THE SEED

The Seed
Author: Novoneel Chakraborty

Once upon a time, there was a seed and because it was only a seed, nobody cared to notice it. Thus, gripped by a sense of inferiority, the seed gave no importance to his existence.

Then one day, a wind picked him up - randomly or otherwise he didn't know - and threw him mercilessly on an open field under the sweltering sun. He was confused. Why would anything do such a thing? But instead of any copasetic answers, he was provided with rain (in addition to sunlight); sometimes in drizzles and sometimes in torrents.

Meanwhile time flew and years later he saw a traveler sitting by his side. "Thank you God for this. I really needed some rest," he heard the traveler say.
"What are you talking about?" The seed promptly asked. He thought the man was making fun of him. Sure, he had witnessed many people sitting by his side - more so in recent years - but no one ever spoke to him like that.

"Who is this?" The man was startled.
"This is me. The seed."
"The seed?" The man looked at the giant tree. "Are you kidding me? You are no seed. You are a tree. A goliath of a tree!"
"Really?"
"Yes! Why else do you think people come here?"

What do they come here for anyways?"
"To feel your shade! Don't tell me you didn't know you had grown over time."
A moment passed before the traveler's words struck the chord of realization within him.

The seed, now a prolix tree, thought and smiled for the first time in his life. The years of relentless tortures by the sun and the rain finally made sense to him.
"Oh! That means I'm not a tiny-flimsy seed anymore! I wasn't destined to die unnoticed but was actually born to strip people of their lassitude. Wow! Now that's a life worth a thousand gems!"

KEEP BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

There may be days when you get up in the morning and things aren’t the way you had hoped they would be.

That’s when you have to tell yourself that things will get better. There are times when people disappoint you and let you down.

But those are the times when you must remind yourself to trust your own judgments and opinions, to keep your life focused on believing in yourself.
There will be challenges to face and changes to make in your life, and it is up to you to accept them.

Constantly keep yourself headed in the right direction for you. It may not be easy at times, but in those times of struggle you will find a stronger sense of who you are.

So when the days come that are filled with frustration and unexpected responsibilities, remember to believe in yourself and all you want your life to be.
Because the challenges and changes will only help you to find the goals that you know are meant to come true for you.

Keep Believing in Yourself

MISUNDERSTANDING

Misunderstanding
Relationship and Friendship are deepened and strengthened only by open hearted discussions . If open hearted discussions are stopped, guessing and suspicions occupy the place of facts and start deciding everything. Then the relationships get cracked and the friendships are cut off. A story of Vietnam which was read long before flashes to the memory. The story goes on as mentioned below.
A Soldie r and a Girl fall in love and get married . War is declared in three months and the soldier is bound to rush up to the war front. When he departs, his wife is pregnant . Both of them part with great mental torture, as coming back alive after war is not sure. But luckily, the soldier returns successfully after three years . His Wife and Son are eagerly waiting for him at the Airport. The Soldier embrac es his wife and son with great affection. Both the soldier and his wife’s eyes are filled with tears of joy. They come home. His wife goes to the market to purchase some vegetables and other materials to prepare delicious food for her husband. The father and his beloved son are at home. The Soldier questions his son who feels shy and stands away from him, “Why do you refuse to talk to Daddy ?”.
The boy stares at his father with great confusion and says, “You are not my Daddy”. The Soldier asks his son, “ Then who is your daddy ?” . The boy replies, “My mother has said that when she stands, he too will stand, when my mother sits, he too will sit, when mother lies down, he too will lie down with her daily. He is only my daddy ”. The Soldier gets shocked severely . He has a burning sensation in his ears. The wife returns home from the market and notices sudden change in her husband’s behaviour . He refuses to take the food cooked by her. He doesn’t touch her. He avoids even her nearness. After two days the wife gets her heart broken and commits suicide.
On the night of his wife’s death , when he enquires his son, the facts come out to the lime light. One day the innocent boy looked at his mother’s shadow and asked , “Who is this ?”. The mother thought that her son should not feel for the separation of his father. Hence pointing at her shadow she said, “This is only your father”. From that day onwards, the boy started treating the shadow of his mother as his father. Due to the intolerable guilty conciousness and sadness , the soldier gets his heart broken. In this story, after listening to the son’s statement the soldier would have got his doubts clarified by his wife. The wife too would have asked the reason for the sudden change and different behaviour of her husband. Their life would have become joyful if both had talked frankly . The husband hated his wife due to the wrong decision taken on her behaviour. At least the wife would have compelled him to explain the reason for his different attitude and behaviour. Without doing, that she herself put a full stop to her life. A family got smashed . Is it not because of not asking frankly and not talking frankly?
It is quite easy to misunderstand anything and make the same wrong. When we view through the glasses called suspicion, we can find a number of mistakes in anything and everything . Due to this folly, relationships, friendships and happiness happen to be the scape-goat. When you don’t understand anything, ask frankly . If any one seems to be abnormal, ask for the reason frankly. Don’t take a decision of your own. Similarly when you happen to behave differently, explain the reason for the same clearly to others. Don’t be under the impression that they will understand themselves.
When you think that your family members or friends commit mistakes, point out the same strictly to them. Their explanations or reasons may be just ones. Otherwise when mistakes are pointed out by you, there are chances for them to realize their mistakes and correct themselves and they may not commit such mistakes again. Thus creating an opportunity to correct the mistakes then and there is possible only when we speak frankly. If it is not done so, the minute crack gets broadened and finally it leads to separation among the relationship and friendship . So, if you want deep-rooted friendship and relationship to last longer, don’t forget to enchant the following manthras . “ Ask frankly, Speak frankly and Lend your ears to others”. Let today be the sweetest one and the days to come be the happiest in your life . May God bless you .

