Short story collection 3

1.

##Building Your House

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business to live a more leisurely life with his wife and enjoy his extended family. He would miss the paycheck each week, but he wanted to retire. They could get by.

The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go & asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but over time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career.

When the carpenter finished his work, his employer came to inspect the house. Then he handed the front-door key to the carpenter and said, "This is your house... my gift to you."

The carpenter was shocked!

What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.

So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less than our best into the building. Then, with a shock, we realize we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we would do it much differently.

But, you cannot go back. You are the carpenter, and every day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Someone once said, "Life is a do-it-yourself project." Your attitude, and the choices you make today, help build the "house" you will live in tomorrow. Therefore, Build wisely!

2.

##A Doctor

A doctor entered the hospital in hurry after being called in for an urgent surgery. He answered the call asap, changed his clothes & went directly to the surgery block. He found the boy's father pacing in the hall waiting for the doctor. On seeing him, the dad yelled:

"Why did you take all this time to come? Don't you know that my son's life is in danger? Don't you have any sense of responsibility?"

The doctor smiled & said:

"I am sorry, I wasn't in the hospital & I came as fast as I could after receiving the call...... And now, I wish you'd calm down so that I can do my work"

"Calm down?! What if your son was in this room right now, would you calm down? If your own son dies now what will you do??" said the father angrily

The doctor smiled again & replied: "I will say what Job said in the Holy Book "From dust we came & to dust we return, blessed be the name of God". Doctors cannot prolong lives. Go & intercede for your son, we will do our best by God's grace"

"Giving advises when we're not concerned is so easy" Murmured the father.

The surgery took some hours after which the doctor went out happy,

"Thank goodness!, your son is saved!" And without waiting for the father's reply he carried on his way running. "If you have any question, ask the nurse!!"

"Why is he so arrogant? He couldn't wait some minutes so that I ask about my son's state" Commented the father when seeing the nurse minutes after the doctor left.

The nurse answered, tears coming down her face: "His son died yesterday in a road accident, he was in the burial when we called him for your son's surgery. And now that he saved your son's life, he left running to finish his son's burial."

Moral - Never judge anyone..... because you never know how their life is and what they're going through"

  

3.

##The attack that changed his life

 Paul Templer was always an adventurer and wildlife enthusiast. He had spent years travelling the world to pursue adventure and excitement, before finally deciding to leave all that behind and start living a more ordinary life. He started his own business and worked as a river guide in Zimbabwe, giving river tours on canoes.

 During one otherwise ordinary tour in 1996, his life was changed drastically. He was guiding the tourists down the Zambezi river, like he had many times before. All of a sudden, a bull hippo attacked one of the canoes, throwing another guide into the water. Paul rushed to help the guide, but the hippo now went after him instead. The animal got his head into it's mouth and pinned down his arms with it's teeth.

 He was pulled underwater by the hippo, but managed to break himself free and swim to the surface. But the hippo wasn't about to give up that easy. The animal attacked Paul several more times, biting into his foot and arm, breaking his ribs, and ripping into his back and chest with it's gigantic teeth. The hippo then left him for dead.

 Paul's wounds were so massive the operation needed to save his life took 7 hours. His left arm had to be amputated. The doctors said it was a miracle he survived. After the operation, he had to go through 2 tough years of rehabilitation and therapy. It was a lot to cope with and he battled depression the whole time. He eventually found the strength to move on with his life and live it to the fullest.

 He returned to the Zambezi river and, with a specially adapted kayak paddle, lead a three-month nine-man expedition which made him famous. Paul used the publicity of the expedition to launch his nonprofit organization called Make A Difference, which supports disabled and terminally ill children all over the world. He now lives in America with his wife and 3 children and owns a successful motivational speaking and coaching business.