Friday, 31 May 2024

There is a winner in each of us


The Dormant Winner in us all: 

The story that follows tells us the meaning of perseverance and love and believing in oneself.

It is a true to life story

My name is Mildred Honor. I am a former elementary school music teacher from Des Moines, Iowa.

I have supplemented my income by teaching piano lessons for over 30 years.
 
I found that children have many levels of musical ability even though I have never had the prodigy. I have taught some very talented students. However, I have also had my share of what I call 'Musically Challenged Pupils'.

One such pupil was Robby. Robby was 11 years old when his nother (a single mom) dropped him off for his first piano lesson.

Robby told me that it had always been his nother's dream to hear him play the piano. At the end of each weekly lesson he would always say 'My mom's going to hear me play someday.'  To me, it seemed hopeless. He just did not have any inborn ability.

I only knew his mother from a distance as she dropped Robby off or waited in her aged car to pick him up. She always waved and smiled, but never dropped in;

Then one day Robby stopped coming for his lessons.  I thought about calling him, 
but assumed that because of his lack of his ability he had decided to pursue something else. 

Several weeks later, I mailed a flyer recital to my students' homes. To my surprise, 
Robby asked if he could be in the recital. 
I told him that the recital was for current pupils and that because he had dropped out, he really did not qualify.

He told me that his mother had been sick and unable to take him to his piano lessons, and that he had been practicing at home on his own.  He continued saying 'please Miss Honor, I've just got to play.'

I don't know what led me to allow him to play in the recital. Perhaps it was his insistence or maybe something inside me saying that it would be all right;

The night of the recital came and the high school gymnasium was packed with parents, their relatives and friends. 

I put Robby last in the program, just before I was to thank all the students and play a finishing piece. 

I thought that any damage he might do would come at the end of the program and I could always salvage his poor performance through my 'Curtain Closer'.

Well, the recital went off without a hitch, 
the students had been practicing and it showed. 

Then Robby came up on the stage. His clothes were wrinkled and his hair looked as though he had run an egg beater through it. 'Why wasn't he dressed up like the other students?' I wondered. 
'Why didn't his mother at least make him comb his hair for this special night?'

Robby pulled out the piano bench, and sat on it. I was surprised when he announced that he had chosen to play Mozart's Concerto No.21 in C Major.  

I was not prepared for what I heard.  His fingers were light on the keys, they even danced nimbly on the ivories. He went from Pianissimo to Fortissimo, fromvAllegro to Virtuoso; his suspended chords that Mozart demands were magnificent!  

Never had I heard Mozart's piece played so well by anyone his age.

After six and a half minutes, he ended in a grand crescendo, and everyone was on their feet in a wild well deserved applause!!! 

I ran up on to stage, overcome and in tears, and put my arms around Robby in joy; 

'I have never heard you play like that Robby. How did you do it?'  Robby explained: 'Well, Miss Honor, remember I told you that my mom was sick.  Well, she actually had cancer and passed qway this morning. 

And well...  he continued, she was born deaf, so tonight was the first time she had ever heard me play, and I wanted to make 
it special.
 
There wasn't a dry eye in the house that evening.  As people from the Social Services led Robby from the stage to be placed in to foster care, I noticed that even their eyes were red and puffy.  

I thought to myself, how much richer my life had been for taking Robby as my pupil.

I have never had a prodigy, but that night 
I became a prodigy  of Robby. 

He was my teacher and I was his pupil that day,  for he had taught me the meaning of perseverance and love and believing in oneself.


Wednesday, 29 May 2024

Thirty Eight Uses of Vaseline








Future Lad

https://www.facebook.com/share/LecsPMk3brLE7rYZ/?mibextid=oFDknk

By Simon Saunders - 3/30/23

This article appeared in Bigglobaltravel and has been published here with permission.

Shine Your Shoes
After you wear shoes around a lot, the shine they had when you purchased them might start to fade as they get dirty or even just more worn down. Shining your shoes is a great way to get this luster back. Instead of polish, you could always take an easier route by scooping out a dab of Vaseline and gently rubbing it on the shoes. The best part? You only need a thin layer!

Tame Your Brows
If you have brows that are hard to handle, you can tame them easier than you might think. All you need is a little Vaseline to whip them into shape. To do this, just dab a little bit of Vaseline on a cotton swab or brow brush, and work it into your brows. Much like split ends, this will help hold your brows in place throughout the day.

