How to remove your label given by others?(Overcoming blindspots)

Worth reading......

I sat in my chair quietly next to my Mom & Dad as my grade 4 teacher gave them an update on my progress at school.

“Your child is a slow learner”, said the school teacher quietly.

I held my breath & sank a little lower into my chair.

 I looked up at my dad to see if he was in trouble. 

My father glanced down, smiled & gave me a quick wink 😉 .

On the way home from the Parent-Teacher meeting, I thought about what Mrs. Shastri had called me – ‘Slow Learner’. 

Deep down I knew that what she really meant was that I was dumb.

Later that evening, my Mom & Dad came into my room carrying a piece of paper & a pen.

They sat down on the side of the bed & said, “Want to talk to you about what Mrs. Shastri said today ?”

“A Slow Learner”, I replied.

I had already taken the words to heart.

“That’s right”, said my dad as my mother wrote the words ‘Slow Learner’ on the piece of paper.

My parents then held up the piece of paper in front of me & purposefully tore it into two.

My eyes 😳 widened in surprise.

“Mrs. Shastri was wrong”, said my parents as they continued to tear the paper into smaller & smaller pieces.

“You’re not a slow learner.”

“I’m not ?”

“No & starting tomorrow, you & we are going to show that Mrs. Shastri was wrong, OK ?”

“OK”, I hugged my mom, snuggled down into my pillow & fell asleep with a smile 😊 on my face & a warm glow in my 💖 heart.

From that day on, my parents spent one hour per day helping me with my reading & writing. 

By the end of the year, I was doing much better at school & interestingly no one ever labeled me as a ‘Slow Learner’ again.

My parents knew that when a child receives a label from a person in authority such as a teacher or parent, they often take that label to heart & it becomes a part of their self-identity for the rest of their lives.

To avoid this from happening to their child, my parents created a tangible representation of the ‘Slow Learner’ label & tore it up it in front of me so that the label would not become a part of a child’s self-concept.

Today I would like to thank my Mom & Dad.

Think about the labels that people have given to you, your kids in the past & at present.

Perhaps you were given a label by one of your parents, your best friend, your teacher, your spouse or your boss. 

What is the label that resonates in your mind ??? 

Is there a label that has become part of your self-identity because a person in a position of authority gave it to you ??? 

If so, write this label down on a blank sheet of paper & hold it up to see it for what it really is – A Label.

It is a label – nothing more. 

It is not a part of you & you do not have to accept it as a part of your identity any longer.

As you begin to see the label for what it really is – Rip it in half & enjoy the feeling of destroying the label once & for all.

When you do this exercise, you will feel a surge of motivation to take action to ensure that no one attempts to give you this label again in the future.

Just as my parents took action & helped me with my school work, make sure you follow through & do whatever you need to do to eliminate the remnants of the label from your life forever.

REMEMBER....

SOMEBODY'S OPINION ABOUT YOU DOESN'T HAVE TO BECOME YOUR REALITY !!

A teacher's / a Parent's purpose is not to create children in his own image, but to develop children who can create their own image.. 🙏 good day .

By,

Shaina...

A little boy wanted to meet God. 

He packed his suitcase with two sets of his dress and some packets of Cakes and he stared his journey. 

He walked a long and felt tired.

So,he sat in a park on the way and opened a packet to take a cake to eat. 

Then he noticed an old woman sitting sad with hunger nearby, so he offered her a piece of cake.

She gratefully accepted it with a wide look and smiled at him. 

Her smile was so pretty that the boy longed to see it again. 

After some time he offered her another piece of cake.

 Again, she accepted it and smiled at him.

The boy was delighted! 

They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.

While it grew dark, the boy was frightened and he up got to leave but before he had gone more than a few steps, he ran back and gave her a hug and she kissed him with her prettiest smile.

When the boy opened the door, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. 

She asked him, “What did you do today that made you look so happy?”

He replied,” I had lunch with God.”

Before, his mother could respond, he added, “You know what? She’s got the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen in my life!”

Meanwhile,the old woman, also radiant with joy, returned to her home. 

Her son was stunned by the look of peace on her face and asked, “Mom, what did you do today that made you so happy?

“She replied, “I ate cakes in the park with God.” 

Before his son responded, she added,”You know, he’s much younger than I expected.”

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile,a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

Remember, nobody knows how God will look like.

 People come into our lives for a reason, for a season, or for a lifetime. 

Accept all of them equally! 

AND LET THEM SEE GOD IN YOU!!!!!

By,

Shaina...

