A letter to a Younger Brother

I feel very emotional while writing this. Probably, the feelings from the bottom of our heart can be told by the emotions we go through while sharing them. I think that this is the very reason why I decided to write this letter to you. I just thought that it may be a bit too awkward to share this with you orally and hence, here I am, trying to use one of the best ways of communication. 

It just happened that I wasn't there physically with you, when you shared the news of yourself getting selected for employment. Had I been there, I would have hugged you and would have definitely shed some tears of joy. It is not that you have not achieved anything earlier. In fact, I believe your biggest achievements of life have taken place before this event. The way you've grown up from an innocent school student to a mature and more than capable Man tells the whole story. But I'm writing this letter, more for it to act as a framework for your coming life than to share my feelings.

As you step into the employed life, there are several things that need to be in place. I'm mentioning them one by one but having no particular order of preference.

First and the foremost is to still be a Student. The day we stop learning is the start of our decline. As Swami Vivekananda said, "The real life of Man consists of Knowledge". If I have to add, I would say that the duty of a human being is to gain knowledge and to put it to good use. You need to keep your mind open to new ideas, concepts and solutions. If you learn like a sincere Student ( one who enjoys the learning ), you'll improve not only yourself but your surroundings too. 

Second - To be ready for the change. Trapped are those who stay in their comfort zone. The only constant in life is Change. If you always keep your shoes ready to move to the next level, you're bound to do good. And as they say, beyond your fear is your best life. Ultimately, what's the point in living a mundane life, not changing and repeating the same things. Of course, a person as creative as you are, definitely understands it well. I would simply say that you must be flexible enough for life to give you a blow and you absorb it like water. The blow may temporarily create a splash but can't destroy water. At the same time, water can sometimes take such an Avatar that everyone is scared of even going near to it, let alone the thinking of giving a blow. 

Third - Relationships. Happiest persons are those who have good relationships. Period. It needs a good heart  and investment of good deeds driven by love for the other person to develop good relationships. Ultimately, we live life, to a great extent, just because there are our loved ones for whom we matter and whom we love. It's a good idea most of the times to share about yourself, your feelings or any dilemma that you're going through with the people who are really close to us in life. 

Fourth - Count your blessings everyday. You must always remember what all you are having. There's a thin line between being grateful and looking for something better. Both the things can be done simultaneously. You feel good that what an awesome relationship you are in with your mother but at the same time, you can still look for how to get it better. You may be working well and earning good for which you should be grateful because there are many who sleep without getting a slice of bread. At the same time, you can look for working even better to achieve mastery and earn even more to do good with that money earned.

Fifth - Money doesn't matter. What you do with it matters. Money is a means to achieve a goal. One can't feed someone who's hungry without money, whether it's about the self, one's family or any other person. We can't even think of living in modern times without money unless we're a monk. Being a philanthropist or an altruist can only be achieved by great human beings and you definitely can be one. Always remember - you have the responsibility to be Rich because until good people become rich, wicked men will keep on making more money and destroy the humanity. Power and money should be in the hands of the Good. Give money the respect and place in your life what it deserves but that's it. Our decisions in life should be primarily driven by wisdom than by money.

I don't claim that these are the only things to be followed. In fact, this letter is flexible and you can later on add your learnings from life in it. I just think that I've pointed out enough of what's needed for you to evolve from being a very good person to being a great person. I believe that you'll make the most out of your life and be happily looking for growth. You can always look up to this letter whenever in trouble for you to realise the important things. And of course, needless to say, whenever in trouble, you can always count on me.

I'm so proud of you. I love you.

Your Elder Brother.

Why and when we fail as a democracy?

India is a developing country. "Developing" itself means, these are the growing years for us. With tremendous potential to grow, we are hardly tapping into it. The reason ? It's simple. We are simply failing as a democracy. If you can't believe me, read on the following points and you certainly will :-

1. Voting a Government out or in doesn't change things :- 

In India, the way people show their anger towards the Government is mainly by voting it out. But if changing merely the ruling party could solve the problem, states like Rajasthan would be the most developed one. The bottom line is, your responsibility as a citizen simply does not end with voting. This is one of the most crucial things that is making us fail as a democracy.

2. Blind trust and some rubbish comparison :- 

There are many people who blindly trust and support only a particular party's ideology and work which is as horrible as its consequences. They will simply start explaining even for all the wrong moves by a particular party. Taking advantage of this, political parties simply ask you whether the previous Government has provided you what you needed. So basically they mean to say that it will keep on going the way it has always been. Don't ask us for more. Even the supporters start saying that the other party was not providing what you are asking. In this way, we choose to be backward because the next time, when we vote out this party, the next one will compare itself with previous one and the vicious cycle goes on.

