Mantra of Success

When do we fail?

Life has been called a unique combination of success and defeat. In fact, both complement each other. If a person has not tasted defeat, he will not be able to enjoy his success. Another aspect is that the bricks of a person’s success are laid on the foundations of the other person’s defeat.

Perpetual Peace

Peace is a state of balance, which also might construe that it is to strike an equation with two items. When we talk of peace of mind, it is a constant struggle between calm and the storm. As goes a saying in English ‘the calm before the storm’, where the calm and the storm are a part and parcel of one concept; that is, they share a cause and effect relationship. So how do we explain this contradiction in terms of human mind?

Sarcasm: Can you take that bit?

In conversation with anyone, we often come across situations in which we can't ignore the person whose naive comments are ceaselessly ruffling us or the brain finds itself confounded by an impetuous comment. A situation of that sort can be averted by using a pretty handy tool, although the caution is that the aftermath of an inappropriate usage or timing of that tool could prove to be bleak for the individual.

Sant Maskeen Ji: In his own words (translated from Punjabi)

Journey of life

In his own words

I was born to Mata Ram Kaur ji at S. Kartar Singh ji’s house in Banun district, tehsil ‘Lucky Marravat’ in 1934. My birth place was Banun that was a part of the state of Sirhind (Frontier) that had six districts. The rest five districts were – Hazara, Mardaan, Peshawar, Kuhaant and Dera Ismail Khan.

In my childhood I went to our village primary school. It was with God’s grace that there started emerging in me a poet. At times I uttered such phrases that my friends playing with me were so taken aback and they enjoyed listening to them.

The state of Sirhind was such where the Hindu and Muslim lived together peacefully and they were all so full of respect and love for their religion. That is why every child took it upon himself as his duty to go the gurudwara twice a day. Every child wanted to listen to Rehras Sahib being recited and chanting the Aarti loudly. The child, who did not go to the gurudwara was not taken as a good child.

I too became a part of a group of children and without fail I daily recited Japji Sahib and with much eagerness listened to recitation of Rehras Sahib and chanted Aarti. Playing, studying and observing daily Gurbani routine were the things that were a part and parcel of my childhood.

After passing out from class fourth from Khalsa primary school, I took admission in Government High School. With God’s grace I remained a topped there also, due to which I was as always made to sit in front only. I was receiving affection and encouragement from each of the teachers and the head master.

Things were sailing smoothly with love and encouragement, when something happened. The country was divided. There were four of us in the family – mother; father; sister Sujan Kaur, who was two years elder to me; me and one younger brother – younger brother had succumbed to the chicken pox two years back. I must have been around twelve years old when India’s partition happened. The announcement of the formation of Pakistan had still not been made but Suba Sirhind witnessed dacoities, fires and murders in every nook and corner.

The partition of the country had been effected on the basis of religion. Leaving Laki Maravvat was very painful. I was not attached to this place just because it was my native land, rather I had a host of other memories too associated with this place. I used to go to river Gambhila to bathe there daily. The river was known by two names – the place where it originated it was called ‘Tochi’, but at our place it was referred to as ‘Gambhila’. Further ahead this river joined the Sindh river in the Indus valley.

After bathing in the river, I used to sit by the river side and recite Gurbani. I still cherish those wonderful days. There used to be handpumps at our homes from where we could draw out water. In case we required a larger quantity of water we used to draw it out from the river and then needed an ox or the small horse to carry the load home. Hence, a large number of people went to the river to take a bath. I too went there in the morning and then after reciting Gurbani for a while there, I came back home and after having breakfast, took my bag, and then after paying obeisance at the gurudwara reached Khalsa Primary School. Bhai Pairhha Singh was the headmaster of the school, who was a very religious-minded man. His affectionate behaviour still fills me with fresh vigour and courage.

Finally I had to leave my native place. I secretly wished that we would be able to come back to my place of birth after a few days. But that was not to be. We reached Delhi after a few days and from there we were sent to Alwar in a train.

