Hold a door. Save a spot

Received in WhatsApp Group

Let this story reach more hearts💚

"My name's Raymond. I'm 73. I work the parking lot at St. Joseph's Hospital. Minimum wage, orange vest, a whistle I barely use. Most people don't even look at me. I'm just the old man waving cars into spaces.

But I see everything.

Like the black sedan that circled the lot every morning at 6 a.m. for three weeks. Young man driving, grandmother in the passenger seat.

Chemotherapy, I figured. He'd drop her at the entrance, then spend 20 minutes hunting for parking, missing her appointments.

One morning, I stopped him. "What time tomorrow?"

"6:15," he said, confused.

"Space A-7 will be empty. I'll save it."

He blinked. "You... you can do that?"

"I can now," I said.

Next morning, I stood in A-7, holding my ground as cars circled angrily. When his sedan pulled up, I moved. He rolled down his window, speechless. "Why?"

"Because she needs you in there with her," I said. "Not out here stressing."

He cried. Right there in the parking lot.

Word spread quietly. A father with a sick baby asked if I could help. A woman visiting her dying husband. I started arriving at 5 a.m., notebook in hand, tracking who needed what. Saved spots became sacred. People stopped honking. They waited. Because they knew someone else was fighting something bigger than traffic.

But here's what changed everything, A businessman in a Mercedes screamed at me one morning. "I'm not sick! I need that spot for a meeting!"

"Then walk," I said calmly. "That space is for someone whose hands are shaking too hard to grip a steering wheel."

He sped off, furious. But a woman behind him got out of her car and hugged me. "My son has leukemia," she sobbed. "Thank you for seeing us."

The hospital tried to stop me. "Liability issues," they said. But then families started writing letters. Dozens. "Raymond made the worst days bearable." "He gave us one less thing to break over."

Last month, they made it official. "Reserved Parking for Families in Crisis." Ten spots, marked with blue signs. And they asked me to manage it.

But the best part? A man I'd helped two years ago, his mother survived, came back. He's a carpenter. Built a small wooden box, mounted it by the reserved spaces. Inside? Prayer cards, tissues, breath mints, and a note,

"Take what you need. You're not alone. -Raymond & Friends"

People leave things now. Granola bars. Phone chargers. Yesterday, someone left a hand-knitted blanket.

I'm 73. I direct traffic in a hospital parking lot. But I've learned this: Healing doesn't just happen in operating rooms. Sometimes it starts in a parking space. When someone says, "I see your crisis. Let me carry this one small piece."

So pay attention. At the grocery checkout, the coffee line, wherever you are. Someone's drowning in the little things while fighting the big ones.

Hold a door. Save a spot. Carry the weight no one else sees.

It's not glamorous. But it's everything."

Let this story reach more hearts💚

Coming from my heart: 

My slutations to Raymond for his thought provoking act of kindness. 

.

Choose Decency over Indifference

Story Received in Whats App. Author Unknown. 

At a party held at a school for children with special needs, one father stood up to speak. What he said stayed with everyone who heard it.

After thanking the staff who worked with such devotion, he paused and shared a reflection: “When nothing disturbs the balance of nature, the natural order reveals itself in perfect harmony.”

Then his voice began to tremble.

“But my son Herbert doesn’t learn like other children. He doesn’t understand like they do. So tell me… where is the natural order in his life?”

The room fell completely silent.

Then he continued: “I believe that when a child like Herbert is born—with a physical or cognitive disability—the world is given a rare and sacred opportunity: To reveal the very core of the human spirit. And that spirit is revealed not through perfection—but in how we treat those who need us most.”

He shared a moment he would never forget:

One afternoon, he and Herbert were walking past a field where some boys were playing soccer. Herbert looked longingly at them and asked: “Dad… do you think they’ll let me play?”

The father’s heart sank. He knew the answer was likely no. But he also knew—if they said yes—it could give his son something far more valuable than a goal: a sense of belonging.

So he gently approached one of the boys and asked: “Would it be okay if Herbert joined the game?”

The boy looked over at his teammates, hesitated, then smiled: “We’re losing 3–0 and there’s ten minutes left… Sure. Let him take a penalty.”

