impossible is impossible!

let me tell you a story (a folklore I have read/heard somewhere) ...

One day, a person from city visits a nearby village and is astonished when he sees a villager carrying an ox on his back to the lake.

Amazed at this unusual show of strength, he asks in disbelief - 'how could you carry such a heavy animal on your back?!'

The villager responds unfazed - 'Why is it so surprising?! For years, this has been a mundane routine for both of us. I used to carry the ox on my back when we both were young and I am doing the same now'

I do not know the authenticity (or even practical feasibility) of the story ... but I like it a lot since it depicts power of incremental yet regular improvements. It is true that 'slow and steady does win the race!'

I like the statement 'Nothing is impossible' - but it is a 'cliche' ... I like it more when put as 'Impossible is Nothing' but since that one is already a trademark/copyright - here I give the story a title 'Impossible is impossible!'

Is it catchy enough? :)

PS: One more reason I was reminded of this favourite story - 100 Year 'young' Fauja Singh completed full marathon on 16 Oct @Toronto in 8+ hours !!!

Looking out of the window ...

... during a flight, i had a 'eureka' moment!

   

The background that was visible to me was almost 'stand still'. So much so that it can deceive anyone into believing the aero-plane is hardly moving, whereas the fact was - it was moving at a very fast pace - ask the kid on the ground below trying to get a glimpse of the fascinating 'creature' (I still stretch out my neck and try to look at the plane every time I hear a flight - especially a helicopter :) Thank GOD, I do not stay very close to the airport!)

When one feels his or her life is boring and not 'moving at all' (ruki ruki si zindagi?) maybe it is the same case! It is probably moving at a fast pace towards the destination but it is just that the motion is not apparent from one's 'point of view' :)

So, if that is the case, will looking from a different vantage point help and show the 'big picture'?

GOD moves in a mysterious way ...

This insightful poem - 'God moves in a mysterious way; His wonders to perform ...' by William Cowper - fascinated me right from my childhood (it was in the textbook at my school).

I recently happened to reflect on it with a new perspective

These days, I play with Rubik's cube frequently (I have learned to solve all six faces of the cube - thanks to the notes here ). Our kid likes to see all 'cubies' (pieces) of same color gathered on a side of the cube.

Sometimes, when the cube is scrambled (unsolved), he requests me to solve one face of a particular color (say RED). When, I start, he is happy to see red cubies gathering on a side one by one. But as I move near to solving it totally (collecting all 9 cubies of red on one side) I have to temporarily 'break' already gathered cubies for the larger good of solving the whole side. And, since he does not know the underlying logic (or the need to do so) he gets disheartened that I am spoiling the side (instead of making it for him).

Maybe, this is exactly what is happening with us when we do not see things going our way. Our father - Almighty GOD - is temporarily 'spoiling' our 'plot' to fulfill our wish!

William Cowper has rightly said -
"The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower."

In fact, each and every verse of the poem has a very deep meaning. Literally, GOD moves in a mysterious way!

Surrender, completely and unconditionally!

One fine day, our kid was playing with a closed cylindrical plastic box containing 100 ear buds. (Parents of kid know this for sure – kids like to play with anything and everything except their toys ;-). After few minutes of struggling, he was successful in setting all the 100 ear buds free from captivity. All the buds were scattered hither and thither on the bed.

Now, he got chance to try his hands at another game – to put all the 100 ear buds back in the box. This one was tougher than his earlier stint. (A cliché worth pondering over - Isn’t it always easier to break than to make?).

While I was watching all this, it was difficult for me to resist my urge to help him out. However, I waited till he finally gave up and looked at me for help (and all this is of course in our very own ‘sign’ language – since he had not learned to speak by then).

Then, on getting an approval from him, I gathered all the 100 ear buds and put all of them in the clear plastic box at one go - almost ‘effortlessly’.

While I reflected on this trivial looking incident, I was pleased to get inspired by a subtle message – When we completely surrender our problems to our Father (the Almighty), they are solved almost ‘effortlessly’; no matter how complex and impossible they may seem to us.

The task of putting all the 100 ear buds in place was so difficult for our kid but once he completely surrendered his problem to me, it was done in a jiffy and he might also take it as a ‘miracle’.

The key here is - 'complete surrender'

Someone has rightly said –
Don't tell GOD how big your storm is; Tell the storm how big your GOD is!