Some Moments To Laugh

Chetan Bhagat's Post.

My father calls me every day at around 9 pm. One fine day, just for a change, I called him a bit earlier at around 8:30 pm. 

Mom took the call and we talked for few minutes. Then I asked:

Me: Where is Dad?
Mom: He has just returned from office and is getting fresh. Wait. I am calling him. 
Me: No, he must be hungry then. You both have your dinner first, then I will call you again after an hour.
Mom: No, He never eats before talking to you all.

I couldn't reply for few seconds.  I was amazed. This is their love towards me.

Sometimes, all what our parents need is to listen to our voices. We can never understand how lonely they feel without us. They have to celebrate most of the festivals without us. We can happily celebrate here with our friends but think about them. Our presence is the only thing which can make them happy. But, we are not there with them (because of various reasons). It makes them sad but they don't make us realise that.  

So, this is the least possible thing we can do to make them happy. 

Talk to them daily (And don't wait for them to call us every time. Sometimes, you can also call and feel that happiness in their voices)

Another motivating story is posted below 

Boy went to the Principal and said "Madam, I won't be coming to School anymore.”

The Principal responded “But why?”

The boy said “Ah! I saw a teacher speaking bad of another teacher; You have a Sir who can't read well; the staff is not good; Students look down upon their fellow students and there are so many other wrong things happening in the Schooĺ”

The Principal replied “OK. But before you go, do me a favor: Take a glass full of water and walk three times around the School without spilling a drop on the floor. Afterwards, leave the School if you desire.”

The boy thought : Now that's too easy!
And he walked three times around as the Principal had asked. When he finished, he told the Principal he was ready.

The Principal asked “When you were walking around the School , did you see a Teacher speaking bad about another Teacher?”

The youth replied “no.”
“did you see any Student looking at other students in wrong way ?”
“No”
“You know why?”
“No”
“You were focused on the glass, to make sure you didn't tilt it and spill any water. It's the same with our life. When our focus is on our priorities , we don't have time to see the mistakes of others.”

Moral of the story.
We should concentrate on our priorities and not on others mistakes.

*पिता और परमपिता*!!

एक बार एक पुत्र अपने पिता से रूठ कर घर छोड़कर दूर चला गया और फिर इधर-उधर यूँही भटकता रहा । दिन बीते, महीने बीते और साल बीत गए । एक दिन वह बीमार पड़ गया । अपनी झोपडी में अकेले पड़े उसे अपने पिता के प्रेम की यादआई  कि कैसे उसके पिता उसके बीमार होने पर उसकी सेवा किया करते थे । उसे बीमारी में इतना प्रेम मिलता था कि वो स्वयं ही शीघ्र अति शीघ्र ठीक हो जाता था । उसे फिर एहसास हुआ कि उसने घर छोड़ कर बहुत बड़ी गलती की है, वो रात के अँधेरे में ही घर की और हो लिया । जब घर के नजदीक गया तो उसने देखा आधी रात के बाद भी दरवाज़ा खुला हुआ है । अनहोनी के डर से वो तुरंत भाग कर अंदर गया तो उसने पाया की आंगन में उसके पिता लेटे हुए हैं । उसे देखते ही उन्होंने उसका बांहे फैला कर स्वागत किया । पुत्र की आँखों में आंसू आ गए।

उसने पिता से पूछा ” ये घर का दरवाज़ा खुला है, क्या आपको आभास था कि मैं आऊंगा ? ”पिता ने उत्तर दिया ” अरे पगले ये दरवाजा उस दिन से बंद ही नहीं हुआ जिस दिन से तू गया है, मैं सोचता था कि पता नहीं तू कब आ जाये। और कंही ऐसा न हो कि दरवाज़ा बंद देखकर तू वापिस लौट जाये ।” ठीक यही स्थिति उस परमपिता परमात्मा की है । उसने भी प्रेमवश अपने भक्तो के लिए दवार खुले रख छोड़े हैं कि पता नहीं कब भटकी हुई कोई संतान *(आत्मा)* उसकी और लौट आए । हमें भी आवश्यकता है सिर्फ इतनी कि उसके रेम को समझे और उसकी और बढ़ चलें l

