Joseph Addison wrote: “What sculpture is to a block of marble, Education is to the soul”. There is the story of a child who was studying in the primary section of a school. She had to pass through a park to reach her school. One day, in the Park, she saw a sculptor working on a huge rock chipping away parts with a chisel and a hammer.
Out of curiosity, the child asked the sculptor: “What are you doing to the rock?” The sculptor replied: “You will see after a few days”. Everyday, the child used to stop in front of the rock to watch the progress. It was still a rock with some parts removed by the sculptor. After about a fortnight, when the child was watching the rock, she saw the figure of Mahatma Gandhi emerging slowly out of it. She asked the sculptor: “How did you know that Mahatma Gandhi was inside the rock?” The sculptor smiled and replied: “Well, by removing the unwanted parts. My child that is what you are doing through education in the school. You remove the unwanted parts and keep the genuine you”.
There are other teachers in life apart from the ones in the school. The parent is a teacher teaching us what we should preserve and what we should discard. My own father used to say: “Honesty pays because when you are honest, you don’t have to remember what you said in the past. If you are dishonest, you have to remember many false things and reinforce it by repeating it”. Growing up children, sometimes become teachers. My brother used to read out passages from the newspapers, like a taxi driver returning the purse of the passenger who forgot to take it while getting down from the taxi. On another occasion, he read out an item about a vegetable vendor, who went to the home of a customer at night and returned some money as the customer had given the vendor a 500 rupee note instead of a 100 rupee note. There are people in this world who adhere to values and stick to them, come what may.
My friend narrated a story of a boy staying in a hill station who quarreled with his mother and shouted: “I hate you; I hate you”. He ran out of the house, which was opposite a hill. He went on shouting “I hate you”. An echo came from the hill “I hate you”. The boy got frightened, ran home and told the mother: “There is someone behind the Hill shouting “I hate you”. The mother understood, smiled and said: “Now go out to the same spot and shout “I love you”. Back came the reply “I love you”. Later the mother explained that there was no one behind the Hill; it was only an echo. She said: “That is life, my son. Whatever you say or do, there will be an echo, a rebound and a return”. James A. Garfield wrote: “There are men and women who make the world better just by being the kind of people they are. They have the gift of kindness or courage or integrity. It really matters very little, whether they are doing a business or bringing up a family. They teach the truth by living it”. There was that little boy studying in the school and it was Teachers-Parents meet. His mother who was otherwise beautiful had a scar on the right side of the face. The boy was embarrassed what other parents and the teachers would think of his mother. After a dialogue with the teacher, the mother came out accompanied by the teacher. The teacher asked the mother: “You look lovely but how did you get that scar on your face?” The mother replied: “Some years ago when my son was smaller, there was a fire in the room where he was sleeping. I happened to notice it and as I was rescuing him, a leap of flame hit my face, but I was otherwise unhurt. That left a scar but I don’t mind it”. The boy was ashamed and ran to the mother, and cried. We live only once in this world. That one life makes the difference because we made that difference by doing good noble act. It is upto us to make the difference or get into the groove or rut which will make no difference to anyone or the world we live in.
Ultimately, the man or woman who lives a purposeful life makes the difference altering his own life and those who come in contact with him. It also makes a vast difference separating the evolved human from unevolved animal. The human being can think, use discrimination, distinguish right from wrong and that makes all the difference living in this world.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Sunday, November 30, 2008
THE PARADOX OF OUR TIMES……..
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.
We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more but learn less. We plan more but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.
These are the days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.
Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.
Remember; say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.
Remember; to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent.
Remember; to say ‘I Love You’ to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.
Remember; to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.
Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER, “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away..!”
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.
We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more but learn less. We plan more but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.
These are the days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.
Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.
Remember; say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.
Remember; to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent.
Remember; to say ‘I Love You’ to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.
Remember; to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.
Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER, “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away..!”
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Exploring Eternity….
After decades of ‘dormancy’ why is there is a sudden rush to the moon. Now, I have started doubting the very first landing. “Did we ever land on the moon?” The moon has been a source of allure since eons. The Russian satellite ‘Sputnik’ showed in 1957 that the space can be explored and a series of space missions followed. American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin descended on the lunar surface in 1969.
India is too on a ‘get set go’ with the Chandrayaan-1 and rarin to go with Chandrayaan-2. Forthcoming decades will witness more space missions undertaken by various countries. But the question on my mind is “Did we ever land on the moon?” I am neither a scientist nor a sympathizer but I subscribe to the Russian expert in the field. Bill Kaysing’s view that the historical landing of Americans on the moon was a hoax.
He questions why couldn’t America think of landing again even after the passage of over three decades. With the advent of fast computers and other resources. America could have recorded several trips to moon by this time. But it didn’t happen.
Stars are absent in a snap of earth taken from moon, flag is seen waving although there is no air there, multiple shadows of the same figure despite the lonely source of light that is Sun, the plaque having letters USA written on it is visible in shadow as the sun is exactly behind the satellite, he points out.
Why there is no noise of the engine when the famous line one small step of (a) man and a giant leap for mankind was uttered, he asks. The statement was re-written latter by supplying the article in brackets that had been omitted or swallowed up in transmission. The list of doubts raising everyone’s eyebrows is unending. But my rationale is different.
Scientists all over the world use the term ‘known universe’ and avoid talking about the ‘unknown’. For me, the latter matters most. Exact speed of light calculated by scientists belonging to different centuries was different.
What does it mean? That means every new scientist proved his predecessor wrong and generation after generation were taken for ride. We are still using unscientific expressions like ‘sunrise’ and ‘sunset’. Don’t we know that it is earth that revolves around the sun?
Our knowledge is finite but ignorance is infinite. It dawned on me the other day during a wordy duel with my bachmate. “Science is useless. Live telecast on TVs can take you to Sydney in Australia but often fails to show a crow dropping on your TV’s antenna,” he would say. Another intrusion: Without milestones and name plates we cannot locate which villages we are passing through during our journey even on earth. Then how can we claim that we have landed on the moon?
