<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?><rss version="1.0"><channel><title>Diary of Jyoti Anand</title><link>http://thrash.rediffiland.com/</link><description>Diary of Jyoti Anand</description><language>en-us</language><item><title>Lovely Soul</title><description><![CDATA[<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 8.5pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'">A Nice Story<BR><BR>My wife called, 'How long will you be poring over that newspaper? Will you<BR>come here and make your darling daughter eat her food?'I tossed the paper<BR>away and rushed to the scene. My only daughter Sindu looked frightened.<BR>Tears were welling up in her eyes. In front of her was a bowl filled to its<BR>brim with Curd Rice. Sindu is a nice child, quite intelligent for her age.<BR>She has just turned eight.<BR><BR>She particularly detested Curd Rice. My mother and my wife are orthodox,<BR>and believe firmly in the 'coolingeffects' of Curd Rice! I cleared my<BR>throat, and picked up the bowl. 'Sindu, darling, why don't you take a few<BR>mouthful of this Curd Rice?Just for Dad's sake, dear. And, if you don't,<BR>your Mom will shout at me'I could sense my wife's scowl behind my back.<BR>Sindu softened a bit, and wiped her tears with the back of her hands. 'OK,<BR>Dad. I will eat - not just a few mouthfuls, but the whole lot of this. But,<BR>you should...' Sindu hesitated. 'Dad, if I eat this entire curd Rice, will<BR>you give me whatever I ask for?' Oh sure, darling'. 'Promise?'<BR><BR>'Promise'.<BR><BR>I covered the pink soft hand extended by my daughter with mine, and<BR>clinched the deal. 'Ask Mom also to give a similar promise', my daughter<BR>insisted. My wife slapped her hand on Sindu's, muttering 'Promise', without<BR>any emotion.Now I became a bit anxious. 'Sindu dear, you shouldn't insist<BR>on getting a computer or any such expensive items. Dad does not have that<BR>kind of money right now. OK? 'No, Dad. I do not want anything expensive'.<BR>Slowly and painfully, she finished eating the whole quantity. I was<BR>silently angry with my wife and my mother for forcing my child eat<BR>something that she detested. After the ordeal was through, Sindu came to me<BR>with her eyes wide with expectation. All our attention was on her. 'Dad, I<BR>want to have my head shaved off, this Sunday!' was her demand.<BR><BR>'Atrocious!' shouted my wife, 'A girl child having her head shaved off?<BR>Impossible!'<BR>'Never in our family!' my mother rasped.<BR>'She has been watching too much of television. Our culture is getting<BR>totally spoiled with these TV programs!' Sindu darling, why don't you ask<BR>for something else? We will be sad seeing you with a clean-shaven head.'<BR>'No, Dad. I do not want anything else', Sindu said with finality. 'Please,<BR>Sindu, why don't you try to understand our feelings?' I tried to plead with<BR>her. 'Dad, you saw how difficult it was for me to eat that Curd Rice'.<BR>Sindu was in tears. 'And you promised to grant me whatever I ask for. Now,<BR>you are going back on your words. Was it not you who told me the story of<BR>King Harishchandra, and its moral that we should honor our promises no<BR>matter what?'<BR><BR>It was time for me to call the shots. 'Our promise must be kept.' 'Are you<BR>out your mind?' chorused my mother and wife. 'No. If we go back on our<BR>promises, she will never learn to honor her own. Sindu, your wish will be<BR>fulfilled.' With her head clean-shaven, Sindu had a round-face, and her<BR>eyes looked big and beautiful. On Monday morning, I dropped her at her<BR>school. It was a sight to watch my hairless Sindu walking towards her<BR>classroom. She turned around and waved. I waved back with a smile. Just<BR>then, a boy alighted from a car, and shouted, 'Sinduja, please wait for<BR>me!' What struck me was the hairless head of that boy. 