“cause people are never happy in ...............”-27.1.05

Every body has dreams, plans and goals, when it is met, they feel happy. When they see hindrance to it, they are sad.

In organizations and management, this comes under motivation. Though not a management graduate, there are things that experience and life teaches us.

Different people look for different things. The needs of people vary and Abraham Maslow had put forth this as:


1.Basic needs: (security, Food, cloth, money), Safety needs (security), Social needs (Affiliation), Ego (Esteem), Self Actualisation needs.


To be more precise, some work for money, (to meet their basic needs), some because they need to show them selves off in the society, some because they love to work.

All have needs, though not the same, and therefore their attitude, desire and view vary, which are more or less like, steps, satisfaction of one need leads to the next, and so on. Every people look for different things, and in whatever levels a person is, they may have, professional and personal lives, and each life of theirs they have their own plans and desires.

As management do not like having surprises, even the employees, do not like hearing surprises.
It is really frustrating for the female employees, to know that they need to compulsorily work, even when, they are not feeling well or when they have whole weeks work planned kept pending at home. For men too they have their weekend plans, to be completed. Especially married, people are more frustrated when they do not have understanding employers because, they have to keep a balance between their personal and professional life, more than the bachelors/spinsters need. Removing an employee, with neither one months notice, nor salary for one month, have really demotivated the employees, in the sense, now they have begun to feel that there is no safety in working here, and the employers here will leave them at any time with no prior notice. When they ask me I just ask them could you give me the guarantee that you will not die today? But I know this is a harsh question, which some may not like to hear. Moreover it is funny to see that employees need to sent a leave letter, for a holiday……….

What the employees expect are:
1.Meaningful and interesting job.- Employees are here to work and not to plan, All things cannot be delegated, Planning has to be done by the top management, and once tasks assigned, there should not be constant change in priorities, what is said, urgent and they are made to work sitting late hours, they would like to see it implemented, or next time, when they are given, some important urgent task, they would be reminded of the old problems. There need to be planned and specific, goals & objectives.
2.Career advancement. This could be by job enlargements, job enrichments,
3.Supportive top management. -Generally it is said, follow the leader. Practice is better than precept. People work better and best for those, whom they see working. Not always shouting and creating problems work.
4.Participative decision-making- No doubt decisions are to be made by the top management, they need to make the employees, understand the requirements, preferably documented, but they would have a sense of satisfaction, when they are consulted in decision making. For example in project plans, dates have to be determined, by top management, and then consulted with subordinates for confirmation.



Motivation Carrots Rewards Monetary

Sticks Punishments Non Monetary.

This works if and only if:
a. Emphasis is more on carrots.
b. Sticks are to be administered skillfully and sparingly.

Many organizations cannot demarcate between the two, many a times what is implemented as a motivator turns out to be a demotivator in the long run. But decisions like, time, once made would lead to additional costs, to the company when reverted. For example is the performance appraisal. Now a days many organizations are suffering because of this decision made few years back. Once on the basis of good performance, a good increment is given to some employees, others are left behind. They how much so ever better they perform, cannot, easily earn the level of the first person, because, he in the future, if doest work, even a small increase, would be substantial for him. This is not only with respect to the monetary benefits but also with regard to the status, position and designation. In give the employees a scope for bargaining as to how he had reached that a level. Many organizations realize this, and right from start they decide to reward good employees by giving them some additional awards, cash/non cash prices for that year.


Just removing the trained employees, and recruiting new ones, would only add to the cost of the company, delay in generating revenue, and more problems.



“Which project is working best?”


Projects…………It was really surprising to hear that the best project moving as of now is Accounting package, I was astonished, shocked, and somewhat it was a joke for me. A project is a temporary endeavor, undertaken to create a unique product or service. It is unlike operations, which are ongoing and repetitive, with well-defined scope. For its success it should be within a predefined, quality, cost, and time paramater. The scope, time and cost should be predetermined. One needs to deploy the right resources in the right time-in right quantity.
One needs to prioritize things. Having highest priority for all means is no priority at all. Knowing the priority ranking helps project manager in proper planning. Failing to plan is planning to fail.
Fine some of these where there with the accounting project. But there are still some things missing.
There was change in the management, person heading this team switching over to another project, unknown person like me checking in QA server, which is too slow, and needs help of tomcat, bull dog, time spent on chats. Calling people when they are on leave.

There should be proper allocation and demarcation of authority, responsibility and accountability.

Professional responsibility toward team.

Need to respect personal, ethical and cultural differences in order to ensure a collaborative project management approach.
-Understand the strength and weaknesses of different team members and blend them well in a team
-Understand cultural and ethnic differences
-Respect different work ethics and practices of team members.
-Keep the team members informed of the project progress and future course of actions
-Provide training where necessary
-Give the team members honest, timely and transparent feedbacks and be interested in their welfare
-Manage conflicts with fairness
-No bias on the basis of Nationality, gender, religion.

Good this is the project plan, it is there. But what about authority, responsibility and accountability? What about the quality, cost, time paramaters and the scope ? What is the control on these projects? When The CEO shouts or points something, there is a huge cry.

It is said that well begun is half done. Just creating fuss at the last minute will not work. People in general feel that, there are constant reworking of things, and all efforts go waste, for nobodys fault!!!! That is one of the reasons for the present frustrations and confusions. Prioritizing things and Communication is the link pin, for success of any project. Proper communication at the right time, and in the right manner is needed. Written communication is a must and required for the success of any organization, not just explaining things, and need to be the basis for every organizational activity. Moreover now that the offices are in two different places, proper coordination and sense of oneness & belonging that we all are one big family, has to be there. Not just blaming the other end/others. It is also seen that among some there is a feeling that this being an invested co. FZ LLC, company will go on what may, and once the present projects are completed soon, then there would be no work………..So delay…………I Don’t think any in India would have this feeling, because here it is a private company.

Another thing for sure, just assuming that the investors would always be there with us, and there is no competition, is dangerous. Though we need not return the share money in a company once it loses its goodwill, there would be no new investors willing to invest here. Having had good specs from people like, pinnacle, no doubt, there is leakage of business secrets, and anything can happen. Just removing the trained employees, and recruiting new ones, would only add to the cost of the company, delay in generating revenue, and more problems. Things really have to move in an organized manner and not in a haphazard way. Better late than never.


“Personal notes & views”

In the month of December I happened to see the movie Munna Bhai MBBS, in which the Dean/principal of the medical college says:

Though a successful doctor for years, his hands would shiver if he had to operate his daughter?

Why? It was simply, because he loved his daughter.

Moral of the story: Same as someone said: “Never love the organization you work for, love your work.”

Knowledge alone would help you reach your goals. You don’t know when the organization you work for will stop loving you.

Work and ask not what others can give you, see what you can give to them. When you do your duty without expecting anything, you will be happy. We leave life only once, (Though the scripts say of 7 lives, I don’t think anybody leaves for that) so why waste time being sad? Nobody will bring to himself or herself, sorrow or frustration, as all would like to be happy always. Moreover “Happiness and sorrow are mere states of mind……… It takes equal amount of effort to be happy as to be sad.” Many don’t realize this.

We need to work and leave for the present. Saving and working hard now, thinking that we will enjoy in the future is not fully right, though we need to have some savings for the future. No body knows when a tsunami, earthquake, flood, fire, bomb or by any other means death will embrace you. Live in the present. We work for decent leaving, what we get now only is ours; let that be from our employers. Because the happiness, the salary we get now, is only what we will have, once the organization stops loving us, everything will be that of the company itself, so also all the bad that the employees do. At the most the employer can leave the employee, but the result of faulty recruitment is the most for the employer.

Also LOVE YOUR JOB, BUT NEVER FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR COMPANY BECAUSE YOUNEVER KNOW WHEN COMPANY STOPS LOVING YOU - Narayana Murthy

Undoubtedly, there is no greater teacher than Life!
The above-mentioned things are basic facts, which many fail to understand.

Moreover so far as I am concerned, I strongly believe that there is so much of good in the worst of us, and so much of bad in the best of us, that it ill behoves any of us to find fault with the rest of us. There are always scope and areas for improvement for all of us, and all would be looking for good and positive guidance. When an employee is seen not doing well in one area, there are always areas where he could do well. Once a person is recruited, before leaving him, there should be a policy of giving notices. Just asking them for the notice, when we do not keep the word, is not fair.

The first group of employees, here (Pritish, Hari) is more or less like the first group of employees there. (Sanjeev). Keeping them or leaving them is the managements choice.

Advantage: Sincere, Hardworking, Dedicated, Loyal, Have put good amount of hardwork during the initial days.

Disadvantage: Strong bargaining power in the long run.

Well all this can be seen in family lives too...........

Thats the story of when you divorce me, carry me on your arms.......Some relationship are built so much of love....But it takes only few minutes to break them...........?????? But why???

As the sms: In offices and at the time of Marriage why do two give hands or catch hands, when they meet first??- Is it like what the boxers do before they beging the fight????

Thought for the day: Happiness and sorrow are mere states of mind, it takes equal amount of effort to be happy as to be sad. We have only one life, why waste it, being sad.... Worry doesnot empty today of its sorrow, it empties, tomorrow of its strength. If a door is closed another will open, No body can change what has to happen....Once again....Expectation is the cause of all problem, accept things as they come........

