Story on cockroach

While I was in a Restaurant, suddenly a cockroach flew from somewhere and sat on a lady standing a little away from me.

She started screaming out of fear. With panic stricken face and trembling voice, she started jumping, with both her hands desperately trying to get rid of the cockroach. Her reaction was contagious, as everyone in her group got cranky to what was happening. The lady finally managed to push the cockroach to another lady in the group.

Now, it was the turn of the other lady in the group to continue the drama. The waiter rushed forward to their rescue.

In the relay of throwing, the cockroach next fell upon the waiter.

The waiter stood firm, composed himself and observed the behaviour of the cockroach on his shirt.

When he was confident enough, he grabbed and threw it out with his fingers.

Sipping my coffee and watching the amusement, my mind picked up a few thoughts and started wondering:

- Was the cockroach responsible for the ladies' histrionic behaviour?

- If so, then why was the waiter not disturbed? He handled it near to perfection - without any chaos or drama.

- So, it was not the cockroach, but the inability of the ladies to handle the disturbance caused by the cockroach that disturbed them.

I also realized even in my case then, it is not the shouting of my father or scolding of my boss that disturbs me, but it's my own inability to handle the disturbances caused by their shouting that disturb me.

Similarly, it's not the traffic jams on the road that disturbs me, but my inability to handle the disturbance caused in my mind by the traffic jam that disturbs me.

More than the problem, it's my own reaction to the problem that hurts me!

The Take-Away:

- The women reacted but the waiter responded.

- We need not react in life; we need always respond.

- Reactions are instinctive; responses are intellectual.

If u Judge people, u have no time to love them.

Five Lessons About How To Treat People

1. First Important Lesson - "Know The Cleaning Lady"

During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"

Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.

"Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say "hello."

I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.


2. Second Important Lesson - "Pickup In The Rain"

One night, at 11:30 p.m., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car.

A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab.

She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home.

A special note was attached. It read: "Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away. God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others."

Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.


3. Third Important Lesson - "Remember Those Who Serve"

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10 year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. "How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked. "50¢," replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.

"Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired. By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient. "35¢!" she brusquely replied.

The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left.

When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies. You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.


4. Fourth Important Lesson - "The Obstacles In Our Path"

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand - "Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition."


5. Fifth Important Lesson - "Giving When It Counts"

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year-old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save her."

As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?".

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.

The important things in life

A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items on the table in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, about 2 inches in diameter.

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

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks.

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

The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “Yes.”

“Now,” said the professor, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the important things - your family, your partner, your health, your children - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter - like your job, your house, your car.

The sand is everything else. The small stuff.”

“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued “there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your 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. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal.

Take care of the rocks first - the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

Violinist in the Metro

This is an incredibly sad story which gave me chills. It is a social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning। He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes। During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousands of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work। Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing। He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule। A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk।

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again। Clearly he was late for work। The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition. No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars. Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats average $100.

Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of an social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people.

The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context? One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing? 

24 Hours To Die

Raj asked Buddha, “Reverend Sir, how come my mind wanders around to forbidden places and yours does not?” “Sir, how come I do back-biting and you don't?” “Sir, how come I don't have compassion for others, while you have?” All the questions that Raj asked were of similar nature.

Buddha replied, “Raj, your questions are good, but it seems to me that in 24 hours from now you will die.”

Raj got up and started getting ready to go.

Buddha asked, “Raj, what happened? You came with such vitality now you are totally dismayed.”

Raj said, “Sir, my mother told me that your words are true and are to be held in high esteem. So please let me go so that I may meet my family members, friends and others before I die.”

Buddha said, “But there are still 24 hours. Sit, we will talk more.”

Raj said, “Reverend Sir, please let me go. I must meet my people before I die.”

So Raj left and went home. Met his mother and started crying. The word spread. His friends came; other family members came; neighbors came. Everyone was crying with Raj. Time flew.

