Last Minute Gifts:

Last Minute Gift Suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To every child, a good example.
To all, charity.
To yourself, respect.

- Oren Arnold

.......

Be like the fountain that overflows,

not like the cistern that merely contains.

Paulo Coelho

Brazilian Author and Lyricist

"I saw the river..."

And I saw the river

over which every soul

must pass

to reach the kingdom

of heaven

and the name of that river

was suffering:

and I saw a boat

which carries souls

across the river

and the name of that boat

was love.

Saint John of the Cross, 1542-1591

Spanish Mystic, Priest and Poet

Hues of BLACK

Believed it is, white stands for faith..

but can it be denied -

Truth blossoms in Black.

As the life of every living creature,

finds peace and solace

in the womb of mother earth,

which dissolves thy worries

in its Black syrup..

Believed it is, red radiates energy..

but can't be denied the depth

of Black..

which seaps and percolates

to unending bands...

The silence and tranquility

radiated by black;

can it be denied, can it be matched..?

True it is, life blossoms in yellow..

but life derives its strength and resilence

from the hues of Black;

b'coz the dark time lays bare-

the true threads, and the real bonds;

and outlines

each one's intentions & convictions.

Indeed it's true, green soothes our senses

and epitomizes harmony and balance..

but do we still not suspend

all our tensions

into the cradle of the dark night!

B'coz the darkness of the black night

rubs as a balm for the restless mind

and soothes the sad heart, in its arms...

Blue, surely is calm and refreshing

and adds an affirming vibe to life.

But we can't neverthless,

ignore the brightness

of the tiny stars, amidst

the darkness of massive Black sky.

These tiny harbingers of hope

gain theire character

in the presence of Black night..

Thus, Black surely

unwraps the eternal truth,

and discloses the mystifying aura

and brings to forefront

the reality of life--

i.e. that only death is certain...

But through the kaliedoscope, it appears

that in the end lies a new beginning!

And so I confess to be

an ardent admirer of Black;

around which gyrates

the hues of all skewed emotions..

and which captures in it

the hues of all tappered realities..

..........

As the moth for love of lotus looses itself in the flower And yet is happy; so am Thy devotee, my lord As the deer, mesmerised by the melody transfixed near the axe of the huntsman; Iam thy devotee... As the rain bird in its utter loneliness calls its lover continuously So i wait for a vision of Thee, my lord For i feel forsaken and lonely and sad.

-Surdas.

A conversation..

"Me: Why has life become complicated now?
God: Stop analyzing life. Just live it.

Me: why are we then constantly unhappy?
God: Your today is the tomorrow that you worried about yesterday.

Me: But how can we not worry when there is so much uncertainty?
God: Uncertainty is inevitable, but worrying is optional.

Me: But then, there is so much pain due to uncertainty..
God: Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.

Me: If suffering is optional, why do good people always suffer?
God: Diamond cannot be polished without friction. Gold cannot be purified without fire. Good people go through trials, but don’t suffer. With that experience their life becomes better not bitter.

Me: You mean to say such experience is useful?
God: Yes. In every term, Experience is a hard teacher. She gives the test first and the lessons afterwards.

Me: But still, why should we go through such tests? Why can’t we be free from problems?
God: Problems are Purposeful Roadblocks Offering Beneficial Lessons (to) Enhance Mental Strength. Inner strength comes from struggle and endurance, not when you are free from problems.

Me: Frankly in the midst of so many problems, we don’t know where we are heading..
God: If you look outside you will not know where you are heading.. Look inside. Looking outside, you dream. Looking inside, you awaken. Eyes provide sight. Heart provides insight.

Me: Sometimes not succeeding fast seems to hurt more than moving in the right direction. What should I do?
God: Success is a measure as decided by others. Satisfaction is a measure as decided by you. Knowing the road ahead is more satisfying than knowing you rode ahead.

Me: In tough times, how do you stay motivated?
God: Always look at how far you have come rather than how far you have to go. Always count your blessing, not what you are missing.

Me: What surprises you about people?
God: when they suffer they ask, “why me?” When they prosper, they never ask “Why me”. Everyone wishes to have truth on their side, but few want to be on the side of the truth.

Me: Sometimes I ask, who am I, why am I here. I can’t get the answer.
God: Seek not to find who you are, but to determine who you want to be. Stop looking for a purpose as to why you are here. Create it. Life is not a process of discovery but a process of creation.

Me: How can I get the best out of life?
God: Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear.

Me: One last question. Sometimes I feel my prayers are not answered.
God: There are no unanswered prayers. At times the answer is NO.