The duel went on but I was lost in my thoughts. Recent space explorations have revealed that there is a debris of celestial bodies around our mother earth. The lunar module might have landed on any unknown asteroid. The term ‘continuous creation’ is in vogue today. New stars are taking birth due to collisions and explosions. New solar systems are rearing their heads. Why should we explore infinite? Isn’t it better to be a part of it? Travellers of infinity and eternity should not keep track record of such small steps. I console myself!
India is too on a ‘get set go’ with the Chandrayaan-1 and rarin to go with Chandrayaan-2. Forthcoming decades will witness more space missions undertaken by various countries. But the question on my mind is “Did we ever land on the moon?” I am neither a scientist nor a sympathizer but I subscribe to the Russian expert in the field. Bill Kaysing’s view that the historical landing of Americans on the moon was a hoax.
He questions why couldn’t America think of landing again even after the passage of over three decades. With the advent of fast computers and other resources. America could have recorded several trips to moon by this time. But it didn’t happen.
Stars are absent in a snap of earth taken from moon, flag is seen waving although there is no air there, multiple shadows of the same figure despite the lonely source of light that is Sun, the plaque having letters USA written on it is visible in shadow as the sun is exactly behind the satellite, he points out.
Why there is no noise of the engine when the famous line one small step of (a) man and a giant leap for mankind was uttered, he asks. The statement was re-written latter by supplying the article in brackets that had been omitted or swallowed up in transmission. The list of doubts raising everyone’s eyebrows is unending. But my rationale is different.
Scientists all over the world use the term ‘known universe’ and avoid talking about the ‘unknown’. For me, the latter matters most. Exact speed of light calculated by scientists belonging to different centuries was different.
What does it mean? That means every new scientist proved his predecessor wrong and generation after generation were taken for ride. We are still using unscientific expressions like ‘sunrise’ and ‘sunset’. Don’t we know that it is earth that revolves around the sun?
Our knowledge is finite but ignorance is infinite. It dawned on me the other day during a wordy duel with my bachmate. “Science is useless. Live telecast on TVs can take you to Sydney in Australia but often fails to show a crow dropping on your TV’s antenna,” he would say. Another intrusion: Without milestones and name plates we cannot locate which villages we are passing through during our journey even on earth. Then how can we claim that we have landed on the moon?
The duel went on but I was lost in my thoughts. Recent space explorations have revealed that there is a debris of celestial bodies around our mother earth. The lunar module might have landed on any unknown asteroid. The term ‘continuous creation’ is in vogue today. New stars are taking birth due to collisions and explosions. New solar systems are rearing their heads. Why should we explore infinite? Isn’t it better to be a part of it? Travellers of infinity and eternity should not keep track record of such small steps. I console myself!
Saturday, May 3, 2008
The lighter side of exams….
The exams are finally over and it’s a sigh of relief for most of us. No more sleepless nights and no more nervous breakdowns. Well, not for sometime at least! I presume that most of us have given over a dozen exams till today, so have I. But just last night I was recalling all those times that I sat in an examination hall and the ‘specimen examinees’ that came to my mind was all worth a good laugh.
No matter how well prepared you are, there is always that little bit of apprehension every time you sit for an examination. You try your level best to remain calm. But then you bump into the worst exam specimen- the nerve rackers.
They are the ones who come up to you 15 minutes before to tell you they ‘heard’ that the question paper is going to be the toughtest it has been in the past 5 years. They will ask you if you have studied a particular question because they definitely know that it’s going to be asked. They tell you a bunch of stories and nail biting will be the best you can do. By the end of the conversation, if you’re unaware of that particular answer, you may not have any nails left!
Now, if you’re thinking that there’s only pre-examination nervousness, then please think again. Can you recall the people who come out of the exam hall and start discussing the paper?! I personally feel that nothing good ever comes about by it.
Once the exam is done and over, there’s really nothing you can do. On discussing you may realize that your answer was wrong, and that can be quite a mood spoiler.
I mean, come on guys, haven’t you heard the phrase ‘don’t cry over the spilt milk’?? Please take my not-so-expert advice…..after your exam- don’t look left or right, shut your mouth, go straight home and go to sleep. If you still desperately feel the urge to ‘discuss’ your paper, do it when all the exams are over!
The next group of specimens are somewhat rare, but they were common during my B.Sc exams. During the 3 years of my college exams, some of the examinees would come 15 minutes late. Half way through the exam, there were a few students pulled up for looking outside the window and dreaming!!
There was also a girl who would shout ‘copy’ instead of requesting for a ‘supplement’. At first I wondered if she was demanding that she be given a right to copy (cheat) or did she really want a supplement sheet?! We science students are always accused of having a casual approach towards our exams and I don’t see any reason why they should think otherwise!!
Then there’s the naughtier lot- the abettors. If I must explain- partners in crime. When I was in class 9, I remember some of my classmates rehearsing their plan for Q. No.2, True or False. It was a well thought out, sophisticated method of cheating. No passing chits, no talking and definitely no mobile phones. A tug of the ear meant ‘true’ and a rub of the eye meant ‘false’ (I hope I am not giving ideas!!). Though the invigilator kept a close watch on us, she didn’t have the slightest idea.
Today, so many years later, it’s a bit funny when you think about all the planning that went on just for the sake of 4 marks!!
Speaking about invigilators, it was my Zoology exam. The invigilator was doing her usual check, walking up and down each row. While she passed by me, I happened to look down at her feet and saw something very queer.
I noticed that she was wearing a blue sandal on her right foot and a green sandal on her left foot. I could not control my laughter. She wore the wrong pair of sandals!!!! Until then I thought it’s only the students who are on pins when they have to enter an examination hall……but the invigilator as well?!?!?!
So the next time you enter an examination hall make sure that you have none of these ‘examination shades’…….and in case you’re the invigilator, make sure you got on the right pair of sandals!!!! :)
No matter how well prepared you are, there is always that little bit of apprehension every time you sit for an examination. You try your level best to remain calm. But then you bump into the worst exam specimen- the nerve rackers.
They are the ones who come up to you 15 minutes before to tell you they ‘heard’ that the question paper is going to be the toughtest it has been in the past 5 years. They will ask you if you have studied a particular question because they definitely know that it’s going to be asked. They tell you a bunch of stories and nail biting will be the best you can do. By the end of the conversation, if you’re unaware of that particular answer, you may not have any nails left!
