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 A
group of frogs were hopping contentedly through the woods, going about
their froggy business, when two of them fell into a deep pit. All of
the other frogs gathered around the pit to see what could be done to
help their companions. When they saw how deep the pit was, the rest of
the dismayed group agreed that it was hopeless and told the two frogs
in the pit that they should prepare themselves for their fate, because
they were as good as dead.
Unwilling to accept this terrible fate, the two frogs began to jump with all of their might.
Some of the frogs shouted into the pit that it was hopeless and that
the two frogs would not be in that situation if they had been more
careful, more obedient to the froggy rules, and more responsible. The
other frogs continued sorrowfully shouting that they should save their
energy and give up, since they were already as good as dead.
The two frogs continued jumping as hard as they could and after several hours of desperate effort were quite weary.
Finally, one of the frogs took heed to the calls of his fellows.
Spent and disheartened, he quietly resolved himself to his fate, lay
down at the bottom of the pit and died as the others looked on in
helpless grief. The other frog continued to jump with every ounce of
energy he had, although his body was wracked with pain and he was
completely exhausted.
His companions began a new, yelling for him to accept his fate, stop
the pain and just die. The weary frog jumped harder and harder and -
wonder of wonders! Finally leapt so high that he sprang from the pit.
Amazed, the other frogs celebrated his miraculous freedom and then
gathering around him asked, "Why did you continue jumping when we told
you it was impossible?" Reading their lips, the astonished frog
explained to them that he was deaf and that when he saw their gestures
and shouting, he thought they were cheering him on. What he had
perceived as encouragement inspired him to try harder and to succeed against all odds.
This simple Frog story contains a powerful lesson. Your encouraging
or positive words can lift someone up and help him or her make it
through the day. Your destructive or negative words can cause deep
wounds; they may be the weapons that destroy someone's desire to
continue trying - or even their life. Your destructive, careless word
can diminish someone in the eyes of others, destroy their influence and
have a lasting impact on the way others respond to them.
Allah (SWT) says in the Holy Qur'an: "Have We not made for him two eyes, And a tongue and two lips?" (Surat Al-Balad, 90:8-9).
It is narrated that the Holy Prophet Mohammad (saw) has said: "Affliction caused by the tongue is worse than (that caused by) the strike of the blade of a sword."
Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your path
because a word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than an
hour of praise after success.
The power of words:
Words can be weapons. Words can wound, humiliate and inflict pain
far greater than physical violence. Words can be used to inflame
passions, to arouse anger, to declare war and to destroy. But just as
potent as they are as weapons, Words can also heal wounds and make
peace. They can be soothing to those in grief, they can offer hope to
those in despair. Indeed, well-chosen words have a power and a beauty
that can project well beyond one lifetime. Think of the great works of
literature that still enrich our lives today, centuries after they were
written.
It is sometimes hard to understand that an encouraging word can go
such a long way. Anyone can speak words that tend to rob another of the
spirit to continue in difficult times. Special is the individual who
will take the time to encourage another. It has been narrated that the
Holy Prophet Mohammad (saw) was asked: "O Messenger of Allah, which of
the Muslims is best?" and he relied, "He who the Muslims are safe from
his tongue and his hand." |
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 A
teenager lived alone with his father, and the two of them had a very
special relationship. The father believed in encouragement. Even though
the son was always on the bench, his father was always in the stands
cheering. He never missed a game.
This young man was the smallest of the class when he entered high school.
His father continued to encourage him but also made it very clear that he did not have to play football if he didn't want to.
But the young man loved football and decided to hang in there. He
was determined to try his best at every practice, and perhaps he would
get to play when he became a senior.
All through high school he never missed a practice or a game, but
remained a bench warmer all four years. His faithful father was always
in the stands, always with words of encouragement for him. When the
young man went to college, he decided to try out for the football team
as a "walk-on."
Everyone was sure he could never make the cut, but he did. The coach
admitted that he kept him on the roster because he always puts his
heart and soul to every practice, and at the same time, provided the
other members with the spirit and hustle they badly needed. The news
that he had survived the cut thrilled him so much that he rushed to the
nearest phone and called his father.
His father shared his excitement and was sent season tickets for all
the college games. This persistent young athlete never missed practice
during his four years at college, but he never got to play in the game.
It was the end of his senior football season, and as he trotted onto
the practice field shortly before the big play off game, the coach met
him with a telegram. The young man read the telegram and he became
deathly silent.
Swallowing hard, he mumbled to the coach, "My father died this morning. Is it all right if I miss practice today?"
The coach put his arm gently around his shoulder and said, "Take the
rest of the week off, son. And don't even plan to come back to the game
on Saturday." Saturday arrived, and the game was not going well.
In the third quarter, when the team was ten points behind, a silent
young man quietly slipped into the empty locker room and put on his
football gear. As he ran onto the sidelines, the coach and his players
were astounded to see their faithful team-mate back so soon.
"Coach, please let me play. I have just got to play today," said the young man.
The coach pretended not to hear him. There was no way he wanted his
worst player in this close playoff game. But the young man persisted,
and finally feeling sorry for young man, the coach gave in. "All
right," he said. "You can go in." Before long, the coach, the players
and everyone in the stands could not believe their eyes. This little
unknown, who had never played before, was doing everything right. The
opposing team could not stop him. He ran, he passed, blocked and
tackled like a star. His team began to triumph.
The score was soon tied. In the closing seconds of the game, this
young man intercepted a pass and ran all the way for the winning
touchdown. The fans broke loose. His team-mates hoisted him onto their
shoulders. Such cheering you have never heard!
Finally, after the stands had emptied and the team had showered and
left the locker room, the coach noticed that the young man was sitting
quietly in the corner all alone. The coach came to him and said, "Young
man, I can't believe it. You were fantastic! Tell me what got into you?
How did you do it?"
Young man looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes, and said,
"Well, you knew my dad died, but did you know that my dad was blind?"
The young man swallowed hard and forced a smile, "Dad came to all my
games, but today was the first time he could see me play, and I wanted
to show him I could do it!"
Remember:
- "Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try."
- "Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished
by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at
all."
- "Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow."
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 A
well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a dollar
twenty ($20) bill, in the room of two hundred (200) people. Speaker
asked, "Who would like this dollar twenty ($20) bill?" Hands started
going up.
Speaker said, "I am going to give this dollar twenty ($20) bill to
one of you but first, let me do this." He proceeded to crumple up the
dollar twenty ($20) bill. He asked, "Who still wants it?" Still hands
were up in the air.
"Well, what if I do this?" He dropped it on the ground and started
to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled
and dirty and asked, "Who still wants it?" Still hands went up into the
air.
My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter
what was done to the money, it was still wanted because it did not
decrease in value. It was still worth dollar twenty ($20).
Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled and ground into
the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our
way. We may feel as though we are worthless and useless.
But no matter what has happened or will happen, you will never lose your value: dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who love you. |
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