The divine voices do cry,
The fervent request to intercede.
Wars and fights, mayhem and distress,
Peace wants to supersede.
Questions raised in the hearts of many,
Finding answers, the soul of you and me.
It confuses, it baffles, the situation we are in today,
Will we ever live in harmony?
The prayers, the hopes, the will, the belief,
We will keep till the end, for life to silently proceed.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Monday, December 1, 2008
Mumbai Attacks: The Action Required
Terror has never helped any cause, never done any good, never brought about any revolution. Terror is nothing but a method used by some people in today’s world to instill fear, coerce them. The recent terror attacks did all that and much more. It is an attack that has touched a chord in each of us, got us to think and got us to demand action.
The losses faced during the 60 hours of mayhem and after are irreparable. There is no compensation, no amount of apology and no amount of ‘political statement’ that can change that. The people of the world are asking questions, want answers, and are in need of explanations but will we get any of these? The people of the world want action; want reformation, those that are not merely for political reasons.
We talk about what to do and how to better these situations when the acts of terrorism are over with, this approach is clearly wrong. We must talk and generate methods to stop these terror attacks from occurring, from curbing them before they do. We must attack these attacks from the front, not with weapons, not with bloodshed but with a united front, our intelligent minds and our souls, all together.
The answer to terrorism is not blame, it is change. The answer to terrorism is not fear, it is strength. The answer to terrorism is not abhorrence, it is being unperturbed by their attempts to divide.
I condemn these blasts and pray for peace in our city, our country and in the world as a whole. May the souls of all those brave men and women who gave up their lives saving others and all those civilians who lost their life in these ghastly attacks rest in peace. We salute you.
Terrorist attacks can try and shake the foundations of our buildings but they cannot touch the foundation, the soul, the heart of India.
The losses faced during the 60 hours of mayhem and after are irreparable. There is no compensation, no amount of apology and no amount of ‘political statement’ that can change that. The people of the world are asking questions, want answers, and are in need of explanations but will we get any of these? The people of the world want action; want reformation, those that are not merely for political reasons.
We talk about what to do and how to better these situations when the acts of terrorism are over with, this approach is clearly wrong. We must talk and generate methods to stop these terror attacks from occurring, from curbing them before they do. We must attack these attacks from the front, not with weapons, not with bloodshed but with a united front, our intelligent minds and our souls, all together.
The answer to terrorism is not blame, it is change. The answer to terrorism is not fear, it is strength. The answer to terrorism is not abhorrence, it is being unperturbed by their attempts to divide.
I condemn these blasts and pray for peace in our city, our country and in the world as a whole. May the souls of all those brave men and women who gave up their lives saving others and all those civilians who lost their life in these ghastly attacks rest in peace. We salute you.
Terrorist attacks can try and shake the foundations of our buildings but they cannot touch the foundation, the soul, the heart of India.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Anil Kumble you will be missed
Today Anil Kumble retired. It came as a surprise to many and certainly not a joyous one. The Ferozshah Kotla stadium was once again filled with emotion, once again by Anil Kumble himself.
Anil Kumble is a player par excellence. Someone who never let the team down, someone who put the sport before him, someone who put the team’s and countries integrity before his own, someone who didn’t let situations become excuses, and someone who never shied away from criticism but instead, silently proved it all wrong.
He has many a times been called the general of the team, the silent assassin who would take everyone in the opposition down without making much noise about it. Such is the man. He is the first Indian to take more than 500 wickets, he was only the 2nd man ever to take all 10 wickets, he is known to be the 3rd greatest bowler, after Murlitharan and Shane Warne. Anil Kumble held his head and the team’s head high in the recent Down Under series. He is the player who played against West Indies with a broken jaw, something that had everyone gaping when they saw the tv screens. He is the player who played and took 3 wickets in the most recent Kotla test with an injured finger, stitched up.
An era is said to be when a player comes and changes the face of the game, the way the game is perceived and when he decides to leave we know that the void can never be filled. A person is said to end an era when we know that there was just one like him and that there will be no other. In this man’s case it all stands true.
Few greats of the cricket echoed their sentiments on Anil Kumble’s retirement.
Kapil Dev, former Indian Cricket Captain said and I quote "Anil Kumble is a true fighter, always had this never-say-die attitude and is thoroughly a true gentleman,"
Former Australian captain Ian Chappell said "It is very difficult for somebody to get into his shoes. He is a cricketer who never compromised his dignity and always played with determination,"
The next few days are not going to be easy for any cricket fan, for any Indian who holds a soft spot for the game, especially a soft spot for the ‘senior players’. In the coming week we are going to see history again, Ganguly (my personal favorite) retiring, VVS Laxman completing 100 tests and a probable win at home against Australia. It is going to be an emotionally charged week, today the beginning of what will be remembered by many.