Now, if you’re thinking that there’s only pre-examination nervousness, then please think again. Can you recall the people who come out of the exam hall and start discussing the paper?! I personally feel that nothing good ever comes about by it.
Once the exam is done and over, there’s really nothing you can do. On discussing you may realize that your answer was wrong, and that can be quite a mood spoiler.
I mean, come on guys, haven’t you heard the phrase ‘don’t cry over the spilt milk’?? Please take my not-so-expert advice…..after your exam- don’t look left or right, shut your mouth, go straight home and go to sleep. If you still desperately feel the urge to ‘discuss’ your paper, do it when all the exams are over!
The next group of specimens are somewhat rare, but they were common during my B.Sc exams. During the 3 years of my college exams, some of the examinees would come 15 minutes late. Half way through the exam, there were a few students pulled up for looking outside the window and dreaming!!
There was also a girl who would shout ‘copy’ instead of requesting for a ‘supplement’. At first I wondered if she was demanding that she be given a right to copy (cheat) or did she really want a supplement sheet?! We science students are always accused of having a casual approach towards our exams and I don’t see any reason why they should think otherwise!!
Then there’s the naughtier lot- the abettors. If I must explain- partners in crime. When I was in class 9, I remember some of my classmates rehearsing their plan for Q. No.2, True or False. It was a well thought out, sophisticated method of cheating. No passing chits, no talking and definitely no mobile phones. A tug of the ear meant ‘true’ and a rub of the eye meant ‘false’ (I hope I am not giving ideas!!). Though the invigilator kept a close watch on us, she didn’t have the slightest idea.
Today, so many years later, it’s a bit funny when you think about all the planning that went on just for the sake of 4 marks!!
Speaking about invigilators, it was my Zoology exam. The invigilator was doing her usual check, walking up and down each row. While she passed by me, I happened to look down at her feet and saw something very queer.
I noticed that she was wearing a blue sandal on her right foot and a green sandal on her left foot. I could not control my laughter. She wore the wrong pair of sandals!!!! Until then I thought it’s only the students who are on pins when they have to enter an examination hall……but the invigilator as well?!?!?!
So the next time you enter an examination hall make sure that you have none of these ‘examination shades’…….and in case you’re the invigilator, make sure you got on the right pair of sandals!!!! :)
Monday, April 28, 2008
Confer The Right To Succeed Upon Yourself….
We Live in a structured orderly world. Nothing happens in this world by accident. There are principles and laws, which have universal application. They govern our existence on this planet. Dr. Wernher Von Braun late German space scientist observed. “After years of probing the mysteries of this universe, I have come to the belief in the existence of some supreme power. I, cannot envision this whole universe coming into being without something like divine will."
Like laws of Physics, Chemistry, there are mental laws that are infalliable. The laws of belief is as good as the Laws of Gravity. These are predictable laws and a direct result of doing specific things in a specific way. There is a price to pay to change life from mediocrity to greatness. The world cannot change us for the better; only we can do that. But we have to begin perceiving ourselves and our world in a different light.
An ancient Chinese proverb says that ‘a walk of a thousand miles begins with a single step’. Each step brings its own reward. But we want to stay where we are, because it is comfortable. Moving forward is difficult because we are programmed to maintain status quo. There are many in this world who take the unknown path, the road less traveled and derive the excitement enroute to the destination.
Many people block out the reality by over-working, overeating, smoking or addiction to alcohol and drugs, because they are not able to cope with the realities of life. We forget that we can create a new reality that meets all our needs and desires. But, it involves a change in our thinking pattern. If we keep doing what we have always done, we will keep getting what we always received.
My English teacher used to say, “If you broaden your basic beliefs about yourself of what you can accomplish in life, it can happen but you have to confer on yourself the right to succeed in life”. So, decide what you want to be, what you want to do and the price you are willing to pay. For example, if you want to solve a crime, follow the clues and if it meets a blind alley, change direction, take a new look at things, some new idea will occur and some new results will follow.
Children for example, cry for something for a long time and when nobody responds, they stop crying. A fox fell into a ditch and struggled to get out but could not. When his friends came and jeered at him, he said, “What is so funny about it? Afterall, I live here.” All the friends left thinking that it is the truth. A lion came and bared its teeth and the fox said, “Its so comfortable here that I would not like to come out. Would you like to try?” The lion jumped in and the fox got out of the hole by grabbing the lion’s back. Well, there are ways and means of getting out of problems and difficulties. It all depends on ingenuity and Imagineering.
A study conducted at Harvard revealed that when a person gets a job, 85% is because of his attitude, 10% because of his smartness and 5% because of the facts and figures the person knew. Suprisingly, many of our people cultivate the wrong attitude, the negative attitude and complain about everyone except themselves. The foundation of success in life is because of positive attitude.
St. Francis of Assissi said, “Start doing what is necessary, then what is possible and suddenly you will discover that you are doing the impossible.” There is a poem which compares the winner with the loser. It runs something as follows:
“The winner sees an answer for every problem;
The loser sees a problem for every answer.
The winner says ‘it may be difficult but it is possible;
The loser says ‘it may be possible, but it is difficult.
Winners make it happen all the time;
Losers let it happen all the time.”
Remember that there are workers and shirkers in this world. When people accept additional responsibility, they are actually giving themselves a promotion. When you give something more to your job without compensation, you are a worker and when you look at the clock and go home because the hour is up, you are a shirker.
These days, people believe that you can gain nothing without raising your voice or an agitation. Afterall, money, leisure, pleasure are all hidden in work and if that work is neglected, you are in search of something, which does not exist. Real gifts are when you give a part of yourself. We possess by nature the factors out of which personality is made and to organize them is everyman’s responsibility.
Like laws of Physics, Chemistry, there are mental laws that are infalliable. The laws of belief is as good as the Laws of Gravity. These are predictable laws and a direct result of doing specific things in a specific way. There is a price to pay to change life from mediocrity to greatness. The world cannot change us for the better; only we can do that. But we have to begin perceiving ourselves and our world in a different light.
An ancient Chinese proverb says that ‘a walk of a thousand miles begins with a single step’. Each step brings its own reward. But we want to stay where we are, because it is comfortable. Moving forward is difficult because we are programmed to maintain status quo. There are many in this world who take the unknown path, the road less traveled and derive the excitement enroute to the destination.
