Net wisdom

THIS time we start with a quote from Mother Teresa, whose spirit has been having a definite positive impact on cyberspace? It is interesting to note how similar the teachings of persons of various religious denominations are. This should of course not come as a surprise, but unfortunately at times it does. We also give you a Nepalese mantra that has been making the rounds of the Internet.

Anyway

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centred;

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;

Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;

It was never between you and them anyway.

— Mother Teresa

Nepalese mantra

The following is taken from a Nepalese good luck mantra. It is worth reading and worth sharing. Do pass on the message:

Instructions for life

1. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

2. Memorise your favourite poem.

3. Don’t believe all you hear, spend all you have, or loaf all you want.

4. When you say, "I love you," mean it.

5. When you say, "I’m sorry," look the person in the eye.

6. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.

7. Believe in love at first sight.

8. Never laugh at anyone’s dreams. People who don’t have dreams don’t have much.

9. Love deeply and passionately. You may get hurt, but it’s the only way to live life completely.

10. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name-calling.

11. Don’t judge people by their relatives, or by the life they were born into.

12. Teach yourself to speak slowly but think quickly.

13. When someone asks you a question you don’t want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?"

14. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

15. Call your mother.

16. Say, "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.

17. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.

18. Follow the three Rs: Respect for self, Respect for others, Responsibility for all your actions.

— Compiled by Roopinder Singh