Importance of Courage And Patience

एक बार एक लड़की कार चला रही थी और पास में उसके
पिताजी बैठे थे.
राह में एक भयंकर तूफ़ान आया और लड़की ने पिता से
पूछा -- अब हम क्या करें?
पिता ने जवाब दिया -- कार चलाते रहो.
तूफ़ान में कार चलाना बहुत ही मुश्किल हो रहा था, तूफ़ान
और भयंकर होता जा रहा था. अब मैं क्या करू ? --
लड़की ने पुनः पूछा.
कार चलाते रहो. -- पिता ने पुनः कहा.
थोड़ा आगे जाने पर लड़की ने देखा की राह में कई वाहन
तूफ़ान की वजह से रुके हुए थे......
उसने फिर अपने पिता से कहा -- मुझे कार रोक
देनी चाहिए.......मैं मुश्किल से देख पा रही हूँ.......
यह भयंकर है और प्रत्येक ने अपना वाहन रोक
दिया है.......
उसके पिता ने फिर निर्देशित किया -- कार रोकना नहीं.
बस
चलाते रहो....
तूफ़ान ने बहुत ही भयंकर रूप धारण कर लिया था किन्तु
लड़की ने कार चलाना नहीं छोड़ा..........
और अचानक ही उसने देखा कि कुछ साफ़ दिखने
लगा है.........
कुछ किलो मीटर आगे जाने के पश्चात लड़की ने
देखा कि तूफ़ान थम गया और सूर्य निकल आया......
अब उसके पिता ने कहा -- अब तुम कार रोक
सकती हो और बाहर आ सकती हो........
लड़की ने पूछा -- पर अब क्यों?
पिता ने कहा -- जब तुम बाहर
आओगी तो देखोगी कि जो राह में रुक गए थे, वे
अभी भी तूफ़ान में फंसे हुए हैं......
चूँकि तुमने कार चलाने का प्रयत्न नहीं छोड़ा, तुम तूफ़ान के
बाहर हो......
यह किस्सा उन लोगों के लिए एक प्रमाण है जो कठिन
समय से गुजर रहे हैं.........
मजबूत से मजबूत इंसान भी प्रयास छोड़ देते
हैं........किन्तु प्रयास कभी भी छोड़ना नहीं चाहिए.......
निश्चित ही जिन्दगी का कठिन समय गुजर जायेंगे और
सुबह के सूर्य की भांति चमक आपके जीवन में
पुनः आयेगी.......!!!!!
ऐसा नहीं है की जिंदगी बहुत छोटी है। दरअसल हम
जीना ही बहुत देर से शुरू करते हैं।

*सुखी रहने का तरीका*

*एक बार की बात है संत तुकाराम अपने आश्रम में बैठे हुए थे। तभी उनका एक शिष्य, जो स्वाभाव से थोड़ा क्रोधी था उनके समक्ष आया और बोला-*

*गुरूजी, आप कैसे अपना व्यवहार इतना मधुर बनाये रहते हैं, ना आप किसी पे क्रोध करते हैं और ना ही किसी को कुछ भला-बुरा कहते हैं? कृपया अपने इस अच्छे व्यवहार का रहस्य बताइए?*

*संत बोले- मुझे अपने रहस्य के बारे में तो नहीं पता, पर मैं तुम्हारा रहस्य जानता हूँ !*

*“मेरा रहस्य! वह क्या है गुरु जी?” शिष्य ने आश्चर्य से पूछा।*

*”तुम अगले एक हफ्ते में मरने वाले हो!” संत तुकाराम दुखी होते हुए बोले।*

*कोई और कहता तो शिष्य ये बात मजाक में टाल सकता था, पर स्वयं संत तुकाराम के मुख से निकली बात को कोई कैसे काट सकता था?*

*शिष्य उदास हो गया और गुरु का आशीर्वाद ले वहां से चला गया।*

*उस समय से शिष्य का स्वभाव बिलकुल बदल सा गया। वह हर किसी से प्रेम से मिलता और कभी किसी पे क्रोध न करता, अपना ज्यादातर समय ध्यान और पूजा में लगाता। वह उनके पास भी जाता जिससे उसने कभी गलत व्यवहार किया था और उनसे माफ़ी मांगता। देखते-देखते संत की भविष्यवाणी को एक हफ्ते पूरे होने को आये।*

*शिष्य ने सोचा चलो एक आखिरी बार गुरु के दर्शन कर आशीर्वाद ले लेते हैं। वह उनके समक्ष पहुंचा और बोला-*

*गुरुजी, मेरा समय पूरा होने वाला है, कृपया मुझे आशीर्वाद दीजिये!”*

*“मेरा आशीर्वाद हमेशा तुम्हारे साथ है पुत्र। अच्छा, ये बताओ कि पिछले सात दिन कैसे बीते? क्या तुम पहले की तरह ही लोगों से नाराज हुए, उन्हें अपशब्द कहे?”*

*संत तुकाराम ने प्रश्न किया।*

*“नहीं-नहीं, बिलकुल नहीं। मेरे पास जीने के लिए सिर्फ सात दिन थे, मैं इसे बेकार की बातों में कैसे गँवा सकता था?*
*मैं तो सबसे प्रेम से मिला, और जिन लोगों का कभी दिल दुखाया था उनसे क्षमा भी मांगी” शिष्य तत्परता से बोला।*

*"संत तुकाराम मुस्कुराए और बोले, “बस यही तो मेरे अच्छे व्यवहार का रहस्य है।"*
*"मैं जानता हूँ कि मैं कभी भी मर सकता हूँ, इसलिए मैं हर किसी से प्रेमपूर्ण व्यवहार करता हूँ, और यही मेरे अच्छे व्यवहार का रहस्य है।*

*शिष्य समझ गया कि संत तुकाराम ने उसे जीवन का यह पाठ पढ़ाने के लिए ही मृत्यु का भय दिखाया था ।*

*वास्तव में हमारे पास भी सात दिन ही बचें हैं

*रवि, सोम, मंगल, बुध, गुरु, शुक्र और शनि, आठवां दिन तो बना ही नहीं है ।*

*मिलो किसी से ऐसे कि*
*ज़िन्दगी भर की*
*पहचान बन जाये*,
*पड़े कदम जमीं पर ऐसे* *कि*
*लोगों के दिलों पर*
*निशान बन जाये*..
*जीने को तो ज़िन्दगी*
*यहां हर कोई जी लेता है*,
*लेकिन*.....
*जीयो ज़िन्दगी ऐसे कि*
*औरों के लबों की मुस्कान*
*बन जाये* ...

भीतर के "मैं" का मिटना ज़रूरी है.... !

सुकरात समुन्द्र तट पर टहल रहे थे| उनकी नजर तट पर खड़े एक रोते बच्चे पर पड़ी |
वो उसके पास गए और प्यार से बच्चे के सिर पर हाथ फेरकर पूछा , -''तुम क्यों रो रहे हो?''
लड़के ने कहा- 'ये जो मेरे हाथ में प्याला है मैं उसमें इस समुन्द्र को भरना चाहता हूँ पर यह मेरे प्याले में समाता ही नहीं |''
बच्चे की बात सुनकर सुकरात विस्माद में चले गये और स्वयं रोने लगे |

अब पूछने की बारी बच्चे की थी |
बच्चा कहने लगा- आप भी मेरी तरह रोने लगे पर आपका प्याला कहाँ है?'

सुकरात ने जवाब दिया- बालक, तुम छोटे से प्याले में समुन्द्र भरना चाहते हो,और मैं अपनी छोटी सी बुद्धि में सारे संसार की जानकारी भरना चाहता हूँ |

आज तुमने सिखा दिया कि समुन्द्र प्याले में नहीं समा सकता है , मैं व्यर्थ ही बेचैन रहा |''

यह सुनके बच्चे ने प्याले को दूर समुन्द्र में फेंक दिया और बोला- "सागर अगर तू मेरे प्याले में नहीं समा सकता तो मेरा प्याला तो तुम्हारे में समा सकता है |"
इतना सुनना था कि सुकरात बच्चे के पैरों में गिर पड़े और बोले-
"बहुत कीमती सूत्र हाथ में लगा है |

हे परमात्मा ! आप तो सारा का सारा मुझ में नहीं समा सकते हैं पर मैं तो सारा का सारा आपमें लीन हो सकता हूँ |"

ईश्वर की खोज में भटकते सुकरात को ज्ञान देना था तो भगवान उस बालक में समा गए |
सुकरात का सारा अभिमान ध्वस्त कराया | जिस सुकरात से मिलने के सम्राट समय लेते थे वह सुकरात एक बच्चे के चरणों में लोट गए थे |

ईश्वर जब आपको अपनी शरण में लेते हैं तब आपके अंदर का "मैं " सबसे पहले मिटता है |

या यूँ कहें....
जब आपके अंदर का "मैं" मिटता है तभी ईश्वर की कृपा होती है |

*A chat with Dr. Devi Shetty, Narayana Hrudayalaya (Famous Heart Specialist) Bangalore, was arranged by WIPRO for its employees. The transcript of the chat is given below. Useful for everyone.*

*Qn1.* What are the thumb rules for a layman to take care of his heart?
*Ans:*
1. Diet - Less of carbohydrate, more of protein, less oil
2. Exercise - Half an hour's walk, at least five days a week;
3. Quit smoking
4. Control weight
5. Control BP - Blood pressure and Sugar

*Qn2.* Can we convert fat into muscles?

*Ans:* It is a dangerous myth. Fat and muscles are made of two different tissues, fat is fat ... Ugly and harmful... Muscle is muscle. Fat can never be converted into a muscle.

*Qn3.* It's still a grave shock to hear that some apparently healthy person
gets a cardiac arrest. How do we understand it in perspective?

*Ans:* This is called silent attack; that is why we recommend everyone past the age of 30 to undergo routine health checkups.

*Qn4.* Are heart diseases hereditary?

Ans: Yes.

