Monday, August 31, 2015
Our Best.
Our Best.
Life's been rather hard for us. We started as young couple, egged into an arranged marriage, not to sure of what or how or where life would take us. It’s been ten long years, not too sure where they flew. Somewhere along the way god graced us with twins – the twinkles in our eyes. Twins, a perfect family we are now.
I look at my angels now and think what will their dreams be? My aspirations as a mother are to provide the best I can for them, but wil we be able to do the best we can for them? What do we do everyday to make them grow into great human beings?
As parents sometimes wondering is enough to set us on a path of deliberation about whether our decisions are the best for our children or not. I know today we provide the best we can, but is that all they deserve? What can we do more everyday? The best school education, familial support? Or is it the extra classes they attend to help them excel? Is it the quality time we spend with them each evening to show them we care and that they are dearly loved?
A child’s role in a parents life is to dream, and give the parents a goal for their aspirations. My children dream big, and I want them to. We were limited by times and means, but I will as a parent ensure my twins have their dreams come true as best I can. I guess that’s why they say, there’s no role that can define true love other than that a parent plays. And as a couple, we stand united, one unit – one family – to make our children’s hopes, wants and needs not just fulfilled – but ensured. We will give them – Our Best.
Pay close attention to your child’s interests and nurture his talent early in life. You never know, he might be the next Sachin Tendulkar. Invest in your child’s future. http://bit.ly/1HWrH4k
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Burnt biscuit
Mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. That evening, mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed.
All dad did was reach for his biscuit, smiled at mom and asked me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and ate every bite.
When I got up from the table, I remember hearing mom apologize to dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said: Honey, I love burned biscuits.
Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides - a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!"
You know, life is full of imperfect things.....and imperfect people. I'm not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else.
What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each others' faults - and choosing to celebrate each others differences - is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.
Because in the end, you are the master of your own life, to be happy or unhappy, to be positive or negative.
We could extend this to any relationship. In fact, understanding is the base of any relationship , be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship.
Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket - keep it in your own.
All dad did was reach for his biscuit, smiled at mom and asked me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and ate every bite.
When I got up from the table, I remember hearing mom apologize to dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said: Honey, I love burned biscuits.
Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides - a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!"
You know, life is full of imperfect things.....and imperfect people. I'm not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else.
What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each others' faults - and choosing to celebrate each others differences - is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.
Because in the end, you are the master of your own life, to be happy or unhappy, to be positive or negative.
We could extend this to any relationship. In fact, understanding is the base of any relationship , be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship.
Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket - keep it in your own.
The Greatest Gift of ALL
It took me a long time to understand the difference between a present and a gift. For years, I thought of the two as the same thing. I grew up in a household where presents marked special occasions. There was always a beribboned box for each of us under the tree at Christmas or at our place at the table on our birthdays. Additionally, Dad always gave Mom something each Valentine's Day and anniversary cards, a box of chocolates, some token, eagerly offered. He loved to shop and would carefully plan his excursions to find just the right thing a sweater in "her color," a velvet skirt for Christmas, some flattering expansion of her wardrobe.
I often accompanied him on these shopping expeditions. His joy in the hunt was infectious, proof of the pleasure of giving and of his love for her. I came to see these presents as the desirable norm, the tangible expression of a husband's devotion, their absence a visible lack.
So when I married a man who did not give presents on a regular basis, it was an adjustment. I wrestled with my ingrained expectations. Gary did not wholly eschew gift-giving. Sometimes he would return from sea armed with a brown paper bag inside of which was something he had found that reminded him of me a meat cleaver on our first Christmas, a paring knife on our fifth.
Once, in acknowledgment of how many hours I spend on the telephone for both work and pleasure he brought home a shoulder pad for the telephone receiver. But mostly, he ignored holidays, refusing to shop for a thing to present to me as a sign of his affection. I could not reconcile this present-less marriage with the one I had grown up observing. I tried to change him by example. I knitted him sweaters, socks, hats and gloves for Christmas; made him shirts; and bought books for his birthdays. He appreciated the caring these gifts represented, but refused to reciprocate in kind.
