The best

This poem may not be a great work even by my standards but it's special as it is reminder of the fact that dreams do come true and life really is beautiful.

Give the world you best

And the best comes back

Oh it really does!

And many folds at that!

God brings such joy  to our lives

that repay it we must says the heart

But “how to do so” wonders the intellectual part

An answer so simple that lies right before us, it does!

“Give my people what I give you”

Says the Great Almighty.

And you will have done your part

And so spread the joy as you move along in the path

And bliss will abound your heart, your life, your eternity

The world is one big Christmas tree with gifts ready for you to reach out

"If you give the world your best, then you will get the best of the world."

Well I believe this.Dreams do come true. I know I have said this before also but it requires special emphasis because when we are struggling, sometimes we have nothing except faith and passion. It's like this statement

"It's really hard to wait on something that you may never happen but it's even harder to give it up when you know it's the only thing you ever wanted".

And I was always a firm believer  of the Alchemist theory of the world conspiring to give you what you really desire. I believed when I didn't know. But now I know.Now I have seen it happen. And so I want to share the faith and hope with all. Miracles do happen in this world.

Basically each individual's life is like a puzzle. We come across pieces with experience.Some pieces don't fit and we throw them out. But some are pieces like treasures, to dear to let go. And we keep them in hope that maybe some day they will fit together. And YES, that happens. There comes a day when the pieces with you all come together  to form a beautiful picture.Live in that moment. Take a snapshot of it. Cherish it! And when next time,  you see more beautiful pieces, you will have this snapshot as proof that someday somewhere, even those pieces will fit.....

Chal pade magar raasta nahi........

Such beautiful lyrics exist in this world that at times being an observer seems as delightful as expressing something yourself:

"Jaayenge kaha sujhta nahi
chal pade magar raasta nahi
Kya talaash hai kuchh pata nahi
Bun rahe hain dil khaab dam-ba-dam"

Reminds me of "ab yahan tak aa gaye hain ab kidhar jayen..."

Life is beautiful !
God performs miracles.

Words are like time capsules. Give hope to your words today and sometime in future, they will come back to reassure you

Words

Words are like time capsules. Give hope to your words today and sometime in future, they will come back to reassure you

Ae mere dil kahin aur chal....

Sometimes even words of others are enough, nothing more need be added.

Golden cage

It's an old painting
The bird in the golden cage
It's an old concept
That humans, we age

But maybe, unknown to all
An invisible strand binds them both
and realise we do when we fall
that life traps us too

Like the cage, life is unknown to all
Like the cage, it glitters oh so golden
But as drawn to it we are more and more
Away goes our freedom, no longer do we soar

The bird makes the cage its home
Singing to all, known or unknown
So must we try to bring smiles as we go along
For only then do we deserve our feed

Yet with time, the bird continues to strive
To soar and again to its home fly
While so dazed are we with the shine
That the cage to us becomes the world

Until in bliss do we fly
Only to hit its golden walls
And catch a glimpse of the world
Which used to be our home

Some quotable quotes

Some completely random quotes I came across recently :

Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired

of doing the hard work you already did.

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.

Pride, like laudanum and other poisonous medicines, is beneficial in small, though injurious in large, quantities. No man who is not pleased with himself, even in a personal sense, can please others.

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.

Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.

When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.

It's only words....

....and words need not be crosschecked in every trivial thing. Silly mistakes are not a crime in a personal mail/ or even in bloggers world.

(Believe me all writers/editors of any kind will be disagree ....esp if they are the ones making the mistakes!)
Crosschecking can get compulsive in such cases!
I hereby absolve myself from this addiction!

To each his own

At school level I wanted to become a doctor because I felt it was "good" and noble. There grew a conflict when I realized my passion didn't lie in Biology! It took me a while to realize that it does't matter how "great "the task you did is, what matters is how "great " is your completion of the task.

This also applies to choosing a research topic. You may be amazed by the many socially useful projects going on at various levels and wonder why you didn't choose them. But remember this ....
what matters is taking up the topic that you have a passion for.....and then making it great!

Creativity always finds its own use....incidentally I learnt this through an Archies comic for the first time! Just goes to show that you can find nuggets of knowledge whereever you look.

And the PG Express continues........

What to pack before you set forth in your journey as a research scholar

What you should have........

1. Passion- to learn more than to succeed
   
2. Confidence in yourself
   
3. Persistence
4. Support system of people who have faith in you
   

And some others.........

