Inspiring Short Stories

Dirty Washing

A young couple moved into a new house. The next morning while they were eating breakfast, the young woman saw her neighbour hanging the washing outside.

“That laundry is not very clean; she doesn’t know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs better detergent.” Her husband looked on, remaining silent. Every time her neighbour hung her washing out to dry, the young woman made the same comments.

A month later, the young woman was surprised to see a nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband, “Look, she’s finally learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who taught her to do this. The husband replied, “I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows.”

And so it is with life … What we see when watching others depends on the clarity of the window through which we look. So don’t be too quick to judge others, especially if your perspective on life is clouded by anger, jealousy, negativity, or unfulfilled desires.

“Judging a person does not define who they are. It defines who you are.”

The Boy And The Ice Cream

A 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table during a time when an ice cream sundae cost much less. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.

“How much is an ice cream sundae?” “50 cents,” replied the waitress. The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied a number of coins in it.

“How much is a dish of plain ice cream?” he enquired. Some people were now waiting for a table, and the waitress was a bit impatient. “35 cents,” she said brusquely. The little boy again counted the coins. “I’ll have the plain ice cream,” he said.

The waitress brought the ice cream, set the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began wiping down the table and then swallowed hard at what she saw. There, neatly placed beside the empty dish, were 15 cents—her tip.

Don’t be so quick to judge others at first appearance. Very often, the most generous helpers are the people we least expect, so share your warmth unabatedly with the world.

The Wise Old Man And The Jokes

A wise man once faced a group of people who were complaining about the same issues over and over again. One day, instead of listening to the complaints, he told them a joke and everyone cracked up laughing. Then, the man repeated the joke. A few people smiled. Finally, the man repeated the joke a third time, but no one reacted.

The man smiled and said, “You won’t laugh at the same joke more than once. So what are you getting from continuing to complain about the same problem?”

You’re not going to get anywhere if you keep complaining about the same problem but do nothing to fix it. Don’t waste your time complaining, expecting other people to continue to react to your complaints. Instead, take action to make a change.

Have an awesome weekend, folks. Share and leave a comment.