One day when Matthew was eating dinner with his wife, a hungry beggar came to the door and earnestly begged for some bread. Leslie asked Matthew, “Can we part with some bread and meat that we are eating to give the beggar.” Matthew replied, “Okay, you can give him,” but at the same time very angrily made ill remarks against the beggar.

“These people are sluggish they don’t do any hard work, the have become professional beggars”.

They should not be shown any sympathy and our help and alms encourages them to take up begging as a profession. It makes them more greedy and they leave respectable life. Soon after the rude treatment of the beggar by Matthew, things started to change for the worst for him.

First he started facing losses in his business and eventually it was completely ruined. He had to sell his car to pay off loans and meet his household expenses. There came a time when he had to sell his wife’s jewellery and all the valuables he had at throw away prices. But this did not help him in restarting his business and he finally had to mortgage his house. There was still no respite. It seemed anything he touched turned to dust. He wandered the streets disheveled and disheartened. He could not afford a loaf of bread to eat or to feed his beloved wife Leslie. He decided to leave her at her parent’s house because all his belongings had vanished. Matthew eventually found himself begging on the roadside.

Now let us turn to the tale of the hungry beggar who had knocked Matthew’s door one night. That beggar, John, had to beg out of necessity and hunger. Whatever little money he received from charitable people, he tried to save as much as he could. He managed to save enough to purchase a shop in the same locality and started the business of grocery. His business started thriving from the first day. In a few months, he became a reasonably well-off man.

One night, when John was eating dinner with his wife, a beggar appeared on their door. John’s wife asked his permission to give some bread to the beggar. He very happily agreed and also took out some money to give too. When he came to the door, he was shocked to find Matthew begging for something to eat. John felt pity on Matthew’s sufferings and misfortune, But he decided not to embarrass Matthew by reminding him of how badly he had spoken to John long ago and how the situation was reversed now.

Instead, John gave Matthew more money with the food and prayed that may God forgive Matthew’s sins and bestow His Mercy on Matthew.

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The old salesman replied: “$0.50 an egg, ma’am

She said, “I’m gonna take 6 eggs for $2.5 or I’m going.”

The old seller replied: “Buy them at the price you want, ma’am.”

Maybe it’s a good start for me because I couldn’t sell a single egg today and I need to live”.

She bought her eggs at that price and left with the feeling she won.

She entered her elegant car and went to a elegant restaurant with her friend.

She and her friend ordered what they wanted. They ate a little and left a lot of what they asked for.

So they paid the check. It was $400. The ladies gave $500 and asked the owner of that restaurant to keep the money as a tip.

The story might seem pretty normal to the owner of the luxury restaurant, but very unfair to the egg vendor…

The point is: Why do we always act strong when we buy from the poor? And why are we generous with those who don’t need our generosity?

Once I read somewhere:

“My father used to buy simple goods from poor people at great prices, even if he didn’t need them. Sometimes he used to pay more for them. I wondered about that and  asked him why he did it? Then my father replied, “it’s an act of charity wrapped with dignity”.

Spend money to make character but don’t spend character to make money.

The post Story About An Old Man Selling Eggs On The Street And A Big Lesson For Everyone! appeared first on Useful Gen.

The father was very upset to see his son like this and decide to teach him a lesson.

The next day he made an announcement to him: “You will only be given meals at night only if you earn something in your day.”

The boy in disbelief went to his mother asking for sympathy and confirming that his dad is not joking. The mother could do nothing except feeling sorry for him

As a token of help, she gave him a gold coin.

At the night on the table, when the father asked, the boy showed his gold coin promptly.

His father knew he didn’t earn it on his own. He asked his son to throw it into the well in the garden. The boy did so without any hesitation.

The father sent his wife to her parents, knowing she won’t stop herself from helping his son. Next morning when the boy woke up and didn’t find his mother around. He went to his Grandfather and told him about his dad.

His grandfather also felt sorry for him and gave him another coin.

When the father asked him about that day’s earnings, he again came up with a gold coin. Knowing the fact, he went to his father explaining to him, “I want to teach my son a lesson.”

When the boy couldn’t get anything from his grandfather, he went to the market to earn something in reality. He met a shopkeeper there and asked if he could offer him some work. The shopkeeper looked at the boy and said: “If you carry this heavy trunk to my home. I’ll give you three silver coins.”

The boy agreed to this but after the work, he felt exhausted and drenched in sweat. He was very happy to earn three coins by himself. He rushed home to show it to his father.

The father appreciated him this time but again asked him to throw them in the well.

The boy almost got into tears and defeatedly said: “Father! My whole body is aching and I gave my best to earn these. And you’re asking me to throw it in the well?”

