LEARNING & GROWING

LEARNING & GROWING



Life is a succession of lessons, which must be lived to be understood

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson



How often in life, we look back on all the mistakes we have made

and yet do not look at what we have learned from them. We all have endured unfair circumstances in our lives, but it's not about how courageous we were in the time of difficulty, but how we have overcome and matured spiritually, emotionally and mentally. When we bounce

back after a misfortune, we realise that failure is only success in disguise.



Let me share a lovely little story with you.



Peter and Simon joined a wholesale company together just after graduation. Both were very enthusiastic & worked very hard.



After several years, the boss promoted Simon to sales executive

but Peter remained a sales rep. Peter felt very upset but carried on nevertheless. Then after a few months, the boss announced another promotion for Simon. Peter still remained a sales rep.



Peter was very upset and felt he could not take it anymore injustice.

He tendered his resignation and complained that the boss did not

value hard working staff, but only promoted those who flattered him.



The boss knew that Peter worked very hard for the years, but in order

to help Peter realise the difference between him and Simon, the boss asked Peter to do the following.



The boss asked Peter to go and find out if anyone was selling any watermelons in the market? Peter returned and said yes. The boss

asked how much per kg? Peter went back to the market to ask and returned to inform boss it was $12 per kg.



The Boss then asked Simon to do the same.



Simon went, returned and said, ‘Sir, there is only one person selling watermelons. Every melon weighs about 15 kg and are sold at $12

per kg & $100 for 10 kg. The melons are fresh, red and of very

good quality. Although the seller has had a crop of 340 melons in

total although he has only brought 58 melons to sell today.




The boss just looked at Peter without saying anything.



Peter immediately realised the difference between himself and

Simon. He decided not to resign but instead stay on & learn from

Simon.



A successful person is more observant, thinks more and understands in depth. He thinks several stages ahead…whereas the others may only concentrate on the current and immediate situation.




Every new day brings us the opportunity to make a fresh start in our

lives. So let us try not to think about the setbacks we have had in life…..or the disappointments we may have experienced….or the

mistakes we may have made in the past.



Instead let us use these as learning guides. . . and learn how to do

things differently next time! And contiually pray to Swami to help

us to learn our lessons constructively and show us the way forward.