7 Colors of The Life

Back to Life Blog

2007-10-15T22:30:00.001+05:45

Hi Readers,

I am back to my life blog. Before I kick start this poor blog, I would like to rewind a little history behind this blog. Just for the sake of giving some idea to the readers instead of confusing with conflicting content :-)

This blog was initially had been created as "The Positive Blog". A blog to note the coolest and sweet moments of beautiful life around us. Unfortunately I hosted that blog on mblog.com, a moveable type hosted website. If I can recollect it correctly, I think that site was bankrupted and shutdown the services with out a notice in 1 year. I was literally shocked to know that. But luckily I could able to restore all the posts from google's cache. Thanks to google :-)

I have restored that blog and created seven colors of the life blog. That's the history behind this blog.

Going Forward...

I will be capturing the fun & happy moments of my life, my concerns about society etc etc..in this blog...

Keep watching this space...

The Most Beautiful Heart…

2007-05-10T09:56:00.000+05:45

One day a young man was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley. A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart for it was perfect. There was not a mark or a flaw in it. Yes, they all agreed it truly was the most beautiful heart they had ever seen. The young man was very proud and boasted more loudly about his beautiful heart.

Suddenly, an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said, "Why your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine."

The crowd and the young man looked at the old man's heart. It was beating strongly, but full of scars, it had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in, but they didn't fit quite right and there were several jagged edges. In fact, in some places there were deep gouges where whole pieces were missing. The people stared -- how can he say his heart is more beautiful, they thought?

The young man looked at the old man's heart and saw its state and laughed. "You must be joking," he said. "Compare your heart with mine, mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears."

"Yes," said the old man, "Yours is perfect looking but I would never trade with you. You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love - I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they give me a piece of their heart which fits into the empty place in my heart, but because the pieces aren't exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we shared.

"Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away, and the other person hasn't returned a piece of his heart to me. These are the empty gouges -- giving love is taking a chance. Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these people too, and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?"

The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks. He walked up to the old man, reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart, and ripped a piece out. He offered it to the old man with trembling hands.
The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart and then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man's heart. It fit, but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges.
The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man's heart flowed into his. They embraced and walked away side by side.

An Interesting reflection: Slow Down Culture

2007-02-07T12:50:00.001+05:45

I got this content in a mail forward from a friend. So I am not really not aware whose content this was.

It's been 18 years since I joined Volvo, a Swedish company. Working for them has proven to be an interesting experience. Any project here takes 2 years to be finalized, even if the idea is simple and brilliant. It's a rule.
Globalize processes have caused in us (all over the world) a general sense of searching for immediate results. Therefore, we have come to posses a need to see immediate Results. This contrasts greatly with the slow movements of the Swedish. They, on the other hand, debate, debate, debate, hold x quantity of meetings and work with a Slowdown scheme. At the end, this always yields better results.
Said in another words:

1. Sweden is about the size of San Pablo, a state in Brazil.
2. Sweden has 2 million inhabitants.
3. Stockholm has 500,000 people.
4. Volvo, Escania, Ericsson, Electrolux, Nokia are some of its renowned companies. Volvo supplies the NASA.

The first time I was in Sweden, one of my colleagues picked me up at the hotel every morning. It was September, bit cold and snowy. We would arrive early at the company and he would park far away from the entrance (2000 employees drive their car to work). The first day, I didn't say anything, either the second or third. One morning I asked, "Do you have a fixed parking space? I've noticed we park far from the entrance even when there are no other cars in the lot." To which he replied, "Since we're here early we'll have time to walk, and whoever gets in late will be late and need a place closer to the door. Don't you think? Imagine my face.

Nowadays, there's a movement in Europe name Slow Food. This movement establishes that people should eat and drink slowly, with enough time to taste their food, spend time with the family, friends, without rushing. Slow Food is against its counterpart: the spirit of Fast Food and what it stands for as a lifestyle. Slow Food is the basis for a bigger movement called Slow Europe, as mentioned by Business Week.

Basically, the movement questions the sense of "hurry" and "craziness" generated by globalization, fueled by the desire of "having in quantity" (life status) versus "having with quality", "life quality" or the "quality of being". French people, even though they work 35 hours per week, are more productive than Americans or British. Germans have established 28.8 hour workweeks and have seen their productivity been driven up by 20%. This slow attitude has brought forth the US's attention, pupils of the fast and the "do it now!".

This no-rush attitude doesn't represent doing less or having a lower productivity. It means working and doing things with greater quality, productivity, perfection, with attention to detail and less stress. It means reestablishing family values, friends, free and leisure time. Taking the "now", present and concrete, versus the "global", undefined and anonymous.

It means taking humans' essential values, the simplicity of living.

It stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighter and more productive where humans enjoy doing what they know best how to do. It's time to stop and think on how companies need to develop serious quality with no-rush that will increase productivity and the quality of products and services, without losing the essence of spirit.
In the movie, Scent of a Woman, there's a scene where Al Pacino asks a girl to dance and she replies, "I can't, my boyfriend will be here any minute now". To which Al responds, "A life is lived in an instant". Then they dance to a tango.

