On Spirituality

Earlier this year, I was fortunate enough to attend a talk by Arun Kapur, Director of Vasant Valley School, on his views on an excellent education. According to him, an excellent education is a combination of a number of favourable factors for a child, which includes spirituality. This intrigued many of us, as usually we think of a strong academic background and a keen interest in sports and extra-curricular activities as indicators of an excellent education. On the night of that talk, I reflected on his ideas, and began to question my own spirituality. Was I spiritual enough? Was I in a position to teach spirituality to my kids? If not, then what will I do about it?  With those thoughts, I joined a spiritual camp to discover myself completely, shed away the worries and stresses of everyday life, and connect strongly with my soul. 

Today I had a wonderful discussion with a couple of special friends about the lessons I learned at that spiritual camp and we all felt that we were already familiar with most of those lessons. Yet, we get distracted from  the negativity of competition, comparison, attachment, expectations, anger, greed, envy and hostility. We tend to undermine those finer values and mindsets that matter the most. We lose our human touch. It, therefore, becomes supremely important to keep a company of inspired and positive people who do not let you fall, and provide you with reassurance that you are on the right track. Even more importantly, we must realize that we are all spiritual beings who need to feed our souls whilst enjoying this human experience.

Julian's Thank-you Note

I was in a popular restaurant an hour ago and had a lovely time catching up with a friend over some delicious treats. After our elaborate meal got over and we requested for the bill, we received something along with it that we hadn't expected. The gentleman who served us, Julian, wrote a personalized thank-you note to us for visiting his outlet and letting him serve us. It was a very kind gesture and reminded me of my days in Pune when I used to exchange thank-you notes with my colleagues every now and then. I immediately picked the note up, tucked it in my bag's pocket and took out a small piece of paper and a pen to thank him back for his amazing service and benevolence.

Some of the most heart-warming acts of kindness are also the simplest and most cost-friendly. Julian's kind gesture made me smile and inspired me to spread smiles across through the simple act of thanking.

To Make Each Day Count

As you wake up this morning,
Be grateful to God for giving you another day
In your life full of purpose.
Thank Him for the love that you get
And the ability to love back,
The zest for living, the knowledge to survive,
The joy to smile, and the wisdom to be kind.

If these things don't quite resonate with you,
Thank Him for a heart so open
That allows new people, experiences and ideas to enter in the mind.
A mind so strong, that's capable of learning and unlearning.
And a body so capable of doing what is right,
And fighting against the odds in a righteous fight.

Being a Giving Tree

Life is just like a roller-coaster ride. Sometimes you are high and you feel like the king; there is no looking back or forth; today is your day and you better live it up. Sometimes you are made to roll all the way upside-down till the time your knees begin to hurt, your back starts to ache and you become too befuddled about the reality of your own self. Then there are times when you live your life on the edge. Yes, this world could be a dangerous place to be in. But if you can find supportive and understanding companions, just how you would find a partner in a roller-coaster ride, those who'd celebrate with you on days you're joyful, those who'd wipe your tears on days that are not meant to work for you, and those who'd assuage all your pain and fear, hardships and burn-outs after a day or night of living life on the edge, then your life becomes worthier and happier and your struggles seem diminished.

Today, let's become a giving tree to someone in our lives. And thank the existing giving trees life has bestowed upon us.

P.S: The Giving tree is a children's story book written by Shel Sirverstien. 

...

I left my home without any expectation of getting to meet you.

I met you without the expectation of getting to know you.

I got to know you without ever thinking how special you'd become.

I bade farewell with the expectation of staying in touch ever after.

And that, old friend, was the only misfortune in our kinship.

On Kindness

Since love is not very easy to find,
Let us be a little more kind
To the ones whose lives are aligned
With the lives we have been assigned

Love Story 2012

They first met on a rainy day and it looked to them like a setting in a commercial bollywood movie. There were thousands of people squabbing and arguing with each other over traffic jams and parking issues. However, they  were least bothered about anything other than the two of them at that moment. Lost in each other’s eyes, they shared many a lovely feelings and thoughts about themselves and each other. Life, at that moment, looked perfect and complete to both of them. After their brief friendship and courtship, Gaurav was looking forward to start something even more meaningful with Ayesha, and a steady relationship and love was all he was hoping from her side.

A year has gone by and Ayesha is no longer a part of Gaurav's life. He loved her from the core of his heart but she had other things in her mind. For her, love was not a priority in life at that time. She looked for seemingly bigger, better, more tangible things in  life and he couldn't provide those things to her. 

Gaurav has always wished, and still wish, the best for Ayesha, who now is no longer in touch with him. He doesn’t judge her or label her as materialistic; he is completely sure she witnessed situations and events in her life which have convinced her to be this way. But the events that took place in Gaurav's life over that one year has led him to conclude that the one standing next to you today might not stay there on another day. People come and go, and it’s best not to get too attached to them. He is doing well professionally and looking for a partner.

A Lesson Prateik Learnt

Deeply engulfed in his pleasant thoughts, Prateik was rudely brought back into reality by a man who was clearly at the wrong place, hurling out expletives after expletives. Thankfully, they were not meant for him. He immediately became alert and readied himself for a fight or flight response if the man’s actions towards him seemed malignant. The man came near him, but wasn’t looking at him. Prateik stared at the dullness of the man’s eyes.  The man seemed to him as someone who was in search for life.

Usually amicable, Prateik was unable to convince himself for striking up a conversation with him. His expressions, the thinness of his body and the paleness of his skin, and his chant of expletives made Prateik feel he was someone in deep agony and agitation. Was he looking for a company? Was he only asking for someone to lend an ear? Prateik tried sensing if he was in a drunken state, but his senses gave up and he couldn’t stay there anymore. He realized that he was not the solution to everyone’s problems. Perhaps nobody in this world is, for everyone. 

Prayer for Today

I read this in a magazine and jotted it down in my note book only to share it with as many people as possible. If it resonates with you, share using your own means.

Before the day is out,

Do something specific and concrete

That will demonstrate your determination to

Change yourself and your life for the better

Pay a debt

Heal a broken relationship

End a quarrel

Offer an apology

Pray for someone

Visit someone who is sick

Restrain yourself from buying something

You had planned to buy for yourself

And give the money to charity instead

Do whatever you do quietly, without ostentation

And do it, not in the hope of reward

But simply because you want to do it

Because you prefer to be an

Inner-directed person

Comfortably Speaking

I quite enjoy being the cynosure of all eyes; and I really can’t help feeling that way. No matter where I go, I usually get noticed, talked to and talked about by my fellow mortals. And it’s not that I am an egotistical buffoon; if they ask me questions, I try giving them the most convincing answers, if they need any information, I offer my knowledge. If they ever ask me for suggestions or advices, I provide warmth, consideration and counselling. But the biggest reason why I usually gel well with most people is that I always lend an ear, and listen patiently and sincerely to whatever they have to say.  I’d argue that imitation isn’t the best form of flattery; listening is.

Very often, however, I meet people who do not appear comfortable confiding into strangers, and take a very long time to develop that sort of a comfort zone. To each his own, I’d say. But I wonder if it’s their introvertedness or something else. I doubt that a majority of such people haven’t had experiences which liberated them from their comfort zones, which took away all their inhibitions and pre-conceived notions.

And what do I do when I try conversing with such people? I try a little more, often fail and then look for people who appear to have resonance.