The father smiled, “So, now you feel that when the fruits of your hard labor are wasted how does it feel like? You didn’t hesitate to throw those gold coins who you didn’t earn yourself but now you understand the worth of hard work and how much it took me to collect all this money. Definitely not to waste on lame things, you do.”

The boy was regretting every moment of it and thanked his dad for his greatness.

The value of hard work is not only hidden in its reward but the degree of achievement too.

The post Value Of Hard Work – Inspirational Story appeared first on Useful Gen.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone’s amazement, he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer’s neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

MORAL : Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred – Forgive.
2. Free your mind from worries – Most never happens.
3. Live simply and appreciate what you have.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less from people but more from yourself.

The post The Donkey in the Well appeared first on Useful Gen.

It was very cold that day and the man had his tattered coat more like an old suit coat rather than a warm coat wrapped around him. She stopped and looked down. “Sir?” she asked. “Are you all right?”

The man slowly looked up. This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new. She looked like that she had never missed a meal in her life. His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many others had done before. “Leave me alone,” he growled.

To his amazement, the woman continued standing. She was smiling her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows. “Are you hungry?” she asked.

“No,” he answered sarcastically. “I’ve just come from dining with the president. Now go away.”
The woman’s smile became even broader. Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm. “What are you doing, lady?” the man asked angrily. “I said to leave me alone.”

Just then a policeman came up. “Is there any problem, ma’am?” he asked.

“No problem here, officer,” the woman answered. “I’m just trying to get this man to his feet. Will you help me?”

The officer scratched his head. “That’s old Jack. He’s been a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?”

“See that cafeteria over there?” she asked. “I’m going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold for a while.”

“Are you crazy, lady?” the homeless man resisted. “I don’t want to go in there!” Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up. “Let me go, officer. I didn’t do anything.”

“This is a good deal for you, Jack,” the officer answered. “Don’t blow it.”

Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner. It was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived. The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by the table. “What’s going on here, officer?” he asked. “What is all this. Is this man in trouble?”

“This lady brought this man in here to be fed,” the policeman answered.
“Not in here!” the manager replied angrily. “Having a person like that here is bad for business.”

Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. “See, lady. I told you so. Now if you’ll let me go. I didn’t want to come here in the first place.”

The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled. “Sir, are you familiar with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?”

“Of course I am,” the manager answered impatiently. “They hold their weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms.”

“And do you make a good profit from providing food at the weekly meetings?”

“What business is that of yours?”

“I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president, and CEO of the company.”

“Oh.”

The woman smiled again. “I thought that might make a difference.” She glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a giggle. “Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?”
“No thanks, ma’am,” the officer replied. “I’m on duty:’

“Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?”

“Yes, ma’am. That would be very nice.” The cafeteria manager turned on his heel. “I’ll get your coffee for you right away, officer.” The officer watched him walk away. “You certainly put him in his place,” he said.

“That was not my intent. Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this.” She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She stared at him intently. “Jack, do you remember me?”

Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes “I think so — I mean you do look familiar.”

“I’m a little older perhaps,” she said. “Maybe I’ve even filled out more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very door, cold and hungry.”

“Ma’am?” the officer said questioningly. He couldn’t believe that such a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry.

“I was just out of college,” the woman began. “I had come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn’t find anything. Finally I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked the streets for days. It was February and I was cold and nearly starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get something to eat.”

Jack lit up with a smile. “Now I remember,” he said. “I was behind the serving counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat. I said that it was against company policy.”
“I know,” the woman continued. “Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you would get into trouble. Then, when I looked over, I saw you put the price of my food in the cash register. I knew then that everything would be all right.”

“So you started your own business?” Old Jack said.

“I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually, I started my own business that prospered.” She opened her purse and pulled out a business card. “When you are finished here, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons. He’s the personnel director of my company. I’ll go talk to him now and I’m certain he’ll find something for you to do around the office.” She smiled. “I think he might even find the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live until you get on your feet and if you ever need anything, my door is always opened to you.”

There were tears in the old man’s eyes. “How can I ever thank you,” he said.

“Don’t thank me,” the woman answered. “You showed me that a good roast beef sandwich and coffee can make all the difference. Your kindness meant everything to me.”

Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the entrance before going their separate ways. “Thank you for all your help, officer,” she said.

“On the contrary, Ms. Eddy,” he answered. “Thank you. I saw a miracle today, something that I will never forget. And… And thank you for the coffee.”

She frowned. “I forgot to ask you whether you used cream or sugar. That’s black.”

The officer looked at the steaming cup of coffee in his hand. “Yes, I do take cream and sugar –perhaps more sugar than is good for me.” He patted his ample stomach.
“I’m sorry,” she said.

