Tuesday, December 6, 2016

A baby step towards a better future

There is hardly a day when the daily newspaper does not send shivers down my spine by one or the other horrifying incident and makes me wonder where, as a society, are we heading.

What is worse and dreadful is the fact that in the most gruesome of the acts it is our youth who is involved and is at it’s worst.

Much as it makes me scared for the future and safety of our children, it also makes me ponder hard as to what’s going wrong & where and what exactly do we need to do or change to make the world a better place to live in.

After a long deep contemplation, I have realised that it all begins at school. Today, children spend more time at school and with their peers than with their families. So, it is very important for our schooling system and environment to be structured efficiently and comprehensively.

In our materialistic society where there is cut-throat competition at every step of life, the reputation of a school is set on the basis of the percentage its students score and the colleges they get admission in.

Sadly this materialism is eating up our society from within making it hollow as in the prime years of his development when a child needs to be nurtured holistically, few vital aspects of his basic human nature are overlooked terribly because of our faulty education system and wrong prioritisation.

We need to transform whole education system and instead lay an emphasis developing our children into good human beings before brilliant students. Once the foundation laid is flawless and robust, the results achieved will be nothing but desirable.

Talking about holistic development, human nature can be broadly categorised into four aspects namely, Physical, Mental, Emotional and Spiritual.




While today much emphasis is on the mental aspect, which covers the learning skills and intelligence, many of our good schools today are also making efforts towards the proper physical development of children by providing well-balanced meals or menus and giving decent weightage to games and physical activities.

However, what’s lacking and needs to be worked upon is the emotional and spiritual development of each child as unless each of the aspects of a child’s basic nature is nurtured, a balanced social structure cannot be obtained.

Considering the kinds of misdeeds our juveniles and young adults are involved in, it's time to stimulate the innate sensitivity in our children and strengthen their empathy making them better at not only handling their own emotions but also understanding and responding better to those of others.

But we cannot stop here as the foundation of emotional balance is set upon a sound spiritual balance.

This is so, as it is fundamentally Spiritual Quotient which sets us apart from animals who definitely have certain IQ and are also seen to have some EQ, however, until now no research has shown animals having SQ.

Putting it another way, a human being lacking a certain SQ is just as good as an animal. And haven’t we witnessed the animalistic behaviour of human beings time and again!?

Man being intrinsically spiritual goes haywire when he loses touch with his spiritual self which is humble, peaceful, unselfish, kind and a fragment of the divine. Soaked in materialism he forgets all that he is and instead becomes egoistic, violent, selfish, greedy, cruel and animalistic. All violent acts, we witness day to day, are triggered or inspired by one of the above.

So it becomes imperative that we address the need of the hour and overhaul our education system and work towards the development of our naïve children into physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually sound youngsters who can lead our world into a bright, happy future.



Credits: the picture used has been taken from jen-irishu.com

Sunday, October 2, 2016

The Joy of Giving!

          
2nd of October brings along joy… not just because it’s a gazetted holiday in India for Gandhi Jayanti but because it marks the beginning of a beautiful week, celebrating the joy of giving, popularly known as ‘Daan Utsav’ in India since 2009.

During the Daan Utsav, millions of people irrespective of their cultural, caste and economic background come forward and donate whatever and how so much they can, from the bottom of their heart. While many donate money, clothes, food etc. to the needy, many others devote their time to those in need.

But why?  In this crazy fast-paced world where one does not have time to eat all three meals sitting or where money is never enough to fulfill one’s all desires… why this extra effort towards giving?

The simple and sweet reply is Giving brings Joy. There is no other feeling as fulfilling as the one, one gets by giving. The smile on the recipient’s face, the knowledge that it would help someone some ways, at times the blessings one receives… fills one’s heart with such contentment, peace and joy that is hard to find otherwise.

While many have been donating since ever many more are stepping forward each year to discover the joy of giving. However, still there are many of us who feel they do not have enough yet to share or give away, hence they set milestones… as in ‘when I start earning this much I will start donating’, ‘when I retire I will join an NGO’ etc.

It need not be so actually. No matter how little we start with, giving brings along the same satisfaction and the same sense of joy!



Also, giving is said to bring abundance! The more you give the more you receive! But the catch is don’t give in expectation of receiving, else that’s where it will go wrong!

Give from your heart! Give with a feeling of joy! Give with a heartfelt gratitude, feeling thankful for all what you have for there are so so many in this world who do not have that much!

And while organized events and NGOs prompt and motivate one to make that little extra effort, one does not have to wait for that! Give what you can when you can! And it will bring you so much of peace within.




Also, you don’t have to go hunting out whom to help and how. Like it’s said ‘Charity begins at home’. It is about giving, doing something for someone other than your own self!

