Dengan begitu tekun Professor itu membuat kajian. Diambilnya sedikit air laut dengan tabung uji kemudian digoyang-goyang.
Selepas itu dia menulis sesuatu di dalam buku. Berjam-jam lamanya Professor itu membuat kajian dengan tekun sekali. Pendayung sampan itu mendongak ke langit.Berdasarkan pengalamannya dia berkata di dalam hati, "Hmm. Hari nak hujan."
"OK, semua sudah siap, mari kita balik ke darat" kata Professor itu. Pendayung sampan itu akur dan mula memusingkan sampannya ke arah
pantai. Hanya dalam perjalanan pulang itu barulah Professor itu menegur pendayung sampan.
"Kamu dah lama kerja mendayung sampan?" Tanya Professor itu.
"Hampir seumur hidup saya." Jawab pendayung sampan itu dgn ringkas.
"Seumur hidup kamu?" Tanya Professor itu lagi.
"Ya".
"Jadi kamu tak tahu perkara-perkara lain selain dari mendayung sampan?" Tanya Professor itu.
Pendayung sampan itu hanya menggelengkan kepalanya. Masih tidak berpuas hati, Professor itu bertanya lagi, "Kamu tahu geografi?" Pendayung sampan itu menggelengkan kepala.
"Kalau macam ni, kamu dah kehilangan 25 peratus dari usia kamu." Kata Professor itu lagi, "Kamu tahu biologi?" Pendayung sampan itu menggelengkan kepala. "Kasihan. Kamu dah kehilangan 50 peratus usia kamu. Kamu tahu fizik?" Professor itu masih lagi bertanya.
Seperti tadi, pendayung sampan itu hanya menggelengkan kepala. "Kalau begini, kasihan, kamu sudah kehilangan 75 peratus dari usia kamu. Malang sungguh nasib kamu, semuanya tak tahu.Seluruh usia kamu dihabiskan sebagai pendayung sampan." Kata Professor itu dengan nada mengejek dan angkuh. Pendayung sampan itu hanya berdiam diri.
Selang beberapa minit kemudian, tiba-tiba hujan turun. Tiba-tiba saja datang ombak besar. Sampan itu dilambung ombak besar dan terbalik. Professor dan pendayung sampan terpelanting. Sempat pula pendayung sampan itu bertanya, "Kamu tahu berenang?" Professor itu menggelengkan kepala. "Kalau macam ini, kamu dah kehilangan 100 peratus nyawa kamu." Kat pendayung sampan itu sambil berenang menuju ke pantai.
Moral of the Story:
Dalam hidup ini IQ yang tinggi belum tentu boleh menjamin kehidupan. Tak guna kita pandai dan tahu banyak perkara jika tak tahu perkara-perkara penting dalam hidup. Adakalanya orang yang kita sangka bodoh itu rupanya lebih berjaya dari kita. Dia mungkin bodoh dalam bidang yang tidak kena mengena dengan kerjayanya, tetapi "MASTER" dalam bidang yang diceburi.
Hidup ini singkat. Jadi, tanyalah pada diri sendiri untuk apakah ilmu yg dikumpulkan jika bukan utk digunakan dan boleh digunakan?
Dia mengangkat segelas air dan bertanya kepada pelajarnya, "Berapa beratkah segelas air ini pada fikiran anda semua?" Mahasiswa mengatakan beratnya anggaran dari 20 gram hingga 500 gram.
"Ini bukanlah masalah berat secara total, tetapi tergantung kepada berapa lama anda memegangnya. Jika saya memegangnya selama 1 minit, tidak ada masalah. Jika saya memegangnya selama 1 jam, lengan kanan saya akan sakit. Dan jika saya memegangnya selama 1 hari penuh, mungkin anda harus memanggil ambulan untuk saya. Beratnya sebenarnya sama, tapi semakin lama saya memegangnya, maka bebannya akan bertambah".
"Jika kita membawa beban kita terus menerus, lambat laun kita tidak akan mampu membawanya lagi. Beban itu akan meningkat beratnya". "Apa yang harus kita lakukan adalah meletakkan gelas tersebut, berehat sejenak sebelum mengangkatnya lagi".
