Don't we all?

One evening I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car. I had just come from the car wash and was waiting for my wife to finish work. Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would consider a bum. From the looks of him he had no car, no home, no clean clothes and no money. There are times when you feel generous, but there are times that you just don't want to be bothered. This was one of the "Don't want to be bothered" times! "Hope he doesn't ask me for money," I thought. He didn't.


He came and sat on the curb in front of the bus stop and he didn't look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus. After a few minutes he spoke. "That's a very nice car," he said. He was ragged, but had an air of dignity around him. I said "Thanks," and continued wiping off my car. He sat there quietly as I worked. The expected plea for money never came. As the silence between us widened, something inside said, "Ask him if he needs any help." I was sure that he would say yes, but I held true to the inner voice. "Do you need any help?" I asked.



He answered in three simple but profound words that I shall never forget. We often look for wisdom in great accomplishments. I expect it from those of higher learning and accomplishments. I expected nothing but an outstretched grimy hand. He spoke three words that shook me, "Don't we all?" he said.


I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a place to sleep, but I needed help. I reached in my wallet and gave him not only enough for bus fare but enough to get a warm meal and shelter for the day. Those three little words still ring true. No matter how much you have, no matter how much you have accomplished, you need help too.


No matter how little you have, no matter how loaded you are with problems, even without money or a place to sleep, you can give help. Even if it's just a compliment, you can give that! You never know when you may see someone that appears to have it all. They are waiting on you to give them what they don't have. A different perspective on life, a glimpse of something beautiful, a respite from daily chaos, that only you, through a torn world can see.



Maybe the man was just a homeless stranger wandering the streets. Maybe he was more than that. Maybe he was sent by a power that is great and wise to minister to a soul too comfortable in himself. Maybe God looked down, called an Angel, dressed him like a bum and then said, "Go minister to that man cleaning the car, that man needs help."

You are a DOG!

Sometimes back, a person came to me and told, "You know one thing, you are a DOG". I said, 'I am too happy as a Human Being and I have not done anything big or great to be called as DOG". It is simple; if you reverse the spellings of DOG it will become GOD. Now, whenever I pass through those big societies and bungalows and see those boards, "Dog is on Duty" or "Beware to dogs", I just cannot stop myself from smiling.



Color of this world is based on the color of your eyes, color of your glasses. The way you perceive the things; your understand, your thoughts and your experiences. Good and Bad people you will find everywhere in the world, in every country, in every society it is up to us, what we are looking for.

One glass of milk.

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry.

He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, "How much do I owe you?" "You don't owe me anything," she replied. "Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness." He said..... "Then I thank you from my heart."

As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Year's later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly ! was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to room. Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the case. After a long struggle, the battle was won.

Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words..... "Paid in full with one glass of milk"

Signed Dr. Howard Kelly. Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: "Thank You, God, that Your love has spread abroad through human hearts and hands."

-shankar

How rich are you?

One day a rich father took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose to show him how poor people can be. They spent a day and a night on the farm of a very poor family.

When they got back from their trip the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"

"Very good Dad!"

"Did you see how poor people can be?" the father asked.

"Yeah!"

"And what did you learn?"

The son answered, "I saw that we have a dog at home, and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden, they have a creek that has no end.We have imported
lamps in the garden, they have the stars. Our patio reaches to the front yard, they have a whole horizon."

When the little boy was finishing, his father was speechless.

His son added, "Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we can be!"

The Boy Who Did Not Believe In Ghosts

I had been in Malaysia for three years and I was getting ready to return to France. I spent the last two weeks of my stay in Malaysia visiting all my Malaysian friends. Various people had invited me to thier homes for dinner. My old classmates had held a small classroom party for me. Nina invited me to her house one evening to have dinner with her.

It was a delicious meal and, when we had finished eating, Nina and I went outside to sit on the porch while her mother served coffee. I chatted with Nina about the previous three years and told her that I would be very sad to leave Malaysia. Nina recalled the first time we met and how Cikgu Zahrin had told me what a bomoh was.

"I remember you seemed quite surprised when Cikgu Zahrin told you that one of my jobs was to help people who had been disturbed by ghosts. I also remember that you told me you had an open mind about ghosts."

I said nothing. I just grinned.

"I'd liketo tell you one more story before you leave Malaysia," she said.

"Its about a young boy who didn't believe in ghosts.

I put my coffee cup down and sat back in the rotan armchair. I knew that I would miss Nina and her stories when I got back to France.

''There was once a group of schoolboys who were playing football in a small field on the edge of a rubber estate," she began.

"The boys had brought food and drinks with them and, when the game was over, they had a little picnic. One of the boys was a very good story-teller and he started telling his friends a ghost story which he had heard from his grandfather. The other boys listened to him and enjoyed the story. However, when the boy had finished telling his story, a boy called Chan stood up and said, 'What a stupid story!' All the other boys were surprised. 'What's wrong Chan?' they asked. 'There are no such things as ghosts,' he answered, ' and people who believe in them are stupid.'

'You'd better be careful,Chan,' one of the other boys said. 'Some people say if you dont believe in ghosts, the ghosts will get angry. One of them might appear to you on the way home.' 'Yes,' said another boy. 'You might meet a pontianak!'

"Chan laughed at them. 'Rubbish!' he said. 'Don't be so stupid!' and he walked over to an old tree stump that was a few yards away from them. 'You see this tree stump?' he said. 'If any ghosts appears to me I'll give it a kick, like this,' and he kicked the tree stump.

Chan felt proud of himself. He turned towards the other boys with a big grin. Then he turned towards the tree stump again. He was just about to kick it the second time when,suddenly,he stopped. His face turned white and the smile disappeared from his lips. He stood staring at the tree stump with a look of terror in his eyes.

"Whats the matter,Chan?" asked one of the other boys. Chan tried to speak but no words came out of his mouth. The boys crowded around him. 'Come on, Chan,' they said. 'Tell us what's wrong.'

"Finally Chan managed to say something. 'Look! Look!' he said, pointing at the tree stump.

"Yes,' one of the boys said, 'its an old tree stump.

Whats so special about it?'

'But.......look!' said Chan. 'Cant you see.......'

'See what, Chan?' There's nothing there.

'Nothing there!' exclaimed Chan. What about the gravestone!

'Whats are you talking about, Chan? There's no gravestone,' the others said.

'There is!' screamed Chan. Then he trembled as he said, 'aaannd its got mmmmyy name on it!'

The boys told Chan to clam down. They told him that there was no gravestone but Chan refused to listen to them. In the end, two of the boys took Chan home and told his father what had happened.

Later that evening, Chan became feverish. He sat in an armchair, trembling and talking about the gravestone which had his name written on it. His fathe sent for the doctor and the doctor gave Chan a sedative and asked his father to put him to bed.

"At three o'clock in the morning, his father looked into Chan's room to make sure the boy was all right. He received a terrible shock when he realised that his son wasn't there. The bed was empty! Chan had two older brothers and the father woke them up. They took a couple of tourches and started seaching all over the kampung but they could not find the missing boy anywhere. The next day Chan's father reported his son's disappearence to the police and offered a reward to anyone who found his son.

A few days later, two rubber tappers were walking across a field near a rubber estate. It was the same field where Chan and his friends had been playing football. The rubber tappers had just finnished thier morning's work and they were on thier way home. Suddenly, one of them stopped. 'What's that?' he asked. He had seen something near a group of trees close to the edge of the feild. The two rubber -tappers walked over to have a closer look. It was a young boy. He was lying beside an old tree stump and the boy was dead.

One of the rubber tappers stayed with the boy while the other ran to the estate manager's house. The manager telephoned the police. Ten minutes later, a police car arrived and took away the body. The police sent for Chan's father and he went to the police-station to identify the boy.

Nina leaned forward. "can you guess who it was?'' she asked

"I think so," I replied.

"It was the body of his son, the boy who didn't believe in ghosts!'' said Nina

Nina said nothing for a few seconds. There was a smile on her face as she looked at me straight in the eyes.

"Now tell me something," she said "Do you believe in ghosts?''

-shankr ;)

The Present.

Imagine there is a Bank that credits your account every morning with $86,400.However, it carries over no balance from day to day and every night the bank deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day.What would you do? Draw out every cent, of course!Each of us has such a bank. Its name is TIME.









Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose. It carries over no balance and it allows no overdraft.Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the remains of the day. If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours.There is no going back. There is no drawing against the "tomorrow." You must live in the present solely on today's deposits. So invest it wisely each day to get from it the utmost in health, happiness, and success!The clock is running. Make the most of today.








To realise the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed the HSC.








To realise the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.








To realise the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.







To realise the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.








To realise the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train.








To realise the value of ONE-SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident.









To realise the value of ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person who won a medal in the Olympics.







Treasure every moment that you have! And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time.And remember that TIME waits for no one.Friends are very rare jewels indeed.They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their heart to us.Show your friends how much you care.







Send this to everyone you consider a FRIEND. If it comes back to you from someone else, then you'll know you have a CIRCLE OF FRIENDS.









Yesterday, is history.Tomorrow, is a mystery.Today is a gift.That's why it's called,The present.

The Miracle

Tess was a precocious eight years old when she heard her Mom and Dad talking about her little brother, Andrew. All she knew was that he was very sick and they were completely out of money. They were moving to an apartment complex next month because Daddy didn't have the money for the doctor bills and our house. Only a very costly surgery could save him now and it was looking like there was no-one to loan them the money.

She heard Daddy say to her tearful Mother with whispered desperation, "Only amiracle can save him now."Tess went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet. She poured all the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. Three times, even. The total had to be exactly perfect. No chance here for mistakes. Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall's Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief sign above the door.

She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention but he was too intently talking to another man to be bothered by an eight year old at this moment. Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she could muster. No good. Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter. That did it!"And what do you want?" the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice. "I'm talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven't seen in ages," he said without waiting for a reply to his question."Well, I want to talk to you about my brother," Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone. "He's really, really sick ... and I want to buy a miracle."

"I beg your pardon?" said the pharmacist."His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?""We don't sell miracles here, little girl. I'm sorry but I can't help you." the pharmacist said, softening a little."Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs."The pharmacist's brother was a well dressed man. He stooped down and asked the little girl, "What kind of a miracle does you brother need?""I don't know," Tess replied with her eyes welling up. "I just know he's really sick and Mommy says he needs a operation. But my Daddy can't pay for it, so I want to use my money. "How much do you have?" asked the man from Chicago."One dollar and eleven cents," Tess answered barely audibly. "And it's all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to."

"Well, what a coincidence," smiled the man. "A dollar and eleven cents -- the exact price of a miracle for little brothers." He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her and said "Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the kind of miracle you need."That well dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed without charge and it wasn't long until Andrew was home again and doing well. Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place.

"That surgery," her mom whispered. " it was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?"Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost... one dollar and eleven cents... plus the faith of a little child.

Wounded Heart,Broken Dreams

the sad man

"I forgive you." Those words written on a white piece of paper,which I held in my right hand. I couldn't do anything but stared at those words, as tears of grief and guilt rolled down my red checks. How can you forgive me for what I have done? I do not deserve forgiveness.

I lived with my mother in a small apartment down town. My father passed away in a tragic accident while I was young. I did not even get know him. I was the only a child, the apple of my mother's eyes. I was her hope to live. She gave me everything I needed although we were poor. Sometimes, she had to pick up three jobs just to make ends meet. I appreciated my mother very much. I swore to support her and pay her back when I grow up one day. It was a promise I made to her.

Soon I reached my twenty-five-year old summer age. I graduated from a well known university abroad. My mother's hardwork paid off. I became a doctor, just what she wanted me to be. My mind rolled back, like a film, tying to recall the past where it began. How can I forget? It all started with Carmen. She came from a ve wealthy family. I was too embarrased to intoduce her to my mother. Besides she was just a washer woman. So I moved out from my old, tiny apartment. I stayed in another apartment, which was bigger, far away from my mother. I left her although she was dependt on me, as she was quiet old.

"Carmen must be the most beautiful girl in the world'', I knew when I first met her. She was intelligent and rich. Carmen had beautiful brown eyes and long straight brown hair. Her melodious voice can calm the roughest sea. She had perfect set of teeth, and long, curly eye lashes. She was so beautiful. She was every man's dream girl. I fell head over heals in love with her. My two years with her was filled with fun and parties. I forgot my entire problem. I was the happiest man in the world, "the king of the world!"