1. Support of your guide
2. Trust towards your guide
3. A topic!

But these are common, lets move onto the fun ones which you should "pack" much like a first aid kit for a trip of wilderness :

1. Your favorite "failure poem" or rather motivating poem.Mine personally is "Don't Quit"
2. Support system of people who are willing to listen to you throw weird ideas at them of which they have little understanding esp at odd times....in the middle of the day (when all are working) or middle of the night (of course that's when it "strikes" us)
3. Motivational songs -the more dramatic the better-may they make you laugh at the minisculinity of your failure
4. A creative hobby for your emotional outbursts
5. Some stupid FB game which you play while "waiting" for your code to generate results or your brain to generate ideas!
6. A fellow research scholar for constant reassurance that you are not "the only one".
7. The key to your lab........few will understand this :P!!! (Yes, I do mean literally)
   

Whom to trust

These days it is common topic of discussion about the extent to which we should share our information in social networking sites for anyone to view. Who would want to know your everyday details? Is it correct to do so?And is it even safe?

But there is a greater question. Whom to trust. In today's age openness has increased and with that we have put our guards down. We rarely hesitate while talking to people we meet everyday. We feel "what is the harm ?"And then get let down. Maybe it is time we think before sharing information. In many cases, it may not really harm us. But does everyone really deserve to know your personal information if they don't care? I would say not.

After much reflection, I revert to the old fashioned view of not trusting easily. It takes time to build.

This can also be adapted in the following manner :

"Don't share information with people whom you don't trust/like completely what you won't write on a social networking site. It may not always information which would devastate you if leaked but even the soft beautiful innocent secret thoughts."

Commonwealth Games-Show a little loyalty

I think people need to give India a break. I am especially tired of Indians cribbing about our corruption and lack of resources and of people making predictions that CWG won't work in India. Some have even started talking about banning the games internally. I think they should sit and down assess their souls. They lack loyalty. If you haven't got loyalty, you have nothing. No matter what happens within a home, you don't go about slandering your home. So why do it to your nation? What is the media achieving by creating more and more doubts in everyone's minds? It's almost as if celebrities find this an opportunity to cash even if by creating negativity. If they want cheap hype they can do so AFTER the games. At least it won't affect the country's reputation internationally.

Whether the games are a success or not is besides the point.The unexpectedly long monsoons at least are not anyone's fault.But why can't they give everyone a break and just have faith, infuse optimism. Try to find something positive. Surely they can find something. There have been a lot many improvements everywhere. Why not concentrate on that for a change????????

What to do when sick and in bed

I know I have written for a long time...been ill partly (just a persistant kind of viral) and then had lots to catch upto. But while ill, I realised one thing, it's boring! I mean no matter what the problem is, if you are unwell and need to stay in bed, after sometime the biggest problem is passing time. In some cases, this can be a short duration, in some though, it can be pretty long.So here I would like to compile a list of what to do's and would love others to add to it in comments. Some are pretty common but you get bored of them easily also.

1. Read :If not a novel then short stories.
2. Movies: Have a movie marathon day and try for a hattrick!
3. Serials: Watch Friends/ any old serial that you have watched earlier. The familiarity will bring comfort.
4. Listen to songs.
5. Take the time to catch upto old friends if can talk
5. In many cases, sounds just tend to irritate lots. So try msgs.
6.Crib. Everyone needs a good crib if they are in bed for over 10 days.
7. Cry if it helps. You don't need to save it for big occasions. It's ok to have a good cry once ina while for all the little irritations that pend up.
8. Do NOT plan work. It will just irritate more.
9.Think of beautiful scenes, scented flowers, babies,whatever works.
10.Comedy:Even stupid comedy shows will work for one day.
11. Write if possible
12. Plan on fun things to do later on
13. Think up weird healthy dishes which you are allowed to eat and try them.
14. And of course, sleep lots!
15. This is not always possible, but if it is, then go out for a while one day anyway. It won't make you much worse and it may motivate your system to get well sooner.

Leaving rest open for additions....(I know it's very basic list right now)

Which walk do you choose?

Often we wonder why some people work harder for success than others. There is a reason. They want it more. Well some may say that's still unfair, I mean why do they who care more have to also work harder and even face more setbacks? But it makes perfect sense. Because as Emily Dickinson said
"Success is counted sweetest by those who never succeed"
(But of course never is not to be taken literally)
Only those who have earned it can truly enjoy the fruits of success. It won't feel right till you have worked for it. The feeling of self satisfaction will not be there without that. Success may not even be appreciated at times if one doesn't strive for it, knowing its value.