'May be, that is the<BR>in-stuff', I thought. 'Sir, your daughter Sinduja is great indeed!' Without<BR>introducing herself, a lady got out of the car, and continued,' That boy<BR>who is walking along with your daughter is my son Harish. He is suffering<BR>from.... ... leukemia.' She paused to muffle her sobs.<BR><BR>'Harish could not attend the school for the whole of the last month. He<BR>lost all his hair due to the side effects of the chemotherapy.<BR><BR>He refused to come back to school fearing the unintentional but cruel<BR>teasing of the schoolmates. 'Sinduja visited him last week, and promised<BR>him that she will take care of the teasing issue. But, I never imagined she<BR>would sacrifice her lovely hair for the sake of my son!<BR><BR>Sir, you and your wife are blessed to have such a noble soul as your<BR>daughter.' I stood transfixed. And then, I wept. 'My little Angel, you are<BR>teaching me how self-less real love is!'<BR><BR>*The happiest people on this planet are not those who live on their own<BR>terms but are those who change their terms for the ones whom they love..*</SPAN></P>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 14 May 2008 16:51:06 +0530</pubDate><link>http://thrash.rediffiland.com/blogs/2008/05/14/Lovely-Soul-1.html</link></item><item><title>Friend</title><description><![CDATA[<P>If you love some one because<BR>You think that he or she is really gorgeous...<BR>Then it's not love..<BR>It's - INFATUATION. . .</P><P> </P><P>If you love some one because<BR>You think that you shouldn't leave him because<BR>Others think that you shouldn't ...<BR>Then it's not love..<BR>It's - COMPROMISE. . .</P><P> </P><P>If you love some one because<BR>You think that you cannot live with out his touch ....<BR>Then it's not love ..<BR>It's - LUST. . .</P><P> </P><P>If you love some one because<BR>You have been kissed by him ...<BR>Then it's not love..<BR>It's - INFERIORITY COMPLEX. . .</P><P> </P><P>If you love some one because<BR>You cannot leave him thinking that it would hurt his feelings ..<BR>Then it's not love ..<BR>It's - CHARITY. . .</P><P> </P><P><BR>If you love some one because<BR>You share every thing with him ...<BR>Then it's not love..<BR>It's - FRNDSHIP. . .</P><P> </P><P>But if you feel the pain of the other person<BR>More than him even when he is stable<BR>and you care . . ., , </P><P>At night,look at the sky,<BR>If you see a falling Star,<BR>Don"t wonder why,<BR>just make a wish,<BR>Trust me it will come true,<BR>Bcoz i did it &amp;</P><P>FOUND A FRIEND LIKE YOU!<BR></P>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 14 May 2008 16:49:28 +0530</pubDate><link>http://thrash.rediffiland.com/blogs/2008/05/14/Friend-1.html</link></item><item><title>Useful Information</title><description><![CDATA[<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 8.5pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'">Toll Free Numbers in India <BR><BR><BR>Airlines <BR>Indian Airlines - 1800 180 1407 <BR>Jet Airways - 1800 22 5522 <BR>SpiceJet - 1800 180 3333 <BR>Air India -- 1800 22 7722 <BR>KingFisher - 1800 180 0101 <BR><BR>Banks <BR>ABN AMRO - 1800 11 2224 <BR>Canara Bank - 1800 44 6000 <BR>Citibank - 1800 44 2265 <BR>Corporatin Bank - 1800 443 555 <BR>Development Credit Bank - 1800 22 5769 <BR>HDFC Bank - 1800 227 227 <BR>ICICI Bank - 1800 333 499 <BR>ICICI Bank NRI - 1800 22 4848 <BR>IDBI Bank - 1800 11 6999 <BR>Indian Bank - 1800 425 1400 <BR>ING Vysya - 1800 44 9900 <BR>Kotak Mahindra Bank - 1800 22 6022 <BR>Lord Krishna Bank - 1800 11 2300 <BR>Punjab National Bank - 1800 122 222 <BR>State Bank of India - 1800 44 1955 <BR>Syndicate Bank - 1800 44 6655 <BR><BR>Automobiles <BR>Mahindra Scorpio - 1800 22 6006 <BR>Maruti - 1800 111 515 <BR>Tata Motors - 1800 22 5552 <BR>Windshield Experts - 1800 11 3636 <BR><BR><BR>Computers/IT <BR>Adrenalin - 1800 444 445 <BR>AMD - 1800 425 6664 <BR>Apple Computers - 1800 444 683 <BR>Canon - 1800 333 366 <BR>Cisco Systems - 1800 221 777 <BR>Compaq - HP - 1800 444 999 <BR>Data One Broadband - 1800 424 1800 <BR>Dell - 1800 444 026 <BR>Epson - 1800 44 0011 <BR>eSys - 3970 0011 <BR>Genesis Tally Academy - 1800 444 888 <BR>HCL - 1800 180 8080 <BR>IBM - 1800 443 333 <BR>Lexmark - 1800 22 4477 <BR>Marshal's Point - 1800 33 4488 <BR>Microsoft - 1800 111 100 <BR>Microsoft Virus Update - 1901 333 334 <BR>Seagate - 1800 180 1104 <BR>Symantec - 1800 44 5533 <BR>TVS Electronics - 1800 444 566 <BR>WeP Peripherals - 1800 44 6446 <BR>Wipro - 1800 333 312 <BR>xerox - 1800 180 1225 <BR>Zenith - 1800 222 004 <BR><BR><BR>Indian Railway General Enquiry 131 <BR>Indian Railway Central Enquiry 131 <BR>Indian Railway Reservation 131 <BR>Indian Railway Railway Reservation Enquiry 1345 ,1335,1330 <BR>Indian Railway Centralised Railway Enquiry 1330/1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9 <BR><BR><BR><BR>Couriers/Packers &amp; Movers <BR>ABT Courier - 1800 44 8585 <BR>AFL Wizz - 1800 22 9696 <BR>Agarwal Packers &amp; Movers - 1800 11 4321 <BR>Associated Packers P Ltd - 1800 21 4560 <BR>DHL - 1800 111 345 <BR>FedEx - 1800 22 6161 <BR>Goel Packers &amp; Movers - 1800 11 3456 <BR>UPS - 1800 22 7171 <BR><BR>Home Appliances <BR>Aiwa/Sony - 1800 11 1188 <BR>Anchor Switches - 1800 22 7979 <BR>Blue Star - 1800 22 2200 <BR>Bose Audio - 1800 11 2673 <BR>Bru Coffee Vending Machines - 1800 44 7171 <BR>Daikin Air Conditioners - 1800 444 222 <BR>DishTV - 1800 12 3474 <BR>Faber Chimneys - 1800 21 4595 <BR>Godrej - 1800 22 5511 <BR>Grundfos Pumps - 1800 33 4555 <BR>LG - 1901 180 9999 <BR>Philips - 1800 22 4422 <BR>Samsung - 1800 113 444 <BR>Sanyo - 1800 11 0101 <BR>Voltas - 1800 33 4546 <BR>WorldSpace Satellite Radio - 1800 44 5432 <BR><BR>Investments/ Finance <BR>CAMS - 1800 44 2267 <BR>Chola Mutual Fund - 1800 22 2300 <BR>Easy IPO's - 3030 5757 <BR>Fidelity Investments - 1800 180 8000 <BR>Franklin Templeton Fund - 1800 425 4255 <BR>J M Morgan Stanley - 1800 22 0004 <BR>Kotak Mutual Fund - 1800 222 626 <BR>LIC Housing Finance - 1800 44 0005 <BR>SBI Mutual Fund - 1800 22 3040 <BR>Sharekhan - 1800 22 7500 <BR>Tata Mutual Fund - 1800 22 0101 <BR><BR>Travel <BR>Club Mahindra Holidays - 1800 33 4539 <BR>Cox &amp; Kings - 1800 22 1235 <BR>God TV Tours - 1800 442 777 <BR>Kerala Tourism - 1800 444 747 <BR>Kumarakom Lake Resort - 1800 44 5030 <BR>Raj Travels &amp; Tours - 1800 22 9900 <BR>Sita Tours - 1800 111 911 <BR>SOTC Tours - 1800 22 3344 <BR><BR><BR>Healthcare <BR>Best on Health - 1800 11 8899 <BR>Dr Batras - 1800 11 6767 <BR>GlaxoSmithKline - 1800 22 8797 <BR>Johnson &amp; Johnson - 1800 22 8111 <BR>Kaya Skin Clinic - 1800 22 5292 <BR>LifeCell - 1800 44 5323 <BR>Manmar Technologies - 1800 33 4420 <BR>Pfizer - 1800 442 442 <BR>Roche Accu-Chek - 1800 11 45 46 <BR>Rudraksha - 1800 21 4708 <BR>Varilux Lenses - 1800 44 8383 <BR>VLCC - 1800 33 1262 <BR><BR><BR>Insurance <BR>AMP Sanmar - 1800 44 2200 <BR>Aviva - 1800 33 2244 <BR>Bajaj Allianz - 1800 22 5858 <BR>Chola MS General Insurance - 1800 44 5544 <BR>HDFC Standard Life - 1800 227 227 <BR>LIC - 1800 33 4433 <BR>Max New York Life - 1800 33 5577 <BR>Royal Sundaram - 1800 33 8899 <BR>SBI Life Insurance - 1800 22 9090 <BR><BR>Hotel Reservations <BR>GRT Grand - 1800 44 5500 <BR>InterContinental Hotels Group - 1800 111 000 <BR>Marriott - 1800 22 0044 <BR>Sarovar Park Plaza - 1800 111 222 <BR>Taj Holidays - 1800 111 825 <BR><BR>Teleshoppin <BR>Asian Sky Shop - 1800 22 1800 <BR>Jaipan Teleshoppe - 1800 11 5225 <BR>Tele Brands - 1800 11 8000 <BR>VMI Teleshopping - 1800 447 777 <BR>WWS Teleshopping - 1800 220 777 <BR><BR>Others <BR>Domino's Pizza - 1800 111 123 <BR><BR>Cell Phones <BR>BenQ - 1800 22 08 08 <BR>Bird CellPhones - 1800 11 7700 <BR>Motorola MotoAssist - 1800 11 1211 <BR>Nokia - 3030 3838 <BR>Sony Ericsson - 3901 1111 <BR><BR style="mso-special-character: line-break"><BR style="mso-special-character: line-break"></SPAN></P>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 14 May 2008 16:46:03 +0530</pubDate><link>http://thrash.rediffiland.com/blogs/2008/05/14/Useful-Information-1.html</link></item><item><title>Friendship</title><description><![CDATA[<P>You've given me a reason<BR>For smiling once again,<BR>You've filled my life with peaceful dreams<BR>and you've become my closest friend.</P><P>You've shared your heartfelt secrets<BR>And your trust you've given me,<BR>You showed me how to feel again<BR>To laugh, and love, and see.</P><P>If life should end tomorrow<BR>And from this world I should part,<BR>I shall be forever young<BR>For you have touched my heart </P><P><BR>A sweet voice with a tender kiss.<BR>When I think of this, it's you I miss.<BR>I need you close, I want you near.<BR>I want your love to be right here.<BR>Here with me, to have and caress.<BR>Here with me, I'll always be blessed.<BR>Our love is like a shining star,<BR>Held so close, but yet, so far.<BR>I need you now, more than you know.<BR>I need you now, so my love can show. </P><P> </P>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 12 May 2008 16:13:47 +0530</pubDate><link>http://thrash.rediffiland.com/blogs/2008/05/12/Friendship-2.html</link></item><item><title>Friendship</title><description><![CDATA[<P>Friendship is precious than gold &amp; silver.</P><P>Its a thing so worthy which cannot be sold.</P><P>Its a feeling of joy and feeling of gay.</P><P>Its not at all a game which you only have to play.</P><P>Friendship is a challenge you'll have to face.</P><P>And for facing this challenge creates a strong base.</P><P>Extreme of love and extreme of faith.</P><P>These are only two thing on which friendship is based.</P><P>A friend is , who shares all pains and sorrows</P><P>Like a friend is today must be the same tomorrow.</P><P>True friend is always as near as heart is !!!</P><P>Who is sometimes as painful as any part is.</P><P>Don't ever try to break any friend's heart</P><P>God will never excuse you as is present in this part.</P><P>For me this feeling is precious than my life!</P><P>At the time of any need.I ' m ready to sacrifice. </P>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 12 May 2008 16:13:18 +0530</pubDate><link>http://thrash.rediffiland.com/blogs/2008/05/12/Friendship-1.html</link></item><item><title>Friends</title><description><![CDATA[<P>Khushi bhi doston se hai<BR>Gam bhi doston se hai</P><P>Takraar bhi doston se hai<BR>Pyar bhi doston se hai</P><P>Roothna bhi doston se hai<BR>Manana bhi doston se hai</P><P>Baat bhi doston se hai<BR>Misaal bhi doston se hai</P><P>Nasha bhi doston se hai<BR>Shaam bhi doston se hai</P><P>Zindagi ki shuruvaat bhi doston se hai<BR>Zindagi main mulakaat bhi doston se hai</P><P>Mohabbat bhi doston se hai<BR>Inaayat bhi doston se hai</P><P>Kaam bhi doston se hai<BR>Naam bhi doston se hai</P><P>Khyal bhi doston se hai<BR>Armaan bhi doston se hai</P><P>Khvab bhi doston se hai<BR>Maahol bhi doston se hai</P><P>Yaadein bhi doston se hai<BR>Mulakaatein bhi doston se hai</P><P>Sapne bhi doston se hain<BR>Apne bhi doston se hai</P><P>Ya yoon kahoon yaro<BR>Apni to duniya hi doston se hai.