The Keepsake

2018-07-19T03:00:00.000-07:00

Master, who was your master?

2018-07-04T07:18:00.006-07:00

One of the great Sufi Masters, Junaid , was asked this when he was dying. His chief disciple came close to him and asked, ?Master, you are leaving us. One question has always been in our minds but we could never gather courage enough to ask you. Who was your Master? This has been a great curiosity among your disciples because we have never heard you talk about your Master.?

Junaid opened his eyes and said, ?It will be very difficult for me to answer because I have learned from almost everybody. The whole existence has been my Master. I have learned from every event that has happened in my life. And I am grateful to all that has happened, because out of all that learning I have arrived.?

Junaid said, ?Just to satisfy your curiosity I will give you three instances.”

Dog and the Begging Bowl

“Once, I was very thirsty and I was going towards the river carrying my begging bowl, the only possession I had. When I reached the river a dog rushed, jumped into the river, started drinking.

I watched for a moment and threw away my begging bowl, because it is useless. A dog can do without it. I also jumped into the river, drank as much water as I wanted. My whole body was cool because I had jumped into the river. I sat in the river for a few moments, thanked the dog, touched his feet with deep reverence because he had taught me a lesson.

I had dropped everything, all possessions, but there was a certain clinging to my begging bowl. It was a beautiful bowl, very beautifully carved, and I was always aware that somebody might steal it. Even in the night I used to put it under my head as a pillow so nobody could snatch it away. That was my last clinging-the dog helped. It was so clear: if a dog can manage without a begging bowl, I am a man, why can?t I manage? That dog was one of my Masters.”

The Patient Thief

?Secondly,? he continued, ?I lost my way in a forest and by the time I reached the nearest village that I could find, it was midnight. Everybody was fast asleep. I wandered all over the town to see if I could find somebody awake to give me shelter for the night, until finally I found one man. I asked him, ?It seems only two persons are awake in the town, you and I. Can you give me shelter for the night??

?The man said, ?I can see from your gown that you are a Sufi monk….??

The word Sufi comes from the word ‘suf’ which means wool, a woolen garment. The Sufis have used the woolen garment for centuries; hence they are called Sufis because of their garment. The man said, ?I can see you are a Sufi and I feel a little embarrassed to take you to my home. I am perfectly willing, but I must tell you who I am. I am a thief. Would you like to be a guest of a thief??

For a moment, I hesitated. The thief said, ?Look, it is better I told you. You seem hesitant. The thief is willing but the mystic seems to be hesitant to enter into the house of a thief, as if the mystic is weaker than the thief. In fact, I should be afraid of you. You may change me, You may transform my whole life! Inviting you means danger, but I am not afraid. You are welcome. Come to my home. Eat, drink, go to sleep, and stay as long as you want, because I live alone and my earning is enough. I can manage for two persons. And it will be really beautiful to chit-chat with you of great things. But you seem to be hesitant.?

And then I became aware that it was true. He asked to be forgiven. He touched the feet of the thief and he said, ?Yes, my rootedness in my own being is yet very weak. You are really a strong man and I would like to come to your home. And I would like to stay a little longer, not only for this night. I want to be stronger myself!?

The thief said, ?Come on!? He fed the Sufi, gave him something to drink, helped him to prepare for sleep and he said, ?Now I will go. I have to do my own thing. I will come back early in the morning.? Early in the morning the thief came back. Junnaid asked, ?Have you been successful??

The thief said, ?No, not today, but I will see tomorrow.?

And this happened continuously, for thirty days: every night the thief went out, and every morning he came back empty-handed. But he was never sad, never frustrated–no sign of failure on his face, always happy –and he would say, ?It doesn?t matter. I tried my best. I could not find anything today again, but tomorrow I will try. And, God willing, it can happen tomorrow if it has not happened today.?

After one month I left, and for years I tried to realize the ultimate, and it was always a failure. But each time I decided to drop the whole project I remembered the thief, his smiling face and his saying ?God willing, what has not happened today may happen tomorrow.?

Junnaid said, ?I remembered the thief as one of my greatest Masters. Without him I would not be what I am.

The Lit Candle

?And third,? he said, ?I entered into a small village. A little boy was carrying a lit candle, obviously going to the small temple of the town to put the candle there for the night.?

And Junaid asked, ?Can you tell me from where the light comes? You have lighted the candle yourself so you must have seen. What is the source of light??