I know I had tears in my eyes when I heard his speech today. I know my emotions were stirred up when I saw the television footage of his journey until now. I know I will always remember this man to be probably the greatest gentleman and pioneer of the sport there has ever been.
Anil Kumble, you will be truly missed. It is indeed the end of an era in cricket today.
Anil Kumble is a player par excellence. Someone who never let the team down, someone who put the sport before him, someone who put the team’s and countries integrity before his own, someone who didn’t let situations become excuses, and someone who never shied away from criticism but instead, silently proved it all wrong.
He has many a times been called the general of the team, the silent assassin who would take everyone in the opposition down without making much noise about it. Such is the man. He is the first Indian to take more than 500 wickets, he was only the 2nd man ever to take all 10 wickets, he is known to be the 3rd greatest bowler, after Murlitharan and Shane Warne. Anil Kumble held his head and the team’s head high in the recent Down Under series. He is the player who played against West Indies with a broken jaw, something that had everyone gaping when they saw the tv screens. He is the player who played and took 3 wickets in the most recent Kotla test with an injured finger, stitched up.
An era is said to be when a player comes and changes the face of the game, the way the game is perceived and when he decides to leave we know that the void can never be filled. A person is said to end an era when we know that there was just one like him and that there will be no other. In this man’s case it all stands true.
Few greats of the cricket echoed their sentiments on Anil Kumble’s retirement.
Kapil Dev, former Indian Cricket Captain said and I quote "Anil Kumble is a true fighter, always had this never-say-die attitude and is thoroughly a true gentleman,"
Former Australian captain Ian Chappell said "It is very difficult for somebody to get into his shoes. He is a cricketer who never compromised his dignity and always played with determination,"
The next few days are not going to be easy for any cricket fan, for any Indian who holds a soft spot for the game, especially a soft spot for the ‘senior players’. In the coming week we are going to see history again, Ganguly (my personal favorite) retiring, VVS Laxman completing 100 tests and a probable win at home against Australia. It is going to be an emotionally charged week, today the beginning of what will be remembered by many.
I know I had tears in my eyes when I heard his speech today. I know my emotions were stirred up when I saw the television footage of his journey until now. I know I will always remember this man to be probably the greatest gentleman and pioneer of the sport there has ever been.
Anil Kumble, you will be truly missed. It is indeed the end of an era in cricket today.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Every Life
Of dreams and shadows that should never die
Autumn and spring which keep us alive.
Of the barren lands and rainy days that teach us to cope
The challenges we may face, what tomorrow holds.
Of mayhem and harmony, the turmoil around
War and peace the soldier shouts out.
Of cries and smiles, the nature of man
The ungratefulness he possesses in today’s time.
Of prayer and curse, keeping God in mind
Rich and poor, the distinction between lines.
Of black and white, the world as it seems
The wait for the morning after yesterday’s dream.
Of love and hate, with passion and tumult
Blue skies and dark seas, the beauty of the world.
Of angels and devils, the human and Satan within us
The faith, the reality of it all thus.
Autumn and spring which keep us alive.
Of the barren lands and rainy days that teach us to cope
The challenges we may face, what tomorrow holds.
Of mayhem and harmony, the turmoil around
War and peace the soldier shouts out.
Of cries and smiles, the nature of man
The ungratefulness he possesses in today’s time.
Of prayer and curse, keeping God in mind
Rich and poor, the distinction between lines.
Of black and white, the world as it seems
The wait for the morning after yesterday’s dream.
Of love and hate, with passion and tumult
Blue skies and dark seas, the beauty of the world.
Of angels and devils, the human and Satan within us
The faith, the reality of it all thus.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Wake Up and Smell the Coffee
We are the youth of today, the generation that will soon be responsible for the state of the world. We like calling ourselves the leaders of tomorrow, a youth with a purpose, with an opinion, with a vision. Acceptable as this view maybe, have you ever wondered whether you as a part of this class of people are doing anything, substantial or not, to make even an iota of a difference?
Monotony has come to be accepted as a part of life, we don’t question it, we don’t change it, and we don’t bother about it. We have similar days, if not the identical, five days of a week, the weekends being no different. We are happy sitting comfortably in our houses, bothering about issues that only directly affect us. Is that what we need to do? Is that what’s going to help us grow, help the country grow and help the world grow?