Many people block out the reality by over-working, overeating, smoking or addiction to alcohol and drugs, because they are not able to cope with the realities of life. We forget that we can create a new reality that meets all our needs and desires. But, it involves a change in our thinking pattern. If we keep doing what we have always done, we will keep getting what we always received.
My English teacher used to say, “If you broaden your basic beliefs about yourself of what you can accomplish in life, it can happen but you have to confer on yourself the right to succeed in life”. So, decide what you want to be, what you want to do and the price you are willing to pay. For example, if you want to solve a crime, follow the clues and if it meets a blind alley, change direction, take a new look at things, some new idea will occur and some new results will follow.
Children for example, cry for something for a long time and when nobody responds, they stop crying. A fox fell into a ditch and struggled to get out but could not. When his friends came and jeered at him, he said, “What is so funny about it? Afterall, I live here.” All the friends left thinking that it is the truth. A lion came and bared its teeth and the fox said, “Its so comfortable here that I would not like to come out. Would you like to try?” The lion jumped in and the fox got out of the hole by grabbing the lion’s back. Well, there are ways and means of getting out of problems and difficulties. It all depends on ingenuity and Imagineering.
A study conducted at Harvard revealed that when a person gets a job, 85% is because of his attitude, 10% because of his smartness and 5% because of the facts and figures the person knew. Suprisingly, many of our people cultivate the wrong attitude, the negative attitude and complain about everyone except themselves. The foundation of success in life is because of positive attitude.
St. Francis of Assissi said, “Start doing what is necessary, then what is possible and suddenly you will discover that you are doing the impossible.” There is a poem which compares the winner with the loser. It runs something as follows:
“The winner sees an answer for every problem;
The loser sees a problem for every answer.
The winner says ‘it may be difficult but it is possible;
The loser says ‘it may be possible, but it is difficult.
Winners make it happen all the time;
Losers let it happen all the time.”
Remember that there are workers and shirkers in this world. When people accept additional responsibility, they are actually giving themselves a promotion. When you give something more to your job without compensation, you are a worker and when you look at the clock and go home because the hour is up, you are a shirker.
These days, people believe that you can gain nothing without raising your voice or an agitation. Afterall, money, leisure, pleasure are all hidden in work and if that work is neglected, you are in search of something, which does not exist. Real gifts are when you give a part of yourself. We possess by nature the factors out of which personality is made and to organize them is everyman’s responsibility.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Oh! Mother....
"The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness."
-Honore' de Balzac.
When people talk of women sharing equal rights with men and their fairer sex flying successfully to the 21st century, it often compels me to think of the diverse roles that a woman keeps on changing. Of all the divergent roles that she plays daily, be it a wife, daughter, aunt, mother-in-law or a friend, the one role that is most gratifying, pleasing and close to her heart is that of a ‘Mother’. When people talk of Women’s Day, my first impression and first image of a woman is that of a Mother. Mother, around whom our lives revolve, around whom we learn the trials of a journey called ‘life’, around whom we first learn the feel of a soothing touch. The touch, which nobody of us would ever forget in our life. That touch eases our all fears and discomforts. That touch takes us to the comfort zone of our life. That touch assures us of our existence. We first learn to walk and take baby steps with the help of that firm yet gentle grip of her hand. This is the most pleasant experience one can ever get in his life.
Mother is the person who nurtures, nourish, and nurse a child for the whole nine months and bear the burden of labour just to see that adoring smile of her little progeny. And the child fulfills her small world. Mother’s worls revolves around three C’s; Care, concern, and comfort. Care, caution, and consideration that the child grows in the right manner, concern that he heads towards the right path, and comfort when the child’s whole world is her Mother and under her comforting wings, the kid learn the lessons of life. God has given both parents an equal role, but has blessed mothers with the power of healing. When a child cries, no soul on the earth is so much concerned and so much moved as that of a mother, her heart cries with him and she would bring the skies down to console, calm, and cheer him up. She is the ultimate world for her child. Those who had the luxury of her warmth, affection, tenderness, and the touch of those soft hands are really the most blessed souls on this planet.
The moment a child is born, a Mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but not a Mother. When God first thought of Mothers, He must have laughed with satisfaction of making souls that are a part of Him, so rich, so deep, so divine, so full of soul and power.
I often wonder that the phrase ‘working Mother’ is neither a duty nor a privilege, but simply the way that humanity can satisfy the desire for physical immortality. Being a full time Mother is one the most highest paid jobs, since the payment is pure love and this love compels a common man to do the impossible. Mothers have the innate power of energy and unending enthusiasm which compels her to rise from the bed however bad her condition may be. I often fail to understand its never ending source.
People have coined a fashionable word called ‘multi-tasking’, which we often hear these days, but a woman has been doing this for generations and with equal ease and love. She is taking good care of her child, taking the charge of her home, managing her husband with similar enthusiasm.
Somebody has rightly said that the door to heaven lies in your Mother’s feet and at her knees you could take lessons from the best school in the world. Unles we realize her diverse roles and comforting care, we cannot sense the existence of God. The Jewish proverb that "God could not be everywhere and therefore he made Mothers", holds true in whichever generation we live. The greatness of a person is directly proportional to the greatness of his Mother. My hearty salutes to all the Mother’s on this Planet for making this world a better place to live!
MAA..
woh diya-e-mohobbat ka woh sayabaan
hai jiski roshni mein main ne
aankh hai kholi, woh kisaya mohabaat
ka woh fishain hai jisme main ne
sab se pehle khud ko hai paya, woh
hasti aisi hai jaise, jalte diyon
mein aise, jaise sab se roshan diya
ho waise, mehekte phoolon mein
aise, jaise ho sab se mehekta phool
ho waise, mehekte khilkhilate
rangon mein aise, jaise roshan
chamakta rang ho waise, chaandni
raaton mein aise, jaise chodhawin
ki raat ho waise, jism ki tamaam
rago mein aise, jaise jism ki sha
rag ho waise, woh hasti tamaam
hastiyon mein hai aise, jaise kisi
hawa ke naram jhonke ne mujh
ko payar se ho thapthapaya, ya
woh hansti hai waise, jisko sab
pukarte hain “MAA" :)
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Giving is difficult, receiving is easy..