3. We virtually join a political party :- 

The problem occurs when we feel so one with a particular political party that we start justifying each and every single move of them and start answering on their behalf. This is the blunder that we have been doing for long. Taking sides. If we start fighting with each other and start to answer rather than the Government doing it, aren't we letting them take things for granted. We must understand that we are not a member of their party and everything a party does is definitely not right. We should behave as citizens of the country who vote for them and they have an accountability towards us.

I believe if we keep the above three things in mind and stop doing things wrongly, we can literally prosper as a successful democratic country. If we simply don't, we should be ready for 2047 to come and still think, "Has it really been a 100 years since we got independent and still, such a slow growth"? Let's behave like a responsible citizen for the betterment of our country.

I don't have time...

It is the best of the times. It is the worst of the times. A time of competition, a time of technology, a time of confusion, a time for focus, a time of problems, a time of hope, a time to have faith and confidence and a time to have patience. The last one perhaps is what we lack these days. We need everything to be done quickly, to achieve success ASAP, to become our own dream-self soon. There's nothing wrong with this desire to succeed but what may be wrong with this thinking is not allowing the time to yourself in order to achieve what we want.

Arijit Singh, a name that needs no introduction was barely 18 when he failed at Fame Gurukul. However, there was another talented singer who was 15 hitherto and who went on to win that show. The name was Quazi Tauqeer. Yes, the name may sound pretty unheard of to all those who never watched this show. Why is it so? May be because even after succeeding there, he did not use his talent properly. But for now, let's focus on Arijit. How he has evolved over the last few years is just excellent. Had Arijit thought at that time that he is 3 years behind Qazi or he is not as skilled and talented, he would have never become a "Soulful Voice" to millions of Indians. It would have required extreme patience and allowing time to himself in order to overcome the areas where he lacked. As a result of his patience, and working on self-improvement, he has become one of the best singers. Hats off to you man!!!

The untold story of MS Dhoni explains beautifully the scene when the selection of Indian team was made for the 2003 World Cup and Dhoni's name was not even thinked upon. After so much amount of hard work, it would have been surely frustrating for him to not go and play for India. But what he had with himself was a bigger weapon, Patience. While players of his generation like Yuvraj and Kaif had already made their mark in Under 19 world cup and were in the Indian Team by the age of 19, he got selected for the first time in the team at 24. Had he thought that he's behind others by 4-5 years, he would not be what he is today. We love you Captain Cool!!!

Boman Irani, was 41 when he got his first Bollywood Break and was 44 when MunnaBhai M.B.B.S., his first recognizable film was released. Most would not even think of making a debut at this age but Boman had something else in his mind.
There can be countless examples of success of the people who had patience and failures of people who were in awe of their talent.

What best gift we can give ourselves in life is patience, allowing time to ourselves to evolve into the man that we want to become. Well this article reading would also have required patience for you :).
All I can say is, my Time will come, and I'm not in a hurry. ;)

THEORY and PRACTICAL

I was having a conversation with my friend a few days ago. As i'm habitual of saying something philosophical everytime, I uttered many things in front of her as well and the reply was,"tell me something practical." I had no choice left other than keeping quiet at that time because I thought  it to be the wisest thing to do. But I deeply gave a thought to her problem and then my problem and finally our problem. Let us define the twins--Theory and Practical. I called them twins because both of them go hand in hand. It is a heated debate these days that our education (especially engg. education) is mere theory and no practical knowledge. One of my friends who is persuing mechanical engg. always use to say,"yaar, we can not even do what a worker at a garage can ". "What?" I asked. "He can open up and repair a car but we cannot" he said. I knew he was wrong in his perception but I again kept quiet. My friend, if you're reading this article , I just need to say that his knowledge is limited and is only confined within that type of machines at which he works upon and constantly practise as if it is to have a perfection in something in a parrot fashion. But you? You've got your theory and you can apply it anywhere at your will. But for that, your theory portion must be strong. What if an engine of a jet plane is put up in front of him? Then I bet, he'll don't even dare touch it but you'll have the confidence that you know the theory and know the technical terms, obviously you can try and get a hand on it. You can then go and have a look for what technicalities are written on its various parts and now you know the difference. Now , you know what power you will have after having the strong theoretical knowledge.
 Another aspect about the theories that is generally said is that,"theories just don't work, practicals do." How mere foolishness such thoughts are ? When you yourself are calling it 'THEORY' , how can you expect it to work? Afterall, it is you, the doer who is supposed to work with the theory yaar. It is your responsibility to do the practical of this theory. What can books do ? They can't walk or work, they don't have any hands or legs. All they've got is the knowledge to share with you, the theories that you must absorb, believe in them and then make them practical.
 Now the final aspect of it as to be 'NOT WORKING' or in other words, 'FROM IMPRACTICALITY TO IMPRACTICABILITY'. But again what foolishness will be in that if we just try for once, twice, thrice or even five or ten times and just say that it doesn't work. Thomas Edison had to work on his theory 10000 times only after which it could become practicable because he believed in his knowledge and didn't back down.
 Again guys, this blog article is also a theory. I don't think this will work but its' readers will. You and only you have got the power to transform the potential power of words of the books into practicals and use them to your own goodwill. Books and words are nothing but the theories(the knowledge) that you (the doer) must believe in and persistently apply it and make it practicable and practical.
 Afterall, THEORY and PRACTICAL  go hand in hand!!! don't they ? :)

