There
is a story about a maid. After working several years, the
maid went to her mistress and announced her decision to
quit. The mistress enquired "Are the wages not enough?
Don't you get the right treatment? Is there anything wrong
with the food you get?" The maid replied, "Madam,
it is not the wages, treatment or food. These are excellent
and I have no complaints. But it is just that I am fed up
of cleaning the same furniture every day."
From
Chapter - Understanding Human Relations
A
young girl, when asked by a young suitor, what sort of man
she would find acceptable as a husband, replied, "He
should be rich, handsome, tall, well-dressed, ambitious,
clever, polite, witty and faithful. His family should be
aristocratic and well-connected." The young suitor
listened attentively and then asked "If you can find
such a man, what will you offer this man in return?"
The girl had no reply to offer.
Too
many of us are like this young lady. We expect the world
on a platter with little or no thought about what we can
offer in return.
From
Chapter - Divorce Your Egotism
Wife
: 'How is the tea ? Is it sweet enough?'
Husband : 'No, but it will become sweet, if you stir it
with your fingers.'
From
Chapter 7 - Appreciation - Recognition - Importance
The
Leader In You - An Anecdote
In
an urban school, Ramesh was the naughtiest boy and a self-styled
hero. He would harass any new teacher and go to any extent
to win the acclaim of his other classmates. He would throw
paper arrows and pieces of chalk at teachers and draw cartoons
on the class blackboard. Teacher after teacher tried to
correct him by punishment. But every such effort resulted
in the teacher herself being made to leave the job, since
Ramesh was the son of an influential member of the school
board. Then came Miss Joan, a very smart and clever teacher
who knew a little about human behaviour. She was warned
by the Principal about Ramesh. So, on the very first day
she called Ramesh and told him, "I have heard that
the boys in your class don't behave very well and I want
you to help me. I am going to appoint you the monitor of
the class to help me discipline the boys". Well you
can guess what happened next !
From
Chapter - Make Them Part of The Act
A fat lady, sweating profusely, went
to a butcher's shop to buy chicken. On being shown a number
of chickens, she smelt each one of them under their arms
and legs and rejected them one by one. She then told the
butcher, "I am sorry I do not like any of the chickens
because they stink." The butcher replied. "Lady,
could you pass this test yourself ?"
From
Chapter - Criticism is Futile
There
was an old snake in a village. He was a terror and would
bite anyone coming near him. Everybody in the village was
scared of him.
One
day, a Swamiji (holy saint) visited the village. All the
villagers got together, complained to the Swamiji and requested
him to help them solve the problem with this snake. The
Swamiji talked to the snake and advised him to become gentle.
The snake bowed to the Swamiji and promised to obey him.
After several days, while returning from
a pilgrimage, the Swamiji passed through the same village
again. He went to meet the snake and found him badly bruised,
bleeding and helplessly lying in a corner. The Swamiji asked
the snake what had happened.
The
snake replied that every one was scared of him earlier,
but after he followed the latter's advice and turned docile,
the naughty village boys started troubling him and throwing
stones at him.
The
Swamiji said 'My dear snake, I meant to advise you to stop
biting but not to give up hissing.'
From
Chapter - How to Control Anger ?
A
boss was about to dismiss an employee. He said, "Son,
I don't know how we are ever going to get along without
you, but, starting Monday next, we are sure going to try.
Best of luck to you."
A
glamorous Hollywood star had her picture taken and fumed
at the results "I can't understand it," she said,
"the last time I posed for you, the photographs were
heavenly." "Ah yes," the cameraman sighed,
"but you must remember, Madam, that I was eight years
younger then."
From
Chapter - Sense of Humour
After
working honestly, a poor priest was granted a boon and six
big jars with diamonds and pearls suddenly appeared in his
house. The priest was overjoyed. He invited his wife to
share his joy. The wife examined each of the jars and while
she found five of them full to the brim with precious diamonds
and pearls, the sixth one was half empty. The wife started
crying in despair. She was very upset and persuaded her
husband to sell all their meagre belongings to buy more
diamonds from the market to fill the sixth jar. The priest
worked harder than ever before and used all his earnings
to buy diamonds. The couple would even forgo meals and go
hungry most nights. Years passed, but the sixth jar was
still not full. The couple aged and died miserably, uncared
for, leaving behind all the diamonds and jewels.
From
Chapter - Positive Mental Attitude
It is said that soon after marriage,
the husband speaks and the wife listens. Months later, the
wife speaks and the husband listens. But after a few years,
both speak and neighbours listen.
From
Chapter - Wisdom for Husbands and Wives
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