Meena Mangalathil:

"Rafael, today I met my best friend, while we went shopping and he too had come for shopping,  the whole family was there, but when I saw his sister,  I had the shock of my life." "Why what happened? Did she meet with an accident? " "Well, I didn't get much time to speak about her, but I surely asked him, is something wrong with his sister and he became silent for sometime and then he pulled me to a corner and  whispered, "My sister wishes to die. The first thing that she says to God in prayer is, "Oh No not again, why do you not take me. You know I do not want to live. What will I do living here. You do not give me what I wish and you do not appreciate my service too. Then what use do you have of me other than burden?" "But Mark, how did he hear this prayer?" "Even I too exactly asked the same question and he said, they share the same bedroom and she usually prays loudly, thinking that he is asleep, but in fact, he wa

"Rafael, today a man smiled at me." "Ajay, what's so big deal about that? " "I know there is nothing, but I was totally alone on the road and he had no need to smile at me, but still he smiled, and I felt like I was valued, respected and more than that I felt special" All smiled and nodded. "Wow!!!!! That's simply awesome. I have not thought about it in that sense Rafael.  But it's simply a good feeling isn't it Rafael? " "Hmmm. Smile holds lots of things. But do you know when you smile? " "When we are happy?" "Yes, when we are happy and when our heart is filled with love. Smile is the first expression of love and its the best too." "Why do you say that Rafael,  the best? " "Its inexpensive, no flowers or gifts can excel in its beauty. No cards or letters can overcome the depth of words spoken through the smile. " "But Rafael, why do you say all these?"

"Thinking of you on a sunny afternoon." "Really! That's a privileged, Rebecca." "Oh!!!! What an idiot you are, Mark." "Why? Did I say something wrong?" "Rafael, I think he is the dumbest friend I've ever had. The only reason, when one thinks of us during sweating summer is When they are irritated and would it be good? I don't think so." "Rebecca, don't say that, you know all human being are good at something." "Yes Rafael,  you're right,  nobody can beat Mark in  Mathematics. He is the best. But when he speaks outside the class room, he is the dumbest friend I could ever have. Every time I say to him, either talk sense or just smile and let it pass." "Hmmmm. That's a sensible thing. Yes its true, the best way to make us seen is through our words. But all are not that much good with words, try, you can and try a hundred times, but there is always that backward pull, making u

"Rafael, my friend lost his identity." "What does that mean Mark, 'Lost hs identity?" "Well, he lost his memory, he was only 53. But now he doesn't remember anything, not even me. He only remembers, how to play carroms, but that too he forgets in the middle and just walks off. They say he is suffering from Alzheimers Disease." "Oh that's sad. Who is there to look after him?" "Though his children are there, they have put him in a hospital." "Hmmmm, for safety, that is the better place, if all the family has jobs to go, anything can happen." "But he was so energetic, how did this happen? Why does this happen?" "Well scientifically, because of non use of brain, the brain, gets plaque and tangles resulting in that part of the brain to die. But there is one thing you will have to know, if you had not let your brain idle, then, I can gurantee, that no Alzheimers could touch your brain."

"Rafael, you spoke about one source of unhappiness, is there any more?" "Raj, you are a baby, in fact you children has not yet seen even the tip of the iceberg." "What does that mean Rafael?" "Man is always unhappy, unhappy because he doesn't have food, dress, home, sickness, bad neighbour, home leaking, too much cold, too much hot, no electricity, etc.....There is no end to unhappiness." "So in fact we do not have an exact answer for another cause of unhappiness." "Well I wouldn't say that, we can give the answer in a word." "Oh Really!!!!!!!!!  What would that word be Rafael?" "Want." "Want?" "Yes, want, when you need something and if you do not get it, you feel unhappy. Am I right?" "Yes you are perfectly right. How come I did not think of it in such a way. Its really simple isn't it?" "Yes it is, but no one is aware of it." &qu