*Qn5.* What are the ways in which the heart is stressed? What practices do you suggest to de-stress?

*Ans:* Change your attitude towards life. Do not look for perfection in everything in life.

*Qn6.* Is walking better than jogging or is more intensive exercise required to keep a healthy heart?

*Ans:* Walking is better than jogging, since jogging leads to early fatigue and injury to joints.

*Qn7.* You have done so much for the poor and needy. What has inspired you to do so?

*Ans:* *MOTHER THERESA*, who was my patient.

*Qn8.* Can people with low blood pressure suffer heart diseases?

*Ans:* Extremely rare.

*Qn9.* Does cholesterol accumulate right from an early age (I'm currently only 22) or do you have to worry about it only after you are above 30 years of age?

*Ans:* Cholesterol accumulates from childhood.

*Qn10.* How do irregular eating habits affect the heart ?

*Ans:* You tend to eat junk food when the habits are irregular and your body's enzyme release for digestion gets confused.

*Qn11.* How can I control cholesterol content without using medicines?

*Ans:* Control diet, walk and eat walnut.

*Qn12.* Which is the best and worst food for the heart?

*Ans:* Fruits and vegetables are the best and oil is the worst.

*Qn13.* Which oil is better - groundnut, sunflower, olive?

*Ans:* Oils do no good for humans.

*Qn14.* What is the routine checkup one should go through? Is there any specific test?

Ans: Routine blood test to ensure sugar, cholesterol is ok. Check BP, Treadmill test after an echo.

*Qn15.* What are the first aid steps to be taken on a heart attack?

*Ans:* Help the person into a sleeping position, place an aspirin tablet under the tongue with a sorbitrate tablet if available, and rush him to a coronary care unit, since the maximum casualty takes place within the first hour.

*Qn17.* What is the main cause of a steep increase in heart problems amongst youngsters? I see people of about 30-40 yrs of age having heart attacks and serious heart problems.

*Ans*: Increased awareness has increased incidents. Also, sedentary lifestyles, smoking, junk food, lack of exercise in a country where people are genetically three times more vulnerable for heart attacks than Europeans and Americans.

*Please, don't hoard knowledge.*
*It takes sharing of knowledge to discover and understand the world in which we live. Do send it to all your friends and relatives.*

9 Powerful Ways to Find Peace of Mind 

BY STEVE MUELLER 

APRIL 1ST, 2017 

CONSCIOUS LIVING

The mind is like an ocean. For most people, the mind is constantly moving, just like water, without ever coming to a rest. It is stirred up by our restless and rushing thoughts, just like waves on the shore. Our desires and fears do not only disturb us, but they also prohibit us from finding peace of mind. Just like the wind, our thoughts and anxieties can lead to a stormy ocean, without allowing us to rest. The mind, however, in itself is neutral, just like water. If you are able to reduce the influence of your thoughts on your mind, you will create a calm sea. The following will show you the most powerful ways to find peace of mind—a mental state so calm and peaceful just like the water at the deepest ground of the ocean.

Our mental calmness depends highly on our ability to calm our thoughts. You won’t be able to calm the ocean by grasping the water in the hope that it won’t move. It simply does not work. Instead, it is necessary to address the root of the problem, which is the wind, or in our case our fears, desires, and thoughts. You will have to stop the impact of the wind on the ocean if you want a calm sea. We need to learn to control these emotions and thoughts so that our mental state is unaffected by it. For this to work properly we need to control and strengthen our attention.

What Is the Mental State Called Peace of Mind?

In general, the term ‘a peaceful mind’ is used to describe a mental state in which mental and emotional calmness prevail. It is a state where your mind is not stirred up by anxieties and worries. The mental activity is phased down so that quietness and calmness can be experienced. Instead of being troubled by the past or future your point of focus lies at this present moment, you’re living in the now.

We all have experienced this fantastic mental state, for instance during a vacation or while being deeply absorbed by an amazing book. During this state, we were not troubled by our worries and thoughts. Instead, our mind was calm—we had found inner peace.

The minute you stop overwhelming your mind with caring about what everyone else thinks, and start doing what you feel in your heart is right, is the minute you will finally feel freedom and peace of mind.

Melchor Lim

But how can we calm the ocean to invite mental calmness and peace of mind into our life? Even more importantly, how can we maintain a peaceful mind even in stressful and hectic situations or during times of great despair and difficulties?

How to Find Peace of Mind?

The following will present you the most effective and powerful ways to establish peace of mind. Some of it might be unconventional, but if you keep an open mind about it, your mental calmness will benefit greatly from it.

1. Meditation

If you want to create the proper foundation to establish long-lasting peace of mind, then there’s no way around meditation. In fact, if someone were to ask me, “What is the most powerful way to create peace of mind?” I would recommend meditation without the shadow of a doubt. It is simply the most effective thing you can do.

