Thursday 29 September 2011

Most Important Part of Your Body

My mother used to ask me what the most important part of the body is. Through the years I would take a guess at what I thought was the correct Answer. 

When I was younger, I thought sound was very important to us as humans, so I said, "My ears, Mommy." She said, "No. Many people are deaf. But you keep thinking about it and I will ask you again soon." 

Several years passed before she asked me again. Since making my first attempt, I had contemplated the correct answer. So this time I told her, "Mommy, sight is very important to everybody, so it must be our eyes." She looked at me and told me, "You are learning fast, but the answer is not correct because there are many people who are blind." 

Stumped again, I continued my quest for knowledge and over the years, Mother asked me a couple more times and always her answer was, "No. But you are getting smarter every year, my child." 

Then one year, we had to go to a funeral. Everybody was hurt. Everybody was crying. Even my mother cried. I remember that especially because I never saw her  crying. My Mom looked at me when it was our turn to say our final good-bye to my relative. She asked me, "Do you know the most important body part yet, my dear?" I was shocked when she asked me this now. I always thought this was a game between her and me. 

She saw the confusion on my face and told me, "This question is very important. It shows that you have really lived in your life. For every body part you gave me in the past, I have told you were wrong and I have given you an example why. But today is the day you need to learn this important lesson." 

She looked down at me as only a mother can. I saw her eyes well up with tears. She said, "My dear, the most important body part is your shoulder." I asked, "Is it because it holds up my head?"  She replied, "No, it is because it can hold the head of a friend or a loved one when they cry. 

Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on sometime in life, my dear. I only hope that you have enough love and friends that you will always have a shoulder to cry on when you need it." 

Then and there I knew the most important body part is not a selfish one. It is made for others and not for yourself. It is sympathetic to the pain of others. People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did . But people will NEVER forget how you made them feel.

Wednesday 28 September 2011

Housewife's Prayer


"Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing."

Thank your dear Lord,
For things to do;
Tasks to complete,
That are never quite through,
Thank you for the laundry,
That piles up so fast;
For the tub I just cleaned,
Though I know it won't last,
Thanks for the toys,
That litter my floor;
For the mud-cake shoes,
That sit by the door.
Thank you for the fingerprints,
On once-clean glass;
Thanks for my carpet,
Now covered with grass.
Thanks for the kitchen,
That never stays clean;
For the skillets to scrub,
That lay in my sink.
Just prove that I'm blessed;
God gave me a family,
I can live the mess.

Tuesday 27 September 2011

Happy Birthday GOOGLE

     I’m not what you would call a qualified poet. In fact I don’t even know how you get qualifications for doing poetry stuff. Maybe you have to sit some exams with a lot of boring words and try to think up rhymes.

     Whatever. I do know that when the muse takes me… actually I don’t know what a muse is either. It’s what they say, those poet dudes – “my muse has deserted me”. I’ll Google muse later.

     Tell you what. Let’s just get the poem thing out of the way and then maybe I’ll ramble on a bit more.

     Incidentally, when I sat down to pen an ode to Google using the medium of.. why am I talking like this? It’s like - mention poetry and one has to get all high brow and la-di-da. I don’t normally say one either. Usually it would be me or I in a fake I’m your mate sort of way.

     Let’s start off with one of those poems that doesn’t rhyme. Cheating really but I’d like to save the best till last.

You are my doorway
To a world outside my house
Where naked forms enchant and
You can get coupons for groceries.

You are a name
That has become a verb
A bit like Hoover
But not like Walmart.

I don’t key search terms in using an engine
Neither do I employ a complex algorithm
When I want something from the internet

I just Google.
Sorry Bing.

Google Rhyming Poem

I have used artistic licence, quite a lot of it, to redefine words within certain poetic parameters.
That is to say, I have cheated fairly extensively.

They asked me how to rhyme with Google
I said “Easy, if you use your noogle”
So off we go, toot, toot the bugle
Aboard the Chattanooga Choogle
We’re on our way to Honaloogle
Can pay for it in Russian roogles
Or credit card from my mate Dougal
No room though for my best Bazoogle
Some dogs allowed, but not a poogle
And certainly no Winnie Poohgle
Must always tip, please don’t be frugal
Here’s one, don’t stand in a canoogle
We hear a "cock a doodle doogle"
And fields of cows all mooing moogle
Their milk is churned, it’s centrifoogle
The bull next field wants his conjoogle
They said you cannot rhyme with Google
It’s easy if you have a droogle
Or better still a doobie doogle.
Doobie Doogle

 Google rhyming was more difficult than I thought. In retrospect I should have gone for Bing but it wasn’t my first choice. Same for most people I suspect.