One day, a Donkey and a Tiger got into an argument over the color of the grass.

​

“The grass is blue,” said the Donkey.

​

“That’s ridiculous,” replied the Tiger. “The grass is clearly green.”

​

When the argument grew more and more intense, they decided to find the Lion, King of the Jungle, to settle the debate.

​

When they approached the Lion, the Donkey exclaimed, “Your Highness, isn’t it true that the grass is blue?”

​

“Yes,” the Lion calmly answered, “The grass is blue.”

​

Not yet satisfied, the Donkey continued, “The Tiger disagrees and argues with me. You must punish him.”

​

The Lion nodded, “I will. The Tiger will be punished with a year of silence.”

​

The Donkey walked off into the jungle, celebrating his victory.

​

Before the Tiger turned to leave, he looked up at the Lion. “Your Highness, why have you punished me? After all, you must see the grass is clearly green.”

​

The Lion nodded, “Yes, of course the grass is green.”

​

“Then why am I being punished?” asked the Tiger.

​

“Because someone as wise as you should never waste time proving anything to a fool.”

Bye,

Shaina...

 Hurrah!! It's my 100th post on our blog.

Ivy, a firefly unlike any other, 

possessed a light so faint it was almost invisible.

While her siblings' lights danced joyfully in the twilight meadows,

Ivy hid amongst moonflower petals, 

her luminescence a mere flicker. 

She believed her spark too small, insignificant, unworthy of attention. 

She felt like a tiny, flickering candle in a stadium of blazing spotlights.

 She felt like a meme that didn't quite catch on... 😔

The dazzling displays of the other fireflies seemed to mock her quiet glow.

One night, a wise old owl, perched high on an oak branch, noticed Ivy's hidden sorrow. 

His amber eyes pierced the petals, seeing the trembling light within.

 He hooted softly, his voice a gentle rustle in the night air.

"Little one," he called, 

his voice carried on the breeze, 

"Why do you hide your light?"

Ivy, startled, confessed her fears.

 "My light is dim," she whispered, 

"not bright enough to be seen. I'm not worthy of celebration."

The owl chuckled, a low rumble in his chest.

 "My dear," he said, 

"your light is unique.

 It's not about intensity, 

but the warmth it holds.

 Each firefly's glow is a precious jewel,

 reflecting the night's beauty. 

Some shine brilliantly, 

others softly; 

both illuminate the darkness equally."

He shared a secret: 

"The most beautiful nights aren't those with the brightest displays, 

but those where every light,

 however small, 

shines bravely. 

Your gentle glow is a beacon of peace, a quiet comfort in the vastness of night. 

Embrace your uniqueness; 

it's your special gift."

Touched by the owl's words, Ivy emerged.

 She took a deep breath and let her light shine.

 It wasn't dazzling,

 but a soft, 

Steady beacon, 

a comforting presence amidst the vibrant chaos of the other fireflies. 

Joining their dance, 

she discovered her gentle glow was cherished,

bringing a unique harmony, 

a quiet beauty the brighter lights had overlooked. 

From that night on, Ivy never hid her light again.

She learned true brilliance isn't about being brightest, 

but about shining authentically, 

embracing her unique spark.

Ivy started showing her trueself to the world!

The moral of the story is: 

Embrace your uniqueness, even if it feels different or "less than." True beauty and value lie in being authentic and celebrating your own individual spark, rather than trying to conform to others' expectations.

Sometimes,we never find such wise souls to push us and enlighten us.

Be your own motivation

Embrace yourself and enjoy every moment of this precious life!

By,

Shaina...

 ‘Why is it that some people can resolve the most complicated problems really easily, whilst others agonize over every tiny crisis and end up drowning in a glass of water?’ I asked.

Ivan replied by telling the following story:

‘Once upon a time, there was a man who had been the soul of kindness all his life.

When he died, everyone assumed that he would go straight to Heaven, for the only possible place for a good man like him was Paradise.

The man wasn’t particularly bothered about going to Heaven, but that was where he went.

Now in those days, service in heaven was not all that it might be.

The reception desk was extremely inefficient, and the girl who received him gave only a cursory glance through the index cards before her and when she couldn’t find the man’s name, she sent him straight to Hell.

And in Hell no one asks to check your badge or your invitation, for anyone who turns up is invited in. The man entered and stayed.

Some days later, Lucifer stormed up to the gates of Heaven to demand an explanation from St Peter.

“What you’re doing is pure terrorism!” he said. 

