Live and Work | Motivational Stories
≡ Menu

Live and Work

Father was a hardworking man who delivered bread as a living to support his wife and three children. He spent all his evenings after work attending classes, hoping to improve himself so that he could one day find a better paying job. Except for Sundays, Father hardly ate a meal together with his family. He worked and studied very hard because he wanted to provide his family with the best money could buy.

Whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. But he often yearned to spend more time with his family.

The day came when the examination results were announced. To his joy, Father passed, and with distinctions too! Soon after, he was offered a good job as a senior supervisor which paid handsomely.

Like a dream come true, Father could now afford to provide his family with life’s little luxuries like nice clothing, fine food and vacation abroad.

However, the family still did not get to see father for most of the week. He continued to work very hard, hoping to be promoted to the position of manager. In fact, to make himself a worthily candidate for the promotion, he enrolled for another course in the open university.

Again, whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. But he often yearned to spend more time with his family.

Father’s hard work paid off and he was promoted. Jubilantly, he decided to hire a maid to relieve his wife from her domestic tasks. He also felt that their three-room flat was no longer big enough, it would be nice for his family to be able to enjoy the facilities and comfort of a condominium. Having experienced the rewards of his hard work many times before, Father resolved to further his studies and work at being promoted again. The family still did not get to see much of him. In fact, sometimes Father had to work on Sundays entertaining clients. Again, whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. But he often yearned to spend more time with his family.

As expected, Father’s hard work paid off again and he bought a beautiful condominium overlooking the coast of Singapore. On the first Sunday evening at their new home, Father declared to his family that he decided not to take anymore courses or pursue any more promotions. From then on he was going to devote more time to his family.

Father did not wake up the next day.

Related story: The important things in life

Author Unknown

{ 391 comments… add one }
  • Modesta January 31, 2012, 7:56 am

    I love this story, it inspires me. Thanks. Please try to post more…

  • Student January 24, 2012, 10:33 am

    We must have balance in our life in each and every aspect. Without being alrounder, only money can’t give us long term happiness.

  • Amr Shando January 19, 2012, 8:04 pm

    It’s very sad. We live only one life, so we should spend every second with the people who we love.

  • Stephanie January 9, 2012, 4:52 pm

    I didn’t see the last line till just now :/ It’s sad because it’s true for so many people- they work themselves to death for their families, but their families never see them 🙁

  • Ahmed January 5, 2012, 3:45 pm

    Good one

  • Zeina January 3, 2012, 12:44 pm

    If he did not do so, the whole family would have died, that’s the world in which we live !

  • Angshuman December 20, 2011, 4:16 am

    This is really a good story. Human being should be happy with thier family with the money they earn but with higher ambition.

  • Somayajulu December 12, 2011, 5:04 am

    This is good and heart touching story. In our life, life and work balance should be there. If we spend some time with our family, it will give energy and happiness through out the day. Then we can achieve any thing with their support. We have to enjoy every moment in our life. Only work does not make sense. Money will not resolve all the problems.

  • Abdur Rehman December 11, 2011, 9:05 am

    Excellence story. We should be happy in some and give more time to our family…………………!!!

  • Dimple December 11, 2011, 5:29 am

    Oh it’s too sad and the story has a good moral too…

  • MUBASHIR November 29, 2011, 6:01 am

    If he didn’t decide to stop his journey of study and work (it was his energy to live), he may wake up next day! sure!

  • Shubham November 12, 2011, 12:23 am

    This is called life 4 the family’s sacrifice. The man was in the form of ANGEL 2 his family. He knew that one day he has to die, but that dying must not suffer to his family in future. HAT’S OFF 2 U FATHER!!

  • Milind November 11, 2011, 7:17 am

    All my friends are right, I spend too little time with family….

  • Marlon Taguinod November 7, 2011, 10:36 pm

    Life is like a candle once it lighted it start getting shorter and shorter, the yesterday that past will lost forever we cannot bring back the past to correct our mistake, time is important and it is more greater and more important than gold because time is life. every count of a second of our time is a second of time loosed to our life forever. TIME is far greater than anything in this world that we posses. so cherish and use your time wisely 🙂 … live the best of today as if you don’t live tomorrow.

  • ing-ing October 27, 2011, 2:03 am

    Money sometimes means nothing to us

  • Bhaskar October 22, 2011, 8:36 am

    This story tells that hard work is much importance but life is short, with hard work we should spend little time with our family who really love us and care about us

  • Karthik.M October 21, 2011, 9:42 am

    A really good message ….

  • Santosh October 15, 2011, 4:43 am

    After reading the whole story, I can only make about that we should keep a balance between our work and family….Both are important aspect of life…..

