Flowers..and good deeds...

Moments are fleeting..Life has an end..The soul is immortal..But, our deeds present our souls and memories in the right perspective..

We say many things..sometimes we mean it..sometimes we dont..We do many things..with the right intentions..sometimes with not so generous intentions..Is it that only the end results matter..Or is it that the motive..the guiding thought matters equally? Whatever be it, our deeds withstand the force of time..Just like the Pyramids, our deeds live forever..and time is in awe of them..Even if posterity thinks differently of some of our deeds, we can assure ourselves that we did them with good intentions and honorable ideals. We have no control on how future will view us personally, but it cannot dispute our good deeds. Kind, noble and beautiful, loving and giving, sharing, feeling warmth for all..

Among Buddha's many teachings is one where He exhorts us to fashion our life as a garland of beautiful deeds...Serene..Yes, the flowers and all beautiful deeds...in their short fleeting lives leave their fragrance forever with all those fortunate to have been in their presence..

Show me the way...the right way..

Who is a leader? Someone who simply takes charge, accepts responsibility..or someone who takes tough decisions..Or is getting the work done the prime quality of a good leader..Can anyone be a leader?..Can anyone be a good leader..? Is it that some people have this innate ability..Can this aspect of life be learnt and perfected?

A leader is one who brings out the best in the rest..At the same time, she sets an example..she stands firm in adversity..trusts her instincts..has faith in her judgement..and certainly backs her team and the talent that the team members have..Making leadership a perfected art may be difficult..since it depends a lot on the individual..but yes, one can know what one lacks..where one makes a mistake..In short, it is easy to know if one is not an effective leader..It is difficult to tell if one is a very effective leader..The finest leader must appreciate what it means to lead..even more, she must appreciate what it means to be led..

Everyone everywhere looks for leadership qualities..Everyone wants a leader..Few want to be..If I ask for a way, I just dont want any possible way..I want the right way..The leader..

Fine feathers do not make fine birds...

Birds..wings..freedom..excitement..living dangerously..One of the most beautiful things one can see in life..is a bird in all its glory..flying high..and even the sky is not its limit..It does not matter if the bird looks beautiful or not..What matters is the flight and ability..A peacock with all its range and beauty cannot fly..The tiny sparrow who chirps almost as if to annoy you...flies everywhere in no time..The parrot..green and shiny..talkative as it is..only repeats what you say..

We are like birds..in that people's outward appearance need not reflect their true self..We always wish if we had freedom..just like birds have wings to go places..do different things..so also, we desire freedom to do things that we like..live our life the way we want to..No limits.No restrictions..The deep ocean may appear to be calm on the outside..but, inside there is a current that is strong and overwhelming..A person may not appear to be smart and talented simply because he does not exert himself..or make much fuss about his talent..It may not be obvious..But, it is there..

Fine feathers do not make fine birds...Only faith and will to survive do..

Coffee isn't my cup of tea...

What a way to be witty...Samuel Goldwyn has expressed so much with so few words here..and it really cracks me up...Wit is a gift that few have..but, everyone has the ability to laugh and rejoice..there have been several really funny guys...Charlie Chaplin, Bob Hope and Steve Martin to name a few..There great gift lies in their keen observation and the uncanny knack of finding something amusing in ordinary life..

A little bit of mirth and laughter is good..Laughter is the best medicine..true in many ways..One forgets the worries and sorrows of the day..One feels happy..Laugh and the world laughs with you..Every school must have a course..where you only crack jokes and laugh your heart out..That would be something..But, wouldnt too much reduce the value of humor?? may be..may be not..

Somewhere in Philadelphia on a wall was written : Contrary to popular belief, "Damn It" is not God's last name...Brings a smile on my face..

To err is human...

We all make mistakes..knowingly..unknowingly..We regret the consequences..We feel bad. What to do. It is more important to know what we will do once we realize what sort of mistakes we have made..How we go about correcting them..What we do to address them. How we confront them. Needless to say, the right approach would be to accept that a mistake has been made. Then, adopt the best possible way to address the issue forthright....

To err is human..to forgive divine..

May the force be with you...

Why do we do the things we do? Need..or necessity..or simply desire..or just like that? Why is the world the way it is? Natural..chaotic...wonderful...or just like that..?

Everything that exists is a result of some mysterious force..Everything that happens is part of an untold story..No beginning..no end..Call it what you want..Some call it destiny..some call it the will of the moving finger..It cannot be described..It overwhelms us..One can only experience it, appreciate it..and revere it..and rejoice in its bliss..Seeking an explanation for such things is being curious..However, attempting to question the motives or asking for a justification is being judgemental..Whatever this force is, one thing is certain..it always does the best..this may not be obvious..just like most things are not..

This mysterious force envelops our actions and our thoughts. It presents us wisdom..All for one reason only..To grow deep inside..To be at peace with oneself..May the force be with you, me...and all of us..

And they lived happily ever after...

Almost every fairytale begins with the phrase..Once upon a time..Instantly, you are pushed into a completely different world..A world where anything is possible.There is the good guy..the evil guy and ofcourse the lovely damsel in distress...

When we are young, we believe in everything that is said in a fairytale..We do not question the fantasy..we cant even imagine it as untrue..Then, slowly as we grow older..we start laughing at the same stories..which we once enjoyed..We grow more cynical..grow more disillusioned...And reject all fairytales as nothing but manifestations of lies designed to make kids happy..Where is that innocence of our younger days..where does that liveliness go..why does the heart not believe in such happy moments..Perhaps, we need to remind ourselves that we can afford to sit back and relax...we can imagine a world of perfection..there is nothing awful in thinking that all ends well..and that all good things need not come to an end..

