Friday, December 30, 2011

Fairness creams – Are they worth the risk?

As a country, we’re obsessed with fair skin. But is applying fairness creams to get lighter skin worth the risks they come with?

The unfortunate myth that fair skin brings you prosperity in your social and economic status, and the resulting insecurities and worries that dominate many people's self-perception, has given a large consumer base to manufacturers of skin lightening products. Skin lightening lotions are easily available in the Indian market. They vary as per their price tags and their contents. It is very important to know how our skin derives different skin tone and what actually the lotion does to get us a fairer looking skin tone.

How does skin get its colour?
Basically, our skin derives its colour from the cells contained by the dermis and epidermis. Secondly, blood vessels provide us a red or blue tint depending on the level of oxygen. And third, and most important, is the level of melanin. How dark your skin is depends on the level of melanin in the layer of the skin. The greater the production of melanin, the darker the skin tone. Melanin plays an important role as a shield against the sun by protecting it from harmful ultraviolet rays.

How skin lightening creams work
What skin-lightening lotions do is that they hinder the production of melanin. This gives you a fairer looking skin tone in the initial stages of application. But this feature of skin lightening lotions turns out to be dangerous for the health of your skin because of its harmful contents like hydroquinone, mercury and kojic acid.

Hydroquinone and mercury are both toxic and harmful chemicals used in the production of hair dye. When they come in direct contact with ultra violet rays for long periods, they re-oxidise, leading to patchy skin and premature ageing. Hydroquinone solidifies collagen fibres. This damages the connective tissues and cause rough and spotty skin. Mercury can damage the nervous system, create kidney problems, organ failure and even hearing impediments.

Kojic acid is also used in the production of skin lightening lotion. Though it is a good anti-oxidant, again it works like hydroquinone and mercury by reducing the production of melanin. Research says that over time, prolonged exposure to kojic acid's radiation can cause cancer.

When considering using a skin lightening lotion, remember that despite what some people in society and commercials may say, you are beautiful and handsome regardless of the colour of your skin. And tons of people and cultures around the world consider darker skin a beauty to be valued. As we learn to love and appreciate ourselves more for who we naturally are, we will find less need for unhealthy measures to alter our appearances. Ask yourself if a lighter colour is worth the potential damage done to your skin by the chemicals in skin lightening creams.

Clean your kidneys in less than Re 1.00

Clean your kidneys in less than Re 1.00

Years pass by and our kidneys are filtering the blood by removing salt, poison and any unwanted entering our body. With time, the salt accumulates and this needs to undergo cleaning treatments and how are we going to overcome this?

It is very easy, first take a bunch of parsley (MALLI Leaves) KOTHIMBIR (DHANIYA) and wash it clean

Then cut it in small pieces and put it in a pot and pour clean water and boil it for ten minutes and let it cool down and then filter it and pour in a clean bottle and keep it inside refrigerator to cool.

Drink one glass daily and you will notice all salt and other accumulated poison coming out of your kidney by urination also you will be able to notice the difference which you never felt before.

Parsley is known as best cleaning treatment for kidneys and it is natural!

Why onions are good to eat?

The uses of onions are primarily in cooking, as it is the most abundant ingredient in most dishes. However, there are some medicinal uses of onion.

Medicinal uses
Onion is used as a diuretic, expectorant and antiseptic. Onions are highly recommended to prevent cardiovascular disease, cancer, and infections. They appear to be effective against colds, heart disease, diabetes, and other diseases and contain anti-inflammatory, anticholesterol, and anticancer components.

As with Garlic, Onions help prevent thrombosis and reduce hypertension, according to the American Heart Association.

