Freedom

Every time I look at myself and think on how much I've gone through, I still hardly believe that I have become the strong person that I am now. The biggest factor I'd like to consider is my relationship with my Parents. I learned to stand on my own, make decisions on my own because they let me do it. This started in during my high school years when I'd always to ask permission to go out with friends. They would allow with a promise to be back at a designated time, which I did exactly. Also the college admissions we handled it on our own. I do not have male siblings and they gave everything they could to face the world with confidence.We started traveling outstations all by ourselves at the age of 10 to explore various places imbibe various cultures and learn from the way of living across borders. Being in armed forces family we had the oppurtunity to do so.I learnt not only to ride cycles but also geared scooter which was unheard for girls in those days 1980's. I was encouraged to manage our own finances and decisions and take ownership and feel good if it worked and accept the mistake if it back fired and face the consequences. Taught to nurture relatonships, acknowledge each and every human being and share and care.I felt how much he appreciated and had trust in my confidence and abilities. This gave me so much confidence and encouragement to realize my dreams. I feel good to be free and independent because my father allowed me to be. Now I pass on the good attitude I got from my father.

Love and Charity

My 9 year-old showed me just how good it feels to give to others when we went to the store for our 'treat day' (Sundays). He picked out his treat, and noticed a little boy asking his mom to buy him a chocolate bar. The little boy's mom told him they only had enough for bread and milk. My son turned to me and asked if we could buy the little boy a chocolate bar as well. Of course, there's no way I could deny that request. The smile on his face when he handed the treat to the little boy, whom he didn't even know, almost made me cry right there in the store. Sometimes I think maybe our children should be running the world.

Today I Made a Difference

Today I made a difference.( Happened few days ago)
Have you ever had an experience so out of the ordinary that even though you were actually there, you can hardly believe it really happened? That type of experience happened to me today.
My daughter and I went out to eat. At dinner, Varsha commented, “I think you were born to coach/teach people, Mom.” I laughed and told her I agreed. After dinner, we decided to stop in a small department store next door to the restaurant. We split up as we usually do, going in our own direction and meeting up somewhere in the middle.
Today something happened that cemented in stone the direction my life is meant to take. As I was walking down an aisle, a woman spoke to me from behind. It was obvious she was not 100% there mentally, but I was courteous and answered her. She spoke about how bad her job was, and the economy, and how everyone was out to get her, etc…
It was obvious she was a tad bit delusional. I’ve learned to never feel sorry for anyone because we are all special in our own way. I treated her with the same respect and dignity I would any other person and listened to her. That’s all she wanted.
She followed me around as I looked down the aisles, her story getting more in depth as we went along. She mentioned several times how she wished she were dead, and how she would be if it weren’t for taking care of her parents.
I spoke hopeful words to her, and encouraged her to take it a day at a time. I spoke of taking care of herself first so she had more to give to her parents. She was crying when my eleven year old daughter, Varsha, walked up.
Varsha was looking at me with a “what on Earth are you doing, Mom?” look. Her look turned to a look of admiration as she listened to this woman talk with such desperation and heard this lady’s voice and demeanor change as she ate up the attention I was giving her.
I encouraged her to find her dreams and pursue them. She spoke of being a teacher at one time, and I encouraged her to find her place teaching again. I asked her if she liked to write, and she said she loved to. Once again, I encouraged her to start writing and share her experiences with others, as it would be very theraputic.
She had a smile on her face when we parted ways. That was a far cry from the desperation she was wearing a matter of minutes before.
We can all make a difference in this world if we just take the time to share a little bit of ourselves with others. Everyone has a special gift to share with the world, and sometimes it just takes the kindness of a stranger to point it out.
Who knows if she was serious about wanting to kill herself, but if she was, maybe someone showing a little kindness and interest changed her mind. Once again I’m learning life’s lessons in the strangest of ways…
My life was enriched tremendously by this woman, and I realize that my small gesture of kindness will be repaid to me in wonderous ways.
I may never know if I helped her, but she taught me how to be open and a little more selfless and I’m very thankful for her gift.
The next time I’m put in a situation such as this, I’ll do better…I’ll get her name.

On Life and Being Human

Many times in life we realize that we’ve taken a wrong turn, followed the wrong path, so to speak, and before we know it, where somewhere totally different than we had intended to be.

How does this happen? When did we fall astray?

Why were we blind to it when others may have seen it as plain as day?

It’s time to “come clean,” for the lack of better words.

I’ve personally been on a path that has been moving me further and further away from my dream.
How this happened, I’m not quite sure. All I know is that it has happened. The past year has been a roller coaster ride and, at times, I’ve felt as if I was riding unsecured, just hanging on for dear life. I’m sure at times, many (if not all) of you have gone through the same feeling.

How did I allow this into my life? What did I do to attract it?

I found myself asking myself those questions, and in doing so, I found myself realizing that I’ve put too much pressure on myself to have all the answers. I sometimes fall into the trap of questioning myself to death (or just driving myself crazy!)
I fought with myself because I wasn’t too fond of sharing this turmoil with the world, but I found that in exposing myself once again, I may be able to help someone with their issues.
I’ve had turmoil in this past year that has taken it’s toll on me, emotionally as well as physically. It’s amazing, when you are a mentor/coach, people automatically assume you are ALWAYS feeling peachy and have all the answers.
If I got stressed about something, I would hear, “Why don’t you take your own advice” ~

Why on EARTH would anyone assume that because I am coach or a trainer that they would never get down or stressed? Does it take away my ability to be human and feel emotions? Let them walk a day in my shoes and see how hunky dory they feel…

I am not allowed to mention anything about the legal stuff we’re going through (custody-related) but just let me mention this one thing… The legal system is absolutely ridiculous! When it’s over, I’ll share and you’ll understand a bit about what has been going on and why even the “motivational-type” people have their days…

What is the lesson for me? I continue to search. I find myself turning to gratitude because I know that’s the key to putting it all together. I’m grateful for many things in my life. I sometimes forget to look to gratitude because I am human.

I make mistakes.
I sometimes do things the hard way.
And I used to be afraid to admit it.
I suffered from low self-esteem from time to time.
I felt I had to please others to be liked.
And I’ll admit, sometimes those old habits creep back in.
See? I’m very human.

So, we humans have our moments of “realness” and I wanted to share this instead of just being scarce until I worked through it.

Sure, I’ve been busy, but I can’t be inspiring to others without taking care of myself first.

I started working out.
I cut down on chocolates and ice creams
I drink a lot of water.
I got a new hairdo.

I’m just learning to take care of myself a bit more so I have more left to share.
So, that’s the scoop. I hope it makes you realize that it’s okay to have “your moments” as long as you pull yourself right back up and do something about it. I once heard a quote that said that it doesn’t matter how many times you fall down, it’s how many times and how quickly you get up. (That’s paraphrasing about 3 different quotes I read.)
I appreciate you all my friends, my family!

