Donkey Wisdom…

As we close this year and barge into another, there will be a sigh of relief among many, some people will bid farewell with a moist eye and there will be others who would have never wanted this to end. Different people, different perspective and different opinions and I guess this is what makes this world very interesting. Imagine a world where we all would be same, of same shade, thought likewise and there were no difference ..the world would be such a bland place to stay. But irrespective of what we think and want, change is inevitable and if for certain we have to usher in a new year i would rather welcome the year with a new found optimism and courage then to accept the change grudgingly with disdain and anxiety.

I came across this story and it fits the bill:-

 

Once upon a time there was a farmer who had an old mule. The mule fell into a deep dry well and began to cry loudly. Hearing his mule cry, the farmer came over and assessed the situation. The well was deep and the mule was heavy. He knew it would be difficult, if not impossible, to lift the animal out.

Because the mule was old and the well was dry, the farmer decided to bury the animal in the well. In this way he could solve two problems: put the old mule out of his misery and have his well filled. He called upon his neighbors to help him and they agreed to help. To work they went. Shovel full of dirt after shovel full of dirt began to fall on the mule's back. He became hysterical.

Then all of a sudden an idea came to the mule. Each time they would throw a shovel full of dirt on his back he could shake it off and step up. Shovel full after shovel full, the mule would shake it off and step up.

Now exhausted and dirty, but quite alive, the mule stepped over the top of the well and walked through the crowd. A great attitude. A great way to approach life. Shake it off and step up. Too often we hold on to what has happened to us.

As we head towards a brand new year we wish the readers of the blog a great year ahead. We would also like to believe that New Year will bring in new joys, opportunities and challenges for all. There are too many among us who hang on to the past, just shake it off, step up and move on…..

Have a scrumptious and sumptuous year ahead……

Sac

 

Wonder COSMOS.....

The year 2008 has been a traumatic year for all of us, the global meltdown has affected all and sundry, the series of bombing and terrorist acts has left us shaken, the floods and other natural calamity has set us thinking that even the gods have taken a displeasure, the violence and agitation in Jammu and Kashmir that lasted for more then a month and if this was not enough we had the dastardly and cowardly Mumbai attacks that defied all realms of human morality.

So many lives lost, so many homes destroyed and in turn countless other affected. There have also been some major achievements and between these white and black there has been lot of grey areas and life has to move on. All this events though have a huge impact in our lives and sets one thinking about the significance of it if at all.

The other day i was reading a book named COSMOS by Carl Sagan, when i picked up the book i thought this would be just another book on realms of the universe, its beginning and all the scientific stuff, but what I found was extraordinarily different and gave a new insight into life and its origin, but most of it made me feel how insignificant we were.

Its says that our planet must be about 4 billion years old and the simplest of life form that originated in the planet in the form of one celled organism would be about 3 billion years old. Since then various life forms has evolved and then only a few million years ago humans appeared on the scene. To come to think of our presence in the planet we are a relatively new phenomenon but in this small existence of our's we have had profound impact on the planet. 

Also in this period billions of different life forms has come and many have become extinct. To think of the probability that we are born as humans is one in many billion, the probability of we being living in this era, at this time and in this place would be almost 1/infinite. To comprehend the space that we occupy in the planet would be almost as insignificant, lesser then a speck of dust particle. The probability keep getting compelling the more we think of our existence and our life.

So does that make our lives inconsequential, when lives can be lost at the drop of the hat what meaning does it hold, does that mean that we carry no value and all our actions actually come to naught?

In my article "A Life less ordinary" I had mentioned how each one of us can contribute to nation building, to development of each other, to upliftment of society as a whole and this is what gives significance to the whole concept of our lives. When the probability of being what we are is so compellingly against us i.e. less then one in many billion then I would assume that our presence on earth is not by chance but by design. If by design then there has to be some purpose; as a purposeless life is like a rudderless boat.

Though insignificant it might sound but our actions are very significant. Small actions live a big impact on our lives and present a future that is completely unforeseeable from the present. It’s not just ours that get impacted but the impact is multifold. Just like a forest fire that starts with a spark and eventually engulfs the whole forest or even a town. A small action as writing this blog might have some profound impact on people that I don’t even know.