“They alone live who live for others, the rest are more dead than alive.
This is the gist of all worship – to be pure and to do good to others.”
-Swami Vivekananda.
When we refer to ‘giving’, we assume that it is money or some material possessions. Actually it is not at all wrong! I feel Money can buy happiness but when spent on others. Not only this, Giving can include- giving your time, your talents, a patient hearing or even expressing kindness. When you give to another person, you are in essence admitting that you have an understanding of the grand scheme of human kindness. It is living beyond the level of selfishness, beyond greed and personal needs. It is living in your higher self. Leo Buscaglia, the self development writer says: “ You want to be most educated, the most brilliant, the most exciting, the most versatile, the most creative individual in the world, because you can give it and the only reason you have anything is to give it away.” Giving is difficult, receiving is easy. It is because of some divine spark within that you would like to share things with others. Service to others is like digging deep to discover your abilities, talents, personality and finding the opportunity you want to share with humanity.
One of my favorite teacher used to say: “The most fascinating thing about giving is that there is someone to receive. If there is none to receive whom are you trying to give?” Do not stand on a high pedestal and take 5 cents in your hand and say, "here, my poor man.."; but be grateful that the poor man is there, so by making a gift to him you are able to help yourself. It is not the reciever that is blessed, but it is the giver. Be thankful that you are allowed to exercise your power of benevolence and mercy in the world, and thus become pure and perfect. The great Buddha was once abused by someone who wanted to test his reaction. After a while the man asked Buddha why he is not reacting? Buddha replied: “ If you offer something to anyone and he refuses to accept, to whom does the thing belong? Service and humanity begin with empathy. Empathy is when you put yourself in the lives of others. When you truly understand others pain, joy, fears and emotions, it is empathy. Empathy at the highest level is when you know what other people’s needs are, their pain, sorrow, joy and wants. To be a giving person, it will be important to cultivate a sense of empathy. Giving is most sacred, when you give without expecting anything in return.
There is an old saying that goes: “ Teachers touch the future. They never know where their influence ends. As a giving person you never know where your influence ends. When you give, it should be described as an investment for the future. It is leaving a part of yourself to posterity. You can treat it as your living monument when you are gone.
Altruism deals with selflessness. It means having a genuine concern, compassion and kindness towards humanity, caring for the welfare of fellow citizens. Such people don’t require an order from someone, as the feeling of helping is spontaneous n sporadic; altruism does not concern itself with rewards, status, money or power. It comes due to total abandonment of Ego and remuneration. It is rooted in a desire to move humanity forward.
By helping others, you are helping yourself. The more you give, the better you feel. That is why Mother Teresa said: “ Give till it hurts”. Deepak Chopra, the doctor evangelist says: “ Practicing the ‘law of giving’ is actually very simple. If you want joy, give joy to others; if you want love, give love to others; if you want attention and appreciation, learn to give the same to others. If you want material affluence, help others to become affluent.”
Every night, lakhs of people sleep on the pavements of
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Playing Our Roles..
The lush green grassy fields, in glitering wetness of recent rains exuded freshness and beauty. The wet earthy fragrance permeating in the air brought a whiff of health to the breath. Neat rows of fresh crops showed up for the sweaty toil of the farmers. The glistening wetness all around was a feast to the eyes as the train passed by.
The shine of the pristine untouched beauty of the greyish outline of the mountains, at once wild and inviting, lent an air of mystery and magnificence that captivated me. I felt good about life.
Yet a feeling of unfathomable empitiness and smallness engulfed me. What am I and what was my life in the context of such wonderful creations around me, so majestic, so compelling, forceful, vivid- each fitting into a self-sustaining system, each potent to carry forward the unparalleled, wonderful beauty for millions of years to come?
I was a child lost in a fair, flooded by the buzzing, purposeful life around me, and over-whelmed by the magic of creation. Everything seems to have a role, justification for existence.
What then is my role? Carrying forward the progeny? Amassing wealth? Enjoying material comforts? To what end?
In the context of the Universe that is infinite in space and time, encompassing varied species of creation and systems, ours is a non-existent existence. What are our achievements within the limitations of our talents and capabilities, it is still a drop in the mighty ocean.
Yet doesn’t each drop contribute? Each of us must have a purpose and must fit into the larger sphere of life around. Everyone is like a cog in the giant wheel of the Universe, making the system work. And it is important that it is important that it fits, is well-oiled, smooth and efficient.
So it is imperative that each of us must offer our best contributions, however insignificant and immaterial it may seem, to make the quality of life around us better.
After watching episodes of air crash investigations, one can realize that major disasters occurred not due to major failures, but due to faults in small screws or nuts or negligence in taking care of small details.
If each of us can realize our own importance, though we may be small screws and perceive our place in the fuller picture, we can fathom how our best efforts can make a difference. And the pleasure is always in contributing.
Lord Krishna in the Bhagwad Gita stressed on performing our karma. This is nothing but perceiving what our’s in the given context is. Arjun was a son, a student and a mentee for elders like Drithrashtra, Drona and Bhishma on the opposition side. But Krishna pointed out to him that he was a warrior first and foremost, once he was in the battlefield. At that time his role was to fight as a brave warrior.
An anecdote narrated in a seminar comes to my mind. Three teachers were asked what they did in their jobs. The first responded, “I teach history”. The second said, “I teach children how to learn from history, lessons for the future”. The other said, “I mould the future of students”.
This speaks volumes about the roles we perceive for ourselves. If we see what we do, not merely as a job but as roles; keeping in view the larger picture, there would be a greater sense of fulfillment and we would be definetly able to comprehend a purpose and meaning for our lives. Perceiving our roles in the larger perspective helps us to love our work and see it not just as a job for monetary gains, but as contribution to a greater cause. It brings out the best in us and we begin to think of creative ideas and solutions in the performance of our work. It then becomes a mission and passion in our lives. There lies the true joy of life.
The shine of the pristine untouched beauty of the greyish outline of the mountains, at once wild and inviting, lent an air of mystery and magnificence that captivated me. I felt good about life.