"Rafael, if we find the right job and if we are happy, then why are these people not happy? Why are they cheaters and are not comitteed or dedicated?" "Yes Rebecca, you itself told the answer, they have not found the right job. Its that simple." "But how come they didn't choose the right job?" "Usually, there are many reasons for not finding the right job, th first and foremost is circumstance and the next is destiny. In both the cases, no one can do anything." "But Rafael, that's really unfair, if we do not have any say in our matters, then how can we choose the right job?" "Its all our fault, children, we are the people who make destiny, So what we got from destiny or circumstance is our own making" "But Rafael, how did we got these?" You had blocked somebody else's circumstance or the good fortune  and that returned to you. " "But, how did we block all these,

Chapter - 46 "Rafael, so they started school, now what?" "They were given the best building,  one could imagine" "Why what's the speciality, Rafael?" "It was fit for a college, with all the amenities and the students were far better than the teacher had expected." "Oh!!!! That' s a relief, isn't it Rafael?" "Children, there is one thing you should know, when you love what you do, there is not a problem of difficulty or tiredness or relief, the more complicated the work, the more enjoyment you'd have with the work." "But I have thought that work is a bore because most of the people go for holidays to cool the system because of hard work." "If you love the work you do then there is no difference between enjoyment and work." "But Rafael, how do we find that type of job?" "Its simple, try to find, which subject you enjoy more." "Can I tell you

Chapter - 45 "So children, Who is this, why don't you introduce me to your new friend?" "Rafael, this is Raj, my brother. He has come home for holidays." "Glad to meet you Raj." "Rafael, I have been hearing about you so much, that it is indeed a great privilege to meet you." They shook hands and all sat on the lawn. "Now how about we continue, with our story?" All nodded. "The teachers arrived with great expectation, to make a diiference in the life of the children." "But Rafael, I thought, teachers duty is to only teach, give home works, test papers and punishments." All smiled and nodded. "As a student there is a duty to learn, likewise, the teachers has a duty to give them education and if they do not give them, then they would be responsible for each student, they had not educated and they would begiven the death sentence of life." "What does that mean, death sentence, Rafae

Chapter  - 44 "So what happened Rafael? Did they start a school" "Yes surely they started the school, Ajay." "But Rafael, is school so important? I really like to go to school only to play with my friends, I just do not understand, why we have to study, Rafael. Life would have been far better, without studies, isn't it Rafael?" "Well, when we are kids, yes. But do you know, why we have to study?" "No Rafael, Its better you say. I hope we have a genuine reason." "The first human beings learned everything by experience, most of them were not very easy for them. It was trial and error, they had to learn from the very scratch. They didn't know anything, but what they learned like, for example, if you touch fire, it will burn, etc... etc..If they do not say it, then what would be the result?" "We should learn, the same way they learned, naturally." "And the Result?" "

Chapter 43 “Rafael, did you know, what happened today, one of my enemies, smashed my instrument box.” “Say thank you to your enemy.” “Rafael, you are really crazy, how can I thank him, when he broke my instrument box.” “You know, when some things happen, its usually for a purpose. How long have you been using this box, Mathew?” “More than three years, but that’s not the point Rafael.” “Well put it this way, you have been using this box for the past three years and how many times have you been thinking of changing the box for the past three years?” “Several times, but still.” “Then why but still Mathew, you were not able to dispose it and your soul decided it for you, it fulfilled your wish, throw the box in the waste basket. It just happened to be your worst enemy, who did the favour for you. So don’t lose any sleep or sweat over that, I think there is a new brand of geometry box in the book shop.” “But how did you know that, Rafael?” “I

Chapter 42 “Now back to the story,  2Years passed, there was a flaw in the island.” “Flaw, something missing?” “Yes, a very important thing was missing in the island.” “What was it Rafael? Water?” “No, it was children. There were no children, above the age of four.” “Really, why was it so. Was there any disease affecting them Rafael?” “Actually, It was no school. So they all went for education in the mainland. So people couldn’t stay there permanently. They missed their children a lot.” “Oh!!!! I thought, due to the naughtiness of the children, they might be relieved to put them in a boarding or cousin’s or relative’s house.” “There is no age to judge a parent." "Why Rafael?" "Because you are  never to judge a parent, as they brought you to this world, its like the pot criticize the potter. If you are the potter and you hear the pot you made criticize you, what will you do?” “Naturally break the pot. Bu