COURTESY:PRASANNAN , Trichy, Tamil Nadu .

A LESSON ON FACTS OF LIFE

A Lesson on “ F a c t s of L i f e ”

All the students loved that Teacher because he was efficient in making the students understand any difficult lesson through simple examples. Most of his students were great officials in different fields. Many had been abroad and shined like polestars and many were successful business magnets. Though there were many Teachers, the students never showered that much of affection and respect on them as they showered on that particular Teacher. Most of the students had close contact with that teacher alone through Letters and E-mails.

He too loved his students very much. When they attained success, he considered it as the success of his own children and felt happy over it. But only one fact was bothering him. Though his students were the top scorers in different aspects like the higher officiating posts, wealth and honour, he felt that his students were not leading a happy life. He could understand it through the letters and Emails received from his students. He realized that they were leading a problamatic life with great mental torture. In the race of great achievements, his students had lost their happiness.

All of his students decided to honour him on his 70 th birthday. Though he was not interested in such type of functions, he agreed for the same as he could not say anything against the affinity of his students. They had arranged for a very grand feast in a big auditorium on his birth day. The previous day the teacher invited his students to his residence to have a cup of Tea. Most of his students of Local and Foreign countries assembled in his residence the previous day to his birth day. When they saw him, their joy knew no bound. The teacher too welcomed them with great pleasure and had a discussion with them. Then he went to the kitchen and brought hot tea which he had prepared in a big vessel. He pointed at the different kinds of Tumblers kept on the table and requested them to have the Tea by serving themselves.
Many types of Tumblers like Beautiful Glazed Ornamental Tumblers, silver Tumblers, Ordinary Stainless Steel Tumblers, Aluminium Tumblers and plastic tumblers were there on the table. The students noticed all the Tumblers. There was a tough competition among the students to pick-up the costly and beautiful tumblers. Getting the tea served in the tumblers, they started tasting the same. They made a special mention about the wonderful taste of the tea. The teacher said that the high quality tea leaves were specially ordered and got from a Tea Estate and the delicious tea was prepared for his students. Then the teacher said, “My dear Students I have taught a number of Lessons to you in the past years of my service. Now shall I teach you a LESSON ON LIFE .”

All the students with great interest said in one voice, “ Please Teach us Sir ”. The Teacher started saying, “Though there were many kinds of Tumblers, you rushed to pick up the costly tumblers. It is quite natural. The tumblers you picked up are not that much of importance. But the tea you tasted is of more importance because of the taste and quality of it. Similarly your Job, Money, Officiating Posts, Status etc., are like the Tumblers. Your life is like the Tea. The Quality of Tumblers does not determine the quality of the Tea. In the same way, your Job, Money, Officiating Posts, Status etc., do not determine the quality of your life .

Forgeting the above facts, as you competed to pick up the costly and beautiful tumblers, in your life also you compete to get the valuable job, a lot of money, the highest post and status which is appreciated by others. Because of that only you are suffering from mental torture and problems. As you mistake that the quality of life alias tea is determined by the tumblers alias high post, money and status. You get stuck in the net of competitions, jealousy, hurried deeds and greed. When we pay more importance and attention to the appearance, we lose the charm of our life, we fail to enjoy the taste of life. Even after getting a lot of wealth, as your conscience does not realize the fact of life, it is always found to be dissatisfied.”

when the teacher concluded his lecture there was a pin drop silence among the students . Some were staring at him with great surprise. Tears started gathering in the eyes of some students and some of them burst into tears. They all felt that many things that were not seen in darkness could be seen clearly in bright light . They thought that the lesson taught by him on the facts of life was far better than any other lesson taught by him in the early years of his service and no one else except that teacher could teach and implant such a wonderful lesson in a very simple manner. The teacher rose up to the level of Peak Everest in the minds of his students. One of his students started clapping with tears and the next moment the whole house building was rocked by the applause of the students.

Send this message to all your friends

COURTESY: Prasannan.

DIMINISHING RELATIONSHIPS

Diminishing Relationships Please read: It is not a story: what is happening to-day
In our Country, as most of the families have got only one or two, children and as the people have the tendency of getting away from the relatives, relationships are diminishing day-by-day

In a family, there are so many relatives l ike father, mother , Grandfather, Grandmother, elder or younger brothers and sisters, uncle, aunty, brother-in-law, sister-in-law etc.

Whatever may be the functions right from the ear-boring ceremony to girls’ puberty ceremony and marriage ceremony, the custom of the maternal uncle attending the functions with a lot of gift articles to prove the strength of his relationship continues since a very long time.

But now-a-days if there is only one female child in a family, the child does not have the relationship of brother . Therefore when the child grows up and gives birth to a baby after marriage, that baby also will not have the relationship of maternal uncle, aunty etc ., If the same condition exists in the years to come, many of our future generation will not be aware of the important relationships including that of the maternal uncle .

