Monday, April 2, 2012
I Wish You Enough
Recently I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure. Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the mother said, "I love you and I wish you enough".
The daughter replied, "Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Mom".
They kissed and the daughter left. The mother walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see she wanted and needed to cry.
I tried not to intrude on her privacy but she welcomed me in by asking,"Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever? ".
"Yes, I have," I replied. "Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?".
"I am old and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is - the next trip back will be for my funeral,"she said.
"When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I wish you enough'. May I ask what that means?".
She began to smile. "That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone".
She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail and she smiled even more. "When we said, I wish you enough', we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them".
Then turning toward me, she shared the following as if she were reciting it from memory. I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright, I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more. I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive. I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger. I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting. I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess. I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.
She then began to cry and walked away.
They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them.
Take time to live......To all my friends and loved ones, I wish you enough.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Memories....
Sitting here staring at the computer screen,
moments shared flashing across,
bringing me to the past,
your face resurfaced in my mind.
Listening to soft instrumental music,
memories built swirling around,
tugging at my heart insistently,
your warmth and gentleness hugged me.
Pausing all my actions in mid motion,
images locked unfolding once more,
stirring bittersweet emotions,
your presence never left me.
Shuffling among the good memories,
open conversations stimulating my heart,
reaffirming my love for you once more,
your sincerity kissed my soul.
Smiling sweetly at no one,
visions created mingling happily,
filling me up with hopes and wishes,
your future links intricately with mine.
moments shared flashing across,
bringing me to the past,
your face resurfaced in my mind.
Listening to soft instrumental music,
memories built swirling around,
tugging at my heart insistently,
your warmth and gentleness hugged me.
Pausing all my actions in mid motion,
images locked unfolding once more,
stirring bittersweet emotions,
your presence never left me.
Shuffling among the good memories,
open conversations stimulating my heart,
reaffirming my love for you once more,
your sincerity kissed my soul.
Smiling sweetly at no one,
visions created mingling happily,
filling me up with hopes and wishes,
your future links intricately with mine.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Human Rights
A right is a freedom of some kind.It is something to which we are entitled.
Human Rights are defined as "The basic rights and freedoms to which all human beings are entitled,often held to include the right to life and liberty,freedom of thought and expression,and equality before the law".
There are different kinds of rights.If a person belongs to a particular group,he has certain rights as a member of that group.
Human rights,however,are the rights to which everyone is entitled___no matter who they are or where they live___simply because they are human being.
It wasn't until after World War II,the most terrible war By knowing or getting human rights we can raise voice and work against illiteracy,as today more than a billion people are unable to read in world.We can put pressure on our government that it should take steps to ensure human right of "the right to education".
Human rights are important for all human beings as these rights are there for our protection against people who might want to harm or hurt us.As it is stated in Universal declaration of human rights "Nobody has any right to make us a slave,We cannot make anyone our slave" and the right which states that "Nobody has any right to hurt us or to torture us".
Human Rights are important for every human being , as human rights are there to help us get along with each other in a nice way and live in peace.As human rights grant us "freedom of thought" and "freedom of expression". By getting and spreading these rights, blood shed can be avoided,because if freedom of expression is there every one will tell his/her thought,discussions will take place and problems will be solved by dialogues not by wars.By the right of freedom of thought, we are ensured that we have right to think freely,we can research on our own to make our thoughts and minds.
Human rights have significant importance for all of us because it says that "Don't discriminate".By getting this right and respecting this, we can have the security that no discrimination will be made on the basis of people's color,religion,cast or country.
The declaration of human rights states that "food and shelter for all",by this it means that we all have the right to have a good life
Human Rights are defined as "The basic rights and freedoms to which all human beings are entitled,often held to include the right to life and liberty,freedom of thought and expression,and equality before the law".
There are different kinds of rights.If a person belongs to a particular group,he has certain rights as a member of that group.
Human rights,however,are the rights to which everyone is entitled___no matter who they are or where they live___simply because they are human being.
