A Pencil is not just a Pencil!

A fabulous statement about life.

Once upon a time.........A boy was watching his grandmother write a letter. At one point he asked, "Are you writing a story about what we've done? Is it a story about me?" His grandmother stopped writing her letter and said to her grandson, "I am writing about you, actually, but more important than the words is the pencil I'm using. I hope you will be like this pencil when you grow up".

Intrigued, the boy looked at the pencil. It didn't seem very special. He said, "But it's just like any other pencil I've ever seen!"

Grandma replied, "That depends on how you look at things. It has seven qualities which, if you manage to hang on them, will make you a person who is always at peace with the world".

"First quality : You are capable of great things but you must never forget that there is a hand guiding your steps. We call that hand God and He always guides us according to His will".

"Second quality : Now and then, I have to stop writing and use a sharpener. That makes the pencil suffer a little, but afterwards, he's much sharper. So you, too, learn to bear certain pains and sorrows because they will make you a better person".

"Third quality : The pencil always allows us to use an eraser to rub out any mistakes. This means that correcting something we did is not necessarily a bad thing; it helps to keep us on the road to justice".

"Fourth quality : what really matters in a pencil is not its wooden exterior but the graphite inside. So always pay attention to what is happening inside you".

"Fifth quality : It always leaves a mark. In just the same way, you should know that everything you do in life will leave a mark, so try to be conscious of that in every action of yours".

"Sixth quality : It gets shorter and shorter while in use, so also life. Make the most while it lasts".

"Finally the seventh quality of the pencil is : It writes till the very end. Be useful and productive till your dying day".

The pencil may vanish but the impression it leaves, stays on forever......

PS. 

Reminded me of my interactions with my grandmother.

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What is luxury?

They made us believe that luxury was the rare, the expensive, the exclusive, everything that seemed unattainable.....Now we realise that luxury were those little things that we did not know how to value when we had them and now that they are gone, we miss them so much......Luxury is being healthy. Luxury is not stepping into a hospital. Luxury is being able to walk along the seashore. Luxury is going out on the streets and breathing without a mask. Luxury is meeting with your whole family, with your friends. Luxury are the looks. Smiles are luxury. Luxury are hugs and kisses. Luxury is enjoying every sunrise. Luxury is the privilege of loving and being alive. All this is a luxury and we did not know.

Stay grateful....

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10. Today, Lekha had three calls from the Amazon guys delivering things that she had ordered. Those festive offers, you know! Online shopping has taken off during these Covid days!

Called up two of my cousins - Lekshmi, at Pondicherry, to wish her many happy returns and Santhi, just to hear her and I think I managed to surprise both of them, in the bargain, because it has been a while since I'd spoken to them, thanks to the luxury and short cut provided by What'sApp.

Participated in the webinar : "Status of Vaccine Development for Covid-19" by Dr Pranay Khare from Boston, between 1700 and 1800 hrs. It was an excellent presentation!