Middle Path the most dangerous path –The magic of three

In an economy pure system is one, which retains its original features and are inflexible, while a mixed system is the one, which is a contribution of two pure systems. Eg. Of pure system was that in old Russia of pure socialism or as in old America, i.e. laissez faire capitalism, while that of the mixed system is that of India. A view of the present economy of the world reveals that the countries with mixed economy has failed unless they stick to or favour one pure type a bit more. The mixed economy of India has led to imbalance growth of private and public sectors, bureaucratism, undue control, waste of resources and corruption. Undoubtedly cooperation is hailed as a golden link between capitalism and socialism, because it eliminates the drawbacks of both the conflicting economy. Thus is there three – Capitalism-Middle (mixed)-Socialism.

Now take the lives of the people individually, Those living in undeveloped areas are filled with blind belief and superstitions, are punctual, filled with many good qualities and lead a calm life expecting everything to be the gift of GOD. Those living in developed countries, believe everything to be a game of science and are not superstitious, but ask questions and tries to get answers and implement it in life. Then there are the third categories of people, living in places, which are developing like India…

So also is the case with men, rich people enjoy all the pleasures, can buy and gain everything and anything, dominate others while poor people do not know the pleasures enjoyed by the rich though they too have their pleasures, cannot buy or gain everything and even do not try to, for they lead a hand to mouth existence, which is very pity…They should be made progressed for the welfare of mankind. The poor are given sanctions and reservations while rich can enjoy everything. But the real sufferers are the middle classes.

Take the case of ages in mans life. Young age and old age, carries with it some sorrows, the real sufferers are the middle aged people. "Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome." Past is history, future is history, Present is reality….

The middle path is just like walking in the middle of the road, if we consider life to be like roads. You cannot keep yourself away from the road, if you want to progress. And when on road, it is unknown as to when a vehicle will hit you. You ought to be the most careful person, when you walk.

Students: Very bright ones, pass out with flying colours, ‘Mandhabudhis’, abstain from studies, the average struggle trying to reach high, but are either successful or unsuccessful. In schools, teachers are sandwiched between principals and students.

Had an sms saying three major dreams of men are: to be as handsome as his mother thinks, to be as rich as his child believes, and to have as many women as his wife suspects.

There are three kind of people, People who dream the whole day, people who work the whole day, and those who dream an hour before setting to work to fulfill their dreams. The third category, involves lot of time and hardwork……….But isnt it better we be there!!!

Now what is this magic of three:

Life: Childhood Manhood Old age.

God: Brahma Vishnu Mahesh
Creator Sustainor Gurdain

Gunanas Satya Rajas Tamas
Qualities

Divine form Shara Akshara Parmathma

Christian Pita Putra Parmathma

People Man Women Eunich

Tenses Past Present Future

Things Beginning Middle End


The Number 3 :

Christians interpret the number 3 as representing the Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The great psychologist Carl Jung interpreted as meaning the merging of the will with the heart and the soul. The ancient Babylonians and Celts interpreted this number to represent creation being born out of the union of 2 and thereby being a 3rd and distinct thing. The number 3 is associated with Cronos, the Greek Titan who fathered the Olympians; Hecate, the Queen of the Witches and Goddess of the Crossroads; Pluto, the Roman God of Death; Saturn the Roman equivalent of Cronos and Tyr, the Norse God of Battle and Strength. 3 is associated with the colors yellow, lemon, beige and cream. Flowers associated with the number are yellow roses and orchids. The gemstone associated with 3 is topaz.

Some superstitions about the number three include: A series of unlucky events always happen in threes. It is bad luck to see three butterflies sitting on a leaf. Spitting three times shoos away the devil. It is unlucky to light three cigarettes from the same match. If an owl hoots three times, there will be misfortune. If a cat washes his ears three times you can expect a visitor. A three-legged dog brings luck. Try anything a third time and it will succeed. If you wash your hair on the third day of the month you will have great wealth. It is unlucky to get married May 3rd. If you dream about the number 3, you will lose your lover.
http://www.newagenotebook.com/Numerology/holy-and-unholy-numbers/

Three solves the discord created in the polarity of two, resulting in a new integration and wholeness. This can be seen in the divisions of a human: mind, body, and spirit, whose unification makes us whole , our visible world is three dimensional. Three can also relate to expansiveness and learning through life experiences. It is considered to be lucky, and is often associated with money and good fortune. Three can depict several people joining together to achieve a common goal, whether through a social or professional affiliation. Three also represents communication of all kinds, expression, drama, acting, and humor. It also represents the number associated with creativity. As a basis of all creation, the blending of creative energy of one (male) and two (female) create new life, so the resulting creation is associated with the number three.

Although three possesses attributes of wisdom, understanding and knowledge, negatively it can exhibit pessimism, foolhardiness and unnecessary risk taking. Three is seen as a very magical number. In some cases, the number three can take on some negative aspects and is seen as demonic or unnatural, as there are no creatures in our world who walk upon three legs. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unlucky_number#Three)

Now did you understand anything from all this!!! We have our own share of sorrows, apprehensions and fears…But most of us, hate to reveal them openly….What are others to understand you…when you yourself is rarely understood…..As in his class on Efficency in work place, Manny Paul said, the most we know is about ourself, but when any one of us was asked to come to stage and speak for two minutes, none could get up….Because of FEAR----In most of the books by G. Sekhar & Sharavana Prasad…You find…What is FEAR….Feel Energetic And Act for Result……It is difficult to live this way, but you have to go this way….

Thought for the day: As is said, Some are born great, some have greatness thrust upon them, some achieve greatness (Again three), So let us Act now, Let us then be up and living, with a heart for any race, still achieving, still pursuing, learn to labour and to wait…….(From Psalm of Life)

Loving together is such a treat,

for no one else could be so sweet...
Three things in life:
Once gone never come back: Words, Opportunity, Time.
Are never sure: Dreams, Success, Fortune.
That make you great: Hardwork, Sincerity, Success
Most valuable: Love, Selfrespect, Time
Must not be lost: Peace, Hope, Honesty.
That Destroy a person: Greed, Pride, Anger.

Secularism or Pseudosecularism

Having forwarded an email a PPS on pseudosecularism, there was an interesting communication from friends, which said:

Hinduism is the way of life, but the people who practice it must be aware of the same. Such E-mails must not be passed on, as it may create negative emotions on the person reading it, since most of people is easily affected by negative remarks in their personal life.

It’s really bad in the Professional life and in the year 2006, when people of other countries are thinking of the future with lots of challenges in information technology, new challenges in studies and lot lot more, we, stupid Indians are crying over the split milk and fighting or arguing over Religion and its various teachings and ideology, etc.etc.


[Nice to know your reaction, this is at least a proof that u have gone throught it. Moreover we should react to situations around us, in all possible ways........May be we cannot start a political party like Rang De Basanthi or Yuva, but we can always do our bit.]

Regarding reacting to situations around us in all possible ways, I think in todays world better not to react to all the situations around us, OK, some exceptions may be there like we can react with some of our GOOD friends, with some family members, with some (good) colleagues etc. that too only in a friendly way - But not with all.

With regard to the forward, what I have felt is:

In India, unlike other countries, there is needless too much of reservations given: caste wise, religion wise, etc....Dont you think all this is wrong, and its high time that these reservations are removed......

But , if a Rasal or Meera think that this is wrong, we are not going to do anything to change such reservations nor we can raise voice against this. To be frank, we are not going to do anything, as said in malayalam "oru chukkum cheyyan pokunnilla". In India, unlike other countries, there are lots of other problems to mentioned a few : poverty, injustice, cheap political games, scams etc. etc. can we change these things, just a big 'NO', as a popular song from one of Govinda movie "it happens only in India"

Dont u think that one of the secret of the success of Veegaland , Banglore etc.(not bending to the demands that local employees be given preference for jobs), Why this reservations!!!!High time it is stopped.....( Thats my view,)

But, no one can think regarding stopping of reservations or so. It is purely propaganda to create some communal disharmony or to Boost (as is always done by some cheap, stupid political parties and by some 'crazy' people).


Well this is the view of most of the common people, then why so much of communal disharmony through out??? Isn’t all this unwanted, cheap politics……When and how will there be an end to all this…..
Being an Indian most common men, have never tried to show off or tried to spread any religious ideology with in any social order/group, for most of us, our religion is HUMANITY and we do strictly Believe in it, and think its right.

SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD…..

Things are not always what they seem to be…When asked to a group of students in a class, what were the SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD…..There were many answers like, Egypts great Pyramid, Taj Mahal, Panama Canal, Empire State Building, St. Peters Basilica, Grand Canyon, Great wall of China……

But one wrote….TO SEE, TO HEAR, TO TOUCH, TO TASTE, TO FEEL, TO LAUGH, AND TO LOVE…….

So true…As had written in the first ‘The things that we desire in life are expensive, but the truth is that the things that really satisfy us are absolutely free…. Love, joy, laughter and friends….’ Most precious things in life cannot be built by hand or brought by us……

Why do we waste our life complaining….when we have got so much…..If we get half glass water, some Thank God, for getting it, others are sad, because the glass is half empty….. What is God is NOWHERE? Some read God is No where, others read God is Now here…..

One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?" " It was great, Dad." "Did you see how poor people live?" the father asked. "Oh yeah," said the son. "So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father. The son answered: "I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them." The boy's father was speechless. Then his son added, "Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are." Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have.