It wasn't until after World War II,the most terrible war By knowing or getting human rights we can raise voice and work against illiteracy,as today more than a billion people are unable to read in world.We can put pressure on our government that it should take steps to ensure human right of "the right to education".
Human rights are important for all human beings as these rights are there for our protection against people who might want to harm or hurt us.As it is stated in Universal declaration of human rights "Nobody has any right to make us a slave,We cannot make anyone our slave" and the right which states that "Nobody has any right to hurt us or to torture us".
Human Rights are important for every human being , as human rights are there to help us get along with each other in a nice way and live in peace.As human rights grant us "freedom of thought" and "freedom of expression". By getting and spreading these rights, blood shed can be avoided,because if freedom of expression is there every one will tell his/her thought,discussions will take place and problems will be solved by dialogues not by wars.By the right of freedom of thought, we are ensured that we have right to think freely,we can research on our own to make our thoughts and minds.
Human rights have significant importance for all of us because it says that "Don't discriminate".By getting this right and respecting this, we can have the security that no discrimination will be made on the basis of people's color,religion,cast or country.
The declaration of human rights states that "food and shelter for all",by this it means that we all have the right to have a good life
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Tuesdays with Morrie - excerpts from the book
Do you know you are going to die one day.
Yes we all know that human beings have a life span.
We have read all the biology and life sciences and its another fact.
But the person we are talking about is not anyone else but "YOU".
But it's not another FACT of life.
And the moment you can relate that its not some one else we are referring to but "YOU" - a lot of things which appeal a lot will loose there meaning or they will appear as mere things.
A new paradigm will emerge, the outlook to life will change a new path will emerge - the path to salvation or a path of self discovery or the spiritual path. You have the option to ignore it to or to embrace it - whatever you do. It's a temporary decision of today. Cause tomorrow the same path will emerge again and it shall rise every time you realize you are about to die. And until one makes that choice, the same wuestion will keep popping up. one can avoid it, delay it cannot run away from it.And then only you will know what it means to LIVE
Bought this book online. A simple book by Mitch Albom about, in his own words "an old man, a young man and life's great lessons".
"When you learn how to die, you learn how to live"
Excerpt I
Yes, I said, but if aging were so valuable, why do people always say "Oh, if I were young again". you never heard people say "I wish I were sixty-five"
He smiled. " You know what that reflects? Unsatisfied lived. Unfulfilled lives. Lives that haven't found any meaning. Because you have found any meaning in your life, you don't want to go back. You want to go forward. You want to see more, do more. You can't wait till sixty five.
"Listen you should no something.All younger people should know something. If you are battling against getting older, you are always going to be unhappy, because it will happen anyhow.
And the fact is, you are going to die eventually.
Excerpt II
We've got a form of brainwashing going in our country. "Do you know how the brain wash people? They repeat the same thing over and over again. And that's what er do in this country. Owning things is good. More money is good. more property is good. More commercialism is good. More is good. more is good. We repeat it - and have it repeated to us - over and over until no-body bothers to even think otherwise. The average person is so fogged up by all this, he has no perspective on what's important anymore.
There's a big confusion in this country over what we want and what we need.
Yes we all know that human beings have a life span.
We have read all the biology and life sciences and its another fact.
But the person we are talking about is not anyone else but "YOU".
But it's not another FACT of life.
And the moment you can relate that its not some one else we are referring to but "YOU" - a lot of things which appeal a lot will loose there meaning or they will appear as mere things.
A new paradigm will emerge, the outlook to life will change a new path will emerge - the path to salvation or a path of self discovery or the spiritual path. You have the option to ignore it to or to embrace it - whatever you do. It's a temporary decision of today. Cause tomorrow the same path will emerge again and it shall rise every time you realize you are about to die. And until one makes that choice, the same wuestion will keep popping up. one can avoid it, delay it cannot run away from it.And then only you will know what it means to LIVE
Bought this book online. A simple book by Mitch Albom about, in his own words "an old man, a young man and life's great lessons".