The Tides of Life

At the beach when the tide is going out,
the waves recede and it seems
that nothing is happening in the sea.
But the truth is that the great swells
are gathering strength beneath the waters,
building energy for the time
the tide will return...

It's similar to times in our lives
when something we have depended on
is gone and we are left
with a feeling of emptiness and sadness.

At times like this we can take heart
Knowing that an unseen strength
is building within us.
And if we can only be patient
relying on a sure faith,
the tide of life will turn
and happiness and fulfillment
will once again return to us

Little Bit of Kindness

There are times in our life when we don't take action because we feel the action is too little, that it wouldn't make a difference. However, sometimes the smallest gesture can make a huge impact on someone's life. There are many different ways we can show kindness to others, and it doesn't have to be in a big way.

The simplest of things may make the difference. A smile,a hug,a handshake, a door being held open, a handwritten note, a kind word, the list can go on and on.

I was recently reading some of Aesop's fables and came across the story of "The Lion and The Mouse". While this story has been around for a long time, it still has wisdom in its words. Below is the story:

One day a Lion was asleep when a little Mouse began running up and down his back; this soon wakened the Lion, who placed his huge paw upon him, and opened his big jaws to swallow him.
"Please don't," cried the little Mouse: "forgive me this time, I shall never forget it: who knows but what I may be able to do you a turn some of these days?"
The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him that he lifted up his paw and let him go.
Some time after the Lion was caught in a trap, he pulled with all his might, but the ropes were too strong. Just then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the sad plight, in which the Lion was, went up to him, and with his sharp little teeth gnawed away the ropes, setting the Lion free.
"You once laughed at me," said the mouse. You thought I was too little to do you a good turn. But see, you owe your life to a poor little mouse."

While you may think the story is far fetched, the point I found in reading the story is not the size of the action that is important, but the difference that a small action made.

keep them close

One day something happened.

And on that clear, evening,in the warmth of her home, the mother of the two was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any more.

No more hugs, no more lucky moments to celebrate together,
no more phone calls just to chat, no more "just one minute."
Sometimes, what we care about the most goes away,
never to return before we can say good-bye, say "I Love You."

So while we have it … it's best we love it . And care for it and fix it when it's broken and take good care of it when it's sick.

This is true for marriage … and friendships!
And children with bad report cards;
and aging parents and grandparents.
We keep them because they are worth it,
because we cherish them!

Some things we keep -
like a best friend who moved away
or a classmate we grew up with.
There are just some things that
make us happy, no matter what.
Life is important, and so are the people we know.

And so, keep them close!

visit to a friends place

This write up is thanks to the visit that I had to my friend's place last evening after a long time. The family is so close knit happy go lucky and the moment I rang the bell my friend welcomed me with a smile and a hug and slowly all the members of the family woke up and aunty woke up calling my name and greeting me. Then all of us sat together having conversation and laughing and teasing each other. There was so much of warmth, genuiness such a comforting feeling. It felt so much at home. Never a dull moment at all. It felt defintely there is some bonding and I felt I was a part of their family.

Uncle was at his best with his witty and terrific sense of humor and aunty always smiling and at her best to make me feel special showering with loads of love, wishes and gave me hot steaming pulav, tutty fruity cake and my special chai.. the other member of the house ,friend's sibling was doing his best to prove himself flexible, and macho .. friend of mine silent spectator was enjoying every moment with a smile just not with the lips but also smiling with eyes.They say smile of the eyes is more captivating than the smile of the lips and that was so true. It took a lot of effort on my part to wear my shoes and get away from there and head towards home sweet home.

As I was driving back home, a sense of contentment, calmness engulfed me and tears of joy rolled down my cheeks and I realised sometimes simple pleasures of joy gives you immense satisfaction and happiness that money cant bring and yet most of the time we look for complex things to give us that happiness.

I dedicate this article to that friend of mine and all my other friends who make my life meaningful, fuller and so enriching.. Here it goes...

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed."

Life is wonderful. We are overcome by feelings of gratitude for the glimpses we occasionally have of its majesty and mystery. And we revel in the opportunity to connect with each other and those of many other walks of life in ways more satisfying than anything we had previously experienced.

I do not know if I will ever have that great relationship with a man. But I'm learning that all relationships are worth working on if they are worth having. I am blessed to have some wonderful friends who have helped me through some pretty rough times.

I am on the road back to me. And I am not afraid.

When we go walking, we do not walk briskly and get exercise. We walk slowly and stop to admire a spider web or a squirrel. Yes, my children slow me down. They make me pay attention, and remind me it is the pauses between the busy notes of life that make the music so beautiful.

There is something about my friends that automatically brings out the silliness in me. It's almost like being reunited with myself, because no thoughts expressed between us are incomprehensible, no jokes ever hang in the air like an albatross. For once, I never have to worry about feeling stupid for making some arbitrary comment. It is the equivalent of pure, creative freedom.

“Words cannot express such joys as a friend imparts.”

Imagine, if you can, a moment in time when you were sitting on a porch swing or a roof top, or beneath the branches of a shady tree. Maybe autumn had laid a crackling carpet of leaves beneath your feet. Or maybe it was a blazing summer day and you were parched for a swig of anything to quench your thirst. Winter may have deposited its first blanket of dew on the ground and you were hunkered down inside your fort, battle-weary and droopy-eyed . Spring may have beckoned you to the garden, and you were down on your knees, toiling in the hot sun, planting seeds to ensure the harvest. Wherever you were, whatever the time of year, nothing else in the world seemed to matter because you were not alone. A friend was at your side. And the moment was perfect.

A friend is a gift. Whether those words have ever rolled off your tongue or drifted through your head in a quiet moment of deep reflection, the truth is undeniable. Friendship is a gift of enormous value. Providing intimacy, rapport, trust, and affection, friendship is the common ground where kindred spirits find communion.

“Words cannot express such joy as a friend imparts,”. “For it would be better for us that the sun were extinguished than we should be without our friends.”

The sunlight of friendship is cast by design. After all, friends don't come included in the “package deal” of our birth or bloodlines. Unlike the families into which we are born, friendships are decided. “Our relatives are ours by chance,” wrote the French poet Jacques Delille, “but we choose our friends.”

The rewards of choosing well can be tremendous. As anyone who has ever had a close friend knows, friends lessen our sorrows and broaden our smiles, allowing us to feel accepted and understood when the world turns its back on us. Like the proverbial “bridge” that spans “troubled waters,” friends lay themselves down and also carry us through the dark nights of the soul. They do this, in the words of William Penn, by “unbosoming freely, advising justly, assisting readily, adventuring boldly, taking all patiently, defending courageously-and continuing a friend unchanged.”

True friends are also the cheerleaders who can provide the wind pushing up beneath our wings, that can lift us out of our doldrums and up to higher ground. When adversaries conspire against us, our friends can be counted on to mount a ready defense. To friends we can entrust our innermost selves, knowing they will safeguard our secrets and advise with gentle candor. Listening to our tribulations, they understand even what we do not say. Loyal, dependable, and kind, friends go out on a limb where the sweetest delights are found.