Many of us live our lives running behind time, but we only reach it when we die of a heart attack or in a car accident rushing to be on time. Others are so anxious of living the future that they forget to live the present, which is the only time that truly exists. We all have equal time throughout the world. No one has more or less. The difference lies in how each one of us does with our time. We need to live each moment. As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans".

Congratulations for reading till the end of this message. There are many who will have stopped in the middle so as not to waste time in this globalize world.

Keep the head to the Sky !

2006-09-17T02:49:00.000+05:45

A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20.00 bill. In the room of 200, he asked: "Who would like this $20 bill…?"

Hands started going up.

He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this. He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill.
He then asked, "Who still wants it?"

Still the hands were up in the air.

Well, he replied, "What if I do this?"

And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty.

"Now, who still wants it?"

Still the hands went into the air.

My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in Value. It was still worth $20.

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who DO LOVE you.

The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE. You are special- Don't EVER forget it."

Count your blessings, not your problems.
If God brings you to it - He will bring you through it.

Celebrate Reading.....

2006-09-10T02:58:00.000+05:45

Two men went fishing. One was an experienced fisherman, the other wasn't. Every time the experienced fisherman caught a big fish, he put it in his ice chest to keep it fresh. Whenever the inexperienced fisherman caught a big fish, he threw it back.

The experienced fisherman watched this go on all day and finally got tired of seeing the man waste good fish. "Why do you keep throwing back all the big fish you catch?" he asked.

The inexperienced fisherman replied, "I only have a small frying pan."

Sometimes, we, like that fisherman, throwback the big plans, big dreams, big jobs, big opportunities that we get because our faith is too small to hold the big dream or big opportunity.

We laugh at that fisherman who didn't figure out that all he needed was a bigger frying pan, yet how ready are we to increase the size of our faith?

Whether it's a problem or a possibility, it will never come to you if you can’t handle it. That means we can confidently walk into anything that comes our way.

REMEMBER:

No problem is unsolvable, no adversary is insuperable, and no peak is unconquerable. All limitations are in our faith. Don't be frightened by obstacles for you are destined to overcome them.

There is a lot beyond A...B...C...D

2006-02-21T11:51:00.000+05:45

Always take time for yourself, at least 30 minutes per day.

Be aware of your own stress meter: Know when to step back and cool down.

Concentrate on controlling your own situation, without controlling everybody else.

Daily exercise will burn off the stress chemicals.

Eat lots of fresh fruit, veggies, bread and water, give your body the best for it to perform at its best.

Forgive others, don't hold grudges and be tolerant -- not everyone is as capable as you.

Gain perspective on things, how important is the issue?

Hugs, kisses and laughter: Have fun and don't be afraid to share your feelings with others.

Identify stressors and plan to deal with them better next time.

Judge your own performance realistically; don't set goals out of your own reach.

Keep a positive attitude, your outlook will influence outcomes and the way others treat you.

Limit alcohol, drugs and other stimulants, they affect your perception and behaviour.

Manage money well, seek advice and save at least 10 per cent of what you earn.

No is a word you need to learn to use without feeling guilty.

Outdoor activities by y ourself, or with friends and family, can be a great way to relax.

Play your favourite music rather than watching television.

Quit smoking: It is stressing your body daily, not to mention killing you too.

Relationships: Nurture and enjoy them, learn to listen more and talk less.

Sleep well, with a firm mattress and a supportive pillow; don't overheat yourself and allow plenty of ventilation.

Treat yourself once a week with a massage, dinner out, the movies: Moderation is the key.

Understand things from the other person's point of view.

Verify information from the source before exploding.

Worry less, it really does not get things completed better or quicker.

Xpress: Make a regular retreat to your favourite space, make holidays part of your yearly plan and budget.

Yearly goal setting: Plan what you want to achieve based on your priorities in your career, relationships, etc.

Zest for life: Each day is a gift, smile and be thankful that you are a part of the bigger picture.

I can do this!

2005-10-14T13:14:00.000+05:45

There once was a bunch of tiny frogs... ...

who arranged a running competition.

The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower.A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants... The race began.....

Honestly : No one in the crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower.

You heard statements such as: "Oh, WAY too difficult!! They will NEVER make it to the top."
or: "Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!"

The tiny frogs began collapsing. One by one... ...

Except for those who in a fresh tempo were climbing higher and higher...

The crowd continued to yell ....

"It is too difficult!!! No one will make it!"

More tiny frogs got tired and gave up... ...But ONE continued higher and higher and higher...

This one wouldn't give up! At the end everyone else had given up climbing the tower. Except for the one tiny frog who after a big effort was the only one who reached the top!

THEN all of the other tiny frogs naturally wanted to know how this one frog managed to do it?

A contestant asked the tiny frog how the one who succeeded had found the strength to reach the goal?

It turned out...That the winner was DEAF!!!!