After a few years of marriage, when partition of property is done among brothers, the relationships are also divided. If they go to different places, the children of both the families will not get the opportunity to mingle with father’s or mother’s brothers and sisters.

In those days if any function takes place in a family, the previous day itself all the relatives would assemble and the house would be immersed in great joy.
But now, due to the wide gap between the relatives and shortage of relations, only the friends and colleagues attend the functions only at the specified time. If this trend continues, the future generations will have money but not affinity. They will not be aware of any culture. They will not be aware of the relatives even when they are very near to them. Relationships will vanish. The traces of customs and culture also will get vanished.

Now-a-days, the muller, mortar & pestle etc., have become the exhibits and monuments. They have been replaced by mixies and grinders and the Muller and morter have become out-dated and vanished from the sight of younger generation. The same will happen to the relationships also.

In the past years, people would write letters to their relatives inviting them to the birth day parties , marriage functions, Deepavali, Pongal and Temple Festivals. The letters had life and spirit. But in the present days though we get a No. of E-mails and messages , they all get vanished from our memory in a short period.
As special mentions and enquiries were made in the letters about each and every relative, the bond and affinity got strengthened. People of any place at long distances would attend all kinds of functions with family. During the festival time grand feast would be given to the relatives. Due to that, relationships would appear to be strong ones. Even today, in the level of villages these types of get-together and celebrations are existing .

But the wide-gap between the relationships is found only among the educated people . Even the husband and wife have no time to share their opinions and ideas whole heartedly in the mechanical hurried life.

Most of the people attend the functions of their relatives in hurry after sending their children to school. As they return immediately in a hurry soon after the function is over, details about such people are not known by others. Relationships are not known to children also.

Consid erin g the popul ation o f our count ry, giv ing birth to more numb er of childr en is i mp oss ible. What to do for the revi val of relationships?
At the same time we can teach our younger generations the methods of renewing the existing relationships. I mportance may be given to some matters though they appear to be superstitious ones.

If a brother gets a red Saree for Rs.200 and hands it over to his sister, joy in the families will be multiplied . By this, Relationships will be strengthened. Parents should avoid pointing at overload of the subjects and insisting their children to go only to school. Children should be taken to all kinds of functions of their relatives and the relatives should be introduced with relationships.

In those days, for many generations, fields were undivided and the boundaries remained the same without any change. Magnanimity among people existed to that extent. More importance was given to relationships rather than money. Money was placed behind relationships.

The mental maturity of the people should get developed so as to enable the same condition to prevail. Write letters to all your relatives during the special occasions like birthday , wedding day, success in examinations etc., because only letters have life and spirit.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Let us all take a pledge to strengthen our relationships atleast from today!.

Courtesy: Dinamani, Tamil Daily Newspaper Translated by : Shri C. CHANDRASEKAR, M.A., B.Ed ., Headmaster (Retd), Kendriya Vidyalaya, Trichy

Brought to you by Na.Prasannan, Trichy, Tamilnadu.

LIFES GREAT LESSONS

When we begin to take our failures non-seriously, it means we are ceasing to be afraid of them. It is of immense importance to learn to laugh at ourselves”

-- Katherine Mansfield


What are life's greatest lessons? Could it be our failures teach us more than our successes?

What I think this quote is saying, is that the importance of failures in our lives, will only be revealed to us, once we stop looking at them as failures. What we learn from our failures, are usually the greatest lessons in our lives, and we need to open our eyes so we can see that.

It may even be that life lessons learned through what we perceive as our failures, are greater lessons than what we learn from our successes. Most success comes from letting go of our fear of failure, and being willing to take some risks. People who are successful in their lives, are not people who have never failed. They are people who have learned from their mistakes, and pushed ahead past their fears, to get to their successes.

I think the greatest life lesson we can ever learn, is the lesson that we should never give up on our dreams. By reaching for our dreams and our goals in life, we are doing what we were meant to do. When we follow our dreams, we will inevitably make many mistakes along the way, but hopefully we also grow along the way. It is truly the path to your dream that is most important, not whether you actually reach your dream. That is why the true failure is not when you don’t reach your dream, but it’s when you never even try to reach for it.

I’m not sure where I heard this but it goes something like this - It is through your deepest struggles, that you reach for you highest goals. I think what that means, is when we are at our lowest, at what we perceive to be rock-bottom, there is no where else for us to go but up. It is at these times of complete hopelessness, that we consciously choose to either give-up, or to push past our pain and reach for our dreams.

We need to try and remember this, so when we are deep in our own despair over a perceived failure, we can recognize our pain, and see it as an opportunity to reach for our dreams.

A HEART TOUCHING REAL LIFE INCIDENT

Chennai : 25th Sep 2008

1st photo : Jithenthran...

2nd photo is his father and mother...
3rd photo: The doctor didn't even remove the face mask and head cover and coming running right from
the operation theatre

The thing is.... there is a family. Parents are doctors...and they had a son named jithenthran.

On 09/24/2008, he took his father's bike for seeing his friend and while return he met with an accident.

The people who are there know him and admitted him at chengelpattu hospital. Then they informed his parents and they took him to Teynampet Apollo hospital.

There the doctors examined him and said that his brain has lost all his senses and there is no way to give him life. Without controlling the sadness the parents understood the fact and they decided to donate his organs to the people.

