tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65275805183631923762024-03-05T15:29:09.435+05:30Different StrokesSnigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527580518363192376.post-24868034579821180622017-11-18T14:37:00.000+05:302017-11-18T14:37:42.298+05:30Sajanaa Saaga Kharada with Muga Dali and Saru | Drumstick Leaves with split green gram without skin and colocassia | Unique Iron Rich Odia Drumstick Leafy Green Recipe | <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span lang="EN-IN">Sajaana Saaga Kharada with Muga dali and Saru<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1qH1wGw2T4BpieVx7HrhCDTHGfRbKbjdClifdvXZPQ-KivqkR5BiNqNwLro58j5WQX5XBS2VR1KKAUK9HeA0rA1nzlUiYObTDHbz_bIoV7ZL8p4XdAJGH2I1M_s0osIRdm8za1S5OV40/s1600/IMG_20171117_075431327_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1qH1wGw2T4BpieVx7HrhCDTHGfRbKbjdClifdvXZPQ-KivqkR5BiNqNwLro58j5WQX5XBS2VR1KKAUK9HeA0rA1nzlUiYObTDHbz_bIoV7ZL8p4XdAJGH2I1M_s0osIRdm8za1S5OV40/s320/IMG_20171117_075431327_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<b>Sajanaa Saaga ( Drumstick Tree Leaves)</b><br />
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<b><span lang="EN-IN">Sajaana Saaga Kharada with Muga dali and Saru<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN">This dish is one
of the most traditional dishes of Odisha made all across the state, especially
in villages. Drumstick leaves are pretty high in iron, just like spinach, or
perhaps richer. Besides iron, it is amazingly rich in vitamins also, especially
Vitamin A, C and B 6, and calcium. No wonder, the poor working class villagers
manage to derive their requirements of iron and many other vitamins from this
one source, and other leafy greens of course.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN">The only pain is
the time taken for segregating the leaves from the branches/stems. One must
also exercise caution not to end up consuming caterpillar infested leaves!
Better to avoid having it in the season (rainy days) when caterpillars are just
all around drumstick tree. November seems to be a good period. I really managed
to get absolutely tender, green and clean branches</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN">For 4-5 serves<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN">Ingredients <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN">Muga dali (
split green grams without skin) – 3/4<sup>th</sup>
to 1 cup<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN">Sajanaa saaga (
drumstick leaves – tender ) – 3 to 4 cups<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN">Saru ( Arbi/
Colocassia) – 4-5 small ones ( called puaa saru – not the thick and large
variety which does not get tender easily)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN">Mustard oil- 1
tbsp <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN">Rasuna (Garlic
cloves) – 8-10<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN">Dry red
chilli - 1-2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN">Onion – 1 small<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN">Paanch Phutan –
1 tsp <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN">( Paanch Phutan
is a simple mix of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, black cumin seeds
and fenugreek seeds in a rough proportion of, say 5:3:2:1: a few seeds. It is a
very common tempering mix used too often in Odia and Bengal cuisines.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN">Water – 2 cups,
Rice stock – as required, about 2 cups<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN">Salt to taste (
about 2 tsp for this huge quantity ) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN">Procedure <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN">In a kadai (wok),
heat water (2 cups) and add <b>moong dal</b>
for boiling. As white scum starts showing up, just take it out from the surface
and discard. Do this a few times to almost clear the scum. After about 5 mins add
<b>arbi(saru)-</b> diced small- and let it
boil. Add <b>salt and a pinch of haldi</b>.
When water content starts reducing, keep adding bits of <b>rice stock</b> ( bhata <b>peja</b>
– the liquid we usually discard after boiling rice), in batches, so that daal
and arbi cook well without getting dry, or too watery. This way, right
consistency is easy to maintain. Cook for about 15 mins till daal and arbi get
tender and are almost on the verge of splitting ( check if you can mash them with
the back of the ladle). Add the <b>drumstick
leaves</b>, and a bit of chopped <b>green
chilli</b> ( to taste ). Continue adding bits of rice stock in batches, as you
keep stirring the saaga mix from time to time. ( If no rice stock is available,
just add water for the right semi-solid consistency.) It should not take more
than about 5 more mins for the leaves to get cooked. Switch off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN">Consistency : Semi-solid
and moist, with daal and arbi blending nicely. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN">Tempering<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN">Heat <b>mustard oil</b> (1 tbsp). Crackle <b>paanch phutan</b> ( 1 tsp). Add
crushed-n-chopped <b>garlic</b> cloves ( 8-10). You may retain the peel of a few of the
garlic cloves for more intense aroma! Saute till aromatic. Add <b>dry red chilli</b> ( 1-2), roughly broken
and chopped <b>onion</b> ( 1 small, chopped
a bit chunky, not fine). Saute for a while till onion is light brown and it
gives out a nice fried aroma. Add this to Saaga preparation and immediately
cover to trap the flavours. Open and
give it a quick mix. Serve hot with rice, along with other accompaniments. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN">Such a simple,
inexpensive dish and so rich in nutrients, and believe me, it is tasty though
look-wise it may not be very inviting for some people! Do try.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Snigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527580518363192376.post-34445016660010228522017-11-17T15:46:00.002+05:302017-11-17T15:48:09.367+05:30I have recently created a new exclusive Food blog<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hi Friends, I have recently created a new exclusive <a href="https://odiacuisine-from-snigdha.blogspot.in/" target="_blank">Food blog</a>.<a href="https://odiacuisine-from-snigdha.blogspot.in/" target="_blank"> </a> Please visit that for recipes.<br />
<br />
I had to give this blog for the Indi Blogger event, as somehow their site did not recognise my other new blog :( </div>
Snigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527580518363192376.post-397042314413578262017-11-17T15:19:00.000+05:302017-11-17T15:19:19.626+05:30Chicken Sajanaa Saaga Besara in unique Odia style | Chicken and Drumstick leaves in Mustard Paste | Simple Healthy Iron Rich Odia Recipe | Indian Cuisine |Unique Chicken Leafy Green Recipe | Recipe with Leafy Greens | Mustard Magic | Sajanaa Saaga Non Veg Recipe | <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNg0w_8D-j2Cv6KtYTSbe2O1PwJtsAx0C7l99OWD3l4voTaSYCX2EXBdaLaCYojDqId6eWC3yaobPkRWeb-HPkNG7jMm2JlBZoqRKsmEmF-j3iYzgWuk54mS0G_ailjnpkWTQkoFicLJg/s1600/Mustard+Chicken+with+Sajanaa+saaga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNg0w_8D-j2Cv6KtYTSbe2O1PwJtsAx0C7l99OWD3l4voTaSYCX2EXBdaLaCYojDqId6eWC3yaobPkRWeb-HPkNG7jMm2JlBZoqRKsmEmF-j3iYzgWuk54mS0G_ailjnpkWTQkoFicLJg/s320/Mustard+Chicken+with+Sajanaa+saaga.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Chicken Sajanaa Saaga
Besar in unique Odia homely style<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYFTWi-4VfJjyU3-eIRyporrY7A2fnPFx9eKV7-50X9dCC9tlGdqxoWKN0qYm1pLfcHvpYqWUUJVxABYjARwRk3dhgkOaMxUW8a-2t1teH5QHONvnbz1kTtIhAM76UfEsc7Hk1zjAKLyQ/s1600/IMG_20171117_075431327_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYFTWi-4VfJjyU3-eIRyporrY7A2fnPFx9eKV7-50X9dCC9tlGdqxoWKN0qYm1pLfcHvpYqWUUJVxABYjARwRk3dhgkOaMxUW8a-2t1teH5QHONvnbz1kTtIhAM76UfEsc7Hk1zjAKLyQ/s320/IMG_20171117_075431327_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b>Sajanaa Saaga
(Drumstick Tree leaves) <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdG1YyuENCblOkkAwoU9SSFrGYNDNO6pxed51k39ZjRmpQbXPPskRJL6NVJp3-RWoMRYJDYEToydLX3yECwdNKZ_yw5fhc6hLz-EAcF5M4dLAnmRwjATSNyNSCPsEQ1R-tTFHeF1HOro/s1600/IMG_20171117_105806013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdG1YyuENCblOkkAwoU9SSFrGYNDNO6pxed51k39ZjRmpQbXPPskRJL6NVJp3-RWoMRYJDYEToydLX3yECwdNKZ_yw5fhc6hLz-EAcF5M4dLAnmRwjATSNyNSCPsEQ1R-tTFHeF1HOro/s320/IMG_20171117_105806013.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b>Chicken leg-n-thigh
pieces<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>Chicken Sajanaa Saaga
Besar in unique Odia homely style<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Ingredients:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Chicken leg-n-thigh pieces – 4,<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sajanaa Saaga ( green, fully tender leaves of Drumstick tree
) – 2 to 2 ½ cup – fully cleaned of
stems and washed well<o:p></o:p></div>
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A paste of Sorisha, Kancha Lanka and a pinch of haldi (Mustard and green chilli - roughly 1-2 for 4-5
tbsp of mustard, with a pinch of turmeric) – 4 tbsp<o:p></o:p></div>
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Jeera ( Cumin) powder – 2 tsp<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ada-Rasun paste ( Ginger-Garlic paste – roughly in equal
proportion) – 1 ½ tbsp<o:p></o:p></div>
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Onion – 1 large, sliced ( about 1 cup) <o:p></o:p></div>
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Tomato – 1 medium - just quartered ( better to choose a non-tangy, red fleshy
one)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mustard oil – 3 tbsp
and a few more drops<o:p></o:p></div>
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Salt to taste ( 1-2 tsp)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Haldi ( turmeric)- about 1/2
tsp<o:p></o:p></div>
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Lemon juice – a few drops <o:p></o:p></div>
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Water -1 cup<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Procedure<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Clean 4 chicken leg-n-thigh pieces and just give them a few
slits ( see pic). Heat mustard oil ( 1 tbsp) and sear the chicken legs till
lightly brown. Keep aside.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In a small bowl, mix together mustard paste ( 4 tbsp), cumin powder( 2
tsp), G-G paste ( 1 ½ tbsp), turmeric ( about 1/2 tsp) with 1 cup water.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In a separate pan, heat mustard oil ( 2 tbsp). Add sliced
onion ( 1 large) and saute till translucent. Pour in the mustard spice mix.
Bring to a boil. Add the seared chicken legs and salt to taste. Cook covered
till chicken for about 15 mins on low heat. Add the tomato quarters and cook
covered for another 5 minutes. Tomato is not supposed to get fully tender, let
them stand out a bit. By now, chicken should be almost tender. (If needed, do
add some more water while the curry is cooking to adjust consistency which
should be thick gravy covering the chicken pieces- not too dry, neither runny
type). <o:p></o:p></div>
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When the chicken is done after about 20 minutes, add the
leafy green ( tender drumstick leaves – 2 to 2 ½ cup). <span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">May add one or two slit green chillies.</span>
Cook for 2-3 mins more. Finish with a few drops of lemon juice ( do taste
tanginess of curry from tomato before adding lemon juice) and a few drops of
mustard oil. Serve hot with rice/roti, whatever!<o:p></o:p></div>
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A simple, yummy, healthy dish with traditional ingredients
from Odia cuisine, combined in a unique manner, which is very nutritious and
rich in iron. Do check it out yourself!<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Snigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527580518363192376.post-44507940924443863392017-08-08T10:33:00.000+05:302017-08-08T10:33:02.797+05:30Are we working FOR, or WITH, happiness?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
( Note:: This article has already been published by e-magazine The Spark in their August, 2017 issue at <a href="http://www.sparkthemagazine.com/are-we-working-for-or-with-happiness/">http://www.sparkthemagazine.com/are-we-working-for-or-with-happiness/</a>)<br />
<br />
<br />
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Are we working <i>for</i>, or <i>with</i>, happiness?</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ask anyone, “What do you want in life?”, and
the most common answer would be “I want to be happy.” Everyone seems to be on a
perpetual quest for happiness in their own way. And everyone seems to be
working <i>for</i> that happiness!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">However, if we pause and reflect, we will
realise how we ourselves have made it so tough to be happy! The truth is:
happiness is meant to be our core state of being, having nothing to do with
anything outside. But, when one works <i>for</i>
happiness, he or she seeks it out at the destination, conditional upon
achieving a specific goal. We keep telling ourselves that we will be happy if
we get that luxurious car, that exquisite dress or if we top the class, if we
crack that exam, if we get that promotion, if we marry, if our children land a
high-paying job etc. – material goals that pop up endlessly relating to wealth,
status, fame etc. That too, very often, it is not only about one achieving a
goal personally, but also about our loved ones achieving targets we set for
them! It is not wrong to want to achieve these things, or to enjoy our success
in these fields. The problem is we seek joy in the outcome at the goalpost, not
in our input along the way. So instead of being happy about how we are doing at
the moment, we constantly worry about how to achieve the goal, and worse still,
we sometimes even compromise on our values, neglect our relationships, if need
be. In the process, we grow anxious and guilty while working towards our goals.
If we fail, we end up unhappy. Ironically, though, even on achieving that goal,
the happiness that we experience turns out to be very momentary and eludes us
soon after.<i> <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And that’s because our goalpost keeps
shifting, every time we achieve a goal! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Goals are never meant to be static in life as
long as they have to do with our outer world. Our mind has an uncanny knack of
picking on that one little thing that we do not have, thereby rendering useless
all that we already have. So, unless we cultivate contentment as a core value,
we can never be truly happy. <i>With </i>contentment<i>, we are </i>happy ‘now’<i> </i>and we work with happiness for the next<i>.</i> If we achieve the goal, we <i>are
</i>happy and keep working <i>with</i>
happiness<i>. </i>Even when we fail (and we
do fail several times in life), the fact remains that we have been happy doing
what we had been doing! And this, in turn, empowers us inwardly to keep staying
happy, fully understanding that we have done our best and there is always
another chance! Since in any case, as a contented person, we are working with
happiness, it never eludes us, whether we achieve or fail. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In fact, only with contentment<i> </i>comes the realisation that happiness is
a state of being<b>,</b><i> </i>and is not conditional upon anything
external. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So, it is very important to understand
contentment, one of the most misunderstood terms! Understood in proper
perspective, this one word can become the bedrock for everything right in our
lives. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Very often, when we say or hear the one-liner
“I am content”, do we mean, we are fine with the <i>as is</i> in the sense of not feeling the urge to crib and complain,
and instead focus on working harder and better; or do we try to justify our
laziness, inaction and lack of drive in the name of being contented, implying
there is no more need for us to aim higher, or work smarter? If your answer is in line with the first
interpretation, you are definitely on the right track.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">However, it is confounding to see how most of
us commonly interpret contentment as passivity<i> - </i>being satisfied with what we have, <i>not</i> out of a sense of true acceptance, but more out of being
resigned to what we have, in surrender to the status quo. No, it is not so.
Contentment never means you be satisfied with what you have, and have no
ambition or aspiration for the better. Rather, it means that when we are
satisfied with what we have got now, we are not frittering away our energy in
negative and/or waste emotions, thereby conserving our energy, our inner power
that we will use to work for better and higher goals. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">One doesn’t stop working further because he
or she is contented and happy; instead one works better and on higher goals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Contentment teaches us to work<i> with<u> </u></i>happiness<i>, </i>as against<i>, </i>working<i> for </i>happiness!<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And we can work <i>with</i> happiness, only when we are grateful<b> </b>for the things that we have. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">How can we be happy now, if we focus on and
crib about what we lack? When we have gratitude as a core value, even if we
lose sometimes, we will always find out what we still have<b> </b>and what we still can create. More significantly, we would always
look at ourselves for the person<i> </i>we
are becoming through self-transformation by remaining grateful for everything
or every lesson. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We cannot be happy, if we are not contented;
and we cannot be contented, if we have no sense of gratitude! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Going a little deeper, it is truly
enlightening to appreciate how the universal values, viz. gratitude,
acceptance, contentment and abundance are fully inter-woven - feeding on &
being fed by one another! Start at any point and we are eventually at
abundance, from which it creates more and more abundance, happiness and bliss.
When we are grateful, we accept<i> </i>situations
and people with understanding. When we accept, we let go of expectations from
others/outside, even own selves. we<i> </i>just
be, and let others be. Once we do not really expect, we are contented. Once
contented, we feel abundance<i>,</i> devoid of
any feeling of envy or longing, or any sense of lack. Once we feel abundant, on
one hand we work with greater energy to achieve more, and on the other hand, we
become generous - sharing with others,<b> </b>out
of our sense of abundance<i>.</i> Sharing
brings with it abundant joy and happiness<i>.</i>
This again creates another virtuous circle of higher positive energy,
happiness, gratitude, contentment, acceptance, higher energy, higher
achievements, greater sharing, higher joy and elevated energy exchanges…. And
the process becomes not only self-perpetuating, but spiralling upward,
continuously expanding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For most of us, our
natural tendency is to notice the nine bad things that happen to us each day.
But instead, what if we make a habit of looking for one single thing that we
are grateful for, every day? And express gratitude in writing each day? Then we
will automatically look out for and focus on that one good thing that also
happens to us during the day amidst the nine bad things! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">This way, a habit of looking for
the good gets formed. Over time, it gets into auto mode, and becomes a part of
our personality and character. Not only that, something else too happens. When
we are busy looking out for the good, our attention gets diverted from the bad
things, and whatever is starved of attention, stops growing. Nothing less than
a miracle unfolds here, in the process. Our mind-space for good keeps growing,
literally pushing out the bad and the wasteful, which stops getting registered
in our mind gradually. What gets registered in mind only leads to any feeling,
and with the habit of looking for and at the good, only good gets registered
and creates good feelings. And the process continues. Eventually, is not
happiness about good feelings inside? You are happy; you work with happiness;
you are content with the result; so <i>undisturbed</i>,
you keep working with happiness and to your best capacity. Happiness then
becomes your core state of being.</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">……………………………………….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Snigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527580518363192376.post-84589622579442828772016-11-04T15:06:00.001+05:302016-11-04T15:06:41.506+05:30Things do not happen to us; they happen for us! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN">Everything
happens for a reason; that too, to serve our own purpose. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN">When we live in
awareness and reflect in depth whenever we find ourselves in an extra-ordinary
situation – could be a challenging situation, or a traumatic situation ,or even
a simply bewildering situation that we fail to make sense of, or too happy a
situation, we see there is always an underlying design behind what happens to
us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN">Some situations test us and reveal US to OURSELVES. Our
true character surfaces</span></b><span lang="EN-IN"> – whether the values we
profess, the beliefs we propound are the ones we really live by, or merely
lip-service. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN">The issue with having
strong moral/ethical values is that you get tested for them again and again;
and one of the best tests of your belief in certain higher principle is whether
or not you can apply that in cases with which you have the least sympathy. For
example, you think you value woman’s dignity and hence, treat prostitution as
something condemnable in that context. But if you truly respect the dignity of
women, then you shall also sincerely condemn <i>all rapes- even that of a prostitute!!</i> If you, instead, start
creating the thought – “Well, why should she be sympathised? In any case, she
has already been selling her dignity, so what more she has lost by getting
raped??”, then a<b>re you the person you
thought you are ??</b> If, in this case, you cannot bring yourself to look at
her with the same pair of eyes as you would see any woman whose person has been
<i>violated by force against her wish, </i>it
only reflects that you lack conviction
in what you think you strongly believe<i>.</i>
If you truly value women’s dignity, then you will never miss out on the crucial
difference between doing <i>something ( </i>here,
prostitution) out of own decision(or some compulsion) and getting raped(i.e. violated
by force), notwithstanding the fact that <i>that
something</i>( prostitution) is detestable! For all you know, she might have
been victimised and forced into prostitution in the first place! Well, how she
got into that is beside the point here. <i>Point
is: if you are true to what you profess, then, you will always uphold: every
woman, even a prostitute, has a right not to be raped!</i> Because, it is the
act of rape that you will despise and condemn, not the victim, that too
selectively! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN">It is said, and
rightly so, </span><span lang="EN-US">everyone is
honest till temptation knocks at their door! So if you can actually stare at
temptation or adversity right in the eye and overcome them, then only you know
that honesty and courage are the hallmarks of your true character. <b>Not until then!</b> </span><span lang="EN-IN">Thus, difficult situations give us the much needed opportunity to see
clearly at ourselves, our deep seated beliefs and values, and open our eyes to the
splits and chinks in our own character, where we must work on ourselves.</span><span lang="EN-IN"> </span><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN">Some situations grind us hard, so that we develop our
“muscles”</span></b><span lang="EN-IN"> – hone our talents and strengths towards
our best potential, so that we keep doing better and better, until we do our
best and be our best in any situation. Need no elaboration. Ever tried learning
how to play a stringed musical instrument? Has anybody learnt playing it
without hurting their fingers at first? Have you ever learnt to ride a bi-cycle
without falling down a couple of times and most likely hurting yourself ? Without
falling and getting hurt, we don’t even learn how to walk! What to speak of the
higher and tougher things in life - acquiring knowledge, skills, talent, competence
and great human qualities!! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN">Some situations strike us hard and torture us literally
to make us learn the lessons that we need to learn; and teach us how to rise
above pain to power</span></b><span lang="EN-IN">, and ultimately leave us better
and stronger, ready to evolve to a higher level of being. Especially, the two
most important qualities for a spiritual transformation – <b>gratitude and compassion</b>- are best learnt in the process of actual
passage through pain, intense pain!! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN">All that happens
to us happens because the Law of Karma is indeed reformative, not punitive.<b> At each moment of the present, our past
comes as a situation that gives us an opportunity to settle our past karmic debts</b>,
<b>while on the other hand it is an
opportunity to create good karma that will create our destiny in future!</b> We
go on settling past karmic debt, if we choose to gracefully accept
responsibility for our current suffering ( loss, hurt, pain etc.) as consequences
of our own past bad karma, without creating further bad karma in terms of
resistance/retaliation. At the same time, these same situations give us an
opportunity to create new good karma, by transcending the bad energy via
creation of new good energy in return!! (Yes, it is possible, when we genuinely
<i>wish well</i> <i>for our tormentor</i> moving out of the zone of revenge.). As we do
that, we also grow stronger and evolve higher on our spiritual journey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN">Yes! It serves
us the greatest good to remember every moment that the ‘present’ is an
opportunity to earn new <i>good karma</i>
for fruition at a later date on maturity.
<b>That is why it is so called – ‘present’,
a gift!</b> <i>Past karma</i> was our fate
or <i>pre-destiny</i>, which we must face in
the present and endure with grace to settle it once for all; but what we do in
the present is our <i>present karma</i> which
creates our <i>destiny</i> every moment that
we are going to face as fate/pre-destiny in future! <b>So every situation that we may find ourselves in the present because of
our fate/pre-destiny is also an opportunity to create our destiny for future. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN">But whatever it
may be, a common thread runs through all situations:</span></i></b><i><span lang="EN-IN"> </span></i><b><u><span lang="EN-IN">Things do not happen <i>to </i>us; they happen <i>for</i> us! <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN">Especially the
so-called “bad” things! Because <b><u>we
learn a lesson the best when we actually <i>experience</i>
it in our life!!<o:p></o:p></u></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN">An anecdote from
the great Indian epic “Mahabharat” goes like this:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN">The very first
lesson the Pandava boys received from their <i>Guru</i>
in the Ashram was: “<i>Satyam vada, Krodham
maa kuru !” </i>which means “ Speak the Truth and never get angry!”
All the brothers, except Yudhisthir, confirmed the very next day that
they had remembered the lesson. But Yudhisthir said that he had learnt only the
first half, i.e.“Satyam vada” and not
the other half “ Krodham Maa kuru”. The Guru patiently made him repeat the words
“Krodham maa kuru”, “ Krodham maa kuru” a few times. Next day, when asked
whether he remembered it, Yudhisthir gave the same reply – he had learnt
“satyam vada”, but had yet to learn “ krodham maa kuru”. Though the teacher was
taken by a little surprise, he nevertheless made Yudhisthir repeat the words
multiple times to make him remember the teaching. And this went on for quite a
few days. Finally one day the Guru lost his temper and shouted in anger at
Yudhisthir: “Why is it that you can not remember three simple words Krodham Maa
kuru, despite repeating multiple times for so many days, while your younger
brothers learnt it the very first day? How can you be so stupid??” Only after a
few moments, Yudhisthir clapped his hands in joy and declared,” I have now
learnt the lesson!”. Surprised, Guru
asked, “How come only a moment ago, you were unable to recall the words, and now
you are so sure that you have learnt them??”
Replied Yudhisthir humbly, “Guruji ! I always speak the truth; so it was
easy to remember the first half of the lesson, which I have already mastered.
But I was not sure of the second half that says “never yield to anger”, until
and unless someone got angry at me and
in return, I remained calm. Today, I actually found that about myself.