Raj was busy either crying or counting the hours. When only 3 hours were left, he pulled up a cot and lay down. Although the Death had not yet arrived, poor Raj was kind of dead.

When only an hour was left, Buddha walked in.

Buddha said to Raj, “Raj, why are you lying down on the cot with your closed eyes. Death is still an hour away. And an hour is 60 minutes long. That's a lot of time. Get up, let us talk.”

Raj: “Sir, what is it now that you want to talk? Just let me die peacefully.”

Buddha: “Raj, there is still time and our talk will get over before the 'ordained' time.”

Raj: “Okay, Sir . . . say what you have to say.”

Buddha: “In the past 24 hours, did you curse anyone?”

Raj: “How could I curse anyone? I was all the time thinking about death.”

Buddha: “In the past 24 hours, did you think or wish ill for anyone?”

Raj: “How could I do that? I was all the time thinking about death.”

Buddha: “In the past 24 hours, did you steal?”

Raj: “Sir, how can you even ask that? I was all the time thinking about death.”

Finally the Buddha said, “Raj, I don't know who has to die and who has to live. But understanding the ultimate truth — i.e. death — can be very enlightening. All the questions you posed to me have been answered by yourself because of the awareness of death that you experienced during the past 24 hours. The difference between me and you is that you were aware of death for the past 24 hours, I have been aware for the past 24 years.”

Pay attention to the smallest moments, they will teach the most!

As I slowly pulled myself into work this morning, I was overwhelmed with exhaustion; with full speed stress headed my way. Anticipating the "mind over matter" feeling I needed, my eyes not wanting to open my "inbox" to start the day, I remembered the crosswalk.


I was on my way to work a couple weeks ago, frustrated at how late traffic was making me, annoyed at my bad hair day. It was already scorching hot, humid and NO wind. I just wanted to stay in bed and sleep. While being frustrated and annoyed and just plain angry at the day, I was held at a stop light for what seemed like forever.


I glanced over to my left and saw a woman probably in her mid twenties, waiting for the crosswalk sign to allow her to cross. She was dressed in bright colors, gorgeous shoes, with a purse at her side and a glowing smile! Along with these striking things, she also had her dog along for the stroll.


A joyful golden retriever, hopping along on the leash, excited for the day and to be outside with his owner. He just couldn't sit still with how much energy he had. So the woman petted him with her hand, and was talking to him with so much expression, and love - they were so happy! It made me smile underneath my gloomy bad mood.


One detail not mentioned; the woman dressed in bright colors, gorgeous shoes, purse and a glowing smile, with her pal at her side was handicap, in an electric wheel chair, which she could only operate with her right hand. As the crosswalk sign changed, and she pushed the black knob forward to operate her wheelchair across the street, her dog followed happily beside her as the leash was tied to the arm of her chair.


A tear filled my eye, and I smiled! Someone else's situation can kick your mind into gear and remind us what to be thankful for! I have no doubt this woman and her dog were put there for a reason, so I would wake up, and enjoy my day no matter what my hair looked like, no matter what traffic I was stuck in, and no matter what my day had in store for me!


I greatly appreciate this woman and her golden retriever, for teaching me a wonderful lesson! Pay attention to the smallest moments, they will teach the most!

Today is a Good Day!: The Story of Sambo

Once upon a time, there lived a hard-working and loving family. Sambo was the youngest of eight children. Every morning before school, the children's mother would wake them up with her sweet voice. Good morning, my children. Today is going to be a good day.

The children would wake, go outside, and do their chores. The chores were very difficult, and none of the children liked doing them, especially Sambo. You see, Sambo disliked getting out of bed in the morning to do his chores.

After the chores, their mother always prepared a hot breakfast for them. The children would eat and walk to school. After school, they would hurry home to do their afternoon chores so they would have time to play before getting ready for dinner. One morning, his mother came and said, "Good morning, my children. Today is going to be a good day." Sambo did not get out of bed. His mother repeated, "Get up, Sambo. Today is going to be a good day." Sambo replied, "Momma today is not going to be a good day. Today is a bad day, and I want to stay in bed." His mother said, "Okay Sambo, you stay in bed since today is a bad day." Sambo had a smile on his face as he went back to sleep. His brothers and sisters snickered at Sambo as they went to do their chores. Sambo fell back to sleep.

