The Day I Stopped Drinking Milk

Received from a friend; found it worth sharing. Extraordinary Stories About Ordinary People Sudha Murty, chairperson, Infosys Foundation and author, is known for her ability to glean interesting stories from the lives of ordinary people and weave these narratives into a unique blend of anecdote and fable. Her latest collection of stories, 'The Day I Stopped Drinking Milk', features a fascinating cast of characters, each of whom made an indelible impression on the author.
Extracted here is a nugget from 'Bombay to Bangalore', one of the most heartwarming stories in this collection:

 It was the beginning of summer. I was boarding Udyan Express at Gulbarga railway station. My destination was Bangalore. As I boarded the train, I saw that the second-class reserved compartment was jam-packed with people. I sat down and was pushed to the corner of the berth. Though it was meant for three people, there were already six of us sitting on it... The ticket collector came in and started checking people's tickets and reservations.. Suddenly, he looked in my direction and asked, 'What about your ticket?' 'I have already shown my ticket to you,' I said. 'Not you, madam, the girl hiding below your berth. Hey, come out, where is your ticket?' I realized that someone was sitting below my berth. When the collector yelled at her, the girl came out of hiding. She was thin, dark, scared and looked like she had been crying profusely. She must have been about thirteen or fourteen years old.She had uncombed hair and was dressed in a torn skirt and blouse. She was trembling and folded both her hands..
The collector started forcibly pulling her out from the compartment. Suddenly, I had a strange feeling. I stood up and called out to the collector. 'Sir, I will pay for her ticket,' I said. Then he looked at me and said, 'Madam, if you give her ten rupees, she will be much happier with that than with the ticket.' I did not listen to him. I told the collector to give me a ticket to the last destination, Bangalore, so that the girl could get down wherever she wanted. Slowly, she started talking. She told me that her name was Chitra. She lived in a village near Bidar. Her father was a coolie and she had lost her mother at birth.
Her father had remarried and had two sons with her stepmother. But a few months ago, her father had died. Her stepmother started beating her often and did not give her food. She was tired of that life. She did not have anybody to support her so she left home in search of something better. By this time, the train had reached Bangalore. I said goodbye to Chitra and got down from the train. My driver came and picked up my bags. I felt someone watching me.
When I turned back, Chitra was standing there and looking at me with sad eyes. But there was nothing more that I could do. I had paid her ticket out of compassion but I had never thought that she was going to be my responsibility!... I told her to get into my car. My driver looked at the girl curiously. I told him to take us to my friend Ram's place. Ram ran separate shelter homes for boys and girls. We at the Infosys Foundation supported him financially. I thought Chitra could stay there for some time and we could talk about her future after I came back from my tours. I was not sure if Chitra would even be there. But to my surprise, I saw Chitra looking much happier than before. Ram suggested that Chitra could go to a high school nearby. I immediately agreed and said that I would sponsor her expenses as long as she continued to study. I left the shelter knowing that Chitra had found a home and a new direction in her life.
 I got busier and my visits to the shelter reduced to once a year. But I always enquired about Chitra's well-being over the phone. I knew that she was studying well and that her progress was good.. I offered to sponsor her college studies if she wanted to continue studying.
But she said, 'No, Akka. I have talked to my friends and made up my mind. I would like to do my diploma in computer science so that I can immediately get a job after three years.' She wanted to become economically independent as soon as possible.. Chitra obtained her diploma with flying colours. She also got a job in a software company as an assistant testing engineer. When she got her first salary, she came to my office with a sari and a box of sweets. One day, when I was in Delhi, I got a call from Chitra. She was very happy. 'Akka, my company is sending me to USA!
I wanted to meet you and take your blessings but you are not here in Bangalore.'. Years passed. Occasionally, I received an e-mail from Chitra. She was doing very well in her career. She was posted across several cities in USA and was enjoying life. I silently prayed that she should always be happy wherever she was.
 Years later, I was invited to deliver a lecture in San Francisco for Kannada Koota, an organization where families who speak Kannada meet and organize events. The lecture was in a convention hall of a hotel and I decided to stay at the same hotel. After the lecture, I was planning to leave for the airport. When I checked out of the hotel room and went to the reception counter to pay the bill, the receptionist said, 'Ma'am, you don't need to pay us anything.
 The lady over there has already settled your bill. She must know you pretty well.' I turned around and found Chitra there. She was standing with a young white man and wore a beautiful sari. She was looking very pretty with short hair. Her dark eyes were beaming with happiness and pride. As soon as she saw me, she gave me a brilliant smile, hugged me and touched my feet. I was overwhelmed with joy and did not know what to say. I was very happy to see the way things had turned out for Chitra.
But I came back to my original question. 'Chitra, why did you pay my hotel bill? That is not right.' suddenly sobbing, she hugged me and said, 'Because you paid for my ticket from Bombay to Bangalore!'