Herbert lit up. He ran to the bench, put on a jersey that nearly swallowed him whole, and beamed with pride. His father stood at the sidelines, tears in his eyes.

He didn’t play much. He just stood nearby, watching. But something in the boys shifted. They began to see him—not as a distraction, but as one of them.

And then, in the final minute, a miracle happened. Herbert’s team was awarded a penalty kick.

The same boy turned to the father and gave a knowing nod: “It’s his shot.”

Herbert walked slowly to the ball, nervous but radiant. The goalkeeper caught on. He made a show of diving to the side, giving the boy a clear shot. Herbert nudged the ball gently forward. It rolled across the goal line.

Goal.

The boys erupted in cheers. They hoisted Herbert into the air like he’d won the World Cup. They didn’t just let him play. They let him belong.

The father closed his speech with tears falling freely: “That day, a group of boys made a decision… not to win, but to be human. To show the world what kindness, dignity, and love really look like.”

Herbert passed away that winter. He never saw another summer. But he never forgot the day he was a hero.

And his father never forgot the night he came home, telling the story as his wife held Herbert close, weeping—not from sorrow, but from joy.

A final thought:

Every day, we scroll past distractions—memes, jokes, quick laughs.

But when something truly meaningful crosses our path, we hesitate.

We wonder: Who would understand this? Who should I send this to?

If you happen to read this story, it’s because it is believed you’re one of those people. That you see the heart in others. That you understand what really matters. Because each day, the world gives us countless chances to choose decency over indifference.

As one wise man said: “A society is judged by how it treats its most vulnerable.”

Have an Attitude of Gratitude

 (Author unknown. Received in WhatsApp)

Nearby, a building construction work was going on.

Lots of poor labourers were working there and their small children used to hold on to one another's shirt and play "train-train".

Someone would become the engine and others would become bogies.

Every day, these children used to take turns becoming the engine and bogies.

But, there was one small boy wearing only a half pant who used to hold one small green cloth in his hand and become the guard daily.

So, once I went to him and asked him, "son, don't you also wish to become an engine or a bogie some time?"

He softly replied, "Sir, I don't have a shirt to wear so how will the other children catch me to make the train?"

I could see the slight wetness in his eyes.

But, it taught me a lesson. He could have cried and sat at home and sulked that his parents could not afford to buy him a shirt.

But instead, he chose another way to play and enjoy himself.

In life, we don't get all things we desire and we keep complaining.

I don't have a bike, I don't have car, I don't have a big house, etc, etc.

Life is like that. It is upto us to make it beautiful and be grateful for what we have ..🙏🏼

My two cents:
When things do not work for us or when things go wrong in our lives, we tend to go in a depression making it increasingly difficult to be grateful for what we have. It requires an effort to have an attitude of gratitude at such times. But studies show that thankfulness increases levels of happiness and decreases levels of depression. Making thankfulness a daily routine makes it easy to have an attitude of gratitude at troubled times.

Do what is right

Received in WhatsApp

I heard this story once about a teacher who let a fish out of its bowl & left a classroom of children as it flopped around. Telling them that if anyone left their seat, they would be expelled.

All of the children sat and watched as this fish flopped gasping for air, not wanting to get up in order to avoid getting in trouble.

Finally, a girl sprang up from her seat & ran to the fish, placing it back in the bowl.

Ultimately, she was the only one who refused to watch the fish die.

When the teacher returned, he told the class that this was a lesson.

That the fear of getting in trouble should never stop you from doing what is right. That sometimes you may have to oppose authority & group think, simply because it's the right thing to do.

It is not just enough to know what is the right thing to do, one must also have the courage to do it. It isn't always easy, many a times its real hard, but thats the way it is. Doing the right thing is always right. 

Teacher, the Hero

(Received in WhatsApp. If you happen to be the author, please comment below. Due credits will be given)

A young man saw his primary school teacher on a wedding.

He went to greet him with all the respect and admiration.

He said to him:

"Do you remember me, Teacher?"

The teacher said: "No, please introduce yourself."

The student said: "I was your student in the 3rd Grade, I am the one who stole the watch of a child in the classroom. I will remind you but I am sure you remember the story."