The boy laughed and he said, ?Wait!? And he blew out the candle in front of Junaid. And he said, ?You have seen the light go. Can you tell me where it has gone? If you can tell me where it has gone I will tell you from where it has come, because it has gone to the same place. It has returned to the source.?

And Junaid said, ?I had met great philosophers but nobody had made such a beautiful statement: ?It has gone to its very source.? Everything returns to its source finally. Moreover, the child made me aware of my own ignorance. I was trying to joke with the child, but the joke was on me. He showed me that asking foolish questions ?From where has the light come?? is not intelligent. It comes from nowhere, from nothingness, and it goes back to nowhere, to nothingness.?

Junaid said, ?I touched the feet of the child. The child was puzzled. He said, ?Why you are touching my feet?? And I told him, ?You are my Master–you have shown me something. You have given me a great lesson, a great insight.?

?Since that time,? Junnaid said, ?I have been meditating on nothingness and slowly, slowly I have entered into nothingness. And now the final moment has come when the candle will go out, the light will go out. And I know where I am going to the same source. I remember that child with gratefulness. I can still see him standing before me, blowing out the candle.?

No situation is without a lesson, no situation at all

Source: Paulo Coelho Blog

Excerpt from the book - 'Forty Rules of Love'

2018-07-04T03:31:00.000-07:00

“Shams of Tabriz

Befuddled believer! If every Ramadan one fasts in the name of God and every Eid one sacrifices a sheep or a goat as an atonement for his sins, if all his life one strives to make pilgrimage to Mecca and five times a day kneels on a prayer rug but at the same time has no room for love in his heart, what is the use of all this trouble? Faith is only a word if there is no love at its center, so flaccid and lifeless, vague and hollow -- not anything you could truly feel.

Pity the fool who thinks the boundaries of his mortal mind are the boundaries of God the Almighty. Pity the ignorant who assume they can negotiate and settle debts with God. Do such people think God is a grocer who attempts to weigh our virtues and wrongdoings on two separate scales? Is He a clerk meticulously writing down our sins in His accounting book so as to make us pay Him back someday? Is this their notion of Oneness?”

Search Engine that doesn't track you

2018-04-11T00:48:00.000-07:00

I found this cool search engine

DuckDuckGo

Type of site	Web search engine
Available in	Multilingual
Headquarters	20 Paoli Pike, Paoli, Pennsylvania, United States
Area served	Worldwide
Owner	Duck Duck Go, Inc.^[1]
Created by	Gabriel Weinberg
Website	duckduckgo.com
Alexa rank	307(April 04, 2018)^[2]
Commercial	Yes
Registration	None
Launched	September 25, 2008; 9 years ago
Current status	Active
Written in	Perl,^[3] JavaScript, Python^[4]

DuckDuckGo (DDG) is an Internet search engine that emphasizes protecting searchers' privacy and avoiding the filter bubble of personalized search results.^[3] DuckDuckGo distinguishes itself from other search engines by not profiling its users and by deliberately showing all users the same search results for a given search term,^[5] and emphasizes returning the best results, rather than the most results, generating those results from over 400 individual sources, including crowdsourced sites such as Wikipedia, and other search engines like Bing, Yahoo!, and Yandex.^[6]^[7]

For everyone who loves their privacy this is worth using

https://duckduckgo.com/

Kafka on the Shore

2018-04-07T11:08:00.000-07:00

“Sometimes fate is like a small sandstorm that keeps changing directions. You change direction but the sandstorm chases you. You turn again, but the storm adjusts. Over and over you play this out, like some ominous dance with death just before dawn. Why? Because this storm isn't something that blew in from far away, something that has nothing to do with you. This storm is you. Something inside of you. So all you can do is give in to it, step right inside the storm, closing your eyes and plugging up your ears so the sand doesn't get in, and walk through it, step by step. There's no sun there, no moon, no direction, no sense of time. Just fine white sand swirling up into the sky like pulverized bones. That's the kind of sandstorm you need to imagine.

An you really will have to make it through that violent, metaphysical, symbolic storm. No matter how metaphysical or symbolic it might be, make no mistake about it: it will cut through flesh like a thousand razor blades. People will bleed there, and you will bleed too. Hot, red blood. You'll catch that blood in your hands, your own blood and the blood of others.

And once the storm is over you won't remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won't even be sure, in fact, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm you won't be the same person who walked in. That's what this storm's all about.”

