Forgiveness is incredible! One who has forgiven 
would have experienced that it is absolutely 
freeing and exhilarating! 
If we are the one being forgiven,
 we know how it feels! But forgiving others, 
however, does not always feel so good!

Honestly, it is very hard to forgive someone 
who has wronged us, troubled us, hurt us. 
But then until we forgive 
we are actually hurting ourselves.

If we develop the attitude or mentality that 
“ I will forgive you come what may 
regardless of what you do to me” 
the amount of satisfaction and 
mental peace we gain is incalculable!

Those who have been very badly hurt 
will respond with an attitude of 
“I will die first before I forgive you!”. 
Some usually do! How sad. Isn’t it? 
There are many people with such kind of 
bitter feelings who intentionally 
take their hurts to the grave! Alas! 
They often die pre-maturely from 
the effects of holding resentment, 
anger and unforgiveness deep inside.

We mostly remember hurtful events 
like it was just yesterday, even though 
it would have happened say 2, 5 or 10 years ago. 
Once the bitterness is troubling us 
inside we fail to realize that 
it is not only troubling us mentally, physically 
and emotionally but all the 
people around us, through years! 
Our emotions, creativity, joy, love, peace, 
freedom etc. are minimized 
because of not developing 
this beautiful quality of forgiveness!
We must realize that by forgiving 
all these qualities can surely be maximized!

When we grow up, in our own families 
and other situations we do come across 
typical situations when we observe 
and face reality of both these 
situations i.e. people who forgive 
and are happy and people who 
accumulate bitterness and 
are unhappy throughout.

I have seen men throwing things 
at their wives, wives throwing bitterness around! 
I have observed how some men and women t
olerate and just forget the incidents 
with a “let go” attitude. 
We can definitely learn from such experiences. 
It only needs a little more thinking and reasoning! 
That is all! Every day in our home, 
work or outside we come across such situations. 
Why not we analyse and think 
and act more maturely? After all our lives 
are precious and similarly 
we need people around us 
who are filled with positive energy!

The price of forgiveness is always less 
than the price of unforgiveness!
Forgiveness is a choice first and then an action!
Forgiveness sets one free and 
by not forgiving we are increasing bondage!
It is for our benefit!
If we remember these and 
all the benefits that comes 
with the act of forgiving 
we will definitely choose to forgive. 

Let's start at the very beginning...

Keep smiling….keep forgiving! 
It's Your friend
Chitra.

Hello friends... Many of us must have known this.  But for the benefit of those who do not know I enjoy narrating this tale.  Please pass on to the kids especially and not to forget the youngsters!

Strangely enough I came across an incident about a  poor student from a District who could not satisfy a "so called" weird Interviewer who asked questions about The Ramayana, King Dasaratha and as to how many wives he had and whose son was Rama!  

The student could not reply. After some such questions a few subject related questions were also asked for which the student could not express himself clearly because of lack of communication skill.  The student reportedly was furious.  He apologised for not being able to answer and I was told that he asked back whether the Interviewer knew as to who was the one who found out internet.  He even challenged that most of his own employees wouldn't be able to answer that.  The Interviewer abused the student  "you useless guy. Who gave you the MBA degree? Go and burn your certificates. I pity your parents."  

Hey! what's going on?  That Interviewer is supposed to be a Partner of an  American Consultant Firm.  He is stationed in India.  He is supposed to hold HR degrees. The student is supposed to have an MBA degree, but alas from regional medium all through except Degree and PG.  Such students are branded as revolts.  I had to counsel him.  I had no answer when he shot questions. "Ma'am I may not have a good education.  But is it correct on that so called gentleman's part to abuse me and suggest that I burn my certificates?" 

Now who becomes responsible for creating a "revolutionist"?  Isn't our education system that needs a refreshing change?

I made it a point to call that gentleman and politely explained him and suggested that it would be better if he could train his present employees in a proper way if at all he is aiming at something proper and innovative.  His idea may be a noble one but if this is the way he is going to handle then I pity the employees working for him.  I clearly indicated that he needs to introspect himself. 

 So be prepared if you happen to be in the Interview Board.   I did exactly that when I had an opportunity and I enjoyed preparing myself for the attack, all over again! Hahaha.

And now for the Tale...

"Where will this road take us my boy?" asked one of the two travelers to a small urchin who was playing on the street. "Sorry Sir". came the prompt reply "this road cannot take you any where because it is fixed."  So saying, the young boy continued to play.