An hour later, he woke up to the sound of his brothers and sisters laughing at breakfast. His stomach growled. He was very hungry. Sambo walked down the stairs into the kitchen. He sat down at the table with his brothers and sisters. When he put two BIG pancakes on a plate, his mother stopped him and said, "What are you doing Sambo?" "Momma, I'm so hungry," Sambo replied. Momma said, "Oh no. Sambo today is a bad day. You go up to your room, and go back to bed." Sambo looked sad, "but I'm hungry Momma." "Remember today is a bad day Sambo. Now go back to bed." Sambo walked slowly back up to his room with his stomach still hungry. He was very sad. You see, in his room there were no toys, TV or computers. Nothing but his bed and a stuffed bear.

All day long Sambo sat in his room alone and hungry, until finally he heard his brothers and sisters come home from school. They ran upstairs to change their clothes for chores before they went to play. Sambo went down with the other children to do his chores when his mother saw him. She said, "where are you going Sambo?" "Out to do my chores, Momma." "Oh no, Sambo. Today is a bad day. Now go back up to your room." Sambo started to cry on the way up the stairs. He thought to himself, "I am so hungry and bored. I hope Momma lets me eat later." When dinnertime came, Sambo walked slowly down the steps to see if he could get something to eat. He was met at the bottom of the steps by his mother. She said, "Oh no, Sambo. Today is a bad day. You need to go back up to bed."

Sambo woke up the next morning to the sound of his mother. "Good morning, my children. Today is going to be a good day."

Sambo jumped out of bed and cheerfully said to his mother: "Yes, Momma. Today is going to be a good day!"

This story was told by a great man, my father, Fred L. Fabrizio.? He used this story to illustrate one of his core beliefs.? Every day is a good day, as long as you choose to make it a good day.

On October 21, 2005 my father woke up at 5am and went for his morning run.? He had breakfast with my stepmother Kathy.? They went outside and did what they loved to do work on the yard and the house.? You see they had to leave the house that day to drive to Columbus, Ohio for a continuing education class for his physical therapy licenses.? They never made it to the seminar.? They were both killed instantly in a car accident.

I remember that day as if it were yesterday.? My wife and I were in Las Vegas celebrating our wedding anniversary when we received the call.? I can still see the look on her face when she handed me the phone so my brother Mike could tell me the news.? My life will be forever changed.? Since that time I self published The Story of Sambo, one my father used to tell daily.

Everyday is a good day as long as you choose it to be. My father lived every day like it was his last. He woke up every morning and had a good day, no matter what.

Now go out and have yourself a good day!

Are You a Bucket-Filler or a Dipper?

You have heard of the cup that overflowed. This is a story of a bucket that is like the cup, only larger, it is an invisible bucket. Everyone has one. It determines how we feel about ourselves, about others, and how we get along with people. Have you ever experienced a series of very favorable things which made you want to be good to people for a week? At that time, your bucket was full.

A bucket can be filled by a lot of things that happen. When a person speaks to you, recognizing you as a human being, your bucket is filled a little. Even more if he calls you by name, especially if it is the name you like to be called. If he compliments you on your dress or on a job well done, the level in your bucket goes up still higher. There must be a million ways to raise the level in another's bucket. Writing a friendly letter, remembering something that is special to him, knowing the names of his children, expressing sympathy for his loss, giving him a hand when his work is heavy, taking time for conversation, or, perhaps more important, listing to him.

When one's bucket is full of this emotional support, one can express warmth and friendliness to people. But, remember, this is a theory about a bucket and a dipper. Other people have dippers and they can get their dippers in your bucket. This, too, can be done in a million ways.

