Living In The Present

Living in the present is not something everybody does, and those who don't miss out on their own lives. Some of the negative thoughts that we pay attention to are related to worrying about the future or resenting the past. Whenever you do any of these activities, you are not living in the present.
Neither the future nor the past
It does not make sense to worry about the future, as we don't ever live in the future. We live only in the present. Most of the things we fear don't happen, anyway. Besides, the main practical problem with fearing the future is that you think about the future situation from the thoughts, emotions and beliefs that you have NOW, which will be different when the future situation comes about. So any future you imagine is, in this way, a lie.

It does not make sense to resent the past either. The thing is, you cannot change the past. Why would you like to re-live and suffer something you cannot do anything about?

A distracted mind is a field where concerns and worries grow easily. Living in the present is key to nurture a life free from worries.

A Present Poem
Let me leave you with this poem attributed to Buddha that reflects the philosophy of living in the present:
Don't chase after the past,

Don't seek the future;

The past is gone,

The future hasn't come.

But see clearly on the spot

The object which is now,

While finding and living in

A still, unmoving state of mind.

Inspiring Eagle..

1) The Eagle is the only bird that loves the storm. When clouds gather, the eagles get excited. The eagle uses the winds of the storm to rise and is pushed up higher. Once it finds the wind of the storm, the eagle stops flapping and uses the pressure of the raging storm to soar the clouds and glide. This gives the eagle an opportunity to rest its wings. In the meantime, all the other birds hide in the leaves and branches of the trees. We can use the storms of our lives (obstacles, trouble, etc) to rise to greater heights. Achievers relish challenges and use them profitably.

2) When an eagel is about to lay eggs, the female and male eagle identify a place very high on a cliff where no predators can reach; the male flies to earth and picks thorns,twigs,grass and rugs and lays them to complete the nest. The thorns on the outside of the nest protect it from possible intruders. Both male and female eagles participate in raising the eagle family. She lays the eggs and protects them; he builds the nest and hunts. During the time of training the young ones to fly, the mother eagle throws the eaglets out of the nest and because they are scared, they jump into the nest again. Next, she throws them out and then takes off the soft layers of the nest, leaving the thorns bare. When the scared eaglets jump into the nest again, they are pricked by thorns. Shrieking and bleeding they jump out again this time wondering why the mother and father who love them so much are torturing them. Next, mother eagle pushes them off the cliff into the air.As they shriek in fear, father eagle flies out and picks them up on his back before they fall, and brings them back to the cliff. This goes on for sometime until they start flapping their wings. They get excited at this newfound knowledge that they can fly and not fall at such a fast rate. The father and mother eagle supports them with their wings. The preparation of the nest teaches us to prepare for changes; The being pricked by the thorns tells us that sometimes being too comfortable where we are may result into our not experiencing life, not progressing and not learning at all. The thorns of life come to teach us that we need to grow, get out of the nest and move on. We may not know it but the seemingly comfortable and safe haven may have thorns; We get very complacent and satisfied with where we are and any interruptions are viewed as negative.The people who love us do not let us languish in sloth but push us hard to grow and prosper. Even in their seemingly bad actions, they have good intentions for us.

3) The eagle is the only living creature who can look into the sun directly without harming its eye. When a problem arises in our lives, we generally panic and try running away to find alternatives .History says, the people who have faced problem upright have found solutions and have succeeded in life.

4)Eagles have strong vision, which focuses up to 5 kilometers from the air. When an eagle sites prey- even a rodent from this distance, he narrows his focus on it and sets out to get it. No matter the obstacle, the eagle will not move his focus from the prey until he grabs it. Have a vision and remain focused no matter what the obstacle and you will succeed.

Be Thankful...

A beautiful poem that I came across...

*******

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.

If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don't know something,

for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.

During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations,

because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge,

because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes.

They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you're tired and weary,

because it means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfillment comes to those whoare also thankful for the setbacks.

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,

and they can become your blessings.

*****
(Author : Unknown, Photograph : James Naik)

Guess Who?

Can you guess the name of the person by looking at her childhood pics?
(Hint: Bollywood Celebrity)

Beauty Of Tulips

In Canada this is the time for Tulip festival and every year the Tulip festival is organized in Ottawa and thousands of people visit the place. Although the pics above taken by me are not from Ottawa but from the tulip gardens of Montreal, I would like to share some information about the history of tulip festival in Canada.