Haruki Murakami

David Gray Favvv

2018-04-07T10:56:00.002-07:00

Interesting podcast

2018-03-01T11:15:00.001-08:00

Beauty exists not in sameness but in difference.

2018-03-01T11:10:00.000-08:00

Beauty exists not in sameness but in difference.
Who could imagine a giraffe without its long neck or a cactus without its spines?
The irregularity of the mountain peaks that surround us is what makes them so imposing. If we tried to make them all the same, they would no longer command our respect.
It is the imperfect that astonishes and attracts us.
When we look at a cedar tree, we don’t think: ‘The branches should be all the same length.’
We think: ‘How strong it is.’
When we see a snake, we never say: ‘He is crawling along the ground, while I am walking with head erect.’
We think: ‘He might be small, but his skin is colourful, his movements elegant, and he is more powerful than me.’
When the camel crosses the desert and takes us to the place we want to reach, we never say: ‘He’s humpbacked and has ugly teeth.’
We think: ‘He deserves my love for his loyalty and help. Without him, I would never be able to explore the world.’
A sunset is always more beautiful when it is covered with irregularly shaped clouds, because only then can it reflect the many colours out of which dreams and poetry are made.
Pity those who think: ‘I am not beautiful. That’s why Love has not knocked at my door.’
In fact, Love did knock, but when they opened the door, they weren’t prepared to welcome Love in.
They were too busy trying to make themselves beautiful first, when, in fact, they were fine as they were.
They were trying to imitate others, when Love was looking for something original.
They were trying to reflect what came from outside, forgetting that the brightest light comes from within

Source: http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2018/02/25/beauty-exists-not-in-sameness/

10 books every small business owner must read

2018-02-06T10:10:00.001-08:00

1. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Author: Stephen R. Covey

Summary

Stephen Covey, an internationally respected leadership authority, realizes that true success encompasses a balance of personal and professional effectiveness, so this book is a manual for performing better in both arenas. His anecdotes are as frequently from family situations as from business challenge

Biggest Takeaway

My biggest takeaway from Covey’s timeless masterpiece is the concept of beginning with the end in mind. My mind is very formulaic. I need structure to what I do, to everything I create.
Learning to Begin with the end in mind for every project I take on as a small business owner has helped me get started on projects with which I was previously paralyzed by doubt. Now that I can visualize what the outcome should look like, it’s empowering me to dream bigger and act on those dreams.

Favorite Quote

“Begin with the end in mind.”

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2. Rich Dad Poor Dad

Author: Robert T. Kiyosaki

Summary

Rich Dad Poor Dad, the #1 Personal Finance book of all time, tells the story of Robert Kiyosaki and his two dads—his real father and the father of his best friend, his rich dad—and the ways in which both men shaped his thoughts about money and investing. The book explodes the myth that you need to earn a high income to be rich and explains the difference between working for money and having your money work for you.

Biggest Takeaway

The most important thing I learned from this book that I still use today is the concept of the “Three Piggybanks”. Kiyosaki stresses the importance of putting all money you make (aside from what you need to pay the bills) into three categories:

Savings
Investing
Tithing

As a small business owner, this savings method can help you actively sock away money for those “big dream” items you once thought were unattainable. I have begun teaching my own children this same concept. What’s surprised me most is how excited they get about giving their “tithing” money to help those in need. I think you can never learn this lesson too early.
This is absolutely one of the best business books to read for anyone who wants to work smarter, not harder.

Favorite Quote

“Failure is part of the process of success. People who avoid failure also avoid success.”

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3. Speak and Get Results

Author: Sandy Linver

Summary

We’ve all known the “naturals”– people who can get up to speak in any business situation and make something happen. They get the budget approved, win the big account, get the group’s support at the weekly staff meeting. When the “naturals” finish speaking people believe– and act. Now fully revised and updated, “Speak and Get Results” helps you to be a natural– helps you to get the results you want.

Biggest Takeaway

I’m big on systems and processes. Maybe it’s my German heritage. You know, engineering and efficiencies. Linver does a superb job breaking down the science of designing a speech or presentation that will get your audience to take exactly the actions you want them to take when you’re through.
There’s an actual formula for this in the book that every small business owner can use as a template for your next sales meeting, client proposal, or whatever you’re talking about where you want actionable results to occur in your company. In my opinion, this is one of the best books on business speaking available.

Favorite Quote

“Your primary task is to direct your listeners’ change so it leads them to the result you want.”