A letter to Santa

pic src: Letter to Santa

I decided to write a letter to Santa Claus this Christmas with a list of my demands. Here it goes:

Dear Santa

I too am here with a wish or rather wishes. How about something different this time! I hope you help me fulfill those, pleaseeeeee! I have made a list actually, just have a look and give me all those things please:

1. Give me the satisfaction of doing some good for at least one person each day.

2. Let me not be ashamed of myself at the end of the day.

3. Let me see myself eye to eye when I glance at the mirror.

4. Let me make people happy with my disposition.

5. Let my words heal others’ wounds and not have the piercing effect.

6. Give me the courage of conviction so that I can move ahead with confidence.

7. Give the strength to accept my fate, whatever it is.

8. Make my belief in God so strong that no adverse condition is able to shake it.

9. Give me wings to fly, so that I can enjoy a flight of fantasy when things become unbearable.

10. Give me the hope to surge ahead with faith in the time to come.

11. Colour my dreams so that I have a strong reason to look forward to brilliant future.

12. Let me see the light at the end of the tunnel.

13. Give me the courage so that I realize my dreams.

14. Give me the will power so that I have belief in my dreams.

15. Let my efforts not fall short of my targets.

16. Let my prayers be stretched to include the whole of the mankind.

17. Let me not be selfish and greedy restricting the positive vibes only to myself.

18. Help me to spread the message of joy and safely preserve the sorrow deep within me.

19. Give me the gift of truth, honesty, self-determination, sincerity and genuineness.

Is it too much to ask? If that gave you a feeling that ‘all I want is everything’, then please make me a bit less demanding too!!!

While I was typing, I didn’t realize that the list was so long…I was just wanting to be a bit more human…that’s all.

Regards

A being wanting to be a human!

A Drop in the Desert

In this world of sands all around

I'm not even a speck

If dropped from the eye

will nowhere be seen then.

© Literary Jewels

I Still Love the Rainbow!

It's not without a grain of truth that a person relives his childhood with his kid/s. It takes just a fraction of a second, a momentary activity that transports you to the world of fantasy, mirth, gaiety, carelessness, carefree world with a charm that can never end with the only condition that you don't let the child inside you die a sudden death devoid of emotions and playfulness. It's as simple as being a kid with a kid around! Believe me that works wonder not only on the kid by keeping him/her in high spirits but also has a magical effect on you.
For me it was just a simple activity of chasing peacocks in the field in the green haven near our house. Running behind the peacock to be in closer proximity, O what fun it was! And did my daughter enjoy! The moment when she said, 'Mom I am so happy you brought me here. Thank you Mumma!' (Of course she said the exact words in her mother tongue, Punjabi); it was like heaven for me. I forgot the whole world around, the dark and dreary realities that surround us, the cobwebs that won't let us be free even for a second and the gnawing evil intentions of the world. I was free, completely free. All that we did after that was run behind peacocks, searching for them behind bushes, running on dried leaves and refurbishing the broken ties with Nature.
The breeze befriended me. And I still love the rainbow!

Absence or Presence

Photo courtesy: Google

The absence or presence of a person doesn't make any difference until it affects them. People are selfish, they'll only miss you because your absence affects their work, performance and output.

#AmritbirKaurQuotes

When I shared this self-written quote, there were a few people, who immediately disagreed with it completely saying that it is a matter of concern and not selfishness. On the face of it, the statement might seem to be a one-sided picture of missing someone. But let's look in between the lines and somewhat beyond the words themselves.

When you say you  miss someone because you are concerned about them, you actually miss their presence. You want to be near the person you miss. It is their company, which you enjoy that helps to keep your temperament cheerful. Their absence might in turn affect your work performance even, and you would end up being in a melancholic mood or even a sorrowful state. You miss a person because you miss the happiness you get by being with them. Thus, at the end, at the centre is none else but 'you'.

Keep it in mind that saying this is not at all a negative or a sadistic thought. It is just that we should keep giving ourselves a reality check. This will not only help to keep  your soul lighter and brighter but also help you to maintain a good health level in any relationship.

This brings me to another important aspect of successful relationships. When I say "The absence or presence of a person doesn't make any difference until it affects them...", it also construes that they may be affected emotionally. One might feel emotionally drained out or experience a lack of enthusiasm for life when the person is not close to him. Now this too implies that on one hand, it is the concern for the absent person, while on the other hand, it is the loss of cheer of oneself that we want the person to be present with us.

So it is a matter of our outlook towards life and the challenges it throws in front of us in the form of various situations. Missing someone is not a selfish thing, even if say that " they'll only miss you because your absence affects their work, performance and output". The statement helps you to give yourself the much needed reality check, whether you are heading in the right direction, whether you are being true to yourself in expressing your feelings towards someone, whether you are just faking to be emotionally so concerned about the other person or you are just being too selfish. So friends, miss but don't miss out on the fun of missing someone, don't miss the absence, just miss the feeling of the presence of that person!!

© Literary Jewels

Moving on...

AMRITBIR KAUR
abcpoet@gmail.com

If moving on in life means that we have detached ourselves completely from our past, then why do we have dreams related to it? If we can forgive and forget so easily, then why is it that we can still feel the pricks off and on? Why is it that we have memories attached when we claim to have detached completely?

