You Think You Are Unlucky?

You Think You Are Unlucky?

Please read these incidents. They will make you feel better. I am not saying these are the unluckiest people in history. I am aware and realize there are starving children and cancer victims in this world.

World Trade Center was previously bombed in 1993. FBI was investigating the case. They found that the criminals used a rented van in New Jersey for transportation. They found the car rental agency. Several FBI and police officers were in that area including in front of the car rental agency. Who walks in there? One of the criminals who rented the van. Why did he come? To collect his deposit for the van. The FBI arrested him.

Evelyn Adams won the New Jersey lottery twice, in 1984 and 1986. He won almost $6 million. He squandered all the money. Today he is homeless.

Richard Nixon. In June 1972, five men were arrested for attempting to burglarize the Democratic Party Headquarters. No big deal. No one complained. They were considered ordinary simple thieves. Police searched the hotel room they were staying. They found a check written by E. Howard Hunt for $6.36 to a local country club. He apparently forgot to mail that check.

E. Howard Hunt was a Consultant to the White House. Now police and the newspaper reporters are wondering about the connection between a White House Consultant and these 5 burglars.

The burglars were not allowed to make any phone calls. Just like our Tamil movies, 2 lawyers appeared at the police station claiming to represent these 5 burglars. Now the police and newspaper reporters are puzzled as to how these 2 lawyers knew about these arrests.

We all know the rest of the story.

In Atlanta, a guy went to rob a bank. The bank manager pressed the silent alarm to let the police know about it. The police car came and was waiting outside the bank to catch the robber. The robber’s get away car was in front of the police car. This robber came outside running with his loot and directly got inside the car. Inside the police car.

On October 7 of last year, Somali pirates thought that they were storming and attacking a cargo vessel. They could not see the ship in the darkness of the night. The ship they really try to attack was French Navy’s 18,000 tonne flagship. It was there in the Indian Ocean to oversee other French naval ships involved in anti-piracy mission.

Next time you think you are unlucky, remember this post.

If you have similar stories, please tell us.

(In my humble opinion, lucky people are more relaxed and open. They produce good fortune through 3 ways. They are very good at noticing chance opportunities. They make the lucky decisions through intuition. They develop an attitude that coverts bad luck into good luck. I consider myself very lucky.)

Belief

What do we really believe? These can be categorized into 3 different convictions.

Public Convictions – It is what we say we believe in. The most perfect example is a politician’s statements and promises. Even we ourselves tell others what we believe in even though we really don’t. For example some of us say we believe in helping our friends when they have a need. But how many of us help when a friend really needs our help. Public convictions can be a lip service.

One company boasts “we believe we are successful when our clients are successful”. May be true. I don’t know. Public Relations people are expert in this field.

Private Convictions – It is what we think we believe in. We seriously think we believe in something but when the situation comes we change our mind. I know an elderly couple who encouraged inter-caste marriage when it happened in their friends circle. But when their own son married a girl outside their caste, they were furious. Our emotions can change our private convictions.

When someone is ill, most of us pray God for a quick recovery. But, still, we go and see a doctor. Same goes for exams. We go to the temple the previous day and pray God. At the same time, we study hard.

Core Convictions – What we reveal by our actions. Our daily actions will tell a lot about our core convictions. It really tells us who we are and what we believe in. Take for example the following actions:

When crossing a street, someone helps a blind person cross the street. Giving up a seat in the bus so that a pregnant woman can sit. Helping a friend even before he/she asks for it (or even better when helping a complete stranger something like whodunit).

While writing this. I am reminded of this story/incident.

Aadi Shankaracharya (I am not talking about modern day Shankaracharyas) once visited Banaras. He wanted to test people’s belief that a dip in the sacred river Ganges wipes off the sins. He fell down near the river and pretended to have fits. Lot of people who were returning after taking a dip in Ganges came forward to help him. But Aadi Shankaracharya said only those people who have no sin should help him. If someone with sin touches him, that person’s head will break into thousand pieces. No one wanted to go near Aadi Shankaracharya.

Then came a low caste cobbler. He offered to help Aadi Shankaracharya. Aadi Shankaracharya reminded him about how his head would break into thousand pieces if he has any sins. The cobbler told him not to worry and he has no sins. Aadi Shankaracharya was surprised. He asked the cobbler how come he was so sure. The cobbler replied: I just took a dip in river Ganges so all my sins have been wiped out.

Then he touched Aadi Shankaracharya and helped him.

It would be nice if we all have many core convictions.

To Lie Or Not To Lie

Our parents always taught us not to lie. Then they started to lie to us about anything and everything. We then learnt sometimes lying is acceptable. Sometimes it is not acceptable.

Lying is a good thing. But lawyers and politicians gave lying a bad name because they are professional liars (Except of course our Neha and Sanand).

Thirukural says: Telling a lie is not good but one can do so if it is going to be beneficial for the good of all.

It is acceptable to lie when someone asks you “How are you doing?”. You lie and say “I am alright or fine”. You don’t want to say what things have gone wrong for you. And, the person who asked you in the first place is not interested in any of these details.

Lying is recommended when someone asks you if he/she looks old or looks fat. It is highly recommended when someone asks you if someone can see his bald spot. It will make them happy.

Lying is a MUST if someone’s wife or girl friend asks “How do I look in this dress”. Go ahead. Lie. She is an important person in your life. Make her happy.

Exaggeration is also a form of lying. If you tell someone something for 5 times and then say I told you a thousand time, it is a lie. Another form of lying is withholding information. You might tell a loved one that you were out meeting a friend, but in reality, after meeting the friend, you went to a bar.

But perjury is a crime. Perjury is lying under oath.

Adolf Hitler’s Minister for Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels believed if you tell the same lie for a thousand times it automatically becomes a fact.

However, it is easy to find out if someone is lying. When they lie, they don’t look you in the eye. They smile or have a strange laugh if you ask them whether they are lying.

But we should never lie to a doctor. I can tell you two real incidents that happened to people known to us.

A friend of ours went to see a doctor. The doctor asked how is his blood sugar level. He said it is under control. The doctor then asked what is his fasting blood sugar level. My friend did not know. So he wanted to lie. He got confused with the numbers of cholesterol and blood sugar level. So he said his fasting blood sugar level is 180. The doctor was stunned. Fasting blood sugar level should be below 120. If it is more than that, you are diabetic. (It is good if your cholesterol level is below 200.)

Another friend of ours went to see a doctor. The doctor asked “have you ever had a colonoscopy”. He had no idea what the doctor was asking. Therefore, my friend said “yes I have had”. The doctor asked when he had colonoscopy. My friend said “I do not remember”. The doctor immediately knew my friend was lying. The doctor told him “if you ever had a colonoscopy, it is an experience you will never forget that easily in your lifetime”.

Therefore, my friends, it is OK to lie in certain places and to certain people. But please lie in moderation.