CAPSULES TO RAISE YOUR CHILD

Give your child any two appropriate capsules
from the following list, preferably early morning and night before going to bed. See the result.

I am sure, you can do it.
How smart!
Congratulations!
You are Unique!
Remarkable!
You must have practiced.
You are a treasure.
I love you.
Your hard work paid off.
Impressive!
Thank you very much.
Magnificent!
Great Thinking!
That is correct.
Super-star.
You mean the world to me.
Terrific!
Now you are flying.
You are on top of it.
You did even better than I expected!
Good job done.
You are looking good.
Incredible!
Now you have got it.
I like your enthusiasm
Artistic!
Wonderful.
Great Discovery!
That was a lot of work, but you did it.
What a good idea!
Bravo!
You did that all by yourself.
You are growing up!
Outstanding!
You are very good at this.
Fabulous!
You have a super brain.
Your memory is too good.
Beautiful!
What an imagination!
Super!
I like that.
Clever!
You deserve a treat.
How nice of you!
I trust you.

Are you an Oak Tree in a Flower Pot ?

A monkey which leaves the tree and swims in a lake is inferior to a fish.

A race horse housed in a beautiful apartment is inferior to a rat.

A good swordsman wielding a plough to cultivate a piece of land is inferior to a peasant. In the same way, people who do not raise their potential tend to get reduced to inferior beings.

"I am not comfortable talking to people, I feel shy, I can't mix with people, I feel diffident getting jobs done by others. I am an introvert. How can you help me someone asked me.

We have to strike the right balance between work and the home and at work among the people whom we work with. Imagine we spend so much time at work beginning from getting ready to work and then un-wind after work including the travel time. If we can strike a chord with our folks back home with far less time spent with them, and without any inhibitions of not comfortable talking, or feel shy, or can't mix with people, etc., and never have said while with people at home "I am an introvert, I do not seriously believe this is possible at work. It's fake. You ought to be a winner - both inside and outside the house, you ought to be a winner inside and outside yourself.

There is a story to support this (unknown source)

In ancient times, a wood-cutter had a struggle to earn two meals a day. He me a monk who then advised him, "Don't stop at the edge of the forest go right in. One day's work will fetch you one month's food. The woodcutter followed the advice. Deep within the forest he found sandal wood tress. He was excited. He expressed his gratitude to the monk. And the monk advised him again. "Take the risk of going further inside A day's work will fetch you six month's meal." The woodcutter ventured and found a silver mine. He came back and thanked the monk. The monk said, "if you trust me and go still deeper one days work will make you earn enough to fetch you food for a life time." This also turned true for he found a gold mine.

The woodcutter wondered, "Why then does the monk still stay at the edge of the forest and not venture into the forest, as he has been advising him.

He gathered courage and asked the monk about this. The monk replied, "If you want to be eternally happy sit under this tree and I will teach you to go within, then you will be eternally happy.

To be an outer winner, one has to explore the outer world. To be an inner winner one has to go within oneself. The balance between being an outer winner and an inner winner is what will make us feel good, and that is the balance which we all need to strive for.

When you say are you shy?.

You are shy because you are not feeling good within yourself or you are pre-occupied in trying to make yourself look good. When you aren't feeling good from within, even if you try a million times, it will end up the other way.

When you say you are not comfortable being with people. Your discomfort is mainly due to the lack of good self management, internally within you, and poor people skills externally. When you are in conflict within yourself, it will be the same, conflicting, when you project outside.

Your best comes when you strike a balance being both, an outer and an inner winner.

to motivate yourself from within and then motivate the others around you. Learn to be at peace with your imperfections inside you and then become tolerant to the imperfections of the others outside you. Shed your ego.

Don't be shy, for shyness could be a form of an ego, so reject the games that ego plays with you.
A woodpecker was pecking an oak tree. A lightning struck the tree and felled it. The woodpecker flew away and boasted, "I never knew I am so strong, that I can make a solid tree fall like that."

Drop your ego. Most of us are like the oak tree in a flower pot. The flower pot is like the ego and our being like an oak tree. Drop your lower self and let your higher self guide you. Which means look at everything around you and appreciate everything that is happening around you and not only that which is happening with you.

I have every right to be happy or contented but when I go outside I must work to see that the others reach a similar like the one I enjoy but I should not go "public" with it because I might either fan a jealousy or make the other feel inferior, both of which isn't good for me. We should live and let others live too, that's the unwritten "Law of the Universe."

Punch line for the day: If you'll not settle for anything less than your best, you will be amazed at what you can accomplish in your lives." - Vince Lombardi

As If We Had The Right

If we’re too afraid
to listen to the needs of the children,
How can they become whole
Or good enough parents themselves
When we have denied and denied
The validity of their needs
Wholesale?

Isn’t it human rights abuse
On an unimaginable scale
When we say to our children:“You’re not good enough as you are.

You need improving.
And furthermore, this is how…”
And then we send them away
From us – the ones they love
And trust most,
Send them to spend long days
In loveless buildings
Where well-intentioned, overstretched grownups
Strive to implant this
Improvement
Into them, whether willing or not?

“Best years of your lives!”
And
“It never did me any harm!”
But were they really – andAre you sure it didn’t?

If we really listen to the children
What do we think
They will ask for
That is so terrifying?

Do we really think they want
Limitless sweets and ice cream,
Computer games, game shows And never, ever
To get out of bed?

Is that what we fear?

Or do we suspect in our
Most secret hearts
That all they are asking for
Is our time?

That all they really need
Is our love?
Without conditions
Or strings
Or expectations?

Why, despite all we have had the chance to learn,
Do we still seek
To make them like us?
As if we had the right

Detachment - a popular, yet misunderstood concept

Often, after I have talked on detachment, my friends respond that detachment feels too cold, disconnected, impersonal, even lonely, for them.

But that is not an accurate perception of the true meaning of detachment. ...

This is the meaning I intend: the realization that no one person or group of people can determine your life's path - that it is solely between you and God. Thus, when change comes into your life, it is because a far larger dynamic than human relationships is moving it and you along. It may look like a person or group has conspired to have you removed from a certain situation - but that is an illusion. If you choose to believe that illusion, it will hold you captive, maybe even for a lifetime. But if it hadn't been the right moment for you to move on, the 'conspiracy' to remove you would not have been successful.
That is the higher truth of change, and the symbolic sight that accompanies detachment allows you to see it. ...The goal of becoming a conscious person is not to get your way, to outwit people or situations, to become immune to disease or death. The goal is to be able to handle any changes in our lives - and in our bodies - gracefully, without fear, looking only to absorb the message of truth contained in the change. Regarding the expansion of consciousness, it is a misinterpretation to view its purpose as insurance against bad things, physical illness, or death. Mastery of the physical is not the goal of becoming conscious; mastery of the spirit is the goal. The physical world, and the physical body, serves only as teachers and classrooms along the way. In keeping with this perception, healing the fear of death and dying - in other words, detaching from our physical form - is an aspect of the tranquility that the human spirit is capable of achieving through the journey of becoming conscious. ...My heart goes out to people who are working so hard to release their negative attitudes and painful memories. 'Just tell me how, and I'll do it,' they say over and over again. We are forever looking for the calming meditation, the easy exercise, that will lift us out of the fog, but consciousness doesn't work that way. Ironically, there is a simple way out, only it's not easy: just let go. Let go of how you thought your life should be; detach from your demands and expectations and embrace the life that is trying to live itself through you. So many people struggling to find their way are in that necessary but confusing state of waiting. A part of each of them is eager to allow God's will to direct their lives for real, yet they remain tormented by the fear that they will lose all comfort and security on the physical plane should they actually surrender to it, so they remain painfully bound, fretfully holding themselves in a waiting position until they are strong enough to detach from that fear, and other people or things that help them manage it, and embrace the deeper truth that 'all will be well' - not 'well' by our definition, perhaps, but certainly by God's."

Imagine a world where

Men and men listen to each other;Men and women listen to each other;Children witness parents who laugh together, cry together, work together and talk together;Businesses rate the well-being of the employees and their families as highly as their profits;We respect each other for our differences as well as our similarities;We give - without feeling we have to receive in return;We receive - without feeling we have to give back;We see everyone we meet as someone who can teach us something;Our physical appearance is always a blessing;The present moment is treated for what it is - a gift;Death is accepted as a positive part of life.Imagine a world wherewe all know that we are choosing our livesand we all celebrate being who we are...I wonder where this world could be?

I Salute You My Flag

I Salute You My Flag
Oh precious dear Old Glory,
my beloved tri-colour flag of

orange, @ the top

white in the middle

with a blue wheel of 24 spokes

and

green, in the bottom,

I salute you in words and sentiments sincerely, deep and true.
You exude a special grandeur,
that fills my heart with deep patriotic pride,
Because you are the banner of our beloved nation,
where liberty, freedom and justice for all regally resides.
You are the symbol of honor, respect and dignity,
flying high over a golden land, where all dwell freely.
You are the ensign of our native land,

so brave and bold enthralling history with several heroic stories

and

sacrifices triumphantly told.
For throughout times of war and physical blight,
You have stood tall and proud,
a pleasure gem and gift of God's hallowed,

precious light.

No matter, how many times I salute thee,

I still feel it's not enough

I bow to thee

With all the humility I can summon,

To me there is nothing more greater sight than thee

Oh precious dear Old Glory,
my beloved tri-colour flag

To me you are just about everything..

PEA and YOU

You must be wondering what's this PEA and YOU. Just read on.

PERFECTION
Imagine a perfect world. Imagine all your dreams coming true. Imagine everyone doing just what you want them to do. Imagine a perfect world.
Well, it won't happen. Perfection is not possible, if for no other reason that whatever people have, we want more.
So if our perfect world is not possible, what should we do?
Start working on it. Yes, aim for that impossible perfect world. The goal is not perfection...it's how close to perfection you can get.

ENTHUSIASM
A fire always burns brightest when it starts. Enthusiasm always is strongest at the beginning - when the job is new, when the relationship is young, when your boxes are still unpacked.
Any fire can restart - just throw fresh wood on it. Any job can be new, any relationship young, any house revived - just throw something fresh and new into it.
No job or relationship is too old to be new. Fire up your enthusiasm today!

ATTITUDE
Without the right attitude, you will fail. With the wrong attitude, life will suck. With the wrong attitude, you will always look to an outside source for the answers to success. With the right attitude, you will know and understand the fact that success doesn't lie within an opinion (except your own opinion). It doesn't lie within a governing body (except your own body and the way you govern it). It doesn't lie in anything or anyone (except you and how you handle your life).
YOU
Be close to you. The most important relationship you have is with yourself. You alone share identical values, aspirations, fears and questions with yourself. In this hectic world, many of us just don't take the time to explore ourselves to understand how our values, aspirations, fears and questions are evolving.
How can you understand someone else - your spouse, your boss, your children - if you don't understand yourself? Schedule some time every day to explore how you feel about the things you have been experience, so that you can be close to you.

Let me elaborate a little more on attitude.
It has been my experience that attitude takes on one of four phases at any particular time in our life - EXCITEMENT, FRUSTRATION, SEARCHING/FINDING SOMETHING NEW , RECOMMITMENT
Keep in mind you can take these different phases and apply them to any area of your life. It can be your marriage; your career; your finances; your self esteem; your entire outlook on life.

Check these out and find out where you are right now.

PHASE 1 : EXCITEMENT
This phase will take you higher and farther than you could possibly dream. If you can maintain the level of excitement that abolishes fear and zones in the focus necessary to win, winning is all you'll know - even through the tough times. Excitement is usually sparked in the beginning of an endeavor, mission or commission. Don't lose the fever of excitement.

PHASE 2 : FRUSTRATION
It's easy to get frustrated from the excitement mountain. Know this. Just as you are about to conquer the world (or feel like you are), you will be confronted by an obstacle. That obstacle may or may not set you back. And if the first one doesn't, you can count on another obstacle to try. These obstacles can be looked at as progress or they will be used to cause frustration. Just so you know, most people allow themselves to become frustrated. Don't be like most people.

PHASE 3 : SEARCHING/FINDING SOMETHING NEW
This is a place of new beginnings - or so we hope. Many people use this phase to resolve past problems. This phase can be a new beginning or an endless cycle.

PHASE 4 : RECOMMITMENT
Using phase 3 as a new beginning will allow you to fully accomplish phase 4. By recommitting, yourself to a worthwhile goal, you can build more momentum in the long run. You can use recommitment to not only renew your focus, but it can renew your mind. Your mindset is the one key to explode a successful living. Live your life with an excitement. Develop an excitement for your goal and/or goals. Commit to your passion and don't become frustrated to the point of giving up. When you give up, you have lost. Even if you search for a new beginning, find it, work and move toward it.
Check your attitude and stay committed to your cause.

<em>Punch Lines for the day : ">The great tragedy of life is not death, but what dies inside of us while we live." -- Norman Cousins
"And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight in a bud was more painful then the risk it took to blossom." -- Anais Nin

BREAK FREE

NEXT TIME YOU FEEL LIKE YOUR LIFE IS COLLAPSING AROUND YOU, TAKE A STEP BACK AND WELCOME THE CHANGES...

Whenever you think you are going through the most difficult time of your life, stop and think. This may be just the experience you need to snap you out of your complacency and breathe life back into your soulless existence, break an ongoing cycle of failure or somehow be the catalyst which pushes you towards a brighter future.

In hindsight the worst situations either make or break us as individuals. However, in the long run it always seems to lean towards the former of the two - it not only makes us stronger people but also makes us far more compassionate. Next time you feel like your life is collapsing around you, ask yourself why and then take a step back and welcome the changes that have been put in place to save your sorry excuse for a life. And you will then understand that only real insight is born out of trauma.