Its therapeutic uses are as follows:
1.    It removes the obstruction of any part of the body, expels the gases and strengthens the stomach.
2.    It is a diuretic.
3.    It is an anti-helminthic (helps destroy worms in intestine), if taken with vinegar.
4.    Its inhalation is beneficial in the treatment of common colds.
5.    Its oil is effective with alopecia (hair loss).
6.    It can also be used as an expectorant and antipyretic
7.    It normalizes the secretions of the stomach and pancreas. This is very effective in the treatment of Diabetes Mellitus.
8.    It breaks small stones in the kidney and bladder if taken with honey.
9.    It is effective in jaundice when taken with milk.

Top 5 health benefits of having apples

We have all heard about the benefits associated with apples and most of us relish its refreshing, unique flavor but how many among us really know what makes apples such a recommended fruit or dietary item? Yes, apples have offer ease of portability and are packed with nutrition associated with fruits in general but you need to read the following to realize why apples are such an awesome addition to your daily diet:

1. Apples Keep You Smarter, Even in Old Age
Apples are proven to have a role in the better functioning of the brain. It has been established through various researches that apple, if consumed regularly as a fruit or juice, keeps the mind sharper. It is packed with certain plant chemicals that can even prevent the onset of neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s that are essentially a state of decreased mental acuity. Regular intake of apples is known to have a regulatory effect on critical neurotransmitters of the brain like acetylcholine. In fact, apples are recommended as a fruit of choice for people who are suspected of progressing towards Parkinson’s, another condition linked with reduced mental capabilities. Apples contain compounds that cannot be mimicked by pharma companies and are capable of raising the immunity of the neurons (nerve cells).

2. Apples: Nature’s Own Anti-Cancer Solution
Scientists from various medical research facilities have confirmed that apples have a definitive anti-carcinogenic effect. Some folks might argue that it is not assured against which type of cancer and in what manner apples contribute in this regard. However, it should be remembered that we don’t have any drug or medicine to cure or prevent cancer, i.e. the global medical fraternity can only partially curb cancerous growths and impair its progression. So, doesn’t it make sense to avert chances of being inflicted with this deadly disease by merely eating a tasty fruit regularly?! Certain biochemicals found in apples, like flavonoids and triterpenoids, are widely regarded behind the fruit’s anti-cancer properties.

3. Apples Are Established Diabetes Busters
Diabetes is the precursor to a series of highly damaging health conditions like cardiovascular problems, stroke and high blood pressure. Apple contains soluble fiber. This kind of fiber plays a vital role apart from regulating your digestion, i.e. it retards the faster uptake of sugars in the body. This helps in preventing and managing diabetes. Some medical facilities have indicated that eating apple on a daily basis can reduce chances of developing type 2 diabetes by nearly 25% among women.

4. Managing Weight is Easier with Apples
If you think about weight management solutions that allow you to gorge on sweet, flavored foods, apple should surface at the top of your options. This is the best fruit to manage cholesterol. As explained, the soluble fiber in apples helps to impair the absorption of fats from the intestines. Pectin is one such fiber that is found in appreciable quantities in apples. Polyphenols in apples are among nature’s strongest antioxidants and tend to reduce the toxic nature of cholesterol deposits, preventing plaque deposition within the blood vessels.

5. Apples for Better Gastrointestinal Health
Apples are the most recommended fruit for folks suffering from a range of gastrointestinal problems. This includes serious problems like gallstones that are formed due to excessive cholesterol in the bile. Foods high in soluble fiber and antioxidants, such as apples, are the perfect remedy for preventing painful gallstones. Apples are also a handy aid for resolving repeated bouts of constipation and diarrhea. Apple’s natural fibers aid greater absorption of water, regulating the movement of digested food through the intestines. Stressful lifestyles often lead to IBS—Irritable Bowel Syndrome. This irritating and highly debilitating stomach-related ailment can cause bloating and abdominal pain and is best managed with regularly eating apples.


10 ways to deal with a layoff

With the job squeeze coming up, it may be a good time to assess your strengths and weaknesses, be prepared and move on if you must. Vikas Shirodkar, Vice President HR, General Motors lists out the ten most practical ways to deal with this impending situation.