Yet a feeling of unfathomable empitiness and smallness engulfed me. What am I and what was my life in the context of such wonderful creations around me, so majestic, so compelling, forceful, vivid- each fitting into a self-sustaining system, each potent to carry forward the unparalleled, wonderful beauty for millions of years to come?
I was a child lost in a fair, flooded by the buzzing, purposeful life around me, and over-whelmed by the magic of creation. Everything seems to have a role, justification for existence.
What then is my role? Carrying forward the progeny? Amassing wealth? Enjoying material comforts? To what end?
In the context of the Universe that is infinite in space and time, encompassing varied species of creation and systems, ours is a non-existent existence. What are our achievements within the limitations of our talents and capabilities, it is still a drop in the mighty ocean.
Yet doesn’t each drop contribute? Each of us must have a purpose and must fit into the larger sphere of life around. Everyone is like a cog in the giant wheel of the Universe, making the system work. And it is important that it is important that it fits, is well-oiled, smooth and efficient.
So it is imperative that each of us must offer our best contributions, however insignificant and immaterial it may seem, to make the quality of life around us better.
After watching episodes of air crash investigations, one can realize that major disasters occurred not due to major failures, but due to faults in small screws or nuts or negligence in taking care of small details.
If each of us can realize our own importance, though we may be small screws and perceive our place in the fuller picture, we can fathom how our best efforts can make a difference. And the pleasure is always in contributing.
Lord Krishna in the Bhagwad Gita stressed on performing our karma. This is nothing but perceiving what our’s in the given context is. Arjun was a son, a student and a mentee for elders like Drithrashtra, Drona and Bhishma on the opposition side. But Krishna pointed out to him that he was a warrior first and foremost, once he was in the battlefield. At that time his role was to fight as a brave warrior.
An anecdote narrated in a seminar comes to my mind. Three teachers were asked what they did in their jobs. The first responded, “I teach history”. The second said, “I teach children how to learn from history, lessons for the future”. The other said, “I mould the future of students”.
This speaks volumes about the roles we perceive for ourselves. If we see what we do, not merely as a job but as roles; keeping in view the larger picture, there would be a greater sense of fulfillment and we would be definetly able to comprehend a purpose and meaning for our lives. Perceiving our roles in the larger perspective helps us to love our work and see it not just as a job for monetary gains, but as contribution to a greater cause. It brings out the best in us and we begin to think of creative ideas and solutions in the performance of our work. It then becomes a mission and passion in our lives. There lies the true joy of life.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Don’t quit before the miracle happens..
A study of people who do extraordinary things reveals that they walked the high wire in whatever field they chose; they took risks without looking down at danger. They saw error not as failure but in terms of growth and development. Karl Wallenda, the great tight-rope aerialist once said: “The only time I feel truly alive is when I walk the tight rope.”
Wallenda fell to his death in 1978 in San Juan, Purto Rico, while walking on a 75 foot high tight rope. His wife who was also an aerialist recalled, “Ali Kari thought about for 3 months prior to the tragedy, was ‘falling’. He put all his energy into ‘not falling’ and not walking the tight rope. Wallenda went on to personally superwise the installation of the tight rope making certain that the wires are secure, something he never did before”.
Once while attending an educational seminar come group discussion; I was asked about the hardest decision I had to make in my life till date. I replied that there are no soft decisions in life. All decisions are hard and there is a strong likelihood of failure. One can do only his best of his ability. Worry puts obstacles in the way of clear thinking. Concentrate on victory and not failure because failure has finality and setbacks has possibilities of success in future.
I have this friend of mine whose father is an Architect who said that whenever he tried to influence his expert team in creative designing, it ended in failure. When they were left to their originality and creativity, they produced amazing results. Merely saying, “can’t we do this a little better?” inspires them to rise to the occasion. Great people are like Zen Archer who develops his skills to the point where the desire to hit the target becomes secondary. The archer, bow, arrow, and target become indivisible components of the same process.
Following the ‘blessed impulse’, ‘inner voice’, ‘hunch’ or ‘instinct’ has some divinity in it, because mostly action taken on them becomes right. While in the school, one of my friend was given a part in a drama where she had to cry and she did not know how to do it? The Director said, “Think of a tragedy in your own life and you will get the tears.” She recalled the death of her grandfather, who was very close to her, used to tell her stories, encourage her in her studies and suddenly one day he was no more. The memory brought copious tears in her eyes and it was an effort to stop her crying. We can all do that, because it is the inner emotion locked up that is being released first in a trickle and later in a flood.
Henry James who wrote marvelous Novels wrote in his notebook: “I have only to let myself go. I am in full possession of accumulated resources and I have only to use them to insist, to persist, to do something much more than what I have done. The formula is to try everything, do everything, render everything and the results have to come because there is no other alternative.”
All great achievements require time and tenacity. The last key in the key ring may be the one that opens the door. Hanging on one second longer than giving up could make you a winner. Many people fail in life because they believe in the saying: “ If you don’t succeed, try something else.” Very often, when people stick to what they think is right ultimately bring the desired results. Think of Tyagaraja the great composer of Carnatic music, whose 5 famous compositions took long years to compose and ultimately became famous known as Pancharatnaas. The route to success is always long and crooked!
Bessie Anderson wrote in the book ‘A philosophy for living’, “To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and earn the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a little better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even a life has breathed easier because you have lived is to have succeeded.”
Life is a gift. What are you going to do with it? You can stuff food, drink and ruin yourself. Life is given not to amuse yourself or run around asking what next? Life is given to make the world a better place to live. It is not what you possess in life that gives you worth, but what you share or pass on to others. So folks….the quest is not to leave your mark but to have done good work, the best you could do. That would be meaningful and purposeful way of living!
Wallenda fell to his death in 1978 in San Juan, Purto Rico, while walking on a 75 foot high tight rope. His wife who was also an aerialist recalled, “Ali Kari thought about for 3 months prior to the tragedy, was ‘falling’. He put all his energy into ‘not falling’ and not walking the tight rope. Wallenda went on to personally superwise the installation of the tight rope making certain that the wires are secure, something he never did before”.
