 <span style="font-weight: bold;">This is a very old story, and i have heard it many times. I thought its good to share with you. There are few books which carry this story, but not sure who the real author of the story is. Anyways, hope it makes you think the way it made me...</span><br /><br /><font size="2"><span style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;">Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their  hopes and dreams when the first tree said,&quot;Someday I hope to be a treasure  chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be  decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the  beauty.&quot;</span><br style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;" /><br style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;" /><span style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;">Then the second tree said, &quot;Someday I will be a mighty ship.  I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the  world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my  hull.&quot;</span><br style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;" /><br style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;" /><span style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;">Finally the third tree said, &quot;I want to grow to be the tallest  and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the Hill and  look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to  them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will  always remember me.&quot;</span><br style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;" /><br style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;" /><span style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;">After a few years of praying that their dreams  would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to  the first tree he said, &quot;This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be  able to sell the wood to a carpenter, &quot;and he began cutting it down. The tree  was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a  treasure chest.</span><br style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;" /><br style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;" /><span style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;">At the second tree the woodsman said, &quot;This looks like  a strong tree. I should be able to sell it to the shipyard.&quot; The second  tree was happy because he knew he was on his way&nbsp; to becoming a mighty  ship.</span><br style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;" /><br style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;" /><span style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;">When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree  was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would  not come true. One of the Woodsmen said, &quot;I don't need anything special from  my tree, I'll take this one,&quot;&nbsp; and he cut it down.</span><br style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;" /><br style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;" /><span style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;">When the first tree  arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was  then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had  prayed for. </span><br style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;" /><span style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;">The second tree was cut and made into a small  fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had  come to an end.&nbsp; The third tree was cut into large pieces, and left  alone in the dark.</span><br style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;" /><br style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;" /><span style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;">The years went by, and the trees forgot about  their dreams. Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She  gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was  made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for  the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the  importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of  all time. </span><br style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;" /><br style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;" /><span style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;">Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat  made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While  they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it  was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and He  stood and said &quot;Peace&quot; and the Storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew  that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.</span><br style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;" /><br style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;" /><span style="font-family: trebuchet,trebuchet ms;">Finally, someone came  and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people  mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man  was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill.  When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand  at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus  had been crucified on it.</span></font><br /><br style="font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" /><b><span style="font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">The moral of this story is. that when  things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for  you. If you place your trust in Him, God will give you great  gifts.</span><br /><br /></b><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way  they had imagined.&nbsp; We don't always know what God's plans are for  us. We just&nbsp; know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are  always best.</span><br style="font-weight: bold; font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-weight: bold; font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Dont be depressed if things are not working out for you. Wait, and everthing will be fine. As they say - &quot;Bhagwan ke Ghar der hai, andher nahin hai&quot;...it may take some time, but God has a plan for you. Sure enough its better than what you have planned.</span><br /> 