I dropped hints, they fell on deaf ears. I pouted, complained, explained and ranted. Nothing changed. I began to tell him what I wanted, giving specific instructions. When Gary left for the local auction one Saturday (my birthday, as it happened), I asked him to find me a piece of jewelry, a bracelet or diamond earrings, as a birthday gift. He came home with a road scraper. I was stunned that he had missed the mark by so much. He attached the rusted blade to the back of the ancient tractor, then enthusiastically showed me how to use it, oblivious to the fact that I was not grateful. But when the blizzard hit later that year and he was at sea, I used the road scraper to plow out both our drive and our neighbor's, thinking, as I rumbled along, how useless earrings would have been. Gary had wisely chosen not the thing that I wanted, but the thing that he knew I would need.
It was then that I finally realized that he had been giving me gifts all along. He would not be cajoled or coerced into handing over a scheduled token, an arbitrary tax on his affections. But the gestures, large and small, born of his caring and concern for me, for our children and for our lives together were the gifts that he gave daily. His teaching me to manage my own earnings was a means of ensuring my capability and independence, a gift that bore other fruit when I used it to help my father sort out his tangled affairs.
Gary encourages my work, makes obvious his pleasure in our time together, willingly cooks, runs errands, does laundry, vacuums and chauffeurs the children gifts to the whole family and an expression of our partnership.
The day before he leaves for sea, he stacks a month's worth of firewood against the chimney outside my office, and a week's worth inside, a labor of time and effort that frees me of a disliked, time-consuming, but absolutely necessary chore. We struggle to teach others how to love us. In that struggle, we often forget how to appreciate the love they already give us as only they can give it. There are two parts to a gift the giving and the accepting. Neither can be dictated. I finally began to understand the difference between a present and a gift.
A present is a thing. But a gift is broader and often intangible. It is a small act of kindness, the willingness to bend to another's needs, the sacrifice of time and effort. Love is a gift. Any expression of it, freely given, is an offering from the heart that is immeasurably better than a present. My insistence on presents must have seemed to Gary a lack of appreciation for the gifts he had been giving all along, but he never stopped giving them.
Gary will be home this Christmas, but I don't expect a present. I already have the greatest gift.
I often accompanied him on these shopping expeditions. His joy in the hunt was infectious, proof of the pleasure of giving and of his love for her. I came to see these presents as the desirable norm, the tangible expression of a husband's devotion, their absence a visible lack.
So when I married a man who did not give presents on a regular basis, it was an adjustment. I wrestled with my ingrained expectations. Gary did not wholly eschew gift-giving. Sometimes he would return from sea armed with a brown paper bag inside of which was something he had found that reminded him of me a meat cleaver on our first Christmas, a paring knife on our fifth.
Once, in acknowledgment of how many hours I spend on the telephone for both work and pleasure he brought home a shoulder pad for the telephone receiver. But mostly, he ignored holidays, refusing to shop for a thing to present to me as a sign of his affection. I could not reconcile this present-less marriage with the one I had grown up observing. I tried to change him by example. I knitted him sweaters, socks, hats and gloves for Christmas; made him shirts; and bought books for his birthdays. He appreciated the caring these gifts represented, but refused to reciprocate in kind.
I dropped hints, they fell on deaf ears. I pouted, complained, explained and ranted. Nothing changed. I began to tell him what I wanted, giving specific instructions. When Gary left for the local auction one Saturday (my birthday, as it happened), I asked him to find me a piece of jewelry, a bracelet or diamond earrings, as a birthday gift. He came home with a road scraper. I was stunned that he had missed the mark by so much. He attached the rusted blade to the back of the ancient tractor, then enthusiastically showed me how to use it, oblivious to the fact that I was not grateful. But when the blizzard hit later that year and he was at sea, I used the road scraper to plow out both our drive and our neighbor's, thinking, as I rumbled along, how useless earrings would have been. Gary had wisely chosen not the thing that I wanted, but the thing that he knew I would need.