A ride unforgettable!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi friends, it shouldn't be much of a wonder to you I guess if I tell you that I love to write fiction. Well, for the first time today, I'm posting a part of my fiction here, just to have you a little glimpse of my fiction writing. Let me tell you one thing before you read this that this piece of fiction is really fictitious, not at all related to reality.

"Hey,it's blue...","No, pink actually..."
"It's a combination of these two..."
My thoughts were quarrelling with each other. Then I bended again towards my right to make a final decision. I had to glance as she was only half visible to me. Actually she was sitting two rows ahead of me and a boy was the barrier against her complete view to my sight as he was sitting a row ahead of me exactly between me and she. I again looked at the beautiful hair clip...'Yes, it's Pink :)'.
As the class was over, everyone rushed out, so did I. I reached her and looked at her face as if wanted to talk with eyes. She said, "NO" in a sense that meant 'Yes'. I was happy but I was even happier because of the fact that she read me.Finally she started her scooty and then I sat behind her. As I moved my feet to the footsteps, I got closer to her body, thanks to scooty makers...!!!! She started driving. It was a beautiful fragrance, made me move even closer, her hairs. Now, I moved a bit more close to her so that my body was touching hers. There was a little cute smile on her face that said,'You're crazy!!!'. I had a look at her beautiful light purple stole matched with a sky blue suit from so close. Now, I couldn't stop myself. I bended ahead from the right side so that my head was parallel to hers. Her smile getting broader. Then, from the other side, I moved my left hand over hers, the cute little softer one, started driving my palm slowely from her elbow to her fingers and finally stopped there. I was feeling awesome touching her hand that was controlling her scooty simultaneously. Now, it was my right hand's job, I moved it along her waist and curled her stomach. Now her smile was diminishing and she was getting serious...She got rid of my left hand and moved hers to my right one pulling it away slowely from her body saying,"Yaar...please don't", in a voice that made me go insane. Well, this was the most killing moment, she looked even cuter and I swear to God, I couldn't stop myself at all at that moment. I slowly moved my left hand towards her face, held her left jaw with it slightly and moved my face closer to her right cheek. With my face a few millimeters away of hers and my eyes got closed automatically and I suppose she too had her eyes closed by that time(don't know exactly , was insane[was in excited state :P]). I touched her cheek with my lips with a gentle smooch. We both were silent after that and the rest of the ride was travelled silently as well.

My mistake....????? Yuckkkkkkssssssssssss............man!!!!

For the first time, the intervals between the examination papers seemed to me as too much. And that's why I thought of start reading 'My experiments with truth', and autobiography of Gandhiji in these gaps, minorly, not to get bored and majorly to learn something. Many no. of times we all would have attempted "A great leader--Mahatma gandhi" in our English Literature question paper during our primary and middle school examinations but it is really a wonder that we don't know even a bit about him. It is not possible to understand such a personality and his learnings unless you are in senses. It really takes time and maturity and that too I came to know when I read a few starting chapters of his autobiography. However, the curiosity about him raised in my mind when I watched 'Lage raho Munnabhai' in 2007 or 08, don't remember exactly the year. 'To tell the truth' was one of his teachings that I liked most but later on found 'To accept your mistake' as the one I needed to implement the most. I wouldn't have come to know about it unless I was told by my ....... friend.

'To accept your mistake'......uuuuu......well, again I'll say, it's 'easier said than done' because it took me time to learn this and yeah maturity as well.