DETACHMENT
The tree standing tall
near the river bed,
but never ever got a drop
the yellow never turned red.
The wait was eternal
longer than life itself;
there came thousand springs
but soul couldn’t reveal the self.
The leaves were buried
the twigs swept away:
grayed leaves dying underneath
and the river slid silently away.
©Amritbir Kaur

Silently time moves on and we pretend to move on with the moving time. We pretend to be normal but what we don't want to confess even to ourselves that a part of has stayed behind clinging to the past that we never wanted to pass. It's not that there something bad about it. It is pretty normal to travel back to the past off and on. After all, we all leave footprints behind, it might be in the form of the associations we formed with places, time or situations.

There are things lying dormant in our subconscious, but the things are not the dead ones. They tend to crop up to the surface when provided with a suitable trigger. Occasionally it does no damage but when we are so dependant on the moorings of the past, it is then that we are unable to keep up with the time that is passing by. It is then that we lose count of our own self and we being lost in a reclusive world of our own are unable to keep track of the things happening to us in the present time. And then again our future is affected by it. So we might end up being caught in a vicious circle of delving only into the past, while letting the present go by.
Hence, don't feel guilty if you have spells of visiting your past, but then don't do it at the cost of your present. It is the present that will give you memories to cherish in future and you will be able to sort of compensate for the bitter memories of the past. Let  present be your saviour so that you can rescue your future!

Justified Judgement

"When you are not in a position of judging others correctly, 

                                           don't expect others to judge you correctly."                                                                                                                                                     Amritbir Kaur (2013)

We often blame the other person of being 'judgemental'. My question is: 'Who is not judgemental?' Can you even breathe without being judgemental about something or the other? The answer is a clear NO. Even a very simple and casual remark such as "It is very cold today!" is a statement that depicts your judgement about the weather. "I am not feeling very well today", is something you think about yourself - it is the way you are feeling about yourself and here you might be judging either your physical or mental state.

Of the People

We have all believed at one point of time or the other that silence is a good way to talk. But it cannot always serve the purpose. We do need words many a times. After all, it is not for nothing that Arthur Rimbaud went on to say in 'A Season in Hell/The Drunken Boat', “I turned silences and nights into words. What was unutterable, I wrote down. I made the whirling world stand still.”

But everyone doesn't possess the art of using them to their optimum value. Some undermine them by putting them to use in a 'derogatory' way. By 'derogatory' way here I mean, they all do not know how to use the right word at the right place. And if words are misplaced, they change the whole thing. The world turns topsy-turvy and hence, the defamation of the word itself, makes the usage derogatory. Then there are some, who are such good weavers that the moment they open their mouth for their calculative utterances they would weave such a yarn around you that you cannot help but be impressed.

It is always good to talk to some people. They help you relive all the wonderful moments of your past. While there may be others, whom you would not even touch with a barge pole. One such category might be of the bores but there are still others, who can be classified in this category, for instance, the ones who would always take potshots at you. They would keep sharpening their words like the knife to attack you the moment they get the slightest opportunity.

Let the count going...more categories will follow soon...Keep watching this space...

That One Moment

Since times immemorial, man has divided time into three entities, namely past, present and future. But have we ever racked our brains in trying to define present? Amongst these three states of convenience probably the toughest to define is ‘present’. Past and future can be very conveniently bound in few words of description. Present has the shortest duration. It is just a fleeting moment. ‘Time goes by my friend, we stand put’. It is an age-old principle of a happy life put forward by the philosophers that we must live in the present. Now what of us who want to spend a lifetime in that one fleeting moment?

Robert Browning, the famous English poet and a confirmed optimist, wrote:

Act, act in the living present

Let the dead past bury its dead.

Trick lies in making the most of the living present. Even in spiritual terms, present has been given the utmost importance. If our aim is realization of God, the time is now. All the basic spiritual keywords of every religion like ‘Om’; ‘Waheguru’ etc. are uttered in just one breath, that is, the present. Herein lays the essence of the ultimate realization. Also this fact gives boost to the special position that present holds. Therefore, we can say, that the journey to the ‘Brahm’ is of a moment. It might sound easy but on the contrary, it is the most difficult thing.

Delving deep into the past and travelling too far away into the future is a very casual experience that we all do in our daily life. Capturing the fleeting moment is a Herculean task to do. A striking balance of mind, full concentration, rapt attention and a clear-cut focus is what is needed for this one moment journey of a lifetime.

