MUSINGS 5 PARABLES Serial 1

EPISODE 1

HAPPINESS

A crow lived in the forest and was absolutely satisfied in life.  But one day he saw a swan. "This swan is so white," he thought, "and I am so black. This swan must be the happiest bird in the world."

He expressed his thoughts to the swan. "Actually," the swan replied, "I was feeling that I was the happiest bird around until I saw a parrot, which has two colors. I now think the parrot is the happiest bird in creation." 

The crow then approached the parrot. The parrot explained, "I lived a very happy life—until I saw a peacock. I have only two colors, but the peacock has multiple colors." 

The crow then visited a peacock in the zoo and saw that hundreds of people had gathered to see him. After the people had left, the crow approached the peacock.  "Dear peacock," the crow said, "you are so beautiful. Every day thousands of people come to see you. When people see me, they immediately shoo me away. I think you are the happiest bird  on the planet,”

The peacock replied, “I always thought that I was the most beautiful  and happy bird on the planet. But because of my beauty, I am entrapped in this zoo. I have examined the zoo very carefully, and I have realized that crow is the only bird not kept in a cage. So for past few days I have been thinking that if I were a crow, I could happily roam everywhere."

EPISODE 2

VALUE OF VALUE

JRD Tata (JRD) had a friend who used to say that he misplaces and loses his pen very often.  He would use only very cheap pens so that he need not worry about losing them. He was worried about his carelessness. JRD suggested to him to buy the costliest pen he could afford and see what happens. 

He did that and purchased a 22 carat gold Cross pen. After nearly six months JRD met him and asked him if he continued to misplace his pen. His friend said that he is very careful about his costly pen and he is surprised how he has changed! JRD explained to him that the value of the pen made the difference and there was nothing wrong with him as a person! 

This is what happens in our life. We are careful with things which we value most. 

‘If we value our health, we will be careful about what and how we eat; 

 If we value our friends, we will treat them with respect; 

 If  we value money, we will be careful while spending’ 

* if we value our time, we will not waste it. 

*if we value relationship we will not break it.

Carefulness is a basic trait all of us have,we know when to be careful! 

Carelessness only shows what we don't value...

Have a wonderful and careful life...

EPISODE 3

HUMILITY

STANFORD STORY

A lady in a faded grey dress and her husband, dressed in a homespun suit walked in timidly without an appointment into the Harvard University President's outer office. The secretary could tell in a moment that such backwoods, country hicks had no business at Harvard and probably didn't even deserve to be in Harvard.

"We want to see the President " the man said softly. "He'll be busy all day " the secretary snapped., “We'll wait" the lady replied. For hours the secretary ignored them, hoping that the couple would finally become discouraged and go away. They didn't and the secretary grew frustrated and finally decided to disturb the president.   

"Maybe if you see them for a few minutes, they'll leave" she said to him. The President, stern faced and with dignity, strutted toward the couple.  The lady told him "We had a son who attended Harvard for one year. He loved Harvard. He was happy here. But about a year ago, he was accidentally killed. My husband and I would like to erect a memorial to him, somewhere on campus.” 

The president wasn't touched....He was shocked. "Madam “he said, gruffly,” we can't put up a statue for every person who attended Harvard and died. If we did, this place would look like a cemetery.” "Oh, no," the lady explained quickly "We don't want to erect a statue. We thought we would like to give a building to Harvard.” The president rolled his eyes. He glanced at the gingham dress and homespun suit, and then exclaimed, "A building! Do you have any earthly idea how much a building costs? We have over seven and a half million dollars in the physical buildings here at Harvard.”

For a moment the lady was silent. The president was pleased. Maybe he could get rid of them now. The lady turned to her husband and said quietly, "Is that all it costs to start a university? Why don't we just start our own?" Her husband nodded. The president's face wilted in confusion and bewilderment.

Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stanford got up and walked away, traveling to Palo Alto, California where they established the University that bears their name.  STANFORD UNIVERSITY, a memorial to a son that Harvard no longer cared about.  

Tongue & Cheek Comment.  Superciliousness of then President Harvard University, founded in 1636, helped creation of an institution of excellence in 1891.   

                                                    EPISODE 4

TRUE STORY THAT WON FIRST PLACE

at

CRIMINAL LAWYERS’ AWARD CONTEST—2012

Charlotte, North Carolina, USA—Part I 

A lawyer purchased a box of very rare and expensive cigars, and then insured them against fire, among other things. Within a month he smoked the entire stock of branded cigars. He had yet to pay the first installment of premium. Twisted mind-set of the lawyer hatched a perfect plan. He filed a claim against the insurance company on the plea the cigars were lost “in series of small fires”.

The insurance company refused to pay, citing the obvious reason, he had consumed cigars in the normal fashion. The lawyer sued and WON!

Delivering the ruling, the judge agreed with the insurance company that the claim was frivolous. The judge stated, nevertheless, that the lawyer held a policy from the company, which it had warranted that the cigars were insurable, and also guaranteed that it would insure them against fire, without defining what is considered to be unacceptable "fire", and was obligated to pay the claim! 

Rather than endure lengthy and costly appeal process, the insurance company accepted the ruling and paid $15,000 to the lawyer for his loss of the cigars lost in the "fires".  

After lawyer cashed the cheque, insurance company had him arrested on 24 counts of ARSON!!! His own insurance claim and testimony from the previous case was used  as evidence against him.  

The lawyer was convicted of intentionally burning his insured property and was sentenced to 24 months in jail and a $24,000 fine.