Mom's bed time stories

Once upon a time, a sixteen-year-old boy named Sundar lived in a very large, comfortable house. He had light brown skin, short black hair, and wore a neat white kurta pajama with a bright blue vest and brown slippers. Even though he had everything he could ever want, Sundar was very lazy and always complained about others.

His father, Ramlal, was a wise forty-five-year-old trader who wore a round red turban, reading glasses, and a brown kurta pajama with a white vest. Ramlal had a short grey and black beard and worked very hard every single day. He prayed to Waheguru to guide his ungrateful son onto the right path.

One night, Ramlal had a terrifying dream where Sundar lost all his wealth and became very poor. He woke up scared and knew he had to be firm with his son. The next morning, Ramlal decided it was time for Sundar to learn the value of hard work.

Ramlal called Sundar into his office and explained that he must now help with the family business. He ordered his son to travel to the city to complete an important trade. Sundar frowned and hated the idea of working, but he could not say no to his father.

The next morning, Sundar set off on his bicycle with a brown tote bag slung over his shoulder. He rode along a dusty dirt road that led deep into a dark, quiet jungle. The bumpy path made him grumpy, and he muttered complaints with every pedal.

By the afternoon, the hot sun made Sundar extremely tired, sweaty, and hungry. Just when he thought he could not go any further, he spotted a cozy little hut ahead. He decided to stop there to find some food and rest.

The hut belonged to Sant ji, a wise eighty-five-year-old holy man with a long, beautiful white beard and mustache. Wearing a simple long white kurta and pajama, Sant ji welcomed the tired boy warmly. He kindly offered Sundar a delicious, fresh meal to regain his strength.

As Sundar ate, he looked around Sant ji's garden filled with healthy vegetables and fruits. He noticed a massive, ancient mango tree towering high into the sky. On the ground nearby, he saw big, heavy watermelons growing on thin, delicate green vines.

Sundar laughed loudly and rudely pointed at the garden. He said, "God needs someone smart like me to improve nature! How silly it is that this giant tree has tiny mangoes, while a weak little vine has to hold giant watermelons!"

Sant ji smiled patiently and replied, "Mother nature has her own perfect ways, and no one can match the wisdom of Waheguru." Instead of being polite, Sundar just sneered, muttered an angry comment, and did not even thank the old man for his lunch.

Sant ji realized that Sundar needed a gentle lesson to help him appreciate the world around him. He kindly suggested, "Why don't you take a quiet nap under the cool shade of my mango tree before you continue your journey?" Sundar thought that sounded nice, so he lay down and quickly drifted off to sleep.

High up in the branches of the big mango tree, two cheerful birds were busy pecking at the ripe fruit. Suddenly, one of the heavy mangoes slipped from their claws and plummeted straight down. The hard fruit landed right on Sundar's sleeping nose.

Sundar leaped up with a loud yell, clutching his nose which was now bleeding and very sore. He began stomping his feet, shouting angrily at the birds and cursing the innocent mango tree. Sant ji hurried over with a wet cloth to help clean the boy's face and calm him down.

Once Sundar stopped yelling, Sant ji looked at him and asked, "What if Waheguru had placed those giant watermelons on this tall tree instead? Imagine what would have happened to your head today!" Sundar froze in shock as he realized how dangerous that would have been.

Sant ji gently explained, "Mother nature protects all living things in her own mysterious ways, so we must always have faith and be grateful." Before saying goodbye, Sant ji shared a life secret with Sundar: "Every single day, count ten blessings and thank Waheguru for them."

Sundar smiled, thanked Sant ji, and rode home with a joyful, positive outlook on life. He realized that a healthy body, food to eat, and a loving family are the greatest treasures of all. From that day on, he never complained again and lived a happy, grateful life.