The Canadian Tulip Festival claims to be the world's largest tulip festival, with attendance of over 500,000 visitors annually.This major cultural event is held annually in Ottawa and Gatineau, Canada, over the course of 18 days in May, concluding with the Victoria Day long weekend.

Although tulips are displayed throughout the city, the most extensive tulip beds are found in Commissioners Park on the shores of Dow's Lake, and along the Rideau Canal with 300,000 tulips planted there alone.

In 1945, the Dutch royal family sent 100,000 tulip bulbs to Ottawa in gratitude for Canadians having sheltered Princess Juliana and her daughters for the preceding three years during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, in the Second World War.

The most noteworthy event during their time in Canada was the birth in 1943 of Princess Margriet to Princess Juliana at the Ottawa Civic Hospital. The maternity ward was declared to be officially a temporary part of international territory, so that she would be born in no country and would inherit only her Dutch citizenship from her mother. In 1946, Juliana sent another 20,500 bulbs requesting that a display be created for the hospital, and promised to send 10,000 more bulbs each year.In the years following Queen Juliana's original donation, Ottawa became famous for its tulips.

Moments

Some moments are worth capturing... I noticed this man sitting quite in a silent corner for an hour or so in the banks of the river. His head down the entire time with closed eyes. Most probably he was enjoying the silence of the place. The life in cities sometime becomes so hectic and monotonous that people desperately search for peace of mind and try to escape from the mechanical life surrounded by gadgets. At these times a silent place like this, is a relief. The expression in the man's face says it all. I was sitting some 100 mts away from this person but thanks to my camera lenses.. I was able to capture the expression and that very moment...

Me..Flying High

After a long winter, which started for me in Delhi in the month of December seems to be ending in Montreal. The weather in Montreal last weekend was pleasant and after the winters it was the first time that the temperature was around 25 degrees C. The excitement of a sunny bright day was equally reflected in the moods of people. It was a nice feeling going out without the regular Jacket, caps, mufflers, etc. So to utilize this time for full enjoyment, I and Sanjeev planned to visit the Old Montreal area and the banks of St.Lawrence river. Though some of our other friends also planned to come with us, at the final moment they preferred to Sleep in their cozy beds. Leaving all these guys with their day dreams, Sanjeev and I started at around 12:30 PM. It was a bright day outside and It was really fun to see people around in Shorts, T-Shirts, Not to miss the pretty girls in mini's. Comming back to the point...we reached the streets of Old Montreal to find a french band enjoying the dance and songs, doing all crazy stuff. Spent a good amount of time with the people over there with people laughing and screaming. The best place was still to come and it was not too far from the streets of Old Montreal. The banks of St.Lawrence river. Its was beautiful place and not as crowded as the places I have been earlier. The best part of this place was it's silence. There were some people at one corner enjoying beer and fishing stick in the other hand. It was really fun to see a women standing there... who got 2 big fish in a time interval of 20 mins whereas the other people around, did not even manage to get a single small fish after an hour or so. The expressions of other people looking at the women with fish was worth watching :)  

We sat there for an hour or so and couldn't stop admiring the beauty of the place and its silence. We spent good time taking pictures of the surroundings, people racing in the speed boats and the ships . In our 5 hours stay in the banks of the river we took around 600 pics, some good..some bad and the pic above of me flying high was also taken in the same place. I liked this pic for the only reason that the pic reflects my mood, being happy and enjoying the moments. Cheers!!!! :)

Answers Of Life..

Life gives Answers in Three ways,
It says YES and gives Whatever you Want,
It says NO and gives you Something Better
It says Wait and gives you the Best
"Don't just Dream, Live your Dream."

Earth Day

(Click on the image to view in the original size)

Today on the occassion of Earth Day I could find no better image than this one taken by my friend Vijay Kumar Rajpoot.. The image may look beautiful to some and some people may think a tree without no leaves..how can this be beautiful? Today I happened to be part of a discussion where we all were discussing about Earth Day. Some people in the group took active participation and showed interest in the same, however there were some who made a fun out of it. They had a point, that by the time the worst thing happens to earth it will be more than 100 years or so. That was also true upto some extent but one question remained unanswered in my mind (What about the next generations?).Very few people on our planet actually care about nature and that remains a fact. We hardly take out any time to think and ask ourselves questions like: What will happen if on a fine morning we wake up and come to know that electricity has gone for ever. What will happen If we come to know that all oil wells have dried up...and the there will be no petrol/diesel. Simillarly there are many more questions that each one should think about. Everyone would agree that without these things life of human beings in todays life will come to a stanstill. So isnt it a good idea to start thinking about how the worst can be avoided. I will certainly start looking into it from now onwards. Will You??