It was then that I finally realized that he had been giving me gifts all along. He would not be cajoled or coerced into handing over a scheduled token, an arbitrary tax on his affections. But the gestures, large and small, born of his caring and concern for me, for our children and for our lives together were the gifts that he gave daily. His teaching me to manage my own earnings was a means of ensuring my capability and independence, a gift that bore other fruit when I used it to help my father sort out his tangled affairs.
Gary encourages my work, makes obvious his pleasure in our time together, willingly cooks, runs errands, does laundry, vacuums and chauffeurs the children gifts to the whole family and an expression of our partnership.
The day before he leaves for sea, he stacks a month's worth of firewood against the chimney outside my office, and a week's worth inside, a labor of time and effort that frees me of a disliked, time-consuming, but absolutely necessary chore. We struggle to teach others how to love us. In that struggle, we often forget how to appreciate the love they already give us as only they can give it. There are two parts to a gift the giving and the accepting. Neither can be dictated. I finally began to understand the difference between a present and a gift.
A present is a thing. But a gift is broader and often intangible. It is a small act of kindness, the willingness to bend to another's needs, the sacrifice of time and effort. Love is a gift. Any expression of it, freely given, is an offering from the heart that is immeasurably better than a present. My insistence on presents must have seemed to Gary a lack of appreciation for the gifts he had been giving all along, but he never stopped giving them.
Gary will be home this Christmas, but I don't expect a present. I already have the greatest gift.
Acceptance
Good Morning
ACCEPTANCE
"Acceptance means unconditional love."
The Angels remind you to accept everyone exactly as they are, without judging, blaming or wanting to change them.
When you are totally accepting you bear no malice or enmity towards anyone or anything.
Harmlessness through acceptance is a high state of being and this is a difficult quality for humans to embrace for it is a divine quality. Nevertheless the Angels are drawing it to your attention now.
You are also asked to accept yourself. When you truly do so, you feel centered and confident and your divine self is revealed.
Affirm often: "I accept myself and others unconditionally."
with love, the Angels
ACCEPTANCE
"Acceptance means unconditional love."
The Angels remind you to accept everyone exactly as they are, without judging, blaming or wanting to change them.
When you are totally accepting you bear no malice or enmity towards anyone or anything.
Harmlessness through acceptance is a high state of being and this is a difficult quality for humans to embrace for it is a divine quality. Nevertheless the Angels are drawing it to your attention now.
You are also asked to accept yourself. When you truly do so, you feel centered and confident and your divine self is revealed.
Affirm often: "I accept myself and others unconditionally."
with love, the Angels
Want to live a happy life ??? some tips
We all want to be happy in life but the daily grind, everyday worries and even the weather can get you down and cause you to lose track of what it's all about. However there are many things you can do to brighten up your days.
Here are some tips on how to make the most out of life.
Make more time for your friends and family: Spending time with the people you care about can make you feel great and help you put things into perspective. Reminiscing about great times in the past or discussing future plans can really give you a boost.
Seize the Day: The general feeling in the UK is that we work too hard and don't spend enough time doing other things. If you've always wanted to do a particular thing like write a novel or join your local theatre company then now is the time.
Look After Your Health: Eat well, exercise and take care of your mind and body. There's nothing wrong with letting your hair down every once in a while and you'll enjoy these times even more if they are the exception rather than the rule.
Don't Get Stuck in a Rut: It's easy to get bogged down and caught in a cycle of working, watching TV and sleeping, for example, but you don't have to settle for anything you don't want to.
Travel: Seeing new places, experiencing new things and meeting new people can really help to broaden your horizons and give you a new happier perspective on life.
Set Yourself Goals: No matter how difficult or unachievable you think they are, setting yourself targets in life and reaching them can give you an enormous confidence boost and also improve your overall happiness.