“I don’t need it now,” he replied smiling. “I’ve got the feeling that this coffee you bought me is going to taste as sweet as sugar.”

The post Manager Refuses To Serve A Homeless Man, Then A Rich Female CEO Intervenes appeared first on Useful Gen.

I remember that it was field day, and my mom came. I was so embarrassed. How could she do this to me? I threw her a hateful look and ran out. The next day at school… “Your mom only has one eye?!” and they taunted me.

I wished that my mom would just disappear from this world so I said to my mom, “Mom, why don’t you have the other eye?! You’re only going to make me a laughingstock. Why don’t you just die?” My mom did not respond. I guess I felt a little bad, but at the same time, it felt good to think that I had said what I’d wanted to say all this time. Maybe it was because my mom hadn’t punished me, but I didn’t think that I had hurt her feelings very badly.

That night… I woke up, and went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. My mom was crying there, so quietly, as if she was afraid that she might wake me. I took a look at her, and then turned away. Because of the thing I had said to her earlier, there was something pinching at me in the corner of my heart. Even so, I hated my mother who was crying out of her one eye. So I told myself that I would grow up and become successful, because I hated my one-eyed mom and our desperate poverty.

Then I studied really hard. I left my mother and came to Seoul and studied, and got accepted in the Seoul University with all the confidence I had. Then, I got married. I bought a house of my own. Then I had kids, too. Now I’m living happily as a successful man. I like it here because it’s a place that doesn’t remind me of my mom.

This happiness was getting bigger and bigger, when someone unexpected came to see me “What?! Who’s this?!” It was my mother… Still with her one eye. It felt as if the whole sky was falling apart on me. My little girl ran away, scared of my mom’s eye.

And I asked her, “Who are you? I don’t know you!!” as if I tried to make that real. I screamed at her “How dare you come to my house and scare my daughter! Get out of here now!!” And to this, my mother quietly answered, “oh, I’m so sorry. I may have gotten the wrong address,” and she disappeared. Thank goodness… she doesn’t recognize me. I was quite relieved. I told myself that I wasn’t going to care, or think about this for the rest of my life.

Then a wave of relief came upon me… one day, a letter regarding a school reunion came to my house. I lied to my wife saying that I was going on a business trip. After the reunion, I went down to the old shack, that I used to call a house…just out of curiosity there, I found my mother fallen on the cold ground. But I did not shed a single tear. She had a piece of paper in her hand…. it was a letter to me.

She wrote:

My son,I think my life has been long enough now. And… I won’t visit Seoul anymore… but would it be too much to ask if I wanted you to come visit me once in a while? I miss you so much. And I was so glad when I heard you were coming for the reunion. But I decided not to go to the school…. For you… I’m sorry that I only have one eye, and I was an embarrassment for you.You see, when you were very little, you got into an accident, and lost your eye. As a mother, I couldn’t stand watching you having to grow up with only one eye… so I gave you mine… I was so proud of my son that was seeing a whole new world for me, in my place, with that eye. I was never upset at you for anything you did. The couple times that you were angry with me. I thought to myself, ‘it’s because he loves me.’ I miss the times when you were still young around me.I miss you so much. I love you. You mean the world to me.

My World Shattered. I hated the person who only lived for me . I cried for My Mother, I didn’t know of any way that will make up for my worst deeds…

Moral: Never Ever hate anyone for their disabilities. Never disrespect your parents, don’t ignore and under estimate their sacrifices. They give us life, they raise us better than they had been, they give and keep trying to give better than they ever had. They never wish unwell for their kids even in their wildest dreams. They always try showing right path and being motivator. Parents give up all for kids, forgive all mistakes made by kids. There is no way to repay what they done for kids, all we can do is try giving what they need and it is just time, love and respect.

The post Mother’s Sacrifice appeared first on Useful Gen.

The son was completely taken by surprise as he listened to her.
“Mom, while you were here you never complained about those things.”
“Now when you have only a few hours left, why are you telling me all of this?” he questioned.
The mother gave him a gentle smile, “My dear, I’m alright with heat, hunger and pain.”
“But when you get old and your children send you here, I’m afraid you will not be able to manage.”
The son broke into tears. He bent down to hug his mother asking for her forgiveness.

Love your parents and treat them with loving and care. For you will only know their value when you see their empty chair.
Parents.
When our parents were there we never cared.
When we wanted to take care of them, they aren’t there.
Before it’s too late. Love and care for them.

The post Last Wish Of The Mother appeared first on Useful Gen.

