"............................."

Sometimes pictures speak more than words.(If it has not conveyed any message, then here goes the actual interpretation...A vulture is eagerly waiting to feed on a kid who is about to die of hunger).This picture was considered to be world's best photography and  was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1994.Kevin Carter was the photographer. He died out of depression three months post capturing this heart-crushing scene in Sudan. Sudan,Ethiopia and Somalia are countries where people are still struggling for a livelihood,even for a morsel of food !This picture awakened the world to realize what was going on in the Sudan region. After seeing this picture we get a feeling that...every grain is important isn't it? :(

He committed suicide and died of carbon monoxide poisoning with the following note:

"I am haunted by the vivid memories of killings & corpses & anger & pain... of starving or wounded children, of trigger-happy madmen... The pain of life overrides the joy to the point that joy does not exist."

Salutations to his self-less-ness!So,don't we have this opinion now..?When he is talented and bold enough to show this situation to the world,he would have also had the ability and the greatness to make a difference in the life of those people although it is evident that he had to struggle relentlessly for it.Still,he could have reconsidered his decision of quitting his life!He could have lived!

Live and let live...!

I remember this incident nearly after one and a half years, not because i encountered something peculiar which in a way is related to my post but simply because I was hunting for a topic to post in my blog after a long time, and this incident knocked my mind suddenly. It so happened that I wanted to attend a Life Transformation Workshop at British Council which was being conducted for two days and the transformation intended was from 'College' to 'Corporate'. It was conducted at a time when i really had no idea whether i would enter into the corporate world for sure coz that was the time when i had conflicts with my parents that i don't want to work and i wanna pursue my dreams.Nevertheless I was driven by my mind to attend this workshop only for one solid reason which was my Professor. Yes! He was the one who was conducting the workshop and having known him already I was assured of an interesting session.I had always felt, he stands out from others in whatever he did, and so I was happy to spend my weekend with a totally mixed crowd.Students from arts,economics,pure science background,and some corporate people were also present.There were quite a few interesting demonstrating lectures ( not to be compared with the Total Quality Management,Professional Ethics,HR class lectures which used to be considered as lullabies :P) which were really interesting and that was when i started thinking seriously about my future.There were a few games conducted by my professor and his friend cum colleague, which were supposed to bring out our uniqueness and our latent qualities.One of these games had such an everlasting impact in my mind that i am reminded of it every-time I observe some people in the real world scenario.

The game goes like this...We were given a deflated balloon each and were asked to blow it, tie it tightly and hold it safe.The game had just one rule.All of us were supposed to protect our balloons from others.It seemed so funny to me at first, and my so called sixth sense peeped in and was murmuring,"What is so special with this game?We are just playing with balloons?!".The game was declared to have been started and there was total chaos all over the room. I was holding my balloon tight like a small kid and to my astonishment everyone were targeting others' balloons and were trying hard to poke and burst them.I struggled hard to protect mine and was running all over the room but in vain.Finally someone had poked mine too.The game had ended and none of them had a balloon in their hands which was not a surprising sight at all coz people were so eagerly hunting to burst all of the balloons they caught sight of. And  the long awaited time had come, to know who the winner was and what the organizers were about to put forth regarding the game and its intention.My professor took hold of the mic and started,"We asked you to protect your balloons from others.Did we ever ask you to burst others' balloons?" Everyone were startled.And he added,"This is how the world is!".Rather than protecting our life and leading it in a way we want it to go,we are always envious about others which eventually makes us commit crimes isn't it?" In real world scenario this is what is really happening which I very lately realized with maturity.I was just imagining,if everyone were keen in protecting their own balloons how peaceful the room would have been?!!?.Everyone would have been declared as winners..!On the way to my home,I was narrating what all had happened in the workshop to my dad who was listening to me keenly and simultaneously driving the car,tackling a  heavy traffic congestion.I gleefully told him,"Dad,see... I dint even give a thought on bursting others' balloons while I was busy and keen in protecting mine alone.I did play the game as per the rules only." After a pause, my dad glanced into my sparkling eyes and said,"You still are a loser.You failed to protect yours.Apply this in real life and live smartly coz this is how the world will be and this is what life is all about". The sparkle in my eyes faded.I had no words until we drove back home.

Perspective..!

Well,this is not going to be philosophical,though the title might give you that sort of an impression. I just wanted to post something which many like minded people would have given a thought upon. I have these unanswered questions lingering in my mind for a long time ever since I started having independent and self-induced thoughts and opinions."What is beauty? " What makes people make meaningless and senseless comparisons between two things belonging to the same category on the basis of 'Appearance'?" "Why is physical 'appearance' of a person  assumed to play a vital role in creating the first impression (which i guess might not be the best)?" I know, my questions will never receive convincing answers as these opinions and assumptions are purely based on one's own perspective of looking at things. Isn't it rightly said, "Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder" !!!? We must accept the fact that comments based on appearances do bother the people who are victimized for the sake of some self-ish minded people's momentary fun and happiness.Everyone has the right to look how they wish to,unless and untill their looks harm the Indian-culture that we have been preserving for a long time till now.You might be quiet suprised as to why I am posting on this topic.When you say "the most beautiful woman" not just Indians but  everyone globally gets reminded of Aishwarya Rai..!Ok...accepted! So,why do people grab this right of abusing her and commenting on her appearance post-maternity.? Isn't she a mom who has to be conscious about bringing up her kid rather than being a feast to people's eyes!? I was so shocked to see some of these small minded people abusing her for her weight gain which I feel that just because she is a celebrity,some are deliberately intriguing into her personal life and her privacy.I firmly would like to emphasize a point that women are not show-pieces to look like however everyone wants them to look and just because she is an actress,it doesn't give the liberty for everyone to curse her for such reasons.To be very frank, I personally feel that her motherhood makes her even more beautiful and respectable, and that's why it is said beauty lies in the eye of the beholder..! 