God is not to be found somewhere in the forests. He is not an external entity. He is inside all of us. He is everywhere, in every speck, in every nook and corner. This is because he is not a physical being. He is a spirit, a power, a feeling, a sense of faith, a sense of our firm belief. He is there when we believe in Him. So all it takes a true heart and a moment to seek his blessings and to have Him within our reach.

Things to Remember

LESSONS FROM LIFE

Things to always remember

YOUR presence is a present to the world.

You are unique and one of a kind.

Your life can be what you want it to be.

Take the days just one at a time.

Count your blessings, not your troubles.

You will make it through whatever comes along.

Within you are so many answers.

Understand, have courage, be strong.

Do not put limits on yourself.

So many dreams are waiting to be realised.

Decisions are too important to leave to chance.

Reach for your peak, your goal and your prize.

Nothing wastes more energy than worrying.

The longer one carries a problem the heavier it gets.

Do not take things too seriously.

Live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.

Remember that a little love goes a long way.

Remember that a lot goes forever.

Remember that friendship is a wise investment.

Life’s treasure are people together.

Realise that it is never too late.

Do ordinary things in an extraordinary way.

Have health and hope and happiness.

Take the time to wish upon a start.

And do not ever forget.

For even a day

How very special you are!

(Author unknown, source unknown)

Celebrating Raksha Bandhan in India

Pic src: Raksha Bandhan

India celebrates Raksha Bandhan today, that is, 13 August. The festival of Raksha Bandhan has been celebrated since times immemorial. But things have undergone a sea change. Raksha Bandhan is a festival that celebrates the sacred bond of brother and sister. It is a symbol of love, affection and bond of togetherness of brother and sister. ‘Rakhi’ is a thread that a sister ties to the wrist of her brother. Now we no longer have just the simple, good-old rakhi, they are much more fancy ones that attract the buyer’s attention. Zardosi Rakhi, Pearl Rakhis, Diamond Rakhi, Rakhi in gold and silver; not only this we also have Rakhi with chocolates, rakhi with dry fruits etc.

Now my question is: Are we giving more weightage to the sanctity of this affectionate relationship by increasing the monetary value of the Rakhis. Shouldn’t we be giving more value to the affectionate feelings, love and togetherness?

Festivals are, after all, to celebrate togetherness…think about it…

Daily Inventory

This is what the word 'inventory' entails according to the Oxford Dictionary:

Pronunciation: /ɪnv(ə)nt(ə)ri/

noun (plural inventories)

• a complete list of items such as property, goods in stock, or the contents of a building.

• chiefly North American a quantity of merchandise or goods held in stock.

• (in accounting) the entire stock of a business, including materials, components, work in progress, and finished product.

You must be wondering why all this has been put here. Now coming to the point as we have the daily inventory in terms of property, merchandise or in accounting, similarly we need to have a daily inventory system in our life too. A day is gone and we are so tired towards the fag end of the day that we don’t give a second thought to what happened during that day.

We can reflect upon our actions, behaviour and what all we have achieved (in accordance with the goals that we had set for ourselves for the day). Actually a few might be having the opinion that we do our best and then leave the rest. This is because many of believe in the policy of ‘forgive and forget’. But my dear, let me suggest that this approach of analyzing at the end of the day is not at all opposed to the philosophy of forgive and forget. Those who want to forget the past and live in present only also can do this exercise without violating the principles that govern their philosophy of life.

In the evening just ask yourself the following questions:

Have you been able to do justice to the tasks that were allotted to you?

Have you accomplished the targets that you had set for yourself for the day?

Have you been in a pleasant mood and not angry at the slightest pretext?

Have you been thoughtful and acted with precaution today?

Have you been a source of inspiration for others or have you put them off with your melancholic approach?

Have you been impartial and just in your approach in judging others?

Have you added something to the existing with your creativity or have you been killing time indulging in petty and unimportant tasks?

Have you added a smile to the lips of the one having tears hanging in his eyes?

Have you improved yourself in the pursuit of being the best edition of yourself?

(P.S. Are you still reading the questions? You better get going so that you can answer them in a much better way by the time it’s evening!!!)

'The Spring in Autumn' by Parambir Kaur

Hello Readers
I am hereby publishing an article from Hindustan Times(28 March, 2011) that was a very interesting reading and  presented with a meaningful message about life. I do hope reading it will leave you enriched with an exalted philosophy of life. Happy reading!

