The Cracked Pot

“A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in his master’s house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. “I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you. “Why?” asked the bearer. “What are you ashamed of?” “I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master’s house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts,” the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, “As we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.” Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it somewhat. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you’ve watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.”

Enjoy the way you are.
You will never be perfect, but you can always be at your best.

Samosa Vendor

In Delhi, there was a samosa vendor. His shop was in front of a big company. His samosa was so tasty.! Most of the employees use to eat that samosa at lunch time.

one day, a manager came to that samosa wala. while he was eating samosa he comes in the fun mood.

he asks a question – yaar Raju, you have maintained your shop so nicely.
you have good management skills. don’t you think that you are wasting
your talent and time by selling just samosas?

Think, if you were working like me in any big company. you would have been a manager like me isn’t ?

poor samosa wala… he smiled at the manager and said awesome lines.

sir, I thought my work is better that your work. do u know why?
10 year back I used to sell samosa in tokari (Leaf basket). the same time you got this job. That time I was earning Rs. 1000 in a month and your salary was 10K.
In this 10 years journey, we did progress a lot.
I owned a show shop and become famous samosa-wala in this area and you become a manager.
Now you are earning Rs. 1 lakh while I am earning same and sometimes more than you. so surely, I can say that my work is better than yours.
it’s because of my kids future.

Let me explain –
Please pay close attention to my word. I started my career at lowest income. my son doesn’t have to suffer the same. one day my son will take over my business. he doesn’t have to start from 0. he will get full flashed established business but in your case, the benefits will take by your boss kids, not by your kids.
you can not offer your same post to your son/daughter. they have to start from 0. Whatever you had suffered 10 years ago, your kids have to suffer the same.

my son will extend my business from now and when your kid will be manager my son will be far away.

Now tell me who is wasting the talent and time.

manager give 50 rs for two samosa’s and he didn’t speak any word and left.

Business Ethics

This is by Vikram Batra.

It’s always not about Business”

I was on Temporary duty to attend Republic Day parade in Delhi.
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I had to stay for two nights in Delhi. So, I stayed in hotel TAJ. I had specifically chosen the hotsel because of its location.

In the evening, I called the reception and requested them to get my dress ironed. After a while, the room service boy came to pick my dress. I handed over him my uniform for ironing. He was shocked to see my uniform and politely asked Sir, you are in Army. I replied yes, he immediately took out his mobile, and took selfie with me and said Sir, I am seeing an Army officer for the first time. I have seen them in movies only. He instantly stamped his feet and saluted. He said Jai Hind Sir and left.

After awhile, somebody knocked the door. I opened the door and to my amaze two beautiful girls were standing with their cell phones in hand. One of them said Sir, we request for one selfie. I didn’t knew how to react. I smiled like a fool. I gave them chocolates from the mini bar, as if they were kids. But you know, what nervousness can do to you. It stops the logical flow of thoughts.

At around 2100 Hrs, I Got a call from the reception, asking me if, I can come down for the dinner as it can’t be served in room, in an extremely polite manner. I went down to have dinner , then I noticed the real beauty of that place, amazingly awesome interior. Landing from the jungles of Kashmir, the ambience was too shinny for me. The moment I entered the main arena, to my surprise the entire staff was standing there.

The staff approached me with manager leading the contingent. The manager said- Welcome to our hotel Sir, It’s our pleasure to have you in our hotel, handing me the beautiful bouquet. The manager himself had dinner with me.

Next Day.

To my surprise, I was provided with a BMW car by the hotel for my move to “Rashtrapati Bhawan”. Frankly speaking, we are not used to such type of VIP treatment. We fauzis are more comfortable in our Gypsy.

Day of Check Out.

I went to the reception, handed over the card.

Receptionist: Thank you for your stay Sir. How was your stay?

Me: Stay was very comfortable. My Bill please.

Receptionist: Your stay has been sponsored by our hotel. You protect our Nation. So this is our small token of gratitude for you. We respect your patronage.

It was not about the saving money which made me feel good, but it was about the respect they have shown towards the “Olive Green”.

I was deeply touched by this gratitude, What a great nation we live in.

After that incident, I wrote to the CEO of TAJ group of hotels. Narrating the incident and appreciating the gesture shown by the Manager of TAJ Delhi.

To my surprise, I got a return mail from the CEO stating that TAJ group of hotels have decided to give discount to Army officers for their stay in TAJ hotels across the country.



Wow, what a way to pay the tribute and respect to the soldiers.

TATA has the best work ethics environment.

The best hotel experience I ever had in my life.

The Story of Watermelon

I am from the village of Parra in Goa, hence we are called Parrikars. My village is famous for its watermelons. When I was a child, the farmers would organise a watermelon-eating contest at the end of the harvest season in May. All the kids would be invited to eat as many watermelons as they wanted. Years later, I went to IIT Mumbai to study engineering. I went back to my village after 6.5 years. I went to the market looking for watermelons. They were all gone. The ones that were there were so small. I went to see the farmer who hosted the watermelon-eating contest. His son had taken over. He would host the contest but there was a difference. When the older farmer gave us watermelons to eat he would ask us to spit out the seeds into a bowl. We were told not to bite into the seeds. He was collecting the seeds for his next crop. We were unpaid child labourers, actually. He kept his best watermelons for the contest and he got the best seeds which would yield even bigger watermelons the next year. His son, when he took over, realised that the larger watermelons would fetch more money in the market so he sold the larger ones and kept the smaller ones for the contest.

