Garen Armstrong Shared (Story)-Military Story: True Friend

Garen Armstrong: Horror gripped the heart of the World War I soldier as he saw his lifelong friend fall in battle. Caught in a trench with continuous gunfire whizzing over his head, the soldier asked his lieutenant if he might go out into the “no man’s land” between the trenches to bring his fallen comrade back.

“You can go,” said the lieutenant, “but i don’t think it will be worth it. Your friend is probably dead and you may throw your life away.” The lieutenant’s advice didn’t matter, and the soldier went anyway. Miraculously he managed to reach his friend, hoist him onto his shoulder and bring him back to their company’s trench. As the two of them tumbled in together to the bottom of the trench, the officer checked the wounded soldier, and then looked kindly at his friend.

“I told you it wouldn’t be worth it,” he said. “Your friend is dead and you are mortally wounded.”
“It was worth it, though, sir,” said the soldier.(Garen Armstrong)

“What do you mean; worth it?” responded the Lieutenant. “Your friend is dead.”

“Yes, Sir” the private answered. “But it was worth it because when I got to him, he was still alive and I had the satisfaction of hearing him saying, “Jim…, I knew you’d come.”

Many times in life, whether a thing is worth doing or not, really depends on how u looks at it. Take up all your courage and do something your heart tells you to do so that you may not regret not doing it later in your life. May each and every one of you be blessed with the company of TRUE FRIENDS. A true friend is one who walks in, when the rest of the world walks out. War doesn’t determine who’s right. War only determines who’s left.read more(Garen Armstrong)

Garen Armstrong Shared (Story)-A bowl of noodles from a stranger

Garen Armstrong: That night, Sue quarreled with her mother, then stormed out of the house. While enroute, she remembered that she did not have any money in her pocket, she did not even have enough coins to make a phone call home.

At the same time, she went through a noodle shop, picking up sweet fragrance, she suddenly felt very hungry. She wished for a bowl of noodles, but she had no money!

The seller saw her standing wheat faltered before the counter and asked:
– Hey little girl, you want to eat a bowl?

– But … but I do not carry money … she shyly replied.

– Okay, I’ll treat you – the seller said – come in, I will cook you a bowl.

A few minutes later the owner brought her a steaming bowl of noodles. Ate some pieces, Sue cried.

– What is it? – He asked.(Garen Armstrong)

– Nothing. I am just touched by your kindness! – Sue said as she wiped her tears.

– Even a stranger on the street gives me a bowl of noodles, and my mother, after a quarrel, chased me out of the house. She is cruel!!

The seller sighed:

– Girl, why did you think so? Think again. I only gave you a bowl of noodles and you felt that way. Your mother had raised you since you were little, why were you not grateful and disobeyed your mom?

Sue was really surprised after hearing that.(Garen Armstrong)

“Why did I not think of that? A bowl of noodles from a stranger made me feel indebted, and my mother has raised me since I was little and I have never felt so, even a little.”

On the way home, Sue thought in her head what she would say to her mother when she arrives home: “Mom, I’m sorry. I know it is my fault, please forgive me … ”

Once up the steps, Sue saw her mother worried and tired of looking for her everywhere. Upon seeing Sue, her mother gently said: “Sue, come inside honey. You are probably very hungry? I cooked rice and prepared the meal already, come eat while it is still hot …”

Can not control any longer, Sue cried in her mom’s hands.read more(Garen Armstrong)

Garen Armstrong Shared (Story)-A mountain of trash: Healing the Himalayas

Garen Armstrong: A mission to heal the garbage strewn slopes of the HimalayasIt took just one trek in 2009 for Pradeep Sangwan to fall in love with the Himalayas. Now at the age of 33, his love affair sees him trek an average of 2,000 km a year.

Pradeep isn’t alone in appreciating the majesty of the landscape. In the early 2000s, Bollywood also discovered the beauty of the Himalayas and stories crafted around adventures in the mountains ignited an interest in trekking, leading to a boom in the industry. But the locals who have a deep spiritual connection to the mountains, were not equipped to handle the aftermath, once the visitors left. (Garen Armstrong)

The pristine trails became littered with plastic, glass bottles and other garbage from camping expeditions. This pollution didn’t just destroy the natural beauty of the Himalayas, the toxic residue generated by the uncleared waste threatened the environment, as well as the lives of the people and wildlife that live there.