“You sent that man down into Hell, and he’s completely undermining me! Right from the start, there he was listening to people, looking them in the eye, talking to them.

“And now everyone’s sharing their feelings and hugging and kissing. 

That’s not the sort of thing I want in Hell! Please, let him into Heaven!’

When Ivan had finished telling the story, he looked at me fondly and said:

‘Live your life with so much love in your heart that if,

 by mistake,

 you were sent to Hell, 

the Devil himself would deliver you up to Paradise.’

By,

Shaina...

 A wild donkey once lived in the woods.

 He had no friends and lived all alone.

One day a jackal passing by saw the donkey. 

He went up to the donkey and said, “What is the matter? Why do you look so sad my dear fellow?"

The donkey turned to the jackal and said, “I have no friends and am very lonely."

“Well, don't worry. I will be your friend from today," the jackal comforted him.

From that day, the donkey and jackal became very good friends. 

They were always seen together.

One moonlit evening, the jackal and the donkey were strolling through the woods. 

It was a cool and pleasant evening. 

As they walked on, they came to the outskirts of a village bordering the woods. 

There in front of them was a grove of fruit trees.

“Ah. Look! How wonderful and delicious the fruits look," said the donkey. “Let’s eat some of them."

They entered the grove and silently started to eat the fruits.

 After eating enough, they lay under a tree happy and content. 

“That was delicious, but there is something missing tonight," said the donkey.

“What is that?" asked the jackal. 

“Why, music of course," answered the donkey, looking a little surprised.

The jackal asked, “Where are we going to get music from?"

 The donkey said. “Don’t you know that I am an accomplished singer?"

The jackal was alarmed.

 "Remember, we are in an orchard. If the farmer hears us, we will be in trouble. If you want to sing let us go away from here," he advised the donkey.

"You think I can't sing, don't you?" asked the donkey in a hurt voice.

“Wait till you hear me."

The jackal realised that the donkey was not willing to take his good advice. 

He moved away and hid himself behind a clump of trees.

 The donkey threw back his head and started his song.

 “He …haw, hee-haw," he brayed aloud.

The farmers hearing the loud braying came rushing with sticks and gave the foolish donkey a severe beating that left the donkey feeling sore all over.

After the farmers had left, the jackal went over to his friend. 

He said,“Is this the prize you won for your singing?"

“They don’t appreciate good music," replied a hurt and ashamed donkey.

The jackal replied. “This is what happens when you don’t listen to the advice given by a good friend. I hope you have learnt a lesson."

By,Shaina...

 Hello folks,

Hope you have an extraordinary day.I am back with another short story.

Many times we try to Imitate others,thinking its too easy to copy them rather than being our own unique self......

And here comes our short story.....

Long ago, a hawk lived on the top of a hill. 

At the foot of the hill there was a banyan tree on which a crow used to perch everyday.

 The crow was very foolish.

 He would imitate everyone. 

The hawk atop the hill would fly down everyday in search of food.

 The crow watched the hawk circling in the air for long hours and swooping down when he saw his prey. 

The hawk gifted with eyes that could see long distances would spot his prey from the hill top and then fly down to pounce upon the prey. 

The crow watched the hawk thinking, “Hunh! If the hawk can do that, I too can. What does he think? One day, I will show the hawk that I can do the same thing." 

A few days later, as the hawk was circling in the air, the crow decided to do the same. 

Suddenly a baby rabbit came out of the bushes.

 The hawk saw it and the crow too saw the rabbit. 

Before the crow could move, the hawk swooped down, caught hold of the rabbit in his strong sharp talons and flew away. 

“Swoosh!" was all the crow heard as the hawk disappeared in the sky with his prey. 

“Hmmph! That is no great skill," thought the crow, angrily. 

Next moment he spotted a big fat mouse coming out of a hole.

 Without wasting time, the crow swooped down. Like the hawk he tried to catch the mouse in his claws. 

But the mouse saw the crow and moved away, the crow crashed against the hill. 

“Eeeaaa!" cried the crow in pain. 

Just then the hawk came flying down. 

“I hope, now you know it is not easy to hunt and it is not easy to imitate, either," said the hawk and flew away. 

There after, the crow never imitated any one in its life.

 It lived happily with the god-given abilities.

THE END.

BE YOUR OWN UNIQUESELF!!!

By,Shaina....

When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand and said, I’ve got something to tell you. 

She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes.

Overconfidence 

Overconfidence will often be punished by embarrassing failure.

You know the old fable of the Tortoise and the Hare:

Once upon a time a tortoise and a hare had an argument about who was faster.