From reality to a dream

I came back from Egypt last evening, but the memory of it still lingers in my thoughts, like fresh mountain dew on 'don't want to let go leaves'
It feels as parts of me have been left behind, some in the pyramids, some in the haunting tombs, few in the local streets of the cities......

Memories, irrespective of time and events, remain untouched and unstained.

With me here, my soul still hangs on to history-
the history of ancient Egypt...

Random picks.......

Bina tere na ek pal ho, na bin tere kabhi kal ho
Yeh dil ban jaaye pathar ka, na isme koi hulchul ho

Saagar ki, gehraai se gehra hain apna pyaar
Sehraaon ki, in hawaaon mein kaise aayegi bahaar

Searching for the lost..............

28th May- Lurary Caverns VA
2 men playing music outside the caves, gave music for the soul- enchanting and mesmerizing.
Words don't speak, music does........................

Music by- Rene Iribarren

The most beautiful apples.........!

There once was a happy monkey wandering the jungle, eating delicious fruit when hungry, and resting when tired. One day he came upon a house, where he saw a bowl of the most beautiful apples. He took one in each hand and ran back into the forest.He sniffed the apples and smelt nothing. He tried to eat them, but hurt his teeth. They were made of wood, but they were beautiful, and when the other monkeys saw them, he held onto them even tighter.He admired his new possessions proudly as he wandered the jungle. They glistened red in the sun, and seemed perfect to him. He became so attached to them, that he didn't even notice his hunger at first.A fruit tree reminded him, but he felt the apples in his hands. He couldn't bear to set them down to reach for the fruit. In fact, he couldn't relax, either, if he was to defend his apples. A proud, but less happy monkey continued to walk along the forest trails.The apples became heavier, and the poor little monkey thought about leaving them behind. He was tired, hungry, and he couldn't climb trees or collect fruit with his hands full. What if he just let go?Letting go of such valuable things seemed crazy, but what else could he do? He was so tired. Seeing the next fruit tree, and smelling it's fruit was enough. He dropped the wooden apples and reached up for his meal. He was happy again.Letting Go Of Wooden ApplesLike that little monkey, we sometimes carry things that seem too valuable to let go. A man carries an image of himself as "productive" - carries it like a shiny wooden apple. But in reality, his busyness leaves him tired, and hungry for a better life. Still, letting go seems crazy. Even his worries are sacred apples - they prove he's "doing everything he can." He holds onto them compulsively.This is a hard thing to see. We identify so strongly with our things even, feeling pain when our cars are dented. How much more powerfully do we identify with our beliefs and self-ideas? Yet they don't always feed our souls, do they? And we become tired of defending them.How else could the story end?The monkey might be found dead of hunger, under a beautiful tree, with fruit within reach, but still grasping his wooden apples.
I chose to end it with him letting go, because only with open hands can we receive.

Does any of you know?

Does any of you know why we are here? I keep wondering about this every day and night, esp off late, and I don't seem to be getting anywhere.
I keep wondering as to what I will be doing 5 years down the lane-
have kids?
I don't know.
Do I want to?
I don't know

Is it that our ancestors have already set a lifestyle for us- get a degree, find a job, tie the knot, reproduce..... and then wait for them to follow THE PATH?

What are your thoughts on this?

15 Park Avenue- sunshine doesn't always get through all windows

When I watch movies at home, I usually watch them in instalments, a little now, and a little later and later and later. Sometimes my films stretch to days, sometimes to weeks. Very few films captivate my attention. Like 15 Park Avenue did. I was so engrossed, sitting on my couch with pain in my heart, and tears in my eyes, I didn't realize that the movie had ended, of course the movie's climax was abrupt to add to my curiosity. My heart surely went out for Konkana kind patients (schizophrenic), who are entitled to a life sentence of pain and grief, for no fault of theirs.
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For those of you who are not aware of what 15 Park Avenue is, here it is in a nutshell (review from apunkachoice.com)-
It is the address that exists only in the mind of a young schizophrenic girl. It is on this address her imaginary husband and children live.
Aparna Sen’s movie ‘15 Park Avenue’ is a touching film with a sensitive subject. It is a film that will appeal to selected audience, not the masses. The movie is slow paced and the culmination to the story is open-ended.
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The film awakens in you, a transcendent part, that probably has been lying dormant for time immemorial. In this world where millions of beings suffer from millions of diseases, inborn or acquired, we live a life full of luxuries, yet there's no dearth to the complaints that we have for various reasons. I am no saint, nor do I deny that I have my own share of cribbings. Am just trying to pen my thoughts here, those which crossed my small mind last night. On this planet, where misery and agony reign, we are lost in our own world, worried about getting a job, tying the knot, reproducing etc. Has the thought ever striked us to adopt a baby, give a life to the less fortunate. We are worried about the life that hasn't entered this world, when we have the opportunity to give life to an under- privileged one.
I am not sure if I am one of those who would practice what they preach. I am trying to be one.

So if you are one of them who loves to see real- life films that touch your heart, do not miss this one- a treat to the heart.
The climax of the movie is still a little bizarre to me, so those of you who could make it out- kindly highlight.

To the parents of a child......