Kita harus meninggalkan beban kita secara periodik, agar kita dapat lebih segar dan mampu membawanya lagi. Jadi sebelum pulang ke rumah dari pejabat dan sebagainya, tinggalkan beban pekerjaan. Jangan bawanya pulang. Beban itu dapat diambil lagi besok. Apapun beban yang ada di bahu anda hari ini, cuba tinggalkan sejenak jika boleh. Setelah berehat ambilnya kembali.
Hidup ini singkat, jadi cubalah menikmatinya!!
Semut, menghimpun makanan sedikit demi sedikit tanpa berhenti.
Kononnya, haiwan kecil ini dapat menghimpun makanan untuk bertahun-tahun.Padahal usianya tidak lebih dari setahun. Ketamakannya sedemikian besar sehingga ia berusaha dan seringkali berhasil memikul sesuatu yang lebih besar dari tubuhnya.
Labah- labah pula, sarangnya adalah tempat yang paling rapuh [ Al 'Ankabuut; 29:41], ia bukan tempat yang aman, apapun yang berlindung di sana akan binasa. Bahkan yang jantannya disergap untuk dihabiskan oleh betinanya. Telur-telurnya yang menetas saling berdesakan hingga saling memusnahkan. Inilah gambaran yang mengerikan dari kehidupan labah-labah.
Lebah, memiliki naluri yang dalam bahasa Al-Qur'an - "atas perintah Tuhan ia memilih gunung dan pohon-pohon sebagai tempat tinggal" [ An Nahl;16:68]. Sarangnya dibuat berbentuk segi enam, bukannya lima atau empat agar efisen dalam penggunaan ruang. Makanannya adalah serbuk sari bunga. Lebah menghasilkan lilin dan madu yg sangat manfaat bagi kita. Lebah sangat disiplin, mengenal pembahagian kerja dan segala yang tidak berguna disingkirkan dari sarangnya. Lebah tidak mengganggu kecuali jika diganggu. Bahkan sengatannya pun dapat menjadi ubat.
Sikap kita dapat diibaratkan seperti jenis binatang ini. Ada yang berbudaya 'semut'. Sering menghimpun dan mengumpul harta, mengumpul ilmu yang tidak dimanfaatkan. Entah berapa banyak juga jenis 'labah-labah' yang ada di sekeliling kita. Yang hanya berfikir, "Siapa yang dapat dijadikan mangsa".
Seorang mukmin diibaratkan sebagai 'lebah'. Sesuatu yang tidak merosakkan dan tidak menyakitkan. Tidak makan kecuali yang baik, tidak menghasilkan kecuali yang bermanfaat dan jika menimpa sesuatu, tidak merosakkan dan tidak pula memecahkannya.
Semoga kita menjadi ibarat lebah. Insya Allah!
Salah satu dari tempayan itu retak, sedangkan tempayan yang satu lagi tidak. Jika tempayan yang tidak retak itu selalu dapat membawa air penuh setelah perjalanan panjang dari mata air ke rumah majikannya, tempayan retak itu hanya dapat membawa air setengah penuh.
Selama dua tahun, hal ini terjadi setiap hari. Si tukang air hanya dapat membawa satu setengah tempayan air ke rumah majikannya.Tentu saja si tempayan yang tidak retak merasa bangga akan prestasinya, kerana dapat menunaikan tugasnya dengan sempurna. Namun si tempayan retak yang malang itu merasa malu sekali akan ketidak sempurnaannya dan merasa sedih sebab ia hanya dapat memberikan setengah dari paras yang seharusnya dapat diberikannya.
Setelah dua tahun tertekan oleh kegagalan pahit ini, tempayan retak itu berkata kepada si tukang air, "Saya sungguh malu pada diri saya sendiri, dan saya ingin mohon maaf kepadamu."
"Kenapa?" tanya si tukang air.
"Kenapa kamu merasa malu?"
