Open up your mind and your potential reaches infinity…

Archive for 2011

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.


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Wish we could preserve the beautiful landscapes of our planet Earth the way we received them from God.

Words of Wisdom:

“And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything.”
~ William Shakespeare

“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed.”
~ Mohandas K. Gandhi

“There must be a reason why some people can afford to live well. They must have worked for it. I only feel angry when I see waste. When I see people throwing away things we could use.”
~ Mother Teresa (1910-1997)

“We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if mankind is to survive.”
~Albert Einstein

Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed.
– Francis Bacon,philosopher (1561-1626)

To see a world in a grain of sand, And a heaven in a wild flower, Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, And eternity in an hour.
~ William Blake Poet, painter (1757-1827)

Bottom Line:

If the creator had a purpose in equipping us with a neck, he surely meant us to stick it out.(~Arthur Koestler)
Yeah, stick it out against INJUSTICE & ABUSE OF OUR PLANET EARTH.

What is Pleasure ?


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But pleasures are like poppies spread,
You seize the flow’r, its bloom is shed;
Or like the snow falls in the river,
A moment white–then melts forever;
Or like the borealis race,
That flit ere you can point their place;
Or like the rainbow‘s lovely form
Evanishing amid the storm.
~Robert Burns,

A test of what is real is
that it is hard and rough.
Joys are found in it,
not pleasure.
What is pleasure
belongs to dreams.
~Simone Weil

Gem Parade…


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Gemstones are mysterious things: naturally formed crystalline, geometric bodies with interesting optical properties. Each crystal has a different structure and composition giving it a unique hue and aura.
They are one of the nature’s most wonderful gifts to us.

Mankind associates different gemstones with significance related to the months of birth. We have even created superstitions associated with these beautiful creations of nature.

Interestingly they do not hold any commercial  fiscal value as the precious metals like Gold, Silver and Platinum. Once a friend of mine who is very fond of jewelery including gold and gemstones had a robbery in her house. The robber broke into the safe and picked only the gold jewelry, cash and even savings certificates while the gemstones were discretely left behind. She was overjoyed she felt it would have been inconsolable if her exotic painstakingly collected gemstones were stolen. 🙂

Here are the birthstones and their symbolic meanings, for fun sake:

Month — Birthstone– Symbolise
January —garnet— Passion & devotion
February– amethyst— Clarity of thought,
March— aquamarine —courage
April —–diamond—— amplify the thoughts
May—— emerald ——fertility & dreams
June-pearl/moonstone—inspiration& receptivity
July—- ruby —heart & love
August peri-dot —prosperity
September– sapphire —peace & happiness,
October– opal/tourmaline- passion &spontaneity
November- topaz/citrine -confidence & strength
December —turquoise/blue topaz— success

Just Memories


The grains of time flow
Thro’  the hourglass
Over to the other side
The past sieves through
Out of sight, buried
Beneath the sand of memories.

As I retain not the past
I reminisce not the pain
I revere just their memories.
I miss not the thrills
I frown not at follies
I cherish just their memories.

I preserve not the laughter,
I foster not the agony,
I treasure just their  memories.
I cling not to excitements
I clasp not to regrets
I embrace just their memories.

I nourish not the bitterness
I nurture not the anger
I gather just their memories.
I etch not the differences
I engrave not the grudges
I enshrine just their memories
Time flies, swift and smooth
Seasons change, winds blow
Drifting away, like parachutes
Of the seeds of dandelion.
But all, we can hold onto
Are their stalks,
Of remnant memories.

Yes, just the great memories.

A Veil in the Eyes of Men


As the conservatives and the liberals stay engrossed(for their own reasons) with the banning of Veil in France, I sent in a message to some select non Muslim guys (as they would be more objective) in my friends list to inquire :

What do you think when you see a veiled woman?

( I kept the question open–they could think of the Islamic veil or the Indian veil–it was left to their imagination).

The answers I got in almost 4 hours were fascinating (though qiuite expected). I had heard my own hubby and brothers talk on those lines on occasions…

A veil…

Replies almost instant:

…makes her a mystery that needs to be solved.