For many of us, our jobs define who we are. Our offices are where we spend the most of our waking hours. It isn't also unusual for one to be closer to one's colleagues than one's family. So when the layoffs happen, it is quite understandable that one tends to lose one's bearings.

Vikas Shirodkar, Vice President HR, General Motors tells us ten ways to prepare yourself for an impending lay off.

Move on from 'Why me?'
Very often after a layoff, people tend to wallow in self-pity. You begin to ask yourself why this should have happened to you and not someone else or rue on the opportunities you didn't take up when you had the chance.

While this is quite normal, the sooner you get out of it, the better it will be for you.

The key is to move from 'Why me' to 'Now then'.

Ask yourself 'Now this has happened what should I do?'

Turn the situation on its head and look to the future rather than mull over what has happened in the past.

If you've been laid off, chances are that the organisation has thought this through and has let you go based on your skill set, experience and background not matching with the organisation's new requirement.

So stop brooding over this and move on. It's the best thing you can do. It's also probably the only thing you can do.

Always keep your updated resume ready
We had a Director, Personnel in Siemens who would tell everyone at all levels to keep an updated CV on the top left hand drawer of their tables

As cold as it sounds, the fact is that we are living in uncertain times. When I began my career, layoffs and company closures were rarely heard of. Today they are more frequent because the business environment doesn't allow inefficiencies to continue for a long time. All of us today know many people and aquaintances who have had to face a similar situation.

Layoffs usually don't happen overnight. There are host of signals, which you can pick up before the axe falls.

Should it fall on you, you shouldn't lose time in preparing your CV. Rather than creating a CV under mental pressure, it is better to have an updated list of your achievements and capabilities so that you are putting your best foot forward in a positive frame of mind. Layoffs are inevitable and you should be prepared for it.

Never talk ill about your company
It is normal to feel negative about the company that has laid you off.

However it is also crucial not to talk ill about it before your prospective employers or your peers.

Understand that even the new organisation you are looking to join or have joined will not guarantee a life long job.

Also your prospective/new employers will also be judging you to see how deal with punches and accept these things and deal with the problem. Especially in an interview situation, avoid spending time debunking your existing organisation, rather spend time talking about your achievements.

When you talk ill about your company, you are also talking ill about yourself and your association with the company.

The fact is if you hadn't been laid off you would have probably been working there itself. Chances are you've had a good run while you were there. So why would you devalue your experience there?

Also, if you think the company was bad the next question any prospective employer would ask you why you worked there for so long in the first place?

Be active on professional networking sites
The right time to build friendship is when you don't need it. Only then will you get help from friends when you need it.

On many occasions one gets 'friend requests' from people only when they are looking for a job. This doesn't necessarily leave a very good first impression.

You need to be there, add people to your network and keep in touch so when you ask them if they have a job in mind, they have a different outlook towards you.

It is also important that your profile is updated, you have the right data and your achievements are listed properly.

It is also crucial to have the right keywords in your profile because recruiters usually look for profiles based on keywords.

Professional networking sites are also a treasure house of data and information about job search. So it helps to be online even under normal circumstances.

Be updated about your industry
It is most likely that one's next job will be in the same industry as one's previous job.

So it helps to know what is going on in one's industry: for instance the company that may have got a big order for financial outsourcing may be the one to approach when you are faced with a lay off.

The good time to start doing it is now... and keep doing this on a regular basis. Have a dossier, keeping visiting cards properly and be in touch so if you want to reach out, you have one or two contacts on the top of your head in all the relevant companies.

Get regular feedback
It is important to get feedback not just about your performance but also about your department as well as your company.

It is crucial for instance to know what the management thinks of your department. Sometimes there are certain areas of operation are not viable even though the division itself may be getting profits.

Understanding how your department is perceived will also help you prepare for the falling of the axe if that is to happen.

Don't blame your boss
Very often we tend to blame our bosses for our layoffs. But the fact is that our bosses too are part of a system and sometimes laying off isn't always in his/her hand. For all you know, your boss is equally at the receiving end of the layoff.