The wisdom of this story is: "Never listen to other people's tendencies to be negative or pessimistic......cause they take your most wonderful dreams and wishes away from you. The ones you have in your heart! Always think of the power words have. Because everything you hear and read will affect your actions!"

Therefore: ALWAYS BE...POSITIVE!

And above all: Be DEAF when people tell YOU that YOU can not fulfil YOUR dreams!

Always think: I can do this!

What really matters ?

2005-08-21T17:46:00.000+05:45

Scientists at the Rocket launching station in Thumba, were in the habit of working for nearly 12 to 18 hours a day. There were about Seventy such scientists working on a project. All the scientists were really frustrated due to the pressure of work and the demands of their boss but everyone was loyal to him and did not think of quitting the job.

One day, one scientist came to his boss and told him - Sir, I have promised to my children that I will take them to the exhibition going on in our township. So I want to leave the office at 5 30 pm.

His boss replied - O K, , You are permitted to leave the office early today.

The Scientist started working. He continued his work after lunch. As usual he got involved to such an extent that he looked at his watch when he felt he was close to completion.The time was 8.30 p.m

Suddenly he remembered of the promise he had given to his children. He looked for his boss,,He was not there. Having told him in the morning itself, he closed everything and left for home.

Deep within himself, he was feeling guilty for having disappointed his children.

He reached home. Children were not there.His wife alone was sitting in the hall and reading magazines. The situation was explosive, any talk would boomerang on him.

His wife asked him - Would you like to have coffee or shall I straight away serve dinner if you are hungry.

The man replied - If you would like to have coffee, i too will have but what about Children???

Wife replied- You don't know - Your manager came at 5 15 p.m and has taken the children to the exhibition.

What had really happened was

The boss who granted him permission was observing him working seriously at 5.00 p.m. He thought to himself, this person will not leave the work, but if he has promised his children they should enjoy the visit to exhibition. So he took the lead in taking them to exhibition

The boss does not have to do it everytime. But once it is done, loyalty is established.

That is why all the scientists at Thumba continued to work under their boss eventhough the stress was tremendous.

By the way , can you hazard a guess as to who the boss was?

He was A P J Abdul Kalam, the current President of India.

Art of letting go...

2005-06-10T17:18:00.000+05:45

Dr. Alan Zimmerman's Comments:

Sooner or later, everyone you know will disappoint you in some way. They'll say something or fail to say something that will hurt you. And they'll do something or fail to do something that will anger you. It's inevitable. Unfortunately, you make things worse when you stew over someone's words and deeds. When you dwell on a rude remark or an insensitive action made by another person, you're headed for deeper problems. In fact, the more you dwell on these things, the more bitter you'll get. You'll find your joy, peace and happiness slipping away. And you'll find your productivity slowing down as you spend more and more time thinking about the slight or telling others about it. Eventually, if you don't stop doing it, you'll even get sick.
So what should you do the next time someone betrays you? TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR FEELINGS. Even though the other person may be at fault, even though the other person wronged you, you are still responsible for your own feelings.
In other words, other people do not "cause" your feelings. You choose them. For example, two different people could be told that their suggestions made at the staff meeting were "stupid and idiotic." One person may "choose" to feel so hurt that he never speaks up at any other meeting again. The other person may "choose" to feel sorry for the critic, sorry that the critic couldn't see the wisdom and necessity of her suggestions.
As long as you blame other people for your feelings, as long as you believe other people caused your feelings, you're stuck. You're a helpless victim.
But if you recognize the fact that you choose your feelings and you are responsible for your feelings, there's hope. You can take some time to think about your feelings. And you can decide what is the best thing to say or do.
Then, you've got to learn to WALK AWAY FROM DISAPPOINTMENT. It's difficult to do, but it's possible. The famous 19th century Scottish historian, Thomas Carlyle, proved that.
After working on his multi-volume set of books on "The French Revolution" for six years, Carlyle completed the manuscript and took volume one to his friend John Stuart Mill. He asked Mill to read it.
Five days later, Mill's maid accidentally threw the manuscript into the fire. In agony, Mill went to Carlyle's house to tell him that his work had been destroyed.
Carlyle did not flinch. With a smile, he said, "That's all right, Mill.
These things happen. It is a part of life. I will start over. I can remember most of it, I am sure. Don't worry. It's all here in my mind. Go,my friend! Do not feel bad." As Mill left, Carlyle watched him from the window. Carlyle turned to his wife and said, "I did not want him to see how crushed I am by this misfortune." And with a heavy sigh, he added, "Well the manuscript is gone, so I had better start writing again." Carlyle finally completed the work, which ranks as one of the great classics of all time. He had learned to walk away from his disappointment.
After all, what could Carlyle have done about his burnt manuscript?
Nothing. Nothing would have resurrected the manuscript. All Carlyle could do was to get bitter or get started. And what can you do about anything once it is over? Not much. You can try to correct it if it is possible, or you can walk away from it if it isn't. Those are your only two choices.
Sometimes you've just got to shake it off and step up. It's like the farmer who had an old mule who fell into a deep dry well. As he assessed the situation, he knew it would be difficult, if not impossible, to lift the heavy mule out of the deep well.
So the farmer decided to bury the mule in the well. After all, the mule was old and the well was dry, so he could solve two problems at once. He could put the old mule out of his misery and have his well filled.
The farmer asked his neighbors to help him with the shoveling. To work they went. As they threw shovel-full of dirt after shovel-full of dirt on the mule's back, the mule became frightened.
Then all of a sudden an idea came to the mule. Each time they would throw a shovel-full of dirt on his back, he would shake it off and step up.
Shovel-full after shovel-full, the mule would shake it off and step up. In not too long a time, the exhausted and dirty mule stepped over the top of the well and through the crowd.
That's the same approach we all need to take. We need to shake it off and step up.
Finally, you need to FORGIVE. It's difficult, especially when the other person doesn't deserve your forgiveness or doesn't even seek it. It's difficult when the other person is clearly in the wrong.
Part of the difficulty comes from a common misunderstanding of forgiveness. Forgiveness doesn't mean that the other person's behavior is okay. And forgiveness doesn't mean that the other person is off the hook. He's still responsible for his misbehavior. Forgiveness is about letting yourself off the emotional hook. It's about releasing your negative emotions, attitudes, and behaviors. It's about letting go of the past so you can go forward to the future.
Everyone in your life, everyone on and off the job is going to disappoint you. If you know how to respond to those situations, you'll be way ahead of most people. You'll be able to live above and beyond your circumstances