People who lives the lives less ordinary are like eternal torches whose light emates long after they are gone and though they are not present physically their saga lives on brightening the lives of humanity. They are like flames that can light millions of other candles and though they might be gone, their light is there to inspire coming generations.

In one of my articles i had said that it is in death that we treasure life, the recent spate of events should make us treasure life even more and in doing so help others to enrich their live and thus give it a real purpose and make this planet a real wonder of this whole cosmos.

Sac...

Mind Teaser - II

In the given division every letter represent a distinct single digit.

            

        __________

   c d 9) a h a h b i  ( 5 b 1

             a g d e

                g 3 b

                f  i  8

                  c d i

                  c d 9

                   o

Find the value of h, d  and c.

Post your answers in the comments.... winner gets it all... :-) 

Sac

                

AND NOW ITS YOUR TIME.......

Hour of wolves feasting on manflesh,
Fed & let loose by nocturnal allies & backstabbing neigbours,
Self proclaimed Men of god end lives in the name of God.

Lost sons & daughters long for vengance .
A home divided within, hyenas & vultures dressed in white appear in time .
Nation's jugular bleeds, heart weeps & blood gushes from stabbed back.

Long into the night sons answer call of duty,
Innocents relieved , Terror is smoked out and killed by count.
Anxiety doused, Anger still pulsating in the viens .

We do not rejoice. Songs of victory are coming none.
We mourn the dead & lend silence for the brave.

We look to crying mothers and to the heavens ...
He is not unjust.

Make your prayers ...... when we come after your brothers.
God is on our side.
And even if he's not....... make no mistake ..... We will bring you down .

Rahul

A life less ordinary

They say one week is a long time in politics, I say one day or rather an hour or even a minute and you can possibly go on decimating it further, is a very long time indeed. Ask this to the people of Mumbai when just a seemingly harmless and benevolent night, turned the city which is the nerve centre of India into a real battleground. For those who lost their lives that one tenth of a second was what really mattered and for many others their lives further on will be a bigger fight for survival. 

In my one of the article I had mentioned about the interconnectedness of the world and explained this phenomenon with Globalization, Internet and others, where I really missed out; was terrorism. These terrorists where not trained in India, the weapons, ammunition and the dexterity with which they carried out their task, the fact that they went after killing US, UK and Israeli citizens  clearly indicates that they belong to a bigger international network and India now prominently in their jihad. 

It’s high time that we wake up to this fact and a concerted effort is required to root out this menace. A few days back i was listening to a chat show featuring Nandan Nilekani the cofounder of Infosys. He very rightly pointed out that we all are very fascinated with the concept of India we imagine, and India we actually see. For the abstract India of our dreams to come alive is the responsibility that each of us has to shoulder and this means living life less ordinary.

What I mean by life less ordinary is left to readers of the blog to imagine.... to eek out a role for themselves. For me, the cops who died, the millions of NGO's working overtime to change lives, the army and police who zealously carry out their duties in spite of the risks involved, the entrepreneurs and businessmen who has made us proud in lot of ways or even the daily wage earner who in spite of all his odd does his work diligently and make a honest living so that people like you and me can sit back and relax ........

all this and more symbolizes a life lived less ordinary.........

Sac…

Did u ever feel like giving up.....

This is the article i came across when i just started my career and everything written there seems so very true. During my highs and lows i always make it a point to read this and it really keeps me going. The feeling of empoverment is very strong evertime i read this and i so i thought of sharing this with all the readers of this blog, i am sure all of you can relate to this in some form or other........

One day I decided to quit...I quit my job, my relationship, my Spirituality... I wanted to quit my life.  

I went to the woods to have one last talk with God. "God", I Said "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?" His answer surprised me... 

"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?" 

"Yes", I replied.  

"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good Care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo." He said.  

"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. 

In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo see. I would not quit." He said.  

"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.  

It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle." He said to me.  

"Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots?"  

"I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you."  

"Don't compare yourself to others." He said. "The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest Beautiful."  

"Your time will come", God said to me. "You will rise high"  

"How high should I rise?" I asked.  

"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.  

"As high as it can?" I questioned  

"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."  

I left the forest and bring back this story. I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you. 


HE will never give up on you!

...Sac