There is an ancient Chinese proverb - "May you live in interesting times." This is supposedly seen as an extremely wicked curse, when actually it represents the complete opposite. The idea is that as humans we all naturally resonate to a humdrum life of routine habits, which pacify our soul or sole existence. Deep within us all, there is a desire to feel alive again, buzzing with premature anticipation that one day we will be able to touch the part of us that has somehow been pushed to the background. Unfortunately although at first these magnificent temptations seem too good to be true and almost impossible to resist, most times they are tests sent to us in disguise to wake us up from our pointless, monotonous and unpurposeful slumber. As we walk through life with our eyes wide shut.

Whilst the experiences in themselves reveal the true value of the test at hand fairly quickly, the side effects can send our stress levels soaring higher than a bird in flight; thrusting us into a rude awakening, as our feathers are scorched by the suns beautiful yet hypnotic rays of warmth and colour.

Opening up a new chapter can often mean closing a previous one, and sometimes this feels as if we have just opened up Pandora's box. It hurts, it always does and it always will. Most times during these periods it is found that we are completely unequipped to cope. Due to this we dig deep down to the core of our being in which to bring forth some of our rawest instinct and courage, in order to adapt, if we are not to be ripped apart.

Life has a peculiar way of making people shed their skin, even when all appears to seem quite contented. By continually living a life that is always warm and fuzzy, we become dull, lifeless and unsympathetic to the sorrows of others and certainly detached from them. It is in this state of unconsciousness that we dissolve our purpose for living; to the point that we simply end up not caring anymore - after all life is good to us and when was it exactly when we just stopped caring?

My attitude towards change, whether bad, but more specifically when it is good, is that it disturbs our present comfort zone. This then creates anxiety because it represents having to face up to times of complete uncertainty. I often wonder where the thoughts originally come from when we have them and as to the real reason why. These are self-motivated desires that urge us strongly to follow these feelings through because they are too strong to ignore. The other type of situations that are out of our control are such things as health issues and family problems. All examples have probably been set in place to make us ask ourselves if we are really happy with our lives, or just clinging onto a delusional safety net.

So with all this in mind it is usually through those things that seem to be negative by comparison, where we are really able to find true contentment, inspirations, hidden talents and new found skills and abilities - even if it means having to start all over again from scratch. By breaking free from the chains we have wrapped around us so tightly, we indeed experience far more interesting times for which, in turn makes us far more interesting people. It is during these supposedly absolute dire catastrophe's that we not only learn to survive our trips to hell and back, but find out who we really are in the process. And that we never really needed to reach out to the warmth of the sun's rays for it was locked up inside us all along.

OK, so we need a little friction to upset the apple cart occasionally, if we are going to question anything at all in life. If you can see past all the blood, sweat and tears you will realize that you have changed in some way, sometimes for the worse but most times for the better. Every time you learn the hard way you really move one step forward towards evolution.

It will make you too"Wonder" " Stevie"

You must be wondering what this must be. Ok lets get down to business. When you receive call these days mostly its for a favour and your welfare is only incidental. Most times when you make a call out, it's the same. No harm, it's a fast paced competitive world today and we can't get lost unduly with emotions, so we say its Ok, we are practical. No question about that and it's true too.

Having said that I must add that there are a few who'd call you up every once in a "way" just to say "Hello! How are You?"

That reminds me of the beautiful song composed and sung by Stevie Wonder

"I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU
No new year's day to celebrate
no choc'late covered candy hearts to give away
No first of spring, no song to sing
in fact here's just another ordinary day

No April rain, no flowers bloom no wedding Saturday within the month of June.
But what it is, is something true made up of these three words that I must say to you:
I just called to say I love you
I just called to say how much I care I just called to say I love you and I mean it from the bottom of my heart

No summers high, no warm July no harvest moon to light one tender August night.
No autumn breeze, no falling leaves not even time for birds to fly to southern skies.


No Libra sun, no Halloween no giving thanks to all the Christmas joy you bring.
But what it is, though old so new to fill your heart like no three words could ever do.

I just called to say I love you
I just called to say how much I care I just called to say I love you and I mean it from the bottom of my heart of my heart, of my heart"

This is one of the most soulful and honest songs I've ever heard all my life, and this keeps echoing in my heart very often.

"Stevie .." was visually challenged, yet known all over the world for the "Wonder"ful songs he gave the world.

Being on the same page of "visually challenged, I'm reminded of a story..

"The Blind Boy"
A blind boy sat on the steps of a subway with a hat at his feet, with a sign borad in his hand "I'm blind, please help.."There were just a few coins that fell into that hat after hours.

A man waking by took a few coins from his pocket, dropped them into the blind boys hat.

He then took the sign board from the boy's hand, turned it around and wrote a few words to a line. He put the sign board back into the boy's hands and walked away saying wait for at least an hour before you pack up.

Soon the hat began to overflow with coins, as a lot more people dropped coins and very generously too.

Later in the afternoon that man who changed the sign board walked up to the blind boy again.

The boy recognized the man by his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed the signboard and what did you write that the whole thing changed dramatically?"

The man said, "I only wrote the same truth you wrote, but I said it in a slightly different way.

What I wrote was 'Today, is a beautiful day, and I can't see it'"The first sign and the second one were the same as the crux was the same that the "boy was blind."

The first one pleaded for help were as the second one made them think. The first was simple in saying the boy was blind the second told them that they were lucky but this boy wasn't.

Is there any surprise if the second made an impact?

There are two lessons though in this story :

The first : Be thankful for what you have. Someone else has lesser than you, so help when you can.

The second : Be creative, innovative, think differently, think laterally. There is always a different way.

To sum up this message
We need to be human beings and we need to make an impact with whatever we do. We need to develop the art of making our communications just as effective.

Punch Line for the day : Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there." - John Wooden

It's all in your hands...

Days start as if a clean slates stares at you to make a fresh starts. Some see it clean some see it as messy as they left it the previous day. We make mistakes of hanging on to the past.

Making mistakes is a part of life, and is also a part of growth. Let there be no mistake in getting this truth into your mind. Looking back at my own life when growing up, I have made many mistakes over and over again. They say there is a lesson to learn in each mistake, and there is no need to make the same mistake twice. For a long time some of my mistakes just kept repeating themselves. It seemed a common and recurring theme, and I had no idea how to get a handle on it. It took me many years to finally get out of this jungle of repeating mistakes and to find the answers. When you finally get them, the answers seem to be ridiculously easy to follow.

You can tear up the old script and start a new one if you need to. You have permission to look at your life from the perspective of new and better possibilities and unlimited thinking.

But let me give you the bad news/good news up front. Bad news - it takes some time and effort to sit down and contemplate, to reflect and day dream about the life you want. To plan and set goals takes an intentional decision. Now, the good news - budgeting the time and energy to plan and set goals will create insights, excitement and ultimately great results that will have a positive impact on your life in a permanent way.