Hold the hand of the person whom you love...

2005-03-31T10:17:00.000+05:45

Little girl and her father were crossing a bridge. The father was kind of scared so he asked his little daughter, "Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don't fall into the river." The little girl said, "No, Dad. You hold my hand."

"What's the difference?" Asked the puzzled father.

"There's a big difference," replied the little girl. "If I hold your hand
and something happens to me, chances are that I may let your hand go.

But if you hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens, you will never let my hand go." In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond. So hold the hand of the person whom you love rather than expecting them to hold urs...

Why Me?

2005-03-14T11:17:00.000+05:45

Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player was dying of AIDS.

From world over, he received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed :
"Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease"?

To this Arthur Ashe replied:
In the world over 5 crore children start playing tennis, 50 lakh learn
to play tennis,
5 lakh learn professional tennis,
50,000 come to the circuit,
5000 reach the grand slam,
50 reach Wimbeldon,
4 to semi final,
2 to the finals,
When I was holding a cup I never asked GOD "Why me?"
And today in pain I should not be asking GOD "Why me?"

Happiness keeps u Sweet,
Trials keep u Strong,
Sorrow keeps u Human ,
Failure Keeps u Humble,
Success keeps u Glowing,
But only God Keeps u Going.

2004-12-03T13:32:00.000+05:45

It's your Choice !

Manage to see what is on the earth...

2004-12-01T18:11:00.000+05:45

AN ASTRONOMER used to go out at night to observe the stars. One evening, as he wandered through the suburbs with his whole attention fixed on the sky, he fell accidentally into a deep well. While he lamented and bewailed his sores and bruises, and cried loudly for help, a neighbor ran to the well, and learning what had happened said: "Hark ye, old fellow, why, in striving to pry into what is in heaven, do you not manage to see what is on earth?'

We can always look in to extreme heights, but always having a truth in mind that we live on earth.

How to make yourself happy !

2004-11-29T14:22:00.000+05:45

Got these from a friend, a beautiful powerpoint presentation :-)

Have Tagets and Goals
Smile Always
Share Happiness with Others
Willing to help others
Keep a child like heart
Get on well with different kinds of people
Keep the sense of Humor
Keep calm when surprise comes
Forgive others
Have some really good friends
Always work in team
Enjoy the family gathering time
Be confident and proud of yourself
Respect the weak
Indulge yourself, sometimes
Work from time to time
Be brave and courageous
Finally, Don't be a money grabber

A man is known by the company he keeps.

2004-11-26T13:04:00.000+05:45

From Fables

A MAN wished to purchase an Ass, and agreed with its owner that he should try out the animal before he bought him. He took the Ass home and put him in the straw-yard with his other Asses, upon which the new animal left all the others and at once joined the one that was most idle and the greatest eater of them all. Seeing this, the man put a halter on him and led him back to his owner. On being asked how, in so short a time, he could have made a trial of him,

he answered, "I do not need a trial; I know that he will be just the same as the one he chose for his companion."

The Ants and the Grasshopper

2004-11-25T15:48:00.000+05:45

From Fables¹

THE ANTS were spending a fine winter's day drying grain collected in the summertime. A Grasshopper, perishing with famine, passed by and earnestly begged for a little food. The Ants inquired of him, "Why did you not treasure up food during the summer?' He replied, "I had not leisure enough. I passed the days in singing."

They then said in derision: "If you were foolish enough to sing all the summer, you must dance supperless to bed in the winter."