Me: Thank you for this wonderful chat. I am so happy to start the New Day with a new sense of inspiration.
God: Well. Keep the faith and drop the fear. Don’t believe your doubts and doubt your beliefs. Life is a mystery to solve, not a problem to resolve."

-Quoted from a journal..

Escape...

Like a glittering sprinkle
through the cluster of foliage,
or a prickle
on some standing waters;
You rescued me
Through the cul-de-sac
Holding my palm in your nest.

Like the air-balls
you are all pervasive
and encompasseth through me
as be the sound of shaking tiny bells.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Flowers do sometimes
twist their necks
The fruits do sometimes
jump off from thy gloves
but,
You never betray!

And so I allow myself
to retreat in you...

After every lonely walk
through the streets of
human hearts
And after every peek
into the walls of neighbour's soul,
I found nothing
but a seamless void..

And still each time when I turn back
I find you, waiting for me
with same lashfull glimmer
in your eyes...

And so I apologise, I apologise
for making you wait so long
And now, please let me
escape in you...

I am happy !

I am happy !
Not just because
the rose stem I took to taking its last breath
has finally managed to suck some glucose
and will surely dance to the tune of spring...

but also because..,
I played scrabble on the azure blanket
& won the match between stars and me.
saw the silhouettes of my dear ones
in the silver lining covering the clouds
smiling and blessing me
with occult powers...

I am happy !
Not just because I noticed
the jewel of the sky is still on duty
pulling aside the curtain of clouds
peeping n confirming from time to time
the well being of God's dream...

but also because,
I was amazed to view
the boughs of the giant banyan tree
are so much ardent to meet thy feet...

I am happy !
Coz I can feel the pulsating connection
between the symphony of the thunderous orchestra
and the jingles of the mountain birds
singing after heavy rains...

I am happy !
Coz I am in communion
with the grandeur of nature's flute
with the calligraphy of river's path
with the breath of all creatures
with the spirit of the only One...

..........................................

After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music..
-Aldons Huxleys

Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.
-Mark Twain

i found u!

i stretched my arms till the finger tips
but couldn't make it to your robe
i called you in my highest pitch
your reply was but no heard...
i strained my eyes
wandering days and nights
just to catch a glimpse of yours
couldn't make it though, thought all in vain
coz couldn't catch up with your own...

i tried to ask your where-abouts
from the red-cheeked rose
he said, "Darling, don't loose heart,
you'll soon find your muse"
even inquired by stopping a falcon...
please help me out.. show me the way to him
he was in a hurry though.. had to catch his prey
still exchanged my complaining looks
with a gentle smile
and as he flew, didn't forget to choose
saying, "Don't loose heart dear,
you'll soon find your muse."

my last hope now,
was the ever flowing river
who must be having the age-old vision
to see through things, to weigh matters of heart
so surely could guide me to my pole star...

i sat beside him, poured my heart out
recited all my helpless moves..
suddenly, i saw in its moist soil
a tear of mine loosing itself,
flowing, rolling to make it to you
and finally , the eternal bliss was
when he was lost- completely in you...

"i found my muse", "i found my muse"
exclaimed i with joyous water
running down my brows
"You are in me!" i have finally found you
beating in the depths of my heart...
and with this realization,
i could feel a glow in my bosom
warming me, transmuting my languid thoughts,
now distinctly opening their wings
in the tranquility of thy soul...

................

I was brought up to believe that how I saw myself was more
important than how others saw me.
Anwar el-Sadat
Egyptian politician (1918 - 1981)

Dies slowly, he who avoids a passion..
Pablo Neruda

जीना आ गया....

बंद किवाड़ में अटक गया था
चुनरी का कोना कही
छील कर उसको वही छोड़
आगे बढ़ना आ गया
तो मुझे जीना आ गया।

बहती हवा में डुबकी लगा कर
बाल भिगोये है मेने
नील गगन में तैरते पंछियों संग
सुर मिलाना आ गया
हां मुझे जीना आ गया।

चाँद की गोद में बैठ कर पहरा दीया है मेने
और फीर एक रात हौले से
जाल डाला था मेने
उन दो तारों को हथेली पर रखकर
नाचना सीख लीया मेने
सो मुझे जीना आ गया।

पतझड़ के पेडों की बातें
चुपके से सुनली है मेने
साथ ही पीली चादर को
तन पे लपेटा है
गिलहैरी के घोसले में झपकी ली है मेने
और चूहों संग बिल में छुप कर देखा है मेने
तभी तो पता लगा मुझे की
जीना आ गया मुझे।

बारीश की बूंदों की लय पर
तलवे दिबोये है मेने
और नदी की तरंग में खो कर
ख़ुद को पा लीया मेने
तब अचानक महसूस हुआ
की जीना आ गया मुझे।

घुलते सूरज में अपने को
चीडा कर देखा है मेने
झीलामिल झील में लहराती छाया संग
लुका-छुपी खेली है मेने
सात रंगों को आँख के गोलों में
हाथ पकड़ते देखा है
तो यकीन हो गया मुझे
की जीना आ गया मुझे...

if we imagine..