Hide Your Split Ends
Split ends can be a hassle, especially if you can’t go get a haircut right away. That doesn’t mean that you have to deal with their appearance until your next trip to the salon. You can change the appearance of your split ends by putting a bit of Vaseline on your fingers and working it into the ends of your hair. This simple hack will help your hair stick to itself, giving it the appearance of united strands.

Keeping Polish on Your Nails
When you paint your nails, it’s often a challenge — especially when you’re painting your dominant hand. Even the most skilled among us sometimes gets nail polish outside of the lines. Luckily, you can use a little Vaseline to help keep nail polish in its place. By applying Vaseline on the skin around your nails, you won’t have to worry about any polish sticking in places you don’t want. Simply add a touch of the petroleum jelly around your nail and paint away!

Restore Your Leather Products
Over time, leather tends to look old and worn just like anything else. This means that your favorite leather bag might look a little worse for wear as time goes on. You can use a little Vaseline to make sure that your leather goods look as good as new. Just rub on a layer of Vaseline and massage it into the material. After you’re done, remove any excess with a towel. Afterward, your leather goods will look years younger!

Create Your Own Lip Stain
Lip stain is one of the best pieces of makeup to have in your collection. It can help add a natural pigment to your look and it’s designed to stay on all day. Yet, beauty supplies can come at quite the cost. That’s why DIY makeup has become so popular throughout the years. That being said, you can replace an expensive product with one simple hack — Vaseline mixed with Kool-Aid mix! This will give you a simple and easy lip stain that will last throughout the day.

Stop Itching With Vaseline
Itchiness is never any fun. Whether it’s from bug bites, hives, or another source entirely, it can leave you feeling uncomfortable. Rather than scratching your skin raw, try putting a little Vaseline on the spot that’s bothering you. It will help moisturize your skin and lessen the unbearable sensation of being itchy. This is a much better solution than scratching annoying spots to the point of pain. Plus, moisturizing is never a bad thing!

Remove Stuck Jewelry
Using jewelry to accessorize can go a long way in amplifying a look and making it more dynamic. That being said, you probably don’t want to keep a ring on forever. Even if you love a ring, it can get damaged if you wear it while washing the dishes or showering, so it’s best to take it off beforehand. It’s easy to get a ring stuck on your finger, though. You can use Vaseline to help lubricate it and get it off.

Put Hair Dye in Its Place
A lot of people dye their hair at home rather than opting for a salon experience. A lot of times, this leads to beautiful results — boxed hair dye can go a long way in revolutionizing the way you look. Unfortunately, it’s often a messy endeavor that ends up dying your skin as well as your hair. You can skip this untidy experience, though. If you apply Vaseline to your hairline, it will prevent the hair dye from tinting your skin while coloring your luscious locks of hair.

Repair Your Wooden Furniture
Wooden furniture has been in style for a long time. One disadvantage to it, though, is that it can get damaged rather easily. While Vaseline can’t help much with large jobs, if you have a small scratch in your wooden table, you don’t need to start looking for replacements quite yet. Rather, all you need to do is put some Vaseline on it and leave it for 24 hours. Then, wipe up the excess and you should be good to go!

Removing Eyelash Glue
Wearing fake eyelashes to give yourself a fuller, more lush set has been a trend for years. That doesn’t mean that it’s always easy to pull off, though. At the end of the night, you might find yourself having trouble removing those lashes and the glue it takes to hold them on without pulling on your real lashes in the process. By adding a bit of the jelly to your lash line, slipping faux lashes and lash glue off has become that much easier. Thank us later…

No More Chafing
Especially now that summer’s in full swing, it can be difficult to avoid chafing. However, you can apply Vaseline to help reduce the effect and keep you from experiencing major discomfort. For example, a common problem area when it comes to chaffing is on your thighs. You can counteract this by applying a little bit of Vaseline to the area before a bike ride or long day outside. This will lessen how much your skin directly rubs together by offering a buffer, which will relieve the issue!