Find below the text of the article:

THE SPRING IN AUTUMN

Author: Parambir Kaur

Source: Hindustan Times

Dated: 28 March, 2011

The pleasant breeze was refreshing and the mountains looked breathtaking. Tranquility reigned supreme as 10-year-old Harneet, on a vacation, ventured out with his grandmother to a nearby park.
What would one not give for such blissful serenity, a rarity, in today's fast-paced and clamorous life! And if there was any sound that broke the silence, it was either that of a bird chirping or the wind rustling past dried leaves on trees. It was autumn and the expanse of dry leaves in varied hues looked beautiful.

Piles of yellow, brown and reddish green leaves were, as if being, presented on an enormous platter. Some trees had a few dry leaves still hanging on to them with new, tender and green shoots coming up atother ends. The piles of leaves looked inviting, at least for Harneet. He ran through them and jumping all over, enjoying the crackling sound beneath his feet. He called out excitedly, “Come on dadi ma, just try walking on these leaves!“ But his grandmother only smiled as she looked indulgently from the bench she had just occupied. After rambling around for a while, Harneet came and sat beside her. As usual, nature was at its best in autumn.
Pointing to the yellow leaves on a tree, granny turned to him, “And those yellow leaves came to this tree in the form of tender green ones last season!“ “How did they change their colour?“ asked Harneet. “Yes child, there is no greater magician than nature. These tender shoots are emissaries of spring.
Soon there will be bloom and cheer all around.“ Harneet looked up at his grandmother, “But dadi ma, even now there is so much beauty and happiness everywhere.
Look, some of the falling leaves look like they are flitting about like butterflies!“ “You are right child; autumn too has a beauty and music that no human being can create. But the sensitive ones can discern and thrive on it for sure,“ she said.

Just then Harneet jumped and grabbed two golden leaves, flying past his head, “Look, how they shine!“ “Yes it is their last shining act, child and then either the wind will carry them to some unknown place or snow will bury them forever. Soon, it will all be over,“ his grandmother said, letting out a deep sigh.
Harneet became alert, “What happened dadi ma?“ “Beta, I am reminded of the time when for me too, autumn meant nothing but jumping over a stack of dry leaves. What bliss it used to be! Those were the days....“

“But what happened now?“ Harneet asked, touching his grandma's shoulder.

“I feel akin to these dry, yellow leaves, now here, soon nowhere!“ “Oh dadi ma, weren't you admiring the beauty of autumn a few minutes ago?“ The smile returned to grandmother's face.
She hugged him and said, “Thank you my child, for reminding me. Really, we cannot be grateful enough for all the stages of life. Each has a distinct charm.
And you know, it's because of this truth that the two of us are here right now, revelling in the spring of autumn!“

Rose or Thorns



Today, while watching the legendary classic Bollywood movie ‘Mughal-e-Azam’, one of the dialogues in the movie put forth a choice between thorns and a rose. A unique benefit enjoyed by the thorns is that they don’t have the fear of fading away. They are evergreen and stay the same forever. What a unique thought for staying positive forever! Next time when you have to struggle while your counterparts might be enjoying the fruits of success, don’t get disheartened by those obstacles. Remember it is the only the construction of wonders that takes more time than ordinary buildings.

So if you have thorns on your path, keep in mind that God wants to test your courage, the courage to move forward, the courage to achieve their goals at any cost. It is only great men, who have to face tough trials before they get a taste of success. Ordinary men have it without having put in much effort.

The success achieved by the harder way is much longer lasting and permanent, while the easy success is short-lived and even might be just an eye-wash that might go away soon.

The Real Life

pic src: http://commania.ning.com/

Life need not be taken too seriously in the sense that we should enjoy the moments of joy, happiness, as and when they knock our door. We should not wait for some really big things to happen. Death is a reality and life is not because it is not static, it is always in a state of flux. We can lend a touch of reality to our lives by making all those small joys of life a cause of celebration of life itself. There is no treasure greater than this. Remember the first cloth draped around a new born does not have a pocket, neither does the funeral shroud possess one. "Life is but an empty dream..." as Shakespeare has said. Alexander the Great at the time of his death wanted to show to the world that he was going empty-handed.

Anger and Love

While Dad was polishing his brand new car, his 4-year old son picked up a stone and scratched some lines on the side of the car. In his anger, Dad took the child’s hand and hit it many times, not realizing that he was using his wrench. At the hospital the child asked, “Dad when will my fingers grow back?”

Dad got hurt and went back to his car and kicked it a lot of times. Sitting back he looked at the scratches, his child had written ‘I LOVE YOU DAD’.

ANGER AND LOVE HAVE NO LIMITS!

(Source: Anonymous)