First, his eyes were given to Sankara nethralaya, then his kidney was given to Apollo hospital for transplantation and atlast here comes the final everheard miracle. They decided to give his heart to a 6 year old boy who needs it. So they verified and at last found that the boy is struggling for life at Cherians heart foundation, Chennai.

But within 30mins that heart should be transplanted; They need to go 20kms and in Chennai traffic and doubted whether it will happen. Then the doctors called traffic police and asked their help and they prepared the ambulance with A/C. So fastly they removed the heart from their son and kept in an ice box and ran towards the ambulance.

When they came out the boy's father saw that ice box and cried like anything. The doctor who carried tht box ran like anything that he didn't even see the ambulance which is waiting outside and he entered the police car which was waiting. He said to the person to just go to Cherian hospital soon. The person who was standing near the car was the Assistant Commissioner and he without seeing his status and jumped to drivers seat and drove the car with full speed.

Every signal traffic got alert and left way for this car and at last within 15mins the heart was given to the doctors in Cherian hospital and it was transplanted to the small boy. Really heart touching....

Do u know the meaning of the name of the boy who died....

His name is Jithenthran - a person who will steal other's heart..............

Yes , now he has stole everyone's heart.....

Really ... hats off to the parents...

THANKS TO SAANU VAASAVAN FOR FORWARDING THIS HEART TOUCHING MAIL.

REALIZE THE VALUE

Read quietly then send it back on its journey

To realize
The value of a sister/brother
Ask someone
Who doesn't have one.

To realize
The value of ten years:
Ask a newly
Divorced couple.

To realize
The value of four years:
Ask a graduate.

To realize
The value of one year:
Ask a student who
Has failed a final exam.

To realize
The value of nine months:
Ask a mother who gave birth to a still born

To realize
The value of one month:
Ask a mother
Who has given birth to
A premature baby.

To realize
The value of one week:
Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize
The value of one minute:
Ask a person
Who has missed the train, bus or plane.

To realize
The value of one second:
Ask a person
Who has survived an accident.

Time waits for no one.

Treasure every moment you have.

You will treasure it even more when
You can share it with someone special.

To realize the value of a friend or family member:

LOSE ONE.

The origin of this letter is unknown,
But it brings good luck to everyone who READS it.

Remember....

Hold on tight to the ones you love!

Send it to friends & family to whom you wish good
fortune. And don't forget the one who sent it to you!

SHARED BY MR.JAYA PRAKASH.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR LIFE

The following is attributed to His Holiness, the Dalai Lama.

I don't know if he really penned these words, but they are good advice
in any case. so i am sharing this

Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

Follow the three Rs: Respect for self, Respect for others and

Responsibility for all your actions.

Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

Spend some time alone every day.

Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.

A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.

Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.

Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

HAPPY REPUBLIC DAY

Patriotic fervor, National pride and ardent devotion, the month of January fills the heart of every Indian with all the emotions. We will be celebrating our Republic Day on January 26. It was on this day in 1950, that the constitution, of India came in to force and India finally enjoyed the true spirit of freedom.

Republic Day is an important day for every Indian. It is on this day that the Indian Constitution was adopted. This was the day when our rights and duties were brought to a concrete form. It holds a lot of value in every Indian’s heart and mind. India’s Constitution was displayed to the world on this day. Many great scholars and freedom fighters have put in their efforts to draft our Constitution.”

This day also marks the gratitude that we Indians prosper in a sovereign, secular and democratic soil that stands for the principles of justice, equality, fraternity and liberty; the golden words that form the spirit of our Preamble.

On this special day, I'd like to participate and celebrate this national festival with all cheer and enjoyment and I can say that India is my lovely and best best country.

On this special day and always let us rededicate ourselves to the noble principles of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity on which the Republic of India was founded.

Let the glorious legacy of our freedom struggle continue to guide us in the new century. Let our commitment towards the principles of secularism, social justice, egalitarianism and non-violence remain firm as ever.

Happy Republic Day to all my fellow Indians.

SALUTE THE NATION & THE SOLDIERS WITH PROUD TO BE AN INDIAN.

PATRIOTIC SONGS

This month I am sharing patriotic songs on the eve of the Republic Day and some of them are so rich in emotions. I already posted some of the selected songs in the month of August.I’m going to list here a few of my favorite lines picked from various songs.

Kar chale hum fida
Jano tan sathio
Ab tumhre havale
Vatan sathio
Kar Chale Hum Fida Jaano Tan Sathiyo..
Ab Tumhare Hawaale Vatan Sathiyo..

From the Film ’’Haqeeqat’’, penned by the great Kaifi Azmi, composed by Madan Mohan and sung by none other than Mohammed Rafi.

Translation: We have sacrificed our lives and our bodies, O’ friends, now the country is in your hands, O’ friends.
This is from a film called Haqiqat that was made in the wake of the Chinese invasion of India in the early 60s. It was one of the best songs of Mohammed Rafi and whenever I listen to it, it brings tears to my eyes. It further says:
Sans thamti gayee
Nabz jamti gayee
Phir bhi badte kadam ko
Na rukne diya
Kat Gaye sar hamare to
To kutch gum nahi
Sar Himalay ka hamne
Jhukne diya

Translation: Our breaths stopped, our pulses froze, but we never let our advancing footsteps cease; we didn’t care when our heads were cut, but we didn’t let the Himalayan’s head down.

