The Story of the Butterfly

This is one of the most inspiring stories that I have come across..

The Story of the Butterfly

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to squeeze its body through the tiny hole. Then it stopped, as if it couldn't go further.

So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bits of cocoon. The butterfly emerged easily but it had a swollen body and shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch it, expecting that any minute the wings would enlarge
and expand enough to support the body, Neither happened! In fact the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around. It was never able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand:
The restricting cocoon and the struggle required by the butterfly to get through the opening was a way of forcing the fluid from the body into the wings so that it would be ready for flight once that was achieved.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. Going through life with no obstacles would cripple us. We will not be as strong as we could have been and we would never fly.

Agar Hum Kahen Aur Wo Muskura Dein - Jagjit Singh

Agar hum kahen aur wo muskura dein
Hum unke liye zindgaani luta dein

Har ik mod par hum gamon ko sazaa dein
Chalo zindagi ko mohabbat bana dein

Agar khud ko bhoole to kuch bhi na bhoole
Ke chaahat mein unkee khuda ko bhula dein

Kabhi gam kee aandhee jinhen choo na paaye
Wafa ke hum wo nashe-man bana dein

Qayaamat ke deewaane kehte hain humse
Chalo unke chehre se parda hata dein

Saza de silaa de, bana de mitaa de
Magar wo koi faislaa to sunaa de

- Jagjit Singh

She Walks This Earth

She's a soulfull
flower in the garden
She's bobbing in the sunlight
and flirting with her eyes
The way she walks by,
I see a wave of color
moving like an angel
trailing butterflies

Give me water
give me inspiration
I want to speak now
but I can't find a word
So unforgiving is my infatuation
Now that I know
she walks upon the earth
she walks this earth

I am restless burning with desire
And every other heartbeat
I beat just for her
I see her smiling
full as my emotion
This is no illusion
but how can I be heard?

Give me water,
give me inspiration
I want to speak now,
but I can't find a word
So unforgiving is this infatuation
now that I know
she walks upon this earth
she walks this earth

She walks this earth

Give me water,
give me inspiration
I need to hold her
like no one else before
So unforgiving is my infatuation
now that I know,
she walks upon the earth
she walks this earth

She walks this earth
She walks this earth

- Sting

Jhuki Jhuki Si Nazar..

jhuki jhuki si nazar beqaraar hai ke nahin
daba daba sa sahee dil mein pyaar hai ke nahin

tu apne dil ki jawaan dhadkanon ko gin ke bata
meri tarah tera dil beqaraar hai ke nahin

wo pal ke jis mein mohabbat jawaan hoti hai
us ek pal ka tujhe intezaar hai ke nahin

teri umeed pe thukraa raha hoon duniya ko
tujhe bhee apne pe ye aitbaar hai ke nahin

- Jagjit Singh

Chivalry is not Dead

as told by Charlotte Wechsler in the book "Small Miracles: Extraordinary Coincidences from Everyday Life"

That year, winter in New York City lingered lazily into late April. Living alone and legally blind, I tended to remain indoors much of the time.

Finally, one day, the chill was gone and spring stepped forth, filling the air with a penetrating and exhilarating fragrance. Outside my backyard window, a merry little bird kept chirping persistently, beckoning me, it seemed, outdoors.

Aware of the capriciousness of April, I clung to my winter coat, but, as a concession to the change in temperature, discarded my woolen scarf, hat, and gloves. Taking my three-pronged cane, I stepped out cheerfully onto my open porch leading directly to the sidewalk. Lifting my face to the sun, I gave it a welcoming smile in acknowledgment of its warmth and promise.

As I walked down my quiet dead-end street, my next door neighbor called out a musical "Hello" and asked if I wanted a lift to where I was going. "No, thank you," I called back in return. "These legs of mine have been resting all winter, and my joints are badly in need of an outing, so I think I'll walk."

Reaching the corner, I waited, as was my habit, for someone to come along who would let me walk across with them when the light turned green. It seemed to take somewhat longer than usual for the sound of traffic to cease, yet I had no offers. As I stood there patiently, I began to hum a tune that returned to me from somewhere in the back of my head. It was a "welcome to spring" song I had learned in school as a child.

Suddenly, a strong, well-modulated masculine voice spoke up. "You sound like a very cheerful human being," it said. "May I have the pleasure of your company across the street?" Flattered by such chivalry, I nodded, smiling, whispering a barely audible "Yes."

Gently, he tucked his hand around my upper arm and together we stepped off the curb. As we slowly made our way across, we talked of the most obvious topic...the weather...and about how good it was to be alive on such a day. As we kept in step together, it was difficult to determine who was the guide and who was the one being led.

We had barely reached the other side of the crossing, when horns impatiently began blasting forth again at what was assuredly a change in the light. We walked on a few more paces to get away from the curb. Turning to him, I opened my mouth to thank him for his assistance and company. Before a single word had left my lips, he spoke up. "I don't know if you realize," he said, "how gratifying it is to find someone as cheerful as you to accompany a blind person like me across the street."

That spring day has stayed with me forever.