The next year, the watermelons were smaller, the year later even small. In watermelons the generation is one year. In seven years, Parra's best watermelons were finished. In humans, generations change after 25 years. It will take us 200 years to figure what we were doing wrong while educating our children.

A Story by Manohar Parikh

You Reap What You Sow

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year old grandson. The old man’s hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table.  But the elderly grandfather’s shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.

The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. “We must do something about father,” said the son. “I’ve had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.”  So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl!  When the family glanced in Grandfather’s direction, sometime he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food.

The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, “What are you making?”  Just as sweetly, the boy responded, “Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up.” The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.

The words so struck the parents so that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done.

That evening the husband took Grandfather’s hand and gently led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.


Moral: You reap what you sow.Regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life.Always Respect, Care for and Love them

The Unknown Help

One stormy night many years ago, an elderly man and his wife entered the lobby of a small hotel in Philadelphia, USA. Trying to get out of the rain, the couple approached the front desk hoping to get some shelter for the night.

“Could you possibly give us a room here?” – the husband asked.

The clerk, a friendly man with a winning smile, looked at the couple and explained that there were three conventions in town. “All of our rooms are taken,” the clerk said. “But I can’t send a nice couple like you out into the rain at one o’clock in the morning. Would you perhaps be willing to sleep in my room? It’s not exactly a suite, but it will be good enough to make you folks comfortable for the night.”

When the couple declined, the young man pressed on. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll make out just fine,” the clerk told them.

So the couple agreed.

As he paid his bill the next morning, the elderly man said to the clerk, “You are the kind of manager who should be the boss of the best hotel. Maybe someday I’ll build one for you.”

The clerk looked at them and smiled. The three of them had a good laugh. As they drove away, the elderly couple agreed that the helpful clerk was indeed exceptional, as finding people who are both friendly and helpful isn’t easy.

Two years passed. The clerk had almost forgotten the incident when he received a letter from the old man. It recalled that stormy night and enclosed a round-trip ticket to New York, asking the young man to pay them a visit.

The old man met him in New York, and led him to the corner of Fifth Avenue and 34th Street. He then pointed to a great new building there, a pale reddish stone, with turrets and watchtowers thrusting up to the sky.

“That,” said the older man, “is the hotel I have just built for you to manage.”

“You must be joking.” – the young man said.

“I can assure you I am not.” – said the older man, a sly smile playing around his mouth.

The older man’s name was William Waldorf-Aster, and that magnificent structure was the original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. The young clerk who became its first manager was George C. Boldt. This young clerk never foresaw the turn of events that would lead him to become the manager of one of the world’s most glamorous hotels.


Don’t be afraid to reach and touch someone’s life, you never know who’s heart you may be touching

Heritage For Your Child

At the point of death, a man, Tom Smith, called his children and he advised them to follow his footsteps so that they can have peace of mind in all that they do..

His daughter, Sara, said,
"Daddy, its unfortunate you are dying without a penny in your bank..
Other fathers' that you tag as being corrupt, thieves of public funds left houses and properties for their children; even this house we live in is a rented apartment..
Sorry, I can't emulate you, just go, let's chart our own course..

Few moments later, their father gave up the spirit..

Three years later, Sara went for an interview in a multinational company..
At interview the Chairman of the committee asked,
"Which Smith are you..??"

Sara replied,
"I am Sara Smith. My Dad Tom Smith is now late.."

Chairman cuts in,
"O my God, you are Tom Smith's daughter..?"

He turned to the  other members and said,
"This Smith man was the one that signed my membership form into the Institute of Administrators and his recommendation earned me where I am today. He did all these free. I didn't even know his address, he never knew me. He just did it for me.."
He turned to Sara,
"I have no questions for you, consider yourself as having gotten this job, come tomorrow, your letter will be waiting for you.."

Sara Smith became the Corporate Affairs Manager of the company with two Cars with Drivers, A duplex attached to the office, and a salary of £1,00,000 per month excluding allowances and other costs..

After two years of working in the company, the MD of the company came from America to announce his intention to resign and needed a replacement. A personality with high integrity was sought after, again the company's Consultant nominated Sara Smith..

In an interview, she was asked the secret of her success,,

With tears, she replied, "My Daddy paved these ways for me. It was after he died that I knew that he was financially poor but stinkingly rich in integrity, discipline and honesty".

She was asked again, why she is weeping since she is no longer a kid as to miss her dad still after a long time..

She replied, "At the point of death, I insulted my dad for being an honest man of integrity. I hope he will forgive me in his grave now. I didn't work for all these, he did it for me to just walk in".

So, finally she was asked, "Will you follow your father's foot steps as he requested ?"

And her simple answer was, "l now adore the man, I have a big picture of him in my living room and at the entrance of my house. He deserves whatever I have after God".

Are you like Tom Smith..?
It pays to build a name, the reward doesn't come quickly but it will come however long it may take and it lasts longer..

Integrity, discipline, self control and fear of God makes a man wealthy, not the fat bank account..

Leave a good heritage for your children..