Lose and Prevent Dandruff
Dandruff is caused by dry skin on your scalp and it can be a real nuisance. It can cause side effects such as itchiness and messy flaking. The good news is that Vaseline can go a long way in reducing and preventing dandruff. All you have to do is work it into your hair at your roots. Just like it works well at hydrating your skin, it will help hydrate your scalp and reduce the production of dry skin or dandruff.

Vaseline and Shaving
If you want to keep your skin soft and healthy when you shave, Vaseline can come to your aid here, too. All you have to do is apply it after you shave and dry off. With the help of Vaseline, you can reduce how dry and dehydrated your skin is after you shave. In addition, the petroleum jelly can help relieve any shaving irritation you might have such as bumps or burns. In no time, this routine will ensure that your skin stays soft, smooth, and hydrated.

Get Thicker Lashes
Despite what you may think, Vaseline isn’t just limited to helping you with faux lashes. If you want, you can also use it to make your lashes look thicker and shinier. To do this, the steps are fairly close to using Vaseline to remove your fake lashes and lash glue. Just apply it the Vaseline to your lash line but make sure that you don’t go overboard. You don’t want clumps of Vaseline on your lashes but rather just enough to give your lashes a volume boost.

Keep Your Perfume on Longer
Perfume is a great way to add dimension to your style and make sure you stay smelling great throughout the day. Unfortunately, it tends to fade after you wear it for a while. However, you can make sure you stay fresh by applying a little Vaseline where you apply your perfume — behind your ears and on your wrists — will help it last throughout the day. Since Vaseline doesn’t have a scent, it won’t detract from your perfume either!

Use Vaseline as Highlighter
If there’s a beauty trend that seems like it’s here to stay for quite a bit, it’s contouring. This means using light and dark makeup to highlight areas of your face and add shadows elsewhere. If you don’t have any highlighter lying around, though, you can rely on the jar of Vaseline in your medicine cabinet. By applying Vaseline to your brow, cheeks, and eyelids with a gentle hand, you can add a dewy highlight to your look.

Keep Your Eyeshadow On
As we’ve discussed, how quickly beauty products fade can cause a problem. This is especially true if you have a long day ahead of you and you need to look your best the whole day. Another way that Vaseline can help with this is by aiding in keeping your eyeshadow on longer. You can use it as a primer to help your eyeshadow stay. However, you’ll want to make sure that you only use a little. If you opt for too much Vaseline, it won’t work.

Don’t Let Polish Dry Shut
As we’ve looked at, Vaseline and nail polish are great partners for getting the look that you want. They’re even great partners in making sure everything that you need stays functional. For instance, if you get a little nail polish around the lid of the bottle, you might run into the problem of the top drying to the bottle, practically sealing it shut. You can avoid this scenario by applying a little Vaseline to the top of the nail polish bottle to prevent polish from drying there.

Create a Homemade Lip Scrub
Scrubs that include salt and sugar are great for exfoliating your skin and lips. Yet, you need the right ingredients to make sure you get the results you want. You can actually use Vaseline for the base of your lip scrub since it will help hold the ingredients together and moisturize while you exfoliate it. There are plenty of different recipes that you can use for a scrub but generally, you’ll want to mix salt or sugar in with your Vaseline.

Moisturizing for Acne
Acne can be a huge problem no matter if you’re a teenager or well into adulthood. If you struggle with acne, you’ll want to find something that works for your skin. If you have dry or combination skin but find that the moisturizer you’re using clogs your pores, this is likely part of the problem. Instead, try putting on a little bit of Vaseline. Again, you’ll want to apply it in a thin layer that will absorb fully into your skin.

Get Snails Out of Your Garden
Slugs and snails are common in gardens but they aren’t always welcome. Not only are people generally grossed out by them but they also may eat your plants. You can prevent snails and slugs from getting into your garden without harming your plants by grabbing a bit of Vaseline. To start, mix Vaseline with salt to make a combination that’s dangerous and aversive to slugs and snails. Then, rub the mixture around the edge of your planters.

Get Earrings in Easier
If you’re trying to put in your favorite pair of earrings but you’re having trouble putting them in comfortably, Vaseline can work as a good lubricant to help you out. That being said, this is for piercings that are still open — it won’t help you out if the back of your ear piercing has healed shut. It’s a similar concept to people who are stretching their ears using ear butter to reduce friction as they put new jewelry in their ears.