The Flowers..Speak

(Click on the image to view in original size)

God's Message or Chemical Locha?

It so happened that, I was missing my family badly from morning and was restless the entire day. The very thought about spending time with family during good friday and easter was something that came into my mind time and again. I was recollecting all those memories of spending easter time with my loved ones. Some incidents made me smile, however the pain of being away alone on this day was haunting me. To make myself comfortable, I tried spending some time in the terrace. I looked outside the window and the weather outside was in the same mood as I was. The sky was full of dark clouds and it seemed as if the heavens are about to pour in anytime. I just wanted to spend some time alone listening to the birds chirping, to feel the cold wind and the cloudy weather. Just then, the view of Mont.Royal made me think for a moment. A cross standing tall at the peak of Mont.Royal surronded by dark clouds. All the winter shed trees seemed like thorns when looked from a distance. The view had something to say and at that moment I could interpret as " There may be times when we feel alone and down but standing firmly and letting the clouds of our lives passby is the best thing to do". This thought may be the Chemical locha of my mind or was it really a message from God, I was not able to distinguish however what mattered the most was I was feeling better and relaxed. I tried to capture the view of the good friday evening through my camera. I hope the picture conveys some message to you as well...

(Click On the image to view the original size)

(Photograph By : James Naik)

For Me...To Have U !

(Click the image to view the original size)
(Photograph By : James Naik)

**********
All that has been done,
In the night and in the evening sun,
This fire that we light,
All our love such a beautiful sight.


I feel it in my bones and eyes,
A love that never dies,
We were given a gift,
Something that gave our spirits a lift.


All to be given,
Is the life that's to be liven,
A bond between two,
A bond that is to be shared with you.

This that is so nice,
That odds are the role of the dice,
For me to have you,
Shows me I can be true.

**************
(By: Tristan W. Eaton)

Sometimes...I Think!

(Click to view the image in original size)

*****
The day light breaks again
Another day has begun.

But still no sleep has come.
My body is weary

My mind overworked.
I lie awake thinking

But what I am unsure.
I need to break free from the cycle I endure.

Everyday is the same and the nights are undistinguished.
I feel as though I am being pushed along with the tide

Unable to break free from the everyday flow.
This is not me I need to change, before time takes over

And I am unable to change.
I need to be freed from the grasp of ordinary

And become that person I have always longed for.
Express myself in every way, and conquer the dreams as I lie awake.

Then I may fall asleep and put my mind to rest.
Make changes in my life and help those in need.

I would like to touch everyone's life in a positive way
And leave my mark on society before I fade away.
*******

IPL-2 (2009)

T20 Cricket has managed to recieve accolades from many cricket fans around the world and has been accepted as the most entertaining and exciting form of cricket. The wining of T20 world cup championship by Indian cricket team in 2007 was nothing less than creating history. But very few could have imagined at that point of time that it was just the begining of a new era in cricket and something thing like IPL would be born out of it. IPL the name is not new to the cricket fans around the world. The first season of IPL showcased how big a cricketing event can be and how the amalgamation of cricket along with glamour and offcourse money, can change the meaning of entertainment and take it to a different level all together. IPL brought together cricketers of different nations, corporates, film stars, cheer leaders..etc..etc..under one roof. The team owners tried their best to publicise the respective teams in all forms of media in IPL 1 but ultimately what counted was the performance of the team and team members. The IPL 2 also has been the most awaited event for last couple of months and the teams owners have left no stones unturned to attract public attention. There are numerous advertisements and music videos on air these days. One of the IPL team Kolkatta Knight Riders has come up with an interesting video song with a good mix of Indian music, Kolkatta's energy and flavour of South Africa, where IPL 2 is played this year. The Video Features the team owner and super star Shahrukh Khan as vibrant as always. Enjoy!!!

Kolkatta Knight Riders - Theme Song ( South African Mix)
(Featuring : Shahrukh Khan)

Kandhamal-Orissa Violence - Aug 2008

The Communal Violence In the Kandhamal district of Orissa in August 2008 was one of the worst in recent times but due to geographic location and communication issues the world was not able to know what actually happened. The violence shattered lives of thousands. People became homeless. All the little that people had was gone into the ashes of hatred and violence. Public property was damaged. The ruthless killings took away the life of many innocent. Its been around more than 10 months now, people are still in make shift tents. These people are left with nothing now except tears in their eyes and life long pain.