So don't perceive your boss to be your enemy. It is important to be close to him/her be his/her confidant and the person who s/he reaches out to when s/he talks to or any difficulties that will probably be coming down your stream.

Also understand that when your prospective employers do a reference check, your boss will probably be the first person they'd be calling.

Hence, manage the boss relationship in such a way that even after you exit, s/he speaks good about you and your capabilities.

Participate actively in industry fora
When you get nominated to attend a seminar or an industry event, try and see how you can leverage that time rather than just seeing it as a day away from work and an opportunity to have good lunch.

Take responsibility and be actively involved in such events. See and be seen. Make a positive impression on the people around you and build contacts. This is the best opportunity for you to demonstrate your leadership before an audience larger than your own company.

This has happened to much better people
When you get laid off, one of the first things you need to remember that this has happened to much better people.

Everyone suffers from setbacks. Even Steve Jobs suffered from them as did Amitabh Bachchan.

Don't get defensive about it or explain it away by saying 'I don't know how it happened'. It is a factual thing and when you are appearing for interview don't be negative or defensive about it. See instead, how you plan to come out of this situation.

When one door closes...
It may be a cliche but it is true nonetheless. Every time one door closes, another opens up. If you keep staring at the closed door, chances are you won't see the other doors opening around you. So don't be so involved with your situation or be so emotional about it that you don't recognise the positive things around you.

Every full stop is a start of a new sentence. See the bright side of things. See that hiatus as an interval rather than a full stop, give yourself an opportunity to regroup, think of it as a chance to take stock of your capabilities and take it forward rather than seeing it as a problem.

Look at it as a positive opportunity than just seeing it as a closed door.

Latest US currency

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Moral to the story?

The teacher gave an assignment to her fifth grade class: Get their parents to tell them a story with a moral at the end of it.

The next day, the kids came back and, one by one, began to tell their stories.

There were all the regular types of stuff: spilled milk and pennies saved.

But then the teacher realized that only Janie was left.

"Janie, do you have a story to share?'

"Yes ma'am. My daddy told me a story about my Mommy. She was a Marine pilot in Desert Storm, and her plane got hit. She had to bail out over enemy territory, and all she had was a flask of whiskey, a pistol, and a survival knife. She drank the whiskey on the way down so the bottle wouldn't break, and then her parachute landed her right in the middle of 20 Iraqi troops."

"She shot 15 of them with the pistol, until she ran out of bullets, killed four more with the knife, till the blade broke, and then she killed the last Iraqi with her bare hands."

"Good Heavens" said the horrified teacher. "What did your Daddy tell you was the moral to this horrible story?"

"Stay away from Mommy when she's drunk."

When Insults Had Class‏

The exchange between Churchill & Lady Astor: She said, "If you were my husband I'd give you poison," and he said, "If you were my wife, I'd drink it."

A Member of Parliament to Disraeli: "Sir, you will either die on the gallows or of some unspeakable disease."
"That depends, Sir," said Disraeli, "on whether I embrace your Policies or your mistress."

"I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure." - Clarence Darrow

"Thank you for sending me a copy of your book; I'll waste no time reading it." - Moses Hadas

"I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it." Mark Twain

"He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends." - Oscar Wilde

"I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring a friend.... if you have one." - George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill

"Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second... if there is one." - Winston Churchill, in response.

"I feel so miserable without you; it's almost like having you here." - Stephen Bishop

"I've just learned about his illness. Let's hope it's nothing trivial." -  Irvin S. Cobb

"He is not only dull himself, he is the cause of dullness in others." - Samuel Johnson

"He has the attention span of a lightning bolt." - Robert Redford

"In order to avoid being called a flirt, she always yielded easily." - Charles, Count Talleyrand

"He loves nature in spite of what it did to him." - Forrest Tucker

"Why do you sit there looking like an envelope without any address on it?" - Mark Twain

"His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork.” - Mae West

"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go." - Oscar Wilde

"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts ... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

Attitude Matters!!