When something is bothering us…..We need to say with humbleness: THANK YOU LORD, FOR ALL THE BLESSINGS, THAT YOU GIVE ME. FOR MY HEALTH, FOR MY FAMILY, FOR MY WORK, FOR MY FRIENDS AND RELATIVES AND FOR EVERYTHING….THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT I HAVE IN THIS BRIEF LIFE….

It depends on how we use it. With 57 cents, a ministerial church was built in Philadelphia. Some feel even 57 million insufficient to live…Each of the seven wonders we need to use with caution….

Just move around a day with eyes closed, or without using your ears, its too difficult, virtually impossible, but then there are people living that way…

Tongue weighs next to nothing, but very few people are able to hold it, and it cuts even the heart…… Do not speak unless asked to….

Tears can sometimes be more special than smiles…Smiles can be given to anyone but tears are only shed for people we don’t want to lose. But it's more dangerous to weep inwardly rather than outwardly. Outward tears can be wiped away while secret tears scar forever...There are various ways of expressing our feelings…

There is a proverb which says… ‘Help a man when he is in trouble and he will remember you when he is in trouble again.’ How did he remember the man when he is in trouble again….He was always in his mind…..What you do not intend to remember, it may be carved in your mind, which cannot be erased, Some friends, you may never meet, never talk to or see…but they continue to remain the best friends…How is it…Amazing….That what is called ‘Soul gadi’…

Love: So much can be written on this, Loving is not how you forget but how you forgive, not how you listen but how you understand, not what you see but how you feel, and not how you let go but how you hold on.

Somehow, along the course of life, you learn about yourself and realize that there should never be regrets, only a lifelong appreciation of the choices you've made.

Thought for the day: There is so much of good in the worst of us, and so much of bad in the best of us, that it ill behoves all of us, to find fault with the rest of us.

It's the transition that's troublesome............

EXPECTATIONS ARE THE CAUSE OF DISAPPOINTMENT, SO NEVER EXPECT ANYTHING IN YOUR LIFE, ACCEPT AS IT COMES AND BE HAPPY.

Though loved Veega job, had to resign it, so could stay with my dear Ammuma when she needed the most and was alone. Could come into Amlaki, learn blogging, and many new things, got new friends….etc….But then, know this too is not permanent, and ultimately its GODs will or decisions which will prevail.

WHATEVER HAS TO GO WRONG WILL GO WRONG, and NOBODY CAN STOP A GREAT IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS COME.

Sometimes I feel, I will just come do my duty, go to hostel, and live this life, without involving in others matters and things, just do the daily task, but then I feel, may be that is not enough, as the song in JOGGERS PARK: ‘Akeley Main Melay hai, Melay main bhi akeley hai, tell Hi! To the passers by, we got to live now…..’ We reap benefits of the good done by some other people, so let us also do good to others, Do all the good we can, to all the people ve can, in all the ways we can, at all the time we can….As the conversation of Vinod Mehra and Reema Lagoo, in Pather Khey Phool, when she asks him, why do you plant tree wherever you go? He says, ‘The fruits or flowers that we have now, was not planted by us’.

At times feel why so much of misunderstanding, everywhere?? Especially between in laws. Is this is every where, everytime??? Individually all are so good, but when it comes to interpersonal relation, things go wrong….. Just as a big pot full of water will be emptied by a small hole, little anger or ego, will burn up all the nobility of a good heart.

And for this we need to:
Assume Nothing
Expect little
Do more
Demand less
Smile often
Dream Big
Pray always
Cry at times.

There are problems, everywhere, As Srini sir said, when someone say report is not working, you cannot say, no problem, report not working is a problem, we need to fix it. Some solutions are known, some are unknown, we need to find out the unknown solutions. Peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hardwork. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace…

Mistakes are painful when they happen, but years later a collection of mistake is called experience, which leads you to success.

Felt so sad to know the Nizar sir was leaving, he was here for 5 long years, had done so much for the company,Leaf's departure is because of Wind's pursuit. Or because Tree didn't ask her to stay...... then remembered the words of Narayan Murthy, Love your job, but never fall in love with your company, bcoz you never know when company stops loving you……….

Progress is impossible without change, so may be this is needed, as Mutability is the way of life. Then as they say, those who cannot change their mindset cannot change anything………

In the long run, you will have some good colleagues, and family members only. As they say Few Relations In Earth Never Die. ….

Best part is to be in the company of children, they are innocent, unaware of the things going around. Even they need company, as a kid, as well as when they grow up. So they love going to parks etc…. Then the best thing is to take a nap…Things will happen while you are asleep, but you will have the energy to catch up when you wake up.

Thought for the day: "Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome."

The Alchemist (By Paulo Coelho)

This is a story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure- With courage he gives up his sheep from his home in spain, meeting the wise old king who gave him Urim and Thummim the two stones, which were always a part of treasure for him, he journeys to the markets of Tangiers, makes a friend who turns out to be a robber and betrays him , but doesn’t give up hope when he is completely robed at first, tries to live out his destiny, and is very enthusiastic when he works with the merchant at the crystal shop. And then he is into the Egyptian desert, where a fateful encounter with the alchemist awaits him.

In the beginning of the book he is waiting for the merchants daughter, for a year when he was the shepherd, and finally in the end he is going back to Fatima, waiting for him in the desert, whom he had met when in search of the treasure…..

It teaches us to listen to our hearts, read omens on life’s path and above all to follow our dreams……

Some points worth remembering therein were:

1.The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon.

2. Now I’m sad and alone. I’m going to become bitter and distrustful of people because one person betrayed me. I’m going to hate those who have found their treasure because I never found mine.

3. “Maktub” Arab word, it would mean be something like ‘it is written.’ Words of Allah: People need not fear the unknown if they are capable of achieving what they need and want.

4.When a person really desires something, all the universe conspires to help that person to realize his dream. When you want something with all your heart, that’s when you are closest to the soul of the World. It’s always a positive force. Everything on earth is being continuously transformed, because the earth is alive….and it has a soul. We are part of that soul, so we rarely recognize that it is working for us.

5.There was a language in the world that everyone understood, the language of enthusiasm, of things accomplished with love and purpose, and as part of a search for something believed in and desired.
Whoever understands soul, can also understand the language of things.
Courage is the quality most essential to understanding the language of the world.
Listen to your heart. It knows all things, because it came from the soul or the world, and it will one day return there.
Everything has its destiny, but one day that destiny will be realized. So each thing has to transform itself into something better, and to acquire a new destiny, until, someday, the soul of the world becomes one thing only.

6.Love never keeps a man from pursuing his destiny. If he abandons that pursuit, it’s because it wasn’t true love…the love that speaks the Language of the World.’
Its not love to be static like the desert, nor is it love to roam the world like the wind. And its not love to see everything from a distance. Love is the force that transforms and improves the Soul of the world. It is not perfect, but like other aspects of creation, has its own passions and wars. The world we live in will be better or worse, depending on whether we become better or worse. And that’s where the power of love comes in. Because when we love, we always strive to become better than we are.

7.We are afraid of losing what we have, whether its our life or our possessions and property. But this fear evaporates when we understand that our life stories and history of the world were written by the same hand.

8. Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second’s encounter with God and with eternity.

9. Before a dream is realized, the soul of the world tests everything that was learned along the way. It does this not because it is evil, but so that we can, in addition to realizing our dreams, master the lessons we’ve learned as we’ve moved toward that dream. That’s the point at which most people give up. It’s the point at which, as we say in the language of the desert, one ‘dies of thirst just when the palm trees have appeared on the horizon’. As the old proverb: ‘The darkest hour of the night came just before the dawn.’

10. When you possess great treasures within you, and try to tell others of them, seldom are you believed.

11. Even the Suns wisdom has its own limitations. The wind cannot help us always. The desert, the wind, and the sun were also trying to understand the signs written by the hand, and were seeking to follow their paths, and to understand what had been written on a single emerald. Prayer has got strength; the Soul of God is our own soul. And that, a boy could perform miracles.

12. Everything that happens once can never happen again. But everything that happens twice will surely happen a third time.

13. No matter what he does, every person on earth plays a central role in the history of the world. And normally he doesn’t know it.

It was my old roomee, Shanthi, who inspired to read this book, told me about the Merchant who worked hard to go to Mecca, and when he had enough, did not go, thinking once he goes, there would be no other purpose or goal left in his life.

A good one, worth reading. …………

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY....

You need people in life, all the success, all the achievements would be worthless, unless you have people to share it with. May be for that all these celebrations……..

I wonder who started this practice of celebrating Valentines day……..Yesterday had a forwarded SMS, 14th February its ,’Valentines Day’ enjoy a lot with your lover. Do whatever you like but don’t cross the limit Bcoz just after 9 months its childrens day……

Just to love the feeling of love is amazing...to be carried away by your emotions. to do things with your heart...not thinking what's right or wrong..to let your heart take control over you...to tell someone how much you care about them………..But then when your head takes over your heart, you move back……

Already love is not easily understood and at time love has become misunderstood. Is it just a means to end your solitude…………….

It is not always that this love bug you get when u meet a guy/gal... you just say that it was a crush... starts out as a normal friendship...and then later on…..na, na, Mother Therisa was embodiment of love…., Need to be truly blessed to get parents love……Love of siblings…..and Friendship no doubt is love…with understanding….as Shameema had send today Give the whole heart to the lover they will break it. Give the Broken heart to your friend they will make it.