Create DIY Vapor Rub
Vapor rubs are a popular remedy for ailments such as a bad cough or a stuffy nose. If you want, you can even make your own with the help of Vaseline. To make your DIY vapor rub, you’ll want to mix your Vaseline with your favorite essential oils. Popular ingredients for these vapor rub recipes include essential oils such as tea tree, coconut, eucalyptus — as well as carrier oils, like sweet almond or olive oil.

Keep Ants Out
Ants can be a pest in even the cleanest of homes. Especially during the summer, these little pests are apt to invade homes for food — even if it’s just the tiniest crumb. Your pets aren’t immune to this either and noticing ants infestations in pet food bowls is a rather unpleasant experience all around. To help prevent this, add a little bit of Vaseline to the edge of your pet’s bowl. It won’t disturb them but it will keep ants from marching in.

Heal Cracked Heels
Dry, cracked heels can be unsightly and painful. However, they can also seem hard to handle if you aren’t quite sure what to do. The good news is that Vaseline can help moisturize your feet and restore a healthy appearance. To do this, all you need to do is apply it to your feet overnight until you notice your feet aren’t cracked anymore. Since Vaseline can be a little messy, it’s a good idea to sleep with socks on!

Make Halloween Last Longer
One of the most common Halloween traditions is the practice of carving pumpkins that you can decorate your doorstep with. The biggest problem with this tradition is that jack-o-lanterns aren’t well-known for their long lifespan. When you carve your next pumpkin, apply Vaseline to the cut-out edges. This will help elongate your jack-o-lantern’s life and prevent it from shriveling before the big night. It’ll also help you avoid the scariest task of all for a while — cleaning up rotted pumpkins.

Better Your Cuticles
Taking care of your cuticles is important for both looks and comfort. However, it can be a challenge to keep your cuticles healthy. Once again, you can turn to Vaseline for a solution. The key to success here is to put Vaseline directly on your cuticles. To see lasting and consistent results, though, you’ll need to make sure that you apply the Vaseline to your cuticles multiple times a day. This will help hydrate your cuticles and keep them healthy.

Prevent Painting Mishaps
We already looked at what Vaseline can do for you when you’re trying to paint your nails but it has a lot to offer when you’re painting a room as well. Accidentally painting a bit of a window or dropping paint on a doorknob can make a room look like an amateur DIY. To avoid this and get a professional appearance on your own, add Vaseline to these areas and wipe them down when you’re done painting.

Use Vaseline as Makeup Remover
We’ve already covered that Vaseline is great for removing fake lashes and lash glue but its functionality as a makeup remover doesn’t stop there. You can also use Vaseline to remove other hard-to-remove makeup such as eyeliner. All you have to do is use a cotton swab to apply it gently to remove the makeup. Then, just wash your face as you normally would and you’ll see your makeup wash away in no time.

Styling Your Hair
There are certain hairstyles that you might be trying to attain but it can be difficult to find the right product and technique. If you want a messy or choppy look, some Vaseline might be just what you need. To use Vaseline for styling a messy look, start by putting a little bit of Vaseline on your hands. From there, scrunch your hair up in your hands as if you were applying a curling gel. Voila!

Getting the Perfect Smokey Eye
Getting the perfect smokey eye isn’t always easy. It can be hard to make your eye makeup look a little messy when you worked so hard and so long at perfecting it. The best way to get a smokey eye is to apply dark, usually black, eyeliner after you apply your eyeshadow. When you do this next time, try putting a small dab of Vaseline on top of the look. This will help you smear the makeup without things getting out of control.

Preventing Wrinkles
As you get older, there’s one beauty topic that gets increasingly brought up — trying to prevent wrinkles. There are plenty of solutions out there and some are prohibitively expensive. Again, you can circumvent this cost and difficulty with the help of Vaseline. All you need to do is apply a thin layer of Vaseline where you have wrinkles such as on the fine lines around your eyes and on crow’s feet. If you leave it overnight as a nightly routine, you’ll see results soon.

Fix That Squeaky Door
If you have a squeaky door, you probably need to oil the hinge. At this point, many people reach for a bottle of WD-40. Yet, not everyone has this readily around the house. Don’t worry if you don’t because, once again, you can grab your handy jar of Vaseline. You just need to apply some Vaseline to the hinge — you can be as liberal as you want. It will lubricate the hinge and let the door move freely without creaking.

