The Handicapped

One fine afternoon, a woman was standing in front of her house. Then came a young beggar wearing shabby clothes. He looked filthy. One of his hands was handicapped. He said politely, “Kind lady, could I have some food and drink I am starving. I have not eaten since this morning. Would you please be kind to a handicapped like me, Mam?”

The woman smiled but firmly said, “Sure, but you must do something before you enjoy the food. Are you willing to do it?”

The young man answered, “All right, then. What should I do?” The woman pointed at a pile of bricks in her yard. “Young man, move all those bricks to my back yard.”

Feeling surprised, the young man answered, “I’m sorry, Mam, but how can I move all the bricks with one handicapped hand like this?” the beggar objected.

“If you do want to have your lunch, you have to pay the price. Take it or leave it. “With a rumbling stomach, the beggar started to work.

About one hour later, sweating all over, the young man finally earned his most delicious lunch. He even got some money as a reward of his hard work.

A few days later, this beggar came again to this woman’s house begging for food. Again he was asked to move the bricks, but now back to the front yard. The woman’s family did not understand why she asked the beggar to do it. Without asking anything, the beggar started working vigorously. This time he finished more quickly than before. He then again got his wage. After eating his delicious food and putting the money in his pocket, he thanked the woman and left.

The time passed by very quickly. Fifteen years later, came a young guest who insisted on meeting the old woman. With her old-aged eyes, the woman looked at the young man in the net and expensive clothes. With a friendly smile, the young man took the woman’s hand and said, “Mam, do you still remember me? A young handicapped who came here many years ago, asking for food?”

The kind woman nodded. “Yes. Of course, I remember the young man who diligently moved the bricks there. Now you have changed. What can I do for you, young man?”

“I came here specially to thank you, Mam. Your lessons on “no free lunch” made me realize that actually I could work as well as a normal person. Since that time, I worked hard and made a resolution to prove that a handicapped does not have to beg for food. I am very grateful, Mam. Now I am a successful businessman.” Telling her about his life, he gave the woman a cheque, “Mam, please accept this is my way to express my gratitude. You can write down the amount yourself. With your consent, Mam, I will also build you a house after you retire.”

With tears in her eyes the woman said,”Thank you for your attention and your good will, young man. But I am sorry, I cannot accept this. I am still healthy and I have had everything I want. Knowing that you are successful gladdens my heart. Just be the inspiration for others!” With those words, she returned the cheque to the young man.

“Maybe, someone is physically handicapped, but if he has an independent mentality to strive, he will be able to raise his honor and dignity as a human being“

Seeking for a Job

A young man was applying for a job in a big company. He had passed the first few tests, and now he was sitting in front of the general manager to have the final interview. After looking at the result of the tests and his appearance, the general manager asked him, “What’s your ambition?”

“My ambition is to sit on your chair one day,” he answered.

“You know, it is not easy. You must work very hard for a long time. Do you understand this?”

The young man nodded.

“What do your parents do?” the general manager continued.

“My father passed away when I was young, sir. My mother is the bread earner. She sends us to school.”

“Do you know your mother’s birthday?” again the manager asked.

“There is no tradition of celebrating birthdays in our family Sir. I don’t know her birthday.”

“Well, young man. I have not made decision whether to accept you or not, but I have one task for you. When you are home, do this small thing: wash your mother’s feet. Come back here tomorrow.”

He did not understand why the manager asked him to to do this. It was certainly an extraordinary request. However, he was willing to do it since he wanted the job badly. In the evening, he led his mother to a chair. “Mom, you look so tired. Let me wash your feet.”

Surprised, the mother looked at her soon and nodded. “My son, you’ve grown up now. You seem to start understanding life.”

He took a pail of warm water, and soaked his mother’s feet in it. He rubbed and messaged the fragile, wrinkled, and withered feet gently. Feeling the rough and flaky feet in his hands, he shed tears down his cheeks. “Thanks you very much, Mom. So far you have been working very hard for me. Because of these feet I can be what I am today,” he mumbled, trying hard to control his sobs. Then they hugged each other with a feeling of gratitude and relief.

The next day, the manager asked him, “Now, tell me what you felt when you washed your mother’s feet.”

“When I washed them, I realized how much she loved me. She sacrificed everything, even herself, for her children. Seeing my mother’s wrinkled and fragile feet, I know that I have to work very well as a way to pay respect to her,” he said wholeheartedly.