It is something which was there from the beginning of the world and will be there till the end of the world…Our epics is so rich of these stories……….Ganapthis love for parents…..and moving round them….a wise way to go round the world, and outwit, outwin, brother Subrmaniam……And who can forget…..Radha Krishna……There would be so much of fuss in society, over such relation, even today, ……But ….Its acceptable…..Though there are stories about Tajmahal….as is commonly known, it’s the embodiment of Shajahans love for Mumtaz…..Love knows no cast, creed, sex or religion….It is something that keeps people going……

By the year 2006, the idea of blog is into my head, and for sure it has brought me new ideas, and I owe this to lots of people who have inspired me. Amlaki, sis….some love blogging, some people feel it to be rubbish, just like, some people are lonely by nature, others are destined to be lonely, some would ve been lonely even when surrounded by people. So Bolgging is my new love of the year..................Howzzzthat.............

Men, Motives & Marriage

Men are supposed to be born with motives like food, clothing, shelter, safety, power etc. These are primary ones. Then there are motives, which are not in born. These are secondary which are created by exposure, interactions and experience. Then there are general motives like that of competence, curiosity and manipulation which lie between primary and secondary motives.

Men can control all these motives, and thereby he can lead a happy life. But then everymen gravitates towards it and in turn gives himself nothing but sorrow. Even then they crave for it.

Organized endeavor is superior and more efficient than an unorganized effort in order to meet the needs and goals of mankind, for the satisfaction of motives etc. Right from his primitive era, man realized that cooperative activity of living together and working together in an interdependent manner was better than isolated individual existence and efforts. He neutralized several of his physical and other limitations through cooperative functioning. ‘What one man cannot do, two can do, what one man can do, two can do still better’. This is the basis of forming family lives, so also villages, town, cities, education, commerce, bank, industries etc. A family- (Father and Mother I Love You) life begins with marriage. What is marriage? It is a social innovation to overcome the limitations of men and to enable him to carry on his business of life and inturn to satisfy his first mentioned motives in life with more order and convenience. The cooperative endeavors implicit in marriage involve setting common goals, division of labour, assumption of specific roles and behaviors by individuals and establishment of interactions. Only if all these are carried out marriage will be successful. Due to increase in population there is a growing complexity in mans life, which in turn requires, that marriage be conducted with greater degree of formality, standardization, centralization and control.

Male and Female are two characters with different qualities in the ‘stage of life’. And when these two characters come together, they make wonders, provided their tastes, and goals are similar. Eg. Mme Cure, and her husband P. Curie. Women are life water and fire, the basic necessity of life, without which life itself is not possible, but if uncontrolled, equally disastrous.

How these characters differ is that men are emotionally stronger than their counterparts. They crave for acceptance more than anything else. Female on the contrary are embodiment of Love. They are sadactive and acceptive. Though I do not know much about science, I remember having read somewhere that this is because of difference of hormones in them. The hormones in men are testermon and that in female is estargent. The general saying is that ‘To be happy with a man you must understand him a lot and love him a little. To be happy with a women you must love her a lot an not try to understand her at all.’ Men should remember that their wives are not puppets. She too has got her ideas, sentiments and feelings, which are to be respected and put to use. But then wives should not try to make their husbands henpecked. She should always remain the queen, and husband the kings of a married family life. A queen can be like Rani Lakshmi Bhai- but a queen. If a person intents to marry all these should be kept in mind.
The attraction, which draws men to women, is just like the force, which draws the positive electric pole to negative. In married life, by brute force or by mental force, a man can dominate a woman when the inner souls of both are suffering. In true marriage, neither the man nor the women dominates the other although one of the couple will yield naturally to the spiritual superior. Through wise understanding and hallowed love they become so complementary in time as to be one soul in two bodies.

Many married men have only half wives. At time, the complain after few years of marriage is that they wanted wives and not house wives. This is generally after children are born, and wives become more attached to their children and their matters. Once the child grows up, parents have to get separated from their children with sorrows of the middle age. Then again, her only companion is her life partner. Nothing should be more romantic than the illusion about one another with which many marriages begin. Nothing could be more tragic than the way in which these illusions are dispelled, when the marriages end.

Men and women must make sure that their spouse gets satisfaction in whatsoever activities they do. Never be selfish and make others dissatisfied. Avoid jealousy and suspicion. Find out what has gone wrong in your married life and try to set ti right. However intimate you may be, never open others letters or purse without permission. Pamper and make each other feel wanted. Take care of the minute details. Always be alert on the delicacy of the relationship with other. Never flirt. The start of any affair is with bandy risqué jokes. The end is always the same, an ugly affair that can break up and destroy families. It is better to remain within limits and enjoy a sweet decent relationship.

It’s not possible for every person to adjust through out his or her life and therefore most of the marriages end up in trouble. In today’s world, at the most after ten years of married life, people feel that they should have not married. Truly successful married life are lead only by 25% couples, 10% marriages end up in divorce, 10% people live separately without divorce and 55% couples after having children, live together only for the sake of their children.

There is a time for everything and therefore for marriage too. Its not 18 yrs, 21 yrs, 28 yrs or 30 yrs. The right age is when you are physically, mentally and economically strong to take up the responsibility of married life. Though marriage can be are even otherwise. The lesser the age difference between the couples, better it is. The thing required is before marriage one should think and understand about life. ‘Look before you leap’. Look into yourself as to how much you can adjust. Life is what you make it. There is no use crying over spilt milk. ‘Men marry because they are tired, women because they are curious, both are disappointed. –Oscar Wilde.

Though one knows that in marriage there are many pains, people jump into it thinking that in celibacy there is no pleasure. True the pleasure may not be as that in-married life, but infact in Celibacy there are many pleasures which married men cannot enjoy. To put forth in Lao Tzuns words: ‘Often times, one strips oneself of passion, In order to see the secrets of life, often time, one regards life with passion, In order to see its manifold results.’

As per the volume 4 of the complete works of Swami Vivekananada- ‘What is marriage, but the reunion of unchastity? The savage does not marry. Men marry because he renounces. So on and on. Renounce? Renounce! Sacrifice! Give up! Not for zero. Not for nothing. But to get the higher. But who can do this? You cannot until you have got the highter. You may talk. You may struggle. You may try to do many things. But renunciation comes by itself where you have got the higher. Then the lesser falls away by itself. This is practical religion.

In a way marriage is the end of ‘I’ and the beginning of ‘We’. Some say virginity is a dignity. It is because of lack of opportunity. While still some feels ‘Love is blind and Marriage is the institution for the blind.’ No wonder, one has to take care of their thoughts. Its what you are made of. If ever you marry, Marry only the right person. Remember, you will never find a 100% perfect person, but by learning to see the imperfect person perfectly.

For some, marriage is a licensee to do anything…As Shanthi Akka of chennai used to tell.

There is so much of difference between men and women, you can know more about it, from the book, ‘Men are from mars, women are from Venus’.

No matter how well matched a married couple seem to be, they differ in emotional make up, childhood experience and family background. Therefore some problems are to be expected after marriage. How will they be handled?

Loyalty: Loyal spouse know that, come what may, they will support each other. How different from those who abandon their marriage at the first hint of trouble! Such individuals quickly conclude that they chose the wrong person, that they have fallen out of love, that a new mate is the cure. But this gives neither spouse opportunity to grow. Instead, such disloyal ones may carry the same problems to new partners. When a person has a fine home, but finds that the roof is leaking, surely he tries to repair it. He does not just move to another house. Similarly, changing a mate is not the way to solve the issues that lie benith marital strife. When promises arise, do not try to get out of the marriage, but work very hard to preserve it. Such loyalty treats the union as something worth guarding, maintaining and cherishing.
Communication: There is frustrating of plans where there is no confidential talk. ) Proverb (5:22) what can you do in case of disagreement? Suspend the discussion until later, when you and your mate has cooled off. Your goal should be to remedy the situation, not to win the argument. Choose words and manner of speaking that will calm you and your mate. Above all, do not remain in a provoked state, but seek help by communication with God in a humble prayer together.
Honour & Respect: Honouring ones wife involves recognizing her values. He has high regards for her feelings, strengths, intelligence and dignity. A respectful wife would not thoughtlessly broadcast her husband’s faults. She would not strip him of his dignity by criticizing and belitting him either privately or publicly. This does not mean that a wife cannot express her opinions. If something disturbs her, she can respectfully give voice to it. Conveying an idea to her husband might be likened to throwing a ball to him. She can toss it gently so that he can easily catch it, or she can fling it with such force that it injures him. How much better it is when both mates avoid hurling accusations but, rather, speak in a kind and gentle manner…….

Knowingly or unknowingly parents often bring up their children the way they themselves were brought up. Faulty parenting techniques are sometimes passed on. In order to build a happy environment for children parents should
Set a fine example
Provide assurance of love
Discipline
Real life-everlasting life-Paradise on earth-Prayer

Marriage is fine, and Children are gifts from God, for he wants the world to go on. But if marriages does not materialise it is not that the future is dependent on it. Moreover there is no deadline for Shaadi, Shaadi eak aisa ladoo hey jo kaye tho pachthaye, na kaye thoo pachthayee....Mary a person who can tolerate you, and not reconcile but be one with you and whom there is no need to change...it is simply not possible and natural. Moreover anything that comes right from the heart simply excels.