“One of the boys in my class had a beautiful watch, so I decided to steal it. He came to you crying that someone had stolen his watch. You asked us to stand so as to search our pockets. I realized that my action would be exposed in front of the Students and Teachers.

 I will be called a thief, a liar and my character will be shattered forever.

You asked us to stand and face the wall and close our eyes completely. You went searching from pocket to pocket, and when you reached my pocket you pulled the watch out of my pocket, and you continued until you searched the last student.

After you finished you asked us to open our eyes and to sit on our chairs.

I was afraid you will expose me in front of the students.

You showed the watch to the class, and gave it back to the boy, and you never mentioned the name of the one who stole the watch.

You never said a word to me, and you never mentioned the story to anyone.

Throughout my school life, none of the teachers nor the students talked about me stealing the watch.

I thought to myself you saved my dignity that day."

The teacher said: "I can't remember who stole the watch that day, because I searched the pockets of all of you while my eyes were also closed."

Education needs wisdom. We should be able to be such Teachers, such Parents, such Leaders and be able to be for people in such circumstances.

We should always calculate the consequences of our actions. 

Protecting and reforming is tougher than exposing and expelling!

Keep your Eyes and Ears open

(Received in WhatsApp. Author unknown. If you are the author, please get in touch)

ANYONE CAN TEACH US SOMETHING NEW!

Why the name AUTO for the most popular vehicle in Chennai?

(For the uninitiated, AUTO, in Indian cities refers to mechanically operated rickshaws, otherwise known as auto-rickshaw) 

One early morning some time in 2016, on reaching Central Station from Coimbatore, I engaged an Auto to go home.

The Auto driver appeared to be a well informed person. I struck up a conversation with him enquiring about competition that he faced from call taxis. He admitted that it was tough but was confident that autos would survive. While he pointed out the short life of call taxi companies like Bharathi, NTL, Friends etc. he was confident that Autos would survive.

Suddenly he asked me whether I knew the meaning of "Auto".

I said "No".

He surprised me with his explanation.

"During the British Rule, medicines were transported to hospitals from the Central medical Depots initially by hand pulled rickshaws, then by pedalled tricycle rickshaws.

At that time an enterprising Sardar from Jallandar fixed a motor to the cycle rickshaw which was used to draw water. After making innovative alterations to the vehicle, it was faster & could carry heavier loads.

So, the British Government Invested in more such motorised vehicles to transport urgent life saving medicines to hospitals.

These were called "An Urgent Transport Option".

The AUTO became very popular and slowly they were used for various other purposes including transporting passengers.

Over the period, this was modified technically and in appearance."

I realized that to gain knowledge, one has to keep one's Eyes and Ears open always because we never know from where it comes to us!

Should you compare?

(Received in WhatsApp Group. Due credits to whoever has authored this)

Comparisons

Shweta covered a distance of 10 km in one hour.

Akash covered the same distance in one and a half hours.

Which of the two is faster and healthier??

Of course our answer will be Shweta.

What if we say that Shweta covered this distance on a prepared track while Akash did it by walking on a sandy path???

Then our answer will be Akash.

But when we come to know that Shweta is 50 years old while Akash is 25 years old??

Then our answer will be Shweta again.

But we also come to know that Akash's weight is 140 kg while Shweta's weight is 65 kg.

Again our answer will be Akash

As we learn more about Akash and Shweta, our opinions and judgments about who is better will change.

The reality of life is also similar. We form opinions very superficially and hastily, due to which we are not able to do justice to ourselves and others.

Opportunities vary.

Life is different.

Resources differ.

Problems change.

Solutions are different.

Therefore the excellence of life is not in comparing with anyone but in testing oneself.

You are the best. Stay as you are and keep trying your best according to your circumstances.

Stay healthy, stay cool, stay satisfied, keep smiling, keep laughing, keep on serving society and the country.

 (WhatsApp forward)

To all the wonderful moms:

We tend to care a lot and hence want to decide everything for our family members. Sometimes it stresses us too. This mom teaches us how to overcome it.

LESSON FOR LIFE💝

My mom felt exhausted. She was irritable and grumpy, until one day, suddenly, she changed.

