%%USERNAME%%    %%ACCWORDS%% %%ONOFF%% |
 |   As the first blog entry got exhausted. My second book |
| Evolution of Love Part 2 |
1. " Sometimes You Wake Up. Sometimes the fall kills You. And Sometimes ; When You fall, You FLY.....". 2. " We ARE - What we Pretend to be ; So we MUST be Careful about what we PRETEND TO BE....." 3. " What is Meant TO BE ; Shall ALWAYS - Find A Way...." 4. " Pain - It is Temporary ; Quitting - Lasts FOREVER...." 5. " It is NOT the Load that breaks You down ; It is the WAY that You CARRY It.." The MOST IMPORTANT OF IT ALL....(By Hāfez-e Shīrāzī ) " And still,after all this time,the SUN has NEVER said to the EARTH- "You owe me." Look what Happens with LOVE like That - It LIGHTS UP the SKY....." So very TRUE..... |
| Sometime after Ramakrishna hurt his arm, Tarak came to Dakshineswar. He brought prasad, holy clay, some holy dust, and a rosary from Vrindaban for the Master. When he noticed the bandage on the Master's arm, he asked, "What happened to your arm?" The Master replied: "I was going to take a look at the moon, when my feet tripped over a low railing and my arm was broken. The suffering has not stopped." "Is it a dislocation or a fracture?" Tarak asked. "I don't know," said the Master. "These people have simply bandaged my hand. I like to chant the Mother's name with my mind at ease — but just see the trouble now. They won't even let me undo the bandage. Is it possible to call on the Mother in such a painful state? Sometimes I think, what nonsense this bandage is! Let me break all these bonds and merge in the Divine. Then again I think, no, this is just another aspect of the divine play. There is also some joy in this." Tarak told the Master, "By your mere wish you can be cured." “What!" exclaimed the Master. "Can I cure myself by only a wish?" Then he paused a moment and added: "No. Suffering from this affliction is good, for those who come here with desires will see the condition I am in and will go away. They won't bother me." Then he said, "Mother, you played a clever trick." At that he started to sing. Soon he merged into samadhi... |
I am a Westerner, a teacher, and have lived most of my life in the academic world either going to school or teaching at school. Words, and the intellectual processes involved in their use have always been very important to me. I studied, read hundreds of books, listened to hundreds of lectures, and took thousands of pages of notes, thinking that I must be getting closer and closer to Truth. But it seemed that the harder I pursued Truth the more elusive it became. In fact, the truth which I sought so desparately seemed always to recede and elude my grasp. Living became more and more meaningless. Everywhere I turned there was nothing to be found but emptiness and desolation. All social, economic, and even religious pursuits seemed utterly pointless. Nowhere could I find anything that made life seem worthwhile. The thought of years and years of going through meaningless activities filled me with horror and dread. I felt that I would rather die than continue such an existence. It was then that Ma came into my life. I saw Her pictures, listened to people speaking of Her, read about Her. Gradually the urge to go to India, to see Her, to ask Her for a way to go on living became so strong that it could no longer be ignored. Not counting the cost in any way, I went. It has been a year since my return to my own country. My life is much changed; not outwardly, but in the inward aspects, now every moment is full of meaning and there is much joy. It is about one of these changes that I should like to tell you. But you will have to bear with me, for words give me much difficulty. Having written scores of papers, now I find just this little article a great struggle. I should like to show you how my entire orientation toward knowledge and communication has been changed by Ma, how She broke through the barrier of words that I had erected between myself and true knowledge, and how She has gradually established with me a form of communication that is absolutely without words and beyond the need of words. Being a Westerner called to Ma's feet is most difficult. First there is the long and exhausting journey, then the strangeness of environment, the disorientation caused by a multitude of stimuli that cannot be properly interpreted. The list of difficulties is long and varied. But the thing that most upset and frustrated me was to be in Her presence, to hear Her voice, and still not to be able to understand a word. How I longed to understand Her language! And, God forgive me, how I envied those who could speak with Her directly, those who could laugh with Her and ask Her quest ions, those who could enter into that spontaneous verbal communication which seemed so free and so beautiful. Because of my great attachment to verbal communication, the seemingly unsurmountable barrier of language caused me great anguish. It was in Uttarkashi that the first intimation of another kind of communication came to me. It was rather late at night, the crowd was large although Ma had not come out, My body, unused as it was to the demands being placed upon it, was tired, cold, and not very well. The mind was bewildered, the emotions were isolated and forlorn, quite close to despair. Suddenly and without warning a new sensation descended upon me, so vivid and so all-encompassing that for a moment I could not understand. And then words came, words of reassurance and comfort and love. Just one little sentence which lifted me to a state of joy I had never known before. The internal experience was electric, vibrant, and transforming so completely joyful that I could have danced and sung, anything to express the wonderful feeling. Later, in Kanpur for Samyam Saptaha, during the daily hour of silence and meditation, when I was trying with most intense effort to do and be something that I had been told but did not understand, the second message came. It was in the form of a command, not to me, but to whatever it was in me that was causing such great tension. Again the feeling came before the words, a feeling of delightful release like a dip into cool water on an unbearably hot day. And then the words, a few simple words, followed by sweet, calm, cool peace. Being entirely without experience of such events, I might well have let them slip into forgetfulness, not recognising their significance. But this was not allowed to happen. The words and the feeling accompanying them returned repeatedly with such vividness and impact that they were not to be ignored. Gradually I began to realise that these experiences were messages from Ma delivered directly to the center of my being, that this was a form of communication new to me, and that it would be wise to pay close attention to it. How difficult it is to describe these experiences! There is such forcefulness and clarity, but it is utterly beyond words. The knowing is very strong, but it is not the mind that knows. The poor mind must fumble around for a while before it can build a verbal structure for the experience. Perhaps that is why the feeling always comes first, then the words. There were a number of similar experiences during that time, each with its peculiar vividness and pertinence, and each requiring time before the mind could build its verbal structure. Now I must try to describe an experience which was so far beyond words that failure is inevitable. It