"When you learn how to die, you learn how to live"
Excerpt I
Yes, I said, but if aging were so valuable, why do people always say "Oh, if I were young again". you never heard people say "I wish I were sixty-five"
He smiled. " You know what that reflects? Unsatisfied lived. Unfulfilled lives. Lives that haven't found any meaning. Because you have found any meaning in your life, you don't want to go back. You want to go forward. You want to see more, do more. You can't wait till sixty five.
"Listen you should no something.All younger people should know something. If you are battling against getting older, you are always going to be unhappy, because it will happen anyhow.
And the fact is, you are going to die eventually.
Excerpt II
We've got a form of brainwashing going in our country. "Do you know how the brain wash people? They repeat the same thing over and over again. And that's what er do in this country. Owning things is good. More money is good. more property is good. More commercialism is good. More is good. more is good. We repeat it - and have it repeated to us - over and over until no-body bothers to even think otherwise. The average person is so fogged up by all this, he has no perspective on what's important anymore.
There's a big confusion in this country over what we want and what we need.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Woman
A woman is the calm of a hurricane's eye
where a man finds transquility
as the storm passes by
A woman is the softness inside the shell
when the shell is bonbarded
by man's creation of hell
A woman is the pillar of a temple foundation
where a man comes and goes
with renewed inspirations
A woman is the cloud that carries the rain
giving life to man's soul
parched from anxieties and pain
A woman is the bank of the river flows
helping man's direction
by being the woman she knows
A woman is the sound of a Lark's song in the morning
when mist covers life
and man feels forlorn
A woman is the emotions
shared with a man
the climax of giving
by the touch of a hand
A woman is the flesh that holds the seed
the miracle of birth
fullfilling human need
A woman is the mother of a new generation
a man is the direction
of that aspiration.....
Respect Woman
where a man finds transquility
as the storm passes by
A woman is the softness inside the shell
when the shell is bonbarded
by man's creation of hell
A woman is the pillar of a temple foundation
where a man comes and goes
with renewed inspirations
A woman is the cloud that carries the rain
giving life to man's soul
parched from anxieties and pain
A woman is the bank of the river flows
helping man's direction
by being the woman she knows
A woman is the sound of a Lark's song in the morning
when mist covers life
and man feels forlorn
A woman is the emotions
shared with a man
the climax of giving
by the touch of a hand
A woman is the flesh that holds the seed
the miracle of birth
fullfilling human need
A woman is the mother of a new generation
a man is the direction
of that aspiration.....
Respect Woman
Thursday, March 1, 2012
The culture of gift vouchers
Literally speaking and as per dictionary.com “gift” is a noun meaning “ something given voluntarily without payment in return, as to show favor toward someone, honor an occasion, or make a gesture of assistance; present” or “something bestowed or acquired without any particular effort by the recipient or without its being earned” . In the context of this note, I will abstain from other meanings like a special ability or something.
What is the reason behind giving someone a gift certificate?
From a strategic and tactical perspective for retailers it works wonders. Just before Christmas when the retailers are struggling to cope up with demand the gift vouchers are available in abundance and when they are redeemed after new year – retailer are more than happy to see the lift in the sales. They shifted the demand from high period to low demand period in order to utilize their resources better.
We hardly know people enough these days. Hence buying a gift for someone is a real pain but I guess it is worth a try and effort. Especially when you want to buy you a gift as a real gesture (not for the sake of formality like Boss's birthday) and I guess an effort needs to be put to understand the recipient as a person. A gift was never about the gift alone. It was always about the care and time spent in choosing something for someone you care and love.
Do you like a gift vouchers?
Personally speaking I don’t. I hate them it is like a short cut and means buying some gift for the sake of it. Well in my opinion a currency note would have been better at least every one will redeem it unlike vouchers at any place they choose with fewer terms and conditions. If that sounds rude what about a wire transfer – a gift certificate is socially acceptable way of doing the same thing. The difference is more like sipping single malt vs. country liquor and irrespective of where it comes from alcohol is injurious to health.