…tempts me to find out what lies behind it.

…feels an uncomfortable itch to lift it.

…turns her instantly into a forbidden fruit.

Within 4 hours :

…makes my eyes acquire an X ray wavelength to pierce through the barrier.

…makes all my five senses alert.

…highlights the deep, dark, beautiful eyes and wants to know what else?

…makes her a magnet and me an iron file.

…makes her more sought after.

…makes her look ugly.

…makes my mind join the dots that the eyes could see behind the black screen and make a complete picture.

…makes me give them a second and a third look.

…makes me feel sorry for them.

Two of my friends replied much later”

…There is nothing to see and think about a veiled woman.

…I dont judge her. Its entirely her choice and her culture which needs to be respected.

Looking at the earlier posts, makes me scratch my head: “Is this for which one is told to wear a veil ?”
The following words came about…

A Veil

A Worthless cover
Envelopes me
An illusion
‘Safeguard’.

Exposed, I am
Screaming ‘mystery’
Pitched out there
As tempting
As a Forbidden fruit

A meaningless veil
Feeble and frail,
Nothing it sheilds
But takes off from me,
Who really am I.


Context: The ‘hot’ discussion on Veil ban in France is currently on…

13 Reasons Why I am not Perturbed by the Ban on Veil in France


I know majority of my close friends and kins are of the opinion that banning of face veil in France is against the Human rights and needs to be protested. Again I stand as a miniscule minority who thinks differently.
Apparently I donot fear being labelled an eccentric or a cynic, and feel more at ease by expressing my genuine views–no matter how dissenting they may be.

Very valid that no one has right to tell women what should they wear and what they should not. Yes it amounts to usurping the ‘right to choose’ but I have certain reasons why I stand unconcerned on the issue.

1. First, it is a political issue. To give it a religious color and get emotional in my opinion unjustified. Headlines calling it–‘banning of a muslim veil’ – by endless news reports includintg the major international newspapers, is in my view ‘inaccurate’ reporting. The language used is ‘bans the veils anywhere in public’.

2. Second, facial veil is not a mandatory in Islam even according to scholars, so to get emotional about the issue as usurping of religious rights isn’t valid.

3. Yes in a way it is going to affect only the Muslims, because nowadays it is only the Muslim women who practice face covering on a regular basis. Is it not a food for thought for us liberals to shake our brains on our cultural primitivity?

4.It was voted by the French Parliament with an overwhelming majority through a democratic process, not by any one person’s whims and fancy. Even in the polls, 80% of French are against it. Majority prevails in a democracy.

5. It is not the first country to ban a face veil. “Tunisia since 1981, and Turkey since 1997, are two Muslim countries which have banned the hijab in public schools and universities or government buildings, whilst Syria banned face veils in universities from July 2010.” Why didnt we cry foul then?

6. French parliament has been there for ages and so has been the face veil. Why then the ban now? It is a case of ‘lost trust’ between the west and the Muslims ( if at all it is to be taken as a ban on muslim rights). In such a case, crying against the ban in isolation will aggravate the polarisation. It should be looked at more objectively than emotionally and must deal with the bridging of the wideing gap through restoration of trust. When the trust returns, prejudice against such practices and targetting them would die it’s own death.

7. I donot agree that any woman is eagerly willing to wear a niqaab if given the choice without being brainwashed on it’s favour. Hence to say that those who wear it willingly, have been made willing through constant brainwashing. In my view it is the same as a person who has been brainwashed/convinced on committing suicide should be allowed to do so. Why is that an offence then? Who does it harm if someone wants to die?

8. If woman should be allowed to choose covering her face, why would those who want to go nude, have female circumcision or tolerate domestic abuse without complain, not be allowed to do so as a fundamental right. Why are these considered offences?

9. In the number game, ban on face veil will help far more girls and women who are, by force, asked to cover in compliance to the family/cultural values, than those very few who will be forced to take it off.

10.Medically and psychologically, veil is harmful. Absolute covering prevents exposure to sun, hence Vit D deficiency and Osteoporosis is very common in women who wear veil. And such covering prevents light and hence causes depression in the women.