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4. Crush It!

Author: Gary Vaynerchuk

Summary

Do you have a hobby you wish you could do all day? An obsession that keeps you up at night? Now is the perfect time to take those passions and make a living doing what you love. In CRUSH IT! Why NOW Is The Time To Cash In On Your Passion, Gary Vaynerchuk shows you how to use the power of the Internet to turn your real interests into real businesses.

Biggest Takeaway

The biggest thing I took away from this book is how crucial it is for every small business owner to create a personal brand. People buy from people, not companies. Gary goes into great detail explaining the why and the how of creating irresistible personal brands. This is by far one of the best books for business owners who want to translate their offline sales into online sales.

Favorite Quote

“It’s never a bad time to start a business unless you’re starting a mediocre business.”

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BONUS: Listen to any of these books for FREE with a 30 day free trial of Audible.

5. Virtual Freedom

Author: Chris Ducker

Summary

Entrepreneurs often suffer from ”superhero syndrome”—the misconception that to be successful, they must do everything themselves. Not only are they the boss, but also the salesperson, HR manager, copywriter, operations manager, online marketing guru, and so much more. It’s no wonder why so many people give up the dream of starting a business—it’s just too much for one person to handle. But outsourcing expert and ”Virtual CEO,” Chris Ducker knows how you can get the help you need with resources you can afford. Small business owners, consultants, and online entrepreneurs don’t have to go it alone when they discover the power of building teams of virtual employees to help run, support, and grow their businesses.

Biggest Takeaway

This is an awesome read for any small business owner or entrepreneur who needs an assistant, whether in-house or virtual. I just hired my first assistant, much to the celebration of my staff. Before I did, though, I put Ducker’s 3-step exercise into practice. Going through it helped me identify:

The things I really don’t like doing.
The things I shouldn’t be doing.
The things I’m not good at anyway.

This book acted as a checklist for my leadership skills when I first read it. The format provides an easy means for skipping around to what you think you might need to work on most in your life right now as a small business owner.

Favorite Quote

“Leaders touch a heart before they ask for a hand.”

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Source: http://bigtimesmallbusiness.com/10-books-every-small-business-owner-read/

10 Empowering Life Lessons from Books

2018-02-06T10:08:00.000-08:00

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." Such wise words! Whether you read to cry or laugh, discover your own world or escape to another, books feed the mind and empower the soul.

Be bold. —Libba Bray, author of Beauty Queens
"For years, I'd heard the feminist Gloria Steinem described as 'shrill' and 'hostile' and many other dismissive, denigrating terms. But after reading about her struggles as a human being and as a leader of feminism's second wave in her book Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions, I got a truer picture. The woman I encountered in her generous, thought-provoking collection of essays is as warm and gracious as she is intelligent. I learned that it's far too easy for women to be shamed into staying quiet about their lives, their dreams, needs, desires, anger, aspirations, and that the old adage, 'Well-behaved women seldom make history' is all too true. Thank you, Gloria, for teaching me how to misbehave."

Choose friends wisely. —Michele Norris, author of The Grace of Silence: A Family Memoir
"I've learned many important life lessons from The Collected Autobiographies of Maya Angelou. She has lived a roller coaster life full of peaks and valleys, surprises and sorrows. She is a survivor who learned to surround herself with people who helped sustain her. That is the strongest thread that runs through her memoirs: Find people who believe in you for those days when it's hard to believe in yourself."
[Note: Norris is also co-host of NPR's All Things Considered and The Back Seat Book Club.]

You're stronger than you think. —Lauren Willig, author of The Garden Intrigue
"Robin McKinley's The Hero and the Crown taught me that heroism resides in unexpected places. Sometimes, the bravest deeds come from people doing their duty as they find it, blundering and muddling along, and doing the best that they can. No matter how bleak something may feel, you just have to press on through, battling your own dragons as the heroine in the book battled hers."

Devour knowledge. —Judith Viorst, author of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
"I first read The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann in my early twenties, and though I recognize now that it harbors deeper meanings, I loved it for the questing, curious mind of its innocent hero Hans Castorp. Spending several years as a patient in a sanitarium, Hans drinks in knowledge from the people he meets, learning about religion, art, politics, humanism, love, and death. His hunger to learn, and to keep on learning, became one of the guiding values of my life."