In the recent past we have been faced with many dismal occurrences – manmade and natural - the terror attacks all over the country (India), the Bihar flood crisis, the Hurricanes in United States, the Global Financial Crisis, the attacks on Churches across the country, the Russia – Georgia conflict and many such others. Some of these have been beyond us, even if we want to help we aren’t able to but some of these are those that in which if we take part we can make a difference, just the step, the want and the will need to be there.
I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.
- William Penn
It is time to wake up and smell the coffee (and no I don’t mean Barista or Starbucks). It is the time to do something about issues other than college politics, decide which movie to go for or how to deal with relationships and break ups. It is the time to take it in our hands to make a difference, to at least try and help, to work our ways up the ladders of humanity, to end the day with the feeling of satisfaction, to see the feeling of gratefulness, the feeling of gratitude in the hungry, helpless man’s eyes.
Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something.
Monotony has come to be accepted as a part of life, we don’t question it, we don’t change it, and we don’t bother about it. We have similar days, if not the identical, five days of a week, the weekends being no different. We are happy sitting comfortably in our houses, bothering about issues that only directly affect us. Is that what we need to do? Is that what’s going to help us grow, help the country grow and help the world grow?
In the recent past we have been faced with many dismal occurrences – manmade and natural - the terror attacks all over the country (India), the Bihar flood crisis, the Hurricanes in United States, the Global Financial Crisis, the attacks on Churches across the country, the Russia – Georgia conflict and many such others. Some of these have been beyond us, even if we want to help we aren’t able to but some of these are those that in which if we take part we can make a difference, just the step, the want and the will need to be there.
I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.
- William Penn
It is time to wake up and smell the coffee (and no I don’t mean Barista or Starbucks). It is the time to do something about issues other than college politics, decide which movie to go for or how to deal with relationships and break ups. It is the time to take it in our hands to make a difference, to at least try and help, to work our ways up the ladders of humanity, to end the day with the feeling of satisfaction, to see the feeling of gratefulness, the feeling of gratitude in the hungry, helpless man’s eyes.
Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
The Strange ways of Human nature
Sometimes I wonder that how does human nature really work. I mean sometimes we say we can’t do or live without a person but when fate brings us to it, when we are left with no choice but to live without their presence in our lives we somehow manage to do so. The question of how we cope after losing someone, to death or otherwise has always intrigued me.
Loss is quite an ambiguous term if you look at it objectively. It is also a very vast one. For a large part of your life you have been with someone, something, emotionally and/ or physically. One day, for them it all just isn’t the same anymore, what are the explanations to all this? The mere change of the face or place of a relationship can also be called a loss. The complete washing away of existence can also be called a loss. The mere losing of something small, even sometimes inconsequential can be called a loss. There are so many ways you can define loss, so many ways you can use the word, the emotion of loss. With loss also comes the feeling of loss of something that might have been, something that could have been.
Loss is nothing else but change, and change is nature’s delight
- Marcus Aurelius
From where I see it, a personal point of view to all of this is that most situations of loss cannot be fought; they have to merely be accepted. It is again in our nature to have a fighting instinct when it comes to something close to our hearts. Acceptance of something lost doesn’t immediately follow the loss occurred, we try denying, we get angry, we try to reason, we sometimes grieve, we don’t accept things that would change our life in a way we never imagined very easily. To put it simply we like to believe we are immune to change. So what do you do when you have to be ‘the big one’ and not fight reason but just respect it? What do you do when you want to hold on to something but at unable to do so? What do you do when you know a little more entry into the persons being will make it better, but you are locked out of it all? Such questions and many more crop up but not one seems to have an answer that explains the phenomena of loss and the subsequent acceptance.
Loss is nothing else but change, and change is nature’s delight
- Marcus Aurelius
From where I see it, a personal point of view to all of this is that most situations of loss cannot be fought; they have to merely be accepted. It is again in our nature to have a fighting instinct when it comes to something close to our hearts. Acceptance of something lost doesn’t immediately follow the loss occurred, we try denying, we get angry, we try to reason, we sometimes grieve, we don’t accept things that would change our life in a way we never imagined very easily. To put it simply we like to believe we are immune to change. So what do you do when you have to be ‘the big one’ and not fight reason but just respect it? What do you do when you want to hold on to something but at unable to do so? What do you do when you know a little more entry into the persons being will make it better, but you are locked out of it all? Such questions and many more crop up but not one seems to have an answer that explains the phenomena of loss and the subsequent acceptance.