Thousands of Indian soldiers were killed first, because the Chinese had a huge army, and then, we were caught off-guard. Our leaders thought: since we are so peaceful, nobody should attack us. It’s a true tribute to the motherland by a dying soldier, who won’t let the Tricolor fall till his last breath.

This song depicts the pain that lies behind the smiles of our brave men. The message to the fellow countrymen to take care of the motherland when they are gone is conveyed so easily and effectively that seldom any person hearing this beautiful creation can remain unaffected. A fabulous piece of work...


Taqat vatan ki humse he
Izzat vatan ki humse he
Himmat vatan ki humse he
Insaan ke hum rakhvale
De kar apna khoon seenchte
Desh ki hum phulvari
Bansi se bandook bana dein
Hum wo prem pujari…

Translation: We are the strength of the nation; we our honour of the nation; we are the valor of the nation; we are the protectors of the humankind. We water the flower beds of the country with our blood; in an instant we can turn our flutes into guns, we are such devotees of love…

The song is from the film Prem Pujari sung by Mohd.Rafi, Neeraj is the lyricist and S D Burman is the music director. It’s a full-fledged military song.

’’Har Karam Apna Karenge, Ae Watan Tere Liye...
Dil Diya hain..Jaan Bhi denge..Ae Watan Tere Liye...

From the film ’’Karma’’, Sung by Kavita Krishnamoorthy..and Mohammed Aziz.

Translation:

“We will do everything that we can do for you O Motherland. The heart is already yours and our life is also yours O motherland.” The sense of dedication and the courage to do everything for thy motherland come Awesome lyrics with right ingredients of a patriotic song.

Kavitha Krishnamurthy’s powerful voice just makes blood flow faster in your veins as it drives in the fact that patriotism is not time bound.


Aye Watan, Aye Watan, hum ko teri kasam
teri raahon pe jaan tak lutaa jaayenge
phool kya cheez hai, tere kadmon pe hum,
bhent apne saron ki chadha jaayenge

sung by Mohd. Rafi, from movie Shaheed, talks about the secularity of our nation and the patriotic feelings of the people towards our mother land. It installs a sense of pride among the countrymen. Like most patriotic songs of that period, this too has been crooned by Rafi while the composition is of Prem Dhawan.

'Apni azadi ko hum'hargiz miTaa sakte nahin

This song gave the message of toughness and a strong will. It brought forward the sentiments of people who were not ready to bow down under any circumstances. From the film 'Leader' (1964), it had brilliant vocals by Lata Mangeshkar and Rafi, reflect the determination and sense of purpose that got us the coveted freedom

Ae mere watan ke logon, zara aankh mein bhar lo paani,
jo shaheed huye hain unki, zara yaad karo qurbaani.
Ae mere watan ke logo, Zara aankh me bhar lo paani

Who can forget this song, which was a tribute to the Indian army which fought in 1962Indo-Chinese war, despite all odds, to the last man. Penned by Kavi Pradeep, set to music by C. Ramchandra and rendered in the inimitable voice of Lata Mangeshkar tops the list. This song brought tears to the eyes of then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Even after having heard it a few hundred times, It still has that effect on me. This, song, tells us that the freedom we enjoy is a gift from those in the armed forces. A very sobering thought.

I bet not one of us could have forced our tears back while this song is sung. Such powerful impact it leaves on the listener. It surely makes your heart heavy and makes you bow your head a hundred times to these great leaders. It is the result of their sacrifices and efforts that we dwell in Free India.

"Aye mere pyare watan":

This track from the film "Kabuliwala" (1961) had all the ingredients of a legendary song. It was composed by Salil Choudhury, with Manna Dey. One of the sincerest, overwhelming and the best patriotic song ever. I have No words to express. A must hear for today's youth. Fantastic, Classic best lyric truly touching and inspiring song. Deeply rooted in our motherland. Salute to the composer for spreading a message of unity, peace, integrity and love. Such songs can only be composed and sung to the hearts of million Hindustanis. One side composing and other side singing of this song was really a miraculous and extraordinary one. This song fills the patriotism not only in the hearts of Indians but in the whole world. This is a song which is a symbol of unity, peace, integrity and love. We should inspire with this song and try to adopt the message which it is giving to us.This song is my very near about my heart. I like very much this song and when sing this song, my tears is coming out of my eyes. Shri Manna Dey Ji is very Great singer.

Bharat Humko Jaan se Pyara Hai from Roja… sung by hariharan

Though I liked the telugu and tamil version, this song in Hindi is definitely not lost in translation… The song is a statement of current values and sense of patriotism in an India under the threat of terrorism. Again, driving home that patriotism has no time frame.

THE STORY OF CHALLENGES

The Japanese have always loved fresh fish. But the water close to Japan has not held many fish for decades. So to feed the Japanese population, fishing boats got bigger and went farther than ever. The farther the fishermen went, the longer it took to bring the fish. If the return trip took more time, the fish were not fresh. To solve this problem, fish companies installed freezers on their boats. They would catch the fish and freeze them at sea. Freezers allowed the boats to go farther and stay longer.