Spend some time with your old grandparents or parents or even little children seeking time and attention. Give a tub of ice-cream or a pack of edible goodies for your maid’s children, impart basic education to the deprived. Even as little thing as helping some old man or woman cross a busy street can make you feel good for the rest of the day.

Take baby steps and the world will edge towards becoming a better place to live in! 

Begin with small things and you will soon be addicted for there is no other joy compared to the Joy of Giving!


 Credits: The quote has been taken from storingsunshine.com and quotesgram.com


Thursday, August 11, 2016

It all starts with a dream!

A peek into the story behind the success, fame, money or happiness of any man or woman reveals a single passionate and magical propeller – The Dream!

Dream is what keeps one alive, dream is what makes one lose sleep & achieve and dream is what makes one feel not just successful but also self-fulfilled and in-sync with her being.

We all survive the span of a lifetime; a few short, others a little longer. However not many of us really live our lives how we once dreamed to and not many of us depart happily with a contented feeling of having lived life wholeheartedly or atleast having done all to pursue our dreams and our passions.

At the end of it most people are known to have more regrets for having NOT done what they desired to than for having done the things they did in their lives.

As Allan Rufus puts it, “Life is like a sandwich! Birth as one slice and death the other. What you put in between the slices is upto you. Is your sandwich tasty or sour?”

Life is indeed what we make it! We can fill it with our huffed-puffed days or line it with ecstatic moments experienced only when we do what we WANT to do and work towards fulfilling our personal desires and dreams!

Most often we get so engrossed in our daily routines and making the ends meet that the DREAMS WORTH LIVING are left far behind! Then there is not much left in our lives when we cease to dream!

So… DREAM!  And dream BIG! Revive your dreams and paint new ones! And then… Chase Your Dreams!






Set up goals and work towards those on a daily basis and soon enough you will be living your dreams!

Don’t be afraid of failure. Don’t be afraid of obstacles which might come across and don’t be afraid of sarcasm or criticism which you might have to face.

Just work insanely towards living your dream! Keep the fire burning within you and when you feel the flame go low fuel the fire by envisioning your destination. Imagine how it would feel to be there… exactly where you want to be!

Live that moment in your imagination and let it feel real. Let the ecstasy of the dream-come-true-feel run all over you and energize you to do better than the best. That is when work will feel like play. That is when you will be propelled further towards the fulfillment of your dream!

And then there will be no stopping you from Living Your Dream!


You have to dream before your dreams can come true.
                                                                        -A.P.J. Abdul Kalam


(Note: The credit for the image goes to Brian Solis and has been taken from flickr.  Some rights reserved.                                                   
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Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Lost My Dream!

(Is this your story too?)




One fine morning I woke up restless and while sipping my routine hot cuppa tea I realized that I had lost my dream!
I thought and I thought hard! I tried to look for it and yet it was nowhere to be seen!

I thought hard to recollect when it was with me last…
And I realized it was when I had spring in step, shine in my eyes and zeal in my heart!
That was when I had it with me last!

Oh! But what had happened then? I guess I grew up and shook hand with life and signed an intangible pact,
Promising that I would go with its flow and would never resist or stop and true to my word I met every condition of the pact!

So I kept going and going and reached where I am and never realized when I lost my dream,
The maddening pace of life never let me pause and think what I was leaving behind! Oh no! Now I realize I lost the most precious thing! I Lost My Dream!

It kept me alive and yes it made me insane!
But it was what I wanted so even slogging for it would not have been a drain.


Oh! My Oh My! Why did I lose my dream!


Friday, July 22, 2016

Live Life King Size!



Life has a different meaning for each one of us at any one point of time, life may reflect different hues for two people with different perspectives but one thing about life which remains the same for all is that once we expend the span of this lifetime, humey ye zindagi na milegi dobara, that is, we will not get this life again!

Zindagi har pal dhalti hai jaise ret mutthi se fisalti hai
Shikwe kitne bhi hon kisi se phir bhi muskurate rehna
Kyunki zindagi jaisi bhi hai bas ek he baar milti hai

Coming to think of it, since life is slipping by each second, each moment of life should be lived whole-heartedly and we must live each day as if there is no tomorrow.

So let’s leave our past behind us and let’s not worry about future. Let’s live this moment in its entirety!

This reminds me of another quote I had read somewhere,

Jo lamha saath hai usey jee bhar ke jee lena
Ye kambakht zindagi bharosey ke qaabil nahi

We all know life is too short and unpredictable but you see, with each new day it brings along a new set of opportunities and a bundle of choices. So let’s make the best of those!

Let’s not let our busy schedules and responsibilities chase away our dreams, our hobbies and our passions.

Let’s not expend this lifetime living on someone else’s terms and let’s not delay the realization of our own dreams and fulfillment of our own desires.