Home is truly sweet. —Sibella Court, author of Nomad: A Global Approach to Interior Style
"I consider myself a nomad; I can never stay still for too long. My mother read Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak to me and my siblings frequently. Even though I was very young at the time, the book stayed in my mind. No matter how far or for how long I globe-trot, it's always lovely to come home."

Keep an open mind. —Meg Cabot, author of The Princess Diaries
"The classic Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is an all-time favorite of mine. In it, witty but poor Elizabeth Bennet has her pride injured by the handsome Mr. Darcy, so she returns the favor. Will prejudices keep apart two people who are perfect for one another? Lesson: Don't judge people until you know the whole story, and never listen to guys named Mr. Wickham."

Follow your passion. —Uma Krishnaswami, author of The Grand Plan to Fix Everything
"The River by Rumer Godden was the first novel I read that seemed to speak directly to me, even though it was set in the 1920s. The India it portrayed seemed truthfully written, in a way that didn't patronize. Indirectly, the main character's story seemed to give me permission to write. Even now, when I doubt myself as a writer (which happens with predictable regularity!), I remember the impulse that book lit up in me to put pen to paper. It taught me that everyone's story matters."

Always pay attention. —Tamora Pierce, author of Mastiff: The Legend of Beka Cooper, Book Three

"No one will like this, but from Jim's experiences in the apple barrel in Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson and Scout, Jem, and Dill's adventures throughout To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, I learned that eavesdroppers often hear many interesting and instructive things. People may disapprove of eavesdropping, but many books teach the usefulness of it."

Be extraordinary every day. —Lisa Tucker, author of The Winters in Bloom
"If there is such a thing as the Great American Novel, the Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison is it. This stunning book helped me see that women can be epic heroes — that taking care of other people, watching over them, and forgiving their flaws, can be a noble, courageous way to spend a life."

Identify with others. —Joy Fielding, author of the forthcoming Now You See Her
"Books teach empathy and show you you're not alone, that your insecurities and passions are shared by millions of people all over the world. No matter how different we may seem, we all have the same emotions. Knowing that others feel the same things is an enormous comfort. Three novels that taught me a lot about life were J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, Joan Didion's Play It as It Lays, and Marilyn French's The Women's Room. Each spoke to me at different stages in my life and opened my mind to new possibilities."

Source: http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/parent-child/10-empowering-life-lessons-books

I feel you

2018-01-30T07:13:00.002-08:00

The Favor Bank

2018-01-30T07:12:00.002-08:00

‘What is this Favor Bank?’
‘It was an American writer who first mentioned it. It’s the most powerful bank in the world, and you’ll find it in every sphere of life.’

‘What favors could I do for anyone?’
‘That doesn’t matter in the least. Let me give you an example: I know that one day, you’ll be very influential. I know this because, like you, I too was once ambitious, independent, honest. I no longer have the energy I once had, but I want to help you because I can’t or don’t want to grind to a halt just yet.
I start making deposits in your account – not cash deposits, you understand, but contacts. I introduce you to such and such a person, I arrange certain deals, as long as they’re legal. You know that you owe me something, but I never ask you for anything.’
‘And then one day…’
‘ One day, I’ll ask you for a favor. You do what I ask, I continue to help you, and other people see that you’re a decent, loyal sort of person and so they too make deposits in your account – always in the form of contacts, because this world is made up of contacts and nothing else. They too will one day ask you for a favor, and you will respect and help the people who have helped you. You’ll know everyone you need to know and your influence will keep on growing.’

‘I could refuse to do what you ask me to do.’
‘You could. The Favor Bank is a risky investment, just like any other bank. You refuse to grant the favor I asked you, in the belief that I helped you because you deserved to be helped, because everyone should recognize your talent. Fine, I say thank you very much and ask someone else into whose account I’ve also made various deposits, but from then on, everyone knows, without me having to say a word, that you are not to be trusted.
‘And…’
‘You’ll grow only half as much as you could have grown, and certainly not as much as you would have liked to. At a certain point, your life will begin to decline, you got halfway, but not all the way. Neither frustrated nor fulfilled. You’re neither cold nor hot, you’re lukewarm, and as an evangelist in some holy book says: “Lukewarm things are not pleasing to the palate.”

Source:
http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2014/02/19/character-of-the-week-the-favour-bank/

Falling in love at a coffee shop

2018-01-30T07:10:00.001-08:00

Never to Give Up

2017-12-27T12:06:00.002-08:00

One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway it just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and begin to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone’s amazement, he quieted down.
A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that fell on his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer’s neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up.

Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off!

Source: https://www.moralstories.org/never-to-give-up/

Absolutely love podcasts from NPR

2017-12-27T12:05:00.000-08:00

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510289/planet-money

Sunday Musings

2017-12-16T22:55:00.002-08:00

Let us have the courage to accept that which we cannot change.
And if we must fight, let us give a good fight.

- Kaushali Kanakia

Interview with Warren Buffet

2017-12-13T05:30:00.004-08:00

Here are some very interesting aspects of his life:
〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰
1. He bought his first share at age 11 and he now regrets that he started too late!
〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰
2. He bought a small farm at age 14 with savings from delivering newspapers
〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰
3. He still lives in the same small 3-bedroom house in mid-town Omaha, which he bought after he got married 50 years ago. He says that he has everything he needs in that house. His house does not have a wall or a fence.
〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰
4. He drives his own car everywhere and does not have a driver or security people around him.
〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰
5. He never travels by private jet, although he owns the world's largest private jet company.
〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰
6. _His company, Berkshire Hathaway, owns 63 companies. He writes only one letter each year to the CEOs of these companies, giving them goals for the year. He never holds meetings or calls them on a regular basis. He has given his CEO's only two rules.
* Rule number 1: do not lose any of your share holder's money.
* Rule number 2: Do not forget rule number 1.
〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰
7. He does not socialize with the high society crowd. His past time after he gets home is to make himself some pop corn and watch Television.
〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰
8. Bill Gates, the world's richest man met him for the first time only 5 years ago. Bill Gates did not think he had anything in common with Warren Buffet. So he had scheduled his meeting only for half hour. But when Gates met him, the meeting lasted for ten hours and Bill Gates became = devotee of Warren Buffet.
〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰
9. Warren Buffet does not carry a cell phone, nor has a computer on his desk. His advice to young people: "Stay away from credit cards and invest in yourself and _Remember:
🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹
A : Money doesn't create man but it is the man who created money.

B : Live your life as simple as you are.

C. Don't do what others say, just listen to them, but do what you feel good.

D : Don't go on brand name; just wear those things in which u feel comfortable.

E : _Don't waste your money on unnecessary things; just spend on people who are really in need.

F : After all it's your life then why give chance to others to rule.

_The above may not make you Warren Buffet. ..

However it will surely make you successful and bring you more wisdom ...!

Source: Internet

Soothing flute

2017-12-04T08:32:00.001-08:00

This website is for everyone who loves books and organizing.

2017-12-04T01:35:00.000-08:00

https://www.goodreads.com/

How It Works

Goodreads is a free website for book lovers. Imagine it as a large library that you can wander through and see everyone's bookshelves, their reviews, and their ratings. You can also post your own reviews and catalog what you have read, are currently reading, and plan to read in the future. Don’t stop there – join a discussion group, start a book club, contact an author, and even post your own writing.

2017-12-02T03:41:00.002-08:00

All the Difference in The World

2017-11-27T01:55:00.003-08:00

Every Sunday morning I take a light jog around a park near my home. There’s a lake located in one corner of the park. Each time I jog by this lake, I see the same elderly woman sitting at the water’s edge with a small metal cage sitting beside her.

This past Sunday my curiosity got the best of me, so I stopped jogging and walked over to her. As I got closer, I realized that the metal cage was in fact a small trap. There were three turtles, unharmed, slowly walking around the base of the trap. She had a fourth turtle in her lap that she was carefully scrubbing with a spongy brush.

“Hello,” I said. “I see you here every Sunday morning. If you don’t mind my nosiness, I’d love to know what you’re doing with these turtles.”

She smiled. “I’m cleaning off their shells,” she replied. “Anything on a turtle’s shell, like algae or scum, reduces the turtle’s ability to absorb heat and impedes its ability to swim. It can also corrode and weaken the shell over time.”

“Wow! That’s really nice of you!” I exclaimed.

She went on: “I spend a couple of hours each Sunday morning, relaxing by this lake and helping these little guys out. It’s my own strange way of making a difference.”

“But don’t most freshwater turtles live their whole lives with algae and scum hanging from their shells?” I asked.

“Yep, sadly, they do,” she replied.

I scratched my head. “Well then, don’t you think your time could be better spent? I mean, I think your efforts are kind and all, but there are fresh water turtles living in lakes all around the world. And 99% of these turtles don’t have kind people like you to help them clean off their shells. So, no offense… but how exactly are your localized efforts here truly making a difference?”

