Attitutde is Everything

A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule 'braying'--or whatever mules do when they fall into wells.

After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving.

Instead, he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened...and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.

Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back...a thought struck him.

It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back...HE SHOULD SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP! This he did, blow after blow.

"Shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up!" he repeated to encourage himself.

No matter how painful the blows, or distressing the situation seemed the old mule fought "panic" and just kept right on SHAKING IT OFF AND STEPPING UP!

---

You're right! It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, STEPPED TRIUMPHANTLY OVER THE WALL OF THAT WELL!

What seemed like would bury him, actually blessed him...all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.

THAT'S LIFE!

If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity...THE ADVERSITIES THAT COME ALONG TO BURY US USUALLY HAVE WITHIN THEM THE POTENTIAL TO BENEFIT AND BLESS US!

So if you find yourself in a well, then what are you waiting for, lets shake off the shackles and step up out of these wells

I have learned…

I’ve learned-
that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to them.

I’ve learned-
that no matter how much I care, some people just don’t care back.

I’ve learned-
that it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it.

I’ve learned-
that no matter how good a friend is, they’re going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I’ve learned-
that it’s not what you have in your life but who you have in your life that counts.

I’ve learned-
that you should never ruin an apology with an excuse.

I’ve learned-
that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. After that, you’d better know something.

I’ve learned-
that you shouldn’t compare yourself to the best others can do.

I’ve learned-
that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I’ve learned-
that it’s taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I’ve learned-
that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I’ve learned-
that you can keep going long after you can’t.

I’ve learned-
that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I’ve learned-
that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I’ve learned-
that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place.

I’ve learned-
that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I’ve learned-
that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I’ve learned-
that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I’ve learned-
that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you’re down will be the ones to help you get back up.

I’ve learned-
that sometimes when I’m angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn’t give me the right to be cruel.

I’ve learned-
that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I’ve learned-
that just because someone doesn’t love you the way you want them to doesn’t mean they don’t love you with all they have.

I’ve learned-
that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you’ve had and what you’ve learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you’ve celebrated.

I’ve learned-
that you should never tell a child their dreams are unlikely or outlandish. Few things are more humiliating, and what a tragedy it would be if they believed it.

I’ve learned-
that your family won’t always be there for you. It may seem funny, but people you aren’t related to can take care of you and love you and teach you to trust people again. Families aren’t biological.

I’ve learned-
that it isn’t always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you are to learn to forgive yourself.

I’ve learned-
that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn’t stop for your grief.

I’ve learned-
that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I’ve learned-
that a rich person is not the one who has the most, but is one who needs the least.

I’ve learned-
that just because two people argue, it doesn’t mean they don’t love each other. And just because they don’t argue, it doesn’t mean they do.

I’ve learned-
that we don’t have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

I’ve learned-
that you shouldn’t be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.

I’ve learned-
that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I’ve learned-
that no matter how you try to protect your children, they will eventually get hurt and you will hurt in the process.

I’ve learned-
that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.

I’ve learned-
that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I’ve learned-
that the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

I’ve learned-
that it’s hard to determine where to draw the line between being nice and not hurting people’s feelings, and standing up for what you believe.

I’ve learned-
that people will forget what you said, and people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

اِنَّااللہَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِینَ

اِنَّااللہَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِینَ ۔ (بے شک اللہ صبر کرنے والوں کے ساتھ ہے

