“Just how do I squeeze time out from my busy schedule to do anything else? How can I get 26 hours in a day to do what I want? Why is the normal day so dull?” asked the mind that churned up some nagging doubts from time to time. When I was in this SOUP, I tripped upon ‘A 3rd Serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul.’ It was at our workplace library shelf, peering at me. With little hope that I may make it through even one story with my wrenching schedule, I halfheartedly picked it up.
About the authors: Jack Canfield: He is the conceiver of the famous chicken Soup series. He is a well-known motivational speaker and a host on TV shows. Mark Victor Hansen is also a motivational speaker, trainer and co-author. Many of the actual authors of this book are common people sharing their real-life experiences after reading through Chicken Soup for the Soul and A 2nd serving to Chicken Soup for the Soul. The stories have been compiled by Jack and Mark. Some facts of contributors and readers mentioned at the end of the book are interesting and entertaining. These series of books were declared as “the publishing phenomenon of the decade” by the Time magazine.
About the book: The book has 101 short stories with around 10 stories grouped together into a section.
‘Fourteen Steps’ (section - Overcoming Obstacles). This is about a man who had a hard childhood, but when he grew up he had a comfortable life. Doom dawns on him one day, when he realizes that he is inflicted with motor nerves disease that makes him a bitterly disillusioned cripple who gets depressed with his life. He is sinfully humbled when an old man and his granddaughter help him out with a flat tyre on a stormy evening and he later gets to know that the old man is blind. Quote: I realized that I was filled to overflowing with self-pity, indifference to the needs of others and thoughtlessness.
‘Lady, Are you rich’ (section-A matter of Perspective) is about a not-so well-to-do lady who invites 2 poor children home for a hot drink on a rainy day. The kids instantly gather the opinion that the lady is very rich because her cups match her saucers and because she has a house! The lady suddenly looks through their little eyes, their perspective makes her realize that she has been richer than she had ever imagined and thanks lord for sending these tiny eye-openers to her home!
‘Consider This’ (section - Overcoming Obstacles) is a write-up by the authors themselves. This is a collection of anecdotes having true examples of people who strove to convert the piercing stones of failures in their path to stepping stones of success. One of the surprising incidents mentioned here was that the first book of Chicken Soup series was rejected by 33 publishers before getting published! The rejection comments were, “No one wants to read short stories today.” Today, this series serves the most popular and loved platters distributing savored dishes to different parts of the globe. Quote: The greater the obstacle, the more the glory in overcoming it. When you don’t hear opportunity knocking, find another door.
‘Johhny’ (Section- A matter of Perspective) is a story about a sales/billing representative who finds new ways of adding flavor and colour to not only his life but also to the lives of others. After handing over each bill, he puts in a handwritten quote of the day taken from various sources or even quotes made by him. This little gesture surprisingly entices aweing responses from customers. Many customers start thronging to his queues for billing since they prefer his services over other counters!
To Beth’s First Grade Teacher (Section - On teaching and Learning) Most of us vividly remember our school first days. But here is an immensely touching write-up of how a dad feels while accompanying his daughter Beth to school on her first day. He opens his heart to share his dreams, apprehensions and hope on a letter to the teacher. He says, “Teacher, books are synonymous with good times for my daughter Beth. Please don’t change this by making learning of it a burdensome chore.”
A lovely one page anecdote tells us What It Means to Be Adopted (Section - On Parenting). It means that ‘You grew in your mother’s heart instead of her tummy!’
2 sections- On death and Dying and on Love seemed very similar to me since both sections had stories mostly on death. I did not totally relish these sections since they carried a tingle of sadness, but that won’t stop me from awarding the book 5 stars.
My Opinion: As if in answer to the nagging doubts of my mind, the book taught me, “While the difficult takes long, the impossible just takes a little longer.” Some of the stories really changed my outlook for certain circumstances. I got inspired from these stories and have added some spice within the 24 hours of the day. I have found time to read a BOOK and write a review on MS after a gap of a year!
I also read out a couple of stories to my family members, who I felt, would relate to the situation described. Believe me, it works!
The book is a garden with flowers for each season. You can turn to these blossoms during nail-biting situations, monotonous and dull moments, during selfish runaways and during feel-good days! Happy reading!