However, the Japanese could taste the difference between fresh and frozen fish. And they did not like the taste of frozen fish. The frozen fish brought a lower price. So, fishing companies installed fish tanks. They would catch the fish and stuff them in the tanks, fin to fin. After a little thrashing around, they were tired, dull, and lost their fresh-fish taste. The fishing industry faced an impending crisis! But today, they get fresh-tasting fish to Japan. How did they manage? To keep the fish tasting fresh, the Japanese fishing companies still put the fish in the tanks but with a small shark. The fish are challenged and hence are constantly on the move.

The challenge they face keeps them alive and fresh! Have you realized that some of us are also living in a pond but most of the time tired and dull? Basically in our lives, sharks are new challenges to keep us active. If you are steadily conquering challenges, you are happy. Your challenges keep you energized. Don't create success and revel in it in a state of inertia. You have the resources, skills and abilities to make a difference. Put a shark in your tank and see how far you can really go.

Aano bhadra krtavo yantu vishwatah.(- RIG VEDA)
"Let noble thoughts come to me from all directions"

REGARDS
Miss.Shaija Vallikatri Bhaskaran

THOUGHTS TO LIVE

Learn to write your pains on the sand where winds of joy can erase it away.
Carve your happiness in stone where even rain cannot dare to wash it away

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.

Don't tell GOD how big your storm is.Tell the storm how big your GOD is!!!

Every bad situation will have something positive...Even a stopped Clock is correct twice a day.Think of this & lead ur life....

Positive thinking and optimistic outlook will never produce bad results. Negative thinking and pessimistic approach will never produce good results. Positive thinkers will never fail. Negative thinkers will never succeed.

If you can solve your problem then what is the need of worrying?
If you cannot solve it then what is the use of worrying?

“Trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.”

I asked God, "How do I get the best out of life?"
God answered:
"face your past without regret,
handle your present with confidence,
prepare for the future without fear."
Then He added,
"keep the faith and drop the fear.
Don't believe your doubts and never doubt your beliefs.
Life is wonderful if you know how to live.

If u r born poor its not ur mistake but if u die poor its Ur mistake

Problem free life never makes a strong person!
Be strong enough to accept the tests of life.
Dont ask life WHY ME ?
Instead say TRY ME!!

There are times when we feel like giving up.
But remember that GOD is teaching us to trust in HIS timing.
Don’t be in a hurry.
Don’t be impatient
Don’t try to force doors to open.
Don’t try to make things happen in your strength.
Let God do it His way.
He has a time table for all our heart’s desires.

Sometimes, you need to experience everything so that you would learn.there’s no easy way in living life so live it as it is…
CRY.
LAUGH.
BE CRAZY!
And don’t miss the chances that life is giving you.
Because the most important things are not things at all…
Most of the time they are PEOPLE making your life worth living…

RECIPE FOR A HAPPY LIFE

Recipe for a Happy Life
{ Author unknown }

Take twelve whole months...
Clean them thoroughly of all Bitterness, Rumors, Hate and Jealousy;
In other words make them as Fresh and as Clean as possible.

Now cut each month into 28, 30, or 31 different parts.
But don't make up the whole batch at once.
Instead - prepare it one day at a time.

Mix the following ingredients well each day:
One part of Faith
One of Patience
One of Courage,
One of Work.

Add one part each of Hope, Faithfulness, Generosity, and Kindness.
Blend with one part Prayer, one part Meditation, and one Good Deed.
Season the whole thing with a dash of Good Spirit, a Sprinkle of Fun,
A Pinch of Play, and a Cupful of Good Humor.

Pour all these into a Vessel of Love.
Cook thoroughly over Radiant Joy, Garnish with Smiles,
And Serve with Quietness, Unselfishness, and Cheerfulness.

If you follow this recipe,
You are bound to have a Happy Life.

THE ROAD TO SUCCESS IS ALWAYS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Life is not no much a matter of position as of disposition. The best vitamin for making friends,B1.
If you don't care where you're going any road will get you there.
A pint of example is worth a gallon of advice.
He who throws mud loses ground.
A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.
Ideas won't work unless you do.
The future is purchased by the present.
One thing you can't recycle is wasted time.
Triumph is just "umph" added to try.
He who forgives ends the quarrel.
Children need more models than critics.
Frogs have it easy, They can eat what bugs them.
The pursuit of happiness is the chase of a lifetime.
If the going gets easy you may be going downhill.
Jumping to conclusions can be bad exercise.
The best labor saving device is doing it tomorrow.
A turtle makes progress when it sticks its neck out.
Failure is the path of least persistence.
Patience is counting down without blasting off.
Have a backbone not a wishbone.
Some folks won't look up until they are flat on their backs.
If you want your dreams to come true, don't oversleep.
Friend - One who knows all about you and likes you just the same.
Birds have bills too and they keep on singing.
A good example is the best sermon.
The Ten Commandments are not multiple choice.
Well done! is better than, Well said!
Minds are like parachutes - they function only when open.
If you can laugh at it then you can live with it.
People don't fail, they give up.
When looking for faults use a mirror, not a telescope.
Smile, it takes only 13 muscles; A frown takes 64.
Kindness, a language deaf people can hear and blind can see.
A small leak can sink a great ship.
You can't direct the wind, but you can adjust your sails.
We lie loudest when we lie to ourselves.
Tact is the ability to see others as they wish to be seen.
A friend walks in when everyone else walks out.
If you must cry over spilled milk then please try to condense it.