</P>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 12 May 2008 16:10:59 +0530</pubDate><link>http://thrash.rediffiland.com/blogs/2008/05/12/Friends-1.html</link></item><item><title>Coconut Tree's Origin</title><description><![CDATA[<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Coconut Tree's Origin<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">King Trishanku was a saintly man whose one great desire was to ascend bodily into heaven.<BR>He had once done a good turn to sage Vishwamitra and the sage decided to help him fulfil his desire.<BR><BR>Accordingly, he performed a yagna and Trishanku began to rise heavenwards.<BR><BR>When Indra, King of the gods, saw Trishanku at the gates of Heaven, he was furious and catching hold of him, threw him down. Vishwamitra saw Trishanku hurtling downwards and shouted:<BR>"Let Trishanku stay where he is now!"<BR><BR>Trishanku's fall was arrested. As Indra would not let him ascend into heaven and Vishwamitra would not allow him to come down, Trishanku became suspended between heaven and earth.<BR><BR>Folklore has expanded this mythological story to explain the origin of the coconut tree: Vishwamitra knew that Trishanku would eventually fall to earth unless held up by physical means, so he propped him up with a long pole.<BR><BR>The pole eventually turned into a coconut tree and Trishanku's head became its fruit. The fibre around the coconut is Trishanku's beard. When you take it off, you see his eyes peering at you.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 07 May 2008 17:22:46 +0530</pubDate><link>http://thrash.rediffiland.com/blogs/2008/05/07/Coconut-Tree-s-Origin-1.html</link></item><item><title>Rose and Thorns</title><description><![CDATA[<P><B>A certain man planted a rose and watered it faithfully and before it blossomed, he examined it. </B></P><P><B>He saw the bud that would soon blossom, but noticed thorns upon the stem and he thought, "How can any beautiful flower come from a plant burdened with so many sharp thorns? Saddened by this thought, he neglected to water the rose, and just before it was ready to bloom... it died. </B></P><P><B>So it is with many people. Within every soul there is a rose. The God-like qualities planted in us at birth, grow amid the thorns of our faults. Many of us look at ourselves and see only the thorns, the defects. </B></P><P><B>We despair, thinking that nothing good can possibly come from us. We neglect to water the good within us, and eventually it dies. We never realize our potential. </B></P><P><B>Some people do not see the rose within themselves; someone else must show it to them. One of the greatest gifts a person can possess is to be able to reach past the thorns of another, and find the rose within them. </B></P><P><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt; COLOR: red">This is one of the characteristic of love... to look at a person, know their true faults and accepting that person into your life... all the while recognizing the nobility in their soul. Help others to realize they can overcome their faults. If we show them the "rose" within themselves, they will conquer their thorns. Only then will they blossom many times over.</SPAN></B></P>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 07 May 2008 17:18:33 +0530</pubDate><link>http://thrash.rediffiland.com/blogs/2008/05/07/Rose-and-Thorns-1.html</link></item><item><title>Ganpati Swoops Down</title><description><![CDATA[<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Ganpati Swoops Down<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">There was an unusually hot summer prevailing in South India and Sage Agastya went to <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">mount</st1:PlaceType> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Kailas</st1:PlaceName></st1:place> to ask Lord Shiva for water. Kaveri happened to be worshipping Shiva at that time. Shiva picked her up and put her in Agastya's kamandalu. The sage thanked his benefactor and set out for home. <BR>Indra did not approve of what Shiva had done and requested Ganpati to somehow overturn Agastya's kamandalu. Ganpati took the form of a crow and when Agastya kept the vessel down swooped down, and sat on its rim. The vessel overturned and Kaveri flowed out.