Lets say I am at a dinner and inadvertently upset a glass of thick, sticky chocolate milk that spills over the table cloth, on a lady's skirt, down onto the carpet. I am embarrassed. "Bright Eyes" across the table says, "You upset that glass of chocolate milk." I made a mistake, I know I did, and then he told me about it! He got his dipper in my bucket! Think of the times a person makes a mistake, feels terrible about it, only to have someone tell him about the known mistake ("Red pencil" mentality!)

Buckets are filled and buckets are emptied ? emptied many times because people don't really think about what are doing. When a person's bucket is emptied, he is very different than when it is full. You say to a person whose bucket is empty, "That is a pretty tie you have," and he may reply in a very irritated, defensive manner.

Although there is a limit to such an analogy, there are people who seem to have holes in their buckets. When a person has a hole in his bucket, he irritates lots of people by trying to get his dipper in their buckets. This is when he really needs somebody to pour it in his bucket because he keeps losing.

The story of our lives is the interplay of the bucket and the dipper. Everyone has both. The unyielding secret of the bucket and the dipper is that when you fill another's bucket it does not take anything out of your own bucket. The level in our own bucket gets higher when we fill another's, and, on the other hand, when we dip into another's bucket we do not fill our own ... we lose a little.

For a variety of reasons, people hesitate filling the bucket of another and consequently do not experience the fun, joy, happiness, fulfillment, and satisfaction connected with making another person happy. Some reasons for this hesitancy are that people think it sounds "fakery," or the other person will be suspicious of the motive, or it is "brown-nosing."

Moral: Let us put aside our dipper and resolve to touch someone's life in order to fill their bucket.

Columbuses in your organisation

LEGEND has it that Columbus was at a dinner in which some jealous peers began scoffing at the admiral's success in finding the new world. The basis of their scorn: that anybody could sail across the ocean, and anybody could coast along the islands - it was the simplest thing in the world!

In reply, Columbus took an egg from a dish and said to the company, "Who among you, gentlemen, can make this egg stand on end?" One by one those at the table tried to do this. When the egg had gone entirely around and none had succeeded, all agreed that it was impossible. Then Columbus took the egg and struck its small end gently upon the table so as to break the shell a little. After that there was no trouble in making it stand upright.

"Oh, that's so easy, anyone can do it," cried the watching crowd.

"Yes," said Columbus, "it is the simplest thing in the world. Anybody can do it — after he has been shown how."

This is why a true innovation strategy needs to go beyond emphasising creativity and idea generation. Stretch goals can make innovation an explicit focus, resource allocation can signal strategic intent and an experimentative culture will encourage courage and persistence. Experiments are not punts or gambles. They are pilot efforts, which are evaluated with a spirit of scientific testing, funded according to results, with the learnings from hits - and indeed, flops - fed back iteratively into the innovation process.

The link between innovation and creativity is obvious. But to take an innovation through to disruption, you also need the courage to take on the associated risk. Are you supporting the Columbuses in your organisation?

The Seven Wonders of the World

Junior high school students in Chicago were studying the Seven Wonders of the World. At the end of the lesson, the students were asked to list what they considered to be the Seven Wonders of the World. Though there was some disagreement, the following received the most votes:

1. Egypt's Great Pyramids
2. The Taj Mahal in India

3. The Grand Canyon in Arizona
4. The Panama Canal

5. The Empire State Building

6. St. Peter's Basilica

7. China's Great Wall

While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student, a quiet girl, hadn't turned in her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The quiet girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many." The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help."

The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the Seven Wonders of the World are:

1. to touch...
2. to taste...
3. to see...
4. to hear... (She hesitated a little, and then added...)
5. to feel...
6. to laugh...
7. and to love.

The room was so quiet; you could have heard a pin drop.

May this story serve as a gentle reminder to all of us that the things we overlook as simple and ordinary are often the most wonderful - and we don't have to travel anywhere special to experience them.

Enjoy your gifts!