So I can truthfully say now that I have remembered this part of the teaching as
well.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN">Yes! Life’s lessons
are not to be copied from others, nor memorised; they are to be “learnt” and
then only they can be remembered!!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN">Perhaps this is
why the greatest achievers also happen to be the ones who have seen great failures;
the most respected are the ones who perhaps have risen above the bitterest
humiliations, and the greatest healers are the ones who have been through the
most painful situations themselves!! Just remember, Jesus Christ, Gautam
Buddha, Ashoka, Mahatma Gandhi, Dada Vaswani …to name only a few!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN">Life’s
challenges, in the process of making us learn our lessons, strengthen and
fortify us still further so that we can cultivate the <b>right attitude</b> to everything in life and be our best,
notwithstanding the adversities. Ever
seen even a great saint not going through physical sufferings and other
hardships? <i>Success in the affairs of life
often serves to hide one's abilities, whereas adversity frequently gives one an
opportunity to discover them.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">"All the adversity I've had in my
life, has strengthened me. You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick
in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you."<br />
<b>Walt Disney<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN">Ever looked thoughtfully at a lotus?</span></b><span lang="EN-IN"> It is born out of, and
surrounded by mud and muck and water; yet no spec of mud or water can ever
settle on or stick to it!! What is more, it always, always rises and looks up
to the Sun – the source of Light! Similarly,<b> our ultimate motto in life ought to be a progressive
movement towards “light” – that is, end of ignorance and stepping into the
realm of knowledge, wisdom and spiritual enlightenment.</b> Adversities smite
us and give us the much-needed awakenings towards this end. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">A blacksmith, who loved God with all his heart
and soul notwithstanding his poverty and many a hardship, once was asked by a
non-believer in God: How can you trust and love a God who sends you so much of
sufferings and sickness?? The blacksmith
answered with a calm smile: <b>I am a
blacksmith and I know when I have to make a tool, I take a piece of iron, put
it into the fire, and then strike it hard on the anvil to check if it will take
temper. If it does, I know I can make something useful out of it. And if not, I
just throw it away as a useless scrap!! </b>Having been sent to this wonderful
world, I wish to be of use and value; and so I always pray God: Please pass me
through the fire of sufferings as much as YOU want, but pray, do not throw me
on the scrap-heap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Adversities are the best opportunities to make
us learn to see the positives even in the heap of negatives and help us cultivate
<b>an attitude of gratitude</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">There is this story of two people, whose ship
wrecked and they found themselves on an uninhibited island. For temporary
shelter, they built a cottage of branches and leaves of trees available there.
Every day, both would go to the sea shore and shout or wave their hands or
clothes for help in the hope that they would get sighted by some ship afar and
get rescued. But no help came for quite a few days. One of the two survivors
was a strong believer in God and always thanked God for everything, while the
other one was a non-believer. As days passed, the second man’s complainings knew
no bound. On the other hand, the first person always kept up his faith,
counting their blessings: “We still have so much to be grateful for! We are
alive; we could have drowned to death. We are on an island with some shelter at
least. We are having our eyes, hands, legs and other body parts intact and
still in our good senses, with which we are able to work toward our rescue.
Thank you, God!” One evening, as they were returning, they found their cottage
of branches and leaves burning and getting reduced to ash. The non-believer
started cursing the God, even as the believer still maintained that there must
be some good in this! The next morning,
they saw a small rescue boat waiting for them at the sea shore. The captain
explained that the previous evening, he had noticed some smoke rising from the
island and hence thought that there might be someone here who might need
help. The believer thanked God as usual,
with stronger belief in Divine design. Did the non-believer see the good in the
apparent negative incident of fire and change? Well, that crisis was certainly
an opportunity for him to learn the lesson in positivity and gratitude. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Yes, it is a story. But look around! Don’t you
see many such people in real life all the time?? In fact, many of the so called
common, ordinary people are like this, living with an <b>attitude of gratitude </b>which is why, we find them lead a “happy”
life even in circumstances like poverty, sickness and daily challenges!! We
have never bothered to look at them, or we evaluate their happiness quotient by
our own parameters and so fail to assess it correctly; then show the audacity
to pity them thinking: how miserable a life they are leading! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN">Even simple episodes of worsening
situations/inconveniences teach us the lessons in contentment and gratitude for
what we already have</span></b><span lang="EN-IN">. An insightful tale from Mullah Naseeruddin is
in order here:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN">Naseeruddin’s
neighbour one day lamented, “I am really having trouble fitting my family into
our small house. My wife, three children, my mother-in-law and I, all share the
same cottage. Mullah, you are a wise man. Do you have any advice for me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN">“Of course,”
replied Mullah. “Do you have any chickens in your yard?” The man replied, “Yes.
Ten.” Mullah ordered: “ Put them in your cottage.” “ But,” the man protested,”
our house is already so cramped.” Naseeruddin urged: “ Just try it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN">Desperate to
find a solution, the man followed Mullah’s advice, but the next day said,”
Mullah, with the chickens in the house, things are even worse now.” “Don’t
worry.”, replied Mullah. “Now take that donkey of yours into the house.” The
man resisted, but Naseeruddin convinced him to do it. The next day, the man,
more distressed than ever, grumbled, “This is terrible! Between the family, the
chickens and that donkey, there is barely any room to move!” “ Hmmm.” went Naseeruddin, “ any other
animals in your yard?” The man hesitated, “Well…we do have a goat.” Mullah
smiled: “Perfect! Take the goat in your house, too. ”The man was aghast and
raised a fuss again. But Mullah, wise and clever as he was, once again
convinced the man that it was for his best only. The next day the man virtually
exploded, “ My family is really upset now. Everyone is at my throat complaining
about the lack of space. Your plan is making us miserable.” Mullah nodded, “It’s time to take all the
animals back to the yard outside.” The
man was too relieved to follow this advice and did as he was told. Next day he
dropped by Naseeruddin and declared, “Mullah, you are wise indeed. Your plan
has worked like a charm. Our house now feels so spacious that none of us can
help but feel pleased. No one complains anymore.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN">Very often we tend to grow too discontent and forget
to value what we already have</span></b><span lang="EN-IN"> – good health, decent
means to live a life of dignity, stable relationships for support and emotional
security etc., which we commonly take for granted. At these junctures, the
Universe (or call it, God) plays a Mullah Naseeruddin and sends us situations in which we lose even
what we had till now, so that we are vitually shaken awake to the value of what we had; and get driven not only
to restore, but further work on them with a new-found perspective of value and
loss! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">At the other end of the spectrum of people
living in gratitude are the <b>genuine saintly
individuals</b>, the “mahatmas”, the enlightened ones, who also lead ordinary
lives of simplicity and sufferings, but actually do extra-ordinary service to
the humanity through their inspiring personal examples, teachings and
compassionate action! <b>Are they
“suffering” ?</b> <b>NO!!</b> Their physical bodies only suffer, not their mind, heart and
soul. Come what may, they hold their head high, spirit indomitable, heart full
of love, peace and compassion! Soul in
absolute harmony personified!! So they never “feel” misery. Rather, they are
the real wealthy ones on this earth at a peak level on their spiritual journey
towards self-actualisation, or call it salvation ! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Actually, we tend to mix up “suffering” with
outward difficulties like not-enough riches, or physical burden and sickness. <b>One truly “suffers” when one “feels” miserable
at the deepest core of heart.</b> It is never the “load” that breaks us down,
but the way we carry it! Every human
being, good and bad, is given their share of “load” in this world. But a<b> good person always carries the load
rightly and hence, never “suffers” in reality.</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; color: #666666;">Suffering is a good teacher to those who
are quick and willing to learn from it. But it becomes a tyrant to those who
resist and resent. Suffering can teach us<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="textexposedshow">almost everything. Its lessons urge us to develop
discrimination, self-control, non-attachment, morality, and transcendent
spiritual consciousness.</span><br />
<span class="textexposedshow">
---Sri Paramahansa Yogananda</span></span><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN">This is a true story of Dashrath Manjhi,</span></b><span lang="EN-IN"> a simple, poor, low-caste( so called) youth in an obscure village
in Bihar who lost his beloved wife to
illness and lack of timely medical treatment only due to lack of easy access to
the nearby hospital. The villagers had to walk down about 70 km around a
mountain to reach that only hospital in the vicinity. This tragedy, instead of
crushing Dashrath’s spirit, impelled him to chisel away at the rock-hard
formidable mountain, single-handedly, for long 22 years, even despite public
ridicule till the result showed up, only so that his village could gain easy
access to the hospital and no other fellow villager should suffer a similar
loss of life. And he did it finally – unbelievable, but true! The tragedy only
brought out his true mettle – a good soul with unwavering faith, grit and determination
– a never-give-up spirit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN">This is also exactly why we must never question, why
bad things happen to good people. </span></b><span lang="EN-IN">The correct
question should be:<b> what do good people do
when bad things happen to them. </b>They
continue to live in gratitude and go on doing good ! They emerge stronger
everytime they pass through a storm. <b>Similarly,
never ask: why do good people suffer? Because
they actually do not “suffer”,</b> as they have learnt to rise above the
(physical) pain to (spiritual/mind ) power !! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN">Confucius is
known to have said once: <i>Life is really
simple, but we make it complicated </i>( by not learning our lessons early). We
may acquire <i>wisdom by three methods –
first, by reflection </i>( i.e learning from own inner compass) <i>which is the noblest </i>( but the honesty
required is often missing); <i>second, by
imitation</i>( learning from others’ experience and examples) <i>which is the easiest</i> ( but almost rarely
heeded); and <i>thirdly, by experience,
which is the bitterest</i> ( but perhaps the most effective, as it gives us no
option other than to reflect, evaluate, even look at others’ examples and
develop insights that are necessary to learn the lessons we need to learn.). But if, even after given an opportunity of
learning from our real experience, we do not learn the lesson it had come to
teach us……, then we stay in the same orbit of ignorance to face similar bitter experiences
again and yet again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN">Adversities
clarify our true beliefs and faiths. For
example, there is a huge difference between telling “I believe in God” and
actual faith in HIM. Ever heard this story? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">The story tells about a mountain climber, who
wanted to climb the highest mountain. He begun his adventure after many years
of preparation, but since he wanted the
glory just for himself, he decided to climb the mountain alone. He started to
climb but it began to get very late, and instead of preparing his tent to camp,
he kept climbing until it got very dark. The night felt heavy in the heights of
the mountain, and the man could not see anything. All was black. Zero
visibility, and the moon and the stars were covered by the clouds. As he was
climbing, only a few feet away from the top of the mountain, he slipped and
fell into the air, falling at a great speed. The climber could only see black
spots as he went down, and the terrible sensation of being sucked by gravity.
He kept falling… and in those moments of great fear, it came to his mind all
the good and bad episodes of his life. He was thinking now about how close
death was getting, when all of a sudden he felt the rope tied to his waist pull
him very hard. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">His body was hanging in the air.. Only the rope
was holding him, and in that moment of stillness he had no other choice but to
scream: HELP ME GOD!!</span><span lang="ES-MX"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">All of a sudden, a deep voice coming from the
sky answered: “What do you want me to do?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">“ Save me God!!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="ES-MX">“</span><span lang="EN-US">Do you really think I can save you</span><span lang="ES-MX">?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="ES-MX">“</span><span lang="EN-US">Of course I believe You can”</span><span lang="ES-MX"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="ES-MX">“</span><span lang="EN-US">THEN CUT THE ROPE TIED TO YOUR
WAIST….”</span><span lang="ES-MX"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-US">There was a moment of
silence; and the man decided to hold on to the rope with all his strength.</span></b><b><span lang="ES-MX"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">The rescue team tells, that the next day a
climber was found dead and frozen… his body hanging from a rope. His hands
holding tight to it… ONLY 10 FEET
AWAY FROM THE
GROUND…</span><span lang="ES-MX"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="ES-MX">Had he really had faith in God, he would have
cut the rope and landed on the ground
hardly 10 feet below and had survived! <b>Listening
to God is nothing but listening to our own higher Consciousness.</b> Had he
heard that, he would have realised in a moment of surrender that if he stayed
attached to the rope even after its full stretch, he would have had to suffer
the freezing cold in any case and die; so why not take chance with the only
other option of cutting the rope and allowing himself a free fall so that there
could still be some probability of survival!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-US">Many of life’s trying
situations are like this. They come to test what you say and what you do</span></b><span lang="EN-US">. If you are wise, you will observe
the design, learn the lesson, if any, or just stand your ground with your
innermost values and beliefs remaining unwavering and walk your talk. Again and
again you would be able to do so, no matter how many times you find yourself in
similar trying situations. <i>Hanging on to
your rope</i>, or, <i>cutting the rope</i>
would depend on the specific context<b>.
But it is sure that when staring at an adversity, you will first see your true
self! Whether you would mind changing yourself for better or not is the second
stage, and is your choice. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN">Every
significant situation contains a lesson that we need to learn on our journey of
personal and spiritual growth. Until we learn it, it will keep coming back to
us in some form or other. Immediate
reaction to a challenging situation usually leaves us without learning the
lesson and that is why, we will have to face similar challenges again and
again. But give time to the issue and
yourself, step back, think through the overall situation in its totality: you will learn the lesson hidden in it! In terms of Karmic Account, the debt gets
heavier if not paid off when the universe gives you an opportunity. So better
to settle it the first time itself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN">As we go on
learning lessons that we need to learn (i.e. do not repeat our earlier
mistakes), we grow from strength to strength. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN">Once we realise that things really happen <i>for</i> us, and are in a position to see the
“purpose” therein, will it not be much easier for us to maintain our inner
stability and accept every situation with all its pain, pleasure and lessons
with gratitude? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX</span></b></div>
Snigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527580518363192376.post-24479196655291150332016-01-04T08:26:00.002+05:302016-01-04T08:29:43.327+05:30Walk the right path, ALWAYS!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="line-height: 18.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia",serif;">Walk the right path, ALWAYS! </span></strong></div>
<div style="line-height: 18.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia",serif;">Derive your goals from your purpose; not the other way round. That
will ensure you end up doing the right things the right way!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia",serif;">Think about it. What do you value? Achieving the goal at any
cost, or walking the right path? If walking the right path is not likely to
lead you to the "goal", pause and introspect. Perhaps, it is not a
worthy one that serves your true purpose. Have the courage to abandon or modify
that specific goal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia",serif;">We do not really 'win' merely by achieving a goal that does not
ultimately serve our purest higher purpose. Be absolutely clear: Serving lowly
selfish interest at the expense of others/ other good causes is never a higher
purpose. Look beyond self; clarity automatically dawns.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia",serif;">Many a times, our minds get bogged down by a severe doubt:
"Will walking the right path, i.e. the path of truth, honesty and ethics,
make me win always?" These type of doubts are common especially in the
present day scenario replete with umpteen examples of corrupt and morally
bankrupt people 'raising the cups'. But remember,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>the
very fact that you are walking the right path in itself contains your
"win"</strong>. And there are umpteen number of examples as
well that bear out the ultimate success of perseverance by honest people ; but
somehow we tend to look more at the negative examples, as that gives us much
"justifications" to give up easily. On the other hand,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>if
you actually 'win"</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>in
the ordinary parlance of having reached the number one position, or having
achieved some material goal,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>by walking the wrong path</strong>,
i.e. adopting unfair means and walking all over others,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>then
your very "win" contains your true failure.</strong><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Think again: what do you value
personally? Winning in public eye, or feeling a winner within??<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia",serif;">The choice is yours; always!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.snigdhamohanty.com/" target="_blank">website</a><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p>{ Pl also drop by my <a href="http://www.snigdhamohanty.com/" target="_blank">website</a>. }</o:p></div>
</div>
Snigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527580518363192376.post-31006670803406489722016-01-01T07:22:00.000+05:302016-01-01T07:22:22.030+05:30<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">
<b>HAPPY NEW YEAR, 2016 !</b></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">
Keep calm, make a list and start doing!</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">
If it is important to you, you will find a way. If not, you will find an excuse.</div>
</div>
Snigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527580518363192376.post-21827551504023818562013-08-08T07:30:00.000+05:302013-08-08T07:30:20.187+05:30Living the QUESTIONS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #353535; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">One of the most important things
that shape us in life is the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">questions </i>we
ask ourselves continually. The ones we ask ourselves just about every day and
the ones we ask </span>specially when things turn out in ways not wanted or not
anticipated by us – starting from simple upsets to grave, life-shattering
adversities. It is interesting to observe what kind of questions we ask
ourselves during these hard times and how we handle those questions. In fact,
whether we emerge out of the adversity <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bitter-n-
battered</i> OR <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">better</i> hinges a lot
on this aspect.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #353535; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Yes, the answers do matter; but I think, the questions
are as much important or even more crucial most of the time. If questions are
wrong ab initio, none of the answers will help us make the right choices. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Especially, the long list of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">whys </b>that we ask when confronted with
adversity that we consider as unjust and/or that jolts our self-esteem</i>. Our
professional lives usually make us confront such situations – and it happens to
all sometime, at some level or other. It is naïve to think that a few fortunate
ones have always had a cake walk. The issue at hand is not whether it happens
to all or not; but how you personally take these calls – especially how do you
handle when you are pushed out of your threshold limits for bearing what
according to yourself is unfair treatment/injustice/ indignity.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The matter becomes worse and
energy-sucking,when we do not find the answers – the true and cogent answers, I
mean, to all our questions and that leaves us guessing. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">And guesswork is nothing but creations and projections of our own
perceptions and beliefs! Back to square one – we had started with ourselves (
why me? Why this to me? Do I deserve this ? etc.) and we end up with ourselves
again with presumptions - not answers- framed through our own filters –
coloured with our own perceptions and interpretations.</b> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
In such a scenario, what we
ourselves believe shape our truth, like the pigmyllion effect. If we believe,
we have been victimised, it becomes our truth: if we believe, there is a
pointer inside for something beyond what meets our eyes… well, that is going to
be the truth for us! That’s why, it becomes important not to chase the answers
mindlessly with desperation – at least to the core questions that seek to
explain <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">acts of</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">others</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">providencial
justice</i>. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
So, during those times when we
ask questions… ponder a lot… try to rationalise… try to emotionalise… try to
fantasize….try doing everything to get an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">answer</i>
to our “why”; but the answer<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">… the true
answer</i>… simply eludes us,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">understand that this is the time to just <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">live the question</i> !!</b> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Let
us also understand that w</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #353535; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">e can ask questions
that make us feel more like a victim</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #353535; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> - questions that reinforce
negativity and pessimism in our life. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Or
we can ask empowering questions; </b>questions that open up the hitherto
dormant and unexplored wells of positivity and opportunity in our world.
Questions that enlighten us further <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">…
help us re-invent ourselves..<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #353535; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Do not just keep on whining if
you do not get answers to all your questions on action/behaviour of others –
Instead ask yourself probing questions that draw out <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">your own core beliefs, clarify your own core values.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>Because the moment we start asking
questions about what other person(s) did to us, we start dragging ourselves
into a victim mould and become uncomfortable in our own skin! That amounts to
virtually passing on control of our life to someone else. The moment you get an
inkling of such feeling, do come back to yourself and regain control of your
own life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">At life’s
critical bends, you just have to stop worrying, wondering and doubting. Have
faith that things will work out eventually – may be not how you planned, but
just how they are meant to be. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">It is
said, in the end, everything is good; if it isn’t good, it is not yet the end! </b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Remember, s<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">mooth roads never make good
drivers. A problem-free life never makes a strong person; so never ask life
"<b>Why Me",</b> instead challenge it and say <b>"Try Me".</b></span></span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">And by the way, is
anyone perfect in this world ? </b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m
not, neither are you. It is a truism, which we somehow close our eyes to, in
our crazy pursuit of being right always, at times chasing even worthless goals!
Accept yourself fully—with your achievements, strengths, weaknesses, failures,
flaws, follies and all. Once you do that with yourself, you will be surprised
to find how easy it suddenly becomes to accept others in your life too … with
all their flaws ( real as well as perceived by you)!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And once that happens, you will find yourself
liberated, at least from the questions like ‘why he/she did this to me?’ .
After all, ain’t others as human as you and might just have erred in
judgement/decision? <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">It is at this point
that you realise the irrelevance of the answers to your victim-mode questions –
you have truly lived your questions and with that, the questions expire in
time.</b> And strangely enough, answers to some of your core questions would
still be revealed to you as you move on, in ways not anticipated by you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
You don’t have to be perfect to realize your dreams, but
you do need to be committed to personal evolution. You can only begin that
journey when you accept yourself completely for who you are and believe in
grace of God and worth of yourself.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
Believe with all your heart and soul in the saying that the
ultimate reward of your sincerity and perseverance is not what you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">get </i>for it, but what you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">become</i> because of it!! And perhaps this
one belief contains the one and only answer that matters ultimately!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And sure enough, this one belief would see
you through all your questions. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
Above all, know that The Universe has heard your question
and it will be handled!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
…………………………….</div>
</div>
Snigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527580518363192376.post-66229908857239830202013-08-08T07:20:00.001+05:302013-08-08T07:20:21.796+05:30Three essential questions that leaders at workplace must ask themselves <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Even without an
official title, and irrespective of your position in the organisational
hierarchy , you can be a ‘leader’ in your own right through your action and
attitude. True. But the story is vastly different<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>when you are a “leader” by title, i.e when
you are ‘assigned’ a leadership position by your organization, and are expected
to lead a group of people assigned to you to a certain goal. In this case, you
are officially responsible for the outcome, not only of your own productivity,
but more significantly for the outcome of your people’s productive behavior as
well. You have to effectively convert a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bunch</i> </b>of people to an effective and
successful <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">team</i></b>, that owns a shared goal and achieves it together,
following you as the leader. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Today’s
workplace scenario – especially with knowledge workers and service sectors -
clearly calls for a set of leadership skills, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that is more people-centric and less
authority–centric. Positional authority no longer guarantees that you will be
accepted as the leader by your people merely by virtue of your designation and
will be able to ensure the deliverables through them by using command and
control strategies. In fact, as gleaned from history, this had never really
worked and people who delivered great sustainable results were inspiring leaders
with some other key human traits that do not flow from one’s designation – a
fact which is now being acknowledged more openly, as compared to in the past.
With concepts like “Emotional Intelligence”, “People skills”, ‘social skills’
etc. gaining ground and almost becoming much-hackneyed terms, there is no need
to elaborate on why positional authority alone cannot guarantee successful
teams. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">So, the next
point is: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">how</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">do you know whether you are the kind of leader that the modern
workplace needs?</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A leader today has
to steer their people through ambiguities, uncertainties and challenges and make
them <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">want to give their best</i>. Goes
without saying, when people want to give their best, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that is evidence enough that they own the
project and also that they are on auto-pilot to ensure the best results.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Ask yourself 3 <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>key questions ! </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">And honestly
answer to those. You will be pretty clear on whether you already are a leader
capable of leading your people to success, or whether you are currently lacking
and where exactly you need to work on yourself.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Question 1 : <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do
your people trust you?</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Question 2
: Do you treat your team members as human beings, and not just as employees?</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Question
3: Do you take active interest in the growth of your people?</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Remember, you
are being watched constantly by your co-workers/team mates/employees, even if
you are not always told about it on your face. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Co-workers would
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">trust</i> you only when they see fairness
and consistency in your action and intent <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">through
various situations</i>. In addition, if they accept that you would always, and
without hesitation, stand up for them whenever the situation warrants, they
will trust you completely, and will be inspired by your integrity and
credibility. Only this kind of complete trust in the leader brings out the best
in each employee – courage to innovate, take risks and stretch out-of-box to
reach the best results. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Leaders, I mean <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">true</i> leaders, demonstrate a very high
degree of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">credibility</b> and that makes
it easy for them to carry their people along without the need to “drag them
along’ where they need 100% of their team to be on the new destination! So, be
trust-worthy!! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">No employee is
your employee only-they are also human beings having highs and lows in their
important personal spheres, at times may be just around the same time that the
‘employee’ in them is called to contribute. Do you, as the leader, see the worry
on their face when they are going through a personal crisis; or just miss out
on it , lost in tasking<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>your employees
to meet<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>your official deadlines?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Showing empathy,
sharing the personal joys and concerns of your employees, till recently, was
not seen with favour in the context of tough, decisive leadership! But go
through history and look around. You will be amazed to see just how many of the
super- achiever leaders actually displayed this one quality, that made all the
difference!! No wonder, with time and greater research into leadership, the
concept of “ Emotional Intelligence” has come up since quite sometime now and
this quality – i.e empathy for your people- has now been acknowledged as a key
leadership quality- ranking on the top slot of the skills set!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">Yes, when people
know that their superior cares for them as human beings, they too reciprocate
in terms of higher engagement and productivity in the job. So, the golden rule
is: respect your employees as human beings first; most of the rest will fall in
line.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">The third
crucial area that you, as the leader, have to take responsibility for is:
growth of your people! It is easier to make people do things when you can make
them see what is in it that is for them, not for you! In a workplace situation,
no employee can stay engaged and charged without <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">growth </i>–<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in terms of growth
in personal knowledge-skill-competence matrix, career progression, and both in
combination. A superior<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>who keeps this
in sight in respect of each of the team mates usually demonstrates genuine
interest in the growth of all the employees, without favour or unjust
discrimination, through a holistic approach of training-assigning
responsibilities-mentoring-sponsoring for higher jobs. Such a superior not only
properly assesses each employee to harness their potential, but also invests in
growth of each, and makes it visible to the team asto what growth prospects are
there for each of them when the shared goal is achieved! Undoubtedly,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>such a superior would automatically inspire employees
to give their best to whatever organizational goals they are pursuing, not only
because they themselves stand to gain from it, but also for the fact that, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">their own superior becomes the face of the
organization</i> for them and they would walk any length of extra miles for such
a leader!!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">The above three
are perhaps the most important human traits that tell a leader, whom people
would gladly follow, from the rest.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US">…………………………</span></div>
</div>
Snigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527580518363192376.post-72335638989497613012013-05-13T16:05:00.000+05:302013-05-13T16:09:38.869+05:30Discover the “leader” in yourself<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I wonder sometimes: why talks
about “leaders” often invoke awe and mystique ?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
May be, because when we talk of ‘leaders’,
we think about “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">revolutionary</i>”
leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Lurther King, Nelson Mandela and the like;
OR a few people who have achieved <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">extra</i>-ordinary
visible success in their fields; OR those who adorn the positions of power by
virtue of being in ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">leadership roles’</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Except the last category, there are very few
people in the other two categories and more significantly, their
accomplishments flow from their own super-ordinary <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">personal </i>qualities; hence, thought to be above the capabilities of
an “ordinary” person. Hence, the high pedestal for them. As regards the third
category, leadership roles come through some sort of organisational hierarchy –
be it in Government or Corporate or any other formally assembled group; and therefore,
it is not the cup of tea for anyone and everyone. Worse, the third category
breeds huge confusion, as <u>not</u> everyone in a leadership role appeals to
the heart as a true leader.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
And this unnecessarily
complicates our understanding and appreciation of some of rather simple and often-latent
human traits associated with leaders, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>making these out as complex and not-in-everyone
type qualities!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Semantically, to “lead” is to
move someone or something somewhere. In other words, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">making a difference</b> to the existing status – as simple as that!