<BR>Agastya was very angry but calmed down when Ganpati revealed his true form.<BR>Ganpati refilled Agastya's kamandalu, but Kaveri flowed on and continues to flow to this day.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 07 May 2008 17:18:24 +0530</pubDate><link>http://thrash.rediffiland.com/blogs/2008/05/07/Ganpati-Swoops-Down-1.html</link></item><item><title>SAINT AND SINNER</title><description><![CDATA[<P class=tabcontent style="MARGIN: auto 0in 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">SAINT AND SINNER<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P><P class=tabcontent style="MARGIN: auto 0in 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Anastasius was abbot of a monastery in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region>. The monastery had a large collection of books, one among them being a rare volume, worth a fortune.<BR>One day a visiting monk chanced upon the book and succumbing to temptation walked away with it. The theft was discovered the same day and it was not hard to guess who the culprit was but Anastasius refused to send anyone after the monk for fear that he might say he had not taken it and add the sin of perjury to that of theft. <BR>The monk meanwhile was trying to sell the book and eventually found a buyer, a rich man who asked him to leave the book with him for a day so that he could get it evaluated.<BR>When the monk had gone, the man hastened to the monastery and showed the book to Anastasius. The abbot recognized it instantly but did not say anything.<BR>"A monk wants to sell it to me," said his visitor. "He's asking for a gold sovereign. You are knowledgeable about books. Is this book worth that much?"<BR>"It's worth much much more than a sovereign," said the abbot. "It's a valuable book."<BR>The man thanked the abbot and left. The next day when the monk came, he informed him that he would like to buy the book and was prepared to pay the price he had mentioned. The monk was overjoyed.<BR>"Whom did you show it to?" he asked.<BR>"Anastasius, the abbot."<BR>His visitor turned pale. "A-And what did he say?" <BR>"He said the book was worth a sovereign."<BR>"And what else?"<BR>"Nothing."<BR>The monk was both amazed and touched. He realized that the abbot had refused to reclaim his lost treasure so that he, the thief would not get into trouble. Nobody had ever shown him such love; nobody had ever behaved so nobly towards him.<BR>"I've changed my mind, I don't want to sell it," he said and took the book from the man.<BR>"I'll give you two sovereigns," said the customer.<BR>The monk walked away without answering. He went directly to the monastery and handed the book to the abbot, tears brimming in his eyes.<BR>"Keep it," said Anastasius. "When I learnt you had borrowed it I decided to give it to you."<BR>"Please take it back," pleaded the monk, "but let me stay here and learn wisdom from you."<BR>His wish was granted. He spent the rest of his years in the monastery modelling his life after that of the saintly Anastasius.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 07 May 2008 17:17:08 +0530</pubDate><link>http://thrash.rediffiland.com/blogs/2008/05/07/SAINT-AND-SINNER-1.html</link></item></channel></rss>