Once while attending an educational seminar come group discussion; I was asked about the hardest decision I had to make in my life till date. I replied that there are no soft decisions in life. All decisions are hard and there is a strong likelihood of failure. One can do only his best of his ability. Worry puts obstacles in the way of clear thinking. Concentrate on victory and not failure because failure has finality and setbacks has possibilities of success in future.
I have this friend of mine whose father is an Architect who said that whenever he tried to influence his expert team in creative designing, it ended in failure. When they were left to their originality and creativity, they produced amazing results. Merely saying, “can’t we do this a little better?” inspires them to rise to the occasion. Great people are like Zen Archer who develops his skills to the point where the desire to hit the target becomes secondary. The archer, bow, arrow, and target become indivisible components of the same process.
Following the ‘blessed impulse’, ‘inner voice’, ‘hunch’ or ‘instinct’ has some divinity in it, because mostly action taken on them becomes right. While in the school, one of my friend was given a part in a drama where she had to cry and she did not know how to do it? The Director said, “Think of a tragedy in your own life and you will get the tears.” She recalled the death of her grandfather, who was very close to her, used to tell her stories, encourage her in her studies and suddenly one day he was no more. The memory brought copious tears in her eyes and it was an effort to stop her crying. We can all do that, because it is the inner emotion locked up that is being released first in a trickle and later in a flood.
Henry James who wrote marvelous Novels wrote in his notebook: “I have only to let myself go. I am in full possession of accumulated resources and I have only to use them to insist, to persist, to do something much more than what I have done. The formula is to try everything, do everything, render everything and the results have to come because there is no other alternative.”
All great achievements require time and tenacity. The last key in the key ring may be the one that opens the door. Hanging on one second longer than giving up could make you a winner. Many people fail in life because they believe in the saying: “ If you don’t succeed, try something else.” Very often, when people stick to what they think is right ultimately bring the desired results. Think of Tyagaraja the great composer of Carnatic music, whose 5 famous compositions took long years to compose and ultimately became famous known as Pancharatnaas. The route to success is always long and crooked!
Bessie Anderson wrote in the book ‘A philosophy for living’, “To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and earn the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a little better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even a life has breathed easier because you have lived is to have succeeded.”
Life is a gift. What are you going to do with it? You can stuff food, drink and ruin yourself. Life is given not to amuse yourself or run around asking what next? Life is given to make the world a better place to live. It is not what you possess in life that gives you worth, but what you share or pass on to others. So folks….the quest is not to leave your mark but to have done good work, the best you could do. That would be meaningful and purposeful way of living!
Monday, January 28, 2008
Just ‘Kid’ding....
Have you ever noticed that all parents spend the first 2 years of their children’s lives teaching them to walk and talk and the next 16 years asking them to sit down and shut up! Isn’t it interesting how these turn of events take place?
Nevertheless, the first few years of a child’s life is what every parent holds close to their heart. Their first word, their first step, their first day of school are memories that every parent carries with them for the rest of their life. My mum always reminds me of my first word-mumma. Oh how thrilled she was to hear me say my first word. However, her joy was only short lived when she realized that I would look at my grandma and call her ‘mumma’….and to worsen a mother’s joy…..I would even look at my dad and say ‘mumma’. Mum was quite upset but she soon got over it and now looks back and laughs everytime we talk about it.
Kids are indeed a joy to have around. The love they spread and the joy they find in the ‘little’ yet ever so important things in life, is something that grown ups will probably never understand. Like an incident which my uncle-aunt enjoy telling us about my cousin sister’s first Annual Sports Day. It was the first race of the afternoon.
My sister along with 7 other girls was made to line up for the 80 meters race. While my sister was standing in the line, she spotted her parents(my uncle-aunt) in the crowd. She was so overjoyed to see them-her face beaming and her hands waving out to them. The starter’s gun went off. The little athletes running at top speed. But not my 5-year-old sister. She was in ‘wonderland’ as she continued to stand at the starting line, while the other girls made their way to the finish line! My uncle-aunt made signs to her, trying to persuade her to run. But nah, she just wouldn’t budge. She was more pleased to stand and wave out to them and watch other girls run a silly 80 meters race rather than run it herself!
As I said earlier, kids are a joy to have around. And the place where I live we are surrounded by kids. Some of them just learning to talk, the others in pre-nursery and still more who have recently joined school. I recall an incident when one of the little girls had returned from a first day of nursery. We got talking and I asked her about her first day. She said her teacher was very nice and that she taught them a, b, c. Very enthusiastically, the little girl asked if she could say them for me. Not to dampen her enthu, I said yes and propped myself on a chair expecting her to refresh my memory on the a, b, c we all learnt on our first day at school. But oh dear Lord, I almost fell off my chair when I heard her say- A for apple, A for ball, A for cat, A for dog. Was I dreaming? Did I hear wrong? So I stopped her and asked her to start over and this time I was sure I heard right…..A for apple, A for ball, A for cat, A for dog. Oh it was so hilarious. Now I’m not too sure about b, c, d but on her first day of school, she certainly did learn that it’s not ‘e’ but ‘a’ for ‘everything’!!
I’m sure every parent has their own funny stories which they remember about their kids. I’m only 20 years old and still quite a kid myself, but all I can say to the mummies and daddies (‘if’) reading this, cherish the memories of your kids and someday when you’re not feeling your best, I’m sure these little memories will put a smile on your face! And while we are on the subject of kids, here’s something that an 8 year old boy asked me; How do you translate this in English-“baccha so raha hai”??
Simple, I said; “ The child is sleeping”. But he says no. The English translation of baccha so raha hai is ‘kid-napping’!
Saturday, January 19, 2008
The wonder of being born again....
