Thoughts Talk

Love, Work & Give as if you'll die tonight. Dream Like Children as if you're gonna live forever. To gain an understanding of the shortness and preciousness of life and how to make it meaningful we need to reflect on the fact that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain. These points may seem obvious but we rarely stop to accept the truth of them. When we consider that death is certain we can reflect on several points :: there is no possible way to escape death [nobody ever has], life has a definite, inflexible limit and each moment brings us closer to the end of this life, and death comes in a moment and it's time is unexpected [and even while alive we devote very little of our life to spiritual practice]. When reflecting on the fact that the time of death in uncertain we can analyse this further by recognising that :: the duration of our lifespan is uncertain young people can die before old people, the healthy before the sick, etc. ther...

इमा नारीरविधवाः सुपत्नीराञ्जनेन सर्पिषा संविशन्तु अनश्रवो.अनमीवाः सुरत्ना आ रोहन्तु जनयोयोनिमग्रे “Let these un-widowed dames with noble husbands adorn themselves with fragrant balm and unguent. Decked with fair jewels, tearless, free from sorrow, first let the dames go up to where he lieth.” ~Rig Veda :: Book 10 :: Section 18, Hymn 7 This means that all the people [including the women who might visit the coffin ahead of men] can attend the ritual of cremation. No one is suggested to be committing sati/suttee. It is also clear that the guests are not required to appear uncharacteristically and hopelessly mournful, dress shabbily or adorn special funeral attire, but present themselves in the most elegant and appealing manner.

How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day? Unless you're the Terminator, for an instant you're probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly you can get back your focus on what's important. I learned it in the back of a Harare City taxi cab. Here's what happened. I hopped in a taxi and we took off for Westgate. We were driving when all of a sudden a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car's back end by just inches! Here's what happened next. The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us. How do I know? Ask any Zimbabwean, some words in Harare come with a special face. Now, here's what blew me away. My taxi driver just smiled...

"Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character." ~Albert Einstein TRUST It is a very important factor for all relationships. When trust is broken, it is the end of the relationship. Lack of trust leads to suspicion, suspicion generates anger, anger causes enmity and enmity may result in separation. A telephone operator told me that one day she received a phone call. She answered, "Public Utilities Board." There was silence. She repeated, "PUB." There was still no answer. When she was going to cut off the line, she Heard a lady's voice, "Oh, so this is PUB. Sorry, I got the number from my Husband's pocket but I do not know whose number it is." Without mutual trust, just imagine what will happen to the couple if the telephone operator answered with just "hello" instead of "PUB". NO POINTING FINGERS A man asked his father-in-law, "Many people praised you for a successful marriage. Could you please share with me ...

It doesn't seem to me that this fantastically marvelous universe, this tremendous range of time and space and different kinds of animals, and all the different planets, and all these atoms with all their motions, and so on, all this complicated thing can merely be a stage so that God can watch human beings struggle for good and evil - which is the view that religion has. The stage is too big for the drama. ~Richard Feynman

“I am the ‘I’ in INDIA” The day I was born in this country, this country was born in me. I can feel it running through my guts when I am angry and excited. I can feel it throbbing through my veins when I am glad and rejoicing!! Starting today I have decided that I would not point fingers at anyone anymore instead those fingers would be pointed at me. I am the system that does not work. I am the pot hole that does not get filled. I am the FIR that does not get registered. I am the bridge that does not get built. Everything that’s wrong with this country starts with me and will soon end with me. So I take responsibility to contribute my part of action for this country. “I am INDIA and INDIA is me.”

I'm no more courageous than anyone else. I just feel that photography is important. And I will do what is required to show what is happening. I have a sense of the ultimate—death. And sometimes I must say, "To hell with that." ~Larry Burrows [LIFE Photographer Larry Burrows, two-time winner of the Robert Capa award* for "superlative photography requiring exceptional courage and enterprise"] [SOURCE :: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,902838,00.html ?]

There is an amusing story concerning Alexander, the Great. When he came to India, he found that the Indians were a race of brave, fearless people. He made friends with them. When he was about to return to his country, he remembered that his people had asked him to bring to them an Indian yogi. They had heard a lot about yogis and were very desirous of seeing one, meeting him, hearing him speak and receiving his blessings. Alexander was told that the yogis dwelt in the forest. In quest of a yogi he went to a forest. Sure enough, he found one sitting underneath a tree, in deep meditation. He waited patiently until the yogi opened his eyes. They shone with a strange, mystic light. Reverently, Alexander requested the yogi to accompany him to Greece, saying. "I will give you everything you need or ask for. But, pray, do come with me. My people would love to meet you!" The yogi quietly answered, "I need nothing, I am happy where I am!" This was the first time that anyone ...

[For !st December 2007] Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player was dying of AIDS which he got due to infected blood he received during a heart surgery in 1983. From world over, he received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed: "Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease"? To this Arthur Ashe replied: The world over -- 5 crore children start playing tennis, 50 lakh learn to play tennis, 5 lakh learn professional tennis, 50,000 come to the circuit, 5000 reach the grand slam, 50 reach Wimbledon, 4 to semi final, 2 to the finals, When I was holding a cup I never asked GOD "Why me?". And today in pain I should not be asking GOD "Why me?" Happiness keeps u Sweet, Trials keep u Strong, Sorrow keeps u Human, Failure Keeps u Humble, Success keeps u Glowing, But only God Keeps u Going...

Do you want something -- Will you pay the price The great sin -- Gossip. The great crippler -- Fear. The greatest mistake -- Giving up. The most satisfying experience -- Doing your duty first. The best action -- Keep the mind clear and judgment good. The greatest blessing -- Good health. The biggest fool - The man who lies to himself. The great gamble -- Substituting hope for facts. The most certain thing in life -- Change. The greatest joy -- Being needed. The cleverest man -- The one who does what he thinks is right. The most potent force -- Positive thinking. The greatest opportunity -- The next one. The greatest thought -- God. The greatest victory -- Victory over self. The best play -- Successful work. The greatest handicap -- Egotism. The most expensive indulgence -- Hate. The most dangerous man -- The liar The most ridiculous trait -- False pride. The greatest loss -- Loss of self confidence. The greatest need -- Common sense.

I've never made a fortune, and it's probably too late now. But I don't worry about that much, I'm happy anyhow. And as I go along life's way, I'm reaping better than I sowed. I'm drinking from my saucer, 'Cause my cup has overflowed. Haven't got a lot of riches, and sometimes the going's tough. But I've got loving ones all around me, and that makes me rich enough. I thank God for his blessings, and the mercies He's bestowed. I'm drinking from my saucer, 'Cause my cup has overflowed. I remember times when things went wrong, My faith wore somewhat thin. But all at once the dark clouds broke, and the sun peeped through again. So Lord, help me not to gripe, about the tough rows I have hoed. I'm drinking from my saucer, 'Cause my cup has overflowed. If God gives me strength and courage, When the way grows steep and rough. I'll not ask for other blessings, I'm already blessed enough. And may I never be too busy, to help ...