  • STUTI .D. NAIK October 15, 2011, 4:13 am

    We should spend time with our family. Our family is more important than work.

  • Mhy October 12, 2011, 11:05 pm

    a very sad story, :(, everything we desire here on earth are just temporary, don’t expect too much, be contented of what you have, what matters most is you have God, you and your family are in good health and live happily.

  • Dhirendra Singh October 5, 2011, 5:51 am

    That was a very shoked story and real. Our whole life spent in earn money and then lost of our real life.

  • Mouni September 21, 2011, 6:57 am

    The story is so sad but u have to take care okkkkkkkkkkk

  • Anju September 19, 2011, 11:54 am

    Excellent story! Remind us of the value of time and family.

  • Jessica September 18, 2011, 7:13 am

    It was a sad story yet so amazing….. 🙁

  • Pushkar September 17, 2011, 2:29 pm

    Mind blowing story. Really teaches us the leasson as we should spend some time with our family rather than job …. and we can get other job in a second but not family once gone.,,,

  • Poonam Thadani September 17, 2011, 1:33 pm

    Awesome heart touching story….
    Money is important but not more then family.
    Earn for family but b with family………..

  • Sagar September 14, 2011, 4:40 pm

    A really heart touching story !! “Like Jesus we belong to the world living not for ourselves but for others. The joy of the Lord is our strength.”

  • NOUFAL September 13, 2011, 10:00 am

    ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF YOUR LIFE.

  • Ali September 8, 2011, 3:45 pm

    Death should be remember in every second of life…

  • SHEDZ ADAM September 8, 2011, 7:25 am

    We should find time for everything, praying, working, socializing, meeting with parents and spending time with kids. Some people stay far from their parents and get so busy to even give a phone call. Whatever we are today is the fruit of our parents.

  • Patrick September 7, 2011, 11:39 pm

    More on time management and satisfaction for a person.
    We only have 2 hands and no one know god when going to call us back. Spend time wisely with the love one and also the important one. Share the times among and we cannot expect to have everything and chase for more in our live else something you will going to loss. 2 hands can takes many difference things and also only 1 thing that you have the right to choice.
    Your life today is what you have done from the past. You life tomorrow is what you going to do today.

  • Noma September 5, 2011, 8:27 am

    I always think what you get is what you deserve. The man in the story chased the goods that he thought would improved his family’s situation. As we know these deed just not enough, not good enough. What a family real needs man to do is just to provide the family with the sence of home. That’s all. It’s so sad he didn’t realize.

  • Masih September 4, 2011, 2:29 pm

    This story gives the message that life is a full of stern work. Death may come anytime but we should do something in our life.

  • Rajiv.singh September 2, 2011, 12:09 pm

    A very drastic end to the story ,,,, but i liked it

  • Massiel August 31, 2011, 4:49 pm

    The history shows you that you have to enjoy life, and live with the things that you have. Also, you have to work and study I understand, but you have to enjoy your family, friends, because as the history says you dont know what is going to pass tomorrow. The history is too sad, but give you a great message.

  • Eloisa August 31, 2011, 4:45 pm

    It is not bad to have ambition in life.. in fact the goals we set are what motivate us but we must realize that life is only one and if we spend all time trying to reach that goal and only dedicating our 100% time to it.. when will we enjoy life???

  • Jeithan Espinoza August 31, 2011, 4:44 pm

    Sometimes… you have to improve as a person but not forgetting about the important things like your family!, Is time for everything, but you have to decide the way to spend it!, is your choice! you have to remember that the day you die, you will not have any of your stuff, and make strong relationships with your family will be forever because is like a chain. and if your chain is about love, will be always love in your family.

  • Jilma Sequeira August 31, 2011, 4:43 pm

    I don’t think having ambitions is bad but you need to see what is most important and if that unable you for spends time with your love ones you shoulds ask yourself if that really worth or not

  • Enrique Belli August 31, 2011, 4:43 pm

    I don’t like it. It is so sad when he finaly think his family life is good and wants to start to be with them he dies is no firking fair….. :I I know is true he was giving their material happines a bit more important than their emotional one his reasone was not a selfish one so it was a bad thing but for a good reasone

  • Shizuka Tamiko August 26, 2011, 9:25 am

    It’s so “SAD” :'(

  • doreena August 8, 2011, 8:41 am

    T_T… what a nice, inspiring, yet, a very sad story..

  • Neha August 6, 2011, 9:31 am

    In my whole life, this is the first time I read this type of stories. After reading, I came to know the realities of life. I want to say that in our life, we have to give priority, first to all the things which are superior to us. Yes, it is true that “money brings honey”.. but it doesn’t mean that for this money you get your honey and lovely live… so be balanced for everything related to your life…

  • Ram pratap August 4, 2011, 6:03 am

    Thanx for providing such a fantastic story this look simple but work strongly

  • Robin July 24, 2011, 10:39 pm

    Do it your way without ignoring loved one……… It’s hard thing but check one’s philosophy to the best….