The woman giggled aloud. She then looked down at the turtle in her lap, scrubbed off the last piece of algae from its shell, and said, “Sweetie, if this little guy could talk, he’d tell you I just made all the difference in the world.”

Source: http://www.marcandangel.com/2013/05/21/4-short-stories-change-the-way-you-think/

Thank you God, for this life and forgive us if we do not love it enough.

2017-11-20T06:19:00.001-08:00

Sorry for the long hiatus.
After four years I finally got access back to my account.

Looking forward to blogging again :)

PS. Quote credits Paulo Coelho (as always)

The last cab ride

2013-07-21T05:36:00.000-07:00

Twenty years ago, I drove a cab for a living. One time I arrived in the middle of the night for a pick up at a building that was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window.

Under these circumstances, many drivers would just honk once or twice, wait a minute, then drive away. But I had seen too many impoverished people who depended on taxis as their only means of transportation. Unless a situation smelled of danger, I always went to the door. This passenger might be someone who needs my assistance, I reasoned to myself. So I walked to the door and knocked.

“Just a minute,” answered a frail, elderly voice.

I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 80′s stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940s movie. By her side was a small nylon suitcase.

The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.

“Would you carry my bag out to the car?” she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness.

“It’s nothing,” I told her. “I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated.”

“Oh, you’re such a good boy,” she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, then asked, “Could you drive through downtown?”

“It’s not the shortest way,” I answered quickly.

“Oh, I don’t mind,” she said. “I’m in no hurry. I’m on my way to a hospice.”

I looked in the rear view mirror. Her eyes were glistening.

“I don’t have any family left,” she continued. “The doctor says I don’t have very long.”

I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. “What route would you like me to take?” I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.

Sometimes she’d ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, “I’m tired. Let’s go now.”

We drove in silence to the address she had given me.

It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her. I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

“How much do I owe you?” she asked, reaching into her purse.

“Nothing,” I said.

“You have to make a living,” she answered.

“There are other passengers.”

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly.

“You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,” she said. “Thank you.”

I squeezed her hand, then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.

I didn’t pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly, lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away? On a quick review, I don’t think that I have done anything more important in my life. We’re conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware—beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

A true story by Kent Nerburn

http://academictips.org/blogs/the-last-cab-ride/

Quote of The Week

2013-07-21T05:27:00.002-07:00

“There is a candle in your heart, ready to be kindled.

There is a void in your soul, ready to be filled.

You feel it, don't you?”

― Rumi

Grow by giving

2013-06-23T11:10:00.001-07:00

Grow by Giving

Perhaps the single most powerful way to succeed in life is to have more concern for our fellow human beings. Normally, we are overwhelmingly concerned about ourselves, driven by our own personal motives and ambitions. However, the happiest people literally lose themselves in the feelings, thoughts, and aspirations of others.

Are you ready to "forget yourself" and be genuinely interested in the welfare of others? Are you willing to be tolerant and kind to others, listen attentively and silently to their words, and be non-judgmental and open to their opinions and points of view? If you are, you're an excellent candidate for great success in life, not to mention an ever-increasing personal happiness and joy.

Try a little experiment. When you meet with others, immediately put yourself in their shoes. Think only of what they want. Listen carefully to their thoughts and feelings, and show genuine concern and empathy. Do this for the entire meeting. Now watch how the interaction goes. Watch how the energy level of the other person increases. The other individual becomes more animated and involved.

In addition, if you watch closely, you may notice some interesting things starting to happen. An unthought of point of view or perspective may be raised in the conversation. New ideas or fresh new insights are suddenly revealed. Or, a new interesting idea, project or event might suddenly come out of the discussion. This all happens because you have shifted your concern toward the other person.

But there's more. If you pay very close attention, you'll see that there might be an added "response from life." For example, during the conversation, someone might call in a great new project to you; or a dramatic new development might arise in some area of your work. This is life itself "responding" to your concern for another person. It is a hidden power that we have witnessed dozens of times in the past.

Whenever you shift your perspective from yourself to others, your energy increases, conditions of accomplishment, success, and positive outcome reveal themselves, life responds suddenly, positively, and abundantly, and one feels a great joy. The more real and heartfelt the positive feeling toward the other person, the greater the energy, success, joy, and happiness.

Source: http://www.gurusoftware.com/GuruNet/AurobindoMother/MotherPath.htm