One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a big company. He passed the first interview, the director did the last interview, made the last decision. The director discovered from the CV that the youth's academic achievements were excellent all the way, from the secondary school until the postgraduate research, never had a year when he did not score.
The director asked, "Did you obtain any scholarships in school?" the youth answered "none". The director asked, " Was it your father who paid for your school fees?" The youth answered, "My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees.
The director asked, " Where did your mother work?" The youth answered, "My mother worked as clothes cleaner. The director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect.
The director asked, " Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?" The youth answered, "Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me.
The director said, "I have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning.*
The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands.
His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to the kid. The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. His tear fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water. This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay the school fee. The bruises in the mother's hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his graduation, academic excellence and his future. After finishing the cleaning of his mother hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother.
That night, mother and son talked for a very long time.
Next morning, the youth went to the director's office. The Director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes, asked: " Can you tell me what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?" The youth answered, " I cleaned my mother's hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes' The Director asked, " please tell me your feelings."
The youth said, Number 1, I know now what appreciation is. Without my Mother, there would not the successful me today.
Number 2, by working together and helping my mother, only I now realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done.
Number 3, I have come to appreciate the importance and value of family relationship.
The director said, "This is what I am looking for to be my manager. I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired.
Later on, this young person worked very hard, and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team.
The company's performance improved tremendously. A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wanted, would develop "entitlement mentality" and would always put himself first. He would be ignorant of his parent's efforts. When he starts work, he assumes that every person must listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never know the sufferings of his employees and would always blame others. For this kind of people, who may be good academically, may be successful for a while, but eventually would not feel sense of achievement. He will grumble and be full of hatred and fight for more. If we are this kind of protective parents, are we really showing love or are we destroying the kid instead?*
You can let your kid live in a big house, eat a good meal, learn piano, watch a big screen TV. But when you are cutting grass, please let them experience it. After a meal, let them wash their plates and bowls together with their brothers and sisters. It is not because you do not have money to hire a maid, but it is because you want to love them in a right way. You want them to understand, no matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair will grow gray, same as the mother of that young person. The most important thing is your kid learns how to appreciate the effort and experience the difficulty and learns the ability to work with others to get things done.
sent by Mr. Muralidhar
What a wonderful story, I sure had tears and thought of my mother.sent by Mr. Muralidhar
- VENKATARAMANI said...
- An excellent lesson to be followed by everybody especially by the younger generation.
- suriyan M R said...
- this piece reminds me my father who was brought up by his widowed mother's hard work. As the last paragraph states he made us to do all domestic jobs at home and he himself was model for us in sharing the domestic and other works. this virtue helps me in my life and profession to feel the responsibility of life. A nice narration indeed!!! I thank you for this suriyan M R
Thanks for sharing Mama.
Lots of luv,
Renu
- Anonymous said...
- Dear Sir Shri Vaithinathan Hariharan Namaskaram.I am greartly indebted to your esteemed self for providing me with keerthanais rendered by Carnatic stalwarts of old time. I am 58 years of age and I have an obsession of listening to songs that had great impact on me sung by particular musician. For example Enthavedukondu by V.V. Sadagopan. I even do not listen to any one rendering this song. That is my mind set. Through your esteemed self I am able to listen to particular songs by particular musician. I submit a request. "Nallothor Veenai Seithen" by Bharathi is an emotional packed song. Here you can find the righteous indignation, 'ROUDRAM', of Bharathi. This has been beautifully exposed by C.S.Jayaraman. He has rendered this song in the tune"Indru Poi Nalai Varai" of Sampoorna Ramayanam. If the song is available plese be kind enough to present it. I have the mail ID: rravinct@yahoo.co.in After getting the nod from your esteemed self I may disturb you again by submitting some more songs of Bharathi rendered by S.Janaki. Thank you Sir, with warm regars ravi.
- Anonymous said...
- Dear Sir Sri Vaithinathan Hariharan I was totally speechless when read my appeal in your columns. I am hapy taht my request has reached the perfect person. Through music one can transcend worldy affairs. Music develops Bhakthi and as far as I am concerned Bhakthi has more social impact than anythig.A true Bhaktha cannot harm or cannot disturb or cannot infringe on others rights and what not. Such a society will have fewer police stations and fewer courts.Prejudice and aimless mind set leads to terrorism and rivalry. This will not be there if the society develop piety. This can be achieved through music and in a nut shell thorugh your esteemed self. I am expecting the song of Bharathi that I wanted. "Ethanai Kodi Inbam Vaithai" is ful of Advaitham, making the Nature, the God. This is fully exposed only by Shrimati S.Janaki. Her singing is more than musical grammar.And another one by her,"Varuvai Varuvai Varuvai Kanna" is exceptinally emotional and par excellence. I have searching for these songs for more than 15 years, that were heard me through Radio,Local and Ceylon, nearly 30 years back. I hope these will be available at AIR and I am confident you can get them. Please excuse me if am disturbing you. More disturbances are to come and please bear with me.I feel sorry but I could not desist from the appeal as the songs are so close to my heart. Thank You, Sir, With warm regards ravi rravinct@yahoo.co.in rrarinct @gmail.com