  • Jai July 22, 2011, 5:43 am

    Nice story, all should read it and understand.

  • Danquah Mark July 18, 2011, 3:44 pm

    wat a pitty…..
    even the bible says… what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and loses his soul….

  • Hardik July 18, 2011, 1:18 pm

    It helps me to face the task.

  • Raiza July 12, 2011, 7:16 am

    Very true….

  • Raiza July 12, 2011, 7:16 am

    Very touching………..

  • Simran July 11, 2011, 9:02 am

    A really heart touching story…I’m gonna tell this one to my father that whatever happened in the end here doesn’t happen to him… Really a great story….

  • Kaynat July 10, 2011, 3:59 am

    Very nice story………and I am inspired.

  • Tina Jaggi July 9, 2011, 2:47 am

    Good story and attractive………………..

  • Sukanya July 8, 2011, 6:43 am

    Good story, but in life, money is important for everything. We should balance our time to earn money and to enjoy with family.

  • Dan July 6, 2011, 8:36 am

    Work is not GOD. A man can work hard, but his wfe should take a good care of the husband. Too much of greedy leads to death.

  • Susheel. Y June 30, 2011, 11:10 pm

    No more words to say….

  • N. Jayachandran June 29, 2011, 8:28 am

    We should learn that how to enjoy every moment in our life.

  • Rajasekhar.s June 22, 2011, 7:30 am

    It was a great feeling that father sacrificed his time for his family and thought provoking is, he loves his family and he wants to keep them happy forever doesn’t matter he was dead or alive.

  • Catrik June 15, 2011, 10:16 am

    Everything has a limit…….So, Life is SHORT make it SWEET…..

  • Alidu June 14, 2011, 10:34 am

    That’s very sad and pathetic.
    We should learn to celebrate whatever we have no matter how little it may be. We should also learn to live and work not work and live.

  • Chandra Singh May 31, 2011, 12:02 pm

    Fear of failure is result of failing yourself only. Drawing & Shaping your correct vision towards endless effort of success should be moto of life.

  • Seema May 30, 2011, 6:12 am

    This is a really good and touching story.

  • pavani.swa May 29, 2011, 9:56 am

    its an excellent story which tells the importance of balancing work and family in life

  • Brajesh Joshi May 23, 2011, 3:13 am

    Life is a continuous process of doing endless tasks………………………..

  • Rachel May 20, 2011, 2:01 am

    Success achieved at the cost of our family does not have worth of even a penny.

  • aditi May 18, 2011, 9:51 am

    life is too short…….you need to set your priorities. money and comfort is not everything which a family needs from you. what they really need is only you. your love,your time. because a family is incomplete even in the absence of 1 member. so we need to understand this and need to maintain a balance in your life.

  • Babli May 18, 2011, 5:20 am

    Good but father is right in his own part…..

  • Dash May 17, 2011, 12:19 am

    It’s lesson for every one

  • SriGouri Yedlapalli May 9, 2011, 10:40 am

    We have to spend our quality of time with family to make them happy, to make ourselves happy. Atleaset 1 to 2 hours with your family to try to understand them. I am missing my mom & dad like this.

    Sri Gouri Yedlapalli, 5th class, Hyderabad

  • TOMYAILA May 5, 2011, 7:15 am

    yessiaaaaaaaaaaaa–i like this

  • JS April 30, 2011, 4:42 am

    The story is really heart touching but are’nt we all running the same rat race.

    To progress in life one has to work hard or even overwork but one should be wise enough to know at what cost.

  • Rahul katlana April 26, 2011, 7:12 am

    Dear All,

    Please spend maximum time with your family. Because tomorrow is not predictable and not sure so please take care of your family. I love this story and I learn many things. It’s a heart touching story.

  • samrat April 26, 2011, 1:11 am

    the span of life is very short.it’s a true fact that none can deny.
    there should be a balance in all way they undergo.

  • MOHIT April 25, 2011, 10:52 am

    Very nice story indeed, but it was the unconditional love for his family that father had to sacrifice so much. and love dosen’t only mean happiness it means sacrifice and forgiveness too…

  • satish April 18, 2011, 11:17 am

    it was simply a question of time mismanagement

  • ISH KARIR April 16, 2011, 1:02 pm

    It’s a great learning message. One must learn & adopt some realistic approach to live overall wonderful life with our loved ones.

Comments Page 2 of 612345...Newest ⟫⟫
Cancel reply

Leave a Comment

Next post:

Previous post: