“It’s too late to be a Pessimist.”

I finished watching “Home” a film by Yann Arthus-Berrand. It is an hour and a half movie with one woman being the only voice throughout. Visions of places from all around the earth capture the beauty that many people may never have the opportunity to see in person. While, the images are breathtaking, the message this film gives across is so important especially today. (Thanks, BP.) It has taken humans 200,000 years to disrupt the balance that the earth depends upon to sustain itself. Scientists say that we have less than 10 years to fix it. TEN YEARS??

The movie is free and can be viewed online. Because all shots were taken from the air, a large amount of carbon was released into the air. To offset this, they are financing a project in India that will help reverse this.

It was created to bring awareness to consumers everywhere. More specifically, it was meant for us. By us, I mean the 20% of us that are consuming 80% of the world’s resources. We are destroying the world and half the time are barely aware of the implications of our actions. On a daily basis, I am more than guilty for contributing to this statistic. I have always thought that changing my habits and ways would become too time-consuming and expensive to justify.

So, let’s stop being pessimistic. Why don’t we start making changes so our children are not one of the 5,000 people that die from drinking dirty drinking water A DAY? Why don’t we start supporting those that are making strides in renewable energy options? Why don’t we change, if even just one thing, to save the mammals, birds and amphibians that are threatened with extinction? It doesn’t have to be much, but it needs to be something.

I know for a fact that this will be tough for me to start doing. And I know some of my friends will have no desire to even think about doing this. But let me just remind you: that isn’t very nice of you. Don’t be THAT kid.

I highly encourage each and every one of you to watch this video. I know it is long, but it is able to provide a deeper understanding of the issue on hand. I would like to personally thank the PPR Group, EuropaCorp and Yann Athrus-Bertrand for making this free to everyone and for encouraging us to take responsibility for our actions.

Finding & Keeping a life Partner

(Golden rules for finding your life partner by Dov Heller, M.A.)

When it comes to making the decision about choosing a life partner, no one wants to make a mistake. Yet, with a divorce rate of close to 50%, it appears that many are making serious mistakes in their approach to finding Mr/Miss. Right!

If you ask most couples who are engaged why they're getting married, they'll say: "We're in love"; I believe this is the 1 mistake people >make when they date. Choosing a life partner should never be based on love. Though this may sound "not politically correct", there's a profound truth here.

Love is not the basis for getting married. Rather, love is the result of a good marriage. When the other ingredients are right, then the love will come. Let me say it again: You can't build a lifetime relationship on love alone". You need a lot more!!!

Here are five questions you must ask yourself if you're serious about finding and keeping a life partner.

QUESTION...1: Do we share a common life purpose?

Why is this so important? Let me put it this way: If you're married for 20 or 30 years, that's a long time to live with someone. What do you plan to do with each other all that time? Travel, eat and jog together? You need to share something deeper and more meaningful. You need a common life purpose.

Two things can happen in a marriage: (1) You can grow together, or (2) you can grow apart. 50% of the people out there are growing apart. To make a marriage work, you need to know what you want out of life!

Bottom line; marry someone who wants the same thing.

QUESTION...2: Do I feel safe expressing my feelings and thoughts with this person?

This question goes to the core of the quality of your relationship. Feeling safe means you can communicate openly with this person. The basis of having good communication is trust - i.e. trust that I won't get "punished"; or hurt for expressing my honest thoughts and feelings. A colleague of mine defines an abusive person as someone with whom you feel afraid to express your thoughts and feelings. Be honest with yourself on this one. Make sure you feel emotionally safe with the person you plan to marry.

QUESTION...3: Is he/she a mensch?

A mensch is someone who is a refined and sensitive person. How can you test? Here are some suggestions. Do they work on personal growth on a regular basis? Are they serious about improving themselves? A teacher of mine defines a good person as "someone who is always striving to be good and do the right ". So ask about your significant other: What do they do with their time? Is this person materialistic? Usually a materialistic person is not someone whose top priority is character refinement.

There are essentially two types of people in the world: (1) People who are dedicated to personal growth and (2) people who are dedicated to seeking comfort. Someone whose goal in life is to be comfortable will put personal comfort ahead of doing the right thing. You need to know that before walking down the aisle.

QUESTION...4: How does he/she treat other people?