When we qualify that difference with elements of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">desirability </i>in terms of improvement, expansion of horizon, human
development and ethics, we get the term “lead” with a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">spirit</i>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Interestingly,while <u>not</u>
everyone in a ‘leadership role’ comes across as a true leader, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the converse, i.e a leader is a person in a
leadership role, is also <u>not necessarily true</u>. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Yes !! A leader<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>need not always
be in a leadership role. </b>This world is what it is and still kicking despite
all the negativities/constraints/challenges, because there are many “leaders”,
without titles, at every level of society, who, in effect, lead themselves and
others towards better and desired conditions, even without an official tag or
being acknowledged or acclaimed in public.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">What, then, is leadership, or at least the crux of leadership? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">By far, leadership is perhaps one of the most researched and written
about theme in social science, that has engaged and intrigued thinking minds
since inception of human civilisation.. Yet, it becomes so difficult to define
leadership in brief, unambiguous, straight-jacketed, fit-for-all terms, like
any other scientific concept. Leadership is about human traits; and hence
subject to interpretations. Further, even though almost all
studies/reseach/interpretations of ‘leadership qualilities’, point to <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>at least a few key qualities like vision,
courage, compassion, creativity, credibility etc. as the top-on-the-list
traits, it is quite fascinating as well as intriguing to note that most of the
so-called leaders ( i.e. people in leadership roles) actually lack all/most of
these qualities and yet, have most of the times been riding on success waves.
In time, they do crash on land, no doubt and the audience gets disenchanted;
but by then, a lot of damage is done unfortunately. That’s why, instead of
trying to list out traits that one has to possess to be a true leader, I find
it makes more sense to me, when I look at leaders, I mean true leaders who make
positive differences and say, leadership is what a leader does, and that
includes getting done, in any situation. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">So for me, the shortest-ever, position-neutral, situation-neutral
definition of <b>a “leader” is one who demonstrates what it takes to do what is
needed to be done in any situation. </b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Here go some stories. Personally, I find these not just stories, but
situations that illustrate what indeed leadership is and how an ordinary person
can act like a true leader.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b>Story 1 :<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a
boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean. Approaching the
boy, he asked,”What are you doing?” The boy replied,”Throwing starfish back
into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them
back, they will die.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surprised, the man
said,”Son, don’t you realise there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of
starfish? You can’t make a difference !”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
As the boy listened, he bent down again, picked up another
starfish and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said
politely… “ I made a difference to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that </i>one
.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
I am sure, the message is loud and clear. It does not
matter whether the difference you make is small or big. What matters is: if you
are truly concerned about a situation, whether you take those tiny steps to make
a difference – without bothering whether your action would <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">totally</i> change the situation or not. Does not matter if the boy
could not save all the starfishes affected. It is important to note that by his
positive action, he could save at least a few starfishes out of hundreds about
to die, and it did make <i>all </i>the difference to <i>those </i>few, who were
saved by the boy . </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b>Leadership is all about <i>making a positive difference</i>
</b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">to someone, to some situation in
the environment, which, you think, should not remain the same,<i> without
getting cowed down by the enormity of the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>problem.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b>Story 2 </b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
Three hundred years ago Christopher Wren, who designed St. Paul's Cathedral in London, wrote about three men he spoke to who
were building his creation. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
He asked the first worker what his job was, to which
the worker wearily replied, "I'm laying bricks. Can't you see that?"
Wren moved along and asked a second worker the same question. "I'm just
earning a living," the second worker snapped back. He then asked a third
worker the same question, who was engrossed in <i>perfecting</i> a statue that
he had already completed and got a very different response.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Ohh,
I'm building a Cathedral”, he said proudly. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
While for the first two workers, it was just a ‘job’, for
the 3<sup>rd</sup> sculptor, it was something entirely different – he took his
work <i>as a part of the whole </i>– the cathedral. He was passionate about the
fact that he was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">contributing</i> towards
building of a cathedral. For him, everything he did needed to be perfect, so
that the cathedral could be built perfectly as envisioned. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
This is how true leaders view their role in a bigger act; <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">they see the <i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">larger whole</span></i> much beyond their specified roles</b> and work
towards being a part of it, unleashing their <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">best potential</b> pursuing <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">excellence</b>
and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">perfection</b> in doing their bit. Because,
in essence, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">they own up</b> what they
are a part of!! <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">They show up not as a
mere cog in the wheel, but as a valuable part that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">moves</i> the wheel!</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
Each of us in the society, each employee in an organisation
irrespective of organisational hierarchy can be a leader in one’s own right -
title or no title. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
Does this interpretation bring back memories of people in
various roles and strata – from top management functionaries to menial workers,
who show this exemplary quality and how much love and genuine respect they earn
from people coming in contact with them ? <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Well,
personally I have seen quite a lot and that keeps alive the hope and faith in leadership
in simple, so-called ordinary individuals.</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Leadership is owning
up the bigger whole and showing up at your best, as a part thereof.</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b><u><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">Story 3 </span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
Once Sharu Ragnekar, a renowned Management Consultant, visited
the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Wagha Border </b>near Amritsar. The
unique thing about this border is that there are Indian soldiers and Pakistan
soldiers on the two sides of the border. At sunset, both sides lower the flags
and there is a drill. This is very interesting to see as the drills are
identical on both sides of the border and looks like a mirror image. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
Ragnekar saw on our side of the border a teacher with 20
students. She was telling them, “ When the flag moves in the evening, all of
you sing <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sare Jahan se achchha Hindostan
hamara..</b> ” Curious, he asked her what she was doing. She replied, “ It is
my practice to bring a batch of my students here on the first day of every
month so that they can see the moving flag and sing. I do it every month –
although this month, this was very difficult for me.” When asked why difficult
that month, she explained how she bears the busfare of some children whose
parents can not afford it and how that particular month being the month of
transfers, she had also to pay(bribe), out of her humble salary, for staying in
the same place. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“ When this is what
is happening to you, why do you want the children to sing Sare Jahan se Achchha
Hindostan hamara?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
She asked spiritedly,“Who is going to improve India? I have
not been able to improve India; you have not been able to improve India. I have
no influence over the Prime Minister or the Chief Minister, but I <i>have</i>
some influence on these children and I am going to use it. These children
believe in me – so I bring them here, let them look at the flag and let them
sing Sare jahan se achchha Hindostan hamara. When they grow up, at least <i>some</i>
of them will be proud of India and try to improve India.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">To me,</b> this
teacher is a true <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>leader.</i> From
the problems in her own circumstances, she has taken a decision that things
must <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">change for better</i> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and she is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">committing
herself through personal action</i> to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bring
about that change</i> – using her own resources – i.e. her own humble salary
and her influence on her students, the future citizens. She is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">able to see a goal, much bigger than anyone
in her position would see</i> and is navigating through constraints – but <i>towards
the goal</i> .</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Above all,
notwithstanding the fact that she herself is a victim of an undesirable
situation(corrupt bureaucracy), she is spreading,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>not cynicism, but HOPE that things will
change for better !! </b>She is making a difference, trying to instill
patriotism in the future citizens of the country.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Leadership is spreading hope and enthusiasm,
undaunted by personal conditions of despair.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Story 4</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> :<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A short story that probably I
had read in my childhood .</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 6.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Once
a boulder was lying in the middle of a <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>roadway, much to the inconvenience of the passers-by.
Most of the people who came by saw the boulder in the middle, uttered angry
words, cursed the “someone” who did that mischief, loudly blamed the Government
for not keeping the roads clear and simply passed around it. None stopped to
clear it off the road. After sometimes, a farmer came along carrying a load of
vegetables. On seeing the boulder, he stopped and tried to move the boulder
from the middle of the road to the road-side. After much pushing and straining,
he could move the big stone some way to the side, but it was getting strenuous
for a single man to do this job. Slowly some of the people coming along the
road started joining him one by one and finally, the boulder could be moved off
the road.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 6.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">The
farmer, like others, could have just walked around the stone. But he chose to
think about the others’ inconvenience and took pain to move the stone. Is not
he a leader in his own right? He <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">did
what was required to be done</b> in that situation <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">rising above one’s own limited interest alone.</b> Moreover, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">by his personal action, he <i>inspired
others</i> to join the cause – to follow him.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 6.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">The
doers are the leaders. It is easy to preach; it is easy to blame others. It may
take a specific skill to shirk and shift responsibility to avoid taking action.
But true leaders are those, who act as necessary, not just preach or blame
others! And inspire!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 6.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Leadership is solving a problem if it
exists, even though it directly does not affect you, and inspiring others to
join in.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Story 5</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
In 2002, a high caste school
teacher in Odisha’s Brahmagiri area, Baghambar Pattanaik, quit his job to fight
against a sysyem of compulsory servitude under the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">bartan</b> system, bonded labour by another name<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">, </b>which permits the upper caste people to force lower caste barbers
and others to work for them, often at menial tasks, in exchange for 15 KGs of
rice a year. The system was so rigid that if the lower castes refused, they
faced a debilitating social boycott. For example, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a 65 yr old lower caste person faced the ire
of the whole village when he bravely decided in 2002 to stop working for one
upper caste master under the bartan system. As a punishment for his defiance,
he was made to serve 200 upper class families in the village. Stories abound
involving similar oppressive inequity, against which the lone school teacher
started fighting persistently, later garnering support from Human Rights
Commissions. After nine years of persistent fight, the state govt. finally
issued a notification abolishing bartan. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Leadership is displaying extra-ordinary</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">courage of conviction</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">in
standing up for a cause even against a mighty opponent </b>with determination
to change the situation for better for the exploited ! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Story 6</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;">
A few months
back, a horrific act of terrorism occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School (
Connecticut, USA), that claimed 27 lives, 20 of them childen. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Victoria Soto</b>, 27, a class teacher, managed
to hide her pupils in cupboards and closets, as the gunman was on a killing
spree. She was then confronted by the gunman, who asked where the kids were and
she convinced him that her pupils were elsewhere- in the gym. The gunman then
shot her dead and went away. But her action of hiding the kids and lying to the
gunman led to the survival of those kids. Faced with the most horrifying
experience of her life, she chose the heroic path of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">love and responsibility</b> for those entrusted to her care, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">rising above her personal safety.</b> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;">
In crises, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">leadership is also about heroism – supreme sacrifice
and courage emanating out of love, compassion and a complete sense of
responsibility !! </b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Story 7 </b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Most of the greatest innovations
begin with a simple idea. Paint lines in the highways is one of such great
ideas, which was a safety innovation conceived in the year 1917 by Dr. June
McCarroll, after having a narrow escape from an accident on a highway. Without
lines on the road, there was no clearly delineated lane separation to help
regulate the flow of traffic and avert side-swiping and collisions. McCarroll
came up with the idea to paint lines on the road, separating lanes with a
centre line. When she first told her idea to the local authorities concerned,
no one listened, as is typical with a bureaucracy. Finally, she took upon
herself to hand-paint a white stripe down the middle of the road.This later
helped the drivers easily see the actual width of the lane and keep accidents
due to sideswipes from happening.She took her idea to the local Women’s Club and
with their help as well as campaigning by many similar groups for long 7 years,
finally in Nov, 1924, the idea was adopted by California Highway Commission and
highways got painted with middle lines. It was not long before the concept was
accepted world wide – known as <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">McCarroll
lines.</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">So, leadership in many cases is also about
innovation and persistence. A leader not only thinks out-of-box, but also
displays persistence and perseverance to act/get others to act on the idea.</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;">
In our daily
lives-both personal and professional, there are many instances in which we, the
common people, solve problems innovatively. But once the implementation of our
new or innovative ideas requires involvement of/owning up by others, it loses
steam as many of us lack the needed persistence to go the whole hog. And there
lies the difference. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;">
The
foregoing 7 stories are among innumerable such stories about true leadership. If
you are conducting yourself this way, you too are a leader, whether you are
acclaimed in public or not. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;">
Yes, the
life stories of great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and the like exemplify some
of the rare leadership qualities like time-defying <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">vision</b>, time-less <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">values</b>,
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">mass following</b> and ability to bring
about <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">iconoclastic changes</b>, which we
all know as they are always talked about and find place in literature. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">But such revolutionary leadership does not
belittle the small differences that each of us can make in the lives of all we
touch directly or indirectly</b>. So, let us also ‘read’ our own book of life
stories – our own life experiences as well as that of the people we know. We
will understand that “leadership” is actually not something for a privileged
few. We all have it in ourselves. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Many a renowned persons have said,</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">to be a leader, you must have followers</b>. Very correct. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">But do the “followers” have to be a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">visible gang</i>?</b> How about people, who
lead their <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">own self</i> to higher levels
of evolution and thereby ‘inspire’ many a souls whose life they touch-directly
or indirectly? How about the ripple effect that an innately good & simple
individual creates in the society through his personal actions ! Are they not
“leaders” in their own right? Yes, they are. They may not be having their
followers in a herd – but I am sure, here and there, without they themselves
knowing about it, they are creating their followers in some way or other –
through personal example, inspiration and sharing of ideas/ insights!! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify;">
I come back
to where I started. There could be a million ways in which you ‘lead’ if you do
whatever is needed to be done in any situation – in regard to your own self,
others, the surroundings – any one or some or all of them.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The more we try to
comprehend the term ‘leadership” in simple ways without unwarranted awe and
mystique, the more visible it will be in people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The more visible leadership becomes, the
easier it will be to harness and groom it for overall, all-inclusive
development. </i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">And harnessing
leadership is another big leadership quality</b>. As is said, good leaders
create great followers; but <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">great
leaders create greater leaders.</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">At the end of it, leaders inspire and leaders make a difference!</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
Mahatma Gandhi (one of the best examples of leaders without
a title ) once said, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“We must become the
change we seek in this world .”</b> Very true. Titles may support your efforts
– but not <i>necessary </i>for leading in a true sense .</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
What about us? Are we simply
giving up whining ‘I am not in a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">position
</i>to do this’, ‘How can I alone change this’ etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>or taking committed action saying, ‘ Let me
do whatever little I can’ and making the small & big differences to our
world that we are capable of ? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Yes ! There is a leader in each of us; we just need to discover and act.</b></div>
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Snigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527580518363192376.post-16741937209898354422013-03-27T19:18:00.000+05:302013-03-27T19:18:15.384+05:30Green Acts : Am I doing my bit? <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Green Acts : Am I
doing my bit?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
Very simply put: We and all living beings need air, water,
soil and energy to live; but unfortunately the ways in which our lifestyle has
been evolving, especially over the last few decades, either we are consuming
stocks of natural resources too fast to be replenished by Nature or we are
mindlessly wasting or polluting scarce resources. Coupled with that, we are not
yet able to find enough and viable sources of renewable energy. Result? Global
Warming, Resource Depletion, Energy Crisis and dangers of possible extinction
of even the human race in not-too-distant a future, unless we all <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">act</i> appropriately!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
The physical survival of the human race and our Mother
Earth is now severely challenged by three major environmental issues, off-shoots
of our high industrialisation and urbanisation :</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
i. climate change/global warming mainly due to emission of
carbon and other hazardous pollutants to air on one hand and rapid erosion of
green cover (forests, trees)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>on the
other.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
ii. rapid depletion of natural sources of energy like coal,
oil, gas and potable water mainly due to excessive usage of the same to
maintain our modern lifestyle which would come to a complete halt without
these. Can you imagine even a day without electricity? Without fuel for your
car ? Without energy ? Without water? And of course, without pure air with
enough oxygen? Run a quick glance through the everyday items of use and the
lifestyle of even a common man – you will shudder to think of a situation without
energy !!! The real challenge is that these natural ‘stores’ of energy sources
are finite and are getting exhausted at an astronomically higher rate than
Nature can replenish. So, the challenge before us is to <i>conserve energy</i>
to the last bit, have better and <i>better extraction technology</i> with
improved ability to tap the available natural deposits of oil, coal etc. and
most crucially, to find and harness alternative sources of <i>renewable energy,
like solar power, wind power etc.</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">
(which researchers say is not really an easy job</span>!)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
iii. Waste management : solid waste, chemical waste,
industrial waste etc. ; perhaps now e-waste can also be added as a menace in
not-too-distant a future. These are polluting our air, water and soil in almost
an irredeemable manner.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
As far as our physical environmental hazards are concerned,
these ‘trio’ form the crux of the menace – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">acting
and interacting on one another</i> !! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
For the past one decade at least, we have had <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">enough</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">of talks</b> on these to comprehend the enormity of the issues and the catastrophic
results that await us if we do not start acting without further loss of time.. WE
SIMPLY HAVE TO ACT NOW.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
And action lies at multi-levels, undoubtedly. The goverments,
the various national/international bodies entrusted with the specific duty to
evolve strategies on this, the Corporates etc. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>must play their role in an organised manner at
macro level; while, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>we, as
individuals, must also play an equally significant role at the micro level <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>through our conduct in our day-to-day life –
in fact, I would say, a far bigger role than meets the eye ! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
Let us leave the macro-level deliberations, strategies,
policies, laws and implementations to the bigger shots. But what about each one
of us – at the micro level? <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Am I doing
my bit?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
Let us list out small little things that we can do as
individuals to make our drop of personal contribution count in the ocean of
action required to address the “green” issues. And I would request each of you
readers to add to the list, if you can and let us share it. Let us have copies
of this list all over our houses and office space to constantly remind us and nudge
us to action. It does not take rocket science to do these things – except a
firm resolve!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
Here goes my check-list: (And the idea is: every unit of scarce
resources saved/reused/recycled is equivalent to that much resources created!)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
1. Stop the running tap while attending to call of nature
and brushing your teeth.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
(Many have this habit developed from childhood, if you care
to observe.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
2. Ask your maid not to leave the tap running as she cleans
utensils, until she rinses/washes them. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
(Observe her/your own style of washing utensils closely and
you will find where to conserve and reuse.You will be surprised to see how much
water is actually saved if the dirty utensils are first dipped in just a small
vessel full of water, then cleaned with detergent and then only washed well under
running tap.) </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
3. Go for slim cisterns for flush - makes a huge difference
to the quantum of water used for the purpose as compared to the older
large-sized models.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
4. Do not discard the water used for washing anything
without detergent( like chopped vegetables, dals, rice <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in the kitchen and even clothes). Re-use it
for watering your potted plants. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
5. Do not discard vegetable peels – make your own compost
manure and use to enhance soil in your potted plants/kitchen garden. Just store
these peels/green wastes in an earthen pot; put some soil and water. Go on
repeating – it will decompose in time to be added to soil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In apartment complexes with earth patches,
this can also be thought of as a collective action to improve soil quality- by
having a common earth pit wherein veg peels from all flats can be put
everyday.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
6. Stop running or leaking water taps, if noticed at public
places and draw the attention of the concerned authority for repair of broken /
leaking pipelines. Similarly, repair your leaking taps at home on priority
basis. In fact, repair and maintain well all gadgets/equipments to avoid
wastage of energy on their operation.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
7. Use Pressure Cooker as much as possible in cooking. At
least, cook covered and bring gas to sim after the dish reaches boiling point.
It can reduce<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>gas consumption quite
significantly. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
8. See what you can do to install water treatment/refining/recycling
systems, rain water harvesting systems in your apartment complex/locality. When
lots of voice rise together, some positive development may take place. ( spread
awareness and build opinion)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
9. Watch out for the fans and lights left on after the maid
completes mopping the floor. Switch off immediately when the floor dries up. If
not checked habitually, on many occasions, you will find your fans on full
speed even much after your bai (maid) leaves.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
10. Stop switching on fans, lights and ACs, if not truly
needed. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
(Many of us have a habit of doing this the moment we enter
the house – without much thinking, just to have an illuminated, feel-good
ambience! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of us who leave alone have
a weird habit of leaving the TV on just to have an illusion of having human
company or making outsiders believe there are people inside, from security
perspective. That is just not tenable in the present context of energy crisis.
There are much better ways to address the issue of being alone at home.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
11. Switch off lights /fans/electrical gadgets at home as
well as at workplace, if in use unnecessarily. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
(Especially at public sector offices, one sees numerous
fans and lights on, proclaiming that the office is open even when higher
animals called employees are not in sight to adorn their seats. Not many of us
bother to switch them off - thinking “<i>company ka maal, darya mein dal</i> ”
! We have to change our attitude.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
12. Do not leave TVs/computers/sound systems in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">stand-by</i> mode, when not in use, as they
consume quite a bit of electricity even on stand-by mode. Simply switch them
off. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
13. Be very careful about use of paper !! After all, where
from paper comes ? Is it not one of the major reasons for felling trees,
erosion of green cover ?? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
14. Stop making and retaining multiple hard/photo copies of
documents without genuine necessity.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
( Especially, at office, you can stop taking those n number
of photocopies of official communications to be sent to numerous units of
operation, to which you would have already sent these communications by e-mail
or fax! Please remember that the recipients of these faxes/emails must have
already kept hard copies! I mean, if at all, hard copies are to be preserved in
each and every damned case. )</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
[ And no offence meant to anyone, but what about the common
practice in many organisations to keep a copy of every communication received
from top and passed down the line, at literally every point it passes through
??? For operating units at the grass root, most of the time, one ends up
getting at least 6 to 7 communications with same/similar contents around the
same time – by letter, fax, email print-out etc. It used to amuse and amaze,
and then hurt me, while in service in a PSB, to think of the colossal wastage
of time, paper, fax rolls, fax ink and so many other resources due to this one
single reason! One should imagine, with thousands of operating units alone and
hundreds of controlling/administrative units across the organisation, how much
resources must be getting wasted in maintaining this kind of a working culture
!! In fact, I used to get wild to get faxes on the same matter from five
different places around the same time and all on official letter heads ( you
can imagine, how much costly fax ink gets used up just in printing these logos
and other detailed stuff that appear in all letterheads !!). I have even called
up many of them to say … please, for heavens sake, stop this ! But, unless an
organisation-wide awareness and sensitivity develops, this will go on unabated.
<u>Till then, each of us can do whatever possible at own level PLUS openly
voice one’s views against it</u>.] </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
15. Encourage your children to use libraries/ old books
from seniors etc. instead of always buying new books even if you can afford it.
Lesser the demand on fresh printing, lesser the need for paper and lesser the
need to fell trees!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
16. Use the reverse side of the envelops/letter
covers/obsolete stationery/ fliers/ receipts etc. for drafting, noting, listing
reminders etc. instead of wasting fresh plain paper for these purposes. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
17. Maintain separate dustbins, at home and office, to dump
paper-based waste <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and other wastes separately,
to facilitate their disposal by burning/ recycling/ reuse, as is best suited.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
18. Use cotton/jute bags for shopping instead of using
plastic carry bags. Reduce use of plastic and other non-bio-degradable
materials as much as possible.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
19. Register for various bills and statements (like cable
bill, internet bill, credit card bill, electricity bill, bank account
statements etc.) for on-line delivery to your e-mail inbox. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
( Simply amazing, how much paper and other resources
involved in their printing & physical delivery would be saved!!)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
20. Line the inside of your dustbin with old newspapers instead
of using polythene garbage bags everyday. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
21. Use re-cycled paper bags or cloth or paper as wrap for
storing stuff in refrigerator to reduce use of plastic. This way, veggies also
stay fresh for long.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
22. Plant trees, Plant trees and Plant trees – wherever and
as many as possible. At least maintain green potted plants / small gardens in your
residence/ neighbourhood/office premises. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
( An absolute must for maintaining oxygen level in air,
apart from other obvious benefits. )</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
23. Use public transport or pooled car, whenever and
wherever feasible, instead of feeling pride in speeding away all alone in a
huge car with AC on and blocking half the road all by yourself. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
24. Walk down or go cycling, if possible, to the
neighbourhood market instead of using a vehicle. That way, you reduce your
carbon footprint and also stay fit for free!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
25. Plan your visits to multiple shops/visit points ( say,
the tailor, the dry-cleaner, the grocer, a relative etc.) on the same day by
the shortest route, instead of dashing off in car to these places on different
dates, just because you have time and money to spare. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
26. Switch off vehicle engine at traffics red lights if it
is slightly long ( say 60-70 secs or more) to save fuel, reduce emission. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
27. Stop seeing the romance in the “long drive” just for
the fun of it! It is a crime in the present situation.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
28. Say NO to crackers and fireworks that directly pollute
air. Just imagine, how much carbon di oxide we must be sending to air one
Diwali every year! And how much such pollutants we are adding during marriage
seasons !! Not to talk of the grand fireworks every evening at Disneyland, USA.
