10 Best Short Inspirational Stories In English In 2020

Best Short Inspirational Stories In English In 2020

Become More Virtuous Than Your Enemies

Once there lived a man called Hari, who was very loving and helpful. He would go out of his way to help people and at times, he even placed his needs second, in order to make people happy. Everyone benefited from his kindness but most of the time, people took him for granted. With time, Hari became depressed about the consciousness that he was being used, but could not help being generous. One day, he heard that the Buddha was passing through his village and decided to approach him with his feelings. He asked the

Buddha, What do you think I must do, to take revenge on people who took me for granted and used me? To this, the Buddha gave a reply that Hari never forgot throughout his life and followed it well.

QUESTIONS

1. What was the reply of the Buddha?

2. What is the implication of this story?

ANSWERS

1. The Buddha merely said, “Become more virtuous than they are.”

2. We have no control over the behavior of others. They will continue to behave the way they feel is correct, but we must rise above the feelings of bitterness. Also, we can improve on our own virtuous nature. The more virtuous we become, the easier it is for us to control our negative emotions.

Check On Your Performance Periodically

A boy once walked into a grocery shop and telephoned to a certain company to ask about a job as an office boy. He was told, The job has been filled a week ago. Is the boy you have satisfactory?” he asked. “Very satisfactory! was the answer. The boy hung up and wore a big smile. The druggist who heard the conversation was puzzled. “If the job is filled, how come you are so happy?” he inquired. The boy’s reply stunned the druggist.

QUESTIONS

1. What did the boy reply?

2. What is the implication of this story?

ANSWERS

1. The boy said, Oh, I was just checking up. You see, I am the office boy they employed a week ago.

2. First, the boy’s ingenuity should be appreciated. Moreover, it is better to have a regular check on one’s performance for further

improvement.

Get A Positive Response From The World

A little boy playing around on a hilltop, shouted, “Who are you?” and ditto came the reply. Then he said, “You are a mean boy.” Again, ditto was the reply. Bewildered, he went home and narrated the experience to his mother. His mother advised him to speak kindly to the echo. She said, Say ‘I love you’ to the echo and see the response you get.

QUESTIONS

1. What did the boy do?

2. What is the implication of this story?

ANSWERS

1. The next day, the boy went to the hilltop and shouted, I love you. The echo responded saying, I love you.” The boy was happy to hear the echo.

2. The story of the echo is the story of our life. The world merely mirrors our reactions. If we are good, we expect the world to be good. If we are bad, we imagine that everything is bad in this world. Life is like a full circle. Whatever we give to the

world comes right back to us. So if we want good, we must do good and also be good.

Time Heals Everything

Dr. Johnson was a world-famous writer. Boswell was his devoted biographer. Boswell was once very badly insulted by one of his associates. He felt hurt and reported the matter to Dr. Johnson.

Dr. Johnson advised him.

QUESTIONS

1. What was the advice given by Johnson?

2. What is the implication of this story

?

ANSWERS

1. Johnson advised, “Consider Sir, how insignificant this will appear twelve months from now.”

2. With the passage of time, everything is evened out. Time is the best healer. What is considered unbearable pain will vanish in the course of time? Nothing is permanent on this planet.

How Do You Tolerate An Insult?

Once upon a time, there came a visitor to see Buddha in his monastery. He insulted him outrageously. But Buddha seemed quite unruffled by the insults hurled at him by the visitor. Buddha’s disciples who watched this happen, came forward to fix up the visitor but remained quiet at Buddha’s signals to keep out of the matter. 

Finally, when they couldn’t tolerate the nonsense any further, they threw the visitor out. They asked Buddha why did he go on tolerating all the insults, and not retaliate in any way.

Buddha was quiet for a moment and then said something that taught all his disciples a lesson for a lifetime.

QUESTIONS

1. What did the Buddha tell his disciples?

2. What is the implication of this story?

ANSWERS

1. Buddha said, Imagine what would happen if someone placed an

offering before you and you didn't pick it up. Or someone sent you a letter that you have refused to open. 

You would obviously be unaffected by its contents. Would you not? Do this every time you are abused and you will not lose your serenity.

2. No one can insult you without your permission. You don’t have control over others’ tongues but you can surely conquer your emotions by not being upset by the unwarranted statements made by others.

Lead A Life Of Awareness

A Moral Science teacher told her students, “Man preaches peace, but he delights in war. See the automobile out there. Suppose you instructed it to never run wild and cause a wreck. Would it obey?

QUESTIONS

1. What will the automobile do?

2. What is the implication of this

story?

ANSWERS

1. The automobile will not obey because it is mechanical. It can only behave mechanically. Likewise, the majority of the people behave mechanically, which is why many things happen in this world that is not conducive to mankind to evolve. 

Only a conscious person can behave in a way that does not cause wrecks.”

2. Many lead a life of unawareness. Often, when a person displays negative emotions, he is not aware of his state of mind. 

The result is that the impact of such negative feelings wreaks havoc in society. 

The best remedy for all the ills of society is to create awareness in the minds of people.

To Read More  Click Here inspirational stories

inspirational short stories

motivational stories

great stories

motivational short stories

inspirational story

best stories

best story

inspiring stories

beautiful short stories

meaningful short stories

short stories about life lessons

meaningful stories