With meditation, I mean in this context not a spiritual practice, but only a mindfulness practice so as to calm your mental activity down.

According to neuroscientists, the continued practice of meditation can effect beneficial changes in the physical structure of your brain. This re-shaping of the brain’s structure helps to activate the part of the nervous system that is responsible for rest, allowing us to better cope with stress. Furthermore, meditation reduces stress and strengthens your ability to sustain attention. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School also found that meditation can dramatically reduce anxiety. The study highlighted that 90% of the participants, who all suffered from clinical levels of anxiety, experienced significant reductions in their anxiety levels.

But how can you make use of meditation to find inner peace and harmony? All you need is 15-30 minutes a day for the following mindfulness meditation:

Sit with eyes closed, either on a cushion or a chair

Make sure your back is straight

Focus your attention on your breathing

Be aware of the breath as it goes in and out

Redirect your focus back if your mind starts wandering

You can start with a relatively short period of only 10 minutes or so per day. Doing so will help you to get adjusted to this new exercise. You’ll also notice that after some time of regular practice it will become a lot easier for you to focus on your breathing activity.

2. Eliminate certain media distractions

Media consumption can cause great turbulence within our mind. These media distractions range from television, radio, newspapers and magazines to video games and music. They all have in common that certain types within these media categories can heavily affect your mental state in a negative way.

Take for instance an action thriller that you’re watching shortly before going to bed. You will notice that your mind is completely restless after the film has ended. It will spontaneously pick up random thoughts or ponder about the plot of the movie. There’s absolutely no peace of mind to be gained from watching such a movie. Watching television has also been linked to feelings of loneliness and depression by researchers from the University of Texas.

If you’re really serious about establishing inner harmony it’s important to avoid certain media distractions at any cost

Avoid certain types of movies, i.e. horror, thriller, etc.
Reduce television time, or stop watching TV entirely, for the greatest benefits
Avoid the news on TV or in the newspaper, 90% of it is negative anyways
Stay away from aggressive music
Stop playing video games
As we are already on the subject, the following should also be avoided:
Avoid being dragged into heavily emotional discussions about recent political and societal developments. Discussing it will not solve the problem, but it will heavily affect your ability to find peace of mind

Stay away from negative people and negative conversations

Learn to accept the things that cannot be changed. Worrying about it or even getting upset about it will do nothing to solve the issue, but it will waste your precious time and energy.

The above-mentioned tactics to maintain inner harmony are only recommendations. If you are willing to avoid these distractions your mental state will greatly benefit from it.

3. Learn to forgive

Far too often we hold grudges. This emotional baggage accumulates over time and becomes a heavy burden that we carry on our shoulders wherever we go.

It is important to realize that we cannot make the things that happened undone. Holding on to your anger will only burn1 you from the inside, not to mention the fact that it will prohibit you from ever finding peace of mind. For this reason, it is so important to learn to forgive another.

Forgiveness is crucial to maintaining inner harmony. It will help you to let go of anger and inner turmoil. Being able to forgive will help you to let go of the pain. Plus, scientists have shown that forgiveness facilitates forgetting, an important skill when you want to establish inner harmony.

4. Let go of the past

The past haunts every one of us from time to time. Thinking about everything that happened and the mistakes you’ve made in the past over and over again will cause great turmoil within your mind. For this very reason, it is so important not to dwell on the past. You cannot change the past. However, you always have the chance to change your situation in this present moment.1

Let bygones be gone. Learn to avoid the evocation of heavily emotional and unpleasant memories of the past. Try to focus your attention on the present situation.

5. Cultivate patience and tolerance

Many times daily we encounter people who do things that we do not approve of. In almost all cases we get so fed up with their behavior that it causes a great and angry storm within our mind.

Learn to be patient and tolerant of these people. As long as they don’t hurt anybody else it shouldn’t affect your mental well-being. Don’t allow these clowns to get more attention than they deserve. Most likely you won’t be able to change them anyways, so why allow them to disrupt your peace of mind1.

6. Cultivate a certain level of detachment

A certain degree of mental and emotional detachment can be of the greatest importance when it comes to establishing inner peace and harmony.

You’ll notice that there are so many people who get easily offended even by the slightest stimuli. They start complaining about the most ridiculous things, write angry letters or let off steam on Internet forums. Don’t be one of them. Learn the important skill of not being offended by everything and everyone1.

A great level of inner calmness can be attained by detaching yourself from things that are simply not worth your attention.

7. Take a walk

Go out in nature and take a walk through your nearest park. The sensation of walking through nature will not only ground you, but it will also help you to calm your mind down. Taking a walk is highly effective, but most people sadly seem to have forgotten its benefits1.