What we do is a measure of who we are. If we imagine our work as labor, we become laborers. If we imagine our work as art, we become artists.

-Jeffrey Patnaude

Coz i am in You..!

Yes, i have left myself loose
can You hear my moves..
My heart goes on a long drive
when i am with You!
Yes, i can feel the heat
Yes, i can see You shimmer..
but, can You affirm me
by touching via whisper!
Through all the thick and thin,
You were by my side..
Feel now completely captivated
by Your charm and glow!
Your ethereality, was
seldom not so visible..
But thank you for You
bestowed on me
my life's rhythmic hope!
Can't stop myself..
Can't hold on..
when You call on me
By now, have surely
drowned in You
absorbed in Your damp soul..
Coz, i feel i am shred from You
weaved within Your cloak..
Bless me with Your
majestic sight
Coz i am in You..!

फिलहाल..

पहले से लीखा... कुछ भी नही...
रोज़ नया कुछ... लीखती है तू...
जो भी लीखा है... दील से जीया है...
ये लम्हा... फीलाहाल जी लेने दे...
ये लम्हा... फीलाहाल जी लेने दे...

-from the movie Filhaal

tik tik tik tik.........
phis phis phis phis...........
shu sha, shu sha...........
lolly pollu sholly dolly........
........................................

Faith

When you come to the
edge of all the light,
and you know you are
about to step off
into the darkness of
the unknown,
Faith is knowing one of
two things will happen:
Either there will be
something solid to
stand on, or...
You will be taught
how to fly.
-Author Unknown

खुशी तुम्हारी खुशी हमारी...

कुछ कहते तो सुन लेते
कुछ करते तो सह लेते।
पर उम्मीद थी की जो भी हो
साथ हमारा नही छोडोगे॥
जीस दोस्ती पर हम थे इतराते
जीस रीश्ते पर धूप जलाते
धुन्दला पड़ने लगा है वो शीशा
जीसमे हम तुम साथ नज़र आते॥
खुदसे कहते रहते है हम
कोई फरक नही पड़ता हमपर
आवाज़ सुनाई जब नही देती तुम्हारी
खुदसे ही बाते कर लीया करते है हम॥
पर कीसी बात का हमें कोई गम नही
न ही कीसीसे है कोई शीकायत
अब तक जो दुआ मांगी है रब से
हम नही भूलेंगे आगे भी मांगनी॥
खुशी तुम्हारी खुशी हमारी...

A nascent desire..

A nascent desire
kept budding in the heart
to make it to the stars
from the level of the ground.
Shoot out like rocket
tearing the smoky clouds.
Jump out from the comfy shell
pushing the lid ahead.
Of opening the forbidden doors,
of closing the cynical chambers.
and allowing some fresh air
to run through the nerves.
A wish for a spring
all the year round.
But thought shouldn't be so greedy
for at the end of every tunnel,
there is a shining hope.
Need to keep faith,
have to have patience.
To finally spread the wings far and wide...

some quotes..

The most beautiful things in life cannot be seen or even
touched. They must be felt with the heart.
Hellen Keller

"It is not a mistake if we cannot read the eyes that cheat
us. But it is indeed a big mistake if we cannot read the
eyes that care for us."

When life knocks you down, you have two choices-
stay down or get up.

When the heart weeps at what it has lost, the soul
laughs at what it has found.
Sufi Aphorism

Only if you wish to feel..

Only if you wish to feel
there is life in you and me..
Every cell can love and hate
what do you wish to feel..?

The moist soil breathes
the supple saplings tender touch..
The sunflower flows along the wind
for the sun has blessed her with care..

Life bubbles in the babies eyes
also in my grandpa's one-toothed smile..
A healing touch, a warm hug
even hankering eyes can say it all..

The azure blanket can preen on it's gown
the sea-bed can also join hands with littoral ground..
Coz the mollusks and the parakeets
can feel life in the tempestuous wind and sea..

Only if you wish to feel
there is life in you and me..

A garden rose, a roadside weed
have the power to turn the wheel..
A silent prayer, some floating thoughts
can feel the presence of the only One..

There is life in the dancing peacock's rain
also in the mist licking window panes..
Some baby hyacinths opening eye-lids
can also feel life in the reign..

Life is in the nascent desires
life is in the blindfold faith..
Life is in the sweat and tear
also in the will we make..

Only if you wish to feel
there is life in you and me..