was in Kankhal a day or two before my departure. Ma was giving darshan on the upstairs porch. The mood was one of hushed stillness and reverence. I straightened from my pranama to find Ma looking directly into my eyes with a lovely, tender, little smile. Tears streamed down my face. Quite happily I could have remained in that moment forever, so immensely beautiful and joyous it was. That is all I can say about it, except that it seems now to be full of a significance which is utterly beyond my comprehension, and to live, most vivid and complete within my heart. About two months after my return from India the realisation came that I was hearing Ma's voice saying one word over and over again, and that I had been hearing that voice for quite some time but had chosen to ignore it. It was a word that I had heard directly from Her during an interview, one of the very few words that had been understood without the aid of an interpreter. It was an instruction which I had rejected and ignored. But Ma would not let me do that. Half around the world Her voice came, haunting me until I surrendered my will in the matter and accepted Hers. More recently, it seems that the messages from Ma come in mental pictures so vivid and in such detail and with an impact so intense that there is no way to confuse them with the ordinary mental activity. There is a special feeling about them that cannot be described, nor denied nor forgotten. Ma does not speak to me directly very often, but when She does there is no shadow of doubt that it is Ma speaking. It seems that She waits until the difficulties appear insurmountable and my own efforts entirely defeated, until I begin to doubt just a little, thinking, "Oh. She has forgotten me." Then She gives me at beautiful, powerful moment which lifts me over the difficulties and changes despair to incredible joy. Direct, internal messages form Ma are shattering in their intensity, astonishing in their transforming power. But She also has other less direct and much more subtle ways of communication, ways which can be easily ignored as coincidences until the coincidences mount up to incredible dimensions and then one must admit that the message is there. in the midst of the coincidence. For instance, one night during satsang in Kanpur, a friend happened to have brought her tape recorder, and happened to turn it on at a particular moment, and happened to get an excellent recording of Ma's response to a question (which, of course, I should not understand). Later that evening we happened to meet an Indian woman who invited us to visit her. In course of conversation this kind woman offered to translate the recording for us. She happened to be quite fluent in English. The words Ma spoke happened to be exactly what was needed to set my feet upon the path intended for me, although the realisation of the significance of Her words did not dawn on me until much later. To me, that series of "happened to" is just too over whelming to be passed over as a mere coincidence! Series of "coincidences" like this occur often enough to convince me that it could not be just happenstance. It is Ma delivering Her messages, guiding me. Sometimes Ma speaks to me through the voices of the people around me. Not too long ago my employer was greatly scolding me, while behind his words and unknown to him was Ma's voice, showing me exactly where I had been in the wrong. On another occasion the casual words of an acquaintance suddenly rang in my ears with the power and impact of Ma's voice. Four insignificant words, spoken on impulse, but they changed my life. They opened a door in my mind and showed me the way. I have no doubt whatsever that these are messages from Ma. Living is now a joyful experience for me. It is a joy that has grown from a tiny, tentative feeling into a powerful flood, almost too much to be contained in one human heart. Life is a joyous adventure. Just now, as I look back over these pages, I see the magnificent simplicity of Ma's gift to me. The question I took to Her in my heart was: "How can I go on living in this world"? Oh, just look at the answer She has given me! I bow at Her holy feet, in awe and humility, in thanks giving and deep reverence. Jai Ma, Om Ma. ------------------------------------------------ |
| ❤️🔞😍Charlie Wade was the live-in son-in-law that everyone despised, but his real identity as the heir of a prominent family remained a secret. He swore that one day, those who shunned him would kneel before him and beg for mercy, eventually. Decorative lights and illuminants lit up the extravagant Wilson family mansion. Tonight was the 70th birthday banquet of Lady Wilson, the head of the Wilson family. Her grandchildren and their spouses gathered around her to hand her their luxurious gifts. “Grandma, I heard that you love the Chinese tea. I looked high and low for this century-old Pu’er tea worth half a million dollars to present it to you.” “Grandma, you like jade. This jade is carved from the authentic Hetian jade, it is worth seven hundred thousand dollars…” Looking at the nicely wrapped gifts in front of her, Lady Wilson laughed heartily. The entire ambiance was harmonious and happy. Suddenly, Charlie Wade, Lady Wilson’s eldest grandson-in-law, spoke, “Grandma, could you lend me a million dollars, please? Mrs. Lewis from the welfare home is diagnosed with uremia and I need the money for her treatment…” The entire Wilson family gaped in extreme shock. Everyone stared at Charlie with bewilderment and surprise. This live-in grandson-in-law was overly atrocious and bold. Not only did he not prepare a gift for Lady Wilson on her birthday but he actually had the audacity to ask her for one million dollars. Three years ago, Lord Wilson, who was still alive and well, had come home with Charlie one day and insisted on marrying him to their granddaughter, Claire Wilson. Back then, Charlie was as poor and miserable as a beggar. Lord Wilson had passed away after they got married. Ever since then, everyone in the Wilson family tried to kick him out of the family. However, Charlie was always indifferent and nonchalant like a statue despite the insults and ridicule, and he spent his days in the Wilson family quietly as a live-in son-in-law. He was at his wits’ end that he had to borrow money from Lady Wilson today. Mrs. Lewis, who had taken him in and saved his life, had uremia. She needed at least one million dollars for dialysis and a kidney transplant. He had no other ideas except for asking for Lady Wilson’s help. He felt that since it was her birthday today, she might be delighted to have some mercy and provide her assistance. However, Lady Wilson was still laughing gleefully when abruptly her lips curled downwards and his eyes furrowed indignantly. She hurled the teacup in her hand to the floor and growled, “Are you here to celebrate my birthday or borrow money?” Claire hurried forward and said, “Grandma, Charlie is not thinking straight, please forgive him.” She then pulled her husband aside frantically. At this moment, Wendy, Claire’s cousin sneered in disdain. “Claire, look at the person you’re married to. Gerald is only my fiancé and we haven’t even gotten married yet but he gifted Grandma the jade. Look at your good-for-nothing husband. Not only did he come empty-handed but he also has the nerve to ask Grandma for money.” “You’re right. Charlie, we’re both the grandsons-in-law of the Wilson family but