"Saya hanya mampu, selama dua tahun ini, membawa setengah paras air dari yang seharusnya dapat saya bawa kerana adanya retakan pada sisi saya telah membuat air yang saya bawa bocor sepanjang jalan menuju rumah majikan kita. Kerana cacatku itu, saya telah membuatmu rugi," kata tempayan itu.
Si tukang air merasa kasihan pada si tempayan retak, dan dalam belas kasihannya, dia berkata, "Jika kita kembali ke rumah majikan besok, aku ingin kamu memperhatikan bunga-bunga indah di sepanjang jalan." Benar, ketika mereka naik ke bukit, si tempayan retak memperhatikan dan baru menyedari bahawa ada bunga-bunga indah di sepanjang sisi jalan, dan itu membuatnya sedikit terhibur.Namun pada akhir perjalanan, ia kembali sedih kerana separuh air yang dibawanya telah bocor, dan kembali tempayan retak itu meminta maaf pada si tukang air atas kegagalannya.
Si tukang air berkata kepada tempayan itu, "Apakah kamu memperhatikan adanya bunga-bunga di sepanjang jalan di sisimu tapi tidak ada bunga di sepanjang jalan di sisi tempayan yang lain yang tidak retak itu? Itu kerana aku selalu menyedari akan cacatmu dan aku memanfaatkannya."
"Aku telah menanam benih-benih bunga di sepanjang jalan di sisimu, dan setiap hari jika kita berjalan pulang dari mata air, kamu mengairi benih-benih itu.Selama dua tahun ini aku telah dapat memetik bunga-bunga indah itu untuk menghias meja majikan kita.Tanpa kamu sebagaimana kamu ada, majikan kita tak akan dapat menghias rumahnya seindah sekarang."
Setiap dari kita memiliki cacat dan kekurangan kita sendiri.Kita semua adalah tempayan retak.Allah Maha Bijaksana, tak ada yang terbuang percuma. Jangan takut akan kekuranganmu. Kenalilah kelemahanmu dan Ketahuilah, di dalam kelemahan kita, kita menemukan kekuatan kita."
"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.
Hands started going up.
He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this." He proceeded to crumple the dollar bill up.
He then asked, "Who still wants it?"
Still the hands were up in the air.
"Well," he replied, "What if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe.
He picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty. "Now who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air.
"My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.
Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way.
We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. You are special - Don't ever forget it!
If there is a future there is time for mending-
Time to see your troubles coming to an ending.
Life is never hopeless however great your sorrow-
If you're looking forward to a new tomorrow.
If there is time for wishing then there is time for hoping-
When through doubt and darkness you are blindly groping.
Though the heart be heavy and hurt you may be feeling-
If there is time for praying there is time for healing.
So if through your window there is a new day breaking-
Thank God for the promise, though mind and soul be aching,
If with harvest over there is grain enough for gleaning-
There is a new tomorrow and life still has meaning.
Take this quiz:
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America contest.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.
How did you do?
The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are
no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields.
But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten.
Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.
Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel, appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
6. Name half a dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you. Easier?
The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care. Pass this on to those people who have made a difference in your life.
Akhirnya pemuda itu bertemu dengan ayahnya, seorang tukang masak. Dia menceritakan masalah yang dihadapinya dan didengar dengan sabar oleh bapanya. Setelah habis dia mencurahkan perasaannya, bapanya membawa pemuda itu ke dapur.
Di situ, si ayah mengisi tiga periuk dengan air dan meletakkan periuk itu di atas api. Apabila air mendidih, dia memasukkan lobak merah di dalam periuk pertama, telur di periuk kedua dan serbuk kopi di periuk ketiga.
Bahan itu dibiarkannya mendidih.
Si anak tertanya-tanya dan menunggu dengan tidak sabar sambil memikirkan apa yang dilakukan ayahnya. Setelah 20 minit, si ayah mematikan api. Ia menyisihkan lobak dan meletaknya dalam mangkuk, mengangkat telur dan meletakkannya di mangkuk lain, dan menuangkan kopi dalam mangkuk yang lain juga. Lalu ia bertanya anaknya“Apa yang kau lihat, nak?”