Over the period of years I have come across situations when people asked “what do you want for your birthday”. This used to be more frequent in my younger years. Months before the occasion the wish list used to be ready. Some time it was as trivial as the new set of sketching pens, some time it was a watch sometimes more trivial things as well. As the count of years steadily increased (does it sound like am very old – am just 27 and you know what they say about it – 27 is the new 15) the number of people who asked this question suddenly decreased and I have started receiving vouchers. There is no fun to receive a voucher.
I guess we need to step back and preserve this beautiful thing called gift. I know it is complicated to ask someone or choose something on behalf of someone but knowing someone better was the idea of a gift. It’s a tricky line – we all don’t want to sound greedy but a voucher culture is not a substitute.
Just for the sake of doing it, let’s go out and ask people what they want as a gift. A “Wish List” is a good idea to have – a lot of websites allow that. Or at least when someone pops up the let’s be frank share the information about the budget or at least give some options. A lot of people are afraid of dealing with this but I am sure this is not difficult compared to hundreds of complicated decisions you make every day. If you don’t like flowers please go out and tell people. If you want something special we can put it up on our desks.
Let’s preserve the personal touch of the gift and save it forever. And if you are looking for something to buy for me – please let me know. I will ask you the same question soon if I can’t make the decision on your behalf but please don’t send me a gift voucher.
What do you say. Do let me know :)
What is the reason behind giving someone a gift certificate?
From a strategic and tactical perspective for retailers it works wonders. Just before Christmas when the retailers are struggling to cope up with demand the gift vouchers are available in abundance and when they are redeemed after new year – retailer are more than happy to see the lift in the sales. They shifted the demand from high period to low demand period in order to utilize their resources better.
We hardly know people enough these days. Hence buying a gift for someone is a real pain but I guess it is worth a try and effort. Especially when you want to buy you a gift as a real gesture (not for the sake of formality like Boss's birthday) and I guess an effort needs to be put to understand the recipient as a person. A gift was never about the gift alone. It was always about the care and time spent in choosing something for someone you care and love.
Do you like a gift vouchers?
Personally speaking I don’t. I hate them it is like a short cut and means buying some gift for the sake of it. Well in my opinion a currency note would have been better at least every one will redeem it unlike vouchers at any place they choose with fewer terms and conditions. If that sounds rude what about a wire transfer – a gift certificate is socially acceptable way of doing the same thing. The difference is more like sipping single malt vs. country liquor and irrespective of where it comes from alcohol is injurious to health.
Over the period of years I have come across situations when people asked “what do you want for your birthday”. This used to be more frequent in my younger years. Months before the occasion the wish list used to be ready. Some time it was as trivial as the new set of sketching pens, some time it was a watch sometimes more trivial things as well. As the count of years steadily increased (does it sound like am very old – am just 27 and you know what they say about it – 27 is the new 15) the number of people who asked this question suddenly decreased and I have started receiving vouchers. There is no fun to receive a voucher.
I guess we need to step back and preserve this beautiful thing called gift. I know it is complicated to ask someone or choose something on behalf of someone but knowing someone better was the idea of a gift. It’s a tricky line – we all don’t want to sound greedy but a voucher culture is not a substitute.
Just for the sake of doing it, let’s go out and ask people what they want as a gift. A “Wish List” is a good idea to have – a lot of websites allow that. Or at least when someone pops up the let’s be frank share the information about the budget or at least give some options. A lot of people are afraid of dealing with this but I am sure this is not difficult compared to hundreds of complicated decisions you make every day. If you don’t like flowers please go out and tell people. If you want something special we can put it up on our desks.
Let’s preserve the personal touch of the gift and save it forever. And if you are looking for something to buy for me – please let me know. I will ask you the same question soon if I can’t make the decision on your behalf but please don’t send me a gift voucher.
