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Wisdom and Philosophy
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Wisdom Stories
Philosophy Stories
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Here you will find 5 short 'Wisdom
Stories' per week.. The theme that is followed in each story is... a
short introduction, a wisdom related story and a powerful quote.
Please enjoy...
SOLVING PROBLEMS:
Before I started to study philosophy, I read about 'logic, ' then I
read about reverse logic. This left me with a desire to flip things
upon their head. If I was presented with a problem and the answer
wasn't forthcoming, I would try and view the problem from a complete
opposite angle.
Is a cup half empty or half full?
Within my profession as an editor some of my journalists
would say that a concert hall was half empty. Of course I
would encourage them to describe the room as hall full.
The way you respond to life will have a direct result of your attitude
and your philosophy. There is a story coming up in the future about
one happy chappy, whenever he was asked, 'How are you, ' his answer
was, 'I feel that good... I should be twins.'
If ever you are bogged down with a problem try changing
your perspective. Or remember this next story as a reminder...
Rainy Day, Sunny Day
(A story from the scripture, as told by Venerable Master
Hsing Yun)
There was once an old lady who cried all the time. Her
elder daughter was married to an umbrella merchant while
the younger daughter was the wife of a noodle vendor. On
sunny days, she worried, "Oh no! The weather is so nice
and sunny. No one is going to buy any umbrellas. What
will happen if the shop has to be closed?"
These worries made her sad. She just could not help but cry. When it
rained, she would cry for the younger daughter. She thought, "Oh no!
My younger daughter is married to a noodle vendor. You cannot dry
noodles without the sun. Now there will be no noodles to sell. What
should we do?" As a result, the old lady lived in sorrow everyday.
Whether sunny or rainy, she grieved for one of her daughters. Her
neighbours could not console her and jokingly called her "the crying
lady."
One day, she met a monk. He was very curious as to why she was always
crying. She explained the problem to him. The monk smiled kindly and
said, "Madam! You need not worry. I will show you a way to happiness,
and you will need to grieve no more."
The crying lady was very excited. She immediately asked the monk to
show her what to do. The master replied, "It is very simple. You just
need to change your perspective. On sunny days, do not think of your
elder daughter not being able to sell umbrellas but the younger
daughter being able to dry her noodles. With such good strong
sunlight, she must be able to make plenty of noodles and her business
must be very good. When it rains, think about the umbrella store of
the elder daughter. With the rain, everyone must be buying umbrellas.
She will sell a lot
of umbrellas and her store will prosper."
The old lady saw the light. She followed the monks instruction. After
a while, she did not cry anymore; instead, she was smiling everyday.
From that day on she was known as "the smiling lady."
QUOTE: "Those who do not create the future they want must endure the
future they get.' (Draper L. Kaufman, Jr.).
SOLVING PROBLEMS:
If you have all the academic skills in the world you may
never be prepared for some situations that life throws at us.
I have witnessed students in my fair city, of whom could
well embarrass most with their academic skills, but they
seem to lack the quality of common sense. Common
sense comes from experience of life. Eventually it becomes
second nature to respond to difficulties with a confident
and understanding attitude.
We all know someone with this frailty. Too much knowledge, but not
enough common sense, they seem to lack this important understanding.
Why? It is because they don't realise that knowledge, although an
important key, if not used or applied properly is wasted.
Good instinct and intuition are as a result of a good
application of common sense. See in this next story, how
well a young child knows what to do from instinct.
BIG BROTHER'S WATCHING
by Alison
The little Downs' syndrome girl, a teenager the size of a ten year
old, made her way through the McDonald's restaurant to the back and
turned toward the restroom. After stopping and looking closely at the
word on the door to make absolutely certain she was entering the
appropriate one, she walked in.
This was a happy evening for her. She and her family had
just come from the roller rink with a group of friends from
her church, and although trying to stay in an upright
position while skating had been more work than fun for her,
she knew now that it was certainly well worth the effort: was there,
after all, any place in the world offering greater rewards than
McDonald's?
Her younger but bigger brother sat quietly, looking after her and
noticed what she, thankfully, had not. A group of four teenagers, two
couples, had taken an interest in the little girl from the moment they
spotted her. Their eyes on her like magnets as she walked to the
bathroom, they
sniggered and whispered behind their hands, one even
openly laughing, another pointing.
Her brother watched them for a minute or so, then stood
slowly, almost wearily, and walked casually across the
restaurant to the booth where the merry couples were sitting.
The two guys paled slightly, and the girls looked a little
alarmed as this total stranger, a year or two their junior,
placed his hands boldly on their table, leaning down slightly
toward them. He, clearly in their space, and they, most
definitely out of their comfort zones, studied each other.
The stoic intruder stood up straight after several seconds and
motioned with one hand for one of the couples to scoot over. Clearly,
he intended to sit right down next to them. Somewhat in shock, and
thrown completely off-guard, they made space for him and he lowered
himself and sat, hunched slightly forward, his forearms resting on the
table.
When the silent tension reached ear-splitting proportions,
the stranger spoke to this now-serious party of four.
