THE WOOD CUTTER

Once upon a time, there was a very strong woodcutter. He asked for a job from a timber merchant, and he got it.

The pay was really good and so were the work conditions. For that reason the woodcutter was determined to do his best.

His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work.
The first day, the woodcutter brought down 18 trees. The boss was very much impressed and said, “Congratulations. Keep it up!”

Very motivated by the words of the boss, the woodcutter tried harder the next day, but he only could bring down 15 trees.

The third day he tried even harder, but he only could bring down 10 trees.
Day after day he was bringing down less and less trees. “I must be losing my strength,” the woodcutter thought to himself.

He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on.

“When was the last time you sharpened your axe?” the boss asked.

“Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees.”

THE MORAL OF THE STORY:

Our lives are like that. We sometimes get so busy that we don’t take time to sharpen the axe. In today’s world, it seems that everyone is busier than ever, but less happy than ever. Why is that? Could it be that we have forgotten how to stay sharp?
There is nothing wrong with activity and hard work. But we should not get so busy that we neglect the truly important things in life, like our personal life, taking time to take care of others, taking time to read, etc. We all need time to relax, to think and meditate, to learn and grow. If we don’t take time to sharpen the axe, we will become dull and lose our effectiveness.

So, start from today, think about the ways by which you could do your job more effectively and add a lot of value to it.

* This is a forwarded email message from a friend.

MONEY BUYS EVERYTHING

In this highly commercialized world we live in today, nothing comes free. From the food that we eat, house we stay in, good health we long for, people we keep, popularity and power we desire, justice we seek and even the happiness in life we search for, there is always a tag price that goes with whatever we need and want in life. Name it, and there is an equivalent money sign.

I know many people will disagree because they think that there are things money can’t buy. For example, money cannot buy love, happiness and all those abstract ideas. But, I am very sorry, I prefer to disagree. Just like what I said, nowadays everything has an equivalent money sign. Everything can be bought. As long as we have those wads of dollars to wave and spend, we can have everything.

Allow me to shed light especially on clichés that we hear from others about money:

MONEY CANNOT BUY SLEEP: THIS IS NOT TRUE

Now, I say there are sleeping pills to give you the amount of sleep you need to keep you going. No matter how intense your insomnia is, there is a corresponding dosage to knock you off to sleep. These pills are available when you buy them at drug stores together with a prescription which you get from seeing a shrink. There you already have the sleep you need.

MONEY CANNOT BUY HAPPINESS: THIS IS NOT TRUE

Actually you can. When you have money, people love and like you. They surround you, pamper you and do your bidding. You can buy those things that can please you. Some will say it is only temporary. But let me ask you: Is there such a thing as a perfect and constant happiness? Nada! Even if money can afford a split second bliss, at least you can say, you tasted happiness.

MONEY CANNOT BUY PEACE OF MIND: THIS IS NOT

Do you know that there are many cases of stress caused by financial stability. In the household, in the community and in the world, once you have the power to purchase, you are most likely to enjoy the benefits of what life has to offer and that you will have a stress-free mind. Try talking to a person who earns a very meager income and who just survives each day to make a living then perhaps you will be enlightened.

Let us just admit, having adequate sum of money makes our existence and daily living convenient and comfortable. This is a truth we cannot deny. Money may have its negative mark , but it does make life easier to bear. What do you think?

REAL BEAUTY

There is a story I once read about a painter who found a magic that enabled him to sketch into life a world he so longed for. He painted the most beautiful scenery he had in his imagination which was almost like heaven. As part of the magic, he could make himself and whoever he wished to dwell in his painted canvass.

One day, he invited his beloved to stay and live with him in this heavenly place he created for the two of them. He told her that they could stay there forever and be happy. His beloved accepted his invitation. After sometime, his beloved felt sad and displeased so he asked, “My love, are you not happy with all the wonderful things around us?”

His beloved replied, “At first, I felt bliss. But no matter how beautiful this is, it is still not real.”


Sometimes we can make great things happen and then succeed in getting what we want:

We can have more than the basic needs in life.
We can acquire a great amount of wealth.
We can get hold of those that fancy our sight.
We can taste the most delectable menu on the table.
We can wear the most expensive clothes.

But still there will come a point that we will feel something is missing and nothing seems to matter.

Is it human insatiability? I guess not. Perhaps it is because living in a perfect world diminishes what reality is.

We may have all the riches in the world, but these could be meaningless if we are the only one enjoying them. That is why when we do an act of charity and generosity to the less fortunate ones, we feel a sense of ecstatic feeling and relief that even the strongest amphetamine could not equal.