Hearing this, the manager decided to accept him. He believed that a young man who knew how to be grateful and to replay the kindness of his parents was a human being with big compassion. And a man with compassion would work seriously, with all his heart and responsibility.

“Our parents’ love and sacrifices cannot be valued by anything. Only when we understanding the meaning of our mother’s sacrifices can we find real compassion.”

The Ungrowing Seeds

Once upon a time, in a far away kingdom, there was a king who did not have an heir to his throne. Thingking that it was high time to look for his successor, he held a competition for his people. After winning in their own regions, they had to go to the capital city. The king himself would give them final test there.

In the final competition, there were only eight people left. They had almost the same level of intelligence and they had passed many other tests before. The king carefully tested them one by one. He advised them, “My dear children, the duty a king is not easy. It is a duty that should be done with full responsibility. The eight of you five grains of seeds. Plant and take good care of the seeds as if you were taking care of your kingdom and its people. You can go home now. Come back in two week’s time with the plants from the seeds that you bring home today.”

After a fortnight, seen young men proudly showed the king their sprouts. Then is was the eight young man’s turn. Embarrassedly, he looked the pot he brouht and said, “Your Highness, please forgive me. I planted all the seeds you gage me and I have taken good care of them. But until today, they have not grown. I have failed to do your task. I do not know what have gone wrong, but at least I have done my very best. Now, I will accept any decision you are about to give me.”

Hearing this, at first the king smiled contentedly. Then he started to laugh loudly. Seeing the king’ reaction, those who assembled there looked at one another. The king then patted the young man’s shoulder and said, “Thank you, young man. I am happy and very pleased. I did not hope for nothing. There is still leader of the nation among many young men of this country.”

Looking at all of the people in the room, the king continued, “Listen carefully! This young man has fulfilled my last wish. He is an honest young man, the future leader of this country. It is true that his seeds did not grow. It seems he failed, but did he? No! Actually, I had boiled all the seeds I gave them. So no matter how well they might have taken care of the seeds, there can be no sprouts! The seeds have died. I am very disappointed to see the sprouts these seven young men brought here!” The king firmly reprimanded them. “You, dishonest young men! How dare you do such a shameful thing! You must be punished because you tried to fool your king.”

The seven young men immediately knelt down begging for forgiveness. Nonetheless, the king asked his soldiers to seize and punish them. How tragic! Dishonestt prevented them from reaching their ambition for a better position.

“Honesty is the universal currency acceptable everywhere. Although we are not materially wealthy, by being honest, we will live free from uneasiness, anxiety, and worries ”

Fail and Fight Again

One fine afternoon, there was a young man in a park. We could clearly see sadness, disappointment, and frustration on his face. He walked slowly with his head down. Occasionally, he would sit down and sih many times, as if he did not know what to do.

When his mind was somewhere in the clouds, suddenly his eyes caught a movement in the branches nearby. A spider was making its web there. Being very upset, this idle man took a twig. He destroyed the spider web without mercy to let out his frustrated feelings.

Afterwards, He focused his attention to see what the spider would do. Deep in his heart, he wanted to know the spider’s next move. Would the spider run hurriedly away or would it make a new web somewhere else? His curiosity soon got the answer. Soon the spider returned to its previous place, starting to repeat the same activities: crawling, spinning, and jumping. It spun every single thread from the very beginning. Each time, the web got wider and wider. The spider worked tireslessly until a new web came into being.

The young man  watched the spider working vigorously repairing and making its new web. Then again, he destroyed this second web. Feeling satisfied but full of curiosity, he sat and watched the spider’s reaction. What would it do after its web was destroyed for the second time?

For the third time, the spider repeated its activities from the very beginning – vigorously it crawled, spun, and jumped. With every single thread produced rom its body, the spider spun a new web bit by bit.

The young man watched and observed  the spider building its third web. But suddenly a thought struck him! No matter how many times he had destroyed and ruined the web, The spider would build it again. The spirit of this very small creature working tirelessly opened his mind.

It brought a feeling of embarrassment to his heart. There he was in the park – feeling depressed and restless after just one failure. So, having seen what the spider did, he promised himself, “It is not proper for me to complain and feel desperated just because I have failed ths time. I must stand up again. I must strive and be ready to overcome any failure I face, like this tiny spirited spider which built up its new web every time the web was destroyed. “The young man immediately stood up, and made a resolution to work harder. If necessary, he would start again from the very beginning. Never give up!

“As long as we still keep our exciting goal in mind, we should not stop half away. In reality, there is no real success achieved without any failure”