story of a great father

                      I like to write a true story of a great father- Dick Hoyt (born June 1, 1940). He married Judy. They gave a birth to a child- Rick Hoyt on January 10. 1962, at Massachusetts, United States of America.  Rick Hoyt was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth after his umbilical cord became twisted around his neck, which caused the blockage of oxygen flow. As a result, his brain is unable to send the correct messages to his muscles. Doctors told “Rick cannot walk and talk, he will not recover from it. He never comes to normal life.” But parents decided to grow his son for great life.

                      In 1972 a skilled group of engineers at Tufts University built an interactive computer for Rick. This computer consisted of a cursor being used to highlight every letter of the alphabet. Once the letter Rick wanted was highlighted, he was able to select it by just a simple tap with his head against a head piece attached to his wheelchair.  Rick started to communicate through this computer.   
                     In 1975, at the age of 13, Rick was finally admitted into public school. In 1977, Rick told his father that he wanted to participate in 5 mile race which was organized by his school. Dick was not a runner. But Dick agreed to push Rick in his wheelchair and they finished all 5 miles, coming in second last. That night, Rick told his father, "Dad, when I'm running, it feels like I'm not handicapped." So they decided to run together in races and in life also. This decision became a history of great love of a father and son. 

           Till November 2011, they finished 1069 races include

    Triathlons--------------- 247 (standard triathlon-  750 m swim, 20 km bike, 5 km run)

    Ironman triathlons-- 6 (3.8 km swim, 180 km ride, and a marathon: 42.2 km run)

    Marathon---------------  69 (run of 42.195kms).

 This is not only a sports event. This story raises some questions against us.

 1. What is our commitment level with our children and family?

 2. How much do we sacrifice our pleasures (alcoholism, smoking, TV watching etc.) for family?

 3. If Rick may be a metaphor- for example our education, career, profession etc. - what is our commitment level to it?

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               watch this video.... it will inspire you...

story of a mother

                   Years ago I read a story about a mother. It may be a real or imaginary story. But it touched my heart. I retell the story for you in my language.

                   My mother only had one eye. She was in an ugly look. My mother worked in houses for domestic work in daily wages. Most times I smelt sweat smell from her dresses. I hated her. I did not know anything about my father. When I was studying in elementary school, one day my mother came to my school. Because of the interval time all my classmates saw her. 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, my classmates taunted me as -"Your mom only has one eye?!"

                  I blamed the god for the ugly mother and my poverty. I wished that my mother would just disappear from this world. When I was angry, I said to my mother, "Mom, why don't you have the other eye? You are always shame to me.  Why don't you just die?" My mother did not respond. Sometimes I felt bad to say such words. But when I was angry, I could not control the words because of my frustration. My mother hadn’t punished me.  I didn't think that I had hurt her feelings very badly.
 One night I woke up to drink some water. My mom was crying in the kitchen, so quietly, as if she was afraid that she might wake me. I looked at her, and then turned away. I said some hard words that day, which might hurt her. I felt sorry that time. 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 very successful, because I hated my one-eyed mother and our desperate poverty.
                        Then I studied really hard. I left my mother and came to Mumbai and studied in a famous university. I completed my engineering degree with high marks and got a good job in a MNC. I got married. I bought a house of my own. Then I had kids, too. I was living happily with my wife and beautiful children. I liked that life because it was a place that did not remind me of my ugly mother.
                       One day unexpectedly someone came to see me. That was my mother with her one eye. I was so embarrassed. My little son ran away and scared of my mother’s eye. She disturbed our happiness. I asked her, "Who are you? I don't know you!"  I shouted at her "How dare you come to my house and scare my son! Get out here now!" My mother quietly answered, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I may have gotten the wrong address," and she went away.  I thought that she did not recognize me. I thanked god. One big burden went away.

                   One day, a letter regarding a school get-together came to my house. I lied to my wife as “I am going to a business trip.” After the get-together, I went to my old house just for curiosity. I saw some crowd in front of my old house. I found that my mother was died that day. But I did not shed a single tear. She had a piece of paper in her hand.... it was a letter to me.
 

My Son,
          I think my life is more enough now. I won't visit Mumbai anymore. I am very sorry to make unhappy in your life. I prayed god to see you one more time. I miss you very much. I was so glad when I heard you were coming for the reunion. But I decided not to go to the school. Once again I am sorry that I only have one eye and I was an embarrassment for you. Many times you asked me “why do you have only one eye?”         

