What is life?

I read online whenever I get time. During surfing sometimes I find interesting pieces of writing, quotes, stories or even fables which has moral values as well. Today I am sharing a story which has a lesson for us.

• Life is hard to define.
• All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on. (Havelock Ellis)
• Here is the test to find whether your mission on Earth is finished: if you're alive, it isn't. (Richard Bach)

Now read the story:                                    

"Once a man saw in his dream, that a lion was chasing him. The man ran to a tree, climbed on to it and sat on a branch. He looked down and saw that the lion was still there waiting for him.

The man then looked to his side where the branch he was sitting on was attached to the tree and saw that two rats were circling around and eating the branch. One rat was black and the other one was white. The branch will fall on the ground very soon.

The man then looked below again with fear and discovered that a big black snake had come and settled directly under him. The snake opened its mouth right under the man so that he will fall into it. The man then looked up to see if there was anything that he could hold on to.

He saw another branch with a honeycomb. Drops of honey were falling from it. The man wanted to taste one of the drops. So, he put his tongue out and tasted one of the falling drops of honey. The honey was amazing in taste. So, he wanted to taste another drop and then another and as a result, he got lost into the sweetness of the honey. He forgot about the two rats eating his branch away, the lion on the ground and the snake that is sitting right under him. Suddenly when the branch broke he remembered all the dangers woke up from his sleep.
The man couldn't understand the dream,so he went to a scholar to know its meaning.
The scholar said
"The lion you saw is your death. It always chases you and goes where ever you go.
The two rats,one black and one white, are the night and the day. Black one is the night and the white one is the day. They circle around, coming one after another, to eat your time as they take you closer to death. The big black snake with a dark mouth is your grave. It's there, just waiting for you to fall into it.

The honeycomb is this world and the sweet drops of honey are the luxuries of this world. We like to taste a little of the luxuries of this world and it's very sweet. Then we want to taste little more and then more. Meanwhile, we get lost into it and we forget about our time, we forget about our death and we forget about our grave."
So what you learn from this story?


Few more quotes about 'life'

• In the end, it's not going to matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments took your breath away - shing xiong 
• “Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.” ― Dr. Seuss 
• “Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.” ― John Lennon

And last but not the least I finish this post with words of 'Mother Teresa'
“Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.”
― Mother Teresa

Useful links:

What Life Is All About

Prophet Stories - Prophet Younus (PBUH) and the Whale

The story of prophet Younus (pbuh) and the whale is a favorite story among children. This story of Prophet Jonah(Younus) is a parable of mercy. In our Islam curriculum for nursery class there are few prophet stories which I tell to kids. Selecting easy language is helpful in narration of stories.
In the Noble Qur'an, in chapter 28 by the name of Al-Qasas (Narratives / Stories), which itself is proof that man is in need of narratives and stories. So it is clear that kids need to listen the stories. Best option for story telling may be choice of prophet stories as there is a lot of learn from it.

In many places in the same Noble Qur'an, stories of Prophets, kings and nations have been mentioned. Prophet Younus, a great Prophet sent to the people of Nineveh (which was a city where the modern-day Iraqi city of Mosul is). Prophet Prophet Yunus/Jonah (pbuh) is also addressed by two other surnames * "Sahibil-Hot" (Companion of the Fish).


Story of Prophet Younus (PBUH) for kids:
Prophet Yunus (alayhis salam) was sent by Allah to a big town where the people had forgotten Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala)'s orders and did many things which Allah had forbidden.


"You should believe only in Allah and obey only Him", Yunus (alayhis salam) told them. "You should worship Him alone and do good, otherwise a severe punishment will come upon you!"
But Yunus (alayhis salam) soon discovered that the people did not want to listen to him. He lost patience with them and left the town in anger. Afterwards, Yunus (alayhis salam) decided to go across the sea, and boarded a ship for the voyage. But when the ship was in the middle of the ocean, Yunus (alayhis salam) suffered a great misfortune. 
He was thrown overboard and swallowed up by an enormous fish!.

Fortunately, though, the fish had swallowed Yunus (alayhis salam) in one big gulp, so he landed in its stomach unhurt. It was very dark inside the fish's stomach, and Yunus (alayhis salam) grew very fearful. In his loneliness, he started to think over what had happened in the town, and came to realize that he should not have acted so hastily and in such a quick-tempered manner. Poor Yunus (alayhis salam)was in a terrible state! He lay on the shore, weak, ill and helpless. He felt dreadfully miserable, but Allah caused a tree to grow and this tree provided Yunus (alayhis salam) with shade and nourishing fruits, alhamdulilah. Before long, Yunus (alayhis salam) had recovered his health and strength.

When he was better, Allah sent Yunus (alayhis salam) back to the town. This time, though, the people there listened to Yunus (alayhis salam) when he told them: "You should believe in Allah and worship Him alone.
You must do good."

Related: http://www.oocities.org/mutmainaa/kids/story/yunus.html

Watch YouTube story of Prophet Younus (pbuh) according to Quran Narration:

One of the distinguished feats of the Noble Qur'an is this very story of Prophet Yusuf (as), which it refers to as the 'best of the narratives', and at the end of which, it says: In these stories there is a lesson for those, who desire to take a moral and adopt the path of the Perfect Men. 

* You can find prophet stories in simple language to tell to kids at many sites like:

* 'Help for convert.net'

* 'The islamic bulletin'
* Story of Prophet Yunus/Jonah (pbuh)

Story of Prophet Jonah in Bible

A pencil story teaching us important life lessons

During our school days we were usually asked to write essays or short stories on topics or objects like, 'my school, an apple, a house, a pencil' etc. While writing short essays or stories we normally think about the object in a descriptive way 'how it was created, built and used'. 

This post is about 'Pencil Story' having an inspirational and motivational value in it, teaching us important life lessons.                

Pencil story 

The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box. 

"There are 5 things you need to know," he told the pencil, "Before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be."

"One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone's hand."

"Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you'll need it to become a better pencil."

 "Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make."

"Four: The most important part of you will always be what's inside."

"And Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write."

The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.
 

Now replacing the place of the pencil with you. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be. 

One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God's hand. And allow other human beings to access you for the many gifts you possess.

Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems in life, but you'll need it to become a stronger person. 

Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make. 

Four: The most important part of you will always be what's on the inside.

And Five: On every surface you walk through, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to do your duties.

Allow this parable on the pencil to encourage you to know that you are a special person and only you can fulfill the purpose to which you were born to accomplish.

Never allow yourself to get discouraged and think that your life is insignificant and cannot make a change.
For more inpiring stories: 'Indian child'