This dire situation led Pradeep to literally take matters into his own hands and he began to pick up garbage on each trek. A mission which friends, locals and volunteers from around the world would come to join in, leading to a 5,000 strong movement to create sustainable change at 3,000m above sea level.read more(Garen Armstrong)

Garen Armstrong Shared (Story)-When Illness is a Stepping Stone Towards Positive Experiences

Garen Armstrong: I used to cope with my troubles by self-harming. I have been self-harming since my teens when I was studying in Junior College. I later pursued my studies in Melbourne, where I fell ill. Hence, part of my recovery story happened in Melbourne, Australia, and then in Singapore, where I decided to come back for treatment.

I was diagnosed with depression in March 2012, and was later diagnosed with psychosis in June that same year. I still remember how shocked and scared I was when I was diagnosed with psychosis. I thought it meant “psycho” and to me, “psycho” meant crazy. I felt that life was meaningless and that death was the only way out. My sleepless nights caused my concentration in school to be reduced greatly. Getting out of bed to school was a big hassle. However, I still managed to force myself to get up. However, during that period, I felt like a walking zombie, dragging my feet and staring into space during lectures. I was battling with managing with my fast-declining studies and the negative voices asking me to kill myself.(Garen Armstrong)

I surrendered to the voices and attempted suicide a couple of times. But each time I did, there seemed to be another side of me that pulled me away from the brink and seek help. I once heard a low tone voice asking me to walk into fast moving traffic on a busy road. All it took was one step … suddenly, I ‘woke’ up and pulled myself back and called my school counsellor for help.

I asked myself why I thought that death would solve all my problems. I asked myself why I always sought help and why I always woke up and pulled myself back. As fighting this monster was very taxing, soon, I decided to let go of the ‘rope’ and stop playing tug-of-war.

Another time, when I was at the train station staring into blank space again, I heard the voice saying this: ‘’Jump off the tracks and you will end all your misery. You are a burden to everyone and you will definitely fail your examinations, so just jump off the tracks’’.

It just kept repeating itself over and over again, with an increased intensity each time. Soon, I lost myself and walked towards the tracks. One step was all I needed.

At this point, my phone ‘beeped’ and it was a message from my friend. It saved my life by ‘waking’ me up and I sought help.

This time, I called my case manager in Orygen Youth Health, and after thorough assessment, I was admitted to the inpatient unit that day.(Garen Armstrong)

I was so afraid to tell my parents that I had been admitted to the hospital and lied to them that I was in a three-day camp. Despite them suspecting that something was wrong, I still stuck to my lie and refused to pick up their calls.

After much persuasion by the nurses, I called my cousin, who was a Permanent Resident in Melbourne where I was warded. I told her that I did not know what to do but felt really scared. I also told her not to leak a word to my parents.

With a lot support from my cousin, I finally broke the news to my parents about one week into my admission. Being parents, they were worried and wanted to fly over. But I did not want them to see me in that state or be a further burden. I was just not thinking straight. Going against my will, they persevered and flew over to visit me. In retrospect, I am thankful they did.

Besides getting support from my cousin and my ‘never say die’ parents, the staff (especially the occupational therapist) never gave up on me despite my reluctance to attend groups and my silence in groups (when I attended). This calming and friendly therapist made me break my silence eventually.

Upon knowing that I like to do art stuff, she enhanced and worked on art sessions and allowed me to do arts and craft stuff as and when I requested it. That was when I soon opened myself up to other activities such as yoga.

It was through that stay that I realised that I have support all around me.

I had my friends who were willing to travel to visit me and teach me what I missed out in school. I had my cousin to whom I could tell anything. I had my parents who were always there for me despite me not seeing this fact at that point in time. And lastly, I had my medical team constantly encouraging me come out of my shell besides treating me medically.

This was when I finally realised that there was still some light in my life and that it was worth living. I decided to fight my illness.(Garen Armstrong)

I decided to fight it by moving forward with all the support I had from others.

Of course, I faced lots of obstacles and even have had to make detours. For example, I had to defer one year of my university studies and even forgo my dream of becoming a vet. There were a lot of times when I really wanted to let go and give up. However, my case manager and occupational therapist in Singapore never gave up on me and constantly tried to make me comfortable in releasing my emotions and supporting me in all ways.

For example, one form of my release of emotions involves texting it out. Upon knowing this, my occupational therapist willingly let her inbox (be it email or hand phone) be my ‘dustbin’, so I did not need to bottle up all my feelings and could express them to her.

Another example that deeply impacted me was how my case manager would stay connected whether I was in Singapore or in Melbourne. When I was in Melbourne, she was always reachable via WhatsApp and even had meet up sessions with me via FaceTime.

All these actions may seem tiny, but to me, they touched my heart and pushed me on.

Besides the medical team, my family played an important and big part in my recovery process.