“How can you top that?” you say, and I modestly admit that it might be difficult.

Monday 26 September 2011

Monday ! Monday !

         Monday ! Monday , What M I doing today ? Usually Monday to Friday are not that busy for me. Myself, my mind and my time is all mine and at Peace till 4:00 pm.. Kids go to school, I have my own stuff to do at my ease, so on n so forth. I get busy after 4:00 pm till 8:00 pm. That time is just for my kids.

     But today's schedule is a bit different. My kids go to IB World school. Today IB Team members are visiting school from Europe for the evaluation. They are here for  two days. One day with teachers and the other with parents. These two days are very important for me. I have a blind faith on this IB Programme.Not that I don't trust any other school or programme, but doing this programme was my dream which I couldn't achieve it.  I just can't compromise on this programme for my kids. And the best part is, this is THE ONLY school in my city and to my reach. There was no school with this programme till 2008 in this city. This is the first school who got recognition.  Tough I know the in and out of this programme, but it definitely make a difference when I'm sharing the same table with them.

     I have a lot of hope with these sophisticated n dignified people today, with this school, with my kids presentations. Hope all goes well with everybody.
     Gotta go. Get back to you on this very soon.

Saturday 24 September 2011

Doing as We Do, Not as We Say

    
     Possibly the most influential relationship our children observe is the one between their parents. This is where they are most likely to learn how respect is expressed in daily living. No mater what we tell our children about how to behave, the way we act towards each other is the message they will actually receive.
     It's been a day full of bickering between the 6 &7 year old kids, Andrew and Emily. Mom finally loses her patience and yells, "Stop fighting, I can't stand it anymore!"
     Both kids look up at her in surprise and then Andrew replies, "But you and Daddy argue all the time. This isn't any different."
     Mom is speechless. She's never thought of it this way before, but she knows Andrew is right.
     Our children notice the way we speak to each other: our tone of voice, our attitudes, our unexpressed emotions. It's not simply a matter of whether we fight or argue. It's the way we resolve disagreements, how we communicate each other in clearing up minor misunderstandings, and how well we respond to each other's needs.
     Even the smallest gestures of attractiveness and concern that passes  between Mom and Dad are noticed by our children, becoming a mental model for how to treat loved ones. When they hear the expressions of polite interaction - "please", "thank you", and "you're welcome", - used in a habitual and natural way, and when thoughtful question such as "Can I get you something?" and "Can I help you with that?" are in the background of their everyday lives, they see the way people can help each other through life in both big moments and small.

Thursday 22 September 2011

You Create Your Own World


     Disney is reputed to have required his staff to meet every morning at 7:30 at their Burbank studios and follow this ritual: They would point to their temples and say, "My imagination creates my reality."
     How right he was. The world we live in is the combined images of all of our human minds. We have made the world into what it seems to be for us. We fly, have cars and houses, sleep in beds, have A/C, spend money, go to work in the morning, not because all this is the part of the universe, but because we invented it. First we visualized it and then we collectively caused it to exist. If we stop believing that all these things exist, then they'll stop existing for us.

     There is no time and no space. There is only ur minds and what they create. This is best seen and understood in a brilliant film called "The Gods Must Be Crazy". It shows a pygmy tribe living in peace and harmony in the Kalahari Desert, when a pilot throws a Coke bottle in the midst and totally disturbs their serenity and tranquility. It's mind-expanding, humorous story.
     No one saw this more clearly than Socrates, who could often be found sitting outside the city of Athens greeting strangers. One day a stranger came up to him and said, "I would like to live in your city. What kind of people does it have?" Socrates replied, "What kind of people are in the city you come from?" To which the man replied, "Oh, they're not very nice. They lie, steal and they cheat. That's why I'm moving out."

     Socrates, in his wisdom, replied, "It's the same way here. If I were you, I'd keep looking."
     A short time later another man came up and asked about the people in Athens. Socrates again asked him about his own city. The second man replied, "They're wonderful. They always help each other. They are truthful and industrious. I just thought I'd see the other parts of the world."
     Socrates, in his wisdom, replied this time, "It's the same way here. Why don't you go into the city? You will find just as you imagine it should be."
     When we move, we bring our attitude, ideas and images with us wherever we go. Why not work to improve them now and always, in all ways?
    