اگر کسی نے اللہ کو پانا ہو تو وہ صبر کرنے لگ جاۓ تو اس کا کام بن جاتا ہے جبکہ لوگ اس کے لۓ ورد، وظیفے کرتے ہیں۔ ناک رگڑتے ہیں لیکن اللہ کو صبر کرنے والے پا لیتے ہیں۔ میں نے شاید اسی محفل میں پہلے بھی یہ بات بتائی ہے کہ میر ایک تائی تھیں۔ وہ تیلن تھی۔ اس کا شوہر فوت ہو گیا۔ وہ تائی بے چاری کولہو پیلتی تھی۔ نہایت پاکیزہ عورت تھی۔ وہ اٹھارہ سال کی عمر میں بیوہ ہوئی لیکن اس نے شادی نہیں کی۔ جب میں اس سے ملا تو تائی کی عمر کوئی ساٹھ برس کے قریب تھی۔ اس کے پاس ایک بڑی خوبصورت “رنگیل پیڑھی“ تھی، وہ اسے ہر وقت اپنی بغل میں رکھتی تھی جب بیل کے پیچھے چل رہی ہوتی تو تب بھی وہ اس کے ساتھ ہی ہوتی تھی۔ وہ ساگ بہت اچھا پکاتی تھی اور میں سرسوں کا ساگ بڑے شوق سے کھاتا تھا۔ وہ مجھے گھر سے بلا کے لاتی تھی کہ آ کے ساگ کھا لے میں نے تیرے لۓ پکایا ہے۔ ایک دن میں ساگ کھانے اس کے گھر گیا۔ جب بیٹھ کر کھانے لگا تو میرے پاس وہ “پیڑھی“ پڑی تھی میں نے اس پر بیٹھنا چاہا تو وہ کہنے لگی “ ناں ناں پُتر ایس تے نئیں بیٹھنا“ (نہ نہ بیٹا، اس پر مت بیٹھنا)، میں نے کہا کیوں اس پر کیوں نہیں بیٹھنا۔ میں نے سوچا کہ شاید یہ زیادہ خوبصورت ہے۔ میں نے اس سے پوچھ ہی لیا کہ اس پر کیوں نہیں بیٹھنا۔ کیا میں تیرا پیارا بیٹا نہیں۔

کہنے لگی تو میرا بہت پیارا بیٹا ہے۔ تو مجھے سارے گاؤں سے پیارا ہے لیکن تو اس پر نہیں بیٹھ سکتا۔

کہنے لگی بیٹا جب تیرا تایا فوت ہوا تو مسجد کے مولوی صاحب نے مجھ سے کہا کہ “بی بی تیرے اوپر بہت بڑا حادثہ گزرا ہے لیکن تو اپنی زندگی کو سونا بھی بنا سکتی ہے۔ یہ تجھے اللہ نے عجیب طرح کا چانس دیا ہے۔ تو اگر صبر اختیار کرے گی تو اللہ تیرے ہر وقت ساتھ ہو گا کیونکہ یہ قرآن میں ہے کہ “ اللہ صبر کرنے والوں کے ساتھ ہے “ تائی کہنے لگی کہ میں نے پھر صبر کر لیا۔ جب کئی سال گزر گۓ تو ایک دن مجھے خیال آیا کہ اللہ تو ہر وقت میرے پاس ہوتا ہے اور اس کے بیٹھنے کے لۓ ایک اچھی سی کرسی چاہیے کہ نہیں؟ تو میں نے “رنگیل پیڑھی“ بنوائی اور اس کو قرینے اور خوبصورتی سے بنوایا۔ اب میں اس کو ہر وقت اپنے پاس رکھتی ہوں اور جب بھی اللہ کو بیٹھنا ہوتا ہے میں اسے اس پر بٹھا لیتی ہوں۔ میں کپڑے دھوتی ہوں، اپنا کام کرتی ہوں، روٹیاں ساگ پکاتی ہوں اور مجھے یقین ہے کہ میرا اور اللہ کا تعلق ہے اور وہ صبر کی وجہ سے میرے ساتھ ہے۔ خواتین و حضرات ایسے لوگوں کا تعلق بھی بڑا گہرا ہوتا ہے۔ ایسے لوگ جنہوں نے اس بات کو یہاں تک محسوس کیا۔ وہ قرآن میں کہی بات کو دل سے مان گۓ وہ خوش نصیب لوگوں میں سے ہیں۔ ہم جیسے لوگ “ٹامک ٹوئیاں “ مارتے ہیں اور ہمارا رخ اللہ کے فضل سے سیدھے راستے ہی کی طرف ہے۔ ہم سے کچھ کوتاہیاں ایسی ضرور ہو جاتی ہیں جو ہمارے کۓ کراۓ پر “ کُوچی “ پھیر دیتی ہیں۔ جس سے ہمارا بدن، روح، دل خراب ہو جاتا ہے۔ 

Life, A matter of Priorities ...

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.

When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar an...d fills it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured it into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “YES”.

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

“Now,” said the professor, as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - God, family,
children, health, friends, and favorite passions. Things, that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car. The sand is everything else -- the small stuff.” he said.

“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “There is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are
important to you...” he told them.

“So... pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Worship with your family. Play with your children. Take your partner out to dinner. Spend time with good friends. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the dripping tap. Take care of the golf balls first -- the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled and said, “I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.”