Inspirational Stories #179 - The Pencil Story

The Pencil Story

This story is extracted from “Like The Flowing River” by Paulo Coelho, the master story teller. 

A boy was watching his grandmother write a letter. At one point, he asked:
‘Are you writing a story about what we’ve done? Is it a story about me?’
His grandmother stopped writing her letter and said to her grandson:
‘I am writing about you, actually, but more important than the words is the pencil I’m using. I hope you will be like this pencil when you grow up.’
Intrigued, the boy looked at the pencil. It didn’t seem very special.
‘But it’s just like any other pencil I’ve ever seen!’
‘That depends on how you look at things. It has five qualities which, if you manage to hang on to them, will make you a person who is always at peace with the world.’

Inspirational Stories #178 - It’s Never Too Late

It’s Never Too Late

It was an unusually busy day for the hospital staff on the sixth floor. Ten new patients were admitted and Nurse Susan spent the morning and afternoon checking them in.

Her friend Sharron, an aide, prepared ten rooms for the patients and made sure they were comfortable. After they were finished she grabbed Sharron and said, “We deserve a break. Let’s go eat.”

Sitting across from each other in the noisy cafeteria, Susan noticed Sharron absently wiping the moisture off the outside of her glass with her thumbs. Her face reflected a weariness that came from more than just a busy day.

“You’re pretty quiet. Are you tired, or is something wrong?” – Susan asked.

Inspirational Stories #177 - The Dark Candle

The Dark Candle

A man had a little daughter, an only and much beloved child. He lived only for her, she was his life. So when she became ill and her illness resisted the efforts of the best obtainable physicians, he became like a man possessed, moving heaven and earth to bring about her restoration to health. 

His best efforts proved fruitless, however, and the child died. The father was totally irreconcilable. He became a bitter recluse, shutting himself away from his many friends, refusing every activity that might restore his poise and bring him back to his normal self.

Then one night he had a dream. He was in heaven and witnessing a grand pageant of all the little child angels. They were marching in an apparently endless line past the Great White Throne. Every white-robed, angelic tot carried a candle. He noticed, however, that one child’s candle was not lit. Then he saw that the child with the dark candle was his own little girl. Rushing towards her, while the pageant faltered, he seized her in his arms, caressed her tenderly, and asked, “How is that your candle is the only one not lit?” “Father, they often relight it, but your tears always put it out again,” she said.

Just then he awoke from from his dream. The lesson was crystal clear, and it’s effects were immediate. From that hour on he was no longer a recluse, but mingled freely and cheerfully with his former friends and associates. No longer would his little darling’s candle be extinguished by his useless tears.

Author Unknown

The Most Toxic Places on Earth - Amazing Fact

Along with the ten places mentioned in the video, here are other toxic places in the world that deserve an (dis)honorable mention.

Linfen, China: Los Angeles smog would be considered a ‘good day’ compared to the air pollution in Linfen and it’s considered the “most polluted city in the world.” The reason behind the pollution is credited to industrial manufacturing and automobile pollution. The air here is apparently so bad that leaving your clothes out to air dry can turn them black!

Want six-pack abs? Here are some diet tips you should follow

You may have heard the saying, abs are made in the kitchen, and not in the gym. Well, it’s true and without a healthy diet, no amount of exercise can help you lose weight. Ekta Tandon, who is a nutritionist at Fitness First chain of restaurants, lists out a few things you should know about eating for six-pack abs.

First things first – we all have abs but they are hidden due to the coverage of fat. In order to define and flaunt them, one must eat right and exercise.

Here’s how you can do it:

Eat small meals: The rule is to eat small meals at equal intervals. So if you are eating often and eating good food, you would not have cravings for any kind of junk food. It will also help regulate your body’s blood sugar, which stabilises the release of insulin. This helps promote the use of fat as fuel and helps prevent it from being stored in the body. When excess fat isn’t stored, the abs are more prominent.

How to do it: Eat three standard meals and three smaller snacks. For example:

Early morning: 1-2 glass water

8-9 am:  Breakfast

11-12 pm: Snack

1-2 pm: Lunch

4-5pm: Snack

7-8 pm: Dinner

9-10 pm (if hungry): Milk