And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, "Speak to us of Children."
And he said:
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit,not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.
-- Kahlil Gibran

Lessons on Life

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away. The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall. When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted. The second son said no it was covered with green buds and full of promise. The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen. The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life. He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up. If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.

Moral: Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest. Don't judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come some time or later.

Keep smiling :-)

Are you husk or the grain?

If you don’t have faith, you’re nothing. During the time of reaping the harvest, the farmerholds a broad sieve and puts all the grains into itand stands on an elevated platform and shakes thesieve. What happens when that is done? If it is mere husk, it just flies away in the air andis lost. If grain is present, then it falls to the ground andstays. So too in our life, we must have faith. Faith issomething which we have inside us.

When many situations surfacein life, are you able to face all of them with peace,with a stable mind and faith? If you do not have faith, if you go into fear, then you will fly awayinto the air, like the husk. You will be nowhere. You will not have anything to hold onto. But if you have faith, you will be able to find aground. When you have faith that every thing be alright, whenyou are in peace, then everything will settle down. God expects only one thing from you, “your unshakeablefaith”. If your faith shakes very quickly, if it keeps shakingtoo often, or if you realise that you do not have anyfaith at all when difficulty strikes, then it is akinto being like the husk. Look into your life; are youmere husk or the grain? How many events take place in life! Many situationsarise. Are you able to maintain your equanimity inthose conditions? Your work is to maintain yourequanimity in this world. Not everything in the worldis sweet. Some things are sweet and some are bitter.If you are grounded with faith like the husk withgrain, then you will progress. The grounded grains aregathered in a sack and replanted elsewhere or used insome manner. Isn’t it?

Take this decision: “Whatever happens I will be there.I will be grounded. God’s protection is there on me. Whateverhappens, I will never go down. I always have God’s hand withme”. This much is enough to pull you up. Keep your mind inpeace in all situations. It is enough if that much is doneby you and the rest will be taken care of. You have to takeat least one step forward, which is to be in peace andequanimity. “Oh! Nothing happened. Nothing of my work happened” –If you are able to laugh in such a situation, then understand that you have protection with you.

The world is filled with love. Everybody has love inside them. You have to see that in your mind. Have you ever seen with this view? Whenever you are ina crowd, have you ever watched the crowd and thoughtin your mind that “all is love”? The whole world is a celebration. Fairs happen hereconstantly. Everyday celebration happens here. Parrot,cuckoo and other birds sing. The procession is movingconstantly. We are the idols who are moving in theprocession. You should be happy in life. All other businessesinvolve ups and downs which is very natural. If there is a body,then it will get cold, cough, fever or something else and itwill go away. But take care to see that happiness isalways established in you. That is known aspurashaartha. Our love, faith and belief should bedeep-rooted, and then everything else moves on itsown.

Do you want to change the world?

Do you know how you can change the world?
By being the change yourself- be the change that you want to see in the world.

The whole world is one family-
we have created barriers, transcend the barriers- and you will find freedom.... freedom within, and freedom from within, is true freedom indeed.

This song is about the whole world being as one family- www.sahiljagtiani.com/support_songs.html
Come, feel the love............

Tanha Dil..............

aankhon mein sapne liye, ghar se hum chal tho diye
jaane yeh raahein ab le jaayengi kahaan
mitti ki khusboo aaye, palkon pe aasoon laaye
palkon pe reh jaayega yaadon ka jahaan
manzil nayee hain anjaana hain karwaan, chalna akele hain yahaan

tanha dil tanha safar, doonde tujhe phir kyun nazar
tanha dil...........

dilkash nazaare dekhe, jilmil sitaare dekhe
aankhon mein phir bhi tera chehra hain jawan
kitni barsaatein aayee, kitni sougaatein laayee
kaanon mein goonje phir phi teri hi sada
vaade kiye the apna hoga aashiyan, vaadon ka jaane hoga kya

tanha dil tanha safar, doonde tujhe phir kyun nazar
tanha dil...........

kaisa banaaya Rab ne yeh zindagi ka mela
duniya hain saath saari, phir bhi hain man akela

Try to make a difference

There is a story many years ago of an elementary teacher. Her name was Mrs. Thompson. And as she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children a lie. She looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. But that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he didn't play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. And Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers. At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise. Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners,he is a joy to be around." His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well-liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle." His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken." Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class." By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing and a bottle that was one quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children's' laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom, used to." After the children left, she cried for at least an hour,. On that very day, she quite teaching reading, and writing, and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became on of her "teacher's pets." A year later, she found a note under he door, from Teddy, telling her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, second in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had in his whole life. Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was little longer. The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D. The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he'd met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit on the place at the weeding that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together. They hugged each other and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you, Mrs. Thompson, for believing in me. Thank you so much for make me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference." Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy,you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."
-Elizabeth Silance Ballard
Moral of the story: Never underestimate the Power of Purpose.

Yesterday is history,
Tomorrow is a mystery,
Today is a gift,
That's why it's called the "Present".

Epilogue: Lets try to Warm someone's heart today. who knows this might lite up someones LIFE. Lets try to make some difference in someone's LIFE and let this be our resolution not only for this year but for the years ahead; LIFETIME resolution.

May you all have a blessed time ahead!