In the 21 suggestions for success By H. Jackson Brown Jr. The first he says is: Marry the right person. This one decision will determine 90% of your happiness or misery.

30th wedding anniversery of my parents on 24th January

Well it was the 30th wedding anniversery of my parents on 24th January, and then I had thought, of putting this, but somehow, was quite engaged in work……..

Little things, just wishing, sharing of little movements of joy, a call, an email makes us happy, But in this busy world, at time we either forget, or don’t realize...

Had send a mail to my sis saying:

IT IS A GOD WRITTEN TRUTH TO HAVE A PARTNER IN LIFE, THE ULTIMATE AIM BEING MAN CANNOT SURVIVE FOR LONG WITHOUT A PARTNER...IN THIS LONG JOURNEY OF LIFE, WE COME ACROSS MANY SUCH SITUATIONS WHERE WE NEED SOME MORAL SUPPORT FROM SOMEONE SO CLOSE TO US, SOMEBODY WHOSE HANDS WE CAN RELIABLY HOLD ON TO FEEL THAT "OK, I'M NOT ALONE IN THIS GAME, I'VE A PARTNER TO SHARE THE FRUITS OF MY LIFE, BE IT SUCCESS, BE IT FAILURE"..........IT GIVES A LOT OF POSITIVE ENERGY..........MORE THAN THAT, IT HELPS US BRING OUT A LOT OF POSITIVE ENERGY HIDDEN INSIDE US........THIS FOR SURE HELPS US ACHIEVE OUR GOAL OR THE ULTIMATE AIM OF OUR LIFE...As per the mail........

AS THEY SAY EVEN IN MANAGEMENT...WHAT ONE MAN CANNOT DO TWO CAN DO.... WHAT ONE MAN CAN DO.... TWO CAN DO STILL BETTER............BETTER R THEY WHEN THEY R FRIENDS...SO MANY MARRIAGES BREAK...WHICH IS HURTING...............BUT IT DOESNT MEAN THAT I WILL OR WILL NOT MARRY...MARRIAGE IS FINE, BUT IF IT DOES NOT HAPPEN IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT MY LIFE IS DEPENDENT ON IT...

YOU LIVE LIFE ONLY ONCE, IT IS NOT TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS, CRY AND SPEND...YOU SHOULD MARRY ONLY THE PERSON YOU FEEL YOU CAN LIVE WITH, BETTER YOU MARRY THE PERSON, WITHOUT WHOM YOU CANNOT LIVE, AND FOR THAT YOU NEED TO WAIT...AND ONCE YOU DECIDE, THE DECISION SHOULD BE FINAL...

TO MARRY YOU GOT TO FIND SOMEBODY WHO LIKES THE SAME STUFF. NO PERSON REALLY DECIDES BEFORE THEY GROW UP WHO THEY'RE GOING TO MARRY. GOD DECIDES IT ALL WAY BEFORE, AND YOU GET TO FIND OUT LATER WHO YOU'RE STUCK WITH,ISNT IT?.

NO AGE IS GOOD TO GET MARRIED AT. AT TIMES I FEEL, YOU GOT TO BE A FOOL TO GET MARRIED. IT'S BETTER FOR GIRLS TO BE SINGLE BUT NOT FOR BOYS. BOYS NEED SOMEONE AFTER THEM.

But indeed we should not miss even the smallest opportunity to serve own parents!!!!!!!

Too much of sentiments cleans your mind n body together !!!May God bless all of US to achieve more milestones in life.....Everything is in his hands and as per his will.......

The World & We.

“ Manifestation and not creation, is the work of science today”. Science is nothing but finding of unity and when this unity would be reached we would stop from further progress.
Chemistry: One element from which all others could be made.
Physics: One energy of which all others are but manifestations.
Religion: One who is the only soul of which all souls are delusive manifestations, one life in the universe of death.
Economics: Wants equals resources.
Market: Demand equals supply.

Ecclesiastes 3:15 of Bible says ‘What ever happens or can happen has already happened before.’ So what has happened before will happen again, what has been done before will be done again. There is nothing new in this world. Civilization, life, food chain, everything is a cycle. One (I) may feel that my thoughts and ideas are innovations, but no, there are thousands and thousands of people with the same thoughts and same ideas. But then some are heard and some are unheard. These are all part and parcel of life. Our knowledge is only as much as a glass of water in the wide ocean. In this world of ours, the only truth or the destination in everybody’s life is death. ‘Death is common to all and nothing lasts for ever’. Mutability is the way of life. The only law applicable in this ever changing world is love, with the only religion being ‘right’- thoughts, deeds and action. Anybody who has a firm faith in a noble task and strives ceaselessly to achieve it will be successful in his life. Thus success is tasted not by Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhist, Parsees or the believers of other religion alone but by those who does the ‘Right thing at the right time’.

The best example for the fact that everything in this world is a repetition is, that the distance between sun and earth is 93,000,000 miles while the sunlight travels at the speed of 1,86,000 miles per second only. Thus before reaching earth it is already 8.3 minutes old and what we say, the new or the first ray of light is not infact something new, but just a repetition.

Another truth about life is that ‘United we stand, divided we fall’. Though competition is always required, cutthroat competition will lead to destruction and cooperation is always required. Eg. Sun is made up of heat and light, which are brothers. Light by itself or heat by itself is worthless but both are required. A common name attributed to these two brothers is energy. Light of the sun, the initial belief was that it was made up of seven colours namely VIBGYOR. But today light is not limited to its seven-rayed domain. The waves of light that lies outside the violet ray is called ultra violet ray and outside red is called infrared. ‘Astronomer Sir William Horschall). The heat becomes intense as we move towards red ray and so beyond it. Its chemical activities are leaned towards the violet. These rays if it reaches the earths surface will lead to disaster (Ozone problem) The waves towards the infrared light carries with it messages, by which we get radio news etc; with the help of the rays towards the violet (Rontgen rays) we can see the deep sealed bones in our body through our covering skin. All the colours in the sunlight blend, making it white. How can we then see different colours in different things?

The answer is that all things do not absorb all the colours. They exclude some offering no reason. These rejected colours are our gain, a gift to our eyesight. The liquid that a thick bloating paper absorbs is of no use to us. The liquid, which is surplus that is left over, is our gain. It is exactly the same with sunlight. The rub accepts from sunlight all its coloured waves but returns to it the red. In this renunciation lies the splendor of the ruby. Its glory is not in what it appropriates. White hair refuses all the colour waves of the sunlight and so it is white. Black hair absorbs all its waves and therefore it is black. If all the objects in the world appropriate the entire colour waves from the sun then our world would appear as nothing but black. The colour would not show up at all. So is there, the need for diversity in the world, without it, life would be boredom. When we see all people as all-alike, it is no seeing at all.

The people of the very ancient past did not try to absorb all colours and therefore found our world to be white. But today people are trying to absorb all colours and therefore it seems black and empty to them. There are many waves of sun, which do not reach earth and much, which air resists.

In our universe sun is at the center of the solar system, and other bodies like planets, comets etc. revolve around it. Just like the solar system our world too is made up of many small elements, which our shastra call (Paramanu) but science call it atoms. Some elements like gold are rudimentary and therefore cannot be split. While others-molecules-can be further split into atoms. The working of the atom is more or less similar to our solar system with one stationery body in the center, sun or nucleus (inside neutron and protons) and others like planets or electrons revolve around it due to the nuclear force. The positive force is in the center and makes others revolve around. Therefore in life too, each individual should be positive. All things, which are in the embodiment of stillness, vibrate, for there is a vibration of this energy in them. Of the energies of sun, light beats upon our eyes, while heat beats upon our body.

Energy, lighting that flashes from amongst the clouds is electricity. It is of two kinds-Positive and negative. We can say that one has ‘virtue’ and the other ‘no virtue’. That is there are two types of people. Moreover everything in the world is made up of two opposite forces and yet there is a natural antipathy between them. Men and Women. The electric spark is called the neutron. Only one proton can keep one electron under control. When positive and negative are equal in number there is harmony. When a home made up of union of a man and a woman has its feminine influence reduced it generally follows that there is dominance of Masculine power. When there is harmony there is no charge. The word charge is frequently used in connection with electricity too. If one ignoring its bond of agreement, supersedes the other, proclaiming its superiority then we say matter is charged with electricity.

As is seen in nations, families and among friends beyond the center of the atoms quarrels persists. But within the center they appear bound in friendship. It is detected that the space left between two similar minded atoms, when all adverse tendencies comes to force is many a millionth part of an inch. It follows then that within this narrowness of the atom there is yet a great force stronger than the repelling force that exist between two protons and this is of a magnetic kind. This force attracts the protons in the atoms as well as the neutrons. In other words, it exerts equal influences on matters whether they are charged with electricity or not. This great magnetic power dwelling in the heart of an atom is the same force that sets the universe at rest, thereby bringing about peace and patience and understanding. In the politics of the atom there is this force, bigger than all the other forces, that is why whatever are reactionary by nature comes to terms with it and together they hold the peace of universe. This makes us see clearly that the concord, which we find in the universe, is not the result of a placid docility. Out of all warning elements a powerful concord is established. Those, which individually are destructive, are the protectors of creation when united.

One more thing must be added. The electrons, protons and neutrons are the same in all matter. The difference lies in the way they are distributed. The molecules containing, six positive minded protons in total, forms into carbon. In other words it is an atom of carbon variety. The atom of Hydrogen has one electron, which of nitrogen has seven, oxygen has eight but uranium has 99. The atom falls into the different cast groups according to the number of positive protons they happen to possess. So also in the midst of numerical differences lies the diversity of life or creation.