Keep Shampoo Out of Eyes
There’s nothing quite as inconvenient as getting shampoo in your eyes while you bathe or shower. You can avoid this by adding a little Vaseline to your brow. This will help divert the water from running into your eyes and catch any soap, shampoo, or conditioner before it gets into your eyes. This is especially a great trick to use during bath time for young children to help during bath time. It’s a great way to avoid stinging, burning eyes thanks to wayward shampoo.

Hiding Blackheads
Blackheads can be a huge pain. They linger for long amounts of time and can be damaging to extract. Next time you find yourself plagued by blackheads, try putting a little Vaseline on them. The Vaseline will gloss over your blackheads and reduce the way they look. This is a great trick if you get caught right before going out. Just be sure not to use too much, or you could cause a breakout!

Prevent Metal From Rusting
Rust is ugly and unsafe. Having rusty surfaces on anything you own is a bit of a drag. Using Vaseline can help protect your metal goods and prevent them from rusting. Simply spread a light layer of Vaseline on whichever surface you wish to protect. Be careful of painted metal, however, as Vaseline can actually end up pulling the paint off!

Fix a Stuck Zipper
Zippers are really convenient. They help you fasten your clothes, after all! That being said, they can become a pain in the neck when they get stuck. You can end up stretching or even tearing your garments, not to mention breaking the zipper itself. Using just a little bit of Vaseline, you can lube up those zippers to help the get unstuck. One bonus to this method is that it also protects your zipper from rusting!

Fix Streaky Self Tan
Self-tan mixtures can be really convenient. They let you get that nice, sunny, bronze look without having to actually sit in the sun. That being said, if they apply unevenly, you can end up with a splotchy look that makes you stand out. By spreading a bit of Vaseline on your skin (particularly your joints) before applying self-tan can help the creases in your skin mois

Saturday, 25 May 2024

Creating a bright future for India

Creating a bright future for India

Need of the hour for us as responsible citizens of India - contribute to nation building - how by inculcating values to build healthy minds, healthy intellects and religiously spiritual orientation.

Please watch this 6 minutes 20 seconds video - tap this link


Friday, 24 May 2024

A heart wrenching story of a dignified collector

Why is Collector Madam not wearing ‘makeup’...?

Malappuram District Collector Ms Rani Soyamoi interacts with college students.

She wore no jewelry other than a wristwatch.
What surprised most of the students was that she did not even use ‘face powder’.
   
The speech is in English.  She spoke for only a minute or two, but her words were full of determination.
The children then asked the collector some questions.

 Q: What's your name?

My name is Rani, Soyamoi is my family name.  I am a native of Jharkhand.

Anything else to ask ?

A slender girl stood up from the audience.
Ask, child.

"Madame, why don't you use any makeup?"

The collector's face suddenly turned pale.  Sweat broke out on her thin forehead.  The smile on her face faded.  The audience suddenly became silent.

She opened the water bottle on the table and drank a little.  Then she gestured, slowly, to the  student to sit.  Then she began to speak,  slowly.

You have asked a troubling question.  It is something that can never be answered in a single word.  I have to tell you my life story in answer.  Let me know if you are willing to set aside your precious ten minutes for my story.

Ready...

I was born in a tribal area of ​​Jharkhand. The Collector paused and looked at the audience.

I was born in a small hut in the tribal area of ​​‘Koderma’ district, full of "Mica" mines.

My father and mother were miners.  I had two elder brothers and a younger sister.  We lived in a small hut that leaked when it rained.

My parents worked in the mines for meager wages because they could not find another job.  It was a very messy job.

When I was four years old, my father, mother and two brothers were bedridden with various ailments.

Little did they know at the time that the disease was caused by inhaling the deadly mica dust in the mines.

When I was five, my brothers died of an illness.

With a small sigh the Collector stopped talking and wiped her eyes with her handkerchief.

Most days our diet consisted of plain water and one or two rotis.  Both my brothers left this world due to acute illness and starvation.  In my village, forget a doctor there was no school.  Can you imagine a village without a school, a hospital or even a toilet, without electricity?  

One day my father grabbed 
my starved, skin and bones hand and walked me to a big mine covered with tin sheets.

It was a mica mine that had gained notoriety over time.