Quietly, he informed them, "I was watching you making
fun of my sister." All four faces before him were now pale,
and the boys stumbled over their words in their rush to
defend themselves.
"Who? Your sister? Where?" "We weren't making fun of
anyone!" "Oh, that was your sister? We weren't making
fun of her!" "We would never make fun of someone like that!"
But he told them again, "I watched you."
They babbled whatever came to their minds, knowing they
had been caught red-handed and maybe, just maybe, even
realizing that they had been not only rude, but cruel to boot. Maybe
they even got a little glimpse of the love this fifth wheel had for
his sister, and an inkling of the emotions he was dealing with.
The brother appeared not to be listening to their denials as
he turned and watched his sister head back to where she
had been sitting with the church group. Each of the four
looked away, making sure they looked absolutely
anywhere besides at that little girl.
Somehow, on her return trip from the restroom, not one
of them found her the least bit amusing. Her brother
watched her sit down with the others, then he slid out
of the booth and stood. As he turned to walk away, one
of the boys tried for one last line of defence: "Hey, we
would not make fun of her. We feel sorry for people like that!"
The little girl's defender stopped and turned back to their
table, and placing the palms of his hands again on its
surface, and leaning in close to his new acquaintances,
he said hoarsely, "And I feel sorry for people like YOU."
Then he turned and walked away. And, somehow, he
suddenly blended right in with the Happy Meal atmosphere
as he took his place next to his little sister. Just as if he
were your average, basic McDonald's customer. And not
a hero at all.
Alison's story has appeared in Stories for the Teen's Heart,
under the title "Brotherly Love." She also has a story in
"Chicken Soup for the Grandparent's Soul." This one is
called "Home Run."
QUOTE: 'Having ability and intelligence is not the key. It's
recognising that ability, confessing it, appreciating it,
developing it, and then using it.' (Zig Zagler).
SOLVING PROBLEMS:
If you are a generous person, people will be generous back. If you are
a mean person, or a scrooge, then it will be you who grumbles about
every other individual not being too helpful.
So it appears to make sense that whenever possible 'sew your seeds of
goodness' then they will eventually arrive back in your lap.
Give out happiness, you'll get happiness flooding back.
I'll give you two quick examples of negative thoughts and positive
thoughts related to what mood and feeling you outwardly express.
Walk through a supermarket all grumpy and sad, and I would gamble you
meet nobody you know and you'll not remember picking anything up.
Walk through with a smile on your face and you'll meet all your
neighbours, your long lost cousin, your aunt Connie and your old
school pal. Be happy and your life will improve.
Here is the story...
GOOD THINGS
About a year ago, a couple with three children moved into the
apartment next door to me. I never hear any noise from the children,
but the parents were always yelling at the kids, not in a constructive
tone, but more on the threatening side. When I am in my bathroom it is
quite loud.
We met often in the hallway when we were coming or going. I always
spoke, but the only answer I ever got was a hello from the four-year
old girl. I usually go out for breakfast and one day when I returned
they were just coming from their apartment and the little girl was
holding the door open for the others. I remained in the car doing
unnecessary things because I wasn't too eager to be snubbed. The
parents were telling her to hurry and get in the car (they were parked
next to me). I looked up and saw the little girl was still holding the
door open, waiting for me.
I am handicapped to the point that I can't hurry at anything, but I
hurried as much as I could and thanked her. She was smiling from ear
to ear.
That afternoon I was at the K-Mart and I saw a white teddy bear. I
thought of the little girl and said to myself, "I bet she would like
that" so I bought it.
I forgot to tell you how much I was touched by her act of kindness. I
wrote a note saying how much her act of kindness had touched a soft
spot in an old man's heart and I didn't even know her name.
The next day there was a knock on the door and it was the little girl
and her father. She was so proud of her bear and thanked me like I had
never been thanked before. Then I noticed her mother and the other
children were there in the hall too. The mother and father both
thanked me.
Now when we meet in the hall we all speak, and in a friendly manner I
might add. As time passes, I don't hear that yelling as often, in
fact, hardly at all.
Last night we had about 4 inches of snow. I looked out at my car and
wondered how I was going to keep my doctor's appointment because I can
only exert myself just so long and then rest for a while. I didn't
have that much time. The temperature was zero, so I bundled up and
went out to remove the snow. When I opened the outside door, there was
my car with all the snow removed. I can't express how I felt at that
moment. The man next door was the only person I knew in the whole
building, so when I saw him the next day, I asked him if he was the
good
guy that removed my snow. He said NO. He wanted to but his wife said
she wanted to do it.
Isn't it amazing how the small kind act of a 4-year-old girl can
change so many things for the better?
My guardian angel says that more good things come from small acts.
(Russ Grover - 84 years old).
QUOTE: 'Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is
something you design for the present.'
(Jim Rohn, American Business Philosopher).
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Resources:
All Authors, where know are credited to both quotes and 'add-in' stories
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Wisdom and Philosophy
Wisdom Tips and Ideas
Wisdom Quotes
Wisdom Stories
Philosophy Stories
Wisdom Examples
Wisdom Quotations
Short Wisdom Illustrations
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