Mistake 1: You ask any one, and this is the response.. I Don't Have Enough Time For It ...

Being on this planet as human beings, we all live have to live by the same rules and almost similar physical resources the almighty has given us; however, the same set of rules seems to appear differently to each of us.

Most often we have told someone (or yourself) that you don't have time for something?

We all only have 24 hours in a day-and it is only you alone who decides how to spend these hours. It seems to be more convenient to say "I don't have the time," rather than saying "I don't want to spend my time on it."

Can you feel the difference?

In the first place you have not taken ownership of your time. You put yourself in the role of being a slave to time itself, and, if you are honest with yourself, it does not feel at all empowering.

In the second phrase we take full responsibility for our time. Know that this may upset some people when you say it. You tell them that whatever they want from you is not necessarily as important for you as for them. In reality, you are just being honest and this will, in the end, make you feel humble.

The interesting thing is that when you start doing this, you will attract more honest people in your life. You will get more comfortable over time with expressing this kind of yourself in this way to others and people will start appreciating your honesty. You will soon see the rewards.

Whatever you set as a goal for yourself will come true if only you make the time available to manifest them.

Set your mental blueprint. This is the beginning of all your journey of making things coming true. Most people fail with business intentions in particular and life intentions in general because they never create the blueprint in the first place that makes them happen. They are too busy with putting their valuable attention on daily clusters. Ensure you are not one of them.

Mistake 2: You change things because You Don't Like How It Is.. therefore you change it

You cannot simply change what you don't like! Too much of your attention is focused on the problem rather than on the solution.

Start with accepting your current situation. Take full ownership of it. Understand that it is somehow a result of your thoughts and actions, even if you don't comprehend why. Let go of any sadness or anger you hold towards yourself and others. Forgive yourself and others. We all make mistakes, and mistakes are not necessarily the bad things as you have come to believe. Making mistakes (and understanding them) is how each of us learn to move on through life. Simply understand that your past and current actions did not lead to the results that you have expected. That's it--don't take it too seriously.

Mistake 3: When You Are Discouraged, You Give Up... and you do it very often


You had the best intentions. You put in all your efforts and you certainly believed in your goals and dreams. However, nothing really ever changed--you are frustrated and discouraged. You start to believe that it is not meant to be... "Maybe God does not want me to experience achieving my goals." You start finding all kinds of excuses why your dreams did not manifest. Finally you give up--you admit to yourself that you obviously don't have the power to pull this off. This is the place where dreams vaporize, where evaporating goals become a part of history that nobody will ever see. Besides having no dreams and goals at all, this is the second most prevalent reason why people never fulfill their dreams.

Discouragement is not failure, it simply means that your expectations have gotten ahead of you. Pay attention to the coincidences in your life, as they will show you the way. They may seem insignificant, but they are real. Acknowledge them, be grateful to what you have and then act on whatever opportunities come up. There are no unrealistic dreams, there are only unrealistic time frames.

Punch Line for the day : People begin to become successful the minute they decide to be. - Harvey MacKay

story of a young boy and performace

This is a beautiful story of a young boy... who is trying to check his own performance...

A little boy went into a drug store, reached for a soda carton and pulled it over to the telephone. He climbed onto the carton so that he could reach the buttons on the phone and proceeded to punch in seven digits.

The store-owner observed and listened to the conversation: The boy asked, "Lady, Can you give me the job of cutting your lawn? The woman replied, "I already have someone to cut my lawn.

Lady, I will cut your lawn for half the price of the person who cuts your lawn now." replied boy. The woman responded that she was very satisfied with the person who was presently cutting her lawn.

The little boy found more perseverance and offered, "Lady, I'll even sweep your curb and your sidewalk, so on Sunday you will have the prettiest lawn in all of Palm beach, Florida. Again the woman answered in the negative.

With a smile on his face, the little boy replaced the receiver. The store-owner, who was listening to all, walked over to the boy and said, "Son... I like your attitude; I like that positive spirit and would like to offer you a job.

The little boy replied, "No thanks, I was just checking my performance with the job I already have. I am the one who is working for that lady, I was talking to!"

Of Nuts, Bolts, Switches and Rail Tracks

Many times we compare our life to things around us, and sadly many people compare themselves with the others around them.

Comparing ourselves with other human beings is deplorable, but, looking for some concurrence philosophically about things around us, is not bad at all.

However, one of those comparisons that I often think about is how much our life is like a rail road track.

A rail track is a path to get somewhere but is filled with nuts, bolts and switches. While the nuts and bolts hold lengths of tracks together firmly, it is the switches that take the train in a different direction. It has a "controller" who views the "big" picture of all the trains moving in the network in the area that he is responsible for and then "decides" and communicates his orders to "switchers." When the switches are made, the direction of the train to the destination it has to go gets underway.

Much like the rail system our life too, like a rail road track, is a path that we follow made up of decisions. Each decision can take us to an entirely different destination. When we make a decision it can very well affect other things in our lives. When we come to a switch in the track of life, which way the switch is turned will determine the outcome. They are so like the decisions in our life. It is made from the "control panel of our central nervous system - the brain."

The nuts and bolts are the binders of the several relationships we have @ work and outside, and the switches are the "transactions" we have with the various groups, and the decisions that evolve out of these transactions.

How many times have you made a decision in your life that changed everything?
We can of course make good decisions and we can make bad decisions, and there in lies the real comparison to the rail road track. Many times the decision we make can take our life in a totally different direction that sometimes can never be changed back. Some people who have taken drugs or become bank robbers have found that out from hard experience.

The obvious point of this discussion is that good decisions have that same power to change our lives forever. If we make right decisions, good decisions, then our path of life will take us where we want to go. We can become what ever we want to be, if we want to be. All we have to do is make the right decision and then start down the track of life to achieve it.

How do we learn to make good decisions?

It starts early in our childhood. We develop attributes that are often called "wisdom" or "common sense" as a child. Those things within us that help us make good decisions are also called "good judgment".

The question of course is, how do we develop those attributes of good decision making in our lives?

What do we do if we had a childhood that did not lend it's self to making good decisions?

There are many answers.
Here are just a few:

1. MENTORS: A famous saying of old is, "When the student is ready, the teacher will come". Find people that you admire or who have attributes you would like to mimic. Study their lives. Read about them. If it is possible, arrange to meet them and get to know them. Most people who have become highly successful have mentors that help them. The mentor does not always have to be world famous. They may be someone as great and wonderful as one of your parents or a close friend. Mentors often just come into your life when you need them. Listening to the great minds of the world has had a profound effect on my life. Above all it has given me the desire to be like those I have listened to or read about. When I have a decision to make, I often think of one of my mentors and then ask myself, "Would they do that?"