The glimpse of our epics reveals that the progress of today is not something new. Eg:

Plane-Resembles something in which Ravana took Sita to Lanka.
Cloning-Resembles the remake of the son of Rama by the sanyasi in the forest.
DNA test- Resembles Sitas agniparaksha, for if she was in fire, she would have turned into ashes.

Things yet to be discovered are:

Death free medicine-Amruth.
Other solar system-Where men of epics reside.

The offer of sacrifice in the form of burning woods with ghee etc., thereby producing heat, which in turn evaporates the ground water and once evaporated, then condenses and brings down rain, was practiced long before evaporation and condensation were defined.

‘History is nothing and does nothing.’ It is man who is and does. For the progress of our nation there is no use imitating the western culture. Modernization by retaining new tradition is welcome. In any field hard work is always rewarded. Mostly the right work at the right time brings luck or fortune and otherwise it is badluck or misfortune. Whatever happens…. isn’t it destined? The will of God…………………..

THE REVELATIONS

1.THE REVELATIONS

(After being to Muringoor Divine Retreat Centre-14th March 1999 to 20th March 1999)

Wise people thirst for knowledge and the hope for the future as revealed in Bible (Isaiah 30-24) is: ‘Foolish people will learn to understand and those who are always grumbling will be glad to be taught.’ What is required is:

Respect ‘others’ (not only our) faith and discover their richness.
Know and obey God.
Don’t quarrel; love your enemies by forgiving them.

God is one and only one. Since God wishes to fulfill the desire of everybody in his omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient form, he sends prophets, who are his chosen children. We are all children of God. The chosen children are those who have faith in God, who have the Holy Spirit filled in them. People believe the chosen children to be God and starts worshiping them which give rise to different sects of people and each come to be known as a ‘religion’, which is just a particular system of faith and worship.

Mathews 17 to 21 of Bible tells this about the chosen children:
“ Here is my servant, whom I have chosen,
The one I love, and with whom I am pleased,
I will send my spirit upon him,
And he will announce my judgment to the nation,
He will not argue or shout,
Or make loud speeches in the streets,
He will not break off a bend reed,
Or put out a flickering lamp,
He will persist until he causes justice to triumph,
And in him all people will put their hope.”

Avestan Zarathustra, Rama Mahavier Jain, Mohamed, Jesus Christ and Buddha are all God incarnate on earth. Buddha is to Hindus, what Jesus Christ was to Jews. Jesus Christ was a Jew, and Buddha was a Hindu. While Jews rejected Jesus, Hindus accepted Buddha. Even here Charles Darwin’s theory seems to have been applied. The theory says that the Fittest survive, the weak go to the grave. One should be in a position to adjust oneself with the change. ‘Buddha was the first being in the world who brought missionarizing into practice. Nay he was the first to conceive the idea of proselytizing. Now, or today, even here competition is seen. Since the promoters of the missionaries alone are not in a position to cater to the needs of their devotees, they choose disciples from among the devotees. But common people unknowlingly starts worshiping the prophets. There is nothing wrong in it, for Mahanirvana Tantra 4:12 says, “Material worship, is the lowest stage, struggling to rise high, mental prayer is next stage, but the highest stage is when the lord has been realized.”


It means wherever thow seest extraordinary holiness and extraordinary power raising and purifying humanity know thou that I am there. God never ever has proclaimed that Christians alone, or Hindus alone or Muslims alone will be saved. All religious books say that ‘Good’ will be saved. ‘Truth alone Triumphs’. Thus as Vedanta Sutra 3:4:36 syas (Vyasa) “we find perfect men even beyond the pale of our cast and creed.”

Then why do we quarrel? Remember the story of the frog said by Swami Vivekananda on 15th Sept 1893 at the parliament of religion-Swamiji Concluded saying that ‘A Hindu sits in his own little well and thinks that the whole world is his little well,’ This is the case with each individual living on this earth. Quarrels are caused mainly due to misunderstanding. One should be a little patient to understand what is in the mind of others, or what does the other mean by his speech.

The cruel murder of missionary workers in Orissa has been explained in Deuteronomy 13 of the Bible. A prophet or interpreter of dreams may promise a miracle or a wonder in order to lead you to worship other Gods or do other things. His promise may come true. But God is using him to test us. Those who trust God should not tust him’. Bible even tells us to rebel and put to death interpreters. This is what has been done in Orissa forgetting that hate never destroys hate only love does.

It is clearly emphasized in Mathew 25 of bible- ‘Any country that divides itself into groups which fight each other will not last very long’ Thus for the peaceful survival of our nation the one on the banks of Indus which also includes the present Pakistan, only the merger of the two can bring total peace which is but a distant dream, a dream which ought to be accomplished. History has taught us, and excavations have proved that violence begets violence and the inflecting of death leads in turn to death door. Cruel motives of men are sure to lead men to disaster. On the day of final judgments may victory be granted to truth and non-violence.

As is said in Bhagavad Geeta, ‘All those who are proficient in the science of sacrifice, are qualified to reach the ideal goal, which indeed is one and same for all seekers. The science of sacrifice tells us to be inactive in action and active in inaction.’ Knowledge alone can in the end take a person to the ultimate reality. One will see that all beings, including oneself are manifestations of the one supreme self. This infinite knowledge, alone can remove completely our sins (vasanas) and purify us. As in other branches of knowledge, one cannot set a time limit for acquisition of this knowledge. Inspite of these drawback I can say this much, strict adherence to the path pursued, deep devotion to the ideal we have accepted and are striving to reach self restraint and constant endeavor are factors that will help to attain supreme peace (Param Shanti).

If we do not have faith in others we will fail to recognize others and latter will be guilty of the same. Eg. If we do not have faith in others religion/words what would happen is, on the day of final judgement, the day being not far away, we will fail to recognize the truth, and hence would be guilty of the same as had happened to the people who had not entered the Noahas Boat. Thus the only rule in life is ‘Love’.

Edward Morgan Foster in his essay, ‘Two cheers for Democracy’ says that tolerance is the most important virtue because it is absurd or unreal to expect enemies or altogether different people to love each other. Therefore love, which is very essential, does not work in public life and international relations. Tolerance is a less difficult less dramatic but more useful virtue than love and it will enable difficult races and classes to settle down together for the salvation of this crowded jostling world. Understand the plan behind the universe. Be Patient, do your duties.

One thing is quite sure, since all religion teach the same things, those who have true faith in religion will have the qualities of , ‘harmlessness, truth, absence of anger, renunciation, peacefulness, absence of crookedness, compassion to beings, uncovetousness, gentleness, modesty, absence of hatred and absence of pride. 16-21,22 of the Bhagavad-Gita says, ‘Triple is the gate of this hell, destruction of the self, lust, anger, and greed, therefore one should abandon these three. A man who is liberated from these three darkness, practice what is good for him and this goes to supreme goal.

Recognize the whole mankind as one race; if anybody hope that the triumph of any one of the religion/country/person and the destruction of others will bring about unity, it is impossible. Beauty lies where there is unity in diversity. One should overcome the barriers considering, oneself as the sons and daughters of one single God. Each must assimilate the spirit of the others and yet preserve his individuality and grow according to his law of growth. One should never dream of the exclusive survival of his own ideas, and destruction of others. We should aim for the goodwill of all men as we have a common origin. People behave rudely or otherwise only because of ignorance- worst criminals as well as greatest saints don’t make themselves a nuisance to everybody. Be constructive in life, have inner dedication. ‘Be ye harmless as a dove, but wise as a serpent’ and ‘Cause less inconvenience to your co passengers’.


2. Religion.


‘Religion’ means a particular system of faith and worship. What binds man to God is his religion. When men have learnt to build a quiet temple inside his own heart and to be a ministering priest to his own self, religion will have done its true work.

The only way in which religion can be established is by worship, not by argument or discussion. The steps for proper worship are:
Before you can begin to worship God, you must forget yourself, before you can forget yourself, you must learn to control your thoughts and silence your minds. For this you must have humility and child like attitude.
We must not think of over selves as bodies and intellects. Thus you should forget your personal life at the time of worship.
Find for yourself some human intermediary, between self and God who will be a focus.
Make yourself strong and illumined to do without outside help, i.e stilling of the mind.

Self Reliance is the only true worship. What is needed is a fellow feeling between the different types of religion, seeing that they all stand or fall together, a fellow-feeling which springs from mutual esteem and mutual respect…Swami Vivekananda- All religions are different expressions of the same truth, all march on or die out. They are the radii of the same truth the expression that variety of minds requires.

3.God.

(Based on the debate with Mr. Menon, of Green wich oil mills, Thrissur, at the time of audit there with Jayanthy)

There is an unseen, unknown force controlling or moulding the nature and each individual here. We do not know what that external force is and therefore call it God. It is only adversity that takes man to God. Others simply say, ‘Man makes his own fortune and calls it fate’. Only that person in life can know what is fate, who has seen, felt or experienced adversity even by doing good things.