8. Volunteer your time

Helping someone else can be one of the most rewarding experiences in life. Knowing that you’ve made someone’s life worth living will give you not only an incredible boost, but it will also help you to find inner harmony and peace. In fact, scientific research has shown that volunteering has a great impact on your psychological well-being and your health.

9. Don’t worry about what others are thinking

Another source for mental restlessness can be the fear of other people’s judgment. It might even haunt us so much that we do things we’d rather not do, just to please someone else. However, it is nearly impossible to be everybody’s darling. In fact, you cannot change the way people think about you. So why bothering about it?

The ability to be not affected by other people’s opinion will greatly help you to find peace of mind in daily life.

In conclusion

Shall we try to draw the quintessence from the advice given in the above? Let’s try to summarize it with a couple of sentences:

Peace of mind can be established by cultivating the skill of not being affected by your thoughts and worries. This skill can be developed for instance through mindfulness meditation, but also other activities that strengthen your ability to focus. It is also important to learn to let go of the past, to forgive others and to develop a certain degree of detachment in order to create the necessary foundation for inner harmony and balance.

Had tears running down when I read this?Read on..... 

He was watering the plants in the posh gardens of an International school, heat and dust didn't seem to affect him."Ganga Das, Principal Ma'am wants to see you -- right now"...

The last two words of the peon had lots of emphasis on them, trying to make it sound like an urgency. He quickly got up, washed and wiped his hands and headed towards the  Principal's chamber.

The walk from the garden to the office seemed never ending, his heart was almost jumping out of his chest.

He was trying all the permutation and combination, figuring out as to what has gone wrong that she wants to see him urgently...He was a sincere worker and never shirked from his duties...  knock knock...

"Madam, you called me?"

"Come inside..." an authoritative voice made him further nervous...

Salt n pepper hair, tied neatly in a french knot, a designer sari-sober and very classic, glasses resting on the bridge of her nose...

She pointed out towards a paper kept on the table...

Read this"...

"B..but Ma'am I am an illiterate person. I can not read English.

Ma'am please forgive me if I have done anything wrong... give me another chance... 

I am forever indebted to you for allowing my daughter to study in this school, free of cost... I could have never ever dreamt of such a life for my child.."

And he broke down almost trembling:

"Hold on, you assume a lot...we allowed your daughter because she is very bright and you have been our sincere worker.. Let me call a teacher in, she will read it out and translate it to you... this is written by your daughter and I want you to read this."

Soon enough the teacher was called and she started reading it, translating each line in Hindi...

It read-  "Today we are asked to write about Mother's Day.

I belong to a village in Bihar, a tiny  village where medical and education still seem like a far fetched dream. Many women die every now and then while giving birth. My mother was one of them too, she could not even hold me in her arms. My father was the first person to hold me.. or perhaps the only person.

Everyone was sad.. as I was a girl and I had "eaten up" my own mother.

My dad was instantly asked to remarry but he refused.

My grandparents forced him by giving all logical, illogical and emotional reasons but he didn't budge.

My grand parents wanted a grandson, they threatened him to remarry or else he will be disowned...

He didn't think twice... he left everything, his acres of land.. a good living, comfortable house, cattles and everything that counts for a good lifestyle in a village.  He came to this huge city with absolutely nothing -- but me in his arms. Life was tough, he worked hard day and night.. raised me with tender love and utmost care.

Now I understand why suddenly he developed a dislike for things that I would love to eat when there was only one piece left in the platter.... he would say that he hates eating it and I would finish it considering that he does not like it.... but as I grew older I realised the reason and what sacrifice is all about.

He gave me the best possible comforts  beyond his capacity.

This school gave him a shelter, respect and the biggest gift -- an admission to his daughter...

If love and care  defines a mother... then my father fits in there.

If compassion defines a mother, my father fits in well in that category too...

If sacrifice defines a mother, my father dominates that category.

So in nut shell.. if a mother is made of love, care sacrifice and compassion...

MY FATHER IS THE BEST MOTHER ON EARTH THEN.

On Mother's Day, I would like to wish my father for being the best parent on earth... I salute him and say it with pride that the hardworking gardener working in this school is my father.

I know I may fail this test after my teacher reads this -- but this would be a very small price one would pay towards an ode to the selfless love of my father.

There was a deafening silence in the room... one could only hear soft sobbing of Ganga Das.... 

The harsh sun could not wet his clothes with sweat but soft words of his daughter had soaked his chest with tears.... he was standing there with hands folded..

He took the paper from teacher's hands... held it close to his heart and sobbed.

Principal got up.. offered him a chair, glass of water and said something... but, strangely the crispness of her voice was taken over by a surprising warmth and sweetness....