     "It has been said that the great mandate of our world is not to set things right, but to see things right."

Tuesday 20 September 2011

"The Magic of Thinking Big" Giveaway


Some books come into your life that absolutely and utterly destroy every mediocre thought ever established in your mind. They’re rare, but they do appear from time to time in your life. The Magic Of Thinking Big was one of those books that impacted me in a BIG way.
So for that reason I would like to share some of that experience with you by giving away a copy of one of my favorite motivational books – The Magic Of Thinking Big .
Time and again, throughout the years, I have returned to this masterpiece to unlock its secrets. In fact, I have loved this book so much that I’ve worn out my original copy.
So I’d like to offer you a chance to win a brand new copy.

What To Do

To enter this competition all you have to do is choose JUST 1 of the following statements drawn from the pages of this magnificent book and tell me what it means to you personally.



1. Believe you can succeed and you will.
2. You are what you think you are.
3. Action cures fear.
4. Think progress, believe progress, and push progress.
5. Study setbacks to pave your way to success.
6. Be a doer, not a don’t-er.
7. Tune in to Channel P (for Positive), the Good Thoughts Station.
8. Give spiritual strength to people and they will give genuine affection to you.
9. Manage your environment: go first class.
10. Use the big thinker’s vocabulary – use big, bright, cheerful words.
Go on – take a minute to share your wisdom with us and you might just be the one I choose to receive your own personal copy of this amazing book.
 

Sunday 18 September 2011

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

There are two days in every week about which we should not worry.
Two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension.


One of these days is yesterday with its mistakes and cares,
Its faults and blunders, Its aches and pains.
Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control.
All the money in the world cannot bring back yesterday.
We cannot undo a single act we performed.
We cannot erase a single word we said. Yesterday is gone.

The other day we should not worry about is tomorrow.
With its possible adversities, Its burdens,
Its large promise and poor performance.
Tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control.
Tomorrow's Sun will rise, either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds,
but it will rise.
Until it does, we have no stake in tomorrow, for it is yet unborn.
This just leaves only one day . . . Today.
Any person can fight the battles of just one day.
It is only when you and I add the burdens of those two awful eternity's -
yesterday and tomorrow that we break down.
It is not the experience of today that drives people mad.
It is the remorse or bitterness for something which happened yesterday
and the dread of what tomorrow may bring.


Therefore LIVE FOR TODAY .

Saturday 17 September 2011

Appreciate


Appreciate those who have hurt you,
because they strengthen your heart.


Appreciate those who deceive you,
because they improve your wisdom.


Appreciate those who slander against you,
because they improve your personality.


Appreciate those who whip you,
because they arouse your will to fight.


Appreciate those who abandon you,
because they teach you independence.


Appreciate those who make you stumble,
because they strengthen your legs.


Appreciate those who denounce you,
because they remind you of your shortcomings.


Appreciate those who give you strength.

Friday 16 September 2011

Definitely Not To Be Missed !!!


Priya married Hitesh this day. At the end of the wedding party, Priya's mother gave her a newly opened bank saving passbook, with Rs.1000 deposit amount.

Mother: Priya, take this passbook. Keep it as a record of your marriage life. When there's something happy and memorable happened in your new life, put some money in. Write down what it's about next to the line. The more memorable the event is, the more money you can put in. I've done the first one for you today. Do the others with Hitesh. When you look back after years, you can know how much happiness you've had.'

Priya shared this with Hitesh when getting home. They both thought it was a great idea and were anxious to know when the second deposit can be made. This was what they did after certain time:
- 7 Feb: Rs.100, first birthday celebration for Hitesh after marriage

- 1 Mar: Rs.300, salary raise for Priya

- 20 Mar: Rs.200, vacation trip to Bali

- 15 Apr: Rs.2000, Priya got pregnant

- 1 Jun: Rs.1000, Hitesh got promoted

.... and so on...

However, after years, they started fighting and arguing for trivial things. They didn't talk much. They regretted that they had married the most nasty people in the world.... no more love...

Kind of typical nowadays, huh?

One day Priya talked to her Mother:'Mom, we can't stand it anymore. We agree to divorce. I can't imagine how I decided to marry this guy!!!'