Author Unknown

THE LEGACY

Most parents want the best for their children and would do all in their power to protect and nurture them. However, how much can we do? We can give them the best formal education we can afford, save money for them and pray to God to bless them.

Is that enough? No matter how hard we try to make our children's lives trouble-free, we all know that no one's life can be such. Problems and pain will come inevitably. What we as parents should do about this is to speak openly to them about this reality. Then, they need to feel that they will be able to deal with difficulties. Parents should demonstrate that they have faith in their children. Moreover, children
need to be taught that it is okay not to be able to achieve all that we aim for or desire. Stress needs to be put on being just, even if it does not bring material success. Once, they are comfortable with the occasional failure or disappointment in life, they will be happy and emotionally strong enough to deal with travails.


Finally, children should be given the good news of a dear friend watching over them and us all the time. That friend, God, can be called by any name. But children, like adults, need to communicate with Him.I think, this is the best legacy we can leave for our children.

COURTESY:AYESHA PARVEEN

Aano bhadra krtavo yantu vishwatah.(- RIG VEDA)
"Let noble thoughts come to me from all directions"

REGARDS
Miss.Shaija Vallikatri Bhaskaran

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA JAYANTHI, JANUARY 12 2011

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA JAYANTHI, JANUARY 12 2011.

Swami Vivekananda was born in Calcutta (Now Kolkata) Monday in a traditional family, on 12 January. His father Vishwanath Dutta was an attorney of Calcutta High Court. He was considered generous, and had a liberal and progressive outlook in social and religious matters. His mother Bhuvaneshwari Devi was pious and had practiced austerities and a devotee of Lord Shiva. Swami Vivekananda’s thinking and personality were influenced by his parents—the father by his rational mind and the mother by her religious temperament. From his mother he learnt the power of self-control.

Swami Vivekananda taught the principles of the universe, and his teachings are popular even today. His ageless words will touch the life of all. No matter whether old or young; the spiritual messages quotations and sayings of great Swami Vivekananda will bring wisdom and enlighten our life.

He was a man of great brilliance and had a tremendous presence.
I am sharing some of the quotes of the great vivekananda from my
collections.

QUOTES OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA:-

Religion is not in doctrines, in dogmas, nor in intellectual argumentation,
It is being and becoming, it is realization.

The greatest religion is to be true to your own nature.
Have faith in yourselves."

First of all, our young men must be strong. Religion will come afterwards.
Be strong, my young friends; that is my advice to you.

The secret of religion lies not in theories but in practice. To be good and do good -that is the whole of religion.

The very fact of disputations and fighting among sects shows that they do not know anything about religion. Religion to them is a mere mass of frothy words, to be written in books.

Religion is not going to church, or putting marks on the forehead, or dressing in a peculiar fashion. You may paint yourselves in all the colours of the rainbow, but if the heart has not been opened, if you have not realized God, it is all vain.

The basic aim of religion is to bring peace to man. It is not a wise thing for one to suffer in this life so that one can be happy in the next. One must be happy here and now. Any religion that can bring that about is the true religion for humanity.

Truth, purity, and unselfishness - whenever these are present, there is no power below or above the sun to crush the possessor thereof. Equipped with these, one individual is able to face the whole universe in opposition.

Everything can be sacrificed for truth, but truth cannot be sacrificed for anything.

Stick to truth, but we shall succeed, may be slowly, but surely.

Pray all the time, read all the scriptures in the world, and worship all the gods there are but unless you realize the Truth, there is no freedom.

Practice truthfulness.Tweleve years of absolute truthfulness in thought, word and deed gives a man what he wills.

We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live; they travel far.

All truth is eternal. Truth is nobody’s property; no race, no individual can lay any exclusive claim to it. Truth is the nature of all souls."

Good motives, sincerity, and infinite love can conquer the world. One single soul possessed of these virtues can destroy the dark designs of millions of hypocrites and brutes.

The ignorant man, by prayer and devotion, can reach beyond the philosopher. To know God, no philosophy is necessary. Our duty is not to disturb the faith of others.

First have faith in yourselves.Know that though one may be a little bubble and another may be a mountain high wave, yet behind both the bubble and the wave there is the infinite ocean.

Accept the beneficial and discard the pleasant.

It is good and very grand to conquer external nature, but grander still it is to conquer internal nature.

If a man with an ideal makes a thousand mistakes, I am sure that the man without an ideal makes fifty thousand. Therefore, it is better to have an ideal.

If you have assimilated five ideas, and made them your life and character, you have more education than anyman who has got by heart a whole library.

Do good to all, like everyone, but do not love anyone.

If you really want the good of others, the whole universe may stand against you and cannot hurt you. It must crumble before your power of the Lord Himself in you if you are sincere and really unselfish.

Out of purity and silence comes the word of power.

In a conflict between the heart and the brain, follow your heart. "

When once you consider an action, do not let anything dissuade you. Consult your heart, not others, and then follow its dictates.

Perfection does not come from belief or faith. Talk does not count for anything. Parrots can do that. Perfection comes through selfless work.

Please everyone without becoming a hypocrite or a coward.

You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you,
none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul.

The great secret of true success, of true happiness, is this:

the man or woman who asks for no return, the perfectly unselfish person, is the most successful."

