Reflection

This is in fond memory of past 24years of my life that I've spent in this world so far. "24 years"- whew......not an easy task but I somehow managed to be "MYSELF" most of the time. I did see loads of ups and down in this period but that's the art of living. Life's like a roller coaster. The only difference- apart from the nauseating feeling that you get from this change of going up and getting down, you learn to struggle, take control of yourself and most important, You learn a "Lesson". And for me that "Lesson" part is quite appealing. I learnt a lot in all these years, and I know, I still have a real long way to go. But at this moment, I just want to stop for a second and reflect and assess and by all means, want to thank all those who turned up in my life during these 24 years- sometimes as friends, as cousins. as well wishers, teachers, strangers.....anything and everything. Even if you did hurt me at any moment of my life so far.....trust me, I learnt something from that too. I learnt the intensity and consequences of pain. I learnt and swore I'd never let anyone feel hurt in that particular way because of me.....And you bet, I'm keeping up with that promise :)

And while am showing my gratitude to people who came across me at various moments....I'd specially thank those who remembered me and cared to share their agony when they felt low. This list is real long so I wont mention any name but yes I'd definitely say one thing," I'm glad and feel honored that you guys thought I'm worth being a person with whom you can share your dilemma, But I'd be more happy if at the end of our discussion I can leave a smile on your face.....coz that's more important and rewarding for me".

Few days back someone asked me "My MOTTO of life".....and all I could do was to hum this particular song....its one of my favourite....and so I'd end this piece of reflection with this thought and motto...."Yeh Lamha Filhaal Jee lene de" :)
Hope I stick to this motto for next 24 years.........atleast :P

Hey...I read this story few days back...and felt it had good reason and message that I can share and hence its here....njoy reading :)

Once long ago and far away was a very special valley.The outside world did not know about this special valleyor the very special people that lived within it.You see, what made these people special was the fact that they woretheir hearts on the outside of their chest for everyone to see.There were big ones and small ones, pretty ones and some not so pretty.One day a young man was standing in the middle of the townproclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley.A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart for it was perfect.There was not a mark or a flaw in it.Yes, they all agreed it truly was the most beautiful heart they had everseen. The young man was very proud and boasted more loudly about his beautifulheart.Suddenly, an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said"Why your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine."The crowd and the young man looked at the old man's heart.It was beating strongly, but full of scars,it had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in,but they didn't fit quite right and there were several jagged edges.In fact, in some places there were deep gougeswhere whole pieces were missing.The people stared - how can he say his heart is more beautiful they thought?The young man looked at the old man's heart and saw its state and laughed."You must be joking," he said.Compare your heart with mine,mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scares and tares.""Yes," said the old man, "Yours is perfect looking butI would never trade with you.You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love -I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them,often they give me a piece of their heart which fitsinto the empty place in my heart, but because the pieces aren't exact,I have some rough edges, which I cherish,because they remind me of the love we shared.Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away,and the other person hasn't returned a piece of his heart to me.These are the empty gouges - giving love is taking a chance.Although these gouges are painful,they stay open reminding me of the love I have for these people too,and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting.So now do you see what true beauty is?"The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks.He walked up to the old man,reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart, and ripped a piece out.He offered it to the old man with trembling hands.The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart andthen took a piece from his old scared heard andplaced it in the wound in the young man's heart.It fit, but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges.The young man looked at his heart,not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever,since love from the old man's heart flowed into his.They embraced and walked away side by side.

Is Fame your aspiration?
Her path is steep and high;
In vain he seeks her temple,
Content to gaze and sigh;
The shining throne is waiting,
But he alone can take it
Who says,with Roman firmness,
"I'll find a way,or make it."

Is Learning your ambition?
There is no royal road;
Alike the peer
Who feels the thirst of knowledge,
In Helicon may slake it;
If he has still the Roman will
"I'll find a way or make it."

Are Riches worth the getting?
They must be bravely sought;
With wishing or with fretting,
The boon cannot be bought;
To all the prize is open,
But only he can take it;
Who says,with Roman courage
"I'll find a way or make it."