Moral of the story : "It is thrifty to prepare today for the wants of tomorrow"

1 - Fables : Very similiar to Indian Panchatantra and Jataka Tales (ancient to Fables), fables are Nearly as old as the Olympics, bigger than Dinosaur, older than the Titanic, more complex than Pokemon and more of them than Beanie Babies are Aesop's Fables. Every day hundreds of entire classrooms of kids from all over the world stop by to read, learn and enhance their living experience.

2004-11-18T18:00:00.000+05:45

Life is a journey, Not a guided tour.

2004-11-18T17:58:00.000+05:45

Talent is God-Given - Be humble, Fame is man-given - Be grateful, Conceit is self-given - Be Careful

2004-11-18T17:54:00.000+05:45

Yesterday is already a dream, and tommorow is only vision; but Today, well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tommorow a vision of hope.

2004-11-18T17:49:00.000+05:45

To handle yourself, use your head, To handle others use your heart. - Eleanor Roosevelt.

2004-11-18T17:47:00.000+05:45

Keep Laughing...As long as you're laughing you still have hope. - Moe Howard.

2004-11-18T17:46:00.000+05:45

Age is an issue of mind over matter...If you don't mind...it does'nt matter ---Mark Twain.

2004-11-18T17:44:00.000+05:45

Don't Judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.

2004-11-18T17:40:00.000+05:45

Climb every mountain, ford every stream, Follow every rainbow
'till you find your dream.

2004-11-18T17:38:00.000+05:45

The Key to everything is PATIENCE...You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it. - Arnold Glasgow.

2004-11-18T17:36:00.000+05:45

When you loose, Do not loose the lesson which made you loose...

People who have influenced the world through Knowledge Sharing...

2004-11-05T11:07:00.000+05:45

Akshay, a senior Project Engineer, was thoughtfully adding sugar to the almost-black coffee that he had just prepared. This was his third cup in 4 hours. What could he do? He needed some stimulants to stay wake and finish his task-at-hand. He'd just started sipping his coffee when he heard someone laugh heartily. He turned to find a senior-looking woman and an apparently younger man shaking hands. He recognized the woman immediately! She was Aarti, the manager of the group that was being spoken about a lot these days! It was the group that had been flooded with many a project recently! It was great news, but he was also aware of the fact that there were many delivery pressures that the group was bound to have given the volume of work. And here she was laughing like a child! He was almost envious of the magnetism and cheerfulness that the woman displayed. How was it that some people seemed to be nonchalant at all times?

What happened next was amazing! It was like as if God had heard his question and decided to give him the answer! The man talking to Aarti posed an even more elaborate question than the one that Akshay had to her! Aarti, I am curious about something. I know I can ask you this question. How is that you manage to get so much work done and don't seem to have to worry about delivering so many products? How do you influence and inspire your teams to do so well? How is it that you are so respected and listened to? I am sure that I have a lot to learn from you on these things!

Akshay almost pricked his ears up like a dog.

Aarti replied spontaneously Let me share some stuff that I've learned and experienced time and again. If you need to achieve and accomplish your objectives, first of all you need to understand that you cannot do it alone and need a team of people, with different competencies, chipping in. That understood; if you want people to join you in accomplishing something, you need to be able to influence and inspire them to join you. Now, how can you influence people?

You can't just order people around and expect things to be sustained for ever! If you share your knowledge and explain the why and how of things and let others take equal ownership of your idea, it simply means you trust them. Trust brings the best out of people. For people to trust you and look up to you, you have to obviously share your knowledge and nurture your team members. You can't expect to be trusted, recognized and looked up to if you hoard knowledge! You'll only be suspected, stayed away from and be seen as selfish.

The person who had asked Aarti the question interrupted excitedly and said YES! It is so easy for me to understand now! I know for a fact that the most popular and successful people are those that don't hoard knowledge but share! After all, they not only are recognized and respected for it but it also so happens that because of the exchanges and interactions that ensue, they learn so much more from the environment as well! They get what they give!

Aarti laughed her hearty laugh again and said Bingo! Akshay suddenly found himself trying to sip from an empty cup but his mind was brimming with freshly brewed thoughts! He almost smiled into the cup.

Yes ! Knowledge sharing is probably the most trusted and sure-fire way of attracting strong forces to join you in accomplishing your objectives.

Man thrives, oddly enough, only in the presence of a challenging

2004-10-26T10:15:00.000+05:45

Via Pooran...

You might have read this before...but again..

The Japanese have always loved fresh fish. But the waters close to Japan have not held many fish for decades. So to feed the Japanese population, fishing boats got bigger and went farther than ever. The farther the fishermen went, the longer it took to bring in the fish. If the return trip took more than a few days, the fish were not fresh. The Japanese did not like the taste.

To solve this problem, fishing companies installed freezers on their boats. They would catch the fish and freeze them at sea. Freezers allowed the boats to go farther and stay longer. However, the Japanese could taste the difference between fresh and frozen they did not like frozen fish. The frozen fish brought a lower rice.

