Man thrives, oddly enough, only in the presence of
a challenging environment

– The Japanese story

The Japanese have always loved fresh fish. But the waters close to
Japan have not held many fish for decades. So to feed the Japanese
population, fishing boats got bigger and went farther than ever. The
farther the fishermen went, the longer it took to bring in the fish.

If the return trip took more than a few days, the fish were not fresh.
The Japanese did not like the taste.

To solve this problem, fishing companies installed freezers on their
boats. They would catch the fish and freeze them at sea. Freezers
allowed the boats to go farther and stay longer.

However, the Japanese could taste the difference between fresh and
frozen and they did not like frozen fish. The frozen fish brought a
lower price. So fishing companies installed fish tanks. They would
catch the fish and stuff them in the tanks, fin to fin. After a little
thrashing around, the fish stopped moving. They were tired and dull,
but alive.

Unfortunately, the Japanese could still taste the difference. Because
the fish did not move for days, they lost their fresh-fish taste.

The Japanese preferred the lively taste of fresh fish, not sluggish fish.

So how did Japanese fishing companies solve this problem? How do they
get fresh-tasting fish to Japan?

To keep the fish tasting fresh, the Japanese fishing companies (still)
put the fish in the tanks. But now they add a small shark to each
tank. The fish, in an attempt to run away from the shark, stay
constantly alert and hence, fresh. The shark may eat a few fish, but
most of the fish arrive in a very lively state.

Lessons from the story:

Like the Japanese fish – “Man thrives, oddly enough, only in the
presence of a challenging environment.”- L. Ron Hubbard.

Challenges are what keep us FRESH! Instead of avoiding challenges,
jump into them. Beat the heck out of them.

Enjoy the game. If your challenges are too large or too numerous,
reorganize the challenge, team up, be resourceful and do not give up.
Failing makes you tired.

If you have met your goals, set some bigger goals.

Once you meet your personal or family needs, move onto goals for your
group, the society, even mankind.

Don’t create success and lie in it.

You have resources, skills and abilities to make a difference.

Put a shark in your tank and see how far you can really go!

Source::::: unknown….input from one of my contacts…..

Natarajan

source:::: unknown….input from one of my contacts…. dont miss to read ….

Natarajan

Heartwarming……..

Story number 1

Many years ago, Al Capone virtually owned Chicago . Capone wasn’t
famous for anything heroic. He was notorious for enmeshing the windy
city in everything from bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder.

Capone had a lawyer nicknamed “Easy Eddie.” He was Capone’s lawyer
for a good reason. Eddie was very good! In fact, Eddie’s skill at legal
maneuvering kept Big Al out of jail for a long time.

To show his appreciation, Capone paid him very well. Not only was the
money big, but Eddie got special dividends, as well. For instance, he and his
family occupied a fenced-in mansion with live-in help and all of the
conveniences of the day. The estate was so large that it filled an entire
Chicago City block.

Eddie lived the high life of the Chicago mob and gave little consideration
to the atrocity that went on around him.

Eddie did have one soft spot, however. He had a son that he loved dearly.
Eddie saw to it that his young son had clothes, cars, and a good education.
Nothing was withheld. Price was no object.

Despite his involvement with organized crime, Eddie even tried to
teach him right from wrong. Eddie wanted his son to be a better man than he was.

Yet, with all his wealth and influence, there were two things he couldn’t
give his son; he couldn’t pass on a good name or a good example.

One day, Easy Eddie reached a difficult decision. Easy Eddie wanted to
rectify wrongs he had done.

He decided he would go to the authorities and tell the truth about Al
“Scarface” Capone, clean up his tarnished name, and offer his son some
semblance of integrity. To do this, he would have to testify against The Mob,
and he knew that the cost would be great. So, he testified.

Within the year, Easy Eddie’s life ended in a blaze of gunfire on a lonely
Chicago Street. But in his eyes, he had given his son the greatest gift he had
to offer, at the greatest price he could ever pay Police removed from his
pockets a rosary, a crucifix, a religious medallion, and a poem clipped from
a magazine.

The poem read:

“The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power
to tell just when the hands will stop, at late or early hour.
Now is the only time you own. Live, love, toil with a will.
Place no faith in time. For the clock may soon be still.”

Story number 2

World War II produced many heroes. One such man was Lieutenant
Commander Butch O’Hare.

He was a fighter pilot assigned to the aircraft carrier Lexington in the
South Pacific.

One day his entire squadron was sent on a mission. After he was
airborne, he looked at his fuel gauge and realized that someone had
forgotten to top off his fuel tank.

He would not have enough fuel to complete his mission and get back
to his ship.

His flight leader told him to return to the carrier. Reluctantly, he
dropped out of formation and headed back to the fleet.

As he was returning to the mother ship, he saw something that turned
his blood cold; a squadron of Japanese aircraft was speeding its way toward
the American fleet.

The American fighters were gone on a sortie, and the fleet was all but
defenseless. He couldn’t reach his squadron and bring them back in time
to save the fleet. Nor could he warn the fleet of the approaching danger.
There was only one thing to do. He must somehow divert them from the fleet.

Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, he dove into the formation
of Japanese planes. Wing-mounted 50 caliber’s blazed as he charged in,
attacking one surprised enemy plane and then another. Butch wove in and
out of the now broken formation and fired at as many planes as possible until
all his ammunition was finally spent.

Undaunted, he continued the assault. He dove at the planes, trying to clip
a wing or tail in hopes of damaging as many enemy planes as possible,
rendering them unfit to fly.

Finally, the exasperated Japanese squadron took off in another direction.

Deeply relieved, Butch O’Hare and his tattered fighter limped back to the carrier

Upon arrival, he reported in and related the event surrounding his return.
The film from the gun-camera mounted on his plane told the tale. It showed
the extent of Butch’s daring attempt to protect his fleet. He had, in fact,
destroyed five enemy aircraft.

This took place on February 20, 1942 , and for that action Butch became the
Navy’s first Ace of W.W.II, and the first Naval Aviator to win the Congressional
Medal of Honor.

A year later Butch was killed in aerial combat at the age of 29. His home
town would not allow the memory of this WW II hero to fade, and today,
O’Hare Airport in Chicago is named in tribute to the courage of this great man.

So, the next time you find yourself at O’Hare International, give some
thought to visiting Butch’s memorial displaying his statue and his Medal of
Honor. It’s located between Terminals 1 and 2.

So what do these two stories have to do with each other ?

Butch O’Hare was “Easy Eddie’s” son.