Just mind-boggling how we are adding to our own woes. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
29. Stop chasing new models of cars mindlessly. At least
enquire about its mileage (fuel efficiency) and its emission levels or
compliance certifications while purchasing new motor vehicles – <i>consciously</i>,
out of concern for global warming. Similar display of concern by large number
of prospective customers would ultimately push the manufacturers to improve
green-compliance of their products. ( Obviously, govts and policy makers have a
big role in setting regulatory framework in this regard, but I am talking about
my role as an individual only – so not discussing that aspect).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
30. Give up your lust for ‘earth’ and go for an apartment
in a multi-storeyed building for residence. Many of us still would love to have
a stand-alone house, with garden patch and own land. But in today’s scenario,
even if still affordable at some small towns, stand-alone houses amount to
wastage of precious living space vis-à-vis an exploding population.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Well, the above list
is surely not exhaustive.</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Please add
and share</b>. The point is: even if each of us <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">consciously</i> </b>do these
small acts in our daily life, it would add up to something impactful. If I save
a unit by curtailing my wasteful usage, it becomes available elsewhere for a
genuine need. Once we imbibe this <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">green
consciousness</i>, we can find a lot of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">To-Do</i>s following what has been coined
as<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">5 Rs</i></b> philosophy in our
day-to-day life :</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Refuse:</b> We should refuse to direct or
indirect wastage of energy/ natural resources<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Reduce</b>: We should cut consumption of
energy/ natural resources<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Reuse:</b> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We should check all the things that can be
reused before discarding them<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Repair:</b> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We should repair all the machineries from time
to time to avoid wastage of any sort of energy<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Recycle</b>: We should recycle <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>materials as far as possible and use it in
preference to non-recyclable, non-bio-degradable materials( like using paper
instead of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>plastic/polythene). Studies
say, every tonne of recycled paper saves 17 trees, 20,000 litres of water and
energy equivalent of 1,000 litres of oil!)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Let us understand
that “sustainability” is the ability to meet the needs of the current
generation without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet
their needs. So, i</span>n a wider context, I would say, when it comes to the <i>survival</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> of the human race</span> in its real sense,
apart from environmental threats, economic and social ‘pollutants’ affecting
the sustain-ability of the human civilisation also need to be addressed on an
equal footing. Truly, ‘<i>rising temperatures’</i> are equally a consequence of
unadmissible entrants into air, water and earth as of unadmissible entrants
into our <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">value</i> system – of <i>‘falling
values’</i> !!!How ? Worth reflecting by anyone genuinely concerned beyond self-interest.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
Let’s resolve to save the Earth, ourselves and our future
generations. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Snigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527580518363192376.post-29838445059569474452013-01-05T14:28:00.000+05:302013-01-05T14:28:28.551+05:30 Dealing with Rape & other sexual crimes against women: A quick compilation of suggestions emailed to Justice Verma Committee January 3, 2013 by Snigdha <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<h2>
<a href="http://www.snigdhamohanty.com/264/dealing-with-rape-other-sexual-crimes-against-women-a-quick-compilation-of-suggestions-emailed-to-justice-verma-committee/">Dealing
with Rape & other sexual crimes against women: A quick compilation
of suggestions emailed to Justice Verma Committee</a></h2>
<div class="meta">
January 3, 2013 by Snigdha </div>
<div class="meta">
The following is what I have emailed to
the Verma Committee in response to their call to citizens to give
suggestions regarding amendments to existing laws on rape and other
sexual crimes against women.
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>Please add your suggestions
and/or reiterate the ones with which you agree, and send by email to
justice.verma@nic.in or through fax at 011-23092675 by 5<sup>th</sup> Jan, 2013.</strong>
We simply can not afford to keep quiet at this juncture. It is
necessary that the committee gets a sizeable cross-section of public
opinion on various dimensions of this complex issue of crime against
women.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Any crime has to be dealt with broadly at 3 levels – Prevention, Deterrence & Justice. Prevention requires <strong><em>Reforms</em></strong> to change <em>attitude</em> & <em>systems</em> on all related fields and <strong>implementation</strong> of systems. <strong><em>Deterrence</em> </strong>comes from <em>fear of consequences of committing a crime</em>, which, in turn, flows from <em>visibility </em>of quick & certain apprehension of the culprit, conviction and severity of punishment. <strong><em>Justice </em></strong>comes from <em>reasonable correspondence of punishment to crime</em> <em>committed</em>
including reform & rehabilitation of the convict in eminently
deserving cases – very discerningly & judiciously based on all
critical dimensions like motivation, provocations, triggers, age &
maturity, residual life out of jail after serving the sentence requiring
the need to bring back the person to the social mainstream etc.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
While Police and Administration has the
first responsibility to ensure safety of citizens & quick
apprehension of offenders, investigation & producing them with
evidence before the Court of Law, the <em>Legal system</em> has the onerous responsibility to ensure <em>carriage of justice</em> as well as a major portion of <em>deterrence </em>in terms of fast-track trial/conviction and exemplary punishment that instils fear of consequences.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Keeping in view the above and my
understanding that the assigned scope of suggestions to be made by the
esteemed Verma committee is to suggest amendments to existing Laws
relating to crimes against women/ sexual offences, I, <strong>as a lay-person,</strong>
offer the following suggestions. Legal nuances & modalities can
always be worked out by the experts and experienced in the legal field.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1. The first cardinal principle on which Laws relating to RAPE must be based on should be : <strong>“ Even a prostitute/sex worker has a right not to be raped.” </strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2. Rape to be made a non-bailable offense.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
3. Fast track courts <em>at least</em>
for crimes against women of serious nature like rape, acid attacks and
other serious sexual assaults ( to be clearly defined). The ideal
position would be to have separate fast track courts for all crimes
against women – from eve-teasing, stalking, molestation, other sorts of
sexual harassment to acid attacks, rape, and dowry deaths.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span id="more-264"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
4. Fast track must be set up across the
entire legal structure from trial court at the bottom to appellate
judiciary at High Court and Supreme Court.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
(Otherwise, even after fast track trial
and conviction at the lower court, the ultimate conviction may take
years to come through, prolonging the misery and victimisation of the
victim, ultimately resulting in possible miscarriage of justice. Delayed
trials and appeal disposals, coupled with chargesheeted rapists or
serious sex offenders out on bail is a sure shot recipe for enhanced
risk to the victim in particular and society, in general. )</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
5. In- camera trial of these cases.
Information Technology need be harnessed to speed up proceedings in the
fast track courts & enhance efficiency of the courts in actually
disposing off these cases.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
6. The fast track courts to complete
trial within 3 months hearing on a day-to-day basis. The appellate
judiciary similarly need to have fast track disposal of the appeals
within another 3 months. All cases, thus, must be disposed off and final
verdicts passed for ultimate execution thereof within 6 months of
commencement of trial.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
7. ban on much objectionable ‘2-finger’
medical test of the assaulted and repeated offensive, humiliating
questions regarding details of the incident and exact sequence of
violation.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
8. DNA test reports and other forensic
test reports relating to sexual assault to be made sufficient evidence
of crime having been committed.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
9. The onus of proving innocence in
sexual offenses should lie on the defendant ( accused) instead
of onus resting on the prosecution to prove the crime.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
10. Attempt to rape/ gang-rape to be treated on par with rape.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
(Although establishing evidence
relating to attempt to rape may be a little difficult, as compared to
establishing rape, it is equally culpable and must be equivalently
punished, if proven, for a greater deterrent value. Hopefully, with
advanced forensic skills and DNA tests, physical resistance by the
victim before the ultimate violation ( read, rape) happens is likely to
leave many other verifiable evidence like bruises by nails, bites, hair
and so many other stuff.)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
11. Stringent and graded punishment need
be imposed, depending upon motivation, gravity and brutality of the
assault. The minimum in case of rape should be 7 years of imprisonment
to 14 years with fine or added term in lieu thereof. In grievous cases,
punishment must be enhanced to life imprisonment upto 30-50 yrs
subject to a maximum sentence of capital punishment in the <em>rarest of rare</em> cases. Gang rape must attract stricter punishment on the upper end of the scale of punishment.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
(Nothing less than death penalty will
be deterrent enough for rapists. Rape is a bigger crime than murder, not
only from a woman’s perspective, but from a perspective of the entire
society and humanity at large. And gang rape touches the nadir!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The recent Delhi gang-rape case is a
glaring example of an open and shut case involving unimaginable degree
of savagery in a rape case that may qualify for capital punishment.)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
12. Chemical castration should NOT be a prescribed punishment.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
(Perverts like rapists getting out of
jail after going through such punishment are more likely to imbibe
greater mental sickness and adopt other deadly modus operandi like acid
attacks, murder or other brutalities on the victim and/or others in the
society. Society can not afford to have these pervert minds roaming
around freely even with impotency. )</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
13. Mercy petitions to the President
against capital punishment in a rarest of rare case of sexual assault,
once upheld by the highest judiciary, viz. the Supreme Court, must not
be allowed.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
14. On conviction, full legal cost &
medical expenses incurred by the victim/State to be made good by the
convict, or extra punishment in lieu thereof should be imposed, if has
no means to pay. State to bear this in latter cases.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
15. Victim and witnesses be provided
protection even if the accused is in police/judicial custody till the
final verdict and execution. Necessary to foil any bid to pressurize the
victim by anyone known to the accused, especially when accused is a
person/related to persons of known clout or known criminal background.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
16. Laws relating to juvenile accused
need a relook to book accused aged 16-17 years of age on par with majors
in crimes involving brutality of high degree.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
(A question mark still remains. Even if
the juvenile laws are amended, will the same be applicable to the 17 yr
old minor accused in the bestial Delhi bus gangrape case ? Because, as
on the date of committing the crime, the accused was a minor and came
under the purview of the existing juvenile laws. Should be examined, if
retrospective effect clause could be brought in by way of amendment.)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
17.Mandatory in-jail counselling of sexual assault convicts aged upto 30 serving prison terms upto 14 years</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
(A peculiar aspect of many convicts in
cases of sexual offences involving sentences at the lower end is their
age and expected residual life after serving the sentence in prison. A
majority of them happen to be young & in their 20s/30s and even
after serving a long sentence in prison from 7 to 14 years, long years
of life in the society normally await them. This makes it imperative to
think about how to reform and reclaim these people, in eminently
deserving cases. Start with mandatory counselling of at least those
under age of 30 ( i.e very young, who are likely to have a quite long
residual life even after completing 7 to 14 years of sentence), put
their behaviour under observation for suitable further BS intervention.
As these crimes are usually committed in young age in some cases on the
spur of the moment or to settle a score after being rejected, some of
them still have a possibility of getting truly remorseful and reformed.
The aim of this measure is to try and reform the convict, so that when
he goes out of jail, he will not be a repeat offender and /or will be in
a position to return to the social mainstream. )</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>Other suggestions:</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
18. National database of rapists and
persons convicted of other sexual assaults to be compiled and updated on
an on-going basis and made public with their photographs by displaying
at police stations. The directory should also be made available on-line.
This will go a long way in alerting prospective employers/hirers and
others entering into any kind of dealings with them, apart from helping
law enforcement authorities in averting repeat offences or bringing them
to book.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
19. Mandatory Identity Badge with
photograph and driving licence particulars for drivers of all types of
commercial/govt. vehicles plying for public transport – which should be
displayed/mounted inside the vehicle in front side in such a manner as
to be visible to the passenger as soon as he/she enters the vehicle.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
20 . Install GPS in all public transports</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
21. FIRs must be lodged under CCTV coverage in police stations.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
22. Segregate law & order enforcing team from investigating agency within police</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
23. Ensure good infrastructure and
technical skill for forensic tests and preservation of forensic evidence
till production in court</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
24. Ensure street lights in cities</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
25. Increase visibility of Police -
more PCR Vans, more constables/homeguards near malls, entertainment
spots, in public buses/ trains/metro at night after , say, 9 pm, more
beat police at night etc</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
26. Install CCTVs at various points of roads for a good enough surveillance of all public transports</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
27. PCR & PCR Vans to be equipped
with advanced technology-supported tools like mobile trackers etc. and
special numbers be allotted or IT be harnessed in some other way to
enable women in distress to send out sos calls to police by simple
touching/pressing of one or two keys. With mobile tracker, police can
reach the spot most expeditiously.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
28. A special drive be made to gender-sensitize police.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
29. Each Police station to have a woman police officer & each PCR van to have a well-trained woman police officer.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
30. Consider feasibility of on-line
lodgement of FIR. Online lodgement of FIR to be noted immediately– to be
formalised after either visit by the police to the complainant on the
spot through mobile tracking/to address given or, after the complainant
comes to the police station – depending on the exact situation.
Modalities may be worked out by the experts.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
31. Fill up all vacancies in the
judiciary and enhance strength of police and judges to reasonable
numbers vis-à-vis the vast population of India that they are supposed to
serve! Crying hoarse about fast-tracking without ensuring the numbers,
skills and other enabling factors will lead us nowhere.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The long term solutions, however, call for reforms in Police, Judiciary, Social mindset.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
………………………………………..</div>
<div class="meta">
<br /></div>
</div>
Snigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527580518363192376.post-80027943638668308992012-12-26T13:53:00.000+05:302012-12-26T13:55:28.338+05:30Rape Vrs R-A-P-E<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<h2>
<a href="http://www.snigdhamohanty.com/259/rape-vrs-r-a-p-e/">Rape Vrs R-A-P-E</a></h2>
<div class="meta">
( Uploaded in my website snigdhamohanty. com. Unfortunately, traffic there is almost nil - hence uploaded here again for wider readership.)</div>
<br />
<b>Rape Vrs R-A-P-E </b><br />
Following the recent incident of savage gangrape of a paramedico
student in Delhi public bus, there has been a huge countrywide outrage
as well as a massive brainstorming on how to ensure safety of women and
curb crimes against women. Lots of articles containing valuable opinion
and suggestions from esteemed members of society have also been
published in media.<br />
<br />
But one article “ Crime and Punishment” ostensibly championing the
cause of women, got me really thinking about the duality of beliefs and
consequent lack of genuine empathy for women in society .<br />
(visit link <a href="http://newindianexpress.com/opinion/article1389302.ece)" target="_blank">http://newindianexpress.com/opinion/article1389302.ece)</a><br />
<br />
The reasons and concerns observed by the author asto why “award of
death penalty will not stop rape, but swift and harsh punishment will
certainly deter would-be rapists” are well taken (although,personally,I
would advocate stringent punishment for rape with capital punishment as
the maximum, depending upon the rarity and severity of brutality of the
crime.). But I felt deeply distressed to find two observations by the
esteemed author at the same breath, <b>which perhaps reveals a
disturbing phenomenon of many in the society, both men and women, who
think they believe in gender neutrality/equality, but deep down in their
subconscious, they still harbour and accept the centuries-old
prejudices against women</b>. To quote, at one place the <b>author says</b>,
“ Rape is horrible because it violates the body,the mind,the honour and
the dignity of the victim and thereby is a direct attack on all
womanhood.” and yet, at another place, he goes on to say,“ <b>Murder,</b> that is, permanently depriving a person of life, <b>will always be a more serious offence than rape,</b>
regardless of what women activists might say. Despite this, generally
speaking, in murder cases life imprisonment is the norm and death
penalty is the exception. <b>Is rape so much more serious than murde</b>r that we should insist on a mandatory death penalty in rape cases?”<br />
<br />
A <b><i>Freudian slip</i></b> by the esteemed author??<br />
<br />
Rape, (that too the unimaginably violent ones being perpetrated by
sick and pervert men with frequent regularity of late) is a violation of
body that results in inhuman physical torture- in many cases leading to
death or severe conditions leaving the victim as a living corpse, and
leads to an annihilation of the soul of the victim and worse still, it
systematically crushes down entire generations of women through an
atmosphere of intense fear of dire consequences for women who dare
establish an identity of their own beyond being an appendage to some
male! Pray, how is this any less serious than murder? How I wish I had a
magic wand to convert a few men to girl foetuses and make them grow
through the entire labyrinth of gender discrimination from mother’s womb
to grave, from subtle to pronounced to violent – just to make them
understand what it means to be a woman even in today’s so called
much-progressed world!!<br />
<br />
By the way, the word RAPE itself contains its own solution: <b>R</b>eform, <b>A</b>ct, <b>P</b>unish , <b>E</b>xemplify
! Ironically, R-A-P-E can serve as a Master Approach to address any
type of deep-seated sickness pertaining to mindset and system. High
time, this word is purged of the stigma attached to it so that all can
utter it – like all other words referring to a ‘crime’ so that the <b>shame is on the criminal</b>
and not on the victim and secondly, convert it to a positive term to
mean a multipronged approach to deal with complex socio-systemic
problems.<br />
<br />
Any crime has to be dealt with at 3 levels – Prevention, Deterrence & Justice. Prevention requires <b><i>Reforms</i></b> to change attitude & systems on all related fields; <b><i>Deterrence</i> </b>flows from quickness&certainty of being caught & convicted and severity of punishment; <b><i>Justice </i></b>comes
from reasonable correspondence of punishment to crime committed
including reform& rehabilitation of the criminal in deserving cases.<br />
<br />
Within this broad framework of action, commendable doable suggestions
have come out of all the brainstormings vide sloganeering, debates,
discussions, articles etc – which need to be collated and acted upon.