The first birth out of the womb of the mother is painful. The second birth out of oneself is more painful. Most of the people have only one birth and live through life as mediocre midgets. Those who want to grow and achieve, strive and gather knowledge to improve their personality and performance. Such people have a second birth, which completely transforms their life and identity. You and I are born equal but are different too. No man could be ideally successful until he has not found his place. Like a locomotive, he is strong on the track, but weak anywhere else. Most of us follow the mob instead of being an engine pulling bogies and cabins forward. To become the engine, power has to be generated to move the locomotive. Standardisation, conformity, compromise etc. are the enemies of growth and development. To be different, it requires courage and taking risks. Different does not mean that we go on changing. We have to be ourselves. To be ourselves who else is better qualified than we? Herman Melville said: “Its better to fail in originality, than to succeed in imitation.” Average people stand at the same place and become smaller and smaller in size. Trying to be like someone else is self-defeating. The son wants to be like the father; the daughter wants to be like the mother. God has made each one different to have their own identity. If all of us are alike, there is no fun to live in this world. If there is to be sunshine all the 24 hours, the earth would be a desert. There should be day and night, darkness and light, happiness and sorrow, honesty and dishonesty, prosperity and poverty, health and sickness etc. God has given each of us an ability to do certain things well. We can’t reach our destiny or destination taking another man’s road. My science tutor once said, “If you cut your own path instead of following the tracks of others, you will make new discoveries for yourself. Do not follow the beaten track because you may get ultimately beaten; a new path will lead to marvelous discoveries and you will leave a trail!” You will find that the uncommon person alone becomes a champion. Your responsibility is not to remark yourself, but to make the absolute best of what you are made of. Samuel Johnson said: “Almost every man wastes part of his life in attempts to display qualities he does not possess.” An apple tree can only produce apples and not bananas but the apple could be the best and tasty! Water is a great symbol of flexible power. If it cannot follow a direct cause; if there are rocks and boulders enroute, it will always change course and find a way winding around and adopting to the terrain. Yet its power will always be to move ever forward. Ultimately, the river flows into the sea, a larger reservoir, where it can receive any volume of water. Our thoughts are like the river; fifty thousand of them every day, but very few are fit to be applied; others are either unfit or passing thoughts. These few are real assets if they can be worked for our own betterment and others too. The first thing that happens when you are on the move is that you are not going to stay where you are. It is not what you get that makes you successful; it is what you are continuing to do with what you have, that brings success. There is an anonymous poem which says: “Remember this your lifetime thoughts, tomorrow there will be more to do; failures wait for all those who stay with some success made yesterday.” For example, we hear people about their past achievements instead of saying what they wish to achieve in future. Weather-beaten bureaucrats give lectures on what they achieved many years ago and not what should be done today or tomorrow to make life a rich bounty. The beginning is the most important part of any endeavour. Worse than a quitter is anyone who is afraid to begin. Ninety percent of success is to begin and continue. You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed, if you don’t try. W. Clement Stone wrote; “Many fail because they don’t get started: they don’t stir and move forward. They don’t overcome inertia. They don’t begin. Remember that little steps add up and they become big steps. No endeavour is worse than that which is not attempted. You don’t know what you can do until you have tried. Like trees we can grow or wither!” The challenge of life is not to become stereotyped, average, mediocre and also ran. If you wish to excel, you have to shed old habits and be born again!
Friday, January 11, 2008
Find your own trigger!
Some people find it profitable to be engaged in some work like in the garden or ironing clothes or cutting vegetables because such activities do not require any intellectual thought, although physically at work. Many women find cooking or washing clothes monotonous and it is on such occasions which are ideal for day dreaming or indulging in delicious flights of fancy. All that is required is to enhance your inner creativity, to make life happy and serene. Why should we relax in order to become creative? Because, it is only in this state of tranquility that we are able to come into contact with the deeper recesses of our sub-conscious mind that all inspiration grows. Sometimes, we may be painting pictures or writing poetry when we suddenly find a desire to be creative and manifest it. Inspiration comes in a flash as in the case of actors, singers, painters, after many years of grinding work. For example, author Ruth Randall whose work has been so highly acclaimed said that she has been writing all her life, before she was discovered and hailed as a bright new talent. A seed sown in the earth in ideal conditions will choose its own moment to show its tender first shoots and there is no guarantee that you will be standing and watching it. Similarly, your own moment of inspiration may flash at a time when you are thinking if something completely different. Intuition helps and very rarely let us down. We should listen to that small inner voice guiding us along the creative path, possibly in a direction we have never imagined. Creative inspiration is a transient phenomenon comes at an unexpected moment making it important to capture it before it disappears altogether. Whether the idea comes for a splendid new novel or a wonderful new invention or a new musical composition or even as an answer to a difficult problem, which was worrying you, you should write it down. You may think that you can remember it later but your minds become so cluttered with garbage that the inspiration is submerged in the debris. When one of my neighbour uncle was in the police, instinct has helped him a lot in decision making especially in dealing with disorer (as uncle once told me). Even in interrogation of criminals instinct helps indicating whether the criminal is lying or not. Inspiration helps only when you know the subject. You can’t write a wonderful poetry or do a painting or sculpture without creating ideas. You can’t create a new recipe if you are not aware of the result of blending the ingredients. The tragic heroes and heroines are the ones who thought of doing something, postponed it and never started it. Remember, that only those whose minds have been allowed to roam free are capable of creative thoughts and inspirations. As one of my friend said, “I feel sorry for Turtles. Some of them, live to ripe old age but spend their whole lives in a shell.” Before you are ready to come out and speak confidently, you must have the courage to burst through your shell. Many people fortify themselves to live in the comfort zone, like denying a promotion because of change of place or just do the thing and not anything extra. Many permanently perish, because of a mere lack of adventurous spirit and fear to do something at great risk. Many whip and defeat desires, simply because they concentrate on why they cannot do a thing. To succeed in this world, one has to be an ever-growing and ever-evolving character. Life is trial and error and hitting the right spot while oscillating. None in this world had the correct formula or rule book to live a successful life. It is pure experimentation and the results teach us to proceed ahead or stop. Abraham Lincoln said, “Towering genius disdains a beaten path. It seeks regions hitherto unexplored.” A life without mission or purpose is without meaning. Meaning gives life direction. A sense of direction creates the hope of arrival at a preferred destination. To see that destination before it appears on the horizon and to want it more than anything is what life is for. Like all things that make life worth living, pursuing a definite mission involves risk. And risk makes us alert, vigilant and creative to find the solution. A wise risk is the one you will not take now, but won’t be able to take later. It has a lot to do with timing. Jim Elliot a young missionary martyred for his faith, wisely encouraged others when he said, “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain or what he cannot lose. Today is the only guarantee you have; make the best use of it.” So my friends go ahead and do it and something will happen which will be to your advantage.
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