Cotton does not become cloth by itself. If there is a pen and a paper, nothing will come on the paper by itself. Some one has to lift the pen and write on it. This is nature. It is the sufficient proof for the existence of God, to those who do not believe in him. I have not seen the White House at Washington. But it is there and therefore it would be a folly if I deny it. I breath air, though I have not seen it. If we had told our great grandfather that I sitting in India can talk to or see a person who is not near us, he would not believe it, though I can see it happening today. In past people did not know the law of gravity until Newton discovered it. Thus gravity existed before Newton discovered it and would have existed even if it was not discovered.

So is that external force controlling mankind, which is called God. There is nothing like ‘my God’ or ‘your God’, but one single God-the omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient which is ‘our God’.

Until the reality of God is unveiled, each one of us has got our own ideas. The whole concept of God depends entirely upon where we stand, for different people and also for the same people at different points of life, God means many things. For some it is a personal deity, for some human images, or other images and for some light is the form of God and space is his home. For some it is power-because wherever we go God is there. He is the creator of such a vast creation. Therefore the highest deity ought to be the impersonal and universal.
Everything in life is not within the control of men. There is an external force controlling it, moulding it. Man should learn to build a quiet temple inside his own heart, and be a priest to his own self, for God is within him, around him and everywhere. One must see God in oneself as well as in every other individual. The real God who is presently playing hide and seek with us will one day reveal his identity to us, if we earnestly desire.

I accept all religions that were in the past, and worship with them all, I worship God with every one of them, in whatever from they worships him. I shall go to the mosque of the Mohammedan, I shall enter the Christians church and kneel before the crucifix, I shall enter the Buddhist temple, where I shall take refuge in Buddha and in his law, I shall go into the forest and sit down in meditation with the Hindu, who is trying to see the light which enlightens the heart of everyone.



4. Faith.


Faith is the playing ground of impression developed through birth. ‘A man is as his faith is, nay man is but his faith’. What do you mean by faith? The belief in what I don’t know, so that I may come to know what I believe in is called faith. Faith is that towards which each of us irresistibly gravitates in all our actions, feelings and thoughts. Thus every one of us has a goal, a great destination. This is the faith in each of us. Without faith ‘might would be right’ as is happening in the world of today. If all of us on this earth had faith in God, there would be love among all of us, on this earth and we know that where there is love there is peace and God. There would be no enemity, no hatred, no war, and no bloodshed! Ha! How wonderful it would be. But today all these are present on mother earth, which reveals lack of faith. This is leading us to destruction. There is a great deal of variance in the life of men because of difference of faith. Faith is the man, have a firm faith in a noble ideal and thus act tirelessly to achieve it in a spirit of dedication and love unto him. To one who works thus in the world, success is sure. Eg. Einsten/Edison-Science, Gandhi-Non Violence.

With the birth of a man is born his faith and is the lifeblood of his living. It is a great Power. Often Christ said ‘As ye believe, so will it be’ A doubting mind is a diseased mind. Doubt is like a little germ, which gets loaded in the heart and infects the whole being. There is no happiness for the man of doubting. It throws the whole world into a state of turmoil. A man who thinks himself the most sinful of all sinners, fallen without hope, rises to his feet again when a wise and loving heart comes and rekindles in him the divine spark. Thus faith regenerates. Faith may not eliminate all our troubles. It may make it greater. We should always remember that, there is a place in every heart upon which we can absolutely depend. We must try to find that. No matter how degraded a person may be, there is still within him the divine spark. ‘There is so much good in the worst of us, and so much bad in the best of us, that it ill behoves any of us, to find fault with the rest of us.’ No matter how small or insignificant we may seem at times, we are always connected with the great whole. As we think, so we become. “Fools dwelling in ignorance, yet imaging themselves wise and learned, go round and round in crooked ways, like the blind leading the blind.”

Swami Vivekananda had said, ‘who will help you? You are the help of the universe, what in this universe can help you? Where is the man, or the God, or the demon to help you? What can prevail over you? You are the God of the Universe, where can you seek for help? Never help came from anywhere but from yourself. In your ignorance, every prayer that you made and that was answered, you thought was answered by some being, but you answered the prayer yourself unknowingly.

Faith is belief in inspiration, revelation or autority. The word sometimes refers to a belief that is held with lack of reason or evidence. 

Faith, Faith, Faith, in ourselves, faith in God- this is the secret of greatness. If you have faith in the three hundred and thirty millions of your mythological Gods, and in all the Gods which foreigners have introduced into your midst, and still have no faith in yourself, there is no salvation for you. Have faith in yourselves, and stand upon that faith and be strong.

Just Few thoughts............

When the people, whom I had been trusting so long, turn to be untrustworthy, how can I trust or belive, the people I meet, today, or at this juncture of life? Why do you love some people so much?? So much more than anything………..or anybody else…..Why do we admire somebody so much….And how hurting is it to know later that they are untrustworthy……Anyways…There is so much of good in the worst of us, and so much of bad in the best of us………..Are all person selfish, and nobody, trustworthy? Hey no…..You should never think so…..

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Why are all always busy?? What do you mean by being busy? Doesn’t it depend on us, we find time for all the things we wish to do.....There is no time for the
things we dont want to do...... NEWS- happen daily,....Just office problems, & friends problems,family problems, country problems....+ our role.... zindegay main choti choti bathey hothey rehethy hey...Khya kare..... Namaku viswasamullathum, news agencyude swabhavamillathathumaaya aarodenkilum manasu thurannu parayan chilapol thonum, when mind is filled with things, we feel if we do that we will be free, but in the long is it worthwhile sharing secrets with anybody?? " Isnt there some self-interest behind every friendship? There is no friendship without self-interests. This is a bitter truth." Mutability is the way of life, friends are made by men, relations are made by God....Which is more stronger, depends.....but in the long run, nobody can overtake the will of God......As per the comment from Sibila, decided not to put any forwards here, and for that created yet another blog……..
http://forwardsandthoughts.blogspot.com/
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There is so much in life, so many people we meet in and out, daily, there are so many things that has happened in our and others life, which have taught us so many things, why don’t we learn from that, and not repeat them…..why do we at time have mad thrills towards others, why don’t we accept advise of elders and those who love us?? In every case, both, the right person and the wrong persons, have justifications to make, do think over if your justifications are right….. Nobody can stop an idea whose time has come., Kanuna swapnagel ellam phalichal, kalathil kalpaney khey enthu mukliyam you live life only once, live it right, live it with dignity. Life is much more than getting all that you want, desire what you deserve, desire is the root cause of all sorrows.
What we know is like pebbles on the shore, what we have to learn is vast like the sea before-There are so many things that u do not know about u, and I do not know about myself…...A bitter truth of life is We make them cry who care for us, we cry for them who never care for us, and we care for them who will never cry for us……Those who care for us, would like to see us as a person, whom all loves, and respects, but for the sake of some other person, we get the curse and hatred of all those who love you……..Who cares/cared for you, did so much for you….. Then what will you gain from those who care for us??….not blessings, but curse, which will make our lives more miserable.
Not education but character is mans greatest need and mans greatest safeguard. Why not we be men of character with courage. Though in real life academic excellence is not enough to be successful, it gives us some amount of value, and respect in society. So many people had wanted to see you as a successful Chartered accountant, not only you; but once you become a CA, the advantages of that would be enjoyed only by you, don’t get demoralized, it is something, for which you have strived so many years, spend so much of your time and energy, and come this far….Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts. Life is queer with its twists & turns, when things go wrong as they sometimes will, you musnt quit, and turn to mad things, forgetting what you were into……Please do Forget & Forgive, and have no grudge towards others, and take away others peace and happiness……..It will help you to be happy always….And you will get your share of reward definitely, in the long run.
I dont know or understand what could I do now, but hope that this message, will not be a waste.As I know that you have got a caring heart, which is just surrounded by some cloud now, hope you will be able to clear that.....Hoping, wishing & praying for the best and that things will turn out right, positive and for the good, soon. Nobody, but only you yourself can do it. Inshallaha.....

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Comment Ps......

If you read this, if your eyes are passing over this right now, even if we don't speak often, please post a comment with a memory of you and me. It can be anything you want, either good or bad.

Or just tell me one thing that reminds u of me

When you're finished, post this little paragraph on your blog and be surprised (or mortified) about what people remember about you.

Thought for the day: It is good to know about what people think about u, remember about u, and even more better if they give u advises to improve.............

When You Divorce Me, Carry Me Out in Your Arms

On my wedding day, I carried my wife in my arms. The bridal car stopped in front of our one-room flat. My buddies insisted that I carry her out of the car in my arms. So I carried her into our home. She was then plump and shy. I was a strong and happy bridegroom.

This was the scene of ten years ago.

The following days were as simple as a cup of pure water: we had a kid, I went into business and tried to make more money. When the assets were steadily increasing, the affections between u seemed to ebb. She was a civil servant. Every morning we left home together and got home almost at the same time. Our kid was studying in a boarding school.

Our marriage life seemed to be enviably happy.! But the calm life was more likely to be affected by unpredictable changes.

Dew came into my life.It was a sunny day. I stood on a spacious balcony. Dew hugged me from behind. My heart once again was immersed in her stream of love.This was the apartment I bought for her.

Dew said, "You are the kind of man who best draws girls' eyeballs. Her words suddenly reminded me of my wife. When we just married, my wife said,"Men like you, once successful, will be very attractive to girls."Thinking of this, I became somewhat hesitant. I knew I had betrayed my wife. But I couldn't help doing so.