Not that we did not know about these earlier – but definitely the silver
lining for the society in this darkest cloud for the rape victim is
that it has brought the focus back on the issue of women’s safety ! As
in every other difficult situation, here too the crying need of the hour
is <i>action</i> – the willingness to act ! Some of the suggestions
specific to safety of women out of house, like FIR on CCTV, CCTV
coverage in public transports, near malls, cinema halls, more PCR vans,
badges for drivers of all public transports ( both govt. and private
owned vehicles ) with their name, driving licence and photo etc. can be
implemented forthwith without any difficulty.<br />
<br />
Assuming a girl is allowed to be born and treated equally in getting an opportunity for going to a school, <b>Co-education</b> <b>from day one</b>
is perhaps one of the most effective measures to facilitate inculcating
respect for women in menfolk and self-esteem in women. When boys see a
girls matching upto them or doing better in academics and
extra-curricular activities in schools/colleges, they automatically see
the latter with respect – nobody has to keep preaching “respect the
women”. These boys and girls, when they grow up and take important
positions in society and organisations, are most likely to be
merit-oriented without much gender bias, <i>unless they have picked up that gender bias from other stronger social fabrics and wrong role models.</i>
I can say this with conviction from my own experience and examples of
many other women that I know of. So, I reiterate, co-ed is not a
sufficient measure to deal with gender issues, but surely one of the
most effective ones.<br />
<br />
A lot more to be done – to reform society, to reform police, to
reform provisions of law, to reform all involved in law enforcement and
justice delivery! Herculean task . But we must start dealing with it
with genuine seriousness. Let a man not rape a human being; let all of
us R-A-P-E the issue of crime – not only against women, but against
crimes of all types!</div>
Snigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527580518363192376.post-35760422260082239052011-06-07T14:51:00.002+05:302011-06-07T15:00:36.662+05:30Hi FriendsHi friends,<br /><br />Finally, I have launched my own <a href="http://snigdhamohanty.com">website </a>. I will be blogging from there henceforth. Right now, I am trying to carry over some blogposts from this blog - the ones with all time relevance.<br /><br />I have deliberately chosen a very simple design and thank my <a href="http://www.soumyasm.com">daughter</a> for understanding my needs and giving me a design accordingly.<br /><br />Pl visit and share your comments and suggestions.Snigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527580518363192376.post-45534192934299920842009-06-02T18:15:00.004+05:302010-05-03T10:33:20.780+05:30Hi, Alisha ! You are more than a Winner<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><u>Hi, Alisha ! You are more than a winner !!<o:p></o:p></u></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p>Just to tell you, you ARE more than a winner ! So what, the “ sunhari takdir ki topi”<span style=""> </span>- the winning title in the Dance India Dance competition, went to Salman and you missed it by a whisker – and won the 2<sup>nd</sup> position ?? I could not miss whatever there was in your eyes when the results were declared – hence this post.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p>Believe it – you were simply <b style="">phenomenal</b> and what is important is the fact that you have <b style="">transcended</b> your natural boundaries. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Salman is also a fabulous dancer and so are a few other boys like Jay, Mayuresh, Prince and a few other girls like Khushboo & Bhavna Purohit etc. <b style=""><i style="">But when it comes to the boys,</i></b> who performed superbly – my take is: it is more like operating <b style=""><i style="">within their natural boundaries</i></b>. The physicalities, that Nature has endowed the men with, actually aid and support the dancing ventures – call it stunts or power-exuding postures – that these boys executed. Well, that is not to take away from them the credit for their powerpacked performance with remarkable grace and grit, for which they deserve all kudos. I am saying this just to make a point, just to make all pause for a moment and think about <b style=""><i style="">what is actually happening to the hugely talented participants from the fairer <span style=""> </span>gender.<o:p></o:p></i></b></p><o:p></o:p>Think of the girls ! Nature has designed their body and physicalities differently for other purposes and <i style="">naturally</i>, it does not support taking excessive physical strain as a male body can. <b style="">Nevertheless, these girl participants did what not (!) to match up – in physical stamina -<span style=""> </span>especially Alisha !</b><span style=""> </span>On top of that, a woman’s body also sets many other limitations, in every sense of the term. A woman’s woes !! Does anyone ever spare even a nanosecond to visualise how the girl participants might be coping with the practice and dance schedules – <i style="">nonstop</i> – for 18 weeks ( for long periods ) !! <span style=""> </span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p><b style="">Add to that</b>, the types and magnitude of psycho-social barriers a girl has to break to set her free to do what she wants to do – pursue her passion and showcase her talent in full glare of public view. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p><b style="">And yet</b>, these girls demonstrate the courage to compete with the boys on equal footing ! And match up !! Well, matching up has nothing to do with whether you finally <i style="">win </i>the particular competition or not – which depends upon public voting as per the format of the show – and there again, who does not know the biases, the basis of votings ? Talent is not its sole determinant, as even the worst critic of women would admit. Matching up is when you leave the stage amidst the wild applause of the gallery and tears in the eyes of the mentors ( the judges - experts who are legitimately capable to judge your talent), fully satisfied within yourself that you have done a 101% job and were no less than the ones who get to continue in the competition !! </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p>This dance competition is only a small example of what a woman actually goes through to get her fair share in all walks of life.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p>But despite all barriers, hurts and biases over the ages, there have been many sung and unsung women, who <b style=""><i style="">transcend</i></b><i style=""> </i>all their boundaries and match up to men in all walks of life. At the most, the world says ‘ Wow ! <span style=""> </span>a woman has done as good as a man’ – but very few realise or give the credit to her for the fact that in so achieving, it has taken her at least twice as much as the man !!</p>Reminds me of what Vince Lombardi once observed : <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">“Nothing is more unequal than the equal treatment of the unequals .”<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>- </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Errr..<span style=""> </span>have I started sounding like a feminist? Well, I did not mean to raise placards against the menfolk ( my father was a man, my brothers are and my husband is ! I love them all !! ) <span style=""> </span>I just wanted to make the <b style=""><i style="">Alishas</i></b><i style=""> </i>feel legitimately proud of themselves and carry on undetered by so-called failures to lift trophies in some competitions. Plus I wanted to reflect ( and make you reflect, too) on concepts like “winning”, “competition”, “success”, “ accomplishment”, “ achievement motivation” and put them to perspective – in short, <b style="">what is it that really matters at the end of the day ? Is it to win or to achieve, to accomplish ? <o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p><b style="">Actually, I am not really averse to</b> <b style="">competitions</b> as such or even competition among participants of both genders. That, in fact, brings out the best in each – by setting benchmarks, by continuously increasing the bar. <b style="">But beyond a certain point</b>( i.e benchmarking against others in the similar field of expertise), <span style=""> </span><b style="">competitions are not important finally</b>. Ultimately, what matters <span style=""> </span>is the attitude with which you participate and the attitude with which the gallery looks at it ! <span style=""> </span>True competition lies in competing with yourself – beating your former self everytime.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p><b style="">Personally, I am rather averse to the term</b> “<b style="">winning”</b> !!<span style=""> </span>Winning has ‘<b style="">others’</b> at its centre – you focus on what others are doing: to win you must defeat others. <span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />To my mind, more than an urge to‘win’, it is healthier to have an “accomplishment attitude”<span style=""> </span>or an “achievement motivation”, or a ‘winning attitude”<span style=""> </span>and <b style="">let me clarify winning and winning attitude are different. Winning is a specific incident of winning; whereas winning attitude is the quality of perseverence – the ability to bounce back after every fall and continue running the race to <u>accomplish </u>what you had set out for !</b> An accomplishment attitude will always have ‘yourself’ at its centre and you will always be prompted to do better than your last time to satiate your accomplishment motivation. And what is more, true achievement motivation will also have you keep an eye on what others are doing to fix your bar at a challenging level.<span style=""> </span>Very simple logic : if you have already ‘accomplished’ something at a particular point of time, and you are driven by what I call ‘an accomplishment attitude’, then </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->you will look forward to accomplishing something still better.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->You will challenge yourself to become a conscientious, hard worker; </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->you will raise the bar after each accomplishment to make a still greater achievement ;</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->you will become still more alive to grab more opportunities to learn and excel in what you do; </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->you will look still deeper inside yourself to recognise your hidden strengths n talents and seek their expression ! In short, you will look more at yourself – how best and how fast you can become better than your earlier selves, while looking at others to have an idea on the benchmarks to be fixed and not necessarily to defeat them, <i style="">although history shows that such a person, who runs his own race with all his might and sincerity eventually</i> <i style="">wins against others – not as a conscious effort, but as a natural outcome</i>! And even if, there are a few still ahead of him/her, he is still an <i style="">achiever</i> as he has achieved his goals!<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>Actually, that would constitute true ‘winning’ spirit, winning against your own limitations, winning against your own former self !! <span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br /><span style=""> </span>That will also be true success in life – you get closer and closer to becoming what you can be !</p><o:p></o:p>Back to the specific issue of women ! <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p>My submission is : each of us must develop clear perspectives as also the sensibilities and sensitivity that it takes to sit on judgement in life. Well, ab initio, no one has a right in the first place to judge others – but in real life, whether we like it or not, we do find ourselves in specific roles wherein we have to take such calls. <span style=""> </span>Hence, the more alive we are to what goes into a particular quality n level of performance, the fairer our judgement would be. <span style=""> </span>At least, that way, a day will come when all the hurts, humiliations and injustice that are being meted out to the women now will see a decline !!</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p>Ladies, do not ever set impossible standards just to compete with the males – set challenging standards, that challenge your own natural endowments, persevere and transcend - fly beyond the visible horizon ! Run your own race ! Challenge yourselves; give your best ! <b style="">And then let go</b>; listen to the music in your own heart on your accomplishments. Who gives a damn, whether the gallery applauds or not ! There will be applause, though – much deserved - <i style="">in time</i>, if the onlookers have the ‘eyes’, ‘ears’ and ‘soul’ for it !! </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">So, Alisha</b> – three cheers to your exceptional talent and remarkable perseverance ! These are THE TWO things that would lead you on the path of true success and accomplishment and ultimately lead you to become who you are capable of : who you are meant to be . <span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>Do remember two things in life: </p> <p><span lang="EN-US">i.<span style=""> </span> </span><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;" lang="EN-US">"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome." </span></strong><span lang="EN-US">Booker T. Washington,<span style=""> </span><b style=""><br /></b></span><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></strong></p> <p><span lang="EN-US">ii.<span style=""> </span>Success is not winning every battle: it is winning the war ultimately . </span></p> <p><b style=""><span lang="EN-US">So… Buck up<span style=""> </span>my Alishas !!<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />And before I end, I would share a story of nine extra-ordinary winners, who ‘won’ because they knew that something else was more important than their winning the race !<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p>[ </span></b><span style="" lang="EN-US">story collected by my friend Veera from Net]</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">Some time ago, at the Seattle Olympics, nine athletes, all mentally or physically challenged, were standing on the start line for the 100 m race. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p>The gun fired and the race began. Not everyone was running, but everyone wanted to participate and win.<span style=""> </span></span><o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p>They ran in threes, a boy tripped and fell, did a few somersaults and started crying. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p>The other eight heard him crying.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">They slowed down and looked behind them. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">They stopped and came back… All of them…</span><o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p></o:p>A girl with Down’s Syndrome sat down next to him, hugged him and asked, “Feeling better now?”<br /><!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>Then</b><b><span style="" lang="FR-BE">, all nine walked shoulder to shoulder to the finish line.</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p><br />The whole crowd stood up and applauded. And the applause lasted a very long time…<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US"><span style=""> </span></span></b><span style="" lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p>Snigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527580518363192376.post-80771863062649242952009-05-24T13:18:00.001+05:302009-05-25T10:59:05.795+05:30How GREEN are you<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">HOW<span style=""> </span>‘GREEN’ ARE YOU ??<span style=""> </span><br /><o:p> </o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">As I was sitting at home a fews days back and leisurely browsing the internet - deeply soaking in the soft rustles and pampers of the nice, cool breeze blowing through the room even during this hot summer day in mid-May, suddenly I woke up to some serious realisation.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Yes, I had not switched on the fan in the room since morning<span style=""> </span>and it was already about 3 pm in the afternoon. What’s more, I also realised that I have not been using fan or light in this room for the past quite many days, ever since I returned from Patna !!<span style=""> </span>It is so very well ventilated <span style=""> </span>and well-lighted that you simply do not need<span style=""> </span>a fan, AC or lights !! (though, others may feel obsessively compelled to put on the fan or even AC ) Actually, our apartment is south-facing, looking over a large stretch of vacant land; so we are extremely lucky to have been blessed with Nature’s most precious gifts – air and light- in abundance !!</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Recently, to harness this blessing all the more, I had re-arranged my furniture in the living room – shifting my dining set to the huge window facing the balcony. During morning hours, I just love sitting there, having my steaming cup of tea, reading the newspapers and working on my lappie, caressed by refreshingly nice n cool breeze and ample light. No need for fan or light again ! During the last three decades, I had almost forgotton this amazing feel of natural breeze, that we used to have in our childhood at our residence at Puri ( located near sea )!!</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I really feel very happy that at least mine is a <b style="">GREEN</b> home and relish giving myself a pat on the back once in a while over the fact that I have got into a habit of making <i style="">conscious </i>moves to keep it that way ; saving on electricity consumption to the last bit possible. I switch off all lights, fans in rooms other than the one I am in – almost obssessively now. But for this energy-consciousness, I would have liked the entire house to be lighted especially when alone ( and most of these days , I am alone ) !! </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">So to cut the long story short :</b> I am deliberately trying to <b style=""><i style="">reduce energy consumption / wastage</i></b> – not only it saves my money spent on electricity – it does something much more significant for this planet: it helps in energy conservation- <span style=""> </span>the insignificant quantum of my personal contribution notwithstanding!<span style=""> </span>Every unit of energy saved is equivalent to a unit of energy produced !! Because the stock of natural energy is<span style=""> </span>finite and availability of energy in usable form like electricity is also finite by the extent of production. So if I save a unit by curtailing my wasteful usage, it becomes available elsewhere for a genuine need. <span style=""> </span><b style="">Just imagine,</b> what the gross impact could be, if <i style="">each </i>individual makes a conscious effort to reduce wasteful consumption of energy at one’s own level first !! Add to that the impact of <b style=""><i style="">green initiatives</i></b> that are possible at an organisational level !<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Actually, by now most of us <i style="">know( </i>but the point is how many<i style=""> act </i>as needed<i style=""> ) </i>that the physical survival of our race and our Mother Earth now is severely challenged by three major environmental issues, off-shoots of our high industrialisation and urbanisation <span style=""> </span>:</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">i.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span><!--[endif]-->climate change / global warming mainly due to emission of carbon and other hazardous pollutants to air on one hand and rapid erosion of green cover <span style=""> </span>( forests , trees ) on the other.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">ii.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span><!--[endif]-->rapid depletion of natural sources of energy like coal, oil , gas ….and even water<span style=""> </span>mainly due to excessive usage of the same to <span style=""> </span>maintain our modern lifestyle which would come to a complete halt without these. Can you imagine even a day without electricity ? without fuel for your car ? without energy ? Run a quick glance through your everyday items of use and the lifestyle of<span style=""> </span>even a common man – <span style=""> </span>you will shudder to think of a situation without<span style=""> </span>energy !!!<span style=""> </span>The real challenge is that these natural ‘stores’ of energy sources are finite and are getting exhausted at astronomical rate. So, the challenge before us is to <i style="">conserve energy</i> to the last bit, have better and <i style="">better extraction technology</i> with improved ability to tap the available natural deposits of oil, coal etc. and most crucially, to find and harness alternative sources of <i style="">renewable energy, like solar power, wind power</i> !</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">iii.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span><!--[endif]-->Waste management : solid waste, chemical waste, industrial waste etc. ; perhaps now <span style=""> </span>e-waste can also be added as a menace in not-too-distant a future.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">As far as our physical environmental hazards are concerned, these ‘trio’ form the crux of the menace – acting and interacting on one another !! </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">[Of course, when it comes to our <i style="">survival</i> in its real sense, economic and social ‘pollutants’ affecting the sustain-ability of the human race also need to be addressed on an equal footing. Truly, ‘<i style="">rising temperatures’</i> are equally a consequence of unadmissible entrants into air, water and earth as of unadmissible entrants into our value syatem – of<span style=""> </span><i style="">‘falling values’</i> !!! How ? Worth reflecting by anyone genuinely concerned beyond self –interest.] <span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Coming back to the environmental hazards, my take is : although these issues to be meaningfully addressed, the corporates and the goverments must play their role at an organised level, we, as individuals, <span style=""> </span>can also play an equally significant role through our conduct in our day-today-life – in fact, I would say, a far bigger role than that meets our eye on first thought. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">This reminds me of an interesting concept called <b style="">“Waste Hierarchy ” </b>that I had read about somewhere, which I think, is a wonderful way to internalise <i style="">green consciousness</i> in both individuals and organisations. </p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US">This is a ranking of possible environmental actions in increasing order of environmental benefit:</span></p> <ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="">To burn material for energy is better than sending it to a landfill.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">To recycle it is better than burning it.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">To reuse material is better than recycling it.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">To reduce the amount needed is better than reusing it.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">To eliminate the need for material is better than reducing it.</li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The last one is the best option and last but one is the second best and so on. If as an individual, as aslo as a part of an organisation, I imbibe this thinking, then instead of giving lip service to the environment issues, I would <i style="">act</i><span style=""> </span>in a conscious manner everyday – at least to reduce consumption, curtail wasteful consumption, reuse to the extent possible and find out other modes of doing things which are not dependent on scarce resources or produce lesser solid waste for disposal, plant trees in office and home/neighbourhood, walk down to the neighbourhood shop instead of using my car etc. etc.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">a.<span style=""> </span>At home and office, I can desist from switching on fans, lights and ACs, if not truly needed.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">b.<span style=""> </span>I can switch off TVs/computers , when not in use, instead of leaving them in stand-by mode. Contrary to common belief, stand-by mode consumes a significant amount of electricity . </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">c.<span style=""> </span>I can pause a moment when I see numerous fans and lights on, proclaiming that the office is open even when higher animals called employees to adorn their seats are not in sight; I can simply switch them off<span style=""> </span>- without listening to the clamour of voices inside ringing with cynicism<span style=""> </span>“ <i style="">company ka maal, darya mein dal</i> ” !</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">d.<span style=""> </span>I can be very careful about use of paper !! After all, where from paper comes ? Is it not one of the major reasons for felling trees, erosion of green cover ??</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">e. I can stop taking those n number of photocopies of official communications to be sent to numerous units of operation, to which I have already sent these communications by e-mail or fax ! I will do well to remind myself that the recipients of these faxes/emails must have already kept hard copies !! <span style=""> </span>( I mean, if at all, hard copies are to be preserved in each damned case .)<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">[ And no offense meant to anyone, but what about the common practice in many organisations to keep a copy of every communication received from top and passed down the line, at literally every point it passes through ??? For operating units at the grass root, most of the time, one ends up getting at least 6 to 7 communications with same/similar contents around the same time – by letter, fax, email print-out etc.<span style=""> </span>It used to amuse and amaze, and then hurt, me while in service to think of the colossal wastage of time, paper, fax rolls, fax ink and so many other resources due to this one single reason ! One should imagine, with 10000+ operating units alone and hundreds of controlling /administrative units across the organisation, how much resources must be getting wasted in maintaining this kind of a working culture !!<span style=""> </span>In fact, I used to get wild to get faxes on the same matter from five different places around the same time and all on official letter heads ( you can imagine, how much costly fax ink gets used up just in printing these logos and other detailed stuff that appear in all letterheads !!). I have even called up many of them to say … please, for heavens sake, stop this ! But, unless an organisation-wide awareness and sensitivity develops, this will go on unabated.<span style=""> </span>]<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">f.<span style=""> </span>I can use the reverse side of the envelops/letter covers/obsolete stationery for drafting, noting etc. instead of wasting fresh plain paper for these purposes . I have the moral right to say this, because I actually do this.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">g. <span style=""> </span>I can ‘<b style="">sell’ </b>the letter covers etc. along with newspapers, old notebooks, books etc. – instead of dumping them in the dustbin – obviously not for the price ( which is just measly), but because it ensures that it goes to the <b style="">recycling</b> factories eventually. <span style=""> </span>Dustbin wastes mostly get disposed off by burning. My uncle once mentioned about this practice that he follows and the reason for it and I really appreciated. <span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">h. I can maintain separate dustbins, at home and office, to dump paper-based waste separately, which will facilitate their disposal in a way as to facilitate recycling or reuse.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">i.<span style=""> </span>I can plant or maintain green plants / gardens in my neighbourhood and office premises. <span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">j.<span style=""> </span>I can close running water taps , if noticed at public places.<span style=""> </span>I can draw the attention of the concerned authority to broken / leaking pipelines. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">k.<span style=""> </span>I can use public transport or pooled car, whenever and wherever feasible, instead of feeling pride in speeding away all alone in a huge car with AC on and blocking half the road all by myself. I can also prefer walking down or cycling, if feasible, of course.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">l.<span style=""> </span>I can at least enquire about the emission levels or compliance certifications and fuel efficiency while purchasing new motor vehicles – <i style="">consciously</i>, out of concern for global warming.<span style=""> </span>Similar display of concern by large number of prospective customers would ultimately push the manufacturers to improve green-compliance of their products. ( Obviously, govts and policy makers have a big role in setting regulatory framework in this regard, but I am talking about my role as an individual only – so not discussing that aspect).</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">m.<span style=""> </span>I can sacrifice my lust for ‘earth’ and decide in favour of an apartment in a multi-storeyed building for my residence over a stand-alone house.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">n.<span style=""> </span>I can resist the temptation of going to that bigger shopping mall at a distance, by car, to window-shop and get my branded stuff; instead I can walk down to the neighbourhood mall where all these same things are available.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">o.<span style=""> </span>I can plan my visit to multiple shops / visit points ( say, the tailor, the dry-cleaner, the grocer etc. ) on the same day, instead of dashing off in my car to these places on different dates, just because I have time to spare.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">Well, so on and so forth …. But am I really trying to do similar things?<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">If <span style=""> </span>green consciousness sounds<b style=""> <i style="">not-something-to be so finicky- about</i>, </b>then please think twice<b style=""> .<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">A few days back, there was a news item in a Daily ( TOI issue dt 06<sup>th</sup> May, 09 , reported by : Nitin Sethi) – captioned<span style=""> </span>:<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><span style=""> </span>“ Disaster date may move up 21 years to 2029” <o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">It said, the world must restrict its carbon emissions<span style=""> </span>to 190 giga tonnes by 2050, if it is to have a chance of escaping the consequences of global<span style=""> </span>warming. These are as per the latest findings published in “ Nature” magazine, which puts aside all earlier calculations and warned that our planet could take even less of the greenhouse gases than imagined before.<span style=""> </span>There is 75% chance the world can hope to escape the danger of global average temperatures rising by more than 2 degrees Celsius above the <span style=""> </span>pre-industrial era only if it can keep its carbon emissions below 190 giga tonnes over the next 41 years.<span style=""> </span>Although this inspires some hope, there is much to be worried over, as last year alone, the world emitted 9 giga tonnes of carbon by burning fossil fuels. And the rate at which we emit carbon is rising 3% every year.<span style=""> </span>If we continue to burn fossil fuels and gases at this rate, the safety mark of 190 giga tonnes will be crossed by 2029 !! Every single tonne of carbon thrown into the air thereafter will reduce progressively our chances to survive the havoc of catastrophic climate change .<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">Some wake up call, I swear ; but seriously, are we <span style=""> </span>listening ??<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Well, that is only about the issue of global warming and climate change due to carbon emissions. But it is not this single issue alone, that needs to seize the attention of anyone walking on this planet. It is the entire spectrum of issues concerning our <b style="">SUSTAINABILITY <span style=""> </span>- </b>from<span style=""> </span>emission of carbon and other toxics/pollutants into the air, rapid erosion of forest cover / water mass, rapid depletion of energy sources like coal, oil, gas and water levels <span style=""> </span>to …… well, a host of other things that affect the <i style="">sustain-ability</i> of this planet, that may well include how we conduct ourselves as individuals as much as how the corporates run their businesses from a perspective of corporate social responsibility( CSR)<span style=""> </span>- everything to do with rising temperatures and falling values that may affect the sustain-ability of our current generation as well as the coming generations !! I reiterate this at the cost of repetition .</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">In short, “Sustainability” is the ability to meet the needs of the current generation without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their needs.<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">And<b style=""> “Go Green”</b><span style=""> </span>is coming up as a metaphor to represent <b style="">the entire spectrum of</b> <b style="">sustainability</b> <b style="">issues<span style=""> </span></b>and not just planting trees or addressing global warming. When I say how green are you or your organisation, I am simply keen to make you introspect on all these issues from a long term perspective and do whatever you can to address this at your level – as an individual, as part of a corporate, as part of policy makers n government, as part of the global community. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The volume of carbon emissions and rate at which it is increasing -<span style=""> </span>should there be a prize to guess whether the ability of our future generation to sustain themselves is compromised or not ? Are you, as a person, not a party to this if you are unnecessarily using a motor vehicle when you could have avoided using it ?<span style=""> </span>Are you not a party to this if while buying or marketing cars, you have not given even a thought to know how much carbon it is going to throw up into the air/its compliance with emission standards? <span style=""> </span>Are you not a party to it if you are not trying to have enough green trees around to help nature convert the carbon emissions to life-saving oxygen and lessen impact on environmental temperature ?<span style=""> </span>Think about it and you will be amazed to discover in how many small ways you can make a positive contribution to make this problem a little less. I have already mentioned a few earlier in this post.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Yes… I catch what you are thinking right now. The corporate world, the manufacturers, the financiers, government etc.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>have a <span style=""> </span>big, big role to play, so far as this particular issue is concerned.<span style=""> </span>In fact, I was a little sad when “Nano” came to market and the bankers started falling head over heel to finance the cars – with slogans like<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>“ Nano for <i style="">each</i> Indian” <span style=""> </span>- that too, without anywhere coming out with any public announcements on the emission-performance of this little common man’s car. Obviously, the target is the two-wheeler owners who would be tempted to upgrade. Would it lure the big-car owners to give away their swanky status symbols for a Nano for the similar services it offers as a city-ride at a ridiculously low cost ? </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">AND, LORD SAVE US – how would the traffic scenario be, if actually each Indian possesses a small car, with nothing improving as far as the roads are concerned ???<span style=""> </span>Honestly, personally, I feel, it is time for huge public transports and not small cars for a multitude. It is high time for a <b style="">twin action</b> -<span style=""> </span>a robust and efficiently managed public transport system that can inspire confidence in everyone that it is better than<span style=""> </span>driving own vehicles AND disincentives for buying vehicles for personal use (say, by way of high taxes, stricter permissions like in Singapore ) as also disincentives for <span style=""> </span>using motor vehicles during certain distances/ time periods. Such govt. imposed disincentives can work a miracle in taking the status-symbol out of personal possession of four-wheelers. What no amount of social awareness campaigns can do in this regard can be achieved overnight and the message will spread that it is no longer the happening thing to show–off a car ! A word of caution ! The disincentives, without developing an efficient public transport system <i style="">first</i>, will not achieve the objective at all. <span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">In Office premises, go for centralised air-conditioning as much as possible, instead of numerous window ACs or split ACs, design your interior aligned to natural light and see the savings on energy consumption !