It's like a walk. You can either uphill and then downhill. Or you can walk the plain road, no bumps but no excitement either. To each, his own.

Individuality

Since I have no new thoughts of my own, I will share others':)

This is a chicken soup story I really liked and want to share...it talks about individuality

Mom's Many Hats

From Chicken Soup for the Soul: Thanks Mom

By Gail Wilkinson

A child embarrassed by his mother is just a child who hasn't lived long enough.
~Mitch Albom, For One More Day

Most mothers wear many hats. My mother, literally, had a closet full. And, to my great embarrassment, she wore them in public.

Mom adored hats of all kinds -- the bolder the better. She had rows of tissue covered hats overflowing her closet and spilling onto attic shelves. Vibrant red straw peeked through one bundle, chocolate-colored felt from another, and an occasional ribbon or bow escaped the wrapping. Another child might have found Mom's hat fancy intriguing or exciting. Not me. In the small Midwestern town where we lived, practical, plain clothing prevailed. My goal was to fit in. Mom had a flair for standing out.

One frigid winter in my tender junior high years, Mom and Dad came to a basketball game where I was a cheerleader. Parents streamed in the doors, unwinding knitted scarves and popping off woolen caps. They wrangled their way out of sturdy parkas and canvas farming jackets. The crowd was similar -- bland and comforting. When my parents arrived, it wasn't hard to spot them. Mom was sporting a white rabbit fur hat with a leather bill (and it was "Belgian rabbit! On sale even, from Esther Kirk Boutique!"). It snuggled on the top of her head like a woodland creature trying to beat the cold. I hid behind my pompoms, waiting for Mom to find a seat and remove her hat. Nope! Too chilly in the gym -- the rabbit stayed in place all night.

A vacation photo memorializes Mom's favorite summer hat. The picture was taken on a road trip west, and we are posed in a Nebraska wheat field. Mom is wearing an avocado-colored short set that looks earthy in contrast to the waving wheat at our knees. On her head, however, is a bright orange straw hat with a bill wide enough to slice your jugular if you got too close. In the picture, Dad is keeping his distance. That hat thwarted my goal that vacation, of "not looking like a tourist." To this day, Mom sighs when she sees that photo, looks wistfully into space and murmurs, "I always loved that hat...."

Easter, as you can imagine, was the Academy Awards of hat exposure. One of Mom's favorites had a high, hot pink crown, completely engulfed with magenta flowers placed every quarter of an inch. The flowers carpeted the entire hat. Glorious! That Easter marked Mom's only attempt to pass on her hat obsession to my sister and me. She had purchased flower-encrusted headbands for us to wear. My sister and I remember that day as living proof that one's brain can be perforated by headband spikes. We swear that blood pooled on our scalps underneath the celebratory flowers. On the upside, I only have vague memories of the obstruction that Mom's hot pink extravaganza created in the pews that Sunday.

The mustard-colored English Bobbie hat was perhaps the most radical and surely the most embarrassing. Accented with leather braided cord, it exuded an authority that only a woman of confidence could pull off. Lucky for me, Mom was up to the challenge.I did not inherit Mom's flair for flaunting a fancy hat. I still, much like in junior high, prefer to fly under the radar. However, I have grown to appreciate Mom's courage in wearing hats she loved, even if they elicited public stares or groans from her family.

More importantly, I have received the powerful message of Mom's action: "Be yourself. Don't worry what other people think. When people are looking at you, hold your head high. Even if there's a rabbit on top of it."

PS:I sincerely hope I am not infringing any copyrights(it's there on their website)!

Solitude

I have started enjoying solitude....and valuing it...for I know there will come a stage when I won't have any....of course of course I will blessed then to be in that state....

But for now....it's bliss.

And I guess that makes me a geek :(

Friends

True friends are not just those whom we trust but those with whom we share a comfort level. Recently I noticed that we refrain from speaking our words aloud not so much out of fear of misunderstanding but out of an attitude of "why bother? "

I mean ofcourse we should given an opinion if its something vital ,but true friends are those whom we value enough to argue with them even over mundane stuff. Stuff that doesn't really matters to either. It could some stupid movie, some book, one third person, anyone. Mostly neither is able to convince the other about their opinion, but both feel good just to share their thoughts, even about random stuff. That's comfort level.

So if I argue with you, just remember that I value you :)

Life is a huge puzzle. We each constitute but a single piece as we try to find the place where we fit in the best.