So fishing companies installed fish tanks. They would catch the fish and stuff them in the tanks, fin to fin. After a little hashing around, the fish stopped moving. They were tired and dull, but alive.

Unfortunately, the Japanese could still taste the difference. Because the fish did not move for days, they lost their fresh-fish taste. The Japanese preferred the lively taste of fresh fish, not sluggish fish.

So how did Japanese fishing companies solve this problem? How do they get fresh-tasting fish to Japan?

To keep the fish tasting fresh, the Japanese fishing companies still put the fish in the tanks. But now they add a small shark to each tank. The shark eats a few fish, but most of the fish arrive in a very lively state.

The fish are challenged.

As soon as you reach your goals, such as finding a wonderful mate, starting a successful company, paying off your debts or whatever, you might lose your passion. You don't need to work so hard so you relax.

Like the Japanese fish problem, the best solution is simple. It was observed by L. Ron Hubbard in the early 1950's.

"Man thrives, oddly enough, only in the presence of a challenging environment."

The Benefits of a Challenge

The more intelligent, persistent and competent you are, the more you enjoy a good problem. If your challenges are the correct size, and if you are steadily conquering those challenges, you are happy. You think of your challenges and get energized. You are excited to try new solutions. You have fun. You are alive!

Recommendations

Instead of avoiding challenges, jump into them. Beat the heck out of them. Enjoy the game.

If your challenges are too large or too numerous, do not give up. Failing makes you tired. Instead, reorganize. Find more determination, more knowledge, more help.

Don't create success and lie in it. You have resources, skills and abilities to make a difference.

Put a shark in your tank and see how far you can really go!

Have a great day and take care :)
Pooran

Try this...

2004-10-25T16:11:00.000+05:45

Once there was loving couple travelling in a bus in a mountainous area.They decided to get down at some place. After the couple got down at some place the bus moved on. As the bus moved on, a huge rock fell on the bus from the mountain and crushed the bus to crumbs. Everybody on board was killed.The couple upon seeing that, said, "We wish we were on that bus" Why do u think they said that?

comment your answer...:-)

You are the guy to decide...

2004-10-25T16:10:00.000+05:45

You are the person who has to decide.Whether you'll lead or will linger behindWhether you'll do it or toss it aside Whether you'll try for the goal that's afar.Or just be contented to stay where you are."

--Edgar A. Guest

If you limit your choices ..

2004-10-25T16:06:00.000+05:45

If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is a compromise." --Robert Fritz

Make some one realize...

2004-10-25T16:05:00.000+05:45

" You can't make someone love you, all you can do is be someonewho can be loved, the rest is up to the person to realize your worth."

Source - Shivaji

Reasons to be alive in this world...

2004-10-25T16:03:00.000+05:45

1. I love my family and they love me.
2. I love my friends and they do so too.
3. I am an Indian, born in a great country with rich set of heritage and tradition lives with in us.
4. I have a good internet connectivity @ office.
5. I love the nature around, and I have seen only atomic part of it till now.… lot of it to be explored.
6. Till now I never had sex and wondering how it became a famous sport in world.
7. I believe in "Exporting truth is nothing but science" and I love to explore science as much as possible.
8. My life is going cool…and hope it will be…:-)
9. Doc says "Your heart is working great".
10. I don't have HIV.
11. I am most lovable for at least one person on this earth.
12. I love kids, and want to have some and play with them.
13. I am able to live with out having my personal ego effected.

THREE THINGS IN LIFE &...

2004-10-25T15:58:00.000+05:45

Via Pooran

Three things of life once gone never comes back -
Time, words & opportunity

Three things of life must not be lost -
Peace, hope & honesty.

Three things of life are most valuable -
Love, self-confidence & friends

Three things of life are never sure -
Dreams, success & fortune

Three things make a Man/Woman -
Hard work, sincerity & success

Three things of life that destroy a Man/Woman -
Wine, pride & anger

FAILURE

Failure doesn't mean - You are a failure,
It means - You have not succeeded.

Failure doesn't mean - You accomplished nothing,
It means - You have learned something.

Failure doesn't mean - That you have been a fool,
It means - You had a lot of faith.

Failure doesn't mean - You've been disgraced.,
It means - You were willing to try.

Failure doesn't mean - You don't have it.,
It means - You have to do something in a different way.

Failure doesn't mean - You are inferior.
It means -You are not perfect.

Failure doesn't mean - You've wasted your life.,
It means - You have a reason to start afresh.

Failure doesn't mean - You should give up.,
It means - You must try harder.

Failure doesn't mean -You'll never make it.,
It means - It will take a little longer.

Failure doesn't mean - God has abandoned you.,
It means - God has a better way for you.

SUN RISE
Every morning in Africa,
When the Sun rises, A deer awakens,
Knowing it has to outrun the fastest Lion,

OR, be hunted to death....

Every morning in Africa,When the Sun rises,
A Lion awakens,Knowing it has to outrun the slowest deer,

OR, be starved to death....

It does not matter whether you are a deer or Lion,
When the Sun rises,Better be running at your best..