<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Bankers and financing companies can contribute a lot just by containing their opportunism in coverting everything into a business opportunity and financing everything that comes to the market, without making a reasonable study of its long term impact on the environment/society/economy from a sustainability perspective. On the side of affirmative action, bankers and financiers can also contribute positively by giving incentives by way of reduced interest rates/service charges to manufacturing units or other industrial/service units, who invest in and implement green initiatives. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I feel a fresh gush of breeze when I hear about new concepts like ‘<b style="">Carbon Credit’</b>, ‘<b style="">Green Home Loans’</b> ‘ <b style="">shifting to green suppliers’</b>, ‘<b style="">cut carbon out of the supply chain</b>’ ‘<b style="">stop transporting air</b>’, ‘<b style="">go local</b>’etc. <span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">As per some studies, industrial and transportation sectors—those that coincide with supply chain activities—account for 61 percent of carbon emissions in USA ! <span style=""> </span>So, if only<span style=""> </span>transportation aspect in the supply chain can be taken care of, say by<span style=""> </span>rationalizing sourcing, assembly and distribution in relation to markets, travel distances, corresponding fuel use can be reduced. <span style=""> </span>At times, even simple changes to a product design – from reducing weight to making it easier to disassemble or assemble — can reduce energy consumption and waste throughout the product life cycle. Someone made a brilliant point:<span style=""> </span>a delivery truck filled with flat-packed chairs can carry the equivalent of six trucks of fully assembled chairs; so why transport air ??<span style=""> </span>The same principle can apply to all types of surface transport for goods and merchandise -<span style=""> </span>enhance carriage space upward, you save dramatically on energy cost on transportation. { Indian Railways did something similar a few years back – kudos !}</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Point is: the industrial world, even the service organisations – in fact the entire corporate world needs to gear up now to go green – invest in R&D for cleaner and greener technology, adapt green practices, orient their staffer towards appreciation of and compliance with green initiatives.<span style=""> </span>Governments and Policy makers, as also NGOs and awakened citizens/citizen groups must do their bit in driving something like a Green Revolution through awareness projects and regulatory/punitive frameworks.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Ekks… suddenly I realise that I am going on and on. Well, my objective was to stir your conscience and consciousness about sustain-ability of our Mother Earth – obviously our race and our future generations included.<span style=""> </span>I would like to believe, I have hit it ! And you are thinking for yourself: “how green am I ?”<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Please think and act. <span style=""> </span></p>Snigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527580518363192376.post-61889109243772772062009-05-10T10:37:00.007+05:302009-05-10T10:57:47.819+05:30MOTHER ...Oh.. ...MOTHER<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">MOTHER, Oh.. MOTHER<span style=""> </span>!!</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Everytime I travel by road via Bandra in Mumbai, a beautiful statue of a mother figure rocking her child on folded legs never ceases to make me thoughtful for a moment as I read the message that it carries :<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><i style="">A mother is born the </i></b><b style=""><i style="">moment her child is born.</i></b><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Mother’s Day<span style=""> </span>falls today - on 10<sup>th</sup> May, 2009.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I am usually against “Day”s being allocated once a year to remember someone or something special, as it lends a measure of <i style="">formality</i> to something, which otherwise should be spontaneous, boundless and straight from the heart. In some way, it also sanctions tokenism for things profound. Nevertheless, over the years, I have started seeing the plus points of such celebrations also – especially days like Mother’s Day, Friendship Day<span style=""> </span>etc.. ( hey, when is Father’s Day celebrated ?? ).<span style=""> </span>At least, it encourages one to express the unspoken words for the dear ones on that particular day. Otherwise, with increasingly fast pace of life these days, many well meaning emotions never get expressed. Let us remember : even the best of bonds grow stronger with occasional explicit <span style=""> </span>re-affirmation !!<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I am particularly fond of Mother’s Day. <span style=""> </span>Gives me an occasion to re-connect with my mother and my children, who made me a mother.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">[<span style=""> </span><b style="">NOTE <span style=""> </span>BEFORE<span style=""> </span>I PROCEED :</b><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><b style=""><i style="">She</i></b> invariably includes <b style=""><i style="">he</i> ; </b>so I take the liberty of<span style=""> </span>referring an entity who possibly can be of any gender as a “she”<span style=""> </span>- <span style=""> </span>like<span style=""> </span>a child and God, the almighty !!<span style=""> </span>And of course, I take ‘mother’ as representing both mother and father, none less than the other !!! ]</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-weight: bold;">Now, let me first share my treasure <span style=""> </span>! </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKd3dMMwVzOs74UhX3gmEXhuz3fcTMwVY6GxfVnBLIf7EJU8RHHOCHqvZXDu5m2C6UeWDSLyroW1CkU5bFsWUXlGQcPzYe8qnAeELEaVZPlNPiVADtQOqEmeANvlI0omiglrihuZcErtQ/s1600-h/DSC00045.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKd3dMMwVzOs74UhX3gmEXhuz3fcTMwVY6GxfVnBLIf7EJU8RHHOCHqvZXDu5m2C6UeWDSLyroW1CkU5bFsWUXlGQcPzYe8qnAeELEaVZPlNPiVADtQOqEmeANvlI0omiglrihuZcErtQ/s320/DSC00045.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334058428344044674" border="0" /></a>Well, so..o. sweet, nah ??<span style=""> </span>That’s a magnet couriered by my daughter recently – thanks, baby !!<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikwRsHOeOk5kgZF-75DsO2me31uTZzRrHR6I30zzWQcCQSzjtW61Rf-rTvzPnag5Bf-mq98uThyphenhyphen_qqnmbsZlzdBaG-HQHMYeNanAohqCWw5NUrJ8M6hmdsvmG3mV_j30azVvNFmAMNIiQ/s1600-h/DSC00118.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikwRsHOeOk5kgZF-75DsO2me31uTZzRrHR6I30zzWQcCQSzjtW61Rf-rTvzPnag5Bf-mq98uThyphenhyphen_qqnmbsZlzdBaG-HQHMYeNanAohqCWw5NUrJ8M6hmdsvmG3mV_j30azVvNFmAMNIiQ/s320/DSC00118.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334059030743984242" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">This one was hand-drawn by my daughter when she was a little kid and presented to me on that year’s Mother’s Day. So, cute !! In the middle portion of the card, she draws a cat and writes, “<span style=""> </span>I L U”, this is a sweet cat card for you from your<span style=""> </span>kitten ” .<span style=""> </span>If, by chance she visits my blog and sees this, she would be so surprised …(and scandalised, ha, ha,<span style=""> </span>sorry kiddo !) <span style=""> </span>Yes, darlings, I have preserved many more of your presents…. they are so precious to me !!</p><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWPlGMCJFOOM8osdgkMeWGedf6R5RNXBcEUn_lab58VwJc6A4R1r0cuoO-bkfJ8lfsNKb8UjZwWIsvYAypXGpgwv4dOaY-Iqb5KHDd05VPGx9ykMA3eLrK8az8s0HDcddWsWYVLeLQ3ss/s1600-h/DSC00116.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 365px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWPlGMCJFOOM8osdgkMeWGedf6R5RNXBcEUn_lab58VwJc6A4R1r0cuoO-bkfJ8lfsNKb8UjZwWIsvYAypXGpgwv4dOaY-Iqb5KHDd05VPGx9ykMA3eLrK8az8s0HDcddWsWYVLeLQ3ss/s320/DSC00116.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334059555011376322" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Again hand-drawn and self-composed verse by my sweetie pie, when she was a kiddo. Every time I used to go outstation on unavoidable official tours, coming back home used to be a lovely and hugely cherishable experience.</p><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc88lMPQ2HvbWTPje89ykL9G_Q26Bn2vfUadrrOHdZWnFiivGzqmBdpGy18c3mfyQmvxNk7Ug8X2qdaJhmbyF4RV80m02064kxDlrtE_s4UoChQk15uXd2i4bBj84elhk4sCfGNxMP-MM/s1600-h/DSC00113.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 208px; height: 145px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc88lMPQ2HvbWTPje89ykL9G_Q26Bn2vfUadrrOHdZWnFiivGzqmBdpGy18c3mfyQmvxNk7Ug8X2qdaJhmbyF4RV80m02064kxDlrtE_s4UoChQk15uXd2i4bBj84elhk4sCfGNxMP-MM/s320/DSC00113.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334059993077895794" border="0" /></a>And this one !! The locket – a monkey-god(who I worship) – was gifted by my daughters on one Mother’s Day . So..o thoughtful of them ! They knew, I am an ardent fan of Lord Hanumanji and was always wearing a silver locket on a gold chain, although it was not going with that at all. So , they gifted this gold locket – which I have been wearing EVER SINCE, and wish to wear it for ever !<span style=""> </span>I love you, buddies! God bless you !</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Well, those are some of the tangible ones. There can be no count or display of the intangibles that I have got as a mother – I have grown fuller as a person after becoming a mother and growing simultaneously with my children. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I do not know, whether I have been able to give as much to <i style="">my</i> mother or not. I definitely owe her everything – all that I am today. I always know … she is there for me, whenever I need her – no strings attached. She is the most wonderful woman in my life . I love you, Mom.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="">The best conversations with mothers always take place in silence, when only the heart speaks. <o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>Carrie Latet<br /><!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--> <!--[endif]--></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">Mother, oh.. Mother …. !!!!!!!!<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">M<span style=""> </span>for Magnanimity</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">O<span style=""> </span>for Omni-presence</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">T<span style=""> </span>for<span style=""> </span>Teacher</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">H<span style=""> </span>for Holiness</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">E<span style=""> </span>for<span style=""> </span>Eternity</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">R<span style=""> </span>for<span style=""> </span>Re-Creation<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">Mother is <i style="">Magnanimity</i> personified.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Full of unconditional love, blessings and best wishes for her child, irrespective of whether they deserve it, whether they reciprocate it or not.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i style="">A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.</i> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""> </span>Tenneva Jordan</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">That is example of only a trivial sacrifice. She is ever ready to become a martyr on the altar of her child – ever ready to pardon even the bitterest act or gravest mistake by her child – even behind a façade of a ruthless mother who lets her child fall only to learn how to walk, there is a mother’s heart which would do any sacrifice needed to protect her child and see her child stand on her feet and take the bully, that is this world, by its horns.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>Mother’s love is unconditional ultimately. Blessed are the children who develop the wisdom and sensitivity to understand it .</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">“ The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness. ” <o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>Honoré de Balzac <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--> <!--[endif]--></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">Mother is <i style="">Omni-present</i> for her child</b>. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Call out for your mother with your heart and soul and there she will be – in life, in death, whether you see her or not. She is always <i style="">available</i> to you – no conditions attached ! </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Washington Irving once said, <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--> <!--[endif]--></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">“A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.” </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">How true !! </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">Mother is child’s first and the best <i style="">Teacher</i>.<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">“That best academy, a mother's knee.”<span style=""> </span>- so told<span style=""> </span>James Russell Lowell <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--> <!--[endif]--></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I still remember the kitchen of our old house at my home town, where, as a child, I used to sit on a “pidha” ( a slightly raised wooden platform on which one sits on the floor without touching the ground) and used to do my lessons <span style=""> </span>taking help from my mother as she would cook the dinner and at other times, I would just sit there and sing to my mother. Heaven on earth, I tell you.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">It is a truism that a mother is the first and the best teacher of a person and needs no elaboration.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">Mother is <i style="">Holiness</i>.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:";" >God could not be everywhere, so he created mothers. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span>A<span style=""> </span>Jewish Proverb<br /><!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--> <!--[endif]--></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy. Appreciation of this simple truth is equivalent to praying the Almighty. After all, she is our Creator in this physical world that we see, feel and perceive. <span style=""> </span>She is the God for her child in that sense. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Is there any difference between the trust we feel towards God and the trust that a child displays in completely surrendering itself to her mother during infancy when it is absolutely helpless and dependent on others for every single thing ? Growing up, as you serve your mother<span style=""> </span>with true understanding and love, God shall not ask any further.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">Mother is <i style="">Eternity</i> for her child.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">So long as you exist, your mother exists, too, through you, in you, irrespective of the fact whether or not she is alive physically. <span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>Can any child ever obliterate this existential presence of her mother ?</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Perhaps, that’s why it is said that one of the greatest legacies that a human being can leave behind is a child and one of the greatest service to mankind lies in raising a child in a worthy manner .</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""><span style=";font-family:";" >“My mom is a neverending song in my heart of comfort, happiness, and being. I may sometimes forget the words but I always remember the tune.”</span></i> Graycie Harmon <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--> <!--[endif]--></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">Mother is Re-Creation.<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Mother re-creates and perpetuates life . <span style=""> </span>Kahlil Gibran once said, “Your children are not your sons and daughters: they are life’s longing for itself.”<span style=""> </span>True. But <i style="">life</i> <span style=""> </span>chooses a mother’s womb to re-create itself !! <span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">[That was my Ode to Mother. Actually, I wanted to write a poem, but alas- that is not to be -so prosaic I am !! Friends, if you have composed some, please share.]</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">My dear friend Veera had once shared with me a touching story on Mother, which I feel like sharing with all on the occasion of Mother’s Day – in honour of all mothers on this planet. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><u>The story</u></b> goes like this …. The narrator uses the first person to narrate the story. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">My mom only had one eye.<span style=""> </span>I hated her... she was such an embarrassment. She cooked for students & teachers to support the family.</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">There was this one day during elementary school where my mom came to say hello to me. I was so embarrassed. How could she do this to me !!! <o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">I ignored her, threw her a hateful look and ran out.</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">The next day at school, one of my classmates said, “ EEEE, your mom only has one eye ! ”<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">I wanted to bury myself.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">I also wanted my mom to just disappear.</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">So I confronted her that day and said, " If you're only gonna make me a laughing stock, why don't you just die?!!!" </span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">My mom did not respond... </span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">I didnt even stop to think for a second about what I had said, because I was full of anger. </span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">I was oblivious to her feelings. </span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">I wanted her out of that house, and have nothing to do with her. </span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">So I studied real hard, got a chance to go to the city to study. </span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">Then, I got married. I bought a house of my own. </b><b><span style="" lang="EN-US"><br />I had kids of my own.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">I was happy with my life, my kids and the comforts .</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">Then one day, my mother came to visit me. </span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">She hadn't seen me in years and she didn't even meet her grandchildren. </span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">When she stood by the door, my children laughed at her, and I yelled at her for coming over uninvited. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">I screamed at her, "How dare you come to my house and scare my children!"<br />GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!!!" </span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">And to this, my mother quietly answered, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I may have gotten the wrong address," and she disappeared out of sight. </span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">One day, a letter regarding a school reunion came to my house in the city. </span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">So I lied to my wife that I was going on a business trip. </span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">After the reunion in my village school, I went to the old shack just out of curiosity.</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">My neighbours said that she died.</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">I did not shed a single tear. </span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">They handed me a letter that she had wanted me to have. <span style=""> </span>It said…</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">“ I think of you all the time. I'm sorry that I came to your house in the city and scared your children. I was so glad when I heard you were coming for the reunion. But I may not be able to even get out of bed to see you. </span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">I'm sorry that I was a constant embarrassment to you when you were growing up. </span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">You see........when you were very little, you got into an accident, and lost your eye. As a mother, I couldn't stand watching you having to grow up with one eye.</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">So I gave you mine. </span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">I was so proud of my son who was seeing a whole new world for me, in my place, with that eye. </span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US">With my love to you,</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="" lang="EN-US"><span style=""> </span>Your Mother<span style=""> </span>”</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The story ends there and it is left to the imagination of the readers as to whether after knowing the facts, at least a drop of tear came to the eyes of the wretched son or not !! </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">No painter's brush, nor poet's pen<br />In justice to her fame<br />Has ever reached half high enough<br />To write a mother's name.<br /><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>~Author Unknown <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--> <!--[endif]--></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">MOTHER is the most splendid experience in life !<span style=""> </span>Thank you, Bou, for always being there for me – for making me all that I am today. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">AND<span style=""> </span>HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO ALL MOMs !! </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <span style=";font-family:";font-size:12;" > <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--> <!--[endif]--></span>Snigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527580518363192376.post-43410174657162074942009-05-06T11:27:00.004+05:302011-07-31T15:34:29.752+05:30PAUSE AND PONDER : WHY DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE AT ALL ????<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Pause And Ponder sl 5 :<b style=""> Why bad things happen to good people at all <span style=""> </span>??<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p>Quite a number of times in my life, I have run into this question… why at all bad things happen to good people ? When something unexpectedly adverse happens to me at a personal level also, I look up in total bewilderment and ask “ God, Why me ??” </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p>But the anguish was perhaps at its peak, when my brother passed away a few months back at an age of just 55 and thinking of what has happened to my sister-in-law ( an adorable sister, not just in law !), and my niece ( can not be a better ‘daughter’ than her for any parents in the whole world !), I agitatedly asked God '<b style="">why</b>' ????<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p><span style=""></span>To my question, I got an insight like never before .... <b style="">1stly, the question " Why bad things happen to good people?" is a wrong question ab initio.</b> Nowhere it is said/written/suggested that bad things will never happen to u if u r good - EACH human has to have a piece of both, good as well as bad, to <b style="">grow</b> and experience <b style=""><i style="">life</i></b> as a complete whole. There is not a single adult on this planet who has not fallen at least once before learning how to stand and<span style=""> </span>walk erect. It is all in the process of natural growth and so are the ‘bad’ things; only difference being– if you are<span style=""> </span>‘good’, God invariably blesses you with everything needed to come out of it <i style="">better </i>and <i style="">not get battered.<span style=""> </span></i>So, the real test of if you are truly good or not is testified by the fact asto whether a bad experience leaves you better or bitter & battered.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""></span>So, the <b style="">correct question</b> is : <b style="">What do good people do when bad things happen to them ?</b> And the <b style="">answer</b> to this, as I pose this question in relation to my sis-in-law and a whole lot of other good people, who have apparently been meted out injustice or unfair treatment in life, that I know about, is very very convincing : <b style="">They do everything to emerge out of this as a <i style="">stronger</i> and still <i style="">better </i>( </b>not bitter<b style="">) person, develop still greater sensitivity to others' hurt n suffering, show still greater willingness n ability to help others ! </b><span style=""> </span>They seem to tread their path with unwavering trust in the divine dispensation, taking each adversity as an opportunity to grow further;<span style=""> </span>eventually, they do not allow themselves to be crushed – they bounce back with greater courage, love and agility.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />And on the day of <i style="">their </i>reckoning, the good people walk away from this stage full of honour, legitimate pride and fulfilment !!! </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p>I was so touched! My sis-in-law was amongst the first ones to wish me on my wedding anniversary and sent us a wonderful e-card to share our happiness, notwithstanding the fact that, she herself was in an emotional turmoil - by then, not much time had elapsed after Bro left us !<span style=""> </span>Needless to mention, this is not just one instance of what she did that led me to include her in the category of ‘good’ people. I know her for about three decades and by any standard, she is a<span style=""> </span>wonderful and gold-hearted person. Hence, I took her as example.<span style=""> </span>She is now settling down with engaging assignments, her daughter is already in a pretty good job – and she has all of the extended family by her side - basically, she might not have got all that she wanted, but God has blessed her with everything that she <i style="">needs </i>and I am sure, in time, she will look back to see the divine design in everything along the way.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">There are many such examples in history, in and around us.<span style=""> </span>Just look around and you will never ever let any inappropriate questions like the first one above bother you or <i style="">affect</i> you any longer. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />And I highly recommend reading of works by Robert H. Schuller, the celebrated author of “ Tough Times Never Last; but Tough People Do”.<span style=""> </span>I find his elucidations very lucid and candid when it comes to building perspectives on life issues, which any one can identify with. It helps re-assure you if you already believe in the power of positive thinking; it clarifies and brings back the perspectives, if you are a bit confused, as of now.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p>Here, I am reminded of an insightful story regarding how we may not always have a clear and correct view of all the things happening. Let me share.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p><b style="">THE<span style=""> </span>DIVINE DESIGN <o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><o:p></o:p></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";" lang="EN-US">When I was small, my mother used to sew a great deal . I would sit at her knee and look up from the floor and ask what she was doing.<span style=""> </span>She told me that she was embroidering . <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";" lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p><br />As from the <b style="">underside</b><i style=""> </i>I watched her work within the boundaries of the little hoop that she held in her hand, <b style="">I complained to her that it sure looked messy from where I sat.</b> She’d smile at me, look down and gently say, “ Son, you go about your playing and <b style="">when I am finished with my embroidering,<span style=""> </span>I will put you on my knee and let you see it from my side .” <o:p></o:p></b></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";" lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";" lang="EN-US">I would wonder why she was using some dark threads along with the bright ones and why they seemed so jumbled from my view. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";" lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";" lang="EN-US">After sometime I would hear my mother’s voice say,” Son, come sit on my knee.” This I did only to be surprised and thrilled to see a beautiful flower or sunset. I could not believe it , because from underneath it looked so messy. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";" lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";" lang="EN-US">Then mother would say, “ my son , from underneath it did look messy and jumbled, but you did not realize that there was a plan on the top. It was a design. I was only following it .. Now look at it from my side and you will see what I was doing . “<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";" lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";" lang="EN-US">Many times through the years, I have looked upto heaven and said, “ father, what are you doing ? “.<span style=""> </span>He has answered, “ I am embroidering your life . “ I say, “ But it looks like such a mess to me. It seems so jumbled. The threads seem so dark. Why can’t they all be bright ?” The Father seems to tell me, “ My child, you go about doing your business of doing my business, and one day I will bring you to Heaven and put you on my knee and you will see the plan from my side . “<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";" lang="EN-US"><span style=""> </span>- Author Unknown <o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span><o:p></o:p><br />Worth reflecting, do n’t you think so ?????</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Snigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527580518363192376.post-21996355373052391172009-04-24T14:53:00.003+05:302009-04-24T15:05:17.638+05:30Award , Reward and Complete Disaster<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="">AWARDS, <span style=""> </span>REWARD<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>AND<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>COMPLETE<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>DISASTER<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p><br /> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">Awards:<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><o:p></o:p></b>Very plainly put, awards are recognition under reward schemes.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><o:p></o:p></b>It is commonly believed in the corporate world that whatever you reward, you get more of that and so, usually corporates implement various reward and recognition schemes, to encourage high performance in desired business parameters and award a selected few to send out a positive message. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />My intention here is not at all to argue out a case in favour of or against this idea ; nor to judge the merits of the modalities/tools commonly used under these reward schemes to select the “ Best of the Pack ” / Best Performers as against the others who do not get selected despite playing as well or even much better.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />[Honestly, if I am asked to take a view, I would rather be in favour of the idea of at least having some reward schemes and giving public recognition to <i style="">some</i>, and keep on streamlining the schemes based on actual experience, rather than not recognising <i style="">anyone</i> out of the fear that the scheme is not <i style="">full-proof</i> to pick up the real best. Actually what matters and can serve the real purpose behind these awards is that everyone should appreciate that these awards are more symbolic in nature and meant<span style=""> </span>to send out a positive message that your organisation is committed to high performance and your contribution is getting noticed at the higher levels.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">So, rock on … ! </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">It boomerangs the moment it is claimed that the award winners are <b style="">the</b> best ones and all others are non- or lesser performers. By its very nature, the playing field in a widely spread-out service organisation, strictly speaking, can never be truly equal and there are not yet tangible measures to evaluate the <i style="">pure</i> individual contributions of a single person to the results emanating necessarily from team play. But yet, there is no denying the fact that the award winners are definitely high performers and there is no denying the fact that leadership does make a difference to the quality of teamplay: an average team can do wonders under effective leadership; while an excellent team may turn mediocre under poor leadership. Hence, the awards are necessary to spread the right message !!] </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />Apart from the corporate message regarding visibility of the high performers, there is another important dimension to an ‘award’ and that is : <b style="">award is basically a <i style="">public recognition</i> of your merit<span style=""> </span>and hence, it sort of <i style="">demands</i> greater work with higher commitment and greater excellence ! <span style=""> </span>Ordinarily, awards are expected to enthuse the winners to move to a higher orbit of performance.<span style=""> </span></b>Check out if that is happening or not; if yes, your reward schemes are a huge success. After all, the best index of success is its longevity.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">Reward<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />Perhaps the most crucial dimension that distinguishes <b style="">reward</b> from <b style="">award</b> is that while award is a <b style=""><i style="">public</i></b><i style=""> </i>recognition that you <b style="">get<i style=""> for</i></b><i style=""> </i>doing something well, reward is an <b style=""><i style="">inner feeling of </i>becoming</b><i style=""> </i><span style=""> </span>by doing something well. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p></i>While awards <i style="">expect </i>or <i style="">demand</i> that the winner should move on to a higher plane, <b style="">reward <i style="">drives from within</i></b> and automatically <b style=""><i style="">propels</i> </b>the person to a higher orbit of performance.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p>Nothing more apt could have been said than what Emerson observes about reward : </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">“T<i style="">he reward for a good job done is having done it well”.</i> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p>Because, having done a good job, you feel a unique uplifting sense of satisfaction and inner drive for doing still better, irrespective of whether others in the gallery are watching you or not. <span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />To some extent, awards also <i style="">propel </i>and generate inner drive for higher performance; but there is a great risk of its turning out to be transient, as it draws its sustenance from <i style="">recognition from others</i> : next time, if despite giving a dazzling performance, you do not get the award, there is a big possibility that it demotivates you more than the<span style=""> </span>award motivated you the first time.</p><o:p><br /></o:p><b style="">A Complete Disaster <o:p></o:p></b> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">My hubby got the most coveted Award of his Bank ( Best Regional Manager) for two years consecutively ( although it is called Best RM award, about 30 odd Regional Managers were winners of this award and for 2007-08, my hubby was positioned at number one). It is customary in our Bank to felicitate the awardees, along with their spouses to publicly acknowledge the significance of family support behind the high<span style=""> </span>achievers ( that’s really sweet ! ).</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />On 18<sup>th</sup> of this month, I accompanied my hubby to Mumbai for a felicitation of all the Best Regional Managers and Best Branch Managers – all with their spouses – felicitation at the hands of none other than the Chairman.<span style=""> </span>It was a scintillating function organised in the garden of Chairman’s residence ( which has been awarded the Best Residential Garden of Mumbai by BMC this year).