“Lobak, telur dan kopi,” jawab si anak.
Si ayah mengajaknya mendekati mangkuk dan memintanya merasai lobak itu. Pemuda itu menurut dan dirasakan lobak itu enak.
Ayahnya meminta pemuda itu mengambil telur dan memecahkannya. Setelah membuang kulitnya, ia mendapati sebiji telur rebus yang mengeras. Terakhirnya, ayahnya meminta dia merasai kopi. Pemuda itu tersenyum ketika merasai kopi dengan baunya yang harum.
“Apa erti semua ini, ayah?” tanya pemuda itu.
Ayahnya berkata, tiga bahan yang direbus tadi menghadapi kesulitan sama – direbus dalam air yang mendidih tetapi setiap satu menunjukkan reaksi berbeza. Sebelum direbus, lobak bersifat keras dan sukar dipatahkan. Namun selepas direbus, lobak menjadi lembut dan lunak.
Telur pula sebelumnya mudah pecah tetapi apabila direbus, isinya menjadi keras. Serbuk kopi mengalami perubahan yang unik. Setelah ada dalam rebusan, serbuk kopi mengubah air berkenaan.
“Kamu termasuk dalam kategori mana?” tanya si ayah.
Pemuda itu terdiam.
“Air mendidih itu umpama kesukaran dan dugaan yang kamu lalui. Ketika kesukaran dan kesulitan mendatangimu, bagaimana kau meghadapinya? Apakah kamu lobak, telur atau kopi?”
Pemuda itu termenung memikirkan perumpamaan yang diberikan bapanya.
“Jika kamu lobak yang kelihatannya keras, kamu akan mudah menyerah kepada penderitaan dan kesulitan. Kamu bakal hilang kekuatan. Atau kamu adalah telur yang awalnya memiliki hati lembut, dengan jiwa yang dinamik, tetapi dengan adanya cabaran dan kegagalan, menjadi keras dan kaku, walaupun kelihatan sama pada luarannya.
“Ataukah kamu adalah serbuk kopi? Ia mengubah air panas yang menyakitkan itu. Ketika air mencapai suhu terpanas, kopi terasa semakin nikmat. Sepatutnya kamu menjadi serbuk kopi ketika keadaan menjadi semakin buruk, kamu menjadi semakin
baik dan membuat keadaan di sekitarmu juga menjadi semakin baik,” jelas si ayah dengan penuh pengajaran kepada anaknya itu.
So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.
The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.
The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.
Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.
What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.
Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us.
We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly!
I asked for Strength.........
And God gave me Difficulties to make me strong.
I asked for Wisdom.........
And God gave me Problems to solve.
I asked for Prosperity.........
And God gave me Brain and Brawn to work.
I asked for Courage.........
And God gave me Danger to overcome.
I asked for Love.........
And God gave me Troubled people to help.
I asked for Favors.........
And God gave me Opportunities.
I received nothing I wanted ........
I received everything I needed!
I set out on my daily run, my walkman on my side.
Lost within my private world apart from cares and woes
I ran along the moistened shore, the sand between my toes.
In the distance, I saw a boy, as busy as can be.
He was running, stooping, picking up and tossing in the sea.
Just what he threw, I couldn’t tell, I looked as I drew near.
It seemed to be a rock or shell, as I approached him I could hear.
‘Back you go, where you belong. Your safes now hurry home.
Your family’s waiting for you little starfish, hurry on!’
It seemed the evening tide had washed the starfish on the shore,
And the swift receding water left a thousand there or more.
And this self-appointed savior, was trying one-by-one
To toss them back into the sea, against the racing sun.
I saw his plight was hopeless, that most of them would die.
I called out from my private world, “hey kid, why even try?”
“Must be at least a thousand here, strewn along the beach,
And even if you had the time, most you’ll never reach.
You really think it makes a difference, to waste your time this way?”
And then I paused and waited, just to hear what he would say.