I read this poem when I was in a state of depression....not sure what life holds for me, used to be really low in life....I know people who know me now...wont believe this fact....and one more fact that remains a fact is that friends who've seen me in that stage wont't believe of what I am now :)
This poem and many such material helped me to gather my whole self together....just thought of sharing it with you all....in a hope that it might help you regain ur lost enthusiasm.

Any person who needs a change within himself or within his life,can have this take place by changing his mind. This,however,cannot be superficial mental change:it must be in-depth.And such a change can be extremely effective. A truly positive attitude faces all the cold,hard realities of a situation and sees them straight. It does not desire to evade them-bcoz it knows it can handle them.A positive mental attitude is positive thinking in-depth. It is vertical thinking:It rise to God,comes back to you,back to God,back to you,the power passes along a verticle line, and lest you think this is some kind of psychological dissertation,there is a text from Bible that supports it. Romans 12:2 says"BE YE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND".That means if you dont like the way you are now,you can change urself,by making a fundamental change in ur mind. There is in u that indescribable thing called God's power.It is power over urself,a power over situations,a power over circumstances. If u exercise this power,amazing things can be done. it is through the use of a positive mental attitude that u hav such power.Now u should be humble about it.It isnt ur power. It is GOD living within u! If u live ur days thinking on an elevated,positive level with GOD,everything including urself,will change. Problems that before u couldnt handle,U now will be able to handle. Situations that previously u couldnt endure,u now will b able to endure or even change.Accept this. Tell urself,"I WILL LIVE WITH THE MAGIC OF POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE THROUGH THE HELP OF LORD JESUS CHRIST"-and u'll never be the same person again-u will be a new person. Trust me....I'm sharing it from my experience.

Hope springs eternal in the human breast.And its good that it does,for we cannot live without hope.But,with it,we can live successfully.It doesnt make any difference how much difficulty people experience;with hope,they can still go forward.

Hope!What a wonderful word it is! Write it indelibly on your mind.H-O-P-E. It is a bright word,shining and scintillating and dynamic,forward-looking full of courage and optimism. With this word,let us begin tomorrow. What lies beyond the threshold of today u dont know,nor do I. We can speculate,but we dont know. Inescapably,however,we must cross that threshold,and,with the golden gift of hope,can cross confidently,eagerly,optimistically. This life is not easy!It is often fraught with pain and suffering. But hope gives you a lifting upthrust that takes you above the suffering. Storms sweep down upon human beings individually. And they sweep down over society. But,if you hope in God and do the right thing accordingly, as you're given to know the right, storms pass after a while. No one ought to go through life without developing a philosophy about storms. Storms are to toughen woods; storms are to plough up the earth; storms are to test human beings; storms are hard, but one great thing about them is that they always pass.

Many years ago in a small Indian village, A farmer had the misfortune Of owing a large sum of money to a village moneylender. The Moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the farmer's beautiful Daughter. So he proposed a bargain. He said he would forgo the farmer's debt if he could marry his Daughter. Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the Proposal. So the cunning money-lender suggested that they let Providence decide the matter. He told them that he would put a black Pebble and a white pebble into an empty money bag. Then the girl would Have to pick one pebble from the bag. 1) If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father's debt would be forgiven. 2) If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father's debt would still be forgiven. 3) But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into Jail. They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the farmer's field. As They talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he Picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two Black pebbles and put them into the bag. He then asked the girl to pick A pebble from the bag. Now, imagine that you were standing in the field. What would you have Done if you were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you Have told her? Careful analysis would produce three possibilities: 1. The girl should refuse to take a pebble.2. The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag And expose the money-lender as a cheat. 3. The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order To save her father from his debt and imprisonment. Take a moment to ponder over the story. The above story is used with The hope that it will make us appreciate the difference between lateral And logical thinking. The girl's dilemma cannot be solved with Traditional logical thinking. Think of the consequences if she chooses The above logical answers. What would you recommend to the Girl to do? Well, here is what she did .... The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without Looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path Where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles. "Oh, how clumsy of me," she said. "But never mind, if you look into the Bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I Picked." Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had Picked the white one. And since the money-lender dared not admit his Dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into An extremely advantageous one. MORAL OF THE STORY:Most complex problems do have a solution. It is only that we don't Attempt to think.