<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />Chairman’s speech was crisp n enlightening – which was followed by giving away of<span style=""> </span>awards, photo sessions, experience sharing by some awardees. Names were called out randomly for experience sharing and our turn did not come ! To be honest, I thought my hubby would definitely get a chance to speak – <b style="">I was also sort of prepared to speak a few words as a spouse – I had my thoughts gathered, for a change! <span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br /><b style="">I had thought</b>, on behalf of the spouses of the award winners, I would thank the Bank, the Chairman and the top brass for this wonderful way of honouring the top performers and making them share this credit with their other halves. I sincerely wanted to thank the Chairman for having revised the reward money substantially upward which could enable our family to go on a fabulous Europe tour last October on special LFC granted under this reward scheme.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br /><b style="">I had thought</b>, I would share <span style=""> </span>this honour with the countless others back home in the Region and Circle, and their family members, who teamed up with my husband to deliver this splendid performance, but for which we would not have been here taking the award !</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br /><b style="">I had thought</b>, I would compliment the award-winners and at the same time, urge them to always remember two things: firstly, that award propels and demands higher performance with greater excellence and total commitment. The onus now falls on them to prove to themselves at each step ahead that they deserved every bit of it , by doing better than their past best.<span style=""> </span>Secondly, they have to remember that <b style="">at the end, the reward for your perseverence is not what you get for it , but what you become by it.</b><span style=""> </span>So award or no award, you must keep on giving your best shot, doing better than your best.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p><b style="">Alas… there were only thoughts ; but no action taken by me to create an opportunity for sharing my mind. </b>I could have simply asked the organiser ( a close friend of mine) to announce my name for speaking on behalf of the spouses. I did not do that. Soon, there came the vote of thanks and then group photo session was announced. <span style=""> </span>So our chances to speak on this golden occasion gone – or so I thought !!</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br /><b style="">But see the irony !<span style=""> </span></b>As it needed some re-arrangement to be done for the group photos, there was a sudden announcement for volunteers from the audience to sing on stage. Daughter of one of the awardees volunteered and gave a beautiful rendering. Meanwhile, the compere, who happens to be the organiser of this event and a very close friend of mine, came over and whispered to me that I was going to sing next ! I was really caught off-guard and started waving her saying “ No, No” – but she went up the dias and announced my name saying that since I am her batch-mate, she knows I sing very well and that she can take this liberty with me !!<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />Oh, God ! how I was feeling … too shy, gigly and wanting to strangle my friend’s neck right there !! But to keep her honour, I went up the stage, took the mike ( at the heart of my heart, I always knew till then that once I hold a mike, I can never fail in singing !)<span style=""> </span>and started singing my most favourite prayer.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p><b style="">But I was in for the greatest shock of my life !</b> As I started singing, I thought my voice is trembling unduly and just after three lines, suddenly I stopped singing, giggled and said, ‘thank you’ and ‘sorry’ and sort of, ran away from the stage.<span style=""> </span>Of course, whatever little I sang, drew a good applause and later on, lot of nice comments – likes of<span style=""> </span>‘singing so beautifully, why did not you sing fully’, ‘ have a beautiful voice – must work on it’ etc.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />BUT, BUT, BUT …. The fact remains that .. ( so painful to admit ! ) I walked off the stage mid-way ; <b style="">I failed</b> to sing though I claim to be a talented singer and I failed before whom … the Chairman, the top brass, a wide cross-section of<span style=""> </span>our own people – an audience before which anyone in this bank would die to showcase one’s talent !!</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br /><b style="">I failed to take a rare and golden opportunity that was given to me by my dear friend, which could have been used by me both for speaking a few words and singing</b> : First, with the mike in my hand, I could have said what I had thought of saying, as there was no thanks-giving done by any one from the ‘spouses’ group. I could have made my short speech still peppier by adding that though it is not the rule to speak after the vote of thanks, I am taking the liberty to break the rule and thank the bank for …. blah… blah .. .</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />Then I could have started singing, and I am sure, after speaking for sometime, that grip on voice automatically comes and I could have really rendered the way I usually sing. [By the way, later when I heard my hubby’s mobile recording, I suddenly realised that my voice was not sounding as shaky as I thought on stage !! So, another act of foolishness out of stage fright.<span style=""> </span>Actually, suddenly, I went blank and forgot the next line.) </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br /><b style="">So.. it was a complete disaster; complete in every sense because what I did amounts to snatching a defeat out of the jaws of victory and none other than me was responsible for this failure to seize a golden opportunity !! It is awful to admit this in this public medium</b>; but perhaps that is the first thing that I need to do as penance.<span style=""> </span>What went wrong with me … despite having my thoughts gathered for the short speech, despite getting a request to sing ( I did not have to volunteer or beg for a chance ), despite getting a platform with a high profile audience that included Chairman , MDs, DMDs etc. and their spouses ??? </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">No, it was not stage fright. It was not lack of practice either, although I did not have scope to practice for about a week before that. It was not even because I was not expecting a request for singing. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br /><b style="">When I analyse now, post-facto, in a detached and honest manner, I see the reason in my habit of saying “ No, No” to singing whenever I am asked to !!</b> This has become a strange second nature to me, when it comes to singing before anyone on request. The same kind of absurd shyness grips me even at this age, as it used to, when I was a child !! There is no rationale for it, no justification for it !!<span style=""> </span>It is only when I decide to sing in advance that I find myself able to sing comfortably. <b style="">I realise, this is becoming a self-limiting, almost reflexive behaviour on my part and it is high time, I get out of this ….making very conscious effort. </b><span style=""> </span>Otherwise, how do I go about my already proclaimed goal of pursuing singing after I left my job???</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p>Truly,</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><b style="">“The tragedy of life is not death, but what we let die inside of us while we live.”<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 238.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Norman Cousins</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">And I sincerely do not want this tragedy to happen to me . So, I promise myself that as a penance, now I will take or create opportunity to sing the same prayer in full before at least 10 audiences in<span style=""> </span>coming one year !!</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">So, that’s it !! <span style=""> </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">I just felt like sharing this story of my complete failure. I think, it may resonate with you if you are also finding opportunities passing by without you being consciously aware that it is of your own making. </span>Do some soul-searching and change what is needed to be changed within. Are you wondering what is the relationship between award/reward<span style=""> </span>and disaster ?</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />Well, award and reward come <b style=""><i style="">after</i></b> success; failure or disaster comes <b style=""><i style="">befor</i></b><i style="">e</i> success . Then there goes the saying : failure is the pillar of success . Take both the hypotheses together and you get some sequence like :<span style=""> </span>failure, success, reward, award ….. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">So let me start now … <span style="font-style: italic;">afresh</span>, my recent complete disaster notwithstanding !!!!<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />[ And friends, be ready to play me the audience and help me fulfill my self-target, which was carrying another zero originally, but got struck<span style=""> </span>off while typing and I knew, that was the right thing to have happened. Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha ! ) </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p>Snigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527580518363192376.post-34997739334554774712009-04-11T10:30:00.003+05:302009-04-11T11:53:30.512+05:30Pause and Ponder sl 4 : Beyond Fear, there is Freedom .<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Pause and Ponder sl. No 4 :<span style=""> </span>BEYOND FEAR, THERE IS FREEDOM</p><o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">“ <b style=""><i style="">It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult</i></b>. ” </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>-<span style=""> </span>Seneca<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p>What a profound wisdom in simple words !! <span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />[Actually, at times, I feel straight-talk advices like “ Be courageous”, “ Be adventurous”, “ Be fearless”<span style=""> </span>etc. sound a little threatening and more than inspiring one to overcome fear, they tend to instill more of self-doubt ( thoughts like am I able enough to do all these ? ) because somewhere they seem to advocate more than ordinary guts. But when we think in terms of what Seneca says, it ultimately means the same thing – have more than ordinary guts – but it makes us feel this in a more comforting and re-assuring manner – it makes us feel that it is actually okay to fear<span style=""> </span>a bit, but it is worth taking leap despite the fear; it makes us believe that, though something looks difficult before we start, once we start, it will turn out to be not as difficult as we thought and so <i style="">just start</i> ! It actually inspires you and helps you actually dare !!! <span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>] </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">It is observed – too often, that we contemplate doing many things that we feel are worth doing; but somehow the worries of difficulties that may come our way, the fear of failure, the fear of ridicule, the fear of rejection, the fear of persecution etc.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>get better of us and we fail to muster up that little grain of courage to take the first step. But if we consciously and continuously fill our mind with simple, yet powerful thoughts like what Seneca said, soon it can become a way of life with us <i style="">to dare</i>…<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />be it a <b style=""><i style="">small</i></b><i style=""> </i>adventure like learning a new skill that you think you are not naturally wired for( e.g. I learning how to drive a car on road etc.) or doing something you are scared of ( like bunji jumping/ I donating blood etc.) <span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />or a <b style=""><i style="">big</i> </b>adventure like climbing a mountain, or <span style=""> </span>rafting , or doing stunts, going to space , or public speaking etc.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />or a <b style=""><i style="">tall</i></b> adventure like carrying disparate groups along to deliver a common goal or having your way in negotiation with strong opponents, or<span style=""> </span>out-performing the market without compromising ethics in business etc.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />or a <b style=""><i style="">great</i> </b>adventure like retaining your freedom of mind in the face of all bondages, standing up against injustice in any form, serving the sick and the suffering, inspiring others by own examples, challenging the conservative wisdom to invent/innovate/discover something new and creative,<span style=""> </span>getting political freedom for your country from centuries of foreign subjugation <span style=""> </span>etc.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">But one thing is common in all this : a m</b><b style="">indset that runs towards , and not away from what the mind fears !!</b><span style=""> </span>It is a mindset that dares and <b style="">you </b><b style=""><span style="font-size:16;">dare</span></b><b style=""> when you</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">D</b>….. feel an intense <b style="">D</b>esire to pursue something worthy, though difficult</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">A</b> ….<span style=""> </span>believe that you have the <b style="">A</b>bility<span style=""> </span>to do this, if required by acquiring the new skills,<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> by pooling others having the needed skill<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">R</b>…… take <b style="">R</b>isk by actually taking <i style="">action</i> needed for the pursuit<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">E….. </b><span style=""> </span>keep <b style="">E</b>valuating mid-course for course-corrections, if needed and <i style="">act <o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i style=""><span style=""> </span></i>accordingly</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p><br /></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Personally, I draw tremendous inspiration from this quote of Seneca and there have been several trying situations in my life – both personal and professional, small and big, when these few words have helped me discover the ‘courageous<span style=""> </span>I ’ within myself and as I look back… I feel simply splendid about it that I have always been able to look into my eyes in the mirror<span style=""> </span>- not because I have achieved anything ‘great’ or ‘grand’ or ‘ historic’ or something that can make the world bow down in admiration. No, <b style="">what makes me so joyous is that I see in the mirror a pair of eyes, that have always sparkled with a child-like twinkle of daring when faced with fear at very many moments of life! And<span style=""> </span>also the fact that this is a pair of eyes that never had a reason to droop in sh</b><b style="">ame for not having tried something worthy, but difficult. <o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p> </b><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-8Fn5jJllextFIN3JBOZh8GIzz9QxD_7LDezU0B2NmuUF2TBQ30axeHNpaeWwBRGs8flyS1juVUcB3G_2eCYsCyTQCMoepbsWiLAV4LBmJSFkiAPtCwWH8ZOa7mzMUMlQF0bOCP9LEfE/s1600-h/DSC00079.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 138px; height: 124px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-8Fn5jJllextFIN3JBOZh8GIzz9QxD_7LDezU0B2NmuUF2TBQ30axeHNpaeWwBRGs8flyS1juVUcB3G_2eCYsCyTQCMoepbsWiLAV4LBmJSFkiAPtCwWH8ZOa7mzMUMlQF0bOCP9LEfE/s320/DSC00079.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323313781528898514" border="0" /></a><b style=""> And there is another beauty in daring:<span style=""> </span>you will never find yourself alone once you dare on a just and worthy course; there will be helping hand(s) sent from Above !!<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p>[ Photo credit : SBI Calendar for 2009 ]</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Earlier I had narrated a few of <span style=""> </span>my <i style="">small</i> encounters with fear in my posts on this blog on 12<sup>th</sup> Apr, 2008 and 5<sup>th</sup> August, 2008, which do not appear to have been widely read and so I am just reproducing here below to save my friends the pain ( !!) of clicking on the links.<span style=""> </span>These may be of interest to go through in the context of the present post.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">12/04/08</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">A few days back , I stumbled upon an interesting article by <a href="http://stevepavlina.com/">Steve</a> – Whatever you fear, Face it . I agree 101% with what he suggests. Yeah .. if we fear something, we must face it and that is perhaps courage in the real sense. <b style="">Courage is not the absence of fear - it is doing something worthwhile <i>despite</i> fear</b> . And what u experience and gain in the process in terms of pure happiness that comes out of conquering fear & personal inner growth is a treasure, that eludes all those who keep to their safety zones and spend a lifetime without <i>living</i> a moment !</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">When I started my Blog ( gosh ! last year – and let it remain without any post for almost a year !!) – my wish was to paint different strokes !! At the moment, time apparently is a big constraint. I said <i>apparently </i>– as I find, for one year I just started the blog and did nothing – then since last one month, I am somehow making this time at least once a week to scribble something, now that I <b><i>want</i> </b>it. Perhaps, that is the secret - <i>really wanting to do something intensely</i> . That is perhaps also the key to mustering up courage – to stand by yourself - to face the fear – the fear of uncertainties – the fear of failure – the fear of being ridiculed - the fear of what the world would think … etc. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />Well I know I am basically a courageous person - have displayed it umpteen no. of times as I know it myself – and I know many others also acknowledge that ( ha, Ha ). But , good lord … , when it comes to pursuing my life goals ( now that I have finally spelt these out <i>clearly </i>before my self at least ), I find myself still dilly dallying . Clearly , that <i>right amount of courage to switch course at this juncture of life </i>perhaps is missing as yet ! </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />Let me spell out my goals here – so that I will feel more responsible and be under more self-pressure to muster up what it takes to pursue them !</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -22.5pt;">a)<span style="font-size:7;"> </span>Use my God-gifted singing talent –for my own satisfaction and for giving something back to this world . I don’t know how much daring it will be to dare dream becoming a professional singer at this age – that too without learning music . But surely, God has blessed me with abundant talent to use it for charity shows. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -22.5pt;">b)<span style="font-size:7;"> </span>Get associated with some orphanage/children’s home etc – do some charity plus “Shramdaan” ( i.e actually spend time with them and do things for them etc. ) .</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -22.5pt;">c)<span style="font-size:7;"> </span>Start writing ( feels a bit nice that at least there has been a beginning towards this goal …) </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 40.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -22.5pt;">d)<span style="font-size:7;"> </span>Popularise Oriya cuisine – there are so varied and tasty and healthy and typical dishes we cook , which are yet to be commonly known as, say the southy dishes or north delicacies or Bengali dishes . Let there be Oriya Thali concept – like Gujju Thali – and I m sure, many would love the taste and the combination . </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Coming back to Courage - Courage is <i>shedding fear </i>and also <i>shedding the habit of not shedding</i> many things !<i> </i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">05/08/2008</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""> </span><b>Courage is shedding fear </b>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I would always cherish the 25<sup>th</sup> June of 2008 – a great & memorable day for ME !! Yeah - I conquered fear and did something for the first time which I had been wanting to do whole my life so far .. DONATED BLOOD . </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Oh, sounds so trivial - s..o..o many people do that .. that too, time and again. What’s so great about it when it comes to me ? Nothing actually – nothing great about the act per se – only when I look at it in <i>my</i> context ( I simply can not stand sight of blood or needle entering into flesh ( Yup!!) & do not laugh – I close my eyes even when a bloody scene comes on screen !!!) - then I feel this sense of satisfaction that, yeah , I have done it – notwithstanding that great urge to run away from the bed when I had to keep on pumping myself and some sinking feeling was overpowering me after a minute or so & the process was to take another 3 /4 minutes. And I actually had a little bit of black-out after it – felt really embarrassed to hog all the attention-both from the doctor and colleagues, who had themselves given blood minutes back and were cheerfully going around in an absolutely normal condition . Well, that was really making me feel bad – but had no control. Actually, earlier also I had similar experience of sinking after giving blood for test during first pregnancy – may be, psychological because of my fear. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Coming back to point – when I look back to find out how I could actually do this, a few things come out sharply :</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;">a.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span><b>an intense desire to do .</b> ( Honestly, I always think blood donation to be one of the noblest acts – basically u r giving life to a needy in due course . So always wanted to do something of value going beyond self .)</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;">b.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span><b>taking opportunity of doing when the circumstances give a chance</b>. (Earlier, apart from the fear, either the timing, or the venue, or the organisers .. or perhaps the lack of intensity of desire.., something or other was coming in the way of my participating in any blood donation camp. This time, it was being organised in my office premises, by our office to celebrate our foundation day and was being organised in a professional manner with the help of doctors and disposable syringes. In my current assignment, it was possible to come down and participate, sparing an hour or so .</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;">c.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span><b>Actually throwing yourself first into the situation before your fear takes better of u .</b> (Yeah, this time I just made up my mind, came down to the venue . Then, although I did have the impulse of running away , I did not do that as I could not have shown my weakness before my colleagues – u see, each of us do face many occasions in life when we just have to live upto a reputation . Ha, ha . So I knew , once I go to the venue , I will <i>somehow </i>manage to participate and that actually happenned .</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><b>d.</b><b><span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span>The feeling after conquering fear is just splendid – charging u with greater vitality and greater happiness !</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; text-align: justify;">Thank GOD for helping me feel good about myself . </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">Same night</b>, <b style="">I could also be of help to a colleague</b>, who would have otherwise missed his train. It was really raining hard when I was leaving office and here was this person, standing and worried about how he would make it to the train, that was to leave just about 20 minutes from then. There was no auto in sight also. I offered to drop him at his hotel, which is near to the Rly station . <b style="">I am usually very scared about driving when it is pouring, that too at night – due to very poor visibility. Number two – I would not normally venture to drive to an unknown place in such inclement weather . But I did it – and am happy that I did it . <o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">By the way, last year , I decided to drive my car personally – and, for me , this was a very bold ( read courageous ) decision.</b> My husband & daughters were scared visibly – had no trust in my ability to drive a car . Not their fault – my track record of road alertness, sense of (geographical) direction, route awareness etc. was <b>extremely</b> poor. I agree with them and appreciated that they love me and were concerned about my safety – as also safety of others. But what I never liked about it was the hidden message that I CAN NOT drive . That was not acceptable . When the whole world is able to drive, why can not I ? Nevertheless, I restrained myself in view of my job pressure, erratic timings and requirement of the vehicle by my daughters for various purposes during the day. So continued with dependance on hired drivers till my daughters finished with their classes here, although it was taking a heavy toll on me <span style=""> </span>( & my car … one would shudder to look at the dents and damages that my poor car had to bear all the time ! I was so disgusted with repeated touch-ups that finally just left it with all the dents & scratches . In fact, that gave my car such a distinct identity <span style=""> </span>( ha, ha) that all my people at office always recognised my car effortlessly .) . Once my children finished with their exams, I decided to take over . </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I acknowledged two things – </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">(i) I am not <i>naturally wired </i>to be a driver &<i> </i>do have some weaknesses which could spell hazard on road; </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">(ii) but at the same time , it is possible to <i>learn</i> driving and fix those weaknesses to an extent, required for safe driving. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">So, I decided to learn and immediately called up a driving school. Timings were very difficult for me – very early in the morning and in evenings, I had to go from office for night driving & come back to office again. <b style="">I can still recollect the first time I had to drive on a busy road – all alone without the trainer by my side - so..o scary ! How relieved I felt after parking at the office ! While returning, it really took strong will power <i>not </i>to accede to everyone’s request to make the office driver sit beside while I drove back home. </b>Of course, for two days, one of my colleagues followed me separately, while I drove back home . </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">So , this was also a story of victory of courage over fear – and <b style="">the basic tenets of the approach are the same in every such story :<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">–<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span>acknowledge what is required to be done , </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">–<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span>acknowledge if you fear doing that, </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">–<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span>believe that it is possible to learn higher skills in the domain of what you fear , and once you learn the skills, you will be better placed to face your fear ;</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">–<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span>collect information, gather knowledge and learn skills required in the field .</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">–<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span>Act - do what you wanted to, in spite of fear. Success will be only a matter of time. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I am sure, everyone’s life is full of such moments, when, <b>inspite of fear, we take action, because it is worth it </b>and in the process, grow stronger and wiser. I am reminded of what Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, </p> <p><span lang="EN-US">“ When a resolute young fellow steps up to the great bully, the world, and takes him boldly by the beard, he is often surprised to find it comes off in his hand, and that it was only tied on to scare away the timid adventurers.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Courage is <i>shedding the habit of not shedding many things</i></b> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Yes, one of the things that we normally do not think of shedding is a secure job !! </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Well, I am not talking about today’s youngsters – who are job-hopping rather a little too frequently. They belong to another world with a different canvass as context. I am referring to our generation – the 40/45 plus, who usually relish the comfort of being settled down and somewhere along the line, tend to lose the appetite for venturing into an uncertain world to chase their life-goals. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I do not say that to be courageous, u must shed ( leave) a secure job, just for the heck of it . No, it is definitely not to suggest recklessness. The point that I would like to make is that there is a tendency among many of us just to keep on clutching to the current job, even if it is no longer giving u that kick <i>and</i> u are already in a position, where <i>u can afford</i> to take a call on other opportunities beckoning u or just to chase your dreams. <b style="">Here comes, what I would call courage, courage to quit</b>. <b style="">Newer beginnings are possible only if we are ready to change the status quo</b> – ready to come out of inertia. Yes, do a thorough analysis of your own situation to ensure that u have already put in place a fall back system to take care of your personal responsibilities (like self-sustenance / family responsibilities, which just can not be compromised) <b><i>before </i></b>u quit the known and start exploring the uncertain. Once u achieve this position, then all that u require for chasing your dreams is a drive to spread your wings with courage to soar against the wind, if that be so !! </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">By the way – right now I am also on my way to explore the uncertain – the first step already taken – quitting a secure job. Yeah – my fall back system for financial needs is ready. Feeling a little scared.. but excited . Isn’t that what courage ultimately is ? I am tempted to quote a few great personalities, from whose words, I have always drawn inspiration .</p> <p><span lang="EN-US"><script type="text/javascript"> <!-- google_ad_client = "pub-2358047408378153"; google_alternate_ad_url = "http://www.stevepavlina.com/inserts/adsense-alternate-300x250.htm"; google_alternate_color = "FFFFFF"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; google_ad_format = "300x250_as"; google_ad_type = "text_image"; google_ad_channel ="3772630215"; google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; google_color_bg = "FFFFFF"; google_color_link = "0000FF"; google_color_url = "000000"; google_color_text = "000000"; //--> </script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script><script src="http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/test_domain.js"> </script><script> window.google_render_ad(); </script><i>Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.</i><br />- Ambrose Redmoon </span></p> <p><i><span lang="EN-US">Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear.</span></i><span lang="EN-US"><br />- Mark Twain </span></p> <p><i><span lang="EN-US">Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.</span></i><span lang="EN-US"><br />- John Wayne </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i>Courageous people are still afraid, but they don't let the fear paralyze them.</i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">- Steve pavlina</p>Snigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527580518363192376.post-62930636637522132992009-04-01T17:17:00.002+05:302009-04-01T17:24:51.419+05:30Education for Earning Vrs Education for Service<p class="MsoNormal">01/04/2009</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="">Education for Earning Vrs Education for Service<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />“Reform Orissa from Within”.<span style=""> </span>“ Reform our country, our society, from within the system.”</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />Those are the words of Dr Kiran Bedi and she needs no introduction !<span style=""> </span>These words would have sounded hollow and hackneyed to me, had they come from any of the many mouths we know who utter such preachings, but do a precious little in their own lives!<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p>Well, before I proceed, I need to give a brief introduction to the context.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />Today will always remain a golden day for me. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p>Well, not because today happens to be the Utkal Divas ( the foundation day of the independent state of Orissa, my homeland), although that is good enough a reason to feel jovial about; </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">neither<span style=""> </span>for the reason that today happens to be The All Fools’ Day ( although, by implication that makes the day dedicated to the kind of me – the ‘fools’ – the more you know, the more you come to realise how little you actually know !!).</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p><b style="">It is because today I got to hear Dr Kiran Bedi in person !!</b><span style=""> </span>Saw an ad in a newspaper this morning that she would be delivering a talk at KIIT University here on the topic<span style=""> </span>“ Role of Women in the present scenario” and all are invited.<span style=""> </span>My joy knew no bounds.<span style=""> </span>It is a topic title that I find one of the most hackneyed, boring and useless topics. At times, it actually angers me – would anybody ever think of a topic, say, the role of men in the present scenario ? Anyway, the point of attraction was Dr Kiran Bedi , and not the topic. So, I rushed through my chores and actually arrived at the venue by 11.30 am. ( I said, actually, because, on some occasions earlier, I had felt like attending certain events like this – celebrities delivering talks or participating in symposiums, but finally did not – may be because those speakers never really drew me so strongly !! )</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I have always held Dr Kiran Bedi in very high esteem ( and so do the people at large ) for the unwavering courage she has actually demonstrated by always <i style="">walking her talk</i> as an IPS officer ( the first lady IPS officer of India joined in 1972) PLUS the way she has made a difference through whichever assignment she has handled during her service career – be it reforms in Tihar jail, or traffic in New Delhi, or … or… . her contributions as a member on the Advisory Board to UN on peace etc…<span style=""> </span>She has received a number of awards n public acclaims – Raman Magsaysay Award and many more.<span style=""> </span>All along, it has been a war on injustice and she made her point once more, when she resigned from service when she thought she had been meted out injustice in her professional career. But what is significant to note is that even after resigning from service, she is engaged in doing a host of social service activities AND SHE CONTINUES TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE !!!</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />KIIT is one of the reputed technical institutes in the private sector in Orissa which has shot up to fame and ranking in the top slot among such institutes within a very short period – thanks to the visionary leadership of its founder, supported by an able team, of course. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Dr Bedi was invited by them for this talk and interaction.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p>Different as always, the moment she took to the mike, she declared that she is not in the habit of preparing a speech, and she always tries to ‘<i style="">know</i>’ and ‘<i style="">feel’</i> her audience first and then decides what to speak and share. Here too, she said, she would share what she <i style="">felt</i> when she was getting to know about the institute during the last 2 hours of visit through the campus.