We may have all the expensive possessions in the world, but these could be useless if we have not worked hard to get them. That is why when we do an act of labor and sacrifice to whatever goal we have, we feel a sense of great accomplishment. We begin to value the experience and the tangible prize that signifies it.

We all can weave in our imagination a perfect world we dream of and make it real in life. But if we don’t exert a great deal of effort in achieving it, then it is nothing. If we don’t have people to share it with, then it is useless.

From this angle, we can all say that real beauty is not defined by the eyes, but by the heart that feels its essence.

where is the heart?

The other day I told my friend that my left chest was experiencing a bit of pain. He advised me to have an immediate check up as it could be a sign of a grave health condition.

Then, blah... blah... blah...

Out of nowhere, we had this argument as to where the human heart is.I claimed it was in the mid part of the body. He said it was in the left part. I was very confident...He was very certain. We even had a bet of two hundred dollars.

I searched using the net to verify my claim. It didn't take much time to gather for answers...




The human heart is nine (9) inches long x three (3) inches wide.It is located within the mediastinum, bordered laterally by the lungs, posteriorly by the backbone, and anteriorly by the sternum.

source: http://www.cayuga-cc.edu/people/web_pages/greer/biol204/heart1/heart1.html

And so where is the mediastinum?

The mediastinum lies in the midline between the two pleural cavities. It is divided into superior,anterior, middle and posterior compartments. In the superior mediastinum lie the brachiocephalic veins, the branches from the aortic arch, the trachea and esophagus. In the thin anterior mediastinum lies the thymus gland. The middle mediastinum is occupied by the heart. The posterior mediastinum is continuous with the superior mediastinum and contains the esophagus, primary bronchi and the thoracic aorta.

source: http://www.med.mun.ca/anatomyts/thorax/media.htm

I was not contented, I even asked my doctor friend for the answer since it is his area of studies. He answered, "The heart is at the left side of the chest."

And so I lost the bet.

From a connotative point of view, the heart is the center of everything... it is neither on the left nor on the right. It is the core, the center, the life.

Then, something popped into my mind... or heart?
"We cannot find something not unless we know where we are coming from..."

So, where is your heart?

just try

“If you don’t try, you’ll never know if you can do it.”

There was a time during my childhood when I was starting to learn how to ride a bicycle. My parents were worried that I would get bruises while learning how to pedal so they bought me a bicycle with balancing wheels. These are two small wheels attached to the bicycle to keep the balance while riding. For weeks, I had them. I enjoyed riding but I felt that I wasn’t really learning how to ride a bicycle. So without my parents’ knowledge, I removed them. At first, I fell and lost my balance. I had to try a lot of times. Surely, I got bruises on my knees which at present I still have those scars to remember my biking days. Then, one day I finally got it. I cycled the whole day and enjoyed the feeling of being in control of my balance. If I kept my balance support wheels then most probably I did not learn how to ride a bicycle.

Sometimes, we have to challenge ourselves and be out of our comfort zones to really learn something new. It takes guts and chultz pa in trying something different. There is fear. There is uncertainty and doubt. It is a challenge to go for it or not.

I had Practical Arts subjects during my Primary years. We were taught how to make baskets, trays, dust pans and many other things related to carpentry. I tried doing all the projects on my own but I guess it wasn’t really my area of expertise. I always ended up asking the house helper to do the projects for me. I really tried, but it never worked. I wasn’t given the virtue of patience and the skill in craftsmanship. Yes, I passed my Practical Arts but with the help from others. Even up to now, I don’t know how to use a hammer and a nail.
Sometimes, we have to accept the fact that there are things no matter how much we try, we really cannot do them. There may be a question of interest and determination, but really it is sometimes a question of skill, talent and ability. Looking at the bright side, it reminds us that there are things we cannot do by ourselves alone and we still need the help of other people.

Taking the challenge is a way to know your limitations and discover your strengths. You wouldn’t know not unless you try. There are risks. There could be multiple failures. There will be disappointments for sure, but what the heck…

man in the mirror

A story once told about a man who was very curious to learn the ways of the world. One day, he asked his wise teacher, “Master, where can I find the most valuable possession of mankind?”

Without much delay, the master gently replied, “From here, you must climb seven mountains and cross seven seas. At the end of your journey, you will find the temple of enlightenment. In the temple, a vault sits at the center. Open it and the most valuable possession that mankind holds dearest will be unveiled in front of you.”

The man immediately set out on a journey and did as what his master told him. When he reached the temple, he immediately saw the vault that could reveal the answer to his question. He became excited. He was expecting to see the rarest kind of diamond or metal that people would die for to have. Then, he opened it. He was surprised to see that nothing was inside but a mirror reflecting his image. He cried, “Master, why did you fool me? There is nothing valuable here. It is just a mere mirror inside.”