"Ganga Das.. your daughter is given 10/10 marks for this essay... This is the best essay ever written about Mother's Day in the history of this school. We are having the Mother's Day gala event tomorrow and the entire School Management has decided to invite you as the Chief Guest for the event... 

This is to honour all the love and sacrifice a man can do to raise his children... to show that you do not have to be a woman to be the perfect parent...

And most importantly this is to reinforce/appreciate/acknowledge the strong belief of your daughter in you, to make her feel proud.. to make the entire school feel proud that we have the best parent on earth as stated by your daughter."

"You are a True Gardner, who is not only looking after the gardens, but also nurturing the most precious flower of your life in such a beautiful way...."

"So Ganga Das, will you be our Chief Guest for the event?

*An American’s mindblowing analysis of Narendra Modi and Indian politics is something you must not miss today !*Postcard TeamJuly 2, 2017

“As an American and a self confessed Indophile, I had a lot of insights.

 I gleaned while traversing the length and breadth of the country. Incidentally I take care of funded projects and this exposes me to a interactions with the poor and ultra poor of the country. Hopefully I will debunk a few myths about India, which my North American colleagues should know, along with some Indians who will hopefully read this post:

1. Like it or leave it, the hinterland of India is firmly behind Modi. 

They don’t give a rat’s ass if you call them his followers, or “bhakts” as I have heard. 

For the first time they have a leader and a party that has gone through almost 3 years without a single financial scam against their name. 

For a country used to spectacular monetary frauds and a silent PM who took plausible deniability to laughable proportions, this is a great and welcome change.

2.  Muslim don’t hate Modi. 

Educated intelligent non Muslims (read Hindus) hate him more ! 

Simply because... he has hijacked their agenda and has started influencing public opinion more than carefully crafted editorials or freebies doled out during elections. 

Armchair experts who discussed Indian politics over the ubiquitous cup of ‘chai’ are being given a nice proverbial kick on their rounded rumps.

The man is shaping opinions and this isn’t being liked by sections of some media, who were interestingly the same set of people who are still smarting from Brexit and our own Trump presidency.

3. The only issue that Indians seem to have against Modi is the specter of the riots that he had apparently engineered as the Chief Minister of the state of Gujarat. 

Which in itself seems weird, since their own Supreme Court has absolved him of any wrongdoings ! But a section of media and over zealous continue to fashionably pursue his censure. 

Incidentally they went after him for a so called fake encounter where a lady was killed, only to eat their words when the lady was lauded later as one of their own on the Al Qaeda website ! Haven’t heard anything from his detractors on this point after that…

4. I get a sense that a lot of Indians consider it a status symbol to oppose Modi,  as it makes them appear intellectual and secular. Case in point was the CM of Delhi (along with a lot of intellectuals) who questioned his educational qualifications. 

But again went completely silent when he was exonerated by the University that confirmed their authenticity. It’s the worst kind of ‘spit and run’ politics that you can imagine.

 People will keep spitting and hope that something sticks. 

Specially because no one can find one thing against this man which will get validated.

5. Public memory in India is notoriously short in India. 

The 1984 carnage in which the martial sect of Sikhs were mercilessly slaughtered has been forgotten by the state of Punjab, which has today booted out the Akali Dal and brought in the Congress. I see that not only as an example of short memory, but also as a positive and mature sign, as a very corrupt incumbent party was thrown out. 

But then if this is being welcomed by a lot of intellectuals, why is a section of polity so perturbed by the BJP getting substantial Muslim votes in UP ? Just like how the Sikhs have forgiven the Congress, maybe the Muslims have forgiven the BJP ! 

Mind boggling double standards…

Like the Sikhs, why can’t Muslims also want good governance and development?

6. As the third largest economy in PPP terms, India stunned the world by pulling out 86% of its currency that was in circulation.While it is still debatable whether it was a good move (as an Economics major, am not completely convinced), the country seems to lap it up.

My sense is not whether it was a good or a bad move; it was a VISIBLE move, which when you analyze with the BJPs track record of no scams, seems to make Modi even more credible.

7.  Where Modi lost the trick (in my opinion) is when he promised to put in a couple of million rupees in the accounts of the poor and underprivileged. And his promise of better days. 

That has backfired and seems to have given fodder to a lot of Indians who were expecting him to work miracles.And I  am not surprised. 

Since I do know that in the land of spiritual enlightenment, miracles are often expected and taken for granted.

Finally, I know after what we did (remember Trump as POTUS), 

me as an American may get laughed off by a lot of intelligent and secular Indians for my opinion. But I will still risk it.Give the man a chance ! 

He is doing the right thing and has balls and guts and spine. 

The man did an open truck rally in the holy city of Kashi, for Christ’s sake ! Try walking in those bylanes (I speak from experience) to know how massively mental it really is.