The 'Immortal' soul in search of the 'Secret' hidden in life!

I remember having planned for this about a week ago and then ordered through Flipkart.I actually am trying to create hype for my purchase of the book series of "Shiva Trilogy" which adored my work station,well packed , neat & tight with a label bearing my company's address beneath my name.It eventually drew my Manager's attention but then he was kind enough to excuse me (perhaps with a gentle smile...he eagerly inquired about the book series :D) for reading the first ten pages of the first part out of curiosity midst my colleagues who were seriously coding. One of them didn't hesitate to ask me..."Novel?!?You find time to read a novel in our project ?! " :D The truth is that...i did find!!! But then,the very purpose of me ordering "The Shiva Trilogy" series was that i had decided to burn the midnight oil to spend my time reading those books throughout the 'Maha Shivarathri' and here i am ready to flip the eleventh page. For the God who is the destroyer of evil forces, who prevents us from being shaken by the turmoils of life, who saves everyone of us day and night,who makes us realize that our ultimate purpose is to realize life's uncertainity.I can do nothing...but stay awake and read those pages each of which would depict His greatness and yeah...which would eventually help me focus my mind on the Almighty.Am just hoping to stay awake...to thank Him for all his showers of blessings!You are right...there would be a review of these books in my own perspective in one of my upcoming posts!

An Ode to Optimism...!

One of the very few verses which i felt would be worthy enough to be posted in a blog...and one of my favourites too.I hope the lyrics would reflect the thoughts of any ambitious soul reading this and the music is just feather touching .A song by Hercules-the Hero! A song which is penned (lyrics by-Michael Bolton),composed and sung in such a way that it en-roots the feeling that "Every wait is worthwhile, every effort will be recognized and every prayer is waiting to be answered by the Creator!You just gotta believe and be optimistic..! "

I have always dreamed

Of a far off place

Where a great warm welcome

Will be waiting for me

Where the clouds will cheer

When they see my face

And a voice keeps saying

This where I'm meant to be

I will find my way

I can go the distance

I ll be there someday

If I can be strong

I know every mile

Will be worth my while

I would go most anywhere

To feel like I belong

I am on my way

I can go the distance

I don't care how far

Somehow I ll be strong

I know every mile

I would go most anywhere

To find where I belong

I will beat the odds

I can go the distance

I will face the world

Fearless,proud and strong

I will please the God

I can go the distance

Till I find my Hero's welcome

Right where I belong!

Happiness galore...!Open your mind..! :D

Ooops...!! Looong time since i blogged.And of course it would have been evident from my previous posts that i don't blog regularly...!Hmmm...yeah I have been burying my interests for hell a lotta reasons for which i now repent. Every time I made up my mind to post at least once in a week, my brain cells stop functioning somewhere in the middle of the thought process...preventing me from realizing that I am not what I am supposed to be.It took several precious days for me to realize that Human Mind is susceptible to looking for lame reasons for its own 'misconceptions' , 'procrastination', 'take it for granted attitude' and above all the 'irreversible decisions' it puts forth, forcing us to implement and later on repent..!! ughhh...Enough of this now...I am gonna be the commander of my mind henceforth...!There is boundless joy in making your own decisions in life...right from choosing your dress to choosing your career.Yessss...there is a notable demarcation between doing what your intellect(or let it be the so called brain :P) says and doing what your heart says. If you are smart enough to seek their help appropriately they will help you have a memorable journey in life(after all...we all wanna be happy at least for this moment..!) Yes it is our inclination which fixes our mood. Not the Situations! I recently encountered a line which adored the farewell message (which hit my mail box) by one of my colleagues "Pain is inevitable...but suffering is optional" . I think I really did give a thought on the line that it still lingers in my mind directing me every moment, on how to face every situation i stumble upon..!When i used to think too much ( reaaaallly tooooo much) over things that i shouldn't have given importance at all...i never even realized that things will never get better by worrying...crying...seeking for others' help(thats the worst option one would ever prefer...and apparently my statement should sound like an alarming truth if you have experienced it :P People really don't find it important to help you resolve your issues...while they are running around to feed their need and greed. You will get to know that many of them are "practical-survivors" as they call themselves and not humanitarians) until i found joy in living for the moment and was taught by experience to find my own road to happiness.What if you don't get a dream job...you have got a dream ( u don't need a REM-Rapid Eye Movement sleep to recall the dream and perhaps you would have guessed the "Dream" i am trying to relate to...in this context, before you curse me for this Poor Joke! :P) Yes,Dream is the " Driving Force" and we gotta realize this before searching for a reason to be dissatisfied with our own gift -LIFE..! Nothing can make us happy if we have not decided to be happy..!So,stop comparing...stop brooding over...stop expecting more....stop getting exited about Baby B and Ash's appearance and adore your own Kids...and live for your loved ones...But never stop Giving what you have in surplus to whom 'whatever you Give' caters to a need. Share...all goodness-es you have and enlighten others' life coz many people are so very unfortunate that they were not taught to read and understand what you are reading now...but they make you realize how fortunate you are and grant you an oppurtunity to thank God..Remember you survive with what you get and what you have but you live only when you start Giving..!You dont have to search for happiness if you realize that the above mentioned acts will multiply your happiness by several folds no matter even if you never possessed what you had desperately wanted for decades.Its getting toooo philosophical isnt it?! :P And Yeah...Listen to your heart when you are too logical ( may be you'll turn out to become heartless if not) and listen to your intellect when you are too emotional ( may be you'll turn out to become mawkish if not). Happy blogging...happy reading(hopefully it was :P)...ummm...well....I wish I could learn to mind my mind...! :) :) :)