Two short stories with good moral lessons. (From Forwarded Emails)

1. Story To
Reflect
Upon 143
The Empty Soap Box
A Japanese Cosmetics company received a complaint
that a consumer had bought a soap box that was empty.
Immediately the authorities isolated the problem to the
assembly line. For some reason, one soap box went
through the assembly line empty.
The Management asked its engineers to solve the
problem. The engineers devised an X-ray machine with
high resolution monitors manned by two people to
watch all the soap boxes that passed through the line to
make sure they were not empty. This cost a lot of
money and trouble.
A workman instead came out with another solution.
He bought a strong industrial electric fan and pointed it
at the assembly line. He switched the fan on, and as
each soap box passed the fan, it simply blew the empty
boxes out of the line.
Reflection
* There are always simple solutions to problems. One needs
to develop divergent and creative thinking … to be able to
think out of the box.
* Life has its share of problems. We need to take this as a
challenge … to seek for solutions rather than always merely
complaining. Only then can we grow in the mind.

2. Story To
Reflect
Upon 144
Chasing For Happiness
Once upon a time, an old cat was walking down the
street looking for his supper. As he walked along, he
came upon a beautiful young cat who was running
around in circles chasing her tail. Around and around
she went trying as hard as she could to catch her tail.
The old cat stopped and asked her, "What are you
doing?" The young cat slowed down and replied that
she had been taught that joy, happiness, success and
luck were all in the tip of her tail. "All that I have to do
is catch the end of my tail, and I will have the happy
life,” she said. The old cat replied, "I've been around for
a long time,
and I know that joy, happiness, success and luck are in
the tip of my tail; but, you know if I don't chase it and
work my very hardest and don't worry about it, the
happy life follows me wherever I go. My tail follows
me everywhere, so I don't need to chase it."
Reflections
* Happiness isn't a place, a time, or a possession. You
have to make it happen.
* Happiness lies within. Stop chasing for it outside. Live
life wisely and mindfully. Work hard. Just do your best.
Develop contentment. Then happiness will follow you
naturally.