It was an ancient mine that was dug up and dug up,  extending seemingly endlessly into the underworld.  My job was to crawl through the tiny caves at the bottom and collect mica ores.  It was only possible for children under the age of ten.

For the first time in my life, I ate a full stomach of rotis.  But that day I vomited.

At the time I should be in first class, I was collecting mica in dark rooms where I was breathing ‘poisonous dust’.

It was not uncommon for unfortunate children to die in occasional ‘landslides’.  And occasionally some with ‘fatal diseases’

After working eight hours a day, you could earn at least enough for a one time meal.  I had become thinner and dehydrated because of hunger and inhalation of poisonous gases, every day.

A year later my sister also started going to work in the mine.  As soon as they were a little better, it came to a point that my father, mother, sister and I worked together and we could live without hunger.

But fate was beginning to haunt us in another form.  One day when I was not going to work due to high fever, it suddenly rained.  Hundreds of people died when the mine collapsed on the workers at the base of the mine.  Among them were my father, mother and sister.

Tears began to flow through both eyes of Rani.  Everyone in the audience forgot to even breathe.  The eyes of many were filled with tears.
 
You have to remember that I was only six years old.

Eventually I arrived at the Government Agati Mandir.  There I was educated.  I had learned my first alphabets from my village.  Finally here is the Collector in front of you.

You may be wondering what the connection is between this and the fact that I do not use makeup.

She continued, glancing through the audience.

It was during my education  that I realized that the whole mica I had collected while crawling through the darkness those days was being used on makeup products.

Mica is the first type of pearlescent silicate mineral.

Among the mineral make-ups offered by many big cosmetic companies, the brightest color for your skin is from the multi-colored mica that 20,000 young children risk their lives to mine.

The softness of the rose spreads on your cheeks with their charred dreams, their shattered lives and their flesh and blood crushed among the rocks.

Millions of dollars worth of mica are still used, picked up baby hands from mines.  To enhance our beauty.

Now you tell me.

How do I apply makeup on my face ?  How can I eat on a full stomach in memory of my brothers who died of starvation?  How can I wear expensive silk dresses in the memory of my mother who never even dreamed of torn clothes ?

The whole audience stood up unknowingly as Rani walked away, with a small smile on her lips,without wiping the tears in her eyes, her head held high.  
 
(The highest quality mica is still mined in Jharkhand. More than 20,000 young children work there without going to school. They wither away, some in the landslides and some by disease.)
An Eye Opener
Many years later that lady collector went in to becone 1st citizen of the Republic of India,her excellency : Draupadi Mamru
          PRESIDENT OF THE REPLUBIC OF INDIA....🇳🇪🫡

Tuesday, 21 May 2024

A story about being humble

I saw my old classmate, felt pity for him...

One day, I met an old classmate. We had not seen each other for about 30 years. 

When I saw him again, this time at a hotel lobby, he wore simple clothes. I felt touched.

He walked up to me and was glad to see me again. But deep within me, I was not impressed with his status compared to mine, I couldn't hide it.

We exchanged contact details, and I could see the joy in him as he collected mine.

I told him I would drop him home in my brand new Range Rover but he declined and said he had already called for his car, a 2001 Honda Accord.

I invited him the next day for lunch at my house. A part of me wanted to impress him, to show off my success while another was to discuss opportunities and possibly help him.

He drove to Parkview, where I lived. He looked impressed with my house, one I had taken a heavy mortgage to acquire and thereafter we had lunch. He told me he was into small business and particularly real estate. 

I brought up more business discussions, but he didn't sound too interested. I asked him how I could help him. He said he was fine. I even told him that if he was interested, I could help him secure some loans. He looked at me and smiled.

He told me he would invite me over to his place soon. His old car came for him. I was grateful to God for what I have. “All fingers are not equal," I thought to myself.

Two weeks later, my wife and I went to see him in a remote area. Initially, my wife was reluctant to go because she was not impressed with the man's status to warrant our visiting him in his house.

I was able to convince her that we were close friends in college.

We saw the estate. We asked for directions to his home. Those leading us spoke of his name with deference.

It was a simple but lovely home. A 4-bedroom bungalow. I saw 4 cars parked in front. We entered his house. It was simply elegant, he welcomed us warmly.