The one most important thing that makes any relationship work is the ability to give. By giving, we mean the ability to give another person pleasure.

Ask: Is this someone who enjoys giving pleasure to others or are they wrapped up in themselves and self- absorbed?

To measure this, think about the following: How do they treat people whom they do not have to be nice to, such as waiters, bus boys, taxi drivers, etc... How do they treat their parents and siblings? Do they have gratitude and appreciation?

If they don't have gratitude for the people who have given them everything; can you do nearly as much for them? You can be sure that someone, who treats others poorly, will eventually treat you poorly as well.

QUESTION...5: Is there anything I'm hoping to change about this person after we're married?

Too many people make the mistake of marrying someone with the intention of trying to "improve"; them after they're married. As a colleague of mine puts it: "You can probably expect someone to change after marriage for the worse" If you cannot fully accept this person the way they are now, then you are not ready to marry them.

In conclusion, dating doesn't have to be difficult and treacherous. The key is to try leading a little more with your head and less with your heart. It pays to be as objective as possible when you are dating; to be sure to ask questions that will help you get to the key issues. Falling in love is a great feeling, but when you wake up with a ring on your finger, you don't want to find yourself trouble because you didn't do your homework.

Another perspective...

There are some people in your life that need to be loved from a distance. It's amazing what you can accomplish when you let go of or at least minimize your time with draining, negative, incompatible, not-going anywhere relationships. Observe the relationships around you.

Pay attention...Which ones lift and which ones lean?

Which ones encourage and which ones discourage?

Which ones are on a path of growth uphill and which ones are going downhill?

When you leave certain people do you feel better or feel worse?

Which ones always have drama or don't really understand, know, or

Appreciate you?

The more you seek quality, respect, growth, peace of mind, love and truth around you...the easier it will become for you to decide who gets to sit in the front row and who should be moved to the balcony of your life.

An African proverb states, "Before you get married, keep both eyes open, and after you marry, close one eye"; Before you get involved and make a commitment to someone, don't let lust, desperation, immaturity, ignorance, pressure from others or a low self-esteem make you blind to warning signs. Keep your eyes open, and don't fool yourself that you can change someone or that what you see as faults aren't really that important.

Do you bring out the best in each other?

Do you compliment and compromise with each other, or do you compete, compare and control?

What do you bring to the relationship?

Do you bring past relationships, past hurt, past mistrust, past pain?

You can't take someone to the altar to alter them. You can't make someone love you or make someone stay.

If you develop self-esteem, spiritual discernment, and "a life"; you won't find yourself making someone else responsible for your happiness or responsible for your pain. Seeking status, sex, and security are the wrong reasons to be in a relationship.

1. TRUST

2. COMMUNICATION

3. INTIMACY

4. A SENSE OF HUMOR

5. SHARING TASKS

6. SOME GETAWAY TIME WITHOUT BUSINESS OR CHILDREN

7. DAILY EXCHANGES (meal, shared activity, hug, call, touch, notes, etc.)

8. SHARING COMMON GOALS AND INTERESTS

9. GIVING EACH OTHER SPACE TO GROW WITHOUT FEELING INSECURE

10. GIVING A SENSE OF BELONGING AND ASSURANCES OF COMMITMENT

If these qualities are missing, the relationship will erode as resentment withdrawal, abuse, neglect, and dishonesty; and pain will replace.

:)

a cloud titter tatter on its way..

to see a lil lonely flower blossom never touched by a finger

never harmed by a stare

what so beautiful as my moonlight, on my lap as i wish..

-
those rain drops on me..

those notes on my ears

that taste in me...

hmm isn't it sweet

that feel of dawn on me..

that sense on my fingertips... hmm is'nt it soft

its so wonderful, every thing being you...

my dear, come help me find myself.

Shashi Tharoor as Foreign Minister?

I am not amazed by the expectations people have on Shashi Tharoor, who has been elected to the Indian Parliament from Thiruvananthapuram constituency in Kerala. Tharoor, who put an end to his long stint with the United Nations when he quit as Under Secretary in February 2007, shortly after he lost the election for Secretary General to Ban ki Moon.

When the campaigns were in full swing and I happened to speak with field activists as well as of the ruling political party, the CPI(M), which was widely expected to face a setback in the elections. While the leaders admitted in private that they don’t expect a good turnaround this time, they said Shashi Tharoor’s candidature was a godsend as a “rank outsider” like him wouldn’t stand a chance in the state capital; more so, because as even members of the Congress party, on whose ticket Tharoor contested, were against his appointment for obvious reasons.