 (Excerpted with permission from Penguin Books India from Sudha Murty's 'The Day I Stopped Drinking Milk: Life Stories From Here and There')

All about bread

Source: Today I found out

Two sides of a coin

A Mother was reading a magazine and her cute little daughter every now and then distracted her.
To keep her busy, she tore one page on which was printed the map of the world.
She tore it into pieces and asked her to go to her room and put them together to make the map again.

She was sure her daughter would take a lot more time and probably whole of day to get it done.
But the little one came back within minutes with perfect map.

When she asked how she could do it so quickly, she said,
"Oh Mom, there is a man's face on the other side of the paper. I made the face perfect to get the map right." she ran outside to play leaving the mother surprised.

Moral :

Perhaps there is always the other side to whatever you experience in this world.

This story indirectly teaches a lesson.
That is:
Whenever we come across a challenge or a puzzling situation,
Look at the other side...
&
Will be surprised to see an easy way to tackle the problem or an acute difficulty.

Solve all your problems this way and have a great day ahead!

Coin in the Shoes

A young man, a student in one of our universities, was one day taking a walk with a professor, who was commonly called the students' friend, from his kindness to those who waited on his instructions.As they went along, they saw lying in the path a pair of old shoes, which they supposed to belong to a poor man who was employed in a field close by, and who had nearly finished his day's work.The student turned to the professor, saying: "Let us play the man a trick: we will hide his shoes, and conceal ourselves behind those bushes, and wait to see his perplexity when he cannot find them."
"My young friend," answered the professor, "we should never amuse ourselves at the expense someone. But you are rich, and may give yourself a much greater pleasure by means of the poor man. Put a coin into each shoe, and then we will hide ourselves and watch how the discovery affects him."
The student did so, and they both placed themselves behind the bushes close by. The poor man soon finished his work, and came across the field to the path where he had left his coat and shoes.
While putting on his coat he slipped his foot into one of his shoes; but feeling something hard, he stooped down to feel what it was, and found the coin. Astonishment and wonder were seen upon his countenance. He gazed upon the coin, turned it round, and looked at it again and again. He then looked around him on all sides, but no person was to be seen. 
He now put the money into his pocket, and proceeded to put on the other shoe; but his surprise was doubled on finding the other coin.
His feelings overcame him; he fell upon his knees, looked up to heaven and uttered aloud a fervent thanksgiving, in which he spoke of his wife, sick and helpless, and his children without bread, whom the timely bounty, from some unknown hand, would save from perishing.
The student stood there deeply affected, and his eyes filled with tears. "Now," said the professor, "are you not much better pleased than if you had played your intended trick?" 
The youth replied, "You have taught me a lesson which I will never forget. I feel now the truth of those words, which I never understood before: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

Why does our Body do that?

Learn the common causes behind your body's little quirks. Whether uncomfortable, embarrassing or just plain weird, there are some pretty funky things that our bodies do. Curious about the causes of such reactions as hiccups, goose bumps and eye twitches, Eric Plasker, DC, Author of The 100 Year Lifestyle, gives the real scoop. Read on to discover the common reasons for 14 peculiar bodily functions.