Chapter 41 “Rafael, what do you think of life’s best things?” “Well can I revert that question to you Ajay, what is your life’s best thing?” “Well for me good food, video games and a super duper car.” “But not for me Rafael, I like to have a very good book, lots of chocolates, ice creams and a good place to sit and read.” “Thank you Rebecca, that was enlightening. So now, you got the answer Ajay, different people has different idea of Life’s best thing.” “But Rafael, if everyone has a different view of life’s best things, then that would create a problem, don’t you think Rafael?” “How can that be Rebecca?” “When I feel, ice creams are one of life’s good things and share it with others and if he really hates it, then that would be a cause of dislike.” “Yes, its true, first time, they would tolerate, the second time, they would bear, the third time, they would erupt, that’s natural and that is the speciality of society. It starts in a family, a

Chapter 40 “So Rafael, how did Isabella make a cloth factory?” “She asked Sanjo and Juan’s help for it. They were experts in the tinkering and knick knacks and as errand boys too. They searched for the right person who knew the know how of making a cloth machine. Then they brought the materials to make the machine and from there step by step, they achieved a building to start a factory and the machine was set and weavers were recruited, along with that tailors and there were lots of women work force in that factory, so giving employment for the wives of the men who work in construction and fields.” “What about hospitals, Rafael?” “Yes naturally, but with just hospital and without any facility was very difficult. They had already brought the resources to keep them going for 6 months, by then Isabella knew, it was not feasible to always rely on the mainland for everything. So one by one, they set up their own units in the island, as they had enough and more riches

Chapter 39 “Rafael, what happened to Alfonso?” “Well after marriage, Isabella accompanied her husband, Alfonso to the island. At first it was not very easy. She was used to so much luxury, that she missed a lot of things, which she knew was not easy to come by because each and everything had to be brought from the mainland and it took time. So she decided to make use of her little skills as well as the skills of the crew and the work force to get it done,” “What was it that brought out her skills?” “Materials, for clothes, for hospital, for everything. Since there were lots of things which needed cloth, Isabella decided to starting a weaving mill.” “But Rafael, how can that be possible?” “First we should know, that anything and everything is possible, if we put our mind into it.” All nodded. “ You know when we decide we make a decision, what is the first thought that comes to mind?” “Can we do it.” “Exactly, the first thing that comes to mind

Chapter 38 . But Rafael, what happens for the people who go to monastery, they do not have any relationship, they are not married, but still they reach God soul?” “The best way of life is being ascetic, which means, deny yourself the bodily pleasures.” “Its easy to say than done, Rafael. I really cannot imagine to stop my craving to ear burgers and pizzas. So when we grow big, God alone knows what all cravings do we have and how are we going to control it.” “You are right Mark, its not easy to control. Actually this tendency is brought into us through our mind. It always, forces our body to do it again and again and in the end, our heart feels, yes, its true, we would feel happy and fulfills our craving. But if we know the root cause of our craving is the mind, then we are able to put all our cravings under lock and key, so as not to divert us from reaching us to God soul.” “Why should we reach God soul, Rafael?” “To be at peace with ourselves, to be h

Chapter 37 “Then what happened Rafael, did Alfonso and Isabella get married?” “Yes they got married, before long.” “But Rafael, is it necessary to get married?” “Man, when born has only one goal, to be united with God, but since they gain a physical form, they lose their goal in the process.” “How do they lose their goal Rafael?” “Simple, the soul is locked in the physical body and there the goal too gets blocked, thus losing sight of it.” “When man is born, he has several basic needs like food, water, air, clothing, then it grows to name, fame and money. But even if we fulfill all the needs to the brim, it would not bring contentment, then man understands, that the missing thing is love and for that, another quest starts, the perfect love, a love which really brings contentment.” “Do we really get that type of love?” “In the physical world, we would not get it, but if you are spiritually awaken, you will know, no human being can give you that