2. IMPROVE YOUR MIND. Your feelings of self worth have as much to do with making correct decisions as anything else in your life. I know from personal experience that reading good books and listening to educational and motivational tapes can change your life. I seldom ever go from one day to the other without filling my mind with some reading that can spark a thinking inside me. Sometimes even the radio in my car does this work, but I listen to it, mostly to break the boredom of thick traffic. When your mind is filled with these "power thoughts" making correct decisions seems to come almost as a second nature. When your mind is filled with good thoughts, you will have the desire to do the right things, and knowing how to make correct decisions will flow into your mind like a shaft of light.

3. BELIEF: One of the key elements in decision making is belief. Believe that you can do things right. Believe that within you is the power to choose correctly the things that are best for your over all well being and happiness. With that power of belief, you can change for the good. You can make correct decisions most of the time.

4. CHARACTER: You have to stand for something. You have to believe in something. Your character is one of the primary fundamentals within you that help you make correct decisions. If you have no values, then it will be hard to make decisions. If you know what you believe in and what you stand for, then making correct decisions becomes almost a thoughtless process.

5. CONSEQUENCES: This is one of the power principles of life. When we were children we did things that caused us to get hurt or be sad because we did not know the consequences when we did it. As adults, one of the powerful things that can help us make correct decisions is to consider the consequences before we start. Stephen Covey said it so well when he said, "Begin with the end in mind".

1. MENTORS
2. IMPROVE YOUR MIND
3. BELIEF
4. CHARACTER
5. CONSEQUENCES

With these five elements, you can build your power to make correct decisions. If you are having troubles and find that you have made a lot of bad decisions that are now causing you a great deal of sorrow or grief, try applying these five principles in your life. Just start over. You can not change the past. You can only hope for the future. But you have the power to change today.

Rail Road Switches. They are so much like the decisions in our lives. They always lead to consequences and those consequences will either be good or bad depending on the decision we made.

May we always choose the best switch in our doing, as we move along the track of life.

The last aspect is the way the rail track move is parallel to each other from one place to the other covering the length and breadth of geography of any country (at least most). That helps the train maintain a balance and only during bends and curves the tracks are banked (either to the left or the right) one being higher than the other mainly to keep the train on track at any speed. And yes, the speed depends on the solidity of the track. Most hi-speed tracks have a concrete base.

In life too we need to let our "life train" balance on the two track that should run parallel to each other (work or professional life and the personal or family life). We have ups and down, bends and turns in our life too, so, either one of the track will be high or low, to maintain the balance. Lastly, the speed at which you can move your life depends on the solidity based on being fundamentally strong, high on ethics and character etc.

Punch Line for the day: "Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation."

Words do have Power

(Inspired by an essay from Jim Rohn's, - Your Achievement.)

You might just feel that this is an over statement. What have words got to do with our life. It is all in the thinking. Absolutely right, what the mind thinks, it says, and within you it's the words that convey the message which then prompts action. They say wars begin in the minds of men, which result in words and then action follows.

Over the years I've been seeking out ideas, principles and strategies to life's challenges, I've always tried to simplify things and so I even try to use simple words along with power words and I have come across four simple words that can make living worthwhile.1. Life is worthwhile if you LEARN.

What you don't know WILL hurt you, at some point of time or the other. You've got to be well equipped. You have to have learning to exist, let alone succeed. Life is worthwhile if you learn from your own experiences - negative or positive. We learn to do it right by first sometimes doing it wrong. We call that a positive negative. We also learn from other people's experiences, both positive and negative. Learning from other people's experiences and mistakes is valuable information because we can learn what not to do without the pain of having tried and failed ourselves.We learn by what we see so pay attention. We learn by what we hear so be a good listener. We learn from what we read so learn from every source; learn from lectures; learn from songs; learn from sermons; learn from conversations with people who care. Always keep learning. It should become a daily-ritual.

LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERYDAY AND TRASMIT THAT LEARNING TO SOMEONE ELSE TOO ON A DAILY BASIS SO THAT YOUR LEARNING GETS STRENGTHED BY REPETITION.2. Life is worthwhile if you TRY.

You can't just learn; now you have to try something to see if you can do it. Try to make a difference, try to make some progress, try to learn a new skill, try to learn a new sport. It doesn't mean you can do everything, but there are a lot of things you can do, if you just try. Try your best. Give it every effort. Why not go all out?3. Life is worthwhile if you STAY.

In cricket there is a standard lesson all coaches will give you STAY @ the wicket for a while and you will see runs flowing. You have to stay till you harvest. If you have committed for a game or for the project - see it through, till the end. Sometimes unforeseen things may happen, then it is worth wrapping it up. And that's the end, but just don't end in the middle. Maybe on the next game or project you pass, but on this one, if you signed up, see it through.
And lastly,

4. Life is worthwhile if you CARE.

If you care at all you will get some results, if you care enough you can get incredible results. Care enough to make a difference. Care enough to turn somebody around. Care enough to start a new enterprise. Care enough to change it all. Care enough to be the highest producer. Care enough to set some records. Care enough to win.Care enough to train and help others win and of course taking CARE of your own self and all those around you.

Four simple but very powerful little words: learn, try, stay and care.

What difference can you make in your life today by putting these words to work?
Punch Line for the day : "Treat people right and they will eat nails for you."

Where is your mental track taking you

• 
  "One who works with his hands is a laborer. One who works with his hands and head is a craftsman. One who works with his hands, his head, and his heart is a master" - Anon
  
  All of us have a mental track we run on all our waking hours. That track is created by (and creates) the constant conversation in our minds, mental pictures, feelings and to a lesser extent, smells and tastes, both real and imagined.
  This mental track gives meaning to your experiences. Every hour of the day your brain and body is recording what you think, say, hear, feel, smell, taste and do.
  This constant recording process creates your memories, not just in your brain but in every cell of your body.
  It is also creating the track you will "run" on forever. This track can also be called your habits.
  You didn't think habits were just actions you took *on the outside*, did you?
  Hope not! Because all habits are first on the inside, which then get transferred to your action habits.
  Everything you do well now... that you may have done, say... 5,000 times in the physical world, you've probably done (imagined/visualized) that thing 50,000 times or more in your mind. This mental rehearsal of the entire sequences that take four to five seconds in the physical world might take only four or five thousandths of a second in your imagination.
  That's why mental practice, while being easier, is also faster than "real" practice.
  Look at yourself - Batteries not included.
  Yes, that's a great description of your life. You have to create your own energy, your own momentum, your own drive. You have to power your own dreams. You have to take your plans into your hands and make them happen. Don't wait around for someone to lift you up on his shoulders and take you to your castle, because it won't happen. You have to supply your own batteries.
  
  EXPERIENCE

Life is like parenting. Have you ever noticed that when a child comes into your life, he/she does not come with the manual. And the manufacturer doesn't seem particularly helpful, leaving it up to you to learn how to parent on the fly. And just when you think you are finally starting to get the hang of it, your "child" says he/she is moving out.
And it doesn't get any better with the second or third or fourth child, because each model requires a different missing manual.
Life is like that. As much as we read, as much as we listen, as much as we observe, there is no manual for life, and just when you think you are finally starting to get the hang of it, you will be ready to move out.
So keep reading. Keep listening. Keep observing. Keep learning. But don't ever expect to know it all. Enjoy the ride, every last minute of it, even without the manual.