Lunch was well served, his wife calls him Papa Onos.

During lunch, he asked about my MD. He said they were friends. I saw a company gift on one of his tables nearby. That company owned about 38% shares where I worked. He told me he owned the company. He also owned the Estate.

I did not know when I called him, Sir. I was in awe of him, too.

I had learnt a lesson in humility, a Big one. Appearances are deceptive. He noticed my discomfort.

Driving back home, I was very quiet. My wife was humbled and extremely calm. I could perceive the thoughts in her mind. I looked at myself. Living on loans, heavy loans, and showing off while someone who pays my salary is quite modest and living a simple life.

Indeed Deeper Rivers Flow In Majestic Silence!

Adjust your perception towards others this year. Read, learn, and take a good step of change.

Stop rating people based on their physical appearance or level of education. Rather, concentrate more on how to better your life than how to impress people.

Have a Splendid Day

This is a story from Facebook at : https://www.facebook.com/share/p/vPnLTKRCDLsGEV5b/?mibextid=oFDknk


Monday, 13 May 2024

Pure Awareness

Between two thoughts there is an interval of no thought. That interval is the Self, the Atman. It is pure Awareness.

- Yoga Vashistha -

Pure awareness is eternal , and existence itself which when contacted with object we become conscious.

People who practice meditation report feeling “pure awareness”. In it they experience consciousness. 

The state encompasses specific sensations and non-specific feelings, thoughts, and perceptions. 

Friday, 10 May 2024

Achieving perfection is a habit for some.

A German tourist visited a temple under construction. He saw a sculptor there, who was making the idol of a goddess, which was later to be installed in the temple. Looking around, he suddenly saw a similar statue nearby. Surprised, he asked the sculptor, "Do you want two statues of the same goddess?" "No." The sculptor replied without looking at him. “We only need one statue, but the first statue got damaged in the final stages of making the statue.” He argued while continuing his work.

The German gentleman went to the first statue and looked at it closely but he did not find any flaw in that statue. "What is missing in this statue?" he asked confused. "There is a scratch on the nose of that statue." The sculptor, being busy with his work, replied in a very simple manner.

"Can I ask where this statue is going to be installed?" The German gentleman asked the sculptor. The sculptor replied, "This statue will be installed on a pillar about twenty feet high." "What?? If the idol has to be kept so far away, how will anyone know that there is a scratch on the idol's nose?" The gentleman asked with surprise.

The sculptor stopped his work, looked at the gentleman for the first time and said smilingly, "Who else, I don't know."

The desire to achieve excellence in something is separate from the fact whether someone notices it or not, whether someone appreciates it or not.

Even when we feel that no one is watching us, there is a constant witness to all our actions, our thoughts and our intentions and that is, our soul! We can hide something from someone else but not from ourselves.

Tuesday, 7 May 2024

New York Times - The Indian Elections 2024

Here is an article from New York Times  on the Indian elections

It is truly the greatest show on Earth, an ode to a diverse & democratic ethos, where 700  million + of humanity vote, providing their  small part in directing their ancient civilization into the future.
It is no less impressive when done in a neighborhood which includes de-stabilizing & violent Pakistan, China, and Burma.
It's challenges are immense, more so probably  than anywhere else, particularly in  development & fending off terrorism -- but considering these challenges & its neighbors, it is even more astounding that the most diverse nation on Earth, with hundreds of languages, all religions & cultures, is not only surviving, but thriving.
The nation: 
where Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism & Sikhism were born, 
which is the second largest Muslim nation on Earth;
where Christianity has existed for 2000 years;
where the oldest Jewish synagogues & Jewish communities have resided since the Romans burnt their 2nd temple; 
where the Dalai Lama & the Tibetan government in exile reside; 
where the Zoroastrians from Persia have thrived since being thrown out of their ancient homeland; 
where Armenians, Syrians & many others have come to live;  where the Paris-based OECD said was the largest economy on Earth for 1500 of the last 2000 years, including the 2nd largest, only 200 years ago;
where 3 Muslim Presidents have been elected, 
where a Sikh was Prime Minister & the head of the ruling party a Catholic Italian woman, 
where the past President was also a woman, succeeding a Muslim President who as a rocket scientist is a hero in the nation; 
where a booming economy is lifting 40 million out of poverty each year & is expected to have the majority of its population in the middle class already, equal to the entire US population, by 2025;
where its optimism & vibrancy is manifested in its movies, arts, economic growth & voting, despite all the incredible challenges & hardships; 
where all the great powers are vying for influence, as it itself finds its place in the world. 
Where all of this is happening, is India and as greater than 1/10th of humanity gets ready to vote, it is an inspiration to the entire World.
— V Mitchell, New York, NY


Saturday, 4 May 2024

Just Leave it Quotes


Just leave it...
It's a wonderful sentence. If we know the value of it, we won’t be suffering as much as we do in our lives.