You only live once.
What do you really want to doand achieve in life?

Let's think, learn & share.
It is a meaningful journey.

Do not waste today regretting yesterday.

Feel it !

2004-10-25T15:56:00.000+05:45

June 23rd, 2004
-----------------
I sent this write-up to my special friend as sms lastnight...and did some modifications now...

When you ;
look at the sky : Feel the heights of my love
look at the ocean : Feel the depth of my care
look at the fire : Feel the warmth of my hug
look at the trees : Feel the roots of my friendship
look at the people : Feel the speciality in me
look at the mirror : Feel me standing beside you
look at my eyes : Feel that I just can't live with out you.

Drive safely

2004-10-25T15:55:00.000+05:45

Sanjay, a rich guy, loved fast cars and he did have a few in his possession. He loved to speed and could not be bothered about breaking speed limits. Many a time he was caught by the cops and speed radars, fined, but still he never bothered until.

One day as he was driving at a very high speed as usual, he saw a cop following him in his police car. The cop overtook him finally andasked him to stop and checked his license. He then took out his pad and started Writing, and then handed over the sheet of paper to Sanjay.
How much was this one going to cost?Wait a minute.What was this?Some kind of joke? Certainly not a ticket.

Sanjay began to read:

"Dear Sanjay, Once upon a time I had a lovely daughter. She was six when killed by a car. You guessed it - a speeding driver's car.A fine and three months in jail, and the man was free. Free to hug his all his three daughters. I only had one, and I'm going to have to wait until Heaven, before I can ever hug her again. A thousand times I've tried to forgive that man. A thousand times I thought I had. Maybe I did, but I need to do it again.Even now. Pray for me.. And be careful, Sanjay, my son is all I have left."

Sanjay turned around in time to see the cop's car pull away and head down the road. He watched until it disappeared. A full 15 minutes later, he too, pulled away and drove slowly home, praying for forgiveness and hugging a surprised wife and kids when he arrived.
Life is precious. Handle with care. This is an important message; Please pass it along to your friends. Drive safely and carefully. Remember,Cars are not the only things recalled by their maker.

Funny how you can send a thousand jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding thesanctity of life, people think twice about sharing. Funny, how when you go to forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you, for sending it to them.

Pass this on, you may save a life. Maybe not, but we'll never know if WE DON'T TRY.
This may not be safety week.

Drive safely anyway.

'Real Life' Laws

2004-10-25T15:49:00.000+05:45

Jone's Motto: Friends come and go, but enemies accumulate.

Terman's Law of Innovation: If you want a team to win the high jump, you find one person who can jump seven feet, not seven people who can jump one foot each.

O'brien's Variation: If you change queues, the one you have left will start to move faster than the one you are in now.

Conway's Law: In any organization there will always be one person who knows what is going on. This person must be fired.

The Peter Principle: In a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence. Work is accomplished by those employees who have not reached their level of incompetence.

H.L.Mencken's Law: Those who can, do. Those who cannot, teach.

Martin's Extension: Those who can't teach, administer

Belani's Extrapolation: Those who cannot even administer, become consultants.

Lieberman's Law: Everbody lies; but it doesn't matter since nobody listens.

Kovac's Conundrum: When you dial a wrong number, you never get an engaged one.

Van Herpen's Law: The solving of the problem lies in finding the solvers.

Murphy's Law of Government: If anything can go wrong, it will do so in triplicate.

Bell's Theorem: When the body is immersed in water, the telephone rings.

Ruby's Principle of Close Encounters: The probability of meeting someone you know increases when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.

Young's Law: Great discoveries are made by mistake.

Kin Hubbard: A good listener is usually thinking about something else

One Anonymous Great Seer's Law : Money can't buy love, but it sure gets you a great bargaining position.

You are so blessed...

2004-10-25T15:48:00.000+05:45

Via Anju

If you woke up this morningwith more health than illness,you are more blessed than themillion who won't survive the week.

If you have never experiencedthe danger of battle,the loneliness of imprisonment,the agony of torture orthe pangs of starvation,you are ahead of 20 million peoplearound the world.

If you attend a church meetingwithout fear of harassment,arrest, torture, or death,you are more blessed than almostthree billion people in the world.

If you have food in your refrigerator,clothes on your back,a roof overyour head and a place to sleep,you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank,in your wallet, and spare changein a dish someplace, you are amongthe top 8% of the world's wealthy.

If your parents are still married and alive,you are very rare,especially in the United States.
If you hold up your head with a smileon your face and are truly thankful,you are blessed because the majority can,but most do not.

If you can hold someone's hand, hug themor even touch them on the shoulder,you are blessed because you canoffer God's healing touch.

If you can read this message,you are more blessed than overtwo billion people in the worldthat cannot read anything at all.

You are so blessed in waysyou may never even know.