One day, I found a note on my table. It was from Carmen. She left me! She said she found someone wealthier and she was bored of me. I was devastated. I gave my fragile heart to her, and she returned it in a thousand pieces. How could she? After all I have done for her. I even sacrificed my own mother for her. My goodness! Depressed, and confused, I did not know where to go and what to do. I was lost. I decided to look for my mother. Later, I learned that she was taken to an old folk's home nearby. I headed there immediately.

'Ring, ring!' I rang the bell on he table. A lady came to me. She told me that my mother had passed away a week ago, and she left me a note. "I FORGIVE YOU". I read the note. Tears could not stop flowing down my cheek. How could I become so cold toward my own mother, the person who brought me into this world, the person who worked so hard just to raise me up, pay for my education so that I become a better person with brighter future. What happened to the promise I made to her? I'm sorry, so sorry. I can never forgive myself.

Now, I'm married to a teacher, with three beautiful daughters. Every night, just before I go to sleep, I recall this dark history in my life. It will not stay a mere memory. It has scarred my heart until this day. MOTHER, your forgiveness and prayers have healed my pain but I was never there to wash your wounded heart, broken dreams.

-shankar

this story i've made is a fiction.the characters in this story has got nothing to do with the living or the one's that has passed on. may this story be a n eye opener to you readers.

TRUE LOVE

I found the perfect picture to suet my story

It had been raining for more than a week, so much rain it made everday seemed so restless and glary. She called and said she was coming over. It was the third time she called up to see me that week. I carried her excuses why she came all the way here and went to meet her at the place where I first fell in love with her, at a nearby Seven-eleven in PJ. She was standing there alone, carrying her red umbrella. As always, she would be smilling. She had the most beatiful smile ever. Her friend dropped her off. It was raining and she was shivering. She looked weak and fragile in the harsh rain.

I walked up to her and said. '' You shouldn't come to see me anymore. I'm not the guy you once knew, I have bad habbits that you won't like'', and excuses like ''I am vey busy with my work. Lots of things to do, although none of them are true. She said, ''I missed you''. That sentence was enough to melt my heart. I told her her coldly. ''Lets go. I'll take you home.'' She did not opem her umbrella, I knew she wanted to share mine. I said , ''Open up your umbrella, and let's go''. Unwillingly, she opened up her umbrella and walked with me to the car. She asked if we could stop at some place to eat. She knew I hardly take my dinner and I stay up very late. Right away I answered with a stone heart, ''No!''. Disappointed, she asked me to take her to the LRT station, she said she would take the train back home.

Maybe it was the rain, all the tains were full with people who were eager to get home. We waited and waited, she looked at me innocently. Knowing her for so long, of coarse I knew what she meant. I understand how she must feel when she came all the way here in this kind of weather and I treat her like this. With her beautiful eyes staring at me, I felt guilty and sad. I wish I could stay with her and talk to her throughout the night like how we did years back. But reality struck again, I said to her coldly. ''Let's go try the other station''. We were almost together back then. They wre sixteen of us, and we go really along well. We would watch movies, and dine together. We were more like a family, but I didn't know I would end up falling in love with her among all of them. Maybe it was during the time wher I always sat next to her in class.

We were walking along theside the road. She was in front of me and I was right behind her. Many times she was too into thinking or whatever she was doing, drifting off the road, she almost got hit by car pasing by. I wanted to just take her in my arms , but with the love i had for her, I did nothing. On the way, we heard an old song which we first danced to. She begged and said ''Lets go to the park just for a little while please, I promise I'll go home right after this''. With her begging, my cold heart softened, but still I put put up an annoyed face and walk to the park. I was just sitting on the benchs looking like I wanted to leave. She was walking around for quite a while enjoying the night. But all I could do was pretend I didn't care, and said, "Can we go now?

I opened my black umbrella. She was just standing there, didn't want to leave yet. She said, "you've made up the story of you being busy, didn't you?" Can't we start over?" I didn't say a word, just looked down and shook my head. After that we just kept on walking towards the station, didn't say a word to each other. Honestly, yes I would start all ove again, but I can't. There are reasons why I can't, I'm a kind of person who is too caugt up with work. I wouldn't have enough time for her. There is someone else who loves her dearly, he is in Australia. I know he can always be there for her,whenever she needed someone. I know that he would look after her well. There are reason why I can't be there for her. Well this is the main reason why I can't be with her. I had cancer !