And so.. the good guy defeated the evil guy..rescued his damsel in distress...And they lived happily ever after...

Nothing can come of nothing...

Decisions..we make many everyday....But, there are many moments when we dont make any. Does it help to let things be..or is it always good if we do make some decision..right or wrong.?

Not making a decision may sometimes be as bad as taking the wrong decision..However, it may also help out when one refuses to accept responsibility..More often than not, people are scared to take the tough decisions..They do nothing..They get scared of the consequences ...or failures..If the decisions involve other people who you like, then it causes even more concern. One needs to realize that tough decisions have to be made..If one does not make them, then someone else will. It is better to step up and act rather than leave them alone. Having taken a decision, one has the opportunity to act on it and take it to its desirable conclusion..Doing nothing leaves you nowhere to go, worried and...hmmm...confused.

King Lear said this to his youngest daughter Cordelia ..Nothing can come of nothing..I think so too..

The heart that truly loves never forgets...

Memories and stars...they are always out there..Ever had a glance at the night sky?..The stars are always there..Ever shining..ever twinkling..reminding us that beautiful little things together can light up the whole scene..

Today, during a conversation with a close friend, suddenly my thoughts went back to some events which happened more than 7 years ago..concerning a beautiful friend..And by that, I mean inner beauty..It was when I was in college...On the very first day, I saw her..she sat on the seat right behind me..She was wearing lavender sleeveless top...I still remember..

Over the next few months, I interacted with her in an on-off basis..Back then, I was pretty shy..not that i have improved very much ever since..A cheerful personality, she always made her presence felt in the class.. Whenever I would see her, I would see a different yet interesting side of hers..But never bothered to speak to her..However, by the time we left college, both of us started talking a bit..It was then that I really noticed that she was a genuinely warm person. Bright and talented..though a little too flamboyant for me..Going back to the earlier point of inner beauty, she was honest and principled..I believe she was one of those individuals who attempt to lead a life of ideals in a cynical world..Expecting all things to be true and beautiful..

We havent met in all those years since then..I wish her all the best there is in life..and hope some day we will meet again.. in a new setting..and reminisce the past..One last thing..I would never have appreciated Harry Potter and his tales had it not been for her..

The heart that truly loves never forgets...

The only thing that is constant is change

In the world of technology, this is a cliche..But, sometimes one wonders..Is new technology the agent of change..or the desire to change the cause of new technology..Do we need change even when things are pretty ok and there is no special need for it..?Hmmmm..Confusing..

Change does not necessarily mean progress..Just because a boat is sailing in the water does not mean it is making progress..Really depends on whether the boat is moving in the direction of its destination. Similiarly, uptaking new technology does not mean that one is better off...it would depend on how we make use of it..It is possible that the changes we absorb might reveal benefits hitherto unknown to us..But, can we count on them?Not sure..

So, let me not attempt to find the relationship between change and technology..By the time I do find one, that relationship might have changed..

I can no other answer make, but, thanks, and thanks

One's workplace is a very interesting place. Lots of interesting people. And lots of interesting moments. But, something is always amiss. And that is appreciation of the right people. There is no doubt that every person feels that he has put in best possible efforts. However, some are appreciated while others are not.

Several questions pop into my mind. Who should be appreciated? What kind of work should be appreciated? When should a person be appreciated?And finally, from whom should the appreciation come forth? These may appear to be ordinary run of the mill questions.. But, a little bit of pondering..and voila...no clear answers..

Firstly, I think every person who does put in a decent effort must be appreciated. To compare different people's work might not be an excellent idea. No two people are alike. One may be more experienced while the other may be talented but has not yet learnt the tricks of the trade. One person may possess a skill set which may be suited to one particular task but he may simply be doing something else. Another person may lack many skills but he is doing only those tasks that can be done with the limited skill set.

Secondly, should a person be appreciated simply becuase he does a particular task. Lets say person A does task X and person B does task Y. Does A deserve praise because he does a good job even though task X is not very challenging but the results are easily visible? Does B deserve kudos though he does not produce easily verifiable results for a challenging task Y?
When tasks involve a lot of teamwork and co-ordination, where does one demarcate the individual's contribution?

Furthermore, do we appreciate a person at the completion of a task..or should it be an ongoing process...? At the end, it might be difficult to do so..at the same time..the endgame offers a complete and broader perspective..Doing it as part of a continuous process might help vis a vis constant encouragement and reminders that one's efforts are not being ignored..But, it may paradoxically diminish the value of the praise itself..

Should only one's supervisors appreciate the good work or all peers?Everyone needs to learn to appreciate fellow workers..That way, people know that the atmosphere is charged with positive competitiveness and acknowledgement of hard work.

I am still not able to make up mind..Feel that if the appreciation does not come at the right time from the right people for the right people..it is no appreciation at all..Shakepeare put it succinctly, ....All it takes is thanks....I would add..at the right time...

L'amor che mouve il sole e l'altre stelle

Everyone is always on the look out for that special one..When will that person come..Perhaps soon..perhaps in the distant future..So, what is love? Difficult to express..Difficult to define..Let me attempt it..
Love is divine. Its a feeling that makes one happy every moment. Perhaps a state of happiness induced by the mere thought of someone..
The love that moves the sun and other stars..Why did Dante believe so..may be to explain the wonderful things in life..Is this still true..May be..It is possible that the force always exists around us..Our hearts are too busy to feel it..and understand it.

Simple beginning

This happens to be my very first blog..Had some free time..felt why not experience this amazing thing called blogging..Put down a few things..
Not much..Just a few thoughts..