Let’s live life to the fullest! This is our moment! Let’s just take the plunge to do what we desire.
           
  • Wear that red lipstick you admire on others
  • Read the book lying on your shelf since months
  • Join a vocal class even if you are not much of a singer but enjoy singing
  • Learn the dance form you always wanted to
  • Paint the canvas in vibrant colours if that gives you joy
  • Take guitar lessons to add music to life
  • Invest in your passion of photography if that is your thing
  • Join the NGO you would like to volunteer for
  • Sponsor a child's education if you thought you would one day

And you must do that one thing we all loved to when we were kids... Walk in the Rain! Let your hair down, soak in the downpour and wash away all your worries and stresses of life!

Live your life! Live Life King Size! Live your dreams and yes, do dream!

'Coz dreams inspire us to live life to the fullest and when we stop dreaming that is when we actually stop living!

Dilon mein tum apni betaabiyan lekar chal rahe ho toh zinda ho tum
nazar mein khwabon ki bijliyan lekar chal rahe ho toh zinda ho tum
hawa ke jhonkon ke jaise aazad rehna seekho
tum ek dariya ke jaise lehron mein behna seekho
har ek lamhe se milo khole apni baahein
har pal ek naya samaa dekhen ye nigaahein
jo apni aakhon mein hairaaniyan lekar chal rahe ho toh zinda ho tum
Dilon mein tum apni betaabiyan lekar chal rahe ho toh zinda ho tum!
           (Poem by the renowned Javed Akhtar in movie Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara)


Disclaimer: Shayari used in the article is not mine. I came across those on web. I do not remember the websites, else would have loved to give credit. 

Monday, July 18, 2016

Happiness is Overrated!


Yes, you read it right! Happiness is overrated!! Instead what we probably are actually seeking is peace! Peace within ourselves!

Happiness is momentary and easily escapes us at a flicker of an outward circumstance... however if peaceful within we are able to hold ourselves tall and strong in the stormiest of the events...

But the question here is how to be happy or peaceful in this maddening crazy rush we call life!?

The answer does not come sitting pretty on a platter..it comes with some soul searching.. Where one may seek it in meditation..another in just a quiet cup of tea and yet another would find it in pursuing a long desired pursuit.

Talking to friends my age I realise most of us in mid thirties suddenly start finding the same rut of life dull and monotonous.. We begin to feel that something is amiss! And then we start wondering how to go about it... how to make ourselves and those around us happy!?

It does take some effort! Some soul searching! Some stirring up of selves! How to do it.. It's easier said than done! 

After years of doing things the same way when I felt monotony set in and affecting my relations with my loved ones, my work, my own mental peace I started wondering what was actually wrong when over a cup of coffee and sharing session a friend casually stated "you are not liking something you are doing... maybe it’s work.. Or May be planning your second one is something you don’t really feel prepared for”... 

Gosh...she had summed it up for me.. She said in one sentence what heart of heart I knew… but I was logically completely convinced that working from home was the best thing to do as I can be around my son... AND.. it was just the right time to plan the second one.. as biological clock is ticking n' then it will be too late to have a child!

Being a practical Virgo… I guess I never gave myself room to let the wrong be right.. even for the sake of my own happiness or ease or peace!

But repercussions... after an initial spurt of hardwork... now I am just not into it! I m a very social and outgoing person.. I love making friends, meeting people, going out... N working from home cuts out that excitement.

And as far as the second one is concerned the thought is eating me out deep down... I hardly have patience with my son.. With domestic, social and work demands.. Where and how would I fit in another baby!? And would it actually be even fair to the newborn… will I be able to give my 100% if I go ahead?

So as of now.. I guess I am gonna take it easy... I am yet to find 'that'..what I want to do...AND.. Family would have to wait a little more for another addition. I am gonna take a while to take a plunge!

For now all I need is some peace of mind! I need to take more than one deep breath... And find my peace corner and I am sure happiness will follow!

I guess we all need to, time and again, review the choices we are making sailing through this course of life. In our rush to keep pace with our fast moving lives today, I guess we never have time to take a pause and really get a feel of how our choices leave us feeling.

We make choices every day.. infact so many a day... we set priorities on a daily basis.. at times putting the most important in the end knowingly or unknowingly..

If we make a little time and effort to review the way our life is shaping and try to assess explicitly 'if thats what we really want' n 'If that would make us happy within'.. It will be more than worthwhile!

At times it would require that the right be wrong and the wrong be right.. So what.. Its our own life.. we set the rules and we govern our life with our own rights and wrongs!

Doing so will keep us aligned with the course we want our life to take.. bringing along a sense of peace and fulfillment of which happiness is a residue.

So, why not reassess where we are headed and where we would like to be.. And put our efforts in the right direction!

Why not be peaceful within and let the happiness follow! 
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