you’re such a disgrace.” The man who was talking was Gerald White, Wendy’s fiancé, who was also the son of the wealthy family in town. Although Gerald was about to marry Wendy, in his eyes, Claire was so much more beautiful and elegant than his fiancée. Claire Wilson was the famous goddess of beauty in Aurous Hill, but Gerald was very frustrated and irritated when such a beauty got married to a loser. “It’s best for this person to get out of the Wilson family now.” “Yes. He is such a disgrace to our family.” “Perhaps his intention is not to borrow money but to spoil the joyful ambiance of Grandma’s birthday instead.” Charlie clenched his fists tightly as the entire Wilson family was humiliating and ridiculing him. If it wasn’t for the sake of the urgency, he would have left this annoying place. However, his father’s words echoed in his head. He had taught him to be grateful for the help he received and to return the favor tenfold. Hence, he suppressed the fury and humiliation slowly building within him and said to Lady Wilson, “Grandma, whoever saves one life saves the world entirely. Please, I beg for your mercy.” Someone in the room snorted loudly. “Mr. Wade, stop force-feeding chicken soup to Grandma. If you want to rescue someone, you can find a way on your own. Who do you think you are to ask for money from Grandma?” It was Wendy’s brother, Harold Wilson. The sinister brother and sister had always been prejudiced against Claire, who was superior to them in every aspect. Hence, they would always attack Charlie at any chance they could seize. Claire, who was wearing a slightly awkward expression on his face, started, “Grandma, Charlie’s father died when he was eight. It was Mrs. Lewis at the welfare home who had brought him up. He is utterly grateful of her graciousness and that is why he wants to return the favor so badly. Could you please help him…” Lady Wilson growled with an indignant face, “You want me to help him? Okay, divorce him now and marry Mr. Jones. If you do as I say, I’ll give him one million dollars right away.” The Mr. Jones that Lady Wilson was referring to was Wendell Jones, a man who was always pursuing Claire despite her married status. The Jones family was one of the prominent families in the upper social circle in Aurous Hill, which was much more powerful than the Wilson family. Lady Wilson had always wanted to get on their good side. At this moment, the butler sprinted in and said, “Mr. Jones sent a birthday gift to Lady Wilson. It is a talisman carved from the jadeite stone worth three million dollars.” Lady Wilson broke into a large smile and quickly blurted, “Bring it to me. Let me see.” The butler immediately presented the emerald green talisman which sent waves of exclamation across the living hall. The emerald talisman was crystal clear with its vibrant and sharp colors, without any trace of impurities. It was of the finest jade quality. Gerald, who had gifted the talisman, gloomed in irritation instantly. He didn’t expect Wendell Jones, who had nothing to do with the Wilson family, to be so generous and lavish. Lady Wilson caressed the talisman cheerfully and said, “Oh, Mr. Jones is so sensible. It will be a sweet dream come true if he were my grandson-in-law.” Then, she lifted her gaze at Claire and asked, “So, how’s that? Do you want to consider my terms and conditions?” Claire shook her head decidedly. “No, Grandma. I will never divorce Charlie.” A dark stormy cloud instantly hovered beneath Lady Wilson’s eyes. She shouted angrily, “You... What good is that person? Why do you want to waste your time on him? Kick that person out of my house. He is not allowed at my birthday banquet. I don’t want to see his face.” Charlie heaved a sigh of dismay and regret. He didn’t want to stay with the Wilson family anymore, so he said to Claire, “Claire, I’m going to the hospital to visit Mrs. Lewis.” Claire said quickly, “I’ll go with you.” Lady Wilson shouted again, “If you leave now, you’re no longer my granddaughter. You can take your mom, your dad, and that person and get out of the Wilson family.” Claire stared at her grandmother, shocked. She did not expect to hear such a harsh comment from her. Charlie interjected, “You stay here, don’t worry about me.” Before Claire could compose herself from the trance, he turned and left. Harold laughed behind him. “Hey, my dear Charlie, if you leave with an empty stomach, will you go on the street and beg for food? If you do so, you’ll tarnish our family name. Here, I have a dollar, go buy a bun or something to eat.” Harold produced a one dollar from his pocket and threw it at Charlie’s foot. The entire family’s thunderous laughter echoed across the house. Charlie gritted his teeth in annoyance and left the house without looking back. *** When Charlie arrived at the hospital, he immediately went to the cashier department to try to negotiate an extension of payment for another two days. However, when he approached the nurses, he was informed that overnight, Mrs. Lewis had been transferred to Fairview Hospital, Eastcliff’s top hospital, for treatment. Charlie gaped in shock and quickly asked, “How much does it cost? I’ll find a way to settle it.” The nurse said, “The bill is three million dollars in total. One million dollars has already been paid, the remaining two million needs to be settled without a week.” “Who covered the one million dollars?” The nurse shook his head. “I have no idea.” Charlie frowned in confusion. Just as he turned around to figure it out, a person was standing behind him. They exchanged glances, and the person bowed before him and said, “Young Master. We’ve finally found you. Sorry for all the troubles and misery you’ve suffered for all those years.” Charlie furrowed and asked coldly as if he was a completely different person. “Are you Stephen Thompson?” The person gaped in surprise. “Young Master, you still remember me.” Charlie startled slightly and murmured, “Of course I do. I remember each and every one of you. You forcibly drove my mom and dad out of Eastcliff along with me and fled the city. My parents died along the way and I became an orphan. What do you want from me now?” Stephen grimaced sorrowfully and said, “Young Master, Lord Wade was very sad when he learned about your father’s death. He never stopped looking for you. Come, let’s go home and meet him.” Charlie said coldly, “Just go, I don’t want to see him.” Stephen said, “Young Master, are you still mad at your grandfather?” “Of course.” Charlie said loudly. “I’ll never forgive him in my entire life.” Stephen sighed dejectedly. “Before I came here, the Master did say that you will not forgive him.” “Good. Luckily he still has some senses in him.” Stephen continued, “Lord Wade knows that you’ve had a hard life for so many years and he’s asking me to compensate you. If you don’t want to go home, he will buy the largest company in Aurous Hill and give it to you. Besides, here, take this card, the pin number is your birthday.” Stephen handed over the premium black card from Citibank. “Young Master, there are only five of such cards in the country.” Charlie shook his head sternly. “No, I don’t want it, take it away.” “Young Master, Mrs. Lewis is still two million dollars in debt for her medical bills. If she doesn’t pay up, she might be in danger…” “Are you threatening me? Is this part of your sinister plan?” Stephen waved his hands frantically. “Oh no. We wouldn’t dare do such