 I had a memory of JFK in Dallas. One crazy sniper would have plunged your country into chaos. Be happy that it didn’t happen. And hope that it never does. 

Who knows it better than us Yanks, as we have had the maximum assassinations or attempts on our serving Presidents.

Stop being fashionable and ridiculing those who support him. You may think it is cool to do so, but the joke is on you. Most of the country loves him. So while you could agree to disagree with his policies, what you don’t realize is that ridiculing his supporters only makes them more supportive.

It’s just like how Android users ridiculed IOS as the worlds worst ‘closed software’. 

But the moment they opened their eyes to what the iPhone could really do, they changed not only their opinion, but also their handsets.

Do you realize that when you speak to Modi detractors, they completely lose their ability to be objective about their opinions? 

I have yet to come across a single detractor who is open to looking at Modi objectively and probably moving to the other side. 

However there are many Modi supporters who I know have criticized his policies and probably changed their allegiance.  Makes me thus wonder as to who the real ‘bakts’ are?

 The ones who follow Modi or the ones who debunk anything and everything that he does?

There seems to be no spirit of bipartisan acceptance at all.

 It was shocking that even the army surgical strikes were debunked by a few political parties in India. 

Sorry folks, we know we have Trump, but even the most uneducated American would stand behind any President when it came to my country.

When you start questioning the credibility of your own armed forces, there is something something seriously seriously wrong with you. The star spangled banner is the supreme authority in the US of A; and the tricolor should definitely be theirs. 

Unfortunately that doesn’t seem to be the case in India.

I know America won’t be great again, simply because we are a great nation and will remain so. Trump will be gone in 4 years but Modi seems set to rule India for 5 years beyond 2019. 

Consider it your greatest fortune. Imagine a few more years of scams and a silent PM who couldn’t translate his extra ordinary brilliance and credentials into what could have been in my opinion the greatest prime ministership of all time. Mr Singh has a resume that could be the aggregation of academic achievements of 10 to the top of class Harvard graduates in any year !

 Do read up about this extraordinary individual and the extraordinary and unbelievable set of scams that he presided over. Not because of his ineptitude, but the mind numbing control exercised by a dynasty who are now unwittingly destroying their grand old party.

Sorry, if this sounds like a diatribe, but I love India and all it’s people. 

It takes one look at Dr Shashi Tharoor’s speech at Oxford to realize that it’s not India Shining or developing. India is simply now regaining its rightful place in the world pecking order. And if you want to continue steaming ahead and getting there, the ‘chai’ seller of Gujarat seems to be your best bet.”

(Jason K)

*SUPERB_ Definitions*

*_Wonderfully described definitions......._*

*CIGARETTE:*
A pinch of tobacco
rolled in paper
with fire at one end
and a fool at the other!

*MARRIAGE:*
It's an agreement
wherein
a man loses his bachelor degree
and a woman gains her master

*LECTURE:*
An art of transmitting Information
from the notes of the lecturer
to the notes of students
without passing through the minds
of either

*CONFERENCE:*
The confusion of one man
multiplied by the
number present

*COMPROMISE:*
The art of dividing
a cake in such a way that
everybody believes
he got the biggest piece

*TEARS:*
The hydraulic force by which
masculine will power is
defeated by feminine water-power!

*DICTIONARY:*
A place where divorce comes
before marriage

*CONFERENCE ROOM:*
A place where everybody talks,
nobody listens
and everybody disagrees later on

*CLASSIC:*
A book
which people praise,
but never read

*SMILE:*
A curve
that can set
a lot of things straight!

*OFFICE:*
A place
where you can relax
after your strenuous
home life

*ETC:*
A sign
to make others believe
that you know
more than
you actually do

*COMMITTEE:*
Individuals
who can do
nothing individually
and sit to decide
that nothing can be done
together

*EXPERIENCE:*
The name
men give
to their
Mistakes

*ATOM BOMB:*
An invention
to bring an end
to all
inventions

*DIPLOMAT:*
A person
who tells you
to go to hell
in such a way
that you actually look forward
to the trip

*OPPORTUNIST:*
A person
who starts taking bath
if he
accidentally falls
into a river

*MISER:*
A person
who lives poor
so that
he can die RICH!

*FATHER:*
A banker
provided by
nature

*CRIMINAL:*
A guy
no different
from the other,
unless he gets caught

*BOSS:*
Someone
who is early
when you are late
and late
when you are early

*POLITICIAN:*
One who
shakes your hand
before elections
and your Confidence
Later

*DOCTOR:*
A person
who kills
your ills
by pills,
and kills you
by his bills!

Some Moments To Laugh

Wednesday, June 20, 2018

A Few Excellent Jokes

Friday, June 23, 2017

Motivating Short Stories

Views Of Danendra