Using both oars..!

On Tuesdays whenever I drive to town, I see thousands of people thronging the temples, on Fridays it's the mosques and on Sundays the churches. The crowds increase during exams, when children and even parents queue up to ask God for an easy way out. "Dear God," prayed a girl one night after answering her exam paper, "could you see that Delhi becomes the capital of China, because that’s what I’ve written in my answer paper!"
There's the story of two children, both in the same class, but one at the bottom of the class while the other a topper. The one at the bottom asked the other, "How is it you are always at the top and I at the bottom?"   The other girl replied, "I always pray to God to help me."
A few days later, the one at the bottom went again to the other and said, "You told me that if I ask God to help me, he would, I prayed but nothing happened!"
"How much did you study?" asked the clever one.
"I didn't," said the other, "I thought all I had to do was pray!"
"After you study hard," said the other, "Pray, then you will succeed!"
An old fisherman had a young man in his boat. As the young fellow looked at the oars he noticed that one of the oars had the inscription, PRAY on it and on the other oar was WORK. The youth remarked cynically, "Old man, you're a little behind the times, why should a person who works hard, have to pray?"
The old man did not reply but let go of the oar which had the word PRAY on it and started to row hard with the other. He rowed and rowed but all that happened was the boat going round and round in circles without it going anywhere.
The old man looked at the young fellow and smiled and the young man shook his head as he was made to understand a great truth, 'With the oar of work was needed the oar of prayer.'
Very often I stop in the middle of my writing and wonder why I write what I write, "Who is it?" I wonder, "who needs the message that is being forced to flow from my pen instead of humour or satire or political article. And today as I write this piece on prayer, the same question comes into my mind, "Whom is it that God is talking too?"
"Is it you who needs to know more about prayer?"
A small boy was trying to lift a large stone, but could not budge it. His father who happened to be passing by, stopped to watch him.
Then the father said to the son, "Why don't you use your resources?"
"I am" said the little fellow in exasperation.
"No you haven't," said the father, "You haven't asked me to help you."
The boy looked up at the father and watched with a smile as his dad bent down and lent a helping hand. The child was thrilled as the stone suddenly became as light as a feather!
Ah my dear friend don't try to row with one oar, use the other and watch how both together work wonders in your life..!
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Using both oars..!

On Tuesdays whenever I drive to town, I see thousands of people thronging the temples, on Fridays its the mosques and on Sundays the churches. The crowds increase during exams, when children and even parents queue up to ask God for an easy way out. Dear God, prayed a girl one night after answering her exam paper, could you see that Delhi becomes the capital of China, because thats what Ive written in my answer paper! Theres the story of two children, both in the same class, but one at the bottom of the class while the other a topper. The one at the bottom asked the other, How is it you are always at the top and I at the bottom? The other girl replied, I always pray to God to help me. A few days later, the one at the bottom went again to the other and said, You told me that if I ask God to help me, he would, I prayed but nothing happened! How much did you study? asked the clever one. I didnt, said the other, I thought all I had to do was pray! After you study hard, said the other, Pray, then you will succeed! An old fisherman had a young man in his boat. As the young fellow looked at the oars he noticed that one of the oars had the inscription, PRAY on it and on the other oar was WORK. The youth remarked cynically, Old man, youre a little behind the times, why should a person who works hard, have to pray? The old man did not reply but let go of the oar which had the word PRAY on it and started to row hard with the other. He rowed and rowed but all that happened was the boat going round and round in circles without it going anywhere. The old man looked at the young fellow and smiled and the young man shook his head as he was made to understand a great truth, With the oar of work was needed the oar of prayer. Very often I stop in the middle of my writing and wonder why I write what I write, Who is it? I wonder, who needs the message that is being forced to flow from my pen instead of humour or satire or political article. And today as I write this piece on prayer, the same question comes into my mind, Whom is it that God is talking too? Is it you who needs to know more about prayer? A small boy was trying to lift a large stone, but could not budge it. His father who happened to be passing by, stopped to watch him. Then the father said to the son, Why dont you use your resources? I am said the little fellow in exasperation. No you havent, said the father, You havent asked me to help you. The boy looked up at the father and watched with a smile as his dad bent down and lent a helping hand. The child was thrilled as the stone suddenly became as light as a feather! Ah my dear friend dont try to row with one oar, use the other and watch how both together work wonders in your life..! [email protected]