Think About Others: Donating money to those less fortunate than you or spending time with them can be an incredibly positive experience that helps you really appreciate everything you have in your own life.
Concentrate on the Present: It may sound corny but living for today is one of the best ways to reduce worry and anxiety from your life and can make you happier as a result. Worrying about what may happen is wasted energy as none of us can predict the future.
Step Out of Your Comfort Zone: Every once in a while you might want to do something that would normally terrify you. Why? This can build up your self confidence and prove to yourself that you can do anything you want if you put your mind to it.
Don't Be Too Hard on Yourself: Everyone makes mistakes; some more frequently than others. But punishing yourself for being human is not the way to go. View every mistake as a learning experience and look forward with a positive attitude.
Here are some tips on how to make the most out of life.
Make more time for your friends and family: Spending time with the people you care about can make you feel great and help you put things into perspective. Reminiscing about great times in the past or discussing future plans can really give you a boost.
Seize the Day: The general feeling in the UK is that we work too hard and don't spend enough time doing other things. If you've always wanted to do a particular thing like write a novel or join your local theatre company then now is the time.
Look After Your Health: Eat well, exercise and take care of your mind and body. There's nothing wrong with letting your hair down every once in a while and you'll enjoy these times even more if they are the exception rather than the rule.
Don't Get Stuck in a Rut: It's easy to get bogged down and caught in a cycle of working, watching TV and sleeping, for example, but you don't have to settle for anything you don't want to.
Travel: Seeing new places, experiencing new things and meeting new people can really help to broaden your horizons and give you a new happier perspective on life.
Set Yourself Goals: No matter how difficult or unachievable you think they are, setting yourself targets in life and reaching them can give you an enormous confidence boost and also improve your overall happiness.
Think About Others: Donating money to those less fortunate than you or spending time with them can be an incredibly positive experience that helps you really appreciate everything you have in your own life.
Concentrate on the Present: It may sound corny but living for today is one of the best ways to reduce worry and anxiety from your life and can make you happier as a result. Worrying about what may happen is wasted energy as none of us can predict the future.
Step Out of Your Comfort Zone: Every once in a while you might want to do something that would normally terrify you. Why? This can build up your self confidence and prove to yourself that you can do anything you want if you put your mind to it.
Don't Be Too Hard on Yourself: Everyone makes mistakes; some more frequently than others. But punishing yourself for being human is not the way to go. View every mistake as a learning experience and look forward with a positive attitude.
Sadguru Whispers
TURBULENCE IN THE AIR MATTER NOT,
FAITH IN THE PILOT DOES,
MY GURU WILL TAKE ME ACROSS,
NO MATTER WHAT.....
A HUGE SHIP REQUIRES DEEP WATERS AT A PORT TO ANCHOR ,
LORD IS THE SHIP , YOU ARE THE PORT....
ARE YOUR WATERS OF DEVOTIONS DEEP ENOUGH ???
FAITH IN THE PILOT DOES,
MY GURU WILL TAKE ME ACROSS,
NO MATTER WHAT.....
A HUGE SHIP REQUIRES DEEP WATERS AT A PORT TO ANCHOR ,
LORD IS THE SHIP , YOU ARE THE PORT....
ARE YOUR WATERS OF DEVOTIONS DEEP ENOUGH ???
About Shrimad Rajchandra
Raychandbhai Ravajibhai Mehta (born November 9, 1867 in Vavania Bandar, India – April 9, 1901 in Rajkot, India), was a prominent Jain philosopher. He is especially notable for being "a guide and helper" to Mahatma Gandhi [1]. Rajchandra was also one of Gandhi's best friends, and they exchanged a series of letters about religion and philosophy with each other. At the age of seven, on witnessing the burning pyre of an acquaintance, he underwent unprecedented mental churning and attained Jatismaran jnan (a recollection of several past lives) at the cremation ground itself. This vivid recollection of the past, established continuity with his previously attained state of knowledge, meditation and penance. As a result of this purification of his consciousness, many unusual mnemonic and psychic powers manifested in him, but he chose to ignore them, focusing solely on self-realization.