One evening a Swamiji of Sri Ramakrishna Mutt was addressing the participants on the concept of work culture. One of the participants asked the following question to the Swamiji:

'I am a senior manager of Materials Department and I joined an organization 25 years ago as an Engineer Trainee and over the last 25 years I have gone through every experience in the organization and I am now the senior manager looking after the material function independently.

During the initial part of my career, the job was very challenging and interesting. Every day was exciting and I looked forward to each day with lot of interest. However, all those exciting days are gone since I do not find my job any more interesting because there is nothing new in my job.

As I have seen and handled every conceivable situation there is no more challenges in my work. I am now feeling bored because I am doing a routine job.

However, Swamiji, I am living in the same house for over forty years, I am the son for the same parents for over forty five years, I am the father for the same children for the past ten years and the husband for the same lady for the past twenty years.

In these personal roles I do not feel bored and the passage of time has not taken away the zeal from me. Please tell me why I am bored of the routine in the office and not in the house?'

This was a very interesting question and we were all very anxious and curious to know what the Swamiji had to say !! The response from him was very interesting and convincing.

He asked the executive the question:

'Please tell me for whom does your Mother cook?'

The executive replied that obviously the mother cooks for others.

Then the Swamiji said that the mother 'Serves' others and because of this service mindedness, she is not feeling tired or bored. But in an office, we 'Work' and not 'Serve'. Anything we consider, as service will not make us feel bored. That is difference between Serving and Working.

He asked the executive to consider his work as service and not merely a work !! This was a very interesting analysis !!

Whenever you put a larger context around your work and see a broader meaning for your work, you will take interest in your work. An awareness of larger purpose of your job and an appreciation of its importance will make a very big difference in your internal energy. You should believe that you are here for a purpose and should believe in the spiritual context of your role.

Attitude Matters!!

Keep the Spark Alive : Chetan Bhagat‏

Inaugural Speech for the new batch at the Symbiosis BBA program, Pune - 23rd June, 2008
- By Chetan Bhagat

Good Morning everyone and thank you for giving me this chance to speak to you. This day is about you. You, who have come to this college, leaving the comfort of your homes (or in some cases discomfort), to become something in your life. I am sure you are excited. There are few days in human life when one is truly elated.  The first day in college is one of them.  When you were getting ready today, you felt a tingling in your stomach. What would the auditorium be like, what would the teachers be like, who are my new classmates - there is so much to be curious about. I call this excitement, the spark within you that makes you feel truly alive today. Today I am going to talk about keeping the spark shining. Or to put it another way, how to be happy most, if not all the time.

Where do these sparks start? I think we are born with them. My 3-year old twin boys have a million sparks. A little Spiderman toy can make them jump on the bed. They get thrills from creaky swings in the park. A story from daddy gets them excited. They do a daily countdown for birthday party – several months in advance – just for the day they will cut their own birthday cake.

I see students like you, and I still see some sparks. But when I see older people, the spark is difficult to find. That means as we age, the spark fades. People whose spark has faded too much are dull, dejected, aimless and bitter. Remember Kareena in the first half of Jab We Met vs the second half? That is what happens when the spark is lost. So how to save the spark?

Imagine the spark to be a lamp's flame. The first aspect is nurturing - to give your spark the fuel, continuously. The second is to guard against storms.

To nurture, always have goals. It is human nature to strive, improve and achieve full potential. In fact, that is success. It is what is possible for you. It isn't any external measure - a certain cost to company pay package, a particular car or house.