a thing. Keep the card, then you’ll have enough money to pay the bill.” Charlie asked, “How much is in this card?” “Lord Wade said that he deposited some pocket money for you in this card. It’s not much, just ten billion dollars.” Ten billion dollars?. Charlie was shocked. His eyes wide open, his mouth wide agape. He knew that his grandfather was very wealthy, but back then, he was too young to understand the concept of money. He only knew that the Wade family was one of the wealthiest families in Eastcliff and even the country, but he wasn’t sure what his net worth was. Right now, he finally knew. If ten billion dollars were just pocket money, it meant that the entire Wade family had a net worth of more than one trillion dollars. Frankly speaking, at this moment, he was slightly touched and swayed. However, when he thought about his deceased parents and how his grandfather was part of the reasons why they had died, he knew he could never easily forgive him. Sensing his frustration, Stephen quickly said, “Young Master, you are one of the Wade family members, so the money is yours. Besides, technically speaking, it belongs to your father.” “The Master said that if you’re willing to go home, he will let you inherit the family’s one-trillion-dollar business empire. If you don’t want to go home yet, use this money for your living expenses.” “Oh yes, another piece of news—Aurous Hill’s largest and most profitable company, the Emgrand Group with a market value of one hundred billion dollars, had been wholly acquired by the Wade family yesterday. All the equities are now under your name, you can claim your right at the company tomorrow.” Charlie listened to him in a daze, completely in disbelief. Wasn’t it a little too much investment from the Wade family for his sake? A premium black card with a credit limit of ten billion dollars, Emgrand Group with the net worth of one hundred billion dollars. Although Aurous Hill was a land of talents, the only constant honorable existence was the Emgrand Group. It was the champ of Aurous Hill’s business industry. Any prominent and influential family had to bow before the Emgrand Group, including those families that humiliated him today—the Wilson family, the White family, and even the Jones family who was still trying to pursue his wife. They were nothing but lowly servants in front of Emgrand Group. And this magnificent company was his now? Stephen handed him a business card and said, “Young Master, you might need some time to calm down and think about it, so I’ll excuse myself now. This is my card with my number on it, please call me if you need anything.” At that, Stephen turned and left. Charlie was still in a daze after he left. He didn’t know whether he should accept the compensation from the Wade family. However, he recalled the past decade of misery and hardship and the humiliation he had experienced when he married Claire. This was the compensation that the Wade family was giving him for his suffering, so why shouldn’t he take it? Besides, Mrs. Lewis urgently needed two million dollars for her treatment. He gritted his teeth as he clutched on the card tightly, then turned back to the cashier department. “Hi, I would like to settle the bill.” The card was swiped, the password was keyed in, and the transaction was complete. Two million dollars was credited into the hospital’s account just like that. Charlie felt like he was still hovering in the clouds. Did he just become a billionaire in the blink of an eye? *** He went home in a trance. At this moment, the house was fueled with the wrath of fury. Claire and her parents did not live in the Wilson family villa but they stayed in an ordinary house instead. Since Claire married Charlie and after Lord Wilson died, they were kicked out of the villa. His mother-in-law was screaming in great dismay, “If you don’t divorce Charlie Wade now, your grandma might kick you out of Wilson Group.” Claire said calmly, “If she does, I’ll just find another job.” “You…” Her mother growled angrily, “What’s so good about Charlie Wade, anyway? Why can’t you just divorce him and marry Wendell? If you marry Wendell Jones, our whole family can hold our head up high.” Her father added, “Your mom’s right. If you marry Wendell, our family will immediately become a precious treasure in the family. Your grandma will cherish you and pamper you every day.” Claire uttered, “Just stop. I won’t divorce Charlie.” “You.” Both parents had wanted to keep on persuading Claire when Charlie pushed the door open and walked in. His in-laws gave him a dirty look when they saw him. His mother-in-law snorted in disgust. “I thought you’d forgotten the way home, Charlie Wade.” Charlie sighed quietly inside his heart. His mother-in-law had always looked down on him, but what would she do if she were to know that he was now the owner of Emgrand Group and had ten billion dollars in cash? However, this was not the time to reveal his true identity. He had left the Wade family for a long time now, who knew how was the family doing now? What if someone from the family targeted him if he exposed himself? Staying in the dark was the best option for now. Hence, he lowered his head and said humbly, “Mother, I’m sorry for all the troubles I’ve caused today.” His mother-in-law shouted, “Trouble? This is more than trouble, you’re putting us at stake. Can’t you have the slightest decency and get out of our house?” Claire hurriedly interjected, “Mom, how could you say that? Charlie is your son-in-law.” “No.” her mother growled, “I don’t have such a person as my son-in-law. It’s better if he can go as far as he can.” Claire nudged Charlie and said, “Hurry, let’s go back to the room.” Charlie nodded gratefully and fled back to the room. They had been married for three years, but they had never consummated the marriage, not even once. Claire slept in bed while he slept on the floor at the side. Tonight, Charlie found it hard to fall asleep. What unfolded today was a real shock and consternation and he had yet to digest it. Before going to bed, Claire said, “How is Mrs. Lewis doing? I have about one hundred thousand dollars with me now, you can use it tomorrow.” Charlie said, “It’s okay. Someone paid her bill and transferred her to Eastcliff for treatment.” “Really?” Claire exclaimed in awe. “Wow. So, Mrs. Lewis will be fine then?” “Yes,” Charlie said, “Mrs. Lewis has done good deeds throughout her life and helped so many people. Now, someone is returning her favor.” “Glad to hear that.” Claire nodded with a smile. “You can have peace of mind now.” “Yes.” “I want to sleep now. There’s a lot to handle in the company lately, I’m exhausted.” “What’s happening in the company?” “It’s not doing very well lately. Grandma wants to collaborate with Emgrand, but Wilson Group is too weak as compared to their scale. They wouldn’t even bat an eye at us.” “Oh? Has there not been a collaboration between Wilson Group and Emgrand before?” Claire laughed sarcastically. “Of course not. What are we in the eyes of Emgrand? I bet we look like a speck of insignificant dust to them. Even Gerald’s family, Wendy’s fiancé’s family, could barely scratch the tail of Emgrand’s business empire. This is also why Grandma is eager for them to be married soon so the White family can help our family build some connections with Emgrand.” Charlie nodded knowingly. The Wilson family had used all the tricks up their sleeves to collaborate with