One of the two Travelers was a wise man and was astonished at the ready witty reply. He became curious.  On enquiring others around he found out that the boy's parents were too poor even to give the boy  a formal education.  Thus, instead of the School the street became his area of activity.  Sad at the prospect  that a born genius was being destroyed in the bud, the kind hearted traveler decided to help him. "My dear fellow" " I will give you the secret of instant knowledge; will you take it?". The boy replied,  "Not, if it costs money, Sir" " as I do not have any", the boy replied.

"You don't need money to buy wisdom. All you have to do is to reach the nearby temple of the Divine at night and pray sincerely. Then it will be yours". The wise man advised the boy and departed.

The boy promptly did as he was told and in answer to his prayers, the Divine Mother appeared in all her splendor and glory to grant his wishes.  But the boy, instead of asking for a boon looked at the Divine Mother for a while and began to laugh.  The Goddess was mystified by his laughter and asked him why he was laughing and not asking for a boon.

"Mother", said the boy in the midst of his glee, "You know I have only one nose and two hands and when I catch cold, have enough trouble, constantly wiping my nose with both my hands.  You have many heads and hands. If you happen to catch cold you may have absolutely no time for anything else except wiping your several noses - this made me laugh and I feel how lucky I am."

The Goddess could not help laughing at his fun filled logic and she then granted him the power of humour and disappeared!

The rustic lad later grew up to be one of greatest jokers of India and became the court jester of a famous kingdom.  Hundreds of stories are now told about his innate skill to infuse humour in every aspect of life and make people laugh and think. 

His name was Tenali Ramakrishna !

Have wonderful times! Keep smiling.


Chitra.

A very Good Thursday Morning to you all Friends...

Knowledge is beyond events. Every event colours your awareness in some way: Pleasure, pain, joy, sorrow, anger, jealousy…anything. Each event gives you a false notion of what reality is. Truth is beyond all the colours of particular events.
Behind every object is infinity. Objects are limited and changing, yet they exist in infinite space that never changes. Reduce any object to atoms; you will find that within each atom is contained infinite space. Beyond all objects is infinity.

Beyond each person is love. A personality changes. A body, a mind, a complex of behaviour is always changing. Beyond each personality there is unchanging love; love is what you are! When you lose yourself, you will find your self !

The event behind the event is knowledge. The object behind the object is infinity. The person behind the person is love.

Maya – delusion – is when you are stuck in events, personalities or objects. Brahman – divine consciousness – is seeing beyond all these.

See??? Just a little shift….!!! 

Have a wonderful Day...and do keep smiling....


Chitra....

Good Morning Friends...Let's refresh...!

karmanyevaadhi kaarasthe
maaphaleshu kadaachana!
Maakarma phala hethurbhooh
Maathe sangothsva karmani !!            II.47

To work is your only right,
and never to attain the fruit
let the object be not the fruit of action
nor attachment, to your inaction !!

"Arjuna, your duty is to do the work. You have no right to anticipate the fruit of action. Let not your aim be the cause for worry, as regards the fruit of your action. Also, there should not be any cause for stopping the work, when once it is undertaken. Your are expected to do your work sincerely. You have authority to do that. When once it is done, your job is over. You should not anticipate the specific results. You should leave it to Me (God).

Imagining simultaneously, that you have nothing as regards its fruit, you should not give it up. Moral standards expect you to do your work consciously. With the intention of keeping the above in view, you should undertake the works. "

The word 'Kadaachana' used in the sloka expect you not to anticipate, the result of your work. It can, thus, be concluded that it is nishkaama karma or the work without wishful thinking, that pays in the long run! 

Be happy...and keep smiling....

Chitra.

Our life is perfect. It is a perfect plan; it is a spontaneous miracle. It is both, every moment.

The creation is perfect. How do birds know to migrate? Have we ever thought of it? How do maple leaves know to turn crimson and fall to the ground? Winter sets in and we think that we will never feel the sun again, but then we see the first green shoots of spring bursting through the snow. How does the flower survive? It is a miracle.

The human body is a perfectly planned machine. How could our net work of bones, veins, muscles and organs ever have been created? We look into the eyes of new born and we are speechless!

We have only to open our eyes for few seconds to observe the unfathomable intelligence at play.

And what about us and our life? Do we think that this perfect Creator stops with us? We spend endless hours trying to figure out, why this and why that. Do we ever wonder why trees give out oxygen? We don’t question that part of the plan. But when it comes to our own lives we question constantly!

The mind tries to figure out that, which cannot be understood. Trust in the plan of Creation. Nature, who has brilliantly designed the creation down to the very atom, will spend no less attention on the details of our life. Our situation, our challenges are all perfect. 

So let us Relax, trust and let go! 

Have wonderful and happy times, always!

And....of course keep smiling...

Chitra.