Most of us are from middle class families. To us, having material landmarks is success and rightly so. When you have grown up where money constraints force everyday choices, financial freedom is a big achievement. But it isn't the purpose of life. If that was the case, Mr. Ambani would not show up for work. Shah Rukh Khan would stay at home and not dance anymore. Steve Jobs won't be working hard to make a better iPhone, as he sold Pixar for billions of dollars already. Why do they do it? What makes them come to work everyday? They do it because it makes them happy. They do it because it makes them feel alive. Just getting better from current levels feels good. If you study hard, you can improve your rank. If you make an effort to interact with people, you will do better in interviews. If you practice, your cricket will get better. You may also know that you cannot become Tendulkar, yet. But you can get to the next level. Striving for that next level is important.

Nature designed with a random set of genes and circumstances in which we were born. To be happy, we have to accept it and make the most of nature's design. Are you? Goals will help you do that. I must add, don't just have career or academic goals. Set goals to give you a balanced, successful life. I use the word balanced before successful. Balanced means ensuring your health, relationships, mental peace are all in good order.

There is no point of getting a promotion on the day of your breakup. There is no fun in driving a car if your back hurts. Shopping is not enjoyable if your mind is full of tensions. 

You must have read some quotes - Life is a tough race, it is a marathon or whatever. No, from what I have seen so far, life is one of those races in nursery school, where you have to run with a marble in a spoon kept in your mouth. If the marble falls, there is no point coming first. Same with life, where health and relationships are the marble. Your striving is only worth it if there is harmony in your life. Else, you may achieve the success, but this spark, this feeling of being excited and alive, will start to die.

One last thing about nurturing the spark - don't take life seriously. One of my yoga teachers used to make students laugh during classes. One student asked him if these jokes would take away something from the yoga practice. The teacher said - don't be serious, be sincere. This quote has defined my work ever since. Whether its my writing, my job, my relationships or any of my goals. I get thousands of opinions on my writing everyday. There is heaps of praise, there is intense criticism. If I take it all seriously, how will I write? Or rather, how will I live? Life is not to be taken seriously, as we are really temporary here. We are like a pre-paid card with limited validity. If we are lucky, we may last another 50 years. And 50 years is just 2,500 weekends. Do we really need to get so worked up? It's ok, bunk a few classes, goof up a few interviews, fall in love. We are people, not programmed devices.

I've told you three things - reasonable goals, balance and not taking it too seriously that will nurture the spark. However, there are four storms in life that will threaten to completely put out the flame. These must be guarded against. These are disappointment, frustration, unfairness and loneliness of purpose.

Disappointment will come when your effort does not give you the expected return. If things don't go as planned or if you face failure. Failure is extremely difficult to handle, but those that do come out stronger. What did this failure teach me? is the question you will need to ask. You will feel miserable. You will want to quit, like I wanted to when nine publishers rejected my first book. Some IITians kill themselves over low grades – how silly is that? But that is how much failure can hurt you. But it's life. If challenges could always be overcome, they would cease to be a challenge. And remember - if you are failing at something, that means you are at your limit or potential. And that's where you want to be.

Disappointment's cousin is frustration, the second storm.  Have you ever been frustrated? It happens when things are stuck. This is especially relevant in India. From traffic jams to getting that job you deserve, sometimes things take so long that you don't know if you chose the right goal. After books, I set the goal of writing for Bollywood, as I thought they needed writers. I am called extremely lucky, but it took me five years to get close to  a release. Frustration saps excitement, and turns your initial energy into something negative, making you a bitter person. How did I deal with it? A realistic assessment of the time involved – movies take a long time to make even though they are watched quickly, seeking a certain enjoyment in the process rather than the end result – at least I was learning how to write scripts, having a side plan – I had my third book to write and even something as simple as pleasurable distractions in your life - friends, food, travel can help you overcome it. Remember, nothing is to be taken seriously. Frustration is a sign somewhere, you took it too seriously.