Then, his master mystically appeared right before his very eyes. He said, “Be enlightened. You have already seen the most valuable possession you as a man could possibly have.”

I heard this story from years back when I was in still a college freshman taking up a bachelor degree in Psychology. Personally, it struck a chord. The story is simple and it doesn’t need much elaboration. However the message is deep and profound. From the story, some basic truths about life and man are presented for us ponder on and think of.

- It is human nature to ask questions and be curious.

- It takes effort to search for truth and answer. Life is a teacher who doesn’t give the answer right away. You have to find it for yourself.

- Never put your assumption as truth. There are many unexpected circumstances in the end.

- Most of the time, the answer to the most difficult question is a very simple answer.

- Man has successfully explored his world and even beyond, but still fails to see himself.

realisations

Our existence allows us to experience innumerable lessons presented to us by life's circumstances.These lessons can be truly relevant or even something trivial. They can be life-changing, either in a good way or in a bad way, as we continue to further the length of our lifeline.

It has been years now since the last time I had my introspection. I had so much of self searching and reflecting during the early years of my adulthood maybe because it was the time I was choosing the right path to take in life.

Introspection has always been a beautiful experience because it makes me more in tune with myself and I feel it grows wisdom in me as I ponder on the very core of my being. Last night, I was scribbling down a list of the important realisations I have made so far in my 30 plus years of being alive. I do this as a way of "killing time" or "making me sleep".

Before I went dead to the world, I was able to write down my TOP FIVE realisations in life:

1. It is human to take advantage for his own benefit.

I encountered people who are around because they can benefit from being around somebody. They are like parasites who depend on the host. Once the host is dead, the parasites leave. Actually, I cannot blame them because we all need to survive.

2. Pain follows happiness.

I was very happy to finally get my candidacy for baccalaureate graduation, but then after some days my father died. We had this unforgettable high school reunion and ties were finally rekindled, but a tragic death of one of our closest classmates followed after three days. We had again a reunion not in a beach resort or hotel anymore, but in a funeral. I know I sound weird and morbid, but that is my experience. Don't get me wrong because I strongly believe that after the pain, happiness comes around. It is just a cycle.

3. Everyone has a dark side.

Sometimes I see people who have this too-good-to-be-true image, but I can bet my life that they are not who we think they are. There is no one perfect so we can already stop pretending to be perfect. We all have our evil and dark personality. Instead of suppressing it, why don't we embrace it because it is a part of who we really are. I know I have one...

4. You can never lose what you never had.

We find it difficult to let go of people and relationships because we are hurting. We cannot accept the fact that some things are not meant to last. But the worst part is when you are hit in front of your face that some people can easily throw us out because we were never important to them in the first place. It was a one way ticket relationship to start with.

5. There is always something better to come.

I don't know whether I am just trying to convince myself or I am really an optimistic person. But in this life, I am a living testimony that what I have right now and who I am right now are far greater than what I had and who I was before. There were stumbling blocks I encountered but I was able to weather them because I have faith that somewhere at the end of it all, something better awaits me.

NOTE

There are several experiences I have had to prove my generalisations true. These are my personal experience and I also observe them from others. I am nothing saying these are the truth, but these are true in my personal point of view.

traffic jam

Have you ever felt at some point in your life you are like stuck on the road you can not even move forward? It seems like a heavy traffic and you are driving at a snail’s pace. Time is running and patience is the only thing that keeps you from breaking loose.

In life, we encounter situations similar to a heavy traffic…

It is when there is a problem that we cannot solve and we feel that there are no available solutions around, not even help from others is within reach. It is like being caught in a traffic jam and there are no alternative routes to go.


It is when we feel bored, burnt out and exhausted with our work and we feel very stagnated and we have this thinking that we are not even growing at all both personally and professionally. It is like following a road with a long trail of cars moving from bumper to bumper, the pace is so slow and hours are wasted following the queue.

It is when we experience failures and we begin to be frustrated, irritated and much worse angry at ourselves and others.It is like experiencing the rush hours and we have a lot of agenda to attend to. As a result, we easily freak out with what is happening.

But you know what? The good thing about traffic jam is after some hours of waiting, there comes a smooth flow of traffic and in the end you will be right in front of your doorsteps. I hope we see life as just the same.

The one thing that can help us survive is patience that we will get through this and reach our destination or our goals in mind. Patience is truly a virtue.

the value of losing

Just like anyone, I dread the moment of losing something that has a personal value to me. I find it hard to let go and accept the fact that some good things never last. I may sound selfish, but that is the truth.