Mother: 'Sure, girl, that's no big deal. Just do whatever you want if you really can't stand it. But before that, do one thing first. Remember the saving passbook I gave you on your wedding day? Take out all money and spend it first. You shouldn't keep any record of such a poor marriage.'

Priya thought it was true. So she went to the bank, waiting at the queue and planning to cancel the account.

While she was waiting, she took a look at the passbook record. She looked, and looked, and looked.

Then the memory of all the previous joy and happiness just came up her mind. Her eyes were then filled with tears. She left and went home.

When she was home, she handed the passbook to Hitesh, asked him to spend the money before getting divorce. The next day, Hitesh gave the passbook back to Priya. She found a new deposit of Rs.5000. And a line next to the record :

'This is the day I notice how much I've loved you through out all these years. How much happiness you've brought me.'

They hugged and cried, putting the passbook back to the safe.

Do you know how much money they had saved when they retired? I did not ask. I believe the money did not matter any more after they had gone through all the good years in their life.

"When you fall, in any way, Don't see the place where you fell, Instead see the place from where you slipped.

Life is about correcting mistakes."

LOVE IS PRECIOUS DON’T MISS IT…

SO, ENJOY LIFE ... STARTING WITH THIS WEEKEND......

Wednesday 14 September 2011

Be Willing to Take Advice !!


Once upon a time, there were three people who went to watch drama together. One of them was far-sighted, another one had a hearing problem, and the other had a twisted head.

After the show, they were judging the drama.

“Today’s show had great singers, but the costume design was poor,” said the person who had farsightedness.

“The costume was perfect, but the sound was too low,” said the person who had hearing problem.

“The sound was loud and the costume was fine. Everything was great, but the performance stage was lopsided,” said the person who had twisted head.

From the story above, most people do not admit their shortcomings. It’s because the person, who had farsightedness, cannot see things in clarity, but complains about the costume; the one, who had hearing problem, cannot hear things clearly, but complains about the music; the one, who doesn’t admit his twisted head, but complains about the performance stage.

According to statistics, the vocabulary most often used in our daily communication is either “I” or “me”. Aren't conflicts among human and disputes among nations, the results of over-emphasizing one's opinion?

Accept sincere advice and the reality of truth given by others. One who is willing to take advice and relinquish one’s ego can work well with others.

Tuesday 13 September 2011

Good Morning World !!

Decide to be happy today, 
to live with whatis yours - 
your family, your business, your job.

If you can't have what you like, 
maybe you can like what you have.

Just for today, be kind, cheerful, agreeable, 
responsive, caring, and understanding. 
be your best, dress your best, talk softly, look 
for the bright side of things.

Praise people for what they do and 
don't criticize them for what they cannot do.

If someone does something stupid, forgive and forget.
After all, it's just for one day.
Who knows, it might turn out to be a good day! 

Saturday 10 September 2011

The Most Important Promise


Most people I know try to honor the promises they make to others. And if something prevents them from keeping those promises, they feel bad about it.
But there is a certain type of promise that most of us break quite often and don’t give much thought to it. I’m talking about the promises we make—and break—to ourselves.

We all have them. The promises to eat healthier, exercise more, worry less, break out of our comfort zone. We swear that tomorrow will be the day we finally begin our novel, or start that new business, or take those flying lessons. But tomorrow has a way of never arriving.

What have you promised yourself you would do and never did? Or never finished? Isn’t a promise to yourself, just as important as a promise to others?

I’m here to tell you it is.

Honor your promises. Especially the ones you make to yourself.

Friday 9 September 2011

Right Speech

RIGHT SPEECH

There is a Chinese saying which carries the meaning that "A speech will either prosper or ruin a nation." Many relationships break off because of wrong speech. When a couple is too close with each other, we always forget mutual respect and courtesy. We may say anything without considering if it would hurt the other party.

A friend and her millionaire husband visited their construction site. A worker who wore a helmet saw her and shouted,"Hi, Emily! Remember me? We used to date in the secondary school." On the way home, her millionaire husband teased her, "Luckily you married me.Otherwise you will be the wife of a construction worker." She answered ,"You should appreciate that you married me. Otherwise, he will be the millionaire and not you."

Frequently exchanging these remarks plants the seed for a bad relationship. It's like a broken egg - cannot be reversed.


ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND !

Sunday 4 September 2011

The Way Back Home


The father of a teenager usually tries to teach him life skills in an attempt to prepare him for the proverbial 'Big-bad world'. One such father was on a business tour to a foreign country. He had taken his fourteen year old son with him. They were staying at a small hotel.They went out in the day. They were walking on a busy road.

 Suddenly the boy realized that the father was no where around. He looked around for him desperately, but to no avail. The boy looked in the restrooms; the shops; the restaurants and the corridors. But no where could he find his father. The boy was scared. He felt tears brimming in his eyes, but he fought them back.. He walked the street up and down several times but could not find his father.

 As the sun began to set, the boy decided that the best thing he could do was to make his way back to the hotel.. He rummaged through his pockets, only to find that he did not have enough money to pay for his fare back to the hotel. Anyways, he did not even know the way back. So, he tactfully asked the traffic policeman to guide him on how to get there, without letting him know his actual predicament. He took a bus to a place that was half way to the hotel, for that was the farthest he could pay for.

The other half, he walked. He read the directions from the site maps on the way. Many times he had to ask for directions from strangers. It was late in the night when he finally trudged into the hotel tired, hungry and weary. He marched up the stairs to their room, hoping to find father inside, but he was disappointed. He sat down and thought, 'What next? What should I do? How will I find him in this alien land, with no money in my pocket?'

 Just then he heard the key turn in the door and father walked in! "Dad,Where were you? I've been looking for you all over? Why did you leave me alone and go away?"

The father eased himself out of his shoes and stretched himself onto the bed, "I was only a few steps away from you, all the time!"
"What do you mean?" asked the boy incredulously.

"I wanted to see, if you could fend for yourself.

I was testing you to see whether you could find your way back to me."

 "Oh! Really? Then why did you follow me all the time?" 

 "I had to be sure you were safe. I must say, you did rather well. I'm quite proud of you!"

Years passed. The boy grew up to be a man and the father became old. One quiet evening, the old man sat in the garden, looking at the sunset.
He was talking to God, "Lord, I am old now. I've gone through so many ups and downs in life. Do you even know what I have been through? As I sit in this armchair in the twilight of my life, I wonder what life is all about. I wonder why you created me and then left me alone in this world to fend for myself. Why do you not guide me? Why don't you talk to me sometimes?
 Then God replied, "Do you remember the day, you decided to test your son?"
 "Yes."
 "Did you let him out of your sight, even for a moment?"
 "No."
 "*Neither did I! If only you had looked around carefully, you would have seen me. I too expect you to find your way home. Your son did well; he found his way back to his father! I too expect you to find your way back to your eternal father; to your eternal home! ome my child, I am waiting for you to find your way back to me because you belong to me!

Friday 2 September 2011

The Money Dance


     A survey was recently conducted by the University of Michigan. They wanted to study what effect money had on people's lives. Three of their findings were: What do people worry abt most? Money! What makes the people the happiest? Money! What makes the people unhappiest? Money!
     Our feelings abt this issue of money and prosperity are full and deep and intense and often impenetrable.
     Give you some example: One father of three, battles his demons with money- demons passed along to him by his father. When he was thirteen years old, his father went bankrupt and lost the farm that had been in the family for generations. As this boy grew up, he had anxiety around money issues and avioded risks of any kind. A women who is raising two girls on her own was brought up by her grandmother coz her own single mother couldn't support them. She lives with the fear of losing her daughters as a result of her unsteady income.
     We may not inherit money, but we do inherit an approach to money from our family of origin. Take responsibility for our prosperity conciousness, our money mentality, so we can blast away the wall that's keeping abundance from us. when we are alert to our old money programming, we can rewrite the script. Not only will our kids get a healthier example; but by becoming aware of money's role in our childhood, we can tame negative images and fears.
     When i was may be 17 or 18 years old, my mother introduced me to the idea that you can have all you expect and accept. When ever you visualize as being possible in your life, if you believe, you can achieve. It was an exhilaration realization for me and continues to be a core belief that I rein myself back to understanding. This is a truth I want my children to hinge their lives upon. I have seen how easily life works when I patiently and consistently focus on my dreams and visions. I want that ease for my kids, in their relationship with abundance, and in all areas of thier lives.
     Money is just energy. If we dare to imagine bounty for ourselves and guide our children to this same mental habit, we will shift our lives in the directions of our dreams. We can write our family's money script and accpet and receive prosperity with joy.
     Allow the energy of money to flow to you and then lovingly flow back out into the world. Your children r watching you.