LIST

Today's to-do list:
Smile
Laugh
Love
Care
Think
Share
Imagine
Wonder
Relax
Live

Punch Line for the day : It's not what we eat but what we digest that makes us strong; not what we gain but what we save that makes us rich; not what we read but what we remember that makes us learned; and not what we profess but what we practice that gives us Integrity." Anon

I want to go back to the time when...

For a few days now I have been rewinding my mental tape and visit my "childhood" days. It gives me immense pleasure and bliss. I have made a small attempt to capture the past in "just a few lines" and am sharing it with you. I'm sure this will lighten the "stress" most go through during a "hectic routine working day."
If I am able to give you that little pleasure and relief, I'll consider my day as done. enjoy reading this.
I want to go back to the time when...
It was early to bed early to rise.
We revered our elders and they showered their blessings
We were loved and were pulled up We were kissed and hugged, and we were whacked too, very often
Being a good student was a "default" expectation

We would go over to spend the weekend with our friends
And we were looked after as if there was no difference between us and them

We had the gardens we had the rains everything was in abundance
No one talked of any scarcity, or pollution

If anyone was caught accepting a "bribe" he would be shunned in the society
Decisions were made by no one but the elders and none would dare disobeyMistakes were corrected by simply exclaiming, "do over!" Money issues were handled by whoever was the banker in the game called "Monopoly."
Even little things like watching butterflies in the day and fireflies in the evening could happily occupy any free time we got. It wasn't odd to have all "best friends." Being old referred to anyone over out-of-school, and it didn’t matter what he was doing..

The only dates we knew were in the "calendar" or the "dry fruit" that came from Kabul or ArabiaThe net on a tennis court was the perfect height to play volleyball and rules didn't matter.
Having a weapon in school meant being caught with a catapult. Nobody was prettier than Mom and no one more handsome than Dad. Falling and getting hurt was a common occurrence
Scrapes and bruises were kissed and made better.
It was a big deal to finally be tall enough to ride the "big people" bicyclesGetting a drive to the zoo was a dream come true. Abilities were discovered because of a "dare-devil" attitude No shopping trip was complete unless a new toy was brought home. We did not know what "hijacking" was, we could go into the "cockpit" of the plane while on "land" or in "air"
We would go in ruptures to meet and speak to the flying crew, we would listen to them intently when they told us about the instruments and the panel

We would love to watch the steam engine to tug along "chook, chook, chook ........We would dream to be in the engine along with the driver when the train was hurtling at high speed.

We didn't know what "terrorism" meant

The whole nation would be shocked if the hear a murder. It would make "headlines" in newspapers. There were a few of them at that time and almost everyone would feel involved in the case, wanting the accused to be punished severely

Spinning around, getting dizzy and falling down was cause for giggles. The worst embarrassment was being picked last for a team.
War was a card game. Water balloons were the ultimate weapon. We didn't know what "Drugs" meant And for us medicines would be some "white tablets - one BIG ONE, AND ONE small one, and orange-flavored pink mixture which tasted "sweet, or a maroon coloured one which was slightly "bitter.
We would skip anything but a "break-fast," drink a lot of milk in any form, and swallow chocolates, eat a lot of sweets and candies, fruits and fries.
We would listen to the Radio – Vivid Bharathi and Radio Ceylon for our favourite songs and on Wednesday Nights it was always “Binaca Geet Mala” from 8.00 PM to 9.00 PM and Amin Sayani the host was magnificient and for the "hot news" it was always the All India Radio 9.00 – 9.15 PM .

We would love to read the "newspaper" as it gave us a lot of "worldly information. " We always enjoyed reading every word on the "sports page" particularly and would get pulled up very often for remembering only "sporting news"
Older siblings were the worst tormentors, but also the fiercest protectors.
Now that I have "Grown Up" in Life!!!!!!!! I can remember most or all of these, and I believe we have LIVED!!! and really LOVED IT! If you feel you've missed out on something, remember you might also have some good moments to share when you've grown up like we have - LIVE EVERY MOMENT.
To Whom It May Concern!
I am hereby officially tendering my resignation as an adult.

I have decided I would like to accept no adult responsibilities but yes the responsibilities of a 8 year old again. I want to go to an ordinary Dhaba close to my house and think that it's a four star restaurant, have my faourite rajma chawal or go to an Irani Restaurant, ask for bun-mask, khara biscuits, along with a garam chai.

I want to go across a fresh mud puddle especially after the first monsoon rain, and make ripples with rocks.

I want to think M stand for "majaa" and not money, because you can enjoy them.

I want to play gilli danda during breaks or when it is raining and scribble on the walls with colour crayons and splash watercolors on white walls with balloons filled with colours and I throw them on a white wall to create an inexplicable piece of art.

I want to lie under a big papal tree and drink lemon juice, mango juice, pine apple juice, sugar cane juice, grape juice, lassi, with my friends on a hot summers day.

I want to climb the highest hills and want the clouds to brush past my face, I want to know if it feels cold or warm.

I want to return to a time when life was simple. When all you knew were colors, addition tables and simple nursery rhymes, and building vocabulary. We never knew the words like terrorism, hi-jack, and so many of the vulgar words that are used so blatantly these days - in the head lines of news papers too. But that didn't bother you, because you didn't know what you didn't know and you didn't care. When all you knew was to be happy because you didn't know all the things that should make you worried and upset.

I want to think that the world is fair. That everyone in it is honest and good. I want to believe that anything and everything is possible. When we thought the worst thing in the world was if someone took your jump rope from you or picked you last for kickball?

I want to be oblivious to the complexity of life and be overly excited by little things once again.

I want to return to the days when reading was fun and music was clean. When television was used to report the news or for family entertainment

I would walk on the beach and only think of the sand between my toes and the prettiest seashell I could find.

I would spend my afternoon climbing trees and riding my bike.

I want to live simply again.

I don't want my day to consist of computer crashes, mountains of paperwork, depressing news, or how to survive more days in the month than there is money in the bank, doctor bills, gossip, illness and loss of loved ones.

I want to believe in the power of smiles, hugs, a kind word, truth, justice, peace, dreams, the imagination, the advancement of mankind and making sand castles on the beach sand.

I want my father to take us out on weekends, and treat us to good simple lunches, take us to the lake, take us for walks on the banks of the river, eat peanuts, popcorns, drink tender coconut water, eat raw mango with salt and chilli powder, and my mother making all of us sit around to play or to sing or to feed us all from her hands.

So....no more cheque book, no more cars and the traffic to worry about and I want to reduce me credit cards to ashes.

I am officially resigning from adulthood.

And if you want to discuss this further, you'll have to catch me first, cause.............

You will have to also resign from adulthood and become a "child" again..
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