Month: May 2023

Fallen flowers…Worth contemplating on the message!

| Chandru Gidwani

Walking is a normal activity. But the beauty of walking is that one can see the life happening around you.

Every morning, when I go for a walk, I see an elderly gentleman picking up flowers fallen under a tree and placing them in a basket for his visit to the temple, later in the day. His activity was making me curious.

One morning, I saw him again doing the same and decided to put my curiosity to rest. I asked him about his obsession for fallen flowers while other elderly people pluck fresh flowers.

I asked him, "Sir, I always see you picking up these freshly fallen flowers from the ground. What do you do with them?"

"I offer these flowers at the feet of the deities in my pooja room," he answered very calmly.

This was the first time I had heard something like this. So, I asked him again, "If you don’t mind, may I ask you, why are you offering fallen flowers to God when there are so many flowers on the tree that can be easily plucked?"

I was astonished by his reply, "I help the flowers fulfill their purpose – of being with God in their last days. They have life too; like us, they also want to be with God in their final days, don’t they?" he asked me. I nodded.

Then he said, "Some people pluck buds that have not yet bloomed and some only pluck buds that have just blossomed, not even letting them release their fragrance or live their lives. Everyone takes what is beautiful and takes away the plant’s beauty from it. See then, how these plants look – colorless and deserted."

He continued, "Every flower has a purpose, to be with God. While everyone takes the flowers that are still on the plants, I do not choose those. It is not the flower’s fault that they fall off. They also deserve to be with God. You should try it too, it will give you peace and happiness…just as it gives me. I cannot support anyone in this old age, but I can at least help these flowers achieve their goal."

I just nodded, smiled, wished him all the best and started walking.

When I was walking , my mind was racing. With this new inspiration and idea, I decided that I should also try to collect fallen flowers for worship.

I crossed a hibiscus tree and saw some flowers falling under the tree. As I bent down to pick them up, I heard a voice.

"You cannot offer fallen flowers to God," my mother told me inside my head, and again I stopped for a moment.

"God is only looking for your feelings and devotion, so go ahead and pick up," my mind said to my mother. After a few moments of this turmoil, I picked up the flowers and placed them on my palms. As soon as I placed the flowers on my palms, I got goosebumps and my heart began to race. It was a very different kind of love that I was feeling for these flowers inside my body. I brought those flowers home, washed them and put them where they should be, at the feet of the Lord!

The whole experience was just wonderful. I felt great within. I felt as if I had saved someone’s life or helped someone come out of his misery. I had never felt this kind of satisfaction with flowers ever before. And I think I will continue to do so. *Pick up what has fallen.*

*Moral :*
*In life, we always want to be around good and beautiful people. We want to see ourselves with people who are of our stature, and those who are below our stature, we want to see them below us. But, the real satisfaction comes when we help someone, make their life better & help them celebrate abundance of Joy & Happiness – Be it human, animal, bird or any other form of life.So why not flowers? Fallen followers?*

…..*”LIFT THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN”*
& you will feel lifted yourself.🙏

Something more valuable than Winning !…Pass it on.com

| Chandru Gidwani

Runner Demonstrates What Really Matters In Life and In Sports.

Runner Demonstrates What Really Matters In Life and In Sports.

May 16, 2023 by The Foundation For A Better Life

Running to Win isn’t Always Running to Come in First. Jacqueline Nyetipei Kiplimo demonstrates what really matters in life and in sports.

The marathon is one of the most difficult races in track and field, at a little over 42 kilometers (26.2 miles). Most marathoners will tell you their bodies hold up for the first 30 kilometers; the last 10 kilometers are all mental toughness. To be a world-class marathoner, you must run that distance in 2 1/2 hours. But for some, achieving a marathon finish is a lifelong dream.

Jacqueline Nyetipei Kiplimo’s dream of being a world-class runner began when she was a child in Kenya. She soon realized she had the talent and the willpower to compete. She also knew she would have to train full-time, which meant not being able to work to help support her family. But she was confident that she could bring home prize money.

Jacqueline traveled to China to compete in the Zhenkai marathon knowing she had a good shot at winning the race, but more importantly, the $10,000 prize that went with it. She was leading the women’s division when a male runner arrived at the water station at the 20-kilometer mark. The man was running at a good pace but had trouble staying hydrated because a birth defect had left him without hands, and he struggled to drink from the slippery plastic bottles. But any assistance from fans or race officials would result in his disqualification. Jacqueline noticed the man and immediately knew that he needed help. She grabbed a water bottle and helped him get the fluid his body needed to complete the race. Then she ran at his pace with the bottle and helped him sip while they strode along.

Runner after runner passed Jacqueline. Her hopes of winning were getting lost in the melee of runners ahead of her. With only 4 kilometers left in the race, and certain that her new friend would now finish, Jacqueline picked up her pace. Her long stride kicked in, and she weaved through the fading competitors to finish second.

That day, Jacqueline missed out on first place, but she finished with something more important: her humanity. When asked about the bigger cash prize, she said that money isn’t everything. She returned home with the smaller prize of second place, but to her seven younger siblings, she brought home something much more valuable to her seven younger siblings: the right example