Emgrand Group. However, Lady Wilson never would have thought that he owned Emgrand Group now… Thinking of this, Charlie decided to take over Emgrand Group and lend Claire a hand in her business. The Wilson family did not treat her fairly and they bullied her too much. As her husband, he had the responsibility to help her improve her status in the family. He said in his heart earnestly, ‘Claire, your husband is different now. I will not let anyone look down on you again. I will make the entire Wilson family bow down to you.” The next morning, after preparing breakfast, Charlie rode his scooter to Emgrand Group’s office. He parked his scooter on the side of Emgrand’s parking lot. As soon as he locked his scooter, a black Bentley slowly parked in a spot across from him. He looked up inadvertently and saw a young couple getting out of the car. The man was wearing a branded suit, looking very handsome and smart. Meanwhile, the lady was dressed up in a flamboyant style. Although somewhat gaudy, she was considered a beauty. As it turned out, the lady was Wendy Wilson, Claire’s cousin, and the man was her fiancé, Gerald White. Charlie didn’t know why they were here, but he knew that the best way to avoid trouble was to stay away from them. However, the more eager he wanted to hide from them, the higher chances they would see him. Wendy caught sight of him from the corner of her eyes. She yelped loudly, “Hey, Charlie.” Wendy called out his name in a friendly manner, but Charlie felt goosebumps all over his back. Out of courtesy, he could only stop where he was and wait for them to approach him. He smiled and asked, “Wendy, hey, why are you here?” Wendy chuckled. “Oh, Gerald is here to see Doris Young, vice-chairman of Emgrand Group. I’m here to keep him company.” Then she turned to look at Gerald with affection and said, “The White family has a lot of projects with Emgrand Group. Not only would it help the White family but also our Wilson family in the future.” Charlie didn’t know that the White family was one of Emgrand Group’s business partners. After all, he had just taken over the company and he hadn’t had time to get through the details. He didn’t show anything unusual on his face. Instead, he simply said with a polite smile, “Mr. White is very talented and magnificent, both of you make a great couple.” Gerald glared at Charlie contemptuously, feeling a surge of anger within him. This person had been scolded so badly by Lady Wilson yesterday in front of everybody, how was he able to smile like a clown as if nothing had happened today? Why did Claire, such a stunning and wonderful lady, marry such a person? If this person never existed, he would certainly have pursued Claire with great effort. Who would want to be engaged to Wendy, who paled in comparison in every aspect? Gerald huffed a breath in dismay and asked in a pretentious tone, “Why are you here?” Charlie casually said, “I’m here to apply for a job.” “Apply for a job?” Gerald sneered disdainfully. “You? The person who can’t do anything wants to apply for a job at Emgrand? Are you kidding me?” Charlie frowned. “What has it to do with you?” The reason why Wendy called Charlie in the first place was to humiliate him. Now that Gerald had started, she immediately mocked, “Why? Gerald is right, isn’t he?” “In terms of educational background, do you have any diplomas?” “In terms of skills and abilities, do you have any achievements or results to show them?” “Trust me, they wouldn’t even entertain a person like you even if you’ve come to apply for a security job. Know your place, you’re better off going to the streets to scavenge for trash, you might earn two or three thousand a month at least.” Then, she hurled a water bottle to Charlie’s feet and smirked, “There you go, pick it up and sell it for money. Don’t say that I don’t care about you.” Gerald laughed sinisterly. “We’re still relatives after all. I’ll have your back. It happens that I know the vice-chairman of the Emgrand Group in person, why don’t I say a few good words on your behalf and see if she can arrange a toilet cleaning job for you?” Charlie curled his lips into a cold sneer and said, “What kind of job I’m applying for is none of your business, you should mind your own business instead. Emgrand Group is a big company, I believe they wouldn’t want to collaborate with anyone like you.” Gerald’s face flushed with anger. “What” Charlie replied disdainfully, “You.” Then, he turned and walked towards the building, ignoring Gerald’s indignant screams behind. “Stop. Stop right there, do you hear me?” Very soon, Gerald strode quickly and caught up with Charlie at the elevator hall. He wanted to teach Charlie a lesson, to give him at least two slaps on his face to let him know the consequences of offending him, but they were inside Emgrand Group’s building now. He was worried that the harsh action would tarnish his reputation and infuriate his business partner, so he had no choice but to dismiss the idea. He gritted his teeth and warned, “I’ll let you go today, but you won’t be so lucky next time.” Charlie snorted and walked into the elevator. Before the door closed, he said, “Gerald White, do you really think you’re so powerful? Trust me, you will soon know the price to pay for being so cocky and arrogant.” “You little…” Gerald’s face turned into an ugly shade of red. He wanted to rush into the elevator but Wendy pulled his arms and said, “Gerald, don’t take the same elevator as he, we might suffocate from his stench.” He nodded, fully aware that it wasn’t wise for him to lay his hands here. Hence, he snorted coldly. “Huh, you’re lucky today. I’ll teach you a lesson next time.” *** In the elevator, Charlie went directly to the top floor where the chairman’s office was located. Stephen had already made all the arrangements for him here at Emgrand. The person in charge of the arrangements was a person named Doris Young. Doris Young had earned her reputation as a renowned businesswoman in Aurous Hill. Not only was she a charming lady, but she was also extremely capable. She had been promoted to vice-chairman of the Emgrand Group at a young age. She was also among the factors behind the success of the company today. Now that Emgrand Group had been acquired by the Wade family, the former chairman had abdicated and Doris stayed back to assist the new chairman. Doris was quite shocked when she first saw Charlie. She didn’t expect to see such a young and charming person when she heard about him from Stephen. She quickly composed herself and greeted him respectfully. “Welcome, Mr. Wade. Please follow me to my office.” This was also the first time Charlie had ever met Doris. He had to admit that Doris was a very stunning and alluring young lady. Sitting down in front of Doris’s desk, Charlie started, “I will not come into the office often, so I would like you to continue looking over the company on my behalf. In addition, please do not disclose my identity to the public.” Doris was aware that Mr. Wade, who was sitting in front of her now, came from the extraordinary Wade family. For a prominent family like theirs, Emgrand Group was nothing but a mediocre business, so it was normal for him not to manage it himself. Hence, she quickly said, “Sure. Mr. Wade, just tell me if you need anything, I’ll be at your service.” At this moment, a secretary knocked on the door and said, “Miss Young, a man called Gerald White and his fiancé are