Yawns

If your body is low on oxygen, your mouth opens wide and tries to suck more in. Yawning is a way to regulate the amount of carbon dioxide and oxygen in your blood. Unfortunately, yawns are nearly impossible to stifle.

Eye Twitches

Serious eye twitches can be a symptom of neurological disorders, but often there is a more mundane explanation. Common causes for eye twitches include stress, lack of sleep extended staring or eye strain. Before you get frantic, try reducing your stress level, cutting back on caffeine and catching up on sleep.

Itches

According to Dr. Plasker, our skin most often gets itchy because of dryness associated with the environment or over-washing. Water and soap can strip skin of its natural oils, thus sapping moisture. Face or body lotion should be able to keep these types of itches under control; also look for body washes and soaps labeled 'moisturizing'. If you still have itchy patches, you may be experiencing an allergic reaction to a chemical, plant, food, animal or drug. See an allergist if the itching is persistent.

Hiccups

If you've frequently got a case of the hiccups, try slowing down when you eat and drink, suggests Dr. Plasker. Doing either too quickly causes your stomach to swell; this irritates your diaphragm, which contracts and causes hiccups. You may also get hiccups in emotional situations or if your body experiences a sudden temperature change. In both of these cases, the hiccups are a result of a glitch in your nerve pathways, which is why a sudden scare - which might shake up and reset your nerves - can sometimes end an episode.

Goose Bumps

Those tiny bumps that cover your skin when you're cold or scared are actually a defense mechanism. Goose bumps occur when the arrector pili, a tiny muscle that connects the hair follicle with skin, contracts and makes the hair stand on end. If you had more hair - like cavemen did - the upright hair would trap air to keep you warm or make you look bushier and therefore more threatening to predators.

Sneezes

Sneezes happen when your body is trying to expel an irritant from the nasal cavity. If you have allergies, pollen or pet dander is usually to blame. If you have a cold, your body makes mucus to trap the virus, and sneezing helps force it (and the sickness) out of your body. An over-the-counter allergy or cold medicine helps suppress your reaction to allergens or reduce mucus production, which should prevent sneezing fits.

Coughs

A cough is another mechanism your body uses to get rid of irritants. There are special cells along your air passage, says Dr. Plasker, that recognize irritants and force them out. Common colds, sinus infections and pneumonia all increase your body's mucus production, which triggers coughing. Smoking and asthma also tend to irritate the cells. To help cut down on chronic coughing, exercise regularly and practice good posture to keep your air passage open.

Charley Horses

These sudden, super-painful muscle spasms can be blamed on several things, including dehydration or electrolyte imbalances - often from strenuous exercise. After a demanding workout or an extra-long run, sip a sports drink to keep your system running smoothly. If you experience this type of cramping, walk around to help relieve the pain.

Shivers

Shivering, says Dr. Plasker, is full-body muscle twitching. When your temperature drops too low, your body shakes all over in an attempt to generate heat. The only way to cure these kind of shivers is to get your temperature back to 98.6 Degree F.

Ear Ringing

Ear ringing, or tinnitus, can happen for two reasons. If you have fluid or an infection in your middle ear, you may hear a constant buzz. However, the more common cause is damage to the microscopic ends of your hearing nerves, which often happens when you're exposed to loud noises. To prevent permanent damage (and preserve your hearing), wear earplugs at concerts and sporting events - or even when you mow the lawn.

Stomach Rumbles

As food, liquid and gas move through your digestive tract, your stomach muscles and intestines contract and cause rumbling noises - Borborygmi is the scientific name. Everyone's stomach makes noise during digestion, but if you have extra-loud rumbles, a teaspoon of olive oil or a cup of herbal tea with lemon may help ease them, says Dr. Plasker.

Limbs Falling Asleep

When there's consistent pressure on part of a limb - like when you sit on your feet or rest your head on an arm - the pressure squeezes your nerve pathways and scrambles messages sent to your brain. The mixed messages make you lose feeling in the squished body part because your brain has trouble telling it what to do. To prevent a case of pins and needles, avoid sitting or lying in positions that compress your nerves.

