STORY OF THE DAY

A beautiful Sufi story:-

A man called Sooulf was living by the seashore he loved seagulls. Every morning he went down to the sea to roam with the seagulls. More birds came to him than could be counted in hundreds.

He knew the language of feeling. It is love. Nobody is afraid of love.

One evening Sooulf's father said, “I hear the seagulls all come roaming with you—bring me some for tomorrow's breakfast.” Somehow he couldn't say ‘NO' to his father.

The moment Sooulf said “Ok”, the idea had entered his head.

Now same love was not there. He had a target, a desire to catch them. That's how we spend all our lives trying to catch this and that..

Sooulf went to the seashore, but Seagulls hovered over him and never came down to him.

Birds can't read the human mind, but they can sense the vibes created by ill-desire. Now he is not the same relaxed man with whom seagulls could feel at home.

And this is the secret of the whole life not only seagulls - all good things come to you when you are loving and in a state of let-go.

Birds, happiness, and bliss all come to you when you are in a total let-go, in a loving attitude toward life and existence

STORY OF THE DAY: WHERE LOVE IS, GOD IS : LEO TOLSTOY

         Portrait of Tolstoy by Ilya Repin. Photo by Guilhem Vellut, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

Today’s “Story of the Day” offers a timeless lesson from Leo Tolstoy:

WHERE LOVE IS, GOD IS

(A short story by Leo Tolstoy, condensed)

Martin Avdeich was a humble cobbler who lived in a small town in Russia. His life had been filled with sorrow — his wife and children had died, and he was left alone. In his grief, Martin turned to the Bible. He read it daily and sought comfort in God’s word.

One night, after reading the Gospel, Martin dreamt that Christ would visit him the next day. He woke with joy and expectation, preparing his little home to welcome the Lord.

That day, as he worked and kept watch, he was interrupted by three people.

First came a poor old man shivering in the cold. Martin invited him in, gave him tea, and warmed him by the fire.

Later, a weary woman carrying a baby stopped at his window. She was poor and hungry. Martin gave her bread, soup, and an old coat to wrap her child.

Finally, a street boy tried to steal an apple from a peddler. Martin rushed out, stopped the quarrel, and persuaded the boy to apologize. He even bought the boy an apple, teaching him kindness instead of anger.

As evening fell, Martin felt disappointed. Christ had not come, though he had waited all day. But then, in the quiet of his room, In the hush of evening, a gentle voice spoke:

“Martin, did you not see me? I was the old man you warmed, the mother you fed, and the child you helped. Whatever you did for them, you did for me.”

Martin opened his Bible, and his eyes fell upon the verse:

 “I was hungry, and you gave me food; I was thirsty, and you gave me drink; I was a stranger, and you welcomed me…”

Tears filled his eyes. He understood now: where there is love, there is God.

Read the full story (public domain)  on Project Gutenberg:

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/38616/38616-h/38616-h.htm

Grateful thanks to Ilya Repin and Guilhem Vellut (via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0) for the portrait — and to ChatGPT for the concise adaptation of Tolstoy’s original.

STORY OF THE DAY: O.HENRY'S THE GIFT OF THE MAGI

The Adoration of the Magi — Martin Schongauer, c. 1470–1490 — The Met Museum — Public Domain

THE GIFT OF THE MAGI — O. Henry

Summary

The Gift of the Magi, first published in 1905, tells the touching story of Della and Jim, a young couple with very little money but an abundance of love. In preparation for Christmas:

Della sells her beautiful long hair for $20 to buy Jim a fine platinum fob chain for his treasured pocket watch.

Jim, in turn, sells his heirloom watch to buy Della a set of elegant combs for her hair.

When they exchange gifts, each is surprised by the other's sacrifice, realizing that their love is far more valuable than the physical gifts exchanged — a beautiful example of ironic, selfless love.

This story remains an enduring testament to the true spirit of giving and the meaning of love, especially poignant during the holiday season.

If you are interested in reading the Full Original Story:

The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry — Project Gutenberg

https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/7256/pg7256.txt

Your Turn:

Have you ever received (or given) a gift whose worth lay not in its cost, but in the love and sacrifice behind it?

💬 Share your thoughts and stories in the comments below!

Grateful thanks to ChatGPT for the brief and beautiful summary of the story, Project Gutenberg for providing the full original story and Martin Schongauer, c. 1470–1490 — The Met Museum for the image, The Adoration of the Magi 

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