When I was a kid, I had this Sesame Street Big Bird coin bank. It really inspired me to put my extra coins that I got from my allowance. I found joy and excitement knowing that my coin bank got heavier each day. I couldn’t help myself to make a list of what to buy as soon as I got it filled. Then, one day it just got lost. It was stolen. Nobody even dared to help me find it. Since then, I have never tried buying another coin bank. I don’t want to experience again putting so much effort for something which may eventually be gone…

There was a time I got so hooked on Transformers (way back in the 80’s) that even my notebooks were all covered with these robots. I could say I had a ton of collections from bags to stickers, even sharpeners and pencils. But more than anything, my digital wristwatch Transformer was very dear to me. It was a detachable watch and it could really be transformed into a robot. I had the Optimus Prime design. I would wear it proudly at school and brag about it to my friends. Then, one day it just stopped working. I tried to buy a new battery, but it didn’t work. I tried to look for a replacement of the same kind, but there were no more stocks available. Sadly, I had to put it in my storage box. Since then, I have never tried buying another item that is not durable and long lasting. I have already put into consideration service warranty whenever I purchase something. I don’t want to experience again giving too much value on something which may eventually be broken…

I had a pet dog once. I named it “Brownie”, but he had white fur. Maybe it was a standard name for a dog that I could think of that time. I fed him, I bathed him, I cuddled him. He was a spoiled brat actually. He would always get a good share of meal whenever I was around. He even slept near my bed. He would play with me and accompany me in my afternoon walks. I enjoyed being his friend and playmate. Then, one day he got sick. He couldn’t eat. He started to weaken and eventually died. I cried and missed him for quite a while. Since then, I have never tried domesticating animals again because they cannot stay for long. I don’t want to experience again spending so much time for something which may be short-lived…

Since I have lost many valuable possessions in life, I have learned to avoid further losing. I have mastered playing safe so as not to experience it again. But then again, these are just defenses. Still, I dread a future scenario of losing. As a result, I don’t really get so attached and personal in all my dealings. I may appear to be, but that’s what you call superb ‘acting’.

Lately, I’ve been trying to rethink of what these past experiences made me. Yeah, they have made thick walls around me and I became a prisoner inside. I have just become so focused on me and the self-pity has grown much bigger than me.

I have never realized the value of losing until now. So what if efforts can be meaningless? What matters is I have exerted and I have given a part of myself. So what if there’s no warranty? What matters is I have risked and I have tried my best. So what if time is short-lived? What matters is I have made use of my time well. So what if there’s losing? What matters is I have become a better person.

life's learning from childhood memories

Try to recall childhood memories. For sure, this kind of retrospection will give a smile to a wrinkled face. More than the reminiscing, this allows us to ponder on the things we have learned from life itself.
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When I was five years old, I was the one who convinced my parents to enrol me in a day care centre (during those times, the preparatory school was still evolving.) I even promised them that I would go to school on my own and would not disturb them. By the way, the school was only 3 streets away from our house, but of course for a five-year old kid, that is considered kilometers away. And so, I started my schooling days, I learned a lot, made friends to fellow classmates who are still my close friends up until now, and most especially I had fun.

From there I learned that:

I must chase whatever my goal is, go for it and make it happen.
I can have what I want if I know how to negotiate.
The strength of friendship goes with time.
Schooling is easier if it is more casual and fun.

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I was already six years old when I entered kindergarten. There were two classes, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. I persuaded my mother to put me in the afternoon class because I didn't want to wake up early and it was also an advantage to them. Then, I got used to go to school in the afternoon.I enjoyed my afternoon class.

From there I learned that:
This is the root cause of "my being" nocturnal. I hate waking up early in the morning. It is like a daily ordeal I have to go through during work days. At least, now I know "why".


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There was a time I had a fight with my classmate. My mother was called by my class teacher because the glass in the cabinet was broken due to our heated fight in the classroom. My mother talked to me, but I was very confident to reason out because it was not really my fault. I was just trying not to get hit by the broom my classmate was using to attack me so I pushed my classmate and that caused the accident. I even went to my class teacher to reason out. I did it on my own. Imagine a seven year old kid talking to a teacher in her forties, and not just talking... I was trying to explain the whole story and reasoning it was not my fault. My class teacher understood and I was given pardon. Of course, I also said sorry.

From there I learned that:
I must stand for what I believe in is right.
Talking can end all disputes.
Sometimes you need to fight back so as not to get bullied.

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Wheww... These are just a few. I have finally learned that what I know at the moment are actually experiences I learned when I was still a kid. I think I need to do this regularly so I can get in touch with my inner child on a regular basis.