here to see you.” Doris said instantly, “I’m seeing a VIP now, let them wait.” Charlie asked, “Do you know Gerald White?” “Mr. White’s family is one of our partners and several of their major projects are linked to our company. They have said that they will be here to see me, they have been here several times too.” Charlie uttered in a cold voice, “From now on, Emgrand Group would no longer have any business dealings with the White family. Halt all ongoing and preparatory projects. If the White family still earns a dime from our company, I don’t need you as our vice-chairman.” Doris startled in shock for a while, figuring that someone from the White family must have offended the person. So, she nodded vigorously and exclaimed, “Mr. Wade, don’t worry, I’ll now order my staff to stop all collaboration with the White family.” Charlie nodded satisfyingly and said, “Tell them that Emgrand Group has no interest in collaborating with them, then ask the guards to kick them out.” *** Outside the office, Gerald and Wendy were waiting anxiously. The White family had always wanted to be the key players in the collaboration with Emgrand Group, so he hoped that he could build a good relationship with Doris Young and thus bring the family closer to the connection. However, the least expected thing happened. Doris’s secretary approached them with several guards. Gerald asked in confusion, “Hi, may I know if Miss Young is available to see us now?” The secretary glared coldly at him and said, “Sorry, our vice-chairman said that Emgrand Group has no interest in collaborating with you. From now on, we will cancel all the projects with your family.” “What did you say?.” Gerald gaped in extreme shock and his jaw almost dropped to the floor. Why did he find the remark so familiar anyway? Oh, right. Charlie Wade said the exact same thing when they were in the parking lot. What did Doris Young mean by that? Did she really intend to halt all the collaboration with the White family? Gerald felt a surge of blood flooding her head, exploding inside. What happened? Canceled all projects? A large portion of the White family’s profits came from working with Emgrand. If Emgrand Group terminated their ties, didn’t it mean that the family’s net worth would be cut by half? No, he couldn’t accept such a cruel fact. He growled loudly, “I want to see Miss Young. I want to ask her in person.” The secretary simply glared at him coldly. “I’m sorry, Miss Young will not see you and you’re not allowed here in the future.” Gerald shouted in great dismay, “Are you kidding me? We are a long-term business partner of Emgrand, it isn’t up to her to terminate our projects just like that. Don’t mess with us.” The secretary ignored his screaming and directed the security guards around her, “Kick them out.” The head of the security team immediately jumped on them. He grabbed Gerald’s wrist and twisted it hard behind him. Gerald yelped in pain and Captain Cooper snorted coldly. “Hurry and get out of here. If you dare make a scene at Emgrand Group, I’ll break you in half.” “You’re just a security guard, how dare you raise your voice at me? Do you know who I am?” Captain Cooper gave him a slap across his face instantly and shouted, “What are you in the face of Emgrand Group?” Gerald felt his face burning from the slap. He was about to burst in fury when his phone suddenly rang. It was his father. When he answered the call, a furious roar echoed from the other end of the line. “You. What did you do? Emgrand Group wants to terminate all projects with us. Who on earth did you offend?” Gerald whined sorrowfully, “No, Dad, that’s not true, I didn’t offend anyone. I just came here to see Miss Young, but I haven’t even seen her face yet…” Gerald’s father shouted again. “The people at Emgrand Group said that they’ve terminated their collaboration with us because of you. It’s all because of you that our family is suffering a great loss. Hurry and come back, explain this to your grandfather yourself.” Grabbing the phone in a daze, Gerald and Wendy were forcefully escorted out of Emgrand Group’s main entrance. Suddenly, Charlie’s face appeared in his mind. He turned to Wendy abruptly and asked, “Wendy, is it because of your cousin-in-law? Does he have anything to do with Emgrand Group?” “Huh?” Wendy was obviously taken aback by Gerald’s remark. When she pondered the circumstances, it might indeed have something to do with him, but he... Thus, she shook her head and uttered firmly, “No, it is absolutely impossible that he has anything to do with Emgrand Group. He is not even qualified to clean their toilets.” “You’re right…” Gerald nodded numbly. He hung his head low when he thought about his angry father. “I have to return home right away…” Very soon, the news of the White family being kicked out by Emgrand Group spread throughout Aurous Hill like wildfire. No one knew of the reason, but they were certain that the White family must have offended Emgrand Group in some way. At this rate, the White family was considered gone. Their net worth had been cut short by more than half. They were originally close to the peak of the social ladder in the city, but after the event, they instantly dropped down several levels and became a second-rate family in terms of social class. Lady Wilson was shaking with anger when she heard the news. She wanted to call off Wendy’s engagement with Gerald, but even after the termination, the White family was still more prominent than the Wilson family and she couldn’t afford to lose the ties, so she could only bear with it for the moment. *** Meanwhile, in Doris’s office, Charlie looked impressed and satisfied after he heard about the process. He highly appreciated her rapid and stern attitude in it. He said with a satisfied smile, “Doris, great job, you did well. Starting today, your salary will be doubled.” Doris gaped in astonishment. She stood up and bowed respectfully. “Thank you, Mr. Wade.” Charlie nodded and continued, “Also, I want you to make two announcements.” “Yes, please proceed.” “The first thing is to announce the change of Emgrand Group’s ownership and nomination of the new chairman, but don’t disclose my identity. Just say that he is one Mr. Wade.” “The second thing is the announcement of Emgrand Group investing two billion dollars to build a six-star hotel in Aurous Hill, and announcing the tender bidding for partners. Construction and interior decorating companies throughout the city are welcome to bid.” The main business of Wilson Group was interior design and construction. The old lady would dream of hopping on Emgrand’s cruise. Whoever could win the bidding with Emgrand Group would surely become the most sought-after person in the company. Now that he owned Emgrand Group, he should offer his wife some sweet deals. The two announcements released by Emgrand Group completely shook the entire Aurous Hill like a high magnitude earthquake. When the Wilson family learned about the ownership change in Emgrand Group, they figured out why the collaboration with the White family had been terminated. It seemed that Emgrand’s new owner didn’t think much of the White family. Back to the point, who was Mr. Wade? He simply bought Emgrand Group that was worth hundreds of billions of dollars without batting an eye—he was a little too powerful, wasn’t he? All of a sudden, a lot of wealthy families were about to eagerly make a move. They wished to establish a connection