Unfairness - this is hardest to deal with, but unfortunately that is how our country works. People with connections, rich dads, beautiful faces, pedigree find it easier to make it – not just in Bollywood, but everywhere. And sometimes it is just plain luck. There are so few opportunities in India, so many stars need to be aligned for you to make it happen. Merit and hard work is not always linked to achievement in the short term, but the long term correlation is high, and ultimately things do work out. But realize, there will be some people luckier than you. In fact, to have an opportunity to go to college and understand this speech in English means you are pretty damm lucky by Indian standards. Let's be grateful for what we have and get the strength to accept what we don't. I have so much love from my readers that other writers cannot even imagine it. However, I don't get literary praise. It's ok. I don't look like Aishwarya Rai, but I have two boys who I think are more beautiful than her. It's ok. Don't let unfairness kill your spark.

Finally, the last point that can kill your spark is isolation. As you grow older you will realize you are unique. When you are little, all kids want Ice cream and Spiderman. As you grow older to college, you still are a lot like your friends. But ten years later and you realize you are unique. What you want, what you believe in, what makes you feel, may be different from even the people closest to you. This can create conflict as your goals may not match with others. . And you may drop some of them. Basketball captains in college invariably stop playing basketball by the time they have their second child. They give up something that meant so much to them. They do it for their family. But in doing that, the spark dies. Never, ever make that compromise. Love yourself first, and then others.

There you go. I've told you the four thunderstorms - disappointment, frustration, unfairness and isolation. You cannot avoid them, as like the monsoon they will come into your life at regular intervals. You just need to keep the raincoat handy to not let the spark die.

I welcome you again to the most wonderful years of your life. If someone gave me the choice to go back in time, I will surely choose college. But I also hope that ten years later as well, your eyes will shine the same way as they do today. That you will Keep the Spark alive, not only through college, but through the next 2,500 weekends. And I hope not just you, but my whole country will keep that spark alive, as we really need it now more than any moment in history. And there is something cool about saying - I come from the land of a billion sparks.

Thank You.

Never Forget to Live‏

Please do read this ... do not be too busy Earning a Living and in the process Forget to Live.  Here is a hair-raising story, which shows the importance of Time Management and understanding what Life and Priorities are all about.

Trust you will enjoy the read and start Living each day.. each moment...!!!

A friend of mine opened his wife's saree drawer and picked up a silk paper wrapped package:
"This, - he said - isn't any ordinary package." He unwrapped the box and stared at both the silk paper and the box.

"She got this the first time we went to New York, 8 or 9 years ago. She has never put it on. Was saving it for a special occasion. Well, I guess this is it. He got near the bed and placed the gift box next to the other clothings he was taking to the funeral house, his wife had just died. He turned to me and said: "Never save something for a special occasion. Every day in your life is a special occasion".

I still think those words changed my life.

Now I read more and clean less.

I sit on the porch without worrying about anything.

I spend more time with my family, and less at work.

I understood that life should be a source of experience to be lived up to, not survived through.

I no longer keep anything.

I use crystal glasses every day.

I'll wear new clothes to go to the supermarket, if i feel like it.

I don't save my special perfume for special occasions, I use it whenever I want to.

The words "Someday..." and "One Day..." are fading away from my dictionary.

If it's worth seeing, listening or doing, I want to see, listen or do it now.

I don't know what my friend's wife would have done if she knew she wouldn't be there the next morning, this nobody can tell. I think she might have called her relatives and closest friends.

She might call old friends to make peace over past quarrels.

I'd like to think she would go out for Chinese, her favourite food.

It's these small things that I would regret not doing, if I knew my time had come.

I would regret it, because I would no longer see the friends I would meet, letters... letters that i wanted to write "One of this days".

I would regret and feel sad, because I didn't say to my brothers and sons, not times enough at least, how much I love them.

Now, I try not to delay, postpone or keep anything that could bring laughter and joy into our lives.

And, on each morning, I say to myself that this could be a special day.

Each day, each hour, each minute, is special.

If you got this, it's because someone cares for you and because, probably, there's someone you care about.

If you're too busy to send this out to other people and you say to yourself that you will send it "One of these days", remember that "One day" is far away... or might never come... Live everyday .. every moment as if it is your last day... last moment....!!!!