11. Veil is definitely a hinderance in communication. Facial and eye expression are a major component of communication. It affects those who are interacting with a veiled woman and causes inequality.The woman can see all the expressions of the person she is communicating to, but conceals her own expressions. It is an unfair and non-reciprocal exchange of communication.

12. We have common men women in Pakistan more worried about a ban on veil in France( where not even 5% will ever get a chance to go and live) and are oblivious to the packing up of HEC right under their nose–a case of wrong values.We need to divert our energies to that issue.

13. We have been complaing of western agenda against muslims, against Islam for the last two decades. Do we think the West are angels, they will not retalite to our constant dislike or suspicions towards them. It is a reaction to our own irrational actions.

Yes, ban of veil may be an infringement of one’s fundamental right, but I donot consider it such a big issue to waste my energy and divert from ‘real’ issues. We recently wasted a lot of energies, valuable time on the issue of Raymond Davis–but what was the end result?

Thank God I did not waste my time and mind on it, even then.

I think we must start doing the Cost-Effect Analysis of our worries on the innumerable issues concerning this world.

Men Are Like…


This is the net summary of the conversation I had with a great school friend living thousands of miles away. He began with the pun on women and then another lady friend joined the conference call and it ended up with pun on men as usual…..

Men are like…

… Blenders.
You need one, but you’re not quite sure why.

… Chocolate Bars.
Sweet, smooth, and they usually are a cause of your migraine.

… Coffee.
The best ones are rich, warm, and give you insomnia.

... Commercials.
You can’t believe a word they say.

… Computers.
Hard to figure out and never have enough memory.

… Coolers.
Load them with beer and you can take them anywhere.

… Copiers.
You need them for reproduction, but that’s about it.

… Curling Irons.
They’re always hot with rage and trying to straighten your expenditure while shopping.

… Government Bonds.
They take way too long to mature.

… Horoscopes.
They always tell you what to do and are usually wrong.

… Lava Lamps.
Good to look at, but not all that bright.

… Mascara.
They usually run at the first sign of emotion.

… Parking Spots.
The good ones are already taken and the ones that are left are either handicapped or extremely small.

… Popcorn.
They are hollow in the core with swollen ego all around.

… Weather.
Nothing can be done to change either one of them.

Great Advice to Pass on to Your Daughters and other Single women

1. Don’t imagine you can change a man – unless he’s in diapers.

2. What do you do if your boyfriend walks-out? You shut the door.

3. If they put a man on the moon – they should be able to put them all up there.

4. Never let your man’s mind wander – it’s too little to be out alone.

5. Go for men of any age. Age doesn’t matter- they never mature anyway.

6. Men are all the same – they just have different faces, so that you can tell them apart.

7. Definition of a bachelor; a man who has missed the opportunity to make some woman miserable.

8. Women don’t make fools of men – most of them are the do-it-yourself types.

9. Best way to get a man to do something, is to suggest they are too old for it.

10. Love is blind, but marriage is a real eye-opener.

11. If you want a committed man, look in a mental hospital.

12. The children of Israel wandered around the desert for 40 years. Even in biblical times, men wouldn’t ask for directions.

13. If he asks what sort of books you’re interested in, tell him checkbooks.

14. Remember a sense of humor does not mean that you tell him jokes, it means that you laugh at his.

15. Sadly, all men are created equal…

How do you keep your husband from reading your e-mail?
Rename the mail folder “Instruction Manuals.

How do men define a “50/50” relationship?
We cook-they eat; we clean-they dirty; we iron-they wrinkle.

What makes a man think about a candlelight dinner?
A power failure.

What’s the best way to kill a man?
Put a pretty blonde and a six-pack in front of him. Then tell him to pick only one.

Why do only 10% of men make it to heaven?
Because if they all went, it would be Hell.

Why is psychoanalysis a lot quicker for men than for women?
When it’s time to go back to his childhood, he’s already there.

And the best ones…..

Why do little boys whine?
Because they are practicing to be men.