with the mysterious Mr. Wade while on the other hand wished to marry their daughter to him. Moreover, the announcement about Emgrand Group’s investment of two billion dollars for the hotel construction project also shook the construction and interior decorating industries in Aurous Hill like a great force surging the ground. Two billion. They could make a lot of money even tendering scraps of the project. A lot of companies wanted a slice of the lucrative pie, including Lady Wilson, who valued money more than anything. Lady Wilson was over the moon at the moment. Two billion dollar project. This was the perfect opportunity for the Wilson family to get a contract from the mega project. It would bring their family to the next level. Hence, she called for an urgent family meeting at the mansion tonight to discuss ways to achieve a breakthrough in Emgrand Group’s mega project. Everyone had to attend. Later that night, at the Wilson family mansion, Charlie tagged along since Lady Wilson had asked for everyone’s participation. He knew about the old lady’s main agenda of the meeting, so he wanted to take this opportunity to boost Claire’s confidence. When Harold, Claire’s cousin, saw him at the mansion, he mocked disdainfully, “Charlie Wade. Where did you find your courage to see Grandma now.” With an indifferent expression on her face, Claire uttered, “Stop your nonsense. Grandma asked everyone in the Wilson family to come. Charlie is my husband, so of course he is a member of the Wilson family too.” Harold laughed sarcastically. “He is part of the Wilson family? Haha. He is just a live-in son-in-law.” Charlie rubbed his nose in slight agitation and said to Claire, “Dear, just let him be, don’t argue with him. Let’s go in quick, Grandma is waiting for everyone.” Claire nodded and walked into the house without batting an eye at Harold. Harold’s face twisted in an irritated grimace, anticipating their embarrassment later. After entering the meeting room, Charlie and Claire found a place to sit in the corner. Very soon, Lady Wilson made a great entrance and the family meeting officially began. Lady Wilson sat on the head of the table. She knocked on the table and started cheerfully, “We, the Wilson family, have been waiting for a chance like this for so many years, a chance that will bring us to the next level, to the peak of the social pyramid in Aurous Hill. The chance is finally here now.” She continued loudly, “This time, Emgrand Group has announced a mega project of two billion dollars. If anyone can tender a project from it, it will bring great and lucrative benefits.” “Moreover, this is Emgrand Group’s first major project after its change of ownership. It is a great opportunity for us.” “If we can collaborate with Emgrand Group and leave a good impression on the new chairman, we will become very powerful and prominent in the future.” The attendees were rather indifferent and unpassionate as compared to Lady Wilson’s enthusiasm. In fact, it wasn’t anything new for the Wilson family wanting to collaborate with Emgrand Group. However, for the longest time, Emgrand Group had ignored the Wilson family’s request. What made Lady Wilson think that they could get a slice of the mega pie from them now? It was impossible. Annoyed by the silence, Lady Wilson’s face flushed with anger and she shouted furiously, “Why? Do none of you have any confidence in taking a tiny slice of pie from the two billion dollars project?” Everyone exchanged nervous glances but no one dared to talk. ❤️ |
| FOOTPRINTS...(When we FEEL Alone and Feel that GOD has deserted us)....🙏 ( What I read as a Child....And has STAYED with me.....ALWAYS - Have EXPERIENCED IT....Am LIVING IT.....) One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonging to him, and the other to the LORD. When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life. This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it: "LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me ALL THE WAY. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me." The LORD SMILED and Replied: "My son, my precious child, I love you and I would NEVER LEAVE YOU. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, They are NOT yours, the ARE Mine it was then that I CARRIED YOU........" AND TRUE IT IS....I BET MY LIFE ON IT.... |
| Today for the first time I met a family (father and wife) of a person who died due to neurological problem at the prime age of 34 years. His family donated his heart, liver and both kidneys to patients who are on the waiting list for respective organ transplant - only hope for them and their families. It was an undescribable moment as surge of all kinds of feelings / thoughts came. This moment made me see the contrast where on one side there is the most tragic and sad event in one family and on the other there must be cheerful and hopeful families whose members are now going to get a fresh lease of life, where one father and wife were devastated by the death of their loved one at a young age and another set of fathers / wives / children must be thanking God for this grace of getting organs, where one family may be cursing their fate and the other set of families feeling fateful.......such a contrast ...... In today's world where most of us are so engrossed in and attached to our I, me and mine and where our society at large are having deep religious faiths, it is beyond words that some people ( like the donor family) during such kind of extreme tragedy could go beyond their faiths, attachments and grief to save totally unknown people's lives. That too without any material gain of any kind which we are so much accustomed to think about. I had to gather courage to see the faces of the father and the wife. Father was visibly devastated but the wife's face was absolutely still without any visible tears. She was looking as if some divinity has come down..... It made me felt so small and petty....... I wish we all gather wisdom and courage from acts of such people who actually know what life is all about.. |
| The year was *1555* . Portuguese colonial power was at its peak in the 1500’s. They destroyed Zamorins of Calicut. Defeated the Sultan of Bijapur. Took away Daman from the Sultan of Gujarat. Established a colony in Mylapore, Captured Bombay and made Goa as their headquarters. And while they were at it, pretty much unchallenged, they even ruined the ancient Kapaleeswarar Temple to build a Church over it. Their next target, the super profitable port of Mangalore. Their only bad luck, just 14 kilometers south of Mangalore was the small settlement of *Ullal* - ruled then by a feisty 30 year old woman - *RANI ABBAKKA CHOWTA* Initially, they took her lightly and sent a few boats and soldiers to capture and bring her back to Goa - Those boats never came back. Shocked and enraged, they sent a huge fleet of ships this time, under the command of much celebrated Admiral Dom Álvaro da Silveira - The admiral soon returned, badly injured and empty handed. Thereafter, another Portuguese fleet was sent - only a few injured from the crew managed to make it back. Then the Portuguese went on to capture the Mangalore port and the fort anyways, perhaps planning to tackle Rani Abbakka Chowta from the convenient distance of the Mangalore fort. After the successful capture of Mangalore, a huge army under João Peixoto, an experienced Portuguese General was sent to Ullal. *The brief was simple: Subjugate Ullal and capture Abbakka Chowta.