Now that Tharoor has won with a thumping majority of over 100,000 votes, it is only natural for his voters to expect him to be given due importance in the Cabinet. While many have suggested that he be made the Foreign Minister – given Tharoor’s hands-on experience in international affairs and administration, this is entirely valid – but I for one do not think such a highly political post would be given away to a new comer like Tharoor. There are reports that Pranab Mukherjee, who was the foreign minister in the previous cabinet, is not keen to serve a second term and that Kapil Sibal, science and technology minister in the previous government, is the front runner for the FM's post. There are other names also doing the rounds. But the point is, a full Cabinet berth for Tharoor is unlikely; he could end up becoming a minister of state for external affairs.

At the end of the day, no government has the guts to prefer technocrats to career politicians. Politics gains, the nation loses.

Harmonious : At Home

Home for Love

At their best, our homes act as our sanctuaries. They are the nests we return to for rest and nurturing nourishment before we venture out once again to spread our wings and fly. But there are times that we may feel quite differently about our homes—times when we may feel surrounded by turmoil rather than harmony. It is at these times that we have the power to decide to bring more love into our homes.  

When we choose love, we are choosing to begin within. With a deep breath, we close our eyes and ask that when we open them again, we will see where we can make shifts to create greater harmony. These may be inner shifts, such as accepting others’ personality traits and working with them rather than against them. Or they may be changes we can make with items around the house--removing the ones that cause frustration and displaying things that make us feel good. 

We can help to shift their perceptions toward the positive by asking each person to think about their ideal living situation. After allowing some time for reflection, gathering to discuss each person’s ideas may lead to the discovery that there are conflicting concepts about what your shared home should provide. Once this information is out in the open, we have a roadmap for creating balance and harmony from seemingly disparate desires. Together, agreements can be made to enable all to take the steps needed to create a unified perception toward the positive. 

When we have consciously chosen to make our home a place of harmony. Each person will be nurtured, allowing them to take that peace and serenity with them into the world, sharing it with whomever they may encounter; and making every space they enter a warmer and more loving place for everyone.

It all comes down to this...

the wheel of time may not stop spining a day
yet another day but nothing changes
many counteless tears wd have fallen
still the earth buds n blossoms

frm the days in the woomb,
game is on to find the way back
as eyes open, ur stage is set..
n as its shut.. oh! i cd see it...

born in a warfield, what comes or what goes, who cares

life in a strom, a fallen flower is no martyr

lonliness in the heart last till the day in flames
walk in the dark, ur shadow may walk away,
u realaize u r always by urself till the day in flames

still waiting in the boat all alone for that land,
searching, fighting the strongest waves..
crying out in hope - nothing stays 4 ever..
thats urs this'z mine..
senseless circus of body n mind...
nothingz 4 u nor me
He owns it all, he takes it all!
whoz gud whoz not.. 1 who sees it all!

world, blames each other to find no culprintz

letz stand by the side n watch it all
its that kinda drama. lets paly our roles
all those faces needed, lets put it on
lots f turns to be taken, letz go on!

letz get it over, wn curtain fallsyet another life ?? ooh!!!

yes! i cd see what He wants...

Tolly Ol'Pal n me were born on the same date.. :P

Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (September 9 [O.S. August 28] 1828 – November 20 [O.S. November 7] 1910) (Russian: Лев Никола́евич Толсто́й, commonly referred to in English as Leo (Lyof, Lyoff) Tolstoy, was a Russian writer – novelist, essayist, dramatist and philosopher – as well as pacifist Christian anarchist and educational reformer. He was the most influential member of the aristocratic Tolstoy family.

As a fiction writer, Tolstoy is widely regarded as one of the greatest of all novelists, particularly noted for his masterpieces War and Peace and Anna Karenina. In their scope, breadth and realistic depiction of 19th-century Russian life, the two books stand at the peak of realist fiction. As a moral philosopher Tolstoy was notable for his ideas on nonviolent resistance through works such as The Kingdom of God is Within You, which in turn influenced such twentieth-century figures as Mohandas K. Gandhi[1] and Martin Luther King, Jr.