Judgement

Judgement means a stale state of mind. And mind always wants judgement, because to be in a process is always hazardous and uncomfortable. Be very courageous, don't stop growing, live in the moment, and simply stay in the flow of life.

This story happened in the days of Lao Tzu in China, and Lao Tzu loved it very much:

There was an old man in a village, very poor, but even kings were jealous of him because he had a beautiful white horse. Kings offered fabulous prizes for the horse, but the man would say, "This horse is not a horse to me, he is a person. And how can you sell a person, a friend?" The man was poor, but he never sold the horse.

One morning he found that the horse was not in the stable. The whole village gathered and said, "You foolish old man! We knew that someday the horse would be stolen. It would have been better to sell it. What a misfortune!"

The old man said, "Don't go so far as to say that. Simply say that the horse is not in the stable. This is the fact; everything else is judgement. Whether it is a misfortune or a blessing I don't know, because this is just a fragment. Who knows what is going to follow it?"

People laughed at the old man. They had always known he was a little crazy. But after fifteen days, suddenly one night the horse returned. He had not been stolen, he had escaped into the wild. And not only that, he had brought a dozen wild horses with him.

Again the people gathered and they said, "Old man, you were right. This was not a misfortune; it has indeed proved to be a blessing."

The old man said, "Again you are going too far. Just say that the horse is back...who knows whether it is a blessing or not?" It is only a fragment. You read a single word in a sentence - how can you judge the whole book?"

This time the people could not say much, but inside they knew that he was wrong. Twelve beautiful horses had come.

The old man had an only son who started to train the horses. Just a week later he fell from a horse and his legs were broken. The people gathered again and again they judged. They said, “Again you proved right! It was a misfortune. Your only son has lost the use of his legs, and in your old age he was your only support. Now you are poorer than ever."

The old man said, "You are obsessed with judgement. Don't go that far. Say only that my son had broken his legs. Life comes in fragments and more is never given to you."

It happened that after a few weeks the country went to war, and all the young men of the town were forcibly taken for the military. Only the old man's son was left because he was crippled. The whole town was crying and weeping, because it was a losing fight and they knew that most of the young people would never come back. They came to the old man and they said, “You were right, old man - this has proved a blessing. Maybe your son is crippled, but he is still with you. Our sons are gone forever."

The old man said again, “You go on and on judging. Nobody knows! Only say this that your sons have been forced to enter the army and my son has not been forced. But only God, the total, knows whether it is a blessing or a misfortune."

Judge not, otherwise you will never become one with the total. With fragments you will be obsessed, with small things you will jump to conclusions. Once you judge you have stopped growing. Judgement means a stale state of mind. And mind always wants judgement, because to be in a process is always hazardous and uncomfortable.

In fact the journey never ends. One path ends, another begins: one door closes, another opens. You reach a peak; a higher peak is always there. God is an endless journey. Only those who are so courageous that they don’t bother about the goal but are content with the journey, content to just live in the moment and grow into it, only those are able to walk in the total.

What is Love?

A group of 4 to 8 year-old Children were asked, "What does love mean?" The answers they gave were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined….

Check these…

·         "Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday" (Tina - age 7)

·         "My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night." (Clare - Age 5)

·         "When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love." (Rebecca - age 8)

·         "Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs." (Chrissy - age 6)

·         "Love is what makes you smile when you're tired." (Terri - age 4)

·         "Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK." (Danny - age 7)

·         "Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well." (Tommy - age 6)

·         "During my piano recital, I was on a stage and scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore. That's love" (Cindy -age 8)

·         "Love is when mommy gives daddy the best piece of chicken." (Elaine - age 5)

·         "Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day." (Mary Ann - age 4)

Love............  is not only made for lovers.......  it is also for parents, brothers and sisters, friends and almost for everyone...who sometimes luv each other  better than a lover.

Smile :-) and spread some love today. :-)