<span style=""> </span>Very candidly and without offense, she virtually dissmissed the topic ( the role of women in the present scenario), observing that once the women are educated, as they are today, they belong to the group of “educated”<span style=""> </span>and share the same responsibilities towards the society and governance as the men. I was so glad – she did not disappoint me. Over the next one hour, she kept the audience spell-bound with her very forthright points, lively posture, humour and style of connecting to the audience !</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br /><b style="">In quintessence, the point she made is :</b><span style=""> </span><b style="">Education must instill the values – especially courage, that would prompt the educated to <i style="">serve</i> and make a difference to the social fabric, to the people’s lives , to the nation.</b> Let me narrate a bit of what and how she said it ( I can not quote her exactly within quote-unquote, because I was just a listener; so have tried to express what she said mostly in her words , added by mine to keep the essence in tact.<span style=""> </span>) </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />Orissa is so rich in natural resources. But why is it lagging so behind in terms of economic progress for the people ? <b style="">What is coming in between ??</b><span style=""> </span>Corruption and poor governance ! It is true for all other states in India .<span style=""> </span>Corruption comes in the way of our progress, everyone knows that. But who is doing the corruption ? The literates or Illiterates ? The poor villagers or the rich urbanites ? The Educated or the Uneducated ?<span style=""> </span>Who are at the helm of affairs everywhere – the educated or the uneducated ? At the end of the day, it is the <i style="">educated </i>who are responsible for<span style=""> </span>corruption – for all the failings. So long as the bureaucracy is pliant, the corrupt politicians get their way. It is we, the educated, who get educated to earn only, not to serve and that is the chief culprit.<span style=""> </span>We can make a difference, if we commit to service as the motto behind joining civil service or bureaucracy or all other white collar jobs. So long as that does not happen, reputed institutes will only go on adding to the bulk of <i style="">educated corrupt</i> and getting ranked at a high slot among the reputed institutes will have no real worth or meaning. Although she complimented the institute on its being ranked among the top-notch institutes of the country, she observed without any pretension that the parameters for ranking the reputed institutes should include one more parameter and that is : <b style="">student-tracking , i.e. </b>.what are the students who passed out of this institute doing currently and how exactly they have made a difference or served the humankind ? </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">She advised ( dared ! ) the Institute founder to act on this aspect by taking extra classes to build a special cadre of students who would like to go into services/bureaucracy with a motive <i style="">to serve</i> , not just to earn for themselves at any cost. Imbibe the values in the students that education is supposed to instill <i style="">before</i> they go out into careers. She was candid enough to say, if in 5 years from now, KIIT ians do not make any difference to Orissa and her people, there is no point in adding more number to the corrupt educated !!<span style=""> </span>She said in a classic stroke of humour : “ Please call me again after 5 years ! ” </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />So, that’s it ! My day was certainly made. There was no time for answering audience queries. However, the only question that could come within the available time was regarding <b style="">what to do as a voter when all the nominees fielded for election are corrupt or<span style=""> </span>not worth getting voted</b>.<span style=""> </span>She explained that as a voter, each has ‘<b style="">a right to no vote’ </b>as per the Representation of People’s Act “.<span style=""> </span>In such a situation ( which, indeed , is a situation now a days) , a voter should ask the Presiding Officer of the Vote booth to give her/him the specific form meant to record “no vote” with disclosure of your identity, of course. That will make public how many voters have totally rejected the entire lot of candidates fielded by various political parties and strong messages can be passed on..</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p>[I am sure, that would be a grand<span style=""> </span>revelation and the statistics can be of multiple use to awaken the people at large /<span style=""> </span>political parties, or may even lead to further constitutional amendments, facilitating better candidates to choose from.]<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""></span>All the while, I could not miss her politeness while taking courtesies extended or praises showered on her. A standing ovation, she deserved and she got ! </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p>Thank you Dr Bedi. After listening to you, I felt it my bounded duty to do whatever I can to spread this message, in which I, too, personally believe. Since I have a blog , I thought I should at least blog about it, so that your words of courage get spread and impact at least a few souls.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Snigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527580518363192376.post-64576735867792758232009-03-23T16:54:00.002+05:302009-03-23T17:02:48.251+05:30A silver lining in the darkest cloud<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b style=""><u><span lang="EN-US"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></o:p></span></u></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b style=""><u><span lang="EN-US">A silver lining in the darkest cloud<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p>Recently, some alert message on the road-dividers in my city caught my attention.<span style=""> </span>It says :</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b style=""><span lang="EN-US">“<span style=""> </span>Speed thrills, but kills .”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US">Nice way to keep reminding those trying to soar high while sitting on the steering wheel ! Although it is a common knowledge that excessive speed could be dangerous, such constant reminders are required, coz. <i style="">speed thrills and one tends to get addicted to it.</i> It takes a lot within to resist thrills before it becomes an addiction. Another question came to my mind : does any driver ever see these alerts <i style="">while driving</i> ? <span style=""> </span>I doubt ! In fact, I also saw this only when I was <i style="">walking</i> down to the stadium for my morning walk. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p><br />So, the points are: </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US">a.<span style=""> </span>Most of the times, common knowledge is very uncommon, in the sense that everybody knows it, but does not internalise - believing that the prophecy, especially if it is bad, will <i style="">somehow </i>never come true for him/her. (S)he can get away !!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p><br />b.<span style=""> </span>Unless a fellow has high self-discipline with internalised values and ethics, one <i style="">tends </i>to chase thrills one after another, and ultimately loses control. Consequences ? Anybody’s guess !</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p><br />Reminded me of the recently uncovered <b style="">Satyam</b> fraud here in my own country ! And the <b style="">Madoff</b> fraud in US !</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p><br />On the 12<sup>th</sup> of March, 2009,<span style=""> </span>Bernard Madoff<span style=""> </span>( an American businessman and former Chairman of NASDAQ stock exchange - the man, by now world -(in)famous for the largest investor fraud ever committed by a single person involving fabricated gains of about US $ 65 billion), pled guilty and admitted to defrauding thousands of investors through a massive Ponzi scheme, “a big lie” as he puts it. <span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p><br />In his court statement he confessed to what he did and how he did it and how he got away with it . </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span><b style=""><span lang="EN-US">Here is an excerpt from his court statement</span></b><span lang="EN-US">,as published in the media, that caught my attention like never before and really got me thinking:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p><br />“<span style=""> </span>To the best of my recollection, my fraud began in the early 1990s. At that time, the country was in a recession and this posed a problem for investments in securities markets. Nevertheless, I had received investment commitments from certain institutional clients and understood that these clients , like all professional investors, expected to see their investments out-perform the market. While I never promised a specific rate of return to any client, I felt compelled to satisfy my clients’ expectations at any cost. I, therefore, claimed that I employed an investment strategy I had developed, called a “split strike conversion strategy”, to falsely give appearance to clients that I have achieved the results I believed they expected.”</span></p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US">Madoff stated that he wanted to <i style="">satisfy the expectations of high returns by his clients in spite of economic<span style=""> </span>recession</i>. He admitted that he had never invested any of his clients’ money since the inception of the scheme. Instead, he simply deposited the money into his business account at Chase Manhattan Bank. He admitted to <i style="">false trading activities </i>masked by foreign transfers and false SEC returns. He used the Chase Manhattan Bank account to pay clients who requested withdrawals, claiming the “profits” were the results of his own unique “split strike conversion strategy”. He declared that he had every <i style="">intention of resuming legitimate activities</i> in his asset management division, <b style="">but it proved “difficult, and ultimately impossible” to catch up to the paper profits</b>. ( Sounds familiar ?? Only recently B. Ramalinga Raju of Satyam had also stated his <i style="">intentions</i> in a similar vein – the essence of which is : keep fooling the gullible lot with false results, siphon funds elsewhere, make good the losses when an opportune time comes before it is about to get uncovered and do something legitimate to convert the paper profits to actual profit. <span style=""> </span>)</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p><br />How can they forget that they can never escape their day of reckoning ultimately !!!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p><br />Now, read the <b style="">excerpt</b> again … and highlight whatever you feel is crucial to note. I am reproducing the excerpt with parts, which hit me the hardest, highlighted:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style=""> </span>“<span style=""> </span>To the best of my recollection, my fraud began in the early 1990s. At that time, the country was in a recession and this posed a problem for investments in securities markets. Nevertheless, I had received investment commitments from certain institutional clients and <b style="">understood </b>that these clients, like all professional investors, expected to see their investments out-perform the market. While I never promised a specific rate of return to any client, <b style="">I felt compelled to satisfy my clients’ expectations <u>at any cost</u>.</b> I, therefore, claimed that I employed an investment strategy I had developed, called a “split strike conversion strategy”, to falsely give appearance to clients that I have achieved the results I believed they expected.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><span lang="EN-US">I felt compelled to satisfy my clients’ expectations <u>at any cost</u>. </span></b><span lang="EN-US">This one sentence perhaps says it all !!<span style=""> </span>And if we as a people can take our lessons from this one sentence, I think I will call that the silver lining in the darkest cloud. YES !!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US">Analyse this way:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span><br /><b style=""><span lang="EN-US">He <i style="">felt</i> <i style="">compelled</i></span></b><i style=""><span lang="EN-US"> </span></i><span lang="EN-US"><span style=""> </span>- that is not the same thing as he <i style="">was compelled</i> . He was perhaps not compelled by anyone, but still he <i style="">felt</i> that compulsion <b style="">because of what <i style="">he thought</i> his clients expected from him</b> .. ( refer back to the excerpt…. and <i style="">understood</i><span style=""> </span>that these clients, like all professional investors, expected to see their investments <i style="">out-perform the market</i> .)<span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span><br /><b style=""><span lang="EN-US">And what did he <i style="">think</i> his clients’ expectations were ?</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> To have returns much higher than the market normally churns out !!! ( The <b style="">why</b> to this question is the most significant dimension that this whole episode throws up for reflection – I will come back to that, after I complete dissecting this one highlighted statement of Madoff. ) </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p><br />And what did he feel compelled about ?</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> To satisfy his clients’ expectations at any cost. In any business, feeling compelled <b style="">to satisfy the clients’expectations </b>is perhaps the most needed driving force to stay in business and get ahead of competition – in fact so far so good . <b style="">But at any cost ???????<span style=""> </span></b><u>The problem actually starts here and can end here if you believe in doing good business and delivering high returns going out-of-box <i style="">for efficiency and innovation</i>, and NOT for unethical practices, i.e. business <i style="">at any cost</i>. </u><span style=""> </span>He created all this mess because he played his game , at any cost – took to fraudulent ways and showed fake results to please the investors despite the recession.<b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p><br />Now, coming to “ why”s .<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p><br />Why he thought what he thought ? <o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p><br />And why he got away for such long years </span></b><span lang="EN-US">until he, himself realised that it is impossible to carry on with the fraud any longer and surrendered through his own sons ?<span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p><br />Yes, blame it on competition, but the reality is : there is a catch on both sides – the businessmen as well as the clients</span></b><span lang="EN-US">.<span style=""> </span>If Madoff<span style=""> </span>thought that his investors expected him to out-perform the market<span style=""> </span>( i.e. to deliver<span style=""> </span>dazzling results, not commensurate with those possible through running reasonable n good ( read ethical ) business in the market ), then he is not entirely to blame. The majority in the business world in today’s dog-eat-dog competition feel this kind of client pressure. <b style="">Competition has somehow become synonymous with reckless speed</b> – speed in business, speed in delivery, speed in growth in volume of business, speed in growth in return/profit<span style=""> </span>– the greater the speed at which you move to capture the market, the greater the thrill, the greater the market rewards you !!<span style=""> </span><b style="">And who to blame ??</b> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span><br /><b style=""><span lang="EN-US">A good share of the blame, in my view, should go to all of us .<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US">We as investors/capital providers/customers/consumers/ the beneficiary at the other end have started <i style="">demanding</i> miraculous results till we have alternative shops – all in the name of competition. We have got into a habit of a dialogue like this : Okay,<span style=""> </span>if you can not give me enough, there are many others. We get excited when we receive very high returns on money invested/spent and never bother asto <b style="">how</b> it became possible for such miraculous results to happen! </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p><br />[For example:<span style=""> </span>How many potential customers for loans ask questions about the financier’s asset-liability management and net margin if they are offered a ridiculously low rate of interest on loans vis-à-vis higher interest rate on deposits? ]</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p><br />It seems concerns about Madoff’s business had surfaced as early as in 1999, when Harry Markopolos, a financial analyst, informed the SEC that he felt that <b style="">it was <i style="">legally and mathematically impossible</i> to achieve the gains Madoff claimed to deliver</b>. Did anybody listen to that ??<span style=""> </span>Not until very recently in December, 2008, when the present global financial crisis created a rising demand for cash withdrawals by Madoff’s investors and he knew, he can not carry on with his fraud any longer!<span style=""> </span>Obviously, had Markopolos’ whistleblowing caught the attention of the authorities and the till-then happy investors getting very high returns, so much more loss to thousands of clients could have been averted !<span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span><br /><b style=""><span lang="EN-US">So, it is greed, greed and greed on part of both sides</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> – stakeholders concerned only with high returns and businessmen to stay in business by satisfying stakeholders’ expectation at any cost . The age-old chicken n egg syndrome !! <span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p><br />This push by client expectations in a competitive marketplace is good only so long as it leads to qualitative improvements or innovations. But what happens when this ( satisfying client expectations at any cost ) is (mis)taken by the businessman as the sole survival strategy? It starts allowing space to deceit, game-playing, scheming, misrepresentation of facts, figure fudging, fabricated gains, fake results and mind-boggling<span style=""> </span>frauds !! The jet-set speed of their own creation ( read, manipulations) creates such a need for more and more speed ( read, further manipulations) just to stay on course<span style=""> </span>that eventually, it becomes unsustainable and crashes !! Yes, speed thrills, but kills.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span><br /><b style=""><span lang="EN-US">The saddest part is</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> : it is not one Satyam or one Madoff <span style=""> </span>- there are many in their family, including corporates, who can not plead all clean when it comes to accounting and fact-sheets! So far as corporates are concerned, apart from market competition, other dynamics relating to trade-off between the short-term and long-term, reward, recognition, financial incentives, career progression etc. come into play and make the leadership as well as ranks within to “project” market-expected performance. Who knows when what will assume which proportion ?? As someone said, <b style="">truth is only a resting point until the next revelation!!<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span><b style=""><span lang="EN-US">But how can I not see the silver lining in the darkest cloud ?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b><span lang="EN-US">Courtesy these filthy episodes, <b style="">a fresh wave of awakening has dawned upon the entire world. <o:p></o:p></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p><br />Let us stop being greedy</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> and irrational when it comes to our expectations about our own gains as investors or consumers or other stakeholders !</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p>Let us demand more transparency and probity in affairs of the business world!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p>Let us listen to alarms bells; let us ring alarm bells !</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span><b style=""><span lang="EN-US">Let us start questioning !<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><u><span lang="EN-US">Knowingly, let us not be a party to a foul game !!<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><u><span lang="EN-US">Let us stay away from the seven sins , as described by Gandhiji as under : <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b style=""><u><span lang="EN-US">Seven sins <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style=""> </span>Politics without Principles;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style=""> </span>Wealth without Work;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style=""> </span>Pleasure without Conscience;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style=""> </span>Knowledge without Character;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style=""> </span>Commerce without Morality ;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style=""> </span>Science without Humanity;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>Worship without<span style=""> </span>Sacrifice<span style=""> </span>.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 297.75pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="" lang="EN-US"><span style="">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Gandhiji</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US">[ I think, if<span style=""> </span>these stinking episodes can remind all of us, the world over, to reflect and drive us to act in a zone, free of the seven sins, that would be much more than just a silver lining in the darkest cloud, I swear !!!! ]<span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Snigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527580518363192376.post-91286381938803915372009-03-12T16:07:00.002+05:302009-03-12T16:14:33.081+05:30H..O..P..E..<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;">HOPE<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">A<span style=""> </span>19yr old <span style=""> </span>asked an 11 yr old : “<span style=""> </span>What is your goal in life ? ”<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Pat came the reply from the latter, a cute smart boy : “ Oh ! to get admission into IIT<span style=""> </span>.”<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">[<span style=""> </span>For those, who do not know what IIT stands for – it is Indian Institute of Technology – there are only a few of them and they are like the Jewels in the Crown of Mother India. It is believed that once you gain entry into an IIT somehow, <i style="">your life is made</i> (true if one goes by <i style="">professional</i> success the IITians have actually achieved from day one both nationally and internationally). It is the loftiest dream of most of the parents to have their kid in IIT and most of them have also seen to it that their child also sees the same dream ( alas !!). Children need to be exceptionally ‘bright’ in academics, scoring incredibly high in the qualifying exam( + 2) AND passing a really tough special Entrance Test to get into IITs, for which they start taking extremely <b style="">rigorous </b>coaching ( I really wonder, when these kids get to breathe… literally ?<span style=""> </span>Class, coaching for usual course of 10<sup>th</sup>/12<sup>th</sup>, plus special coaching - I call it going through torture of the nth degree when you transcend all feelings and stop feeling the torture itself !! ] <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">So, back to the interesting conversation.<span style=""> </span>The boy says that it is his goal to get into IIT .<span style=""> </span>I just happened to be around there. The 19 yr old girl whispered to me : “ See!, how pathetic ! I asked him what is his “goal in life ”– that is, what would he like to <i style="">become</i> in life and he says getting into IIT. Is getting into IIT a goal<span style=""> </span>in itself ? At the least, he could have said that he wants to become an Engineer ! How sad – parents these days are to blame – they only drill all this crap deep into the young minds – so deep that the children can not think clearly for themselves and just fall in line with the fad of the day !!” <span style=""> </span>Incidentally, this girl is amongst those courageous few who have found their own calling on their own .<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Well… I could not have agreed more on that.<span style=""> </span>It is truly sad how the kids these days in our part of the world are being led to believe<span style=""> </span>that “ the be all and end all ” of their lives is to gain admission into reputed institutes like IITs/ NITs/IIMs etc., understandably because gaining entry into these institutes would <i style="">facilitate</i> achieving their goal of becoming an engineer or management professional of top order. But the pity is, in their blind pursuit of joining the race, people fail to realise when some <i style="">facilitating factor</i>( getting admission to an Inst.) is turning into the goal itself <span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>( becoming an engineer – although, I do not consider becoming an engineer can be anyone’s true goal in life ), thereby limiting all other wide possibilities of “ becoming” in life !!<span style=""> </span>Very few are there who display the courage and true understanding as<span style=""> </span>parents to encourage their kids to dance to a different drummer, if that be so required – to let the child<span style=""> </span>discover her own true calling – to allow the child to decide if she would become just <i style="">another</i> face in the crowd or<span style=""> </span><i style="">a</i> face in the crowd !<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style=""> </span><b style="">Yes, I, too, felt sad to hear what the 11 yr old said. BUT … Guess what ! The next moment, I was inundated with a surge of happiness. <o:p></o:p></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Hey, everything is not yet lost<b style=""> . There is still a lot of HOPE for this world of ours . Just think of what the 19 yr old remarked – <i style="">how</i> the 19yr old “<i style="">thought”</i> !!</b><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Yes, if the 19 yr old could think with so much of clarity on “goal”, the difference between<span style=""> </span>“ getting into IIT” and “ becoming an Engineer ” ; if the youth of<span style=""> </span>her generation has <i style="">started thinking</i> with such discernment and meaningful insight, <span style=""> </span>I am sure, in due course, these <i style="">thinking minds</i> will eventually know the <b style="">difference between</b> :<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">“ becoming an <i style="">Engineer</i>”<span style=""> </span>and “ being <i style="">able to</i> <i style="">Construct a Bridge</i> ”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">“ Constructing a Bridge” and “ being <i style="">able to Connect geographical places</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">“Connecting geographical places” and “being able to <i style="">Connect people</i> across geographical separation”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">“ Connecting people<span style=""> </span>and “being able to connect the <i style="">hearts, minds and souls ” <o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">It all boils down to knowing “what your goal is” and “ why you want that as your goal” (i.e. your ultimate <i style="">purpose</i> in life );<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">- above all, knowing the difference between the ecstacy of getting to the destination/goal<span style=""> </span>( connecting hearts, minds and souls )Vrs the<span style=""> </span>joys n wonders of<span style=""> </span>the journey itself ( getting into an IIT, becoming an Engineer, getting a fulfilling job, delivering value through projects and assignments that <i style="">touch people’s lives</i> !)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">A lot of hope there , I swear ! Honestly, when we were 19 yrs old , we were never thoughtful and wise enough as today’s 19 yr olds ! <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Notwithstanding the negatives today, tomorrow will be really brighter and dazzling , and that’s what I truly believe.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">LET </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">HOPE </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">permeate every life on this beautiful planet that we all live on !<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style=""> </span></span><b style=""><span style="font-size: 24pt;">H</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">appiness<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style=""> </span></span><b style=""><span style="font-size: 24pt;">O</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">ptimism<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style=""> </span></span><b style=""><span style="font-size: 24pt;">P</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">assion<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style=""> </span></span><b style=""><span style="font-size: 24pt;">E</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">xploration<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Snigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527580518363192376.post-49134844953391177882009-02-21T08:48:00.001+05:302009-02-21T08:50:59.521+05:30PAUSE AND PONDER : SL. 3<p class="MsoNormal">PAUSE<span style=""> </span>AND PONDER<span style=""> </span>: 3<span style=""><br /></span></p><o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span> <p class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin-left: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin-left: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;" lang="EN-US">“There are some defeats more triumphant than victories</span><span lang="EN-US"> .”</span></p> <p class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin-left: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style=""> </span>– Michel de Montaigne<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Snigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6527580518363192376.post-73637652900934955822009-02-16T08:45:00.003+05:302009-04-09T07:14:55.503+05:30SEQUEL TO PAUSE n PONDER 2Sequel to Pause and Ponder sl no. 2<br /><br />Please visit my <a href="http://snigdhasbouquet.blogspot.com/2009/02/pause-and-ponder-sl-no-2.html">last</a> post first AND the comments, for reference, if you have not yet visited that.<br /><br />A few days back, I received by email from my dear friend Veera, an inspirational story, which I am sharing below. I am amazed to discover how candidly and succinctly this real life story exemplifies what John Wooden might have tried to convey when he said “ Do not let what you can not do interfere with what you can do “. In fact, my own interpretation also leans heavily on this line of thinking, that advocates building on your strength and not letting your weak zone keep you blind to your strengths or too depressed to work on what you can. Most certainly, it does not say that you should not try the uncertain – that would amount to shifting the real focus of the thought from “ what you can” to “ what you can not”. It just says, do not bother too much if you can not do a few things – you still are endowed with unlimited potential and extra-ordinary talent in some other fields – try & find those out, work on those and be all that you can be, be all that you are here for !! And yes, it is most important to realize that it is not arrogance about our talents but an attitude of gratitude, which will awaken us to our true potentials through difficult times.<br /><br />I am extremely thankful to my on-line friends for having pondered over this and brought out the perspectives from various angles. ( Hey, I find this way of blogging very interesting and very enriching as we get to benefit mutually when so many minds open up on a particular thought with new perspectives, newer dimensions!! Great. Further, as I am virtually hopping around now from place to place, and do not have the time for detailed posts ( I must admit, I can not write at lightening speed like some of my blogger friends do like Daphne, Middleway, Lifemadegreat etc. ); so this way, at least my blog won’t die !! Hence this PnP series. )<br /><br /><strong>The Patrick Henry Hughes Story<br /></strong>[ <strong>Credit :</strong> Veera, my dear friend & Source of the story : simpletruths.com]<br /><br />[ “The date was July 16, 2008. It was late in the afternoon and I was sitting in my hotel room in Louisville, Kentucky. I was scheduled to speak that evening for the Kentucky Association of School Administrators (KASA). I was a little "down in the dumps." I hadn't gotten to exercise lately because of my traveling schedule and recently I'd experienced some mild bouts of vertigo (that inner ear condition that can cause the room to start spinning.) You got it...speaking and "spinning" are not good partners!My keynote presentation was scheduled for 7:00 PM, but I had been invited to show up at 6:00 to see a performance they said I'd enjoy. Little did I know that I was about to see something I would never forget.They introduced the young musician.<br />Welcome...Mr. Patrick Henry Hughes. He was rolled onto the stage in his wheelchair, and began to play the piano. His fingers danced across the keys as he made beautiful music. NEW RELEASE:He then began to sing as he played, and it was even more beautiful. For some reason, however, I knew that I was seeing something special. There was this aura about him that I really can't explain and the smile...his smile was magic!About ten minutes into Patrick's performance, someone came on the stage and said..."I'd like to share a 7-minute video titled, The Patrick Henry Hughes story." And the lights went dim.Patrick Henry Hughes was born with no eyes, and a tightening of the joints which left him crippled for life. However, as a child, he was fitted with artificial eyes and placed in a wheelchair. Before his first birthday, he discovered the piano. His mom said, "I could hit any note on the piano, and within one or two tries, he'd get it." By his second birthday, he was playing requests (You Are My Sunshine, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star). His father was ecstatic. "We might not play baseball, but we can play music together."Today, Patrick is a junior at the University of Louisville. His father attends classes with him and he's made nearly all A's, with the exception of 3 B's He's also a part of the 214 member marching band. You read it right...the marching band! He's a blind, wheelchair-bound trumpet player; and he and his father do it together. They attend all the band practices and the half-time performance in front of thousands. His father rolls and rotates his son around the field to the cheers of Patrick's fans. In order to attend Patrick's classes and every band practice, his father works the graveyard shift at UPS. Patrick said..."My dad's my hero."But even more than his unbelievable musical talent, it was Patrick's "attitude of gratitude" that touched my soul. On stage, between songs, he would talk to the audience about his life and about how blessed he was. He said, "God made me blind and unable to walk. BIG DEAL! He gave me the ability...the musical gifts I have...the great opportunity to meet new people." When his performance was over, Patrick and his father were on the stage together. The crowd rose to their feet and cheered for over five minutes. It gave me giant goose bumps!My life was ready to meet Patrick Henry Hughes. I needed a hero, and I found one for the ages. If I live to be a hundred, I'll never forget that night, that smile, that music, but most importantly, that wonderful "attitude of gratitude."I returned to Chicago and shared Patrick's story with my wife, my friends, and our team at Simple Truths. About two weeks later, I received a letter from a friend. He said, "Mac, I don't know who said it, but I think you'll love this quote." "Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...it's about learning how to dance in the rain!"I thought...that's it! We all face adversity in our life. However, it's not the adversity, but how we react to it that will determine the joy and happiness in our life. During tough times, do we spend too much time feeling sorry for ourselves, or, can we, with gratitude...learn how to dance in the rain?It almost sounds too simple to feel important, but one word...gratitude, can change your attitude, thus, your life, forever. Sarah Breathnack said it best..."When we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that's present....we experience heaven on earth." ]<br /><br /><br /><br />That’s it - do not focus too much on what is missing , what you are weak in, what you can not do …. ; Count your blessings, be grateful for what you have, what you are naturally talented in, what you can do … and give your best.<br /><br />I strongly feel that if we get these perspectives clear - especially the younger generation in their formative stage- much of human despair and suffering can get converted to creative and constructive action. I love visualizing that world !!Snigdhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12795170122519541784noreply@blogger.com6