He stooped and took another, and looked me in the eye.
“It makes a difference to this one sir, this starfish will not die!”
With that, he tossed the little life, back where there was hope.
He stooped to take another. I could tell this was no joke.
The words that he spoke tome cut like a surgeon’s knife.
Where I saw only numbers, he saw only life.
He didn’t see the multitude of starfish on the sand,
He only saw the little life he held there in his hand.
He didn’t stop to argue, to prove that he was right,
He just kept tossing starfish in the sea with all his might.
So I too stooped, and I picked up, and I tossed into the sea,
And I thought, just what a difference that this boy has made in me..
It doesn’t matter what other people think what we are doing is useless, impossible or insignificant. We can’t change the whole world, but we will do what we can. If it is only a few stranded starfish that we can throw back into the sea of life, then we have already made a difference. Let’s go on making a difference
One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend.
He asked her, "Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?" The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind. The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn't expected that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him.
Her boyfriend left in tears and days later had a note sent to her saying, "Take good care of your eyes, my dear, for before they were yours, they were mine."
This is often how our human nature works when our status changes. Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who was always by their side in the most painful situations.
Life is a gift.
Today, before you say an unkind word, think of someone who can't speak.
Before you complain about the taste of your food, think of someone who has nothing to eat.
Before you complain about your husband or wife, think of someone who's crying out to God for a companion.
Today, before you complain about life, think of those who may have died before their time.
Before whining about the distance you drive, think of those who walk the same distance on foot.
When you are tired and complain about your job, think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your job.
And, when depressing thoughts seem to get you down, put a smile on your face and think: you're alive and still around for a reason.
You may not see it at first, but the white spaces read t he word optical, the blue landscape reads the word illusion. Look again! Can you see why this painting is called an optical illusion?
This one is quite tricky! The word TEACH reflects as LEARN.
Count every ' F ' in the following text:
FINI SHED FILES ARE THE RESULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY COMBINED WITHTHE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS...
Incredible or what? Go back and look again!!Anyone who counts all 6 'F's' on the first go is a genius.
More Brain Stuff . . From Cambridge University .
O lny srmat poelpe can raed this. I cdnuolt blveiee that I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd what I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in what oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is that the first and last ltteer be in the rgh it pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. This is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed this psas it on !!
Inspiring Stories for Teachers: Sharpening Skills
Once upon a time a very strong woodcutter asked for a job in a timber merchant, and he got it. His salary was really good and so were the working conditions. For that reason, the woodcutter was determined to do his best. His boss gave him an Axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to fell the trees. The first day, the woodcutter brought fifteen (15) trees. "Congratulations," the boss said, "Carry on with your work!" Highly motivated by the words of his boss, the woodcutter tried harder the next day, but he only could bring ten (10) trees. The third day he tried even harder, but he was only able to bring seven (7) trees. Day after day he was bringing less and less trees. "I must be losing my strength." The woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on. "When was the last time you sharpened your axe?" the boss asked. "Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees..."
Moral: Most of us never update our skills. We think that whatever we have learned is very much enough. But good is not good when better is expected. Sharpening our skills from time to time is the key to success.
The Teacher (and Little Teddy Stoddard)
Reach For The Star
A Teacher's Wish
As the year is coming to an end, I’m starting to have sad thoughts of all the smiling faces, I have come to know and love, The faces I have greeted, As they come into my door and my life, And thinking of the time, But not from my memory For in my memory, they stay forever. I hope in some way I have touched their lives, As they have touched mine. Thinking of this day brings tears to my eyes, Knowing that I may never see them again, And even if I did, they won’t have remembered. But I hope in some small way, Even though they won’t remember me, That a part of me will remain in them forever, Maybe a hug or tender touch, Or maybe just a quiet look that says “I care’… I hope somewhere in their memory, They will remember that someone loves them, In her own special ways. I wish for them a happy and wonderful life, Full of only good and beautiful things, And I hope that some small part of me, Might have had something to do with it… Goodbye, and good luck, dear friends... May Allah bless your journey ahead.