666. The Pocket Notebook

Industrialist Sachidanandam, who was invited as the special guest for the anniversary celebrations of the college, began his speech with the words, "Your college has invited me to this function, thinking that I have achieved something in my life. But in reality, I have not achieved much."

The students eagerly waited to hear what he was going to say next.

Sachidanandam took a notebook he had kept on the podium, opened it and displayed the open pages to the audience. "This notebook contains a list of things I wanted to do. I could not do most of the things in this list."

He then took out a small pocket notebook from his shirt pocket and showed it to the audience.

"But, I have done most of the things listed in this notebook. This pocket notebook is the reason for whatever I achieved in my life and my getting invited to this meeting!"

Sachidanandam gave a pause and continued.

"What is the difference between these two notebooks? In the bigger notebook, I have written everything I wanted to do, small and big. I keep adding new things in this notebook almost every day. But, I didn't make any effort to do any of those things. However, I selected a few things from that list, which I considered important, and noted them down in this pocket notebook. I took efforts to do those things and I was able to do most of those things successfully."

Sachidanandam looked at the faces of the students. Noting that they were listening to him with interest, he continued. 

"Thoughts are powerful. You might have heard people say that you can achieve whatever you wish to. Well, we can't get what we want, just by making a wish. But, if we make efforts, we will be able to achieve most of the things we wish to. Our wishes are like the things listed in this big notebook. They will remain only as wishes. Those wishes which we strive to realize by making concerted efforts, with determination, are like the things listed in this pocket notebook. They will be be realized, by the power of our actions."

After Sachidanandam completed his speech, he received a big ovation from the audience, comprising the students of the college, their parents and the college staff.

"I have been noting down the daily milk purchases in a pocket notebook. I need to see how much I have to pay the milkman for this week's supply of milk. I had kept that notebook on the table. Did you see it?" Sachidanandam's wife Bhargavi asked him.

"Oh! I took it, but forgot to put it back on the table" said Sachidanandam, taking out the pocket notebook from his handbag and handing it over to her.

He then took out a big notebook and gave it to her, saying, "This is the notebook in which our son Ramesh has been noting down his ideas for writing stories. I took this also. Put it back on the table."

"Why did you take these two notebooks, while going to a college to deliver a speech? Did you note down points for your speech in these notebooks?" asked Bhargavi, opening the pocket notebook and browsing through it.

I didn't use the two notebooks for making any notes" said Sachidanandam. "In my speech, I wanted to convey a message to the students. If I just mentioned it, they would listen and forget. I thought if I did something dramatic, the message would be deeply impressed in their minds. When I saw these two notebooks lying on the table, an idea struck me. So, I took these two notebooks with me and showcased them, to deliver a powerful message through my speech" said Sachidanandam, with a smile.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 67
Efficiency in Action

Verse 666 (in Tamil):
eNNiya eNNiyAngu eydhuba eNNiyAr
thiNNiyar Agap peRin.

Meaning:

If those who have planned (an undertaking) possess firmness (in executing it), they will obtain what they have desired, the way they have desired it. 

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'chinna nOttu periya nOttu' by the same author.) 

Verse 667
Verse 665