Tale of Two Pebbles

“We are continually faced by great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems.” ― Lee Iacocca

Many years ago in a small Indian village, a farmer had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a village moneylender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the farmer's beautiful daughter. So he proposed a bargain. He said he would forgo the farmer's debt if he could marry his daughter.

Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the proposal.

So the cunning money-lender suggested that they let Providence decide the matter. He told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty money bag. Then the girl would have to pick one pebble from the bag.

1) Pick a black pebble, she would become his wife and her father's debt would be forgiven.
2) Pick a white pebble, she need not marry him and her father's debt would be forgiven.
3) If she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.

They were standing on a pebble-strewn path in the farmer's field. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag.

He then asked the girl to pick a pebble from the bag.

Now, imagine you were standing in the field. What would you have done if you were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you have told her? Careful, analysis and would produce three possibilities:

1. Refuse to take a pebble.
2. Show there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the moneylender as a cheat.
3. Pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself to save her father from his debt.

Take a moment to ponder over the story.

The above story is used with the hope that it will make us appreciate the difference between lateral and logical thinking. The girl's dilemma cannot be solved with traditional logical thinking. Think of the consequences if she chooses the above logical answers. What would you recommend to the girl to do?

What she did was ....

The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles.

'Oh, how clumsy of me,' she said. 'But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked.'

Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed she had picked the white one. And since the moneylender dare not admit his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an extremely advantageous one.

MORAL OF THE STORY?

Most complex problems do have a solution.

Live life filled with positive thoughts and sound decisions. And stay inspired my friends!

I Am Spartacus

"Together we can face any challenges as deep as the ocean and as high as the sky." - Sonia Gandhi

I am Spartacus.

Stand next to your brothers.
Stand next to your sisters.

Proclaim it strong and bold.

Together we are strong.

We are Spartacus.



Stay inspired my friends!

Each Day Learn

“God allows us to experience the low points of life in order to teach us lessons we could not learn in any other way. The way we learn those lessons is not to deny the feelings but to find the meanings underlying them.” - Stanley Lindquist

Each day I learn something new about life around me.

Each was learned through disappointments, occurrences I wished occurred differently and through examining each event.

Each was learned through success, occurrences I had hoped or prepared for and examining what worked in each event.

My belief in how we learn our lessons each day could be different than yours. Religious belief does enter in and my intent here is not to preach. Those that regularly read this blog understand that. Yet from time to time, I am sure my religious views shines through but rest assure I am only trying to shed a light to help guide your path through life.

If you find yourself disappointed or elated with success, find meaning and learn from it.

I do so most every day because life gives so much to us. Allow life to teach and guide you every day.

And stay inspired my friends!

Live Life Out Loud

“If you ask me what I came to do in this world, I, an artist, I will answer you; "I am here to live out loud.” - Emile Zola

According to various reports, the average lifespan in the United States for women is 80.1 for women and 74.8 for men. These are ages which, when you are young, seem to be a far off point in time.

The closer you draw to those ages thought, the shortening days become more special. You reach a point to which you wonder what you have done in life. Have I lived my life quietly and in the shadows? Or have I lived my life out in the world making a difference in big and small ways?

In other words, are you living your life 'out loud' impacting the lives of others?

Living life out loud means engaging in the life of others around you.

- It does not mean being the loudest person shouting above the din of everyone else.
- It does not mean being the most flamboyant person, brighter than all of the stars.

To be a part of the everyday world, you can leave a mark on those around you for their betterment. The legacy you will eventually leave behind is how you will be remembered. Others will say they were a better person for having known you.

- It does not mean being the biggest philanthropist spreading money to save the world.
- It does not mean you have to change the world in history book making ways.

Living life out loud means doing small things for others.

Living life out loud means what you do will have a lasting and rippling effect on others. You may not even realize it when you do it, but living out loud will cause impact on others. And whether you impact others in one large way or in a thousand small ways, you can not do so by living in the shadows.

Live out loud and live all your years in the bright light of life and do it loudly.

Stay inspired my friends!