Life is all about change, about self-determination, about acceptance and rejection, about survival. And somehow because of the unexplainable human nature life still always remains beautiful.
I am responsible. Although I may not be able to prevent the worst from happening, I am responsible for my attitude toward the inevitable misfortunes that darken life. Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. I can choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of my loss, or I can choose to rise from the pain and treasure the most precious gift I have – life itself.”
- Walter Anderson
I am responsible. Although I may not be able to prevent the worst from happening, I am responsible for my attitude toward the inevitable misfortunes that darken life. Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. I can choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of my loss, or I can choose to rise from the pain and treasure the most precious gift I have – life itself.”
- Walter Anderson
Monday, August 11, 2008
Trust
Trust... this word has so much meaning, so much importance. Every relationship has this as its basis. Without it there is seldom any meaningful thing, any meaning to a thing. If we think about hard enough about it, trust is present in every aspect of our life. If you do an adventure sport you place your trust on the person teaching you, if you are flying you place trust on the pilot and the airlines, if you are confiding in someone you place trust in them not to speak about it, if you are believing what a person says and does you are trusting them to never hurt you. Trust.
What do you do when someone you want to trust never gives you an opportunity to?
They say that you can trust only when you want to. But there are also times that though you want to place your trust in something or someone the reason to trust is taken away from you. You get close to the place you want to be at but suddenly you find that it has gone miles ahead of you again. You are running against a moving train that refuses to stop or slow down so you can catch up with it.
Trust can be used as a synonym for faith. It is a confidence, a belief that we have in someone or something that we have in the situation or the relationship. It is the faith we have in our actions along with the others that gets us to do things, take actions, and grow as people in our lives. Trust is a relationship of reliance, a relationship of the unknown, the statement that helps us move into the future. All we have when we take that once step forward is trust.
It is better to suffer wrong than to do it, and happier to be sometimes cheated than not to trust
- Samuel Johnson
Trust is a binding characteristic, trait of relationships. I personally have never heard or seen of any relationship without one person having full trust on the other. It is important because it lets us lean on others, to depend on others, for love, for advice, for help. But trust involves major risk. There is never a point where trust is completely fool proof.
Trusting, when needed to be successful, especially between two people is generally a two way road. It is when both the parties are open to trusting the other. It is when you accept the risk that the trust can be broken, you have the belief that it will not be broken and have faith the other person is competent enough to keep the trust you have in them intact.
There are questions that will always arise like when is trust warranted? When do we know that our trust will never be betrayed? Does anyone or can anyone be completely, truly sure that their trust will not be broken by the person, the circumstance we are trusting?
But even with the confusion, the indecisiveness in our minds. Even with the risk we undertake, the faith we possess. Even with being aware of the possibility of being hurt, being scared, we trust. Because as someone said;
Without trust there is nothing.
What do you do when someone you want to trust never gives you an opportunity to?
They say that you can trust only when you want to. But there are also times that though you want to place your trust in something or someone the reason to trust is taken away from you. You get close to the place you want to be at but suddenly you find that it has gone miles ahead of you again. You are running against a moving train that refuses to stop or slow down so you can catch up with it.
Trust can be used as a synonym for faith. It is a confidence, a belief that we have in someone or something that we have in the situation or the relationship. It is the faith we have in our actions along with the others that gets us to do things, take actions, and grow as people in our lives. Trust is a relationship of reliance, a relationship of the unknown, the statement that helps us move into the future. All we have when we take that once step forward is trust.
It is better to suffer wrong than to do it, and happier to be sometimes cheated than not to trust
- Samuel Johnson
Trust is a binding characteristic, trait of relationships. I personally have never heard or seen of any relationship without one person having full trust on the other. It is important because it lets us lean on others, to depend on others, for love, for advice, for help. But trust involves major risk. There is never a point where trust is completely fool proof.
Trusting, when needed to be successful, especially between two people is generally a two way road. It is when both the parties are open to trusting the other. It is when you accept the risk that the trust can be broken, you have the belief that it will not be broken and have faith the other person is competent enough to keep the trust you have in them intact.
There are questions that will always arise like when is trust warranted? When do we know that our trust will never be betrayed? Does anyone or can anyone be completely, truly sure that their trust will not be broken by the person, the circumstance we are trusting?
But even with the confusion, the indecisiveness in our minds. Even with the risk we undertake, the faith we possess. Even with being aware of the possibility of being hurt, being scared, we trust. Because as someone said;
Without trust there is nothing.
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