It was detected early, so it was still curable. Thinking it was okay, I started living my normal life. I didn't think about the cancer again and did not go back to the doctor. Until a month ago, the back of my head was hurting for two weeks straight. I went back to the doctor and took an X-ray. The results shows that there was a big black spot at the cerebellum, which praved the truth that I did not want to believe. I didnt't want her to find out about this, so i made up stories and lied to her. It was a cruel thing to do, and it broke her heart, but it was the fastest way to wipe out several years of feelings. I'm not that worried about her. Thanks to God, there is another man out there who would love her even more, and will be there for her eventhough he lives so far. I know that the both of them would be great together.

The train had stopped running so I called a taxi for her. We were just standing there, waiting, looking our last moments in silence. I saw the taxi from far away, I held my tears and said to he ''Take care of yourself,take good care of yourself.'' She didn't speak just nodded lightly and then oponed her misshaped umbrella and stepped out onto the streets. I opened the door for her and she got in. Befor I could close the door she told me, "Remember our sweet memories, remember it always, remember it hard, you still feel it, how much I care about you". I stood by the car, staring at the black window, at the love of my life. I wanted to tell he I still love her. I wanted to tell her to stay, I wanted to tell her so much but I couldn't. Warm tears kept falling down my face. She left, and I didn't get anymore of her phone calls. I know she didn't see my tears. I left without regrets knowing she is in safe hands. I'll always be there for her no matter what, whenever she needs help without her knowing. I will always be there ....

I know you love me. And I do love you. You might never know but mine is true love.

This story that i've created is a fiction and has nothing to do with the living or the one that has passed on.

-shankar

Fan support

My grandad,the late T.Nadarajah was our very first Malaysian football referee. Not many know this, till this very day, his existence remains solome. I remember being the grandchild of his where when I was a little kid he used to take me to stadiums where we both would enjoy a football match together. The crowd of approximately 50,000 would floud the stadium to come watch our national team play. The whole country would stand by Malaysia when it came to football those days. I use to listen to my grandfathers stories of how the Malaysian team played. How it felt scoring a goal. It was a fantastic feeling. Whenever Malaysia team had scored, the Malaysian fans would cheer and scream thier lungs out! Besides that,the other fans who weren't at the stadium, never gave up thier determination to support the Malaysian team. I use to remember him telling me how the people would gather at the 'mamak' stall which had a small radio broadcasting the match commanteries. Everyone at the stall would gather by the radio and listen, anxiously..

As soon as the Malaysian team scored a goal, the people at the stall would cheer and give each other hugs, some would even tear. The determination and support shown by our people towards the Malaysian team at that time were unquestionable. As we all know Malaysia football teams performance which we all witness now has dropped tremendously compared to the late 60's. MALAYSIA was once ranked 50 in the world of football ; today it stands at 179. At that time players like the late Mokhtar Dahari and Arumugam where the nations best. We could even beat teams like China, South Korea and even England. Mokhtar Dahari was the only Malaysian to score against England. Malaysia had chances for a world cup entry, but today we are like a million years away from achieving that. Lately, Malaysian hosted a friendly match against Manchester United. These two teams came up against each other twic which had Malaysia losing 3-2 and 2-0 in the second. In Malaysian first match, the players showed extreme determination and confidence. We even managed to score two goals contributed by Amri Yahya. The equaliser which silenced 85'000 people,which had Malaysia on its way to a historical draw, but the winning goal which sank the Malaysia team had thier hopes all faded. It was really dissapointing yet impressive seeing the Malaysian team playing well against one of the worlds best club which such little fan support.There was only a spot of Malaysian supporters that were seen in the stadium. Even theres was foreigners supporting Malaysia. The whole stadium were filled with red shirts which symbolised the Manchester United team.

Our own people would rather choose Man U than Malaysia, but yet the Malaysian team played well. Ours is not the commitment of the players. To give an analogy (and I don't mean to insult anybody), it is like asking donkeys to run against horses. Its a worthless battle. No number of system changes or structural changes or coaching tactics can make donkeys run faster than horses. Even the world's best coaches can't do that. Frommy view, i definetly think there is hope for the Malaysian team. One of the factors for our team to soar is the fan support, the faith of ours. MALAYSIA BOLEH!