Personality Match

2004-10-25T15:47:00.000+05:45

If you are a Mouse: Always up to some sort of a mischief! The mischievous gleam in your eyes is what makes you so cute and attractive to everyone.. You are an extremely fun-to-be-with kind of person. No wonder, people seek for your company and look forward to include you for all get-togethers. However, you are sensitive, which is a drawback.People need to select their words while talking to you. If someone tries to fiddle around and play with words while dealing with you, it is enough to invite your wrath. God bless the person then!

Who is a Friend?

2004-10-25T15:27:00.000+05:45

Got this as SMS, A Clear definition...

A Friend is ....
A Push When You are Stopped
A Guide When You are Searching
A Song When You are Glad
A Word When You are Lonely
and...
A Smile When You are Sad.

Society, is the Culprit?

2004-10-25T15:21:00.000+05:45

The society is a greatest teacher for anybody in for life, on the other hand, it is one of the strong factors to make people think in particular way. Society can make your mind roam in the narrow walls of the world.

as Guruji says in Geetanjali

Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
. . . . . . . . . .
my Father, let my country awake.

How beatiful it is? How many of us know about the depth of truth in our words?
Who is stopping us to speak out the truth? Our minds are whitepapers in childhood. Then who is scribbling on it? Lot of factors are built around human psychology. These are more powerful than the apple eaten by Eve.I have observed some interesting things in life of many people around me and shocked to realize the consequences of thinking in polluted way. People ignore the truth and will start thinking in so many directions.

Don’t Lend An Ear To What Others Say About You

2004-10-25T15:19:00.000+05:45

The person making snide or rude comments about you is just trying to trouble you and provoke a conflict. Leave it unattended and tell yourself ‘the person is trivial and misinformed’. Live in such a way that what is said about you cannot be taken to heart. Let your own actions determine how others see you, and then they will not believe the negative things said.

Keep Promises

2004-10-25T15:18:00.000+05:45

Whenever one makes a promise at a workplace or elsewhere, no matter what the cost, one must be ready to keep them. The easiest way to lose the respect of others is by guaranteeing things that one is ither unable or unwilling to deliver. Others will note an irresponsible attitude and be wary of approaching an unreliable guy, who continually breaks his promises.

What's the difference between a vision and a cause?

2004-10-25T15:16:00.000+05:45

Here's what sets them apart... No one is willing to die for a vision. People will die for a cause. You possess a vision. A cause possesses you. A vision lies in your hands. A cause lies in your heart. A vision involves sacrifice. A cause involves the ultimate sacrifice.

Know People

2004-10-25T15:15:00.000+05:45

Learn about others’ interests, their homes and families and their problems. Gaining the confidence of fellow workers is made much easier when one demonstrates a caring attitude. When others are joyful, rejoice with them, when troubled or in mourning, be sympathetic. Let everyone realise that they are regarded important.

How many times do we miss GOD's blessings

2004-10-25T15:10:00.000+05:45

A young man was getting ready to graduate college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.
As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bhagwad Geeta. Angrily, he raised his voice at his father and said, "With all your money you give me just a Book?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the holy book. He never contacted his father again for long long time.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father must be very old by now, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care things. When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart.

He began to search his father's important papers and saw the still new Bhagwad Geeta, just as he had left it years ago.; With tears, he opened the holy book and began to turn the pages. As he read those words, a car key dropped from an envelope taped behind the holy book. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words ..PAID IN FULL; How many times do we miss GOD's blessings because they are not packaged as we expected? "Challenges are what makes life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful."

Take Care Of others’ Feelings

2004-10-25T15:05:00.000+05:45

Humour at another’s expense is rarely worth the trouble. Not only that, the hurt and pain felt by that person will often come when least expected. Take into account another person’s feelings before you poke fun. Things said in jest are often the sharpest barbs to be felt. Be humorous not pungent.

Be Supportive And Encouraging

2004-10-25T14:58:00.000+05:45

Never let an opportunity to show kindness or encouragement to others to pass by. Praise good work, regardless of who did it. Sometimes one can turn even the most hardened of fellow workers into real softies once they realise that you are not afraid to compliment them or give encouraging words, despite how they may perceive you ordinarily. At the same time, when giving criticism, do it helpfully and gently, never spitefully. Show concern for another's feelings and well being. One can benefit greatly from even the smallest kindness shown.

Positive Relationships

2004-10-25T14:48:00.000+05:45

Building positive relationship at work is vital to an individual's success. It is not an easy task as it involves working with people having different attitudes, working styles, goals and moods. However, a little understanding, bit of tolerance, flexibility and lot of common sense can make one's task smoother, says Aditi Joshi

Everybody would agree that a dream job is a place where one looks forward to going to work and not a place one dreads because of the co-workers. With diversity at workplace becoming a reality in all fields, getting along with everyone at work has become a real challenge. Developing positive relationships at work is like block building. Just as fitting the right block in the right bracket leads to the desired shape, a right application of behaviour at right time leads to better understanding, communication and hence better relations.

It is important to realise that when people come to work each day, they don't leave their insecurities, personal problems and personality quirks at home. They come marching right into the office with them, and that's why there are so many conflicts and hiccups at work.