         My son, when you were very little, you met an accident, and lost your eye. As a mother, I couldn't see you with only one eye... so I gave you my one eye. I was so proud of my son that he was seeing this world with my eye. I was never upset at you for anything you did. Many times you got angry with me. Those times I thought to myself, “it’s because he loves me.” You are the meaning of my life. One thing is true- I miss you and love you so much my son.      With love - your mother.

         I cried. First time I felt LOVE.

love on parents is sprituality

                                    We have normally heard in India- Madha, Pidha, Guru, Daivam  (mother, father, teacher, god). In my early ages I surprised why they say god in last, why mother is first. In my 41 years of life, I understood the reason. For any human beings Mother is more truth for all time. Our first understanding is mother, last understanding is god. Our first learning is love from our mother. Then love leads the life.

                               Through the mother we experience our father. Mother and father shows teacher. If we are not able to see the god in mother and father, we never experience a teacher in life.(here teacher means anybody in the world, not only school, college teachers. Because of we can learn from anybody). If we can see the god in mother, father and teacher, automatically we can experience the god. That time we can see the god in ourselves, so we become spiritual beings. Actually this is a step by step process. Most of the people are searching for god, but they could not find, because they lost first three steps in the process.

                      If you cannot love your mother, father and teacher- you never experience the god. Some people don't have concern about parents, but daily they are doing prayers, poojas, visiting temples or churches, reading scriptures etc… etc... Sure they never become  spiritual beings (they may be ritual beings). Rituals are simple methods to remember the path to spirituality. But nowadays most of the people think that rituals are spirituality. Religions should teach the people to love and respect the seen gods (parents).

                    Shortly and strongly I can say that without the love on parents, we never experience the god.  

                   Elder’s homes and nucleus families are symptoms of the social disease. We have so many justifications for the symptoms. But we never forget one thing. History is repeated. Life is repeated. What we do today is the value of our children in tomorrow. When we are young and healthy- normally we do not feel the helplessness and loneliness.  So we never  forget that” life is repeating”.     

               We never know the love of our parents for us
                 till we have become parents.
                                     ------ Henry Ward Beecher 1813 – 1887

                     Quality of a society is decided by how the society deals the elder people and children. If we do any wrong things with them, we will suffer generation to generation. Because elder people are knowledge, children are future. Without the knowledge and the future, a society will collapse. Now we are in the wrong way.  Wrong way leads to wrong destination or destiny.  So we have to change……

Failure to Success

                     Failures are wonderful opportunities to learn and evaluate life intensively. Failures give strength to succeed. Those who have succeeded in life would have faced so many failures from which they drew inspiration to fight back.

                    I learned great life lessons during my failures. In April my book regarding failures will be released. Here I write some examples from my book….

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Albert Einstein

As a boy he was slow to talk, day dreamed in class. Teacher considered him as an abnormal. Failed in entrance exam for Zurich polytechnic, Switzerland

Greatest scientist in the world. Nobel prize winner.

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Andrew Carnegie

At the age of 13 years, he worked as a bobbin boy in a cotton factory for $1.25 a week.

King of steel industry. Richest man in the world.

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Wright Brothers

Ran bi-cycle repair shop.

Greatest inventors of plane.

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Helen Keller

She was dumb, deaf and blind.

Greatest thinker, writer and leader.

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Pepsi cola

Bankrupted in 1923 and in 1925 and in March, 1931.

Now PepsiCo, 2010 revenue is $57.838 billion (app. Rs.289000 crores)

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Pele

He was working as a shoe polisher in childhood.

Greatest football player of all time.

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Wilma Rudolph

She was stricken by polio at 3 years old and barely being able to walk.

3 gold medals in 1960 Rome Olympics.

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Stephen Williams Hawking

He is almost completely paralyzed by a progressive, incurable motor neuron disease.

Greatest UK scientist of our time. In 2009, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States.

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Bill Gates

He was a dropout from Harvard university in 1975.

Co founder of Microsoft. The richest man of our time.

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A P J Abdul Kalam

He worked as a news paper boy in school age.

Great space scientist of India. He was the 11th president of India. 

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Ray Kroc

He was dropped out of high school and worked as a paper cup salesman, part time pianist, milk shake machine sales man.

One of the richest man in the world. King of franchise business. Owned McDonald empire.

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"I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career.

I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times,

 I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed.

I've failed over and over and over again in my life.

And that is why I succeed."
                                                       -- Michael Jordan

(A powerpoint presentation regarding this subject, will be sent in your email id soon. if you are not registered your email id, kindly register it in my website www.madhubhaskaran.com)