Dec 26, 2005

Same dough

"Everyone is kneaded out of the same dough but not baked in the same oven." - Yiddish Proverb -

Dec 19, 2005

Effective communication

Jack and Max are walking from religious service. Jack wonders whether it would be all right to smoke while praying.

Max replies, "Why don't you ask the Priest?"

So Jack goes up to the Priest and asks, "Priest,may I smoke while I pray?"

But the Priest says, "No, my son, you may not. That's utter disrespect to our religion."

Jack goes back to his friend and tells him what the good Priest told him.

Max says, "I'm not surprised. You asked the wrong question. Let me try."
And so Max goes up to the Priest and asks, " Priest, may I pray while I smoke?"

To which the Priest eagerly replies, "By all means, my son. By all means."

Moral : The reply you get depends on the question you ask.

For Example : Can I work on this project while I'm on vacation ?!?

Thank you Biju for sharing this.

Dec 8, 2005

To be of use

"The people I love the best
jump into work head first
without dallying in the shadows
and swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight...

I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart,
who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience,
who strain in the mud and the
muck to move things forward,
who do what has to be done, again and again...

The work of the world is common as mud.
botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust.
but the thing worth doing well done
has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident. ...

The pitcher cries for water to carry
and a person for work that is real..."

Author: Marge Piercy's poem in Dave Smith's book 'To Be of Use - the seven seeds of meaningful work'.

PS: I'm sure you will simply love this book - grab it from whereever you can! :-)