What do you say. Do let me know :)
Monday, February 27, 2012
Life School Lesson: Being Sensitive yet Detached
We all wonder what it means to live. Osho said "this very body the Buddha". Easier said then done - no wonder he had a series of discourses on the topic. To be very frank I haven't read or heard them but I always wondered what it meant.
However life is the school we all attend and there is no teacher but every day is a lesson.
It was a thought which just precipitated today. Most of us in our daily lives are going through phases which stimulate us mentally as well as physically. Mental simulation leads us to feel emotions like joy or sadness or happiness. The physical stimulus causes pain or pleasure too which is in turn interpreted by mind as good or bad. We are continuously being exposed to hundreds of such stimulations and emotions.
However the question is how does one remain sensitive enough while being able to detach from a situation or emotion. The dark side of things pull one self to lose either one of those as the easy solution. Either become involved or attached of become too insensitive.
As they say prolonged exposure to negative experiences tends to harden people like steel is hardened by Quenching. Metallurgically speaking it is a process in which steel is exposed to high temperature and then cooled quickly. The temperature difference hardens it - makes it stronger. Humans I perceive have a similar response to emotional stress - it tends to harden us. The natural process is to get involves and gradually lose sensitivity. What a pity and price to pay !
Remember as a kid what joy the bubbles gave us or was it the rainbow in the sky. It was all fun until we grew up. The emotional stress grew on us and we matured and look at the price we paid !
"Self-purification by self-observation" some claim is the summary of Buddha's teaching. Unless we learn to observe the thoughts and the mind how will we be able to understand them. Some call it witnessing - without bias, morality, questioning anything and without opinions - just being there sitting on one side and watching how things unfold.
However being so detached moves us away from being us to some extent. In such a pure state how will these material things and feelings move. If being detached in a state of meditation becomes a reality how will be not lose the sensitivity.
The eternal conflict is the experience to escape the hardening process of emotions - remain sensitive like a kid and yet be detached enough to observe and act.I guess this would be the real living - that would be the real emotion and that would be the real bliss or my interpretation of "this very Buddha this very mind"
However life is the school we all attend and there is no teacher but every day is a lesson.
It was a thought which just precipitated today. Most of us in our daily lives are going through phases which stimulate us mentally as well as physically. Mental simulation leads us to feel emotions like joy or sadness or happiness. The physical stimulus causes pain or pleasure too which is in turn interpreted by mind as good or bad. We are continuously being exposed to hundreds of such stimulations and emotions.
However the question is how does one remain sensitive enough while being able to detach from a situation or emotion. The dark side of things pull one self to lose either one of those as the easy solution. Either become involved or attached of become too insensitive.
As they say prolonged exposure to negative experiences tends to harden people like steel is hardened by Quenching. Metallurgically speaking it is a process in which steel is exposed to high temperature and then cooled quickly. The temperature difference hardens it - makes it stronger. Humans I perceive have a similar response to emotional stress - it tends to harden us. The natural process is to get involves and gradually lose sensitivity. What a pity and price to pay !
Remember as a kid what joy the bubbles gave us or was it the rainbow in the sky. It was all fun until we grew up. The emotional stress grew on us and we matured and look at the price we paid !
"Self-purification by self-observation" some claim is the summary of Buddha's teaching. Unless we learn to observe the thoughts and the mind how will we be able to understand them. Some call it witnessing - without bias, morality, questioning anything and without opinions - just being there sitting on one side and watching how things unfold.
However being so detached moves us away from being us to some extent. In such a pure state how will these material things and feelings move. If being detached in a state of meditation becomes a reality how will be not lose the sensitivity.
The eternal conflict is the experience to escape the hardening process of emotions - remain sensitive like a kid and yet be detached enough to observe and act.I guess this would be the real living - that would be the real emotion and that would be the real bliss or my interpretation of "this very Buddha this very mind"
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