I moved Dew's hands aside and said," You go to select some furniture, O.K.? I've got something to do in the company." Obviously she was unhappy, be! cause I had promised her to go and see with her. At the moment, the idea of divorce became clearer in my mind although it used to be something impossible to me.

However, I found it rather difficult to tell my wife about it. No matter how mildly I mentioned it to her, she would be deeply hurt. Honestly, she was a good wife. Every evening she was busy preparing dinner. I was sitting in front of the TV. The dinner was ready soon. Then we watched TV together. Or, I was lounging before the computer, visualizing Dew's body. This was the means of my entertainment.

One day I said to her in a slight joking way, "suppose we divorce, what will you do?" She stared at me for a few seconds without a word. Apparently she believed that 'divorce' was something too far away from her. I cou! ldn't imagine how she would react once she got to know I was serious.

When my wife went to my office, Dew had just stepped out. Almost all the staff looked at my wife with a sympathetic eye and tried to hide something while talking with her. She seemed to have got some hint. She gently smiled at my subordinates. But I read some hurt in her eyes.

Once again, Dew said to me, "He Ning, divorce her, O.K..? Then we live together." I nodded. I knew I could not hesitate any more.

When my wife served the last dish, I held her hand. "I've got something to tell you," I said. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes. Suddenly I didn't know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. "I want to divorce." I raised a serioustopic calmly. She didn't seem to be much annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, "why?". "I'm serious." I avoided her question. This so-called answer turned her angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, "you are not a man!".

At that night, we didn't talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer, because my heart had gone to Dew.

With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company. She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. I felt a pain in my heart. The woman who had been living ten years with me would become a stranger! one day. But I could not take back what I had said.

Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce, which had obsessed me for several weeks, seemed to be firmer and clearer.

A late night, I came back home after entertaining my clients.I saw her writing something at the table. I fell asleep fast. When I woke up, I found she was still there. I turned over and was asleep again.

She brought up her divorce conditions: she didn't want anything from me, but I was supposed to give her one month's time before divorce, and in the month's time we must live as normal life as possible. Her reason was simple: our son would finish his summer vacation a month later and she didn't want him to see our marriage was broken.

She passed me the agreement she drafted, and then asked me, "He Ning, do you still remember how I entered our bridal room on the wedding day?" This question suddenly brought back all those wonderful memories to me.

I nodded and said, "I remember". "You carried me in your arms", she continued, "so, I have a requirement, that is, you carry me out in your arms on the day when we divorce. From now to the end of this month, you must carry me out from the bedroom to the door every morning."

I accepted with a smile. I knew she missed those sweet days and wished to end her marriage with a romantic form.

I told Dew about my wife's divorce conditions. She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. "No matter what tricks she does, she has to face the result of divorce," she said scornfully. Her words more or less made me feel uncomfortable.

My wife and I hadn't had any body contact since my divorce intention was carried her out for the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, "daddy is holding mummy in his arms." His words brought me a sense of pain. >From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly, "Let us start from today, don't tell our son. " I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for bus, I drove to office.

On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. We were so close that I! could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn't looked at this intimate woman carefully for a long time. I found she was not young any more. There were some fine wrinkles on her face.

On the third day, she whispered to me, "The outside garden is being demolished. Be careful when you pass there."

On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I seemed to feel that we were still an intimate couple and I was holding my sweetheart in my arms. The visualization of Dew became vaguer.

On the fifth and sixth day, she kept reminding me something, such as,where she put the ironed shirts, I should be careful while looking, etc. I nodded. The sense of intimacy was even stronger.

I didn't tell Dew about this. I felt it was easier to carry her. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger. I said to her, "It seems not difficult to carry you now."

She was picking her dresses.I was waiting to carry her out.She tried quite a few but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed,

"All my dresses have grown fatter." I smiled. But I suddenly realized that it was because she was thinner that I could carry her more easily, not because I was stronger. I knew she had buried all the bitterness in her heart. Again, I felt a sense of pain. Subconsciously I reached out a hand to touch her head.

Our son came in at the moment. "Dad, it's time to carry mum out." He said. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had been an essential part of his life. She gestured our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face because I was afraid I would change my mind at the last minute. I held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly, as if we came back to our wedding day. But her much lighter weight made me sad.

On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school. She said, "Actually I hope you will hold me in your arms until we are old."

I held her tightly and said, "Both you and I didn't notice that our life was lack of such intimacy."

I jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my decision. I walked upstairs. Dew opened the door. I said to her, "Sorry, Dew, I won't divorce. I'm serious."

She looked at me, astonished. The she touched my forehead. "You got no fever." She said. I moved her hand off my head. "Sorry, Dew," I said, "I can only say sorry to you, I won't divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn't value the details of life, not because we didn't love each other any more. Now I understand that since I carried her into the home, she gave birth to our child, I am supposed to hold her until I am old. So I have to say sorry to you."

Dew seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into cry. I walked downstairs and drove to the office.

When I passed the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet for my wife which was her favorite. The salesgirl asked me to write the greeting words on the card. I smiled and wrote, "I'll carry you out every morning until we are old."

Anonymous.

Thought for the day: "You don't love a woman because she is beautiful, but she is beautiful because you love her..."

If you love someone be faithful to that person. Love is not in finding the perfect person, but in loving the imperfect person perfectly.

"Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well"

Value the details of life.....................

The Gift of Love . . .

The passengers on the bus watched sympathetically as the attractive young woman with the white cane made her way carefully up the steps. She paid the driver and, using her hands to feel the location of the seats, walked down the aisle and found the seat he'd told her was empty. Then she settled in, placed her briefcase on her lap and rested her cane against her leg. It had been a year since Susan, thirty-four, became blind.

Due to a medical misdiagnosis she had been rendered sightless, and she was suddenly thrown into a world of darkness, anger, frustration and self-pity. Once a fiercely independent woman, Susan now felt condemned by this terrible twist of fate to become a powerless, helpless burden on everyone around her. "How could this have happened to me?" she would plead, her heart knotted with anger. But no matter how much she cried or ranted, she knew the painful truth her sight was never going to return. A cloud of depression hung over Susan's once optimistic spirit. Just getting through each day was an exercise in frustration and exhaustion. And all she had to cling to was her husband Mark.

Mark was an Air Force officer and he loved Susan with all of his heart. When she first lost her sight, he watched her sink into despair and was determined to help his wife gain the strength and confidence she needed to become independent again. Mark's military background had trained him well to deal with sensitive situations, and yet he knew this was the most difficult battle he would ever face.

Finally, Susan felt ready to return to her job, but how would she get there? She used to take the bus, but was now too frightened to get around the city by herself. Mark volunteered to drive her to work each day, even though they worked at opposite ends of the city.

At first, this comforted Susan and fulfilled Mark's need to protect his sightless wife who was so insecure about performing the slightest task. Soon, however, Mark realized that this arrangement wasn't working — it was hectic, and costly. Susan is going to have to start taking the bus again, he admitted to himself. But just the thought of mentioning it to her made him cringe. She was still so fragile, so angry. How would she react?

Just as Mark predicted, Susan was horrified at the idea of taking the bus again. "I'm blind!" she responded bitterly. "How am I supposed to know where I'm going? I feel like you're abandoning me." Mark's heart broke to hear these words, but he knew what had to be done. He promised Susan that each morning and evening he would ride the bus with her, for as long as it took, until she got the hang of it.

And that is exactly what happened. For two solid weeks, Mark, military uniform and all, accompanied Susan to and from work each day. He taught her how to rely on her other senses, specifically her hearing, to determine where she was and how to adapt to her new environment. He helped her befriend the bus drivers who could watch out for her, and save her a seat. He made her laugh, even on those not-so-good days when she would trip exiting the bus, or drop her briefcase.

Each morning they made the journey together, and Mark would take a cab back to his office. Although this routine was even more costly and exhausting than the previous one, Mark knew it was only a matter of time before Susan would be able to ride the bus on her own. He believed in her, in the Susan he used to know before she'd lost her sight, who wasn't afraid of any challenge and who would never, ever quit.

Finally, Susan decided that she was ready to try the trip on her own. Monday morning arrived, and before she left, she threw her arms around Mark, her temporary bus riding companion, her husband, and her best friend. Her eyes filled with tears of gratitude for his loyalty, his patience, his love. She said good-bye, and for the first time, they went their separate ways. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday... Each day on her own went perfectly, and Susan had never felt better. She was doing it! She was going to work all by herself!

On Friday morning, Susan took the bus to work as usual. As she was paying for her fare to exit the bus, the driver said, "Boy, I sure envy you." Susan wasn't sure if the driver was speaking to her or not. After all, who on earth would ever envy a blind woman who had struggled just to find the courage to live for the past year? Curious, she asked the driver, "Why do you say that you envy me?"

The driver responded, "It must feel so good to be taken care of and protected like you are." Susan had no idea what the driver was talking about, and asked again, "What do you mean?" The driver answered, "You know, every morning for the past week, a fine looking gentleman in a military uniform has been standing across the corner watching you when you get off the bus. He makes sure you cross the street safely and he watches you until you enter your office building. Then he blows you a kiss, gives you a little salute and walks away. You are one lucky lady."

Tears of happiness poured down Susan's cheeks. For although she couldn't physically see him, she had always felt Mark's presence. She was lucky, so lucky, for he had given her a gift more powerful than sight, a gift she didn't need to see to believe.

-Anonymous.....

Thought for the day: Love can bring light where there had been darkness . . .