Principle of 
JUST LEAVE IT 

- Try convincing a person once or twice. If he or she refuses to get convinced, 
Just Leave it!

- When the children grow up and take their own decisions, do not impose , 
Just Leave it!

- Your frequency doesn't match with everyone in life. If you can't connect with someone. 
*LJust Leave it*l!

- After a certain age, if someone criticises you, don't get upset, 
Just Leave it!

- When you realise that nothing is in your hands, stop worrying about others and the future. 
Just Leave it!

- When the gap between your wish list and your capabilities increases, stop self expectations . 
Just Leave it !

- Everyone's path of life, duration of life, quality of life is different, so stop comparing. 
Just Leave it!

- Life has given you such a wonderful treasure of experience, stop counting what you don't have ... 
Just Leave it!

- If this does NOT Appeal or  Apply to You….🤗
Just Leave it




Thursday, 2 May 2024

The enemy is he who shakes the jar

This is a jar of ants.

If you put 100 black ants and 100 red ants in a jar, nothing happens. But if you shake the jar violently, the ants start killing each other. The red ants consider the black ants their enemies, and the black ants consider the red ants their enemies. The true enemy is the one shaking the jar. The same thing happens in human societies. The lesson is - before we attack each other, we should think about who is shaking the jar!

Credit: Kurt Vonnegut

Wednesday, 1 May 2024

To cheer you up


Prize winning joke of the year-
 😄😜😉

A man asked
Actor Vijayakanth,
 "why Nareandra modi  goes walking  at evening not in the morning". Vijayakanth replied ''Brother,  Modi is PM, not AM' ' 😁😁😁😝😝😝😝
😄👌😄👌😄👌😄

Superb👍👍👍
Doctor: Which soap do you use?
Patient: K. P. Namboodiri's soap.
Doctor: Paste?
Patient: K. P. Namboodiri's paste
Doctor: Shampoo?
Patient: - K. P. Namboodiri's shampoo.
Doctor: Is K.P. Namboodiri an international brand?
Patient: No.
K. P. Namboodiri is my Roommate !
😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄

A bookseller conducting a market survey asked a woman – “Which book has helped you most in your life?”
The woman replied – “My husband’s cheque book !!”
😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄

A prospective husband in a book store “Do you have a book called, ‘Husband – the Master of the House’?
Sales Girl : “Sir, Fiction and Comics are on the 1st floor!”.
😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋

Someone asked an old man : 
“Even after 70 years, you still call your wife
"Darling, Honey, Love".
What’s the secret?
Old man: I forgot her name and I’m scared to ask her.
😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋

A man in Hell asked Devil: Can I make a call to my Wife ?
After making call,  he asked how much to pay.
Devil : Nothing.
Hell to hell is Free.
😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😜

Husband to wife,
"Today is a fine day"
Next day he says : Today is a fine day. Again next day,
he says same thing.
Today is a fine day. Finally after a week, the wife can’t take it and asks her husband – since last one week, you are saying this “Today is a fine day’. I am fed up. What’s the matter?
Husband : Last week when we had an argument, you said, “I will  leave you one fine day.”
I was just trying to remind 
📢📢

😆😆😆😆😆

Argument between British and Indian.
British: we spoiled ur mother land for 200 yrs
"hahaha"

India:- "hahaha"
we r spoiling your mother tongue daily "hahahahahaha"
😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😜

Teacher - what is d full form of MATHS..
Student- mentally affected teacher harassing student
😫😫😫😫😫😫

Sardar in computr exam.
Exmnr- wht iz microsoft excel ?
Sardar - i thnk it iz a new brand of surf excel to clean d computer..
😀😀😀😀😀😀😀