in the biting cold weather. A tourist bus happened to have a flat near the hut. While the driver and the bus conductor changed the wheel, the tourists stepped out to stretch their legs and get a whiff of the damp mountain air. One of the tourists being one for adventure walked a few steps down the hill and saw the old mans hut. He peeped in and was horrified at the scene that met his eye. He beckoned his friends to come closer. Being a journalist, this man clicked a picture of the old man and muttered something under his breath about writing an article in the news paper about todays generation, neglecting aged parents and leaving them to suffer alone. Another one of the tourists was a doctor. He felt the old mans pulse and said, You need to get some blood tests done. You need an X-ray of your chest too. Here, you can take these tablets of Paracetamol, thrice a day. But you must get yourself examined. I think you may be having Pneumonia. The old man nodded weakly, as the doctor got up to leave. Another one of the tourists was a Politician. He said, We must make a law to have a home for the aged. I must talk to my party people and do something about this social evil. Amongst the tourists was a young girl. She was so moved by the plight of the suffering old man that she wept openly and had to be helped back to the bus and forced to sip some hot tea to get her back to normal. All day long she was quiet and forlorn because she couldnt get the old man out of her mind.

One rich fellow tossed a couple of currency notes near the ailing man and rushed out of the dingy hut. Last of all came a middle aged man who didnt speak a word as he looked at that picture of human desperation and misery. He quietly walked back to the bus and came back, carrying his rucksack on his back. He helped the old man up and gave him some biscuits from his haversack. He opened a little flask of tea and poured it into a paper cup and held it to the quivering lips of the old man as he sipped it feebly. He gave him the Paracetamol tablet that the doctor had left earlier. He then helped the man to lie down again. He picked up his quilt and put it out on a bush for the Sun to dry up. The man got his own sleeping bag out of his rucksack and zipped up the old man into it. Next he got some adhesive tape out of his backpack and tried to plug the cracks in the roof.

The driver honked hard to call all his passengers to get back to the bus, for the wheel had been changed and they were ready and fit to resume their journey. But this man decided to stay for a while longer. He waved to the driver and said, Ill take the next bus. This fellow needs me more than I need the holiday. A few hours here and hell be well enough to be on his own. Then Ill be on my way too. Many a times we come across such situations in our lives. Its nice to give money or medical help. Its great to be moved by the suffering of another. But if you can give time and love then you are the greatest! A kind look or a loving word can sometimes give more comfort than money. Money surely makes our life comfortable but its not more valuable than time or love. Life laughs at you when you are unhappy, Life smiles at you when you are happy, But salutes you when you make others happy.

Tale of Chapaties

Doing good rather than bad will give no cause for regret. A True Story.... A woman baked chapati for members of her family and an extra one for a hungry passerby. She kept the extra chapati on the Window-sill, for whosoever would take it away. Everyday, a hunchback came and took away the chapati. Instead of expressing gratitude, he muttered the following words as he went his way: "The evil you do remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!" This went on, day after day.Everyday, the hunch-back came, picked up the chapati and uttered the words: "The evil you do, remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!" The woman felt irritated. "Not a word of gratitude," she said to herself... "Everyday this hunchback utters this jingle! What does he mean? "One day, exasperated, she decided to do away with him. "I shall get rid of this hunchback," she said. And what did she do? She added poison to the Chapatti she prepared for him! As she was about to keep it on the window sill, her hands trembled. "What is this I am doing?" she said Immediately, she threw the chapati into the fire, prepared another one and kept it on the window- sill. As usual, the hunchback came, picked up the chapati and muttered

the words: "The evil you do, remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!" The hunchback proceeded on his way, blissfully unaware of the war raging in the mind of the woman. Everyday, as the woman placed the chapati on the window-sill, she offered a prayer for her son who had gone to a distant place to seek his fortune. For many months, she had no news of him.. She prayed for his safe return. That evening, there was a knock on the door. As she opened it, she was surprised to find her son standing in the doorway.. He had grown thin and lean. His garments were tattered and torn. He was hungry, starved and weak. As he saw his mother, he said, "Mom, it's a miracle I'm here. While I was but a mile away, I was so famished that I collapsed. I would have died, but just then an old hunchback passed by. I begged of him for a morsel of food, and he was kind enough to give me a whole chapati."As he gave it to me, he said, "This is what I eat everyday: today, I shall give it to you, for your need is greater than mine!" " As the mother heard those words, her face turned pale. She leaned against the door for support. She remembered the poisoned chapati that she had made that morning. Had she not burnt it in the fire, it would have been eaten by her own son, and he would have lost his life! It was then that she realized the significance of the words:"The evil you do remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!"Do good and; Don't ever stop doing good, even if it's not appreciated at that time.

Story: Don't we all need help(by Georgy)

I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car. I had just come from the car wash and was waiting for my wife to get out of work. Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would consider a bum. From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no money. There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just dont want to be bothered. This was one of those dont want to be bothered times. I hope he doesnt ask me for any money, I thought. He didnt. He came and sat on the curb in front of the bus stop but he didnt look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus. After a few minutes he spoke. Thats a very pretty car, he said. He was ragged

but he had an air of dignity around him. His scraggly blond beard keep more than his face warm. I said, thanks, and continued wiping off my car. He sat there quietly as I worked. The expected plea came. As the silence between us widened something him if he needs any help. I was sure that he would held true to the inner voice. Do you need any for money never inside said, ask say yes but I help? I asked.

He answered in three simple but profound words that I shall never forget. We often look for wisdom in great men and women. We expect it from those of higher learning and accomplishments. I expected nothing but an outstretched grimy hand. He spoke the three words that shook me. Dont we all? he said. I was feeling high and mighty, successful and important, above a bum in the street, until those three words hit me like a twelve gauge shotgun. Dont we all? I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a place to sleep, but I needed help. I reached in my wallet and gave him not only enough for bus fare, but enough to get a warm meal and shelter for the day. Those three little words still ring true. No matter how much you have, no matter how much you have accomplished, you need help too. No matter how little you have, no matter how loaded you are with problems, even without money or a place to sleep, you can give help. Even if its just a compliment, you can give that. You never know when you may see someone that appears to have it all. They are waiting on you to give them what they dont have. A different perspective on life, a glimpse at something beautiful, a respite from daily chaos, that only you through a torn world can see. Maybe the man was just a homeless stranger wandering the streets. Maybe he was more than that. Maybe he was sent by a power that is great and wise, to minister to a soul too comfortable in themselves. Maybe God looked down, called an Angel, dressed him like a bum, then said, go minister to that man cleaning the car, that man needs help. Dont we all?