Why is it so difficult to find men who are caring, sensitive, and good-looking?
They already have boyfriends.</ 😀 😀 😀


(P.S.This is not to offend anyone, please. This is just for light humour, not to be taken seriously. Some of my best friends are men–including my husband and son…).

Coutesy: http://www.jokesaboutmen.net/men-joke_six.html

Moonlight Sonata ~ Beethovan


Beethoven’s “Moonlight sonata”, a name coined by German music critic Ludwig Rellstab after Beethoven’s death, is one of the most widely known classical music pieces, and has been since it was composed some 200 years ago.

It is said that Beethoven was inspired to write the sonata while visiting Lake Balaton, located in Hungary.

Which Color Am I ?


An FB friend Susan Marie presented to me this above pic. And it was really hard to choose which color should I be. Once again my imagination started to run wild and high. And the result were the following words….

Which color am I?

Oh! If I was color red
I would be a rose
Or even a valentine heart
that lives so close
to every loving heart.
Or maybe a coral
Standing in oceans deep
Eversince life took a leap.

Maybe I was green
So live and so living
so refreshing, so giving
Like a new leaf of spring.
Or innocent grasshoppers
That never ever sting.

What if I was a blue
With all it’s shades and hues
So vast as the sky
where birds of imagination fly
So wild and so high.
Or even a sapphire in a ring
Seeing who’s beauty, all would sigh!

I think I would be an orange.
So ‘hot’ and bright
Like the rays of sunlight.
Key to ‘life’ that holds
Or maybe a garland of marigold
With flowers fresh and pure
Making God’s haute couture.

And if I was a yellow
Of the tiny, soft , cuddly chick
Chi chiing, with dozen other fellows.
Or maybe a Topaz stone that sticks
Into a ring, with it’s beauty revealed.
I could even be an endless mustard field.

Wow! I sure should be purple
And violets being my grandeur and glory
With poets wishing to tell my splendid story
Or maybe I was from the Amethyst stock
With other jealous gems turning into a rock.
And I could even be a purple Iris flower
Standing high in a pot, like a proud star.

Yes I think I should be a rainbow
Made up of colors all ‘the noble seven’.
Colors lined up so immaculately in a row.
Stretching from horizon upto the Heaven
And then they all so neatly, mix within me
Standing for PEACE, they turn into a white
Bundled together, as UNITED they would be.
Erasing all the differences, great or slight.

P.S. Thank you again Sue for inciting me to write this 🙂

Let’s Riot with Colors


 

I seriously think
we should develop
bombs from crayons
That blast into smilieys
as our next weapon-
of mass ‘construction’.

A color bomb,
a beauty bomb.
Launched from –
a happiness jet
or a unity drone,
as a peace missile.

And each time
a conflict erupts
we would drop one.
It would explode
high in the air
with a bang of hope
and send hundreds
or thousands,
even millions,
of  smileys.

Raining down on earth
with splashes of colorful
smiles, smiles, just smiles
rioting up in the air.

And we wouldn’t go cheap,
not little boxes of eight.
Boxes of sixty-four,
maybe hundreds
even million crayons
of colors, colors, just  colors
to smudge the smiley smiles
With silver and gold and copper,
magenta and peach and lime,
amber and umber and all the rest,
Colors of love, love, just  love.

Reaching down on earth
with colourful stunning smiles.
And people will cheer
laugh, giggle, go hysterical.
Get funny looks on  faces
the teary eyes shall twinkle.
With hopes embedded in dimples,
Peace sparkling from their teeth
And all that one will see
as far as eyes can reach
Is bliss, bliss, and just bliss.

Soft  in the background
there would  be an orchestra
playing a symphony
The musical notes
wrecking havoc
of peace and harmony
spilling magic in the air.

The beaming smilieys,
shall rock and roll
With hands in hand,
They’ll dance, dance, dance
in ecstasy insane.
All through the dark night
Until the dawn of ‘sanity’
awakens this asinine,
‘sleeping’ mankind.

( Inspired  by colors & smiles stolen from Holi, & from a quote by Robert Fulghum, with some words taken from it).

smiley1