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!

Tomorrow Never Comes

If I knew it would be the last time that I'd see you fall asleep,
I would tuck you in more tightly, and pray the Lord your soul to keep.
If I knew it would be the last time that I'd see you walk out the door,
I would give you a hug and kiss, and call you back for just one more.

If I knew it would be the last time I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise,
I would tape each word and action, and play them back throughout my days
If I knew it would be the last time, I would spare an extra minute or two,
To stop and say "I love you," instead of assuming you know I do.

So, just in case tomorrow never comes, and today is all I get,
I'd like to say how much I love you, and I hope we never will forget.
Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, young or old alike,
And today may be the last chance you get to hold your loved one tight.

So, if you're waiting for tomorrow, why not do it today?
For if tomorrow never comes, you'll surely regret the day
That you didn't take that extra time for a smile, a hug, or a kiss,
And you were too busy to grant someone, what turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today, and whisper in their ear,
That you love them very much, and you'll always hold them dear.
Take time to say "I'm sorry," "Please forgive me," "Thank you" or "It's okay".
And if tomorrow never comes, you'll have no regrets about today.
-Norma Cornett Marek 1989

Be sure to tell anyone you consider a friend or a loved one how you feel today. Those you've known for a long time, or maybe haven't talked to in a while, as well as those you may have just met. Let them know how much you care about them. But don\t delay. You never know... you may not see them tomorrow. So, let them know how much they mean to you today.

Nafrat kyun hain?

Ishwar allah tere jahan mein nafrat kyon hai jung hai kyon
Tera dil to itna bada hai insaan ka dil tang hai kyon

Kadam kadam par sarhad kyon hai saari zameen jo teri hai
Sooraj ke pehre dharti hai phir kyon itni andheri hai
Is duniya ke daaman par insaan ke lahoo ka rang hai kyon

Goonj rahi kitni cheekhein pyaar ki baatein hum sunein
Toot rahe hain kitne sapne inke tukde koi chune
Dil ke darwaazon par taaley taalon par zank hai kyon
Ishwar allah tere jahan mein nafrat kyon hai jung hai kyon
Tera dil to itna bada hai insaan ka dil tang hai kyon.

Yeh lamha, filhaal jee lene de

Pehle se likha, kuch bhi nahin
Roz naya kuch, likti hain tu
Jho bhi likha hain, dil se jiya hain
Yeh lamha, filhaal jee lene de
Masoom si hasi, bewaja hi sahi, honton pe khil jaathi hain
Anjaan si kushi, behthi hui kabhi, saahil pe mil jaathi hain
Yeh sukun hain tho hain, yeh junoon hain tho hain, khoobsurat hain jee lene de
Yeh lamha, filhaal jee lene de
Yun hi mein rehta hain, aankhon mein behta hain, kacha sa ek khwab hain
Lagta sawaal hain, shaayad jawab hain, dil phir bhi betaab hain
Yeh anjaan sa dar, ajnabee hain magar, khoobsurat hain jee lene de
Yeh lamha, filhaal jee lene de

Questions, unanswered......

Why is there misery in the world- hunger, poverty, sorrow, tears, pain, separation, broken hearts?
Why is there discrimination- rich, poor; fat, thin; caste, color?
If we have to die one day, why are we born? Why do fight for money, power, and so many other materialistic things, when we know that we have to give up all this when we die, nothing goes along with death....
Why do some die young, and some die old?
Is there really something called "karma"?
Who created us? We believe in God, has anyone seen God?
When we die, is it just that our heart stops beating, or something more than that- does the soul really drop the body? Does the "spirit" really exist?

You cannot give up on yourself

One day I decided to quit...
One day I decided to quit...
I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality...
I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with God."God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not toquit?"His answer surprised me..
."Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"
"Yes", I replied."When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water.The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor.Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed.But I did not quit on the bamboo.
In the second yearthe Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But Idid not quit on the bamboo.He said.
"In year three there was still nothing fromthe bamboo seed. But I would not quit.
In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboosee.I would not quit." He said.
"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth.Compared to the fern it was seemingly small andinsignificant...
But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive.
I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."He said to me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots?"
"I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit onyou."
"Don't compare yourself to others." He said.
"The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful."
"Your time will come", God said to me. "You will rise high"
"How high should I rise?" I asked.
"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.
"As high as it can?" I questioned.
"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."
I left the forest bringing back this story.

Who am I?

We identify ourselves as somebody - I belong to this religion, this culture, this tradition, but we forget the basic identity that we are human beings. When that stands first and foremost, all other identities follow behind that. Then, I think we can achieve what we are really looking for.

Don't fight, if u did, end it.....

Life is too short to spend moments away from your loved ones. If you had a fight with someone you love, do not let your ego stop you from extending your hand. Remember- that he/ she wants to reach out too, but the ego is stopping him/ her, from doing so. Go ahead- extend your hand, and you will see that everything is so full of love and joy. Moments that would have been spent in sorrow, turn into moments of total bliss, that's what it is when you are with someone whom you love, isn't it? Spend more moments in peace, than in arguments.
Remember- life is too short, loved ones are too sweet, and love is Divine.

Don't let the moments pass by, just like that. Make them special, they will bring lot more joy when you walk down memory lane.

A Promise

If I had to promise you something, what would it be?

I can't promise you'd always be comfortable....

Because comfort brings boredom and discomfort

I can't promise that all your desires will befulfilled...

Because desires whether fulfilled or unfulfilled bringfrustration

I can't promise that there will always be good times..

Because it is the tough times that makes us appreciatejoy

I can't promise that you will be rich or famous orpowerful....

Because they can all be a pathway to misery

I can't promise that we will always be together....

Because it is separation that makes togetherness so wonderful

Yet, If you are willing to walk with me,

If you are willing to value love over everything else

I promise that this will be the richest and most fulfilling life possible.

I promise your life will be an eternal celebration.

I promise I will cherish you more than a king cherishes his crown,

And I shall love you more than a mother loves her new-born.

If you are willing to walk into my arms,

If you are willing to live in my heart,

You will find the one you have waited forever....

You will meet yourself in my arms.... I promise....