Though young in age, he was spiritually mature, and remained in a state of heightened awareness. Despite a powerful intrinsic attitude of detachment and a burning desire for total renunciation, at the age of 20, he had to tie the knot of marriage and engage in business. Having spent nearly a decade of his life as a householder, ably discharging the responsibilities that had come his way, inwardly he remained completely detached. Worldly pleasures failed to attract him in the least and he spent long hours in profound contemplation and deep meditation. He was also a prolific writer and is famous for his work, Atma Siddhi, a gujarati poem on attainment of soul.
Ceaselessly immersed in spiritual pursuits, at the age of 23, he attained Shuddha Samyakdarshan (right self-perception). After the age of 28, his responsibilities decreased and he began to spend 4 to 6 months of the year in seclusion at various places in Gujarat, where He lived the life of an ascetic, taking very little food only once a day.
At the age of 32, he was at the threshold of complete renunciation when he contracted an illness from which he never recovered. In spite of extreme physical discomfort, he always remained in a blissful state. Despite comprehensive treatment by doctors and meticulous care by devotees and relatives, all efforts to save his body failed. On 9 April, 1901 (Chaitra Vad Pancham V.S. 1957), at Rajkot, he died in a state of complete awareness.
Shrimad Rajchandra's ardent devotee, Pujyashri Rakeshbhai Jhaveri established 'Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram' on the auspicious day of Mahavir Jayanti in the year 2001 on the blessed land of Dharampur. Shrimad Rajchandra Dharampur Ashram, Pujya Shri Atmanandji (formerly Dr. Mukund Soneji) established 'Shrimad Rajchandra Adhyatmik Sadhana Kendra - Koba' In 1982 on the blessed land of Koba, Gandhinagar, situated in serene, peaceful and natural environment near Sabarmati river, away from polluted city life. The Shrimad Rajchandra Koba Ashram
Though young in age, he was spiritually mature, and remained in a state of heightened awareness. Despite a powerful intrinsic attitude of detachment and a burning desire for total renunciation, at the age of 20, he had to tie the knot of marriage and engage in business. Having spent nearly a decade of his life as a householder, ably discharging the responsibilities that had come his way, inwardly he remained completely detached. Worldly pleasures failed to attract him in the least and he spent long hours in profound contemplation and deep meditation. He was also a prolific writer and is famous for his work, Atma Siddhi, a gujarati poem on attainment of soul.
Ceaselessly immersed in spiritual pursuits, at the age of 23, he attained Shuddha Samyakdarshan (right self-perception). After the age of 28, his responsibilities decreased and he began to spend 4 to 6 months of the year in seclusion at various places in Gujarat, where He lived the life of an ascetic, taking very little food only once a day.
At the age of 32, he was at the threshold of complete renunciation when he contracted an illness from which he never recovered. In spite of extreme physical discomfort, he always remained in a blissful state. Despite comprehensive treatment by doctors and meticulous care by devotees and relatives, all efforts to save his body failed. On 9 April, 1901 (Chaitra Vad Pancham V.S. 1957), at Rajkot, he died in a state of complete awareness.
Shrimad Rajchandra's ardent devotee, Pujyashri Rakeshbhai Jhaveri established 'Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram' on the auspicious day of Mahavir Jayanti in the year 2001 on the blessed land of Dharampur. Shrimad Rajchandra Dharampur Ashram, Pujya Shri Atmanandji (formerly Dr. Mukund Soneji) established 'Shrimad Rajchandra Adhyatmik Sadhana Kendra - Koba' In 1982 on the blessed land of Koba, Gandhinagar, situated in serene, peaceful and natural environment near Sabarmati river, away from polluted city life. The Shrimad Rajchandra Koba Ashram
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