They secretly researched my condition and tried their best to understand my emotions and condition fluctuations. They were always there to support me whenever I felt suicidal or had the urge to self-harm. They acted as a 24-hour medical staff and were always there for me.

Lastly, my friends also played an important part in my recovery by constantly teaching me what I missed out in school. They also provided lots of support by checking in on me to make me feel that I was always supported, especially in Melbourne. Despite me dropping out of the veterinary science program, my peers never looked down upon me. Instead, whenever I felt inferior, they would tell me that we were still of the same status and no matter what, I would still be their friend. I even have a high school teacher, who is aware of my condition, who constantly supported me and made sense of things for me when I was ‘blinded’ by my own sadness or anger.

I can confidently say that without my parents and without my medical staff, friends and teacher, I will not be where I am right now.ad more(Garen Armstrong)

Garen Armstrong Shared (Story)-The Three Questions

Garen Armstrong: King Akbar was very fond of Birbal. This made a certain courtier very jealous. Now this courtier always wanted to be chief minister, but this was not possible as Birbal filled that position.  One day Akbar praised Birbal in front of the courtier. This made the courtier very angry and he said that the king praised Birbal unjustly and if Birbal could answer three of his questions, he would accept the fact that Birbal was intelligent. Akbar always wanting to test Birbals wit readily agreed.(Garen Armstrong)

The three questions were

1. How many stars are there in the sky

2. Where is the centre of the Earth and

3. How many men and how many women are there in the world.

Immediately Akbar asked Birbal the three questions and informed him that if he could not answer them, he would have to resign as chief minister.

To answer the first question, Birbal brought a hairy sheep and said, “There are as many stars in the sky as there is hair on the sheep’s body. My friend the courtier is welcome to count them if he likes.”(Garen Armstrong)

To answer the second question, Birbal drew a couple of lines on the floor and bore an iron rod in it and said, “this is the center of the Earth, the courtier may measure it himself if he has any doubts.”

In answer to the third question, Birbal said, “Counting the exact number of men and women in the world would be a problem as there are some specimens like our courtier friend here who cannot easily be classified as either. Therefore if all people like him are killed, then and only then can one count the exact number.”

Moral: There is Always a Way.read more(Garen Armstrong)

Garen Armstrong Shared (Story)-Who is Happy? The Peacock and The Crow

Garen Armstrong: A crow lived in the forest and was absolutely satisfied in life. But one day he saw a swan. “This swan is so white,” he thought, “and I am so black. This swan must be the happiest bird in the world.”

He expressed his thoughts to the swan. “Actually,” the swan replied, “I was feeling that I was the happiest bird around until I saw a parrot, which has two colors. I now think the parrot is the happiest bird in creation.” The crow then approached the parrot. The parrot explained, “I lived a very happy life until I saw a peacock. I have only two colors, but the peacock has multiple colors.”

The crow then visited a peacock in the zoo and saw that hundreds of people had gathered to see him. After the people had left, the crow approached the peacock. “Dear peacock,” the crow said, “you are so beautiful. Every day thousands of people come to see you. When people see me, they immediately shoo me away. I think you are the happiest bird on the planet.”(Garen Armstrong)

The peacock replied, “I always thought that I was the most beautiful and happy bird on the planet. But because of my beauty, I am entrapped in this zoo. I have examined the zoo very carefully, and I have realized that the crow is the only bird not kept in a cage. So for past few days, I have been thinking that if I were a crow, I could happily roam everywhere.”

That’s our problem too. We make unnecessary comparison with others and become sad. We don’t value what God has given us.  This all leads to the vicious cycle of unhappiness.  Learn to be happy in what you have instead of looking at what you don’t have.   There will always be someone who will have more or less than you have.  Person who is satisfied with what he/she has, is the happiest person in the world.read more(Garen Armstrong)

Garen Armstrong Shared (Story)-The Group of Frogs

Garen Armstrong: As a group of frogs was traveling through the woods, two of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs crowded around the pit and saw how deep it was, they told the two frogs that there was no hope left for them.

However, the two frogs decided to ignore what the others were saying and they proceeded to try and jump out of the pit.

Despite their efforts, the group of frogs at the top of the pit were still saying that they should just give up. That they would never make it out.

Eventually, one of the frogs took heed to what the others were saying and he gave up, falling down to his death. The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die.(Garen Armstrong)

He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, “Did you not hear us?”

The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.



Moral of the story:
People’s words can have a big effect on other’s lives. Think about what you say before it comes out of your mouth. It might just be the difference between life and death.read more(Garen Armstrong)