Ask nothing; want nothing in return. Give what you have to give; it will come back to you, but do not think of that now."

"Learn everything that is good from others, but bring it in, and in your own way absorb it; do not become others."

A few heart-whole, sincere, and energetic men and women can do more in a year than a mob in a century."

"Do one thing at a Time, and while doing it put your whole Soul into it to the exclusion of all else."

Have Faith in Man, whether he appears to you to be a very learned one or a most ignorant one."

The more we come out and do good to others, the more our hearts will be purified, and God will be in them."

Above all, beware of compromises. Hold on to your own principles in weal or woe and never adjust them to others’.

"It is the Level-headed Man, the Calm Man, of Good Judgement and cool nerves, of Great sympathy and love, who does good work and so does good to himself."

Neither money pays, nor name pays, nor fame, nor learning; it is CHARACTER that cleave through adamantine walls of difference”

We want that education by which character is formed, strength of mind is increased, the intellect is expanded, and by which one can stand on ones feet.

In eating, dressing or lying, in singing or playing, in enjoyment or disease, always manifest the highest moral courage.If you can build your character after such an ideal, then a thousand others will follow.

Help if you can; if you cannot, fold your hands and stand by and see things go on. Do not injure, if you cannot render help”

Three things are necessary to make every man great, every nation great”

1.Conviction of the powers of goodness
2.Absence of jealousy and suspicion
3.Helping all who are trying to be and to do good.

Nature wants us to react, to return blow for blow, cheating for cheating,

lie for lie, to hit back with all our might, then it requires a super divine power not hit back, to keep control, to be unattached”

The very essence of education is concentration of mind, not collecting of facts. Develop the power of concentration of mind and detachment and then with a perfect instrument collect facts at will.

Persons are but the embodiments, the illustration of principles. If the principles are there, the persons will come by the thousands and millions.

A "GOOD WORLD" A "HAPPY WORLD" AND SOCIAL PROGRESS are all terms equally intelligible with "Hot Ice" or "dark light".There is no progress without corresponding digression.

Swami vivekananda's words are not ordinary words of inspiration. Each word of his utterances is potent with a latent power.I tried my best to bring out the gist of his sayings. There are many quotes and I made a small attempt to forward a few of his quotes and utterances.

Every quote and utterances of swami vivekanada has a great power. In many speeches he used to oft quote one of the sayings of his mother :

"Remain pure all your life; guard your own honor and never transgress the honor of others. Be very tranquil, but when necessary, harden your heart.


A mere reading of the ideas presented here won't do.The ideas must be aasimilated and should be put in to practice.understand the quotes in their spirit and apply to work in the light.

Aano bhadra krtavo yantu vishwatah.(- RIG VEDA)
"Let noble thoughts come to me from all directions"

REGARDS
Miss.Shaija Vallikatri Bhaskaran

WISHING YOU ALL A GREAT BEGINING

The first day after the New Year. What can I wish that this day, that this year, may bring to us? Wishing my dear ones a great beginning of this New Year. Wish to share a thought pondering words. As a good beginning, sharing few words of motivation and wisdom, Words that have the power to transform our lives. Take a quick glance and have a wonderful year ahead.

Nothing that shall make the world of others poorer, nothing at the expense of others; but just those few things which in their coming do not stop with me but touch me rather, as they pass and gather strength:
• A few friends who understand me, and yet remain my friends.
• A work to do which has real value without which the world would feel the
poorer.
• A return for such work small enough not to tax unduly anyone who pays.
• A mind unafraid to travel, even though the trail be not blazed.
• An understanding heart.
• A sight of the eternal hills and unbelting sea, and of something beautiful
the individual hand has made.
• A sense of humor and the power to laugh.
• A little leisure with nothing to do.
• A few moments of quiet, silent meditation. The sense of the presence of God.
• And the patience to wait for the coming of these things, with the wisdom to
know them when they come."


May God make your year a happy one!
Not by shielding you from all sorrows and pain,
But by strengthening you to bear it, as it comes;
Not by making your path easy,
But by making you sturdy to travel any path;
Not by taking hardships from you,
But by taking fear from your heart;
Not by granting you unbroken sunshine,
But by keeping your face bright, even in the shadows;
Not by making your life always pleasant,
But by showing you when people and their causes need you most,
and by making you anxious to be there to help.
God’s love, peace, hope and joy to you for the year ahead.

Once again wishing you a great beginning

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011

Dear God,
In the new year, we pray
that You will guide us each new day
in paths that are pleasing to You.
God, the new year gives us another chance
to rededicate our lives to You,
to study Your Word
so that we know right from wrong
and to act in accordance with Your commands.
Thank You for the sense of
direction, purpose and peace we get
from aligning our lives with Your Holy will.
We pray for the strength and the will to obey You
each and every day of the new year,
and when we fail, we pray for Your mercy,
Your compassion, Your grace and Your love.
Help us in the new year to be Your faithful servants.
In God's name we pray.

My Happy New Year wish for you
Is for your best year yet,
May this new year find you
healthier and happier,
peaceful, content, satisfied
I wish you the best year you’ve ever had,
and that each New Year
will be better than the last.
May you realize your fondest dreams
and take time to recognize and enjoy
each and every blessing.
Happy New Year,
And many more