Seeing Stars

If you stand too quickly, suffer a blow to the head or are stricken by a migraine, there's a good chance you'll see stars as blood surges to different parts of your body. Generally these tiny flashes of light will fade in a few seconds. If you see stars for more than a few moments, you could have a tear or tiny clot in your retina, and you should consult a physician immediately.

Ear Popping

The Eustachian tube in your inner ear is responsible for maintaining equal pressure on both sides of your eardrum. When you experience a rapid change in altitude - during takeoff in an airplane or when riding an elevator in an extra-tall building - the Eustachian tube opens to release pressure, and you hear a pop. To force the tube open (and 'pop' your ears), squeeze your nostrils closed while exhaling forcefully through your nose.

TIPS ON PUMPING PETROL

How to get more per liter. Very informative and MONEY-SAVER!!!


I  don't know what you guys are paying for  petrol.... I am paying  up to Rs.1.35 to Rs.1.50 per liter. My line of work  is in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here  are some tricks to get more of your money's  worth for every Liter:  


Here  at the Shell Pipeline where I work ,  we deliver about 4 million liters in a 24-hour  period .. One day is diesel the  next day is jet fuel, and petrol, regular and  premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here  with a total capacity of 16,800,000  Liters. 


Only  buy or fill up your car or truck in the early  morning when the ground temperature is still  cold. Remember  that all service stations have their storage  tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground  the more dense the petrol, when it gets warmer  petrol expands, so buying in the afternoon or in  the evening....your liter is not exactly a  liter. In the petroleum business, the specific  gravity and the temperature of the petrol,  diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum  products plays an important  role.  


A  1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for  this business. But the service stations do not  have temperature compensation at the  pumps.


When  you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of  the nozzle to a fast modeIf you look you will see that the trigger has  three (3) stages: low, middle, and high.You  should be pumping on low mode, thereby  minimizing the vapours that are created while  you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have vapour return. If you are pumping on the fast  rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank  becomes vapour. Those vapours are being sucked  up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.


One of the most important tips is to fill up when  your Petrol tank is HALF FULL. The reason  for this is the more Petrol you have in your  tank the less air occupying its empty space.  petrol evaporates faster than you can imagine.  petrol storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between  the Petrol and the atmosphere, so it minimizes  the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here  where I work, every truck that we load is  temperature compensated so that every liter is actually the exact amount. 


Another reminder, if there is a petrol truck pumping  into the storage tanks when you stop to buy Petrol, DO NOT fill up; most likely  the petrol is being stirred up as the Petrol is being delivered, and you might pick up some of  the dirt that normally settles on the  bottom. 


To have an impact, we need to reach literally  millions of Petrol buyers. It's really simple to  do.

Haridas Guruji

Tansen was a great musician in the court of Emperor Akbar. One day, charmed by his music, Akbar said, "There is none who can equal you in music."

Tansen replied, "No, my lord, there is one person."

Akbar got curious. Tansen explained, "He is no ordinary person. His name is Haridas and he is a saint. He lives in Vrindavan and he is my guru."
...
Akbar wanted to invite Saint Haridas to the court to listen to his singing. Tansen replied, "He will not stir out of Vrindavan. Many have tried to persuade him but failed."

Akbar asked, "Can I hear his music? Can you take me there?"

Tansen replied, "If you are willing to come disguised as my disciple, I can take you there and I will try to make him sing."
Akbar immediately agreed.

So, a disguised Akbar and Tansen left for Vrindavan. On reaching the place of the saint, both of them paid their respects to the saint. The saint did not sing at all.

In the evening, Tansen started singing. While singing, he deliberately made a mistake. Immediately the saint corrected him and to explain the correction started singing. Akbar and Tansen sat spellbound listening to him. It was the most divine music that Akbar had ever heard.

After some time, the saint was absorbed in meditation and fell unconscious.

Akbar said, "You should be blessed to have such a teacher. How does he sing so well?"

Tansen replied, "He does not sing for mere mortals like us. He sings for God. That is why his music is so good."