* The plan was foolproof- there was no way a 30 year old lady with a few men could withstand the might of an army of thousands with advanced weapons. *The Portuguese reached Ullal and found it deserted. Abbakka was nowhere in sight.* _*They roamed around, relaxed and thanked their stars.*_ _*Just when they were about to call it a victory - Mrs Chowta attacked with 200 of her chosen men*_ There was chaos all around and many portuguese lost their lives even without a fight. General João Peixoto was assassinated, 70 Portuguese were captured and the rest just ran away. *So if you’re Abbakka Chowta, who’s just defeated a large army of aggressors, killed a general, captured fighters and defended her city - What will you do?* - _Rest and enjoy the moment right?_ - Right? - No! *_Rani Abbakka Chowta, rode with her men towards Mangalore that same night, and laid a siege of the Mangalore fort - She not just broke inside the fort successfully - but assassinated Admiral Mascarenhas the Chief of the Portuguese power there and forced the remaining Portuguese to vacate the fort.*_ She didn’t just stop at this but went on to even capture the Portuguese settlement at Kundapura, a full 100 kms, north of Mangalore - Just to make a point. The Portuguese finally managed to get back at Abbakka Chowta by *convincing her estranged husband, ( a traitor) to betray for money.* She was arrested and put in the prison where she revolted again and was killed while trying to escape. *Lesson from story* : It is the local Indians, who themselves are responsible for slavery of our nation for 1000 years by siding with Enemies. *Abbakka Chowta was a Jain who fought against the Portuguese for four decades, with an army comprising of both Hindus and Muslims, a full 300 years before the First War of Indian Independence in 1857.* What did we Indians do to her, as a mark of our respect and gratitude? *- We just forgot her.* We didn’t name our girls after her. We didn’t even teach her stories to our kids. Yes we did release a Postal Stamp in her name, named a boat after her and erected 2 statues - yes just 2 statues in the whole of India for someone who should be our national hero. The Indian Coast Guard ship ICGS Rani Abbakka the 1st of a series of five inshore patrol vessels built at Hindustan Shipyard Ltd is named after Abbakka Mahadevi. We might have got to read a chapter about her in our text books, had she been a European or an American. Many talk about her being the last Indian to have the power of the agni-ban. In all this cacophony, our generation has lost a great hero - a great source of inspiration. |
| Each problem has hidden in it an opportunity, so powerful than it literally dwarfs the problem. The greatest success stoes were created by rarest people who recognized a problem and turned it into an opportunity. The next time you feel slightly uncomfortable with the pressure in your life, remember no pressure, no diamonds. Pressure is a part of success. All things are difficult before they are easy. Being miserable is a habit, being happy is a habit choice is yours. I 've lot of worries in my life most of which never happen. I've not intended to gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I am supposed to be. Unexpected result and problem are the part of life, never lose hope in any difficult condition. Sacrifice is greater than love, character is greater than beauty humanity is greater than wealth. But nothing is greater than relation to keep alive. |
| "Do you not see what an exquisite path this is! But the aforesaid holds good only when action is not tainted by a sense of possessiveness. However, even this state is by no means Self-realization. Why not? Whether with or without desire, it is work that is referred to here. Although done impersonally, the action still remains separate from the doer. Whereas, where the Self is and nothing but the Self, there the 'Guru', his instructions, the work, cannot each exist separately. So long as the duality of precept and action persists, one cannot possibly speak of Self-realization. The Play of one who has attained to final Consummation is entirely different from the work that has become selfless by effort. This has been explained here in reply to your question. Even when the state of 'samadhi' has been reached, during which one seems to be wholly absorbed within, this also is still a state. Yet, when by this spontaneous inner process ('antarkriya') the veil is lifted, there the Vision of Reality may come about. It can never come through outer activity, such as the attempt to efface desire. . . . . There is a state in the spiritual life where unconditioned, self-sprung action is possible, because there are no ties. And where no ties exist, there is no danger and no wrong path - one cannot take a false step. . . . There are signs by which actions done as an instrument before Self-realization can be recognized. At this stage, the stream of action is directed towards the fulfillment of actual needs. Whereas, in the state of Pure Being it is totally different: to do or not to do, call it what you will, all is THAT. Within this sphere everything is possible: not to eat while eating, and to eat though not eating: to walk without feet, to see without eyes, and much more of the kind, as you would put it. When established in the Self, who obeys whose bidding? There are no 'others', none are separate. No longer does one talk to another - how can there still be the relationship that is based on the sense of separateness? The level of selfless action is quite different from the state of Self-realization. So long as the 'Guru', the love of Him, the work, the 'I', are perceived separately, there is no question of Self-realization. Yet, it must be said that action dedicated to God is not of the same order as work prompted by desire. The one is for the sake of union, which leads to Enlightenment, the other for the sake of enjoyment, which leads to further worldly experience. What alone is worthy to be called 'action' is that action by which man's eternal union with God becomes revealed; all the rest is useless, unworthy of the name of action, no action at all. It is not a new kind of union which has to be established, but rather the union that exists throughout eternity is to be realized." |
| If I am going to decide my feelings then why doesn't, I just decide to be happy, I will write my own luck, and have all the happiness in it. To get respect and happiness, first respect not only to elders but to youth also. Positive attitude is to find goodness in bad and worst situation. Stop overthinking to convert negativity, just try to think positive and take decision to be positive throughout life. Everything look positive and beautiful with positive mind so stay and be very far from negativity. Hate to others has create a lot of probiems in this entire world, but these problems are not solved till yet. I am the greatest person, I said, before I know WHY? One greatest weakness lies in giving up and telling frequently lie. There is most confirm certain way to get success is JUST TRY ONE MORE TIME, so avoid to speak lie. There is a little difference in people, but this, little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is known as your own ATTiTUDE, the big difference is whether it is positive or negative. |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
Thanks for sharing.