Firstly, let me inform my reader not to expect any amazing piece of writing in this article because as you can see, I'm writing in a slow-steady-calm pace with no thrillers and this too has a reason that it's time for being sincere. Sincerely, it's a serious problem if you're not used to accept your mistake. There are a lot of moments in your life that may let you feel tyhat how nice you've been to others and how good and sweet you're, others may say this to you as well a numerous times, but only time tell you what a mess you had been and are. There are many incidents which if I start telling will never end and around you as well there are a lot of things to teach you this like --'Jay-veeru's anger towards Thakur for not picking them the Gun and later on they came to know that he didn't have hands' in Sholay, or it may be that classic story in which --'A boy was amazed to see the outside world, and a person observing him made fun of him and later on came to know that the boy got his eyesight for the first time til his birth'. Believe me, it is like a sharp pointed pin continuously pointing at you or like ants under your skin when you come to know what a mistake(blunder for that matter) you have done and what if you never even get a chance to say sorry to such persons whom you have hurt and what is its use even if you get one because just saying sorry isn't the heal for the wound you've caused.

The only thing I think we can do in such situations is to be thankful to those lovely people who have tolerated you, have loved you even in such situations and accepted you even in your most awkward avatar, do as much as you can for them, though it does not happen overnight but remember, you can always sweep out the dust irrespective of how many times it stucks to you again and again...and you know what....If I ask the writer in me, he just says--"It takes a heart for being nice". :)
Goodbye....
Take care....
:)

Oh Yes! Do it this way......

I don't know why but my love to write for girls just never ends. And it rose even more when I read Swami Vivekananda writing inspirational things about women. He told about women's perseverance, patience, strength, softness and how important they are for the society.
So here I am once again with another article about the invincible and amazing creation of god--"WOMAN". When we see examples of Rani Laxmibai, Kalpana Chawla, Kiran Bedi, Sunita Williams, Sister Nivedita, Mother Teresa, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle, P.T.Usha, Kim Clijsters, Maria Sharapova, Anjum Chopra, Jhoolan Goswami......the list just never ends and all of them are just awesome. But before going so far, let's search in the house. The first and the foremost name is of our mother. Now I find myself as the worst writer of the world when it comes to writing about my mom, I'm not able to write about her as I cannot find words, what do I do??? But one thing that we all can see is that how much sacrifice they do to cope up with the needs of all the family members. "Woman has suffered for eons and that has given her infinite patience and infinite perseverance", that's what Swamiji said about women. And it is a truth with a proof!!! Not only this, while observing my mom daily, how she works, manages, manipulates different situations, I got inspired and motivated, I learn so much things about management that even so many good books cannot teach. Well, as I said I'm the worst when it comes to moms and that's why it'll be better if I move ahead now, but just one last thing that you all know to all moms and 'badi moms', hats off and I love you all....!!!!!!
Now....sisters....the best companion of a brother( might be for a sister as well) in this world I guess!!! I've only the cousin sisters and they live in different cities so I rarely get a chance to meet them. But I'm so damn crazy about them...........ok, let me tell you an incident  that happened on the day of rakshabandhan 2010.
'I was just walking down the road when I saw a girl trying to get her Hero Honda Pleasure out of her house. She wasn't being able to as the height of the road was about 5-7 inches higher than that of her house floor level. I couldn't get that earlier and I just passed by. After a few steps, I heard a voice that held my breath, "excuse me bhaiyya, if you can come up and help me out please", that girl called me. When I heard that voice, that was pretty much similar to my sister's but that wasn't all, when I looked at her face, I was stunned to see that, same face.........!!!!!!! Oh god...!!! I kept staring at her and moved very slowly without getting my eyes away from her, put her scooter out that too looking at her and in a speed as if someone remoted me to work 5 times slower than I normally do. "Thank you" with a pleasant smile was all that I heard as the culmination. After a minute, I'm proud that I showed the courage to hold my tears. I don't know what was it...May be that I was missing my sis. so much on that very day.....May be that I was watching her in every girl that day.....May be that girl was my sister(0 possibility).................Don't let me write more for the sisters as it'll just never end. Now, for the boys, another important part, their sweethearts( beloveds, babies etc. for that matter). Dekho zara, kya smile aayi hai chehre par.......oye hoye!!!! Don't be that happy, there'll be an article devoted to ony these beautiful creations but not now.
"Women will work out their destinies-much better, too, than men can ever do for them. All the mischief to women has come because men undertook to shape the destiny of women", said Swamiji. And with a few lines I would like to put a break to this article as well......
Women are so great.....
Why for them then this fate?
High high low low...
whatever you say...
they'll be as they are....
pretty damn good and accurate.

Only an International Women's day is not enough for them......let's celebrate everyday on their name, we can't even think of our existence without them......
With love............................................................