Brownness

Food For Thought For Thursday, July 26th, 2012

The 4 Wives
Author: Unknown

There was a rich merchant who had 4 wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to delicacies. He took great care of her and gave her nothing but the best.

He also loved the 3rd wife very much. He's very proud of her and always wanted to show off her to his friends. However, the merchant is always in great fear that she might run away with some other men.

He too, loved his 2nd wife. She is a very considerate person, always patient and in fact is the merchant's confidante. Whenever the merchant faced some problems, he always turned to his 2nd wife and she would always help him out and tide him through difficult times.

Now, the merchant's 1st wife is a very loyal partner and has made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as well as taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not love the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her.

One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, he knew that he was going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and told himself, "Now I have 4 wives with me. But when I die, I'll be alone. How lonely I'll be!"

Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I loved you most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No way!" replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word.

The answer cut like a sharp knife right into the merchant's heart. The sad merchant then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you so much for all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No!" replied the 3rd wife. "Life is so good over here! I'm going to remarry when you die!" The merchant's heart sank and turned cold.

He then asked the 2nd wife, "I always turned to you for help and you've always helped me out. Now I need your help again. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?" "I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!" replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can only send you to your grave." The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the merchant was devastated.

Then a voice called out : "I'll leave with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go." The merchant looked up and there was his first wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from malnutrition. Greatly grieved, the merchant said, "I should have taken much better care of you while I could have !"

Actually, we all have 4 wives in our lives

a. The 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it'll leave us when we die.

b. Our 3rd wife ? Our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they all go to others.

c. The 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how close they had been there for us when we're alive, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.

d. The 1st wife is in fact our soul, often neglected in our pursuit of material, wealth and sensual pleasure.

Guess what? It is actually the only thing that follows us wherever we go. Perhaps it's a good idea to cultivate and strengthen it now rather than to wait until we're on our deathbed to lament

Brownness

Food For Thought For Thursday, July 26th, 2012

The 4 Wives
Author: Unknown

There was a rich merchant who had 4 wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to delicacies. He took great care of her and gave her nothing but the best.

He also loved the 3rd wife very much. He's very proud of her and always wanted to show off her to his friends. However, the merchant is always in great fear that she might run away with some other men.

He too, loved his 2nd wife. She is a very considerate person, always patient and in fact is the merchant's confidante. Whenever the merchant faced some problems, he always turned to his 2nd wife and she would always help him out and tide him through difficult times.

Now, the merchant's 1st wife is a very loyal partner and has made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as well as taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not love the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her.

One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, he knew that he was going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and told himself, "Now I have 4 wives with me. But when I die, I'll be alone. How lonely I'll be!"

Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I loved you most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No way!" replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word.

The answer cut like a sharp knife right into the merchant's heart. The sad merchant then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you so much for all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No!" replied the 3rd wife. "Life is so good over here! I'm going to remarry when you die!" The merchant's heart sank and turned cold.

He then asked the 2nd wife, "I always turned to you for help and you've always helped me out. Now I need your help again. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?" "I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!" replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can only send you to your grave." The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the merchant was devastated.

Then a voice called out : "I'll leave with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go." The merchant looked up and there was his first wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from malnutrition. Greatly grieved, the merchant said, "I should have taken much better care of you while I could have !"

Actually, we all have 4 wives in our lives

a. The 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it'll leave us when we die.

b. Our 3rd wife ? Our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they all go to others.

c. The 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how close they had been there for us when we're alive, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.

d. The 1st wife is in fact our soul, often neglected in our pursuit of material, wealth and sensual pleasure.

Guess what? It is actually the only thing that follows us wherever we go. Perhaps it's a good idea to cultivate and strengthen it now rather than to wait until we're on our deathbed to lament

Brownness

Food For Thought For Wednesday, July 25th, 2012

You Can Start To Win At Any Time
Author: Unknown
Source: Unknown
Translator: Unknown

To solve any problem or to reach your goal, you don't need to know all the answers in advance. But you must have a clear idea of the problem or the goal you want to reach.

All you have to do is know where you're going. The answers will come to you of their own accord. Don't procrastinate when faced with a big difficult problem, break the problem into parts, and handle one part at a time.

If you can get up the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed. It's the job you never start that takes the longest to finish. Don't worry about what lies dimly at a distance, but do what lies clearly ahead.

Your biggest opportunity is where you are right now. Once you begin you're half done. when you realise you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody You want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible

Brownness

Food For Thought For Wednesday, July 25th, 2012

You Can Start To Win At Any Time
Author: Unknown
Source: Unknown
Translator: Unknown

To solve any problem or to reach your goal, you don't need to know all the answers in advance. But you must have a clear idea of the problem or the goal you want to reach.

All you have to do is know where you're going. The answers will come to you of their own accord. Don't procrastinate when faced with a big difficult problem, break the problem into parts, and handle one part at a time.

If you can get up the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed. It's the job you never start that takes the longest to finish. Don't worry about what lies dimly at a distance, but do what lies clearly ahead.

Your biggest opportunity is where you are right now. Once you begin you're half done. when you realise you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody You want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible

Brownness

Food For Thought For Tuesday, July 24th, 2012

Success Is a Self-Conscious Thing
Author: Cara Grippa

It's about being aware of greatness and doing whatever it takes to get there. It's about being drenched in sweat, after 80 minutes, knowing you've given nothing less than your best.

It's about looking your opponent in the eyes, knowing you've out-hustled, out-worked, and out-played them time and time again. And most of all, it's about getting up and winning after you've fallen and no one else thinks you can.

Hard work is a self-willing thing. No one brings the best out of you better than yourself. Only you can ask yourself how much you want it. Only you can ask yourself how much it means to you. And only you can ask yourself if you'll do whatever it takes.

Hard work is about being willing to sacrifice. Sacrifice selfishness, sacrifice laziness, and sacrifice the will to lose. Hard work is never mistaken, but only noticed. Hard work is about realizing what's best for everyone, especially yourself each and every day of your life.

Winning is a team thing. At no time does one player mean less than another. Every single player matters. Every action you do affects others somewhere along the line.

Winning is about seeing a team and realizing that for that season, they are your life. It's about being there for them, it's about seeing them as family and being willing to do whatever it takes. Winning is about spotting the goal and achieving it, not for yourself, but for them.

Winning is the number one outcome of success and hard work.

Do whatever it takes.

Brownness

Food For Thought For Tuesday, July 24th, 2012

Success Is a Self-Conscious Thing
Author: Cara Grippa

It's about being aware of greatness and doing whatever it takes to get there. It's about being drenched in sweat, after 80 minutes, knowing you've given nothing less than your best.

It's about looking your opponent in the eyes, knowing you've out-hustled, out-worked, and out-played them time and time again. And most of all, it's about getting up and winning after you've fallen and no one else thinks you can.

Hard work is a self-willing thing. No one brings the best out of you better than yourself. Only you can ask yourself how much you want it. Only you can ask yourself how much it means to you. And only you can ask yourself if you'll do whatever it takes.

Hard work is about being willing to sacrifice. Sacrifice selfishness, sacrifice laziness, and sacrifice the will to lose. Hard work is never mistaken, but only noticed. Hard work is about realizing what's best for everyone, especially yourself each and every day of your life.

Winning is a team thing. At no time does one player mean less than another. Every single player matters. Every action you do affects others somewhere along the line.

Winning is about seeing a team and realizing that for that season, they are your life. It's about being there for them, it's about seeing them as family and being willing to do whatever it takes. Winning is about spotting the goal and achieving it, not for yourself, but for them.

Winning is the number one outcome of success and hard work.

Do whatever it takes.