The flight attendant answered warmly, when the woman abruptly said, “Please find me another seat immediately.” The flight attendant responded, “I’m sorry Ma’am, but the economy cabin is fully booked.”

The rich woman replied, “But I’m not going to travel beside a worthless bum. Do something.”

While the elderly man stared in disbelief, the flight attendant responded, “I’ll talk to the Captain about this.”

Then flight attendant went to the Captain and asked, “Captain, a woman feels uncomfortable to sit beside a poor elder man. What should we do?”

Surprisingly, the Captain’s face changed. He looked amused and said, “This woman is interesting. I’ve never encountered an issue like this before. I have a plan. Listen..”

And the Captain relayed to the flight attendant what he wants to do. The flight attendant was stunned at his plan. In fact, she was amazed.

A few minutes later, the flight attendant returned. “The Captain said we could use an open seat in First Class. He also wants to apologize for having to travel with such a terrible person.”

As the woman rose out of her seat, the flight attendant reached out her arm towards the poor elderly man. “Sir will you please follow me?” To which the plane applauded.

Never look down on other people. We are all equal in God’s sight. Regardless of what you have achieved in life, stay humble. Keep your feet on the ground. The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.

The post Rich Woman Requests To Change Seat appeared first on Useful Gen.

The retired teacher’s plants were simple but looked good. The insurance agent’s plants were much fuller and greener. One day, during the night, there was a heavy rain and a wind due to a minor storm. Next morning, both of the neighbors came out to inspect the damage to their garden. The neighbor who was an insurance agent saw that his plants came off from the roots and were totally destroyed. But, the retired teacher’s plants were not damaged at all and were standing firm.

The insurance agent neighbor was surprised to see it, he went to the retired teacher and asked, “We both grew the same plants together, I actually looked after my plants better than you did for yours, and even gave them more water. Still, my plants came off from the roots, while yours didn’t. How is that possible?”

The retired teacher smiled and said, “You gave your plants more attention and water, but because of that they didn’t need to work themselves for it. You made it easy for them. While I gave them just an adequate amount of water and let their roots search for more. And, because of that, their roots went deeper and that made their position stronger. That is why my plants survived”.

Moral: This story is about parenting where children are like plants. If everything is given to them, they will not understand the hard work it takes to earn those things. They will not learn to work themselves and respect it. Sometimes it’s best to guide them instead of giving them. Teach them how to walk, but let them follow their path.

The post Keeping The Roots Stronger appeared first on Useful Gen.

He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to the finest of delicacies. He gave her nothing but the best.

He also loved the 3rd wife very much and was always showing her off to neighbouring kingdoms. However, he feared that one day she would leave him for another.

He also loved his 2nd wife. She was his confidante and was always kind, considerate and patient with him. Whenever the King faced a problem, he could confide in her, and she would help him get through the difficult times.

The King’s 1st wife was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and kingdom. However, he did not love the first wife. Although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her.

One day, the King fell ill and he knew his time was short. He thought of his luxurious life and wondered, “I now have four wives with me, but when I die, I’ll be all alone.”

Thus, he asked the 4th wife, “I have loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I’m dying, will you follow me and keep me company?” “No way!”, replied the 4th wife, and she walked away without another word. Her answer cut like a sharp knife right into his heart.

The sad King then asked the 3rd wife, “I have loved you all my life. Now that I’m dying, will you follow me and keep me company?” “No!”, replied the 3rd wife. “Life is too good! When you die, I’m going to remarry!” His heart sank and turned cold.

He then asked the 2nd wife, “I have always turned to you for help and you’ve always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?” “I’m sorry, I can’t help you out this time!”, replied the 2nd wife. “At the very most, I can only send you to your grave.” Her answer came like a bolt of lightning, and the King was devastated.

Then a voice called out: “I’ll leave with you and follow you no matter where you go.” The King looked up, and there was his first wife. She was so skinny as she suffered from malnutrition.

Greatly grieved, the King said, “I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!”

In truth, we all have 4 wives our lives :

Our 4th wife is our body.
No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it will leave us when we die.

Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth.
When we die, it will all go to others.

Our 2nd wife is our family and friends.
No matter how much they have been there for us, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.

And our 1st wife is our Soul, often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power and pleasures of the ego.
However, our Soul is the only thing that will follow us wherever we go.
So cultivate, strengthen and cherish it now, it is your greatest gift to offer the world.

Care for your body, keep it healthy. Enjoy your possessions and the comfort they provide. Cherish your friends and family for the love that they provide. But don’t forget to take care of your soul. Nourish your soul. Spend some quality time with you. Spend some alone time. Take time to pray, take time to meditate. Because it is the source of all our life and and our most faithful friend.

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