One day my dad said to her:  I'm going to have a few beers with friends.

My mom replied:  Okay.

My brother said to her:  I'm doing poorly in all subjects in college.

My mom replied:  Okay, you will recover, and if you don't, you repeat the semester, but you pay the tuition.

My sister said to her:  I smashed the car.

My mom replied:  Okay, take it to the car shop & get it fixed.

All of us were worried to see these reactions coming from mom. We suspected that she had gone to the doctor and was prescribed some pills called "I don't give a damn”.

We then proposed to do an "intervention" with my mother to remove her from any possible addiction she had towards some anti-tantrum medication.

But then mom gathered us around her and explained:

"It took me a long time to realize that each person is responsible for their life. It took me years to discover that my anguish, anxiety, my depression, my courage, my insomnia & my stress, does not solve your problems but aggravates mine.

I am not responsible for the actions of anyone and it’s not my job to provide happiness.

Therefore, I came to the conclusion that my duty to myself is to remain calm and let each one of you solve what corresponds to you.

I have taken courses in yoga, meditation, miracles, human development, mental hygiene, vibration and neuro linguistic programming and in all of them, I found a common denominator.

I can only control myself, you have all the necessary resources to solve your own problems despite how hard they may be. My job is to PRAY for you, LOVE you, ENCOURAGE you, but it’s up to YOU to solve them and find your happiness.

I can only give you my advice if you ask me and it depends on you to follow it or not. There are consequences, good or bad, to your decisions and YOU have to live with them.”

Everyone at home was speechless.

From that day on, the family began to function better because everyone in the house knew exactly what it is that they needed to do.

The Journey is Short
(WhatsApp forward)

An elderly woman got on a bus and sat down. At the next stop, a strong, grumpy young woman climbed up and sat down beside the old woman, hitting her with her numerous bags.

When she saw that the elderly woman remained silent, the young woman asked her why she had not complained when she hit her with her bags?

The elderly woman replied with a Smile: "There is no need to be rude or discuss something so insignificant, as my trip next to you is so short, because I am going to get off at the next stop."

This answer deserves to be written in gold letters: "There is no need to discuss something so insignificant, because our journey together is too short."

Each of us must understand that our time in this world is so short, that darkening it with useless arguments, jealousy, not forgiving others, discontentment and bad attitudes are a ridiculous waste of time and energy.

Did someone break your heart? Stay calm.

The trip is too short.

Did someone betray you, intimidate, cheat or humiliate you? Relax - Don't be Stressed

The trip is too short.

Did someone insult you without reason? Stay calm. Ignore it.

The trip is too short.

Did a neighbour make a comment that you didn't like? Stay calm. Ignore him. Forgive that.

The trip is too short.

Whatever the problem someone has brought us, remember that our journey together is too short.

No one knows the length of our trip. Nobody knows when it will arrive at its stop.

Our trip together is too short.

Let us appreciate friends and family.

Let us be respectful, kind and forgiving,

Because we will be filled with gratitude and joy, after all

Our trip together is very short.

Share your smile to everyone....

Our trip is Very Short!

 Take time to care for yourself

(WhatsApp forward)

A cobbler lived in a large village and he was the only cobbler in town, so he was responsible for repairing the boots of everybody else.

However, he didn’t have time to repair his own boots.

This wasn’t a problem at first, but over time, his boots began to deteriorate and fall apart.

While he worked feverishly on the boots of everyone else, his feet got blisters and he started to limp.

His customers started to worry about him, but he reassured them that everything was alright.

However, after a few years, the cobbler’s feet were so injured that he could no longer work and no-one’s boots got repaired.

As a consequence, soon the entire town started to limp in pain, all because the cobbler never took the time to repair his own boots.

This simple principle is so often disregarded.

If you are in a responsible position and are one of the important links in the groups survival chain and if You do not look after yourself, after a while you’ll be no good to anyone else either.

Your best intentions will mean nothing and you’ll be unable to do what you’re meant to do.

This goes for leaders, social workers, teachers, even parents, breadwinners, homemakers and daughters-in-law. 

If you don’t take the time to care for yourself, no-one else will. So start taking care of your health both physical and mental health so that you can be happy and help others also.