Category Archives: A new sunrise

“Why do I lose control of myself so often? Why doesn’t my celebrated experience and wisdom hold me from flying off the handle?” -Questions posed by a well read and extremely gentlemanly confidant.

“Blame yourself not, blame thy amygdala”…. I replied.

“Amy who”?

“Amy, the hot tempered roommate of Corty and Thalam”, I said

“Which room…..? ……Corty???? What the #$%^$# are you talking about? “He roared!!!!

Before he demonstrated his “Taking off sans control”, I decided to stop being cryptic.

“My friend, every bit of Information that comes to our brain comes to the Thalamus. From there it is sent to the Cortex and the Amygdala. So the room that I was talking about is our skull and Amy, Corty and Thalam are the three brains that we have”, I elaborated.

“So?” he was defiant.

I went on- “Well, Amy and Corty are very different brains. Amy stores only the dangerous experiences that we have ever had- that too, in vivid pictures. Corty stores all experiences as pictures, both dangerous and pleasant. Each time we face a stimulus, the information is sent by the Thalamus to both the brains. If Amy recognizes the picture, then Corty is blocked and good old Amy takes control of the whole body”

“What is wrong about that?” the flyer interjected

“There is nothing wrong. Amy is our primitive brain also called our animal brain. When it is activated it prepares our body for either FIGHT or FLIGHT. Your senses quicken, adrenaline flow increases and you are ready to face any emergency. This is vital for our survival. All our quick knee jerk kind of responses owe their creation to AMY”

“Then, what does Corty do?”

“Cortex is our new brain or the thinking brain. It allows us to analyze the stimuli and carefully choose the apt response. It is the Mature and Reasonable counterpart of AMY”.

“Thanks for the class. But what does this have to do with my temper and aggression?” he impatiently enquired.

“In ideal situations, Amy recognizes truly dangerous situations and automatically generates the response to it. By blocking Corty out, it is ensuring that we don’t lose precious time in analyzing and weighing options. This is our in- built survival mechanism. But the problem lies in Amy’s tendency to do partial recognition. In this case, Amy prematurely concludes that the situation is dangerous by wrongly interpreting some of the characteristics of the stimulus and forces the body to respond as if the stimulus is a life threatening situation. So the body responds unfairly to the unreal danger. This unreal danger could be a friend making a casual suggestion, someone treating you unfairly, your spouse nagging you or any of the multitudes of irritating situations that you encounter every day. If these situations are captured by AMY, then your body responds the same way it would do when it sees a snake or a hedgehog. This is why you are flying off the handle so often”

“Let me see whether I have got you. If I am able to stop my Amy from getting activated, then my Cortex would analyze the stimuli and allow me to generate the apt response for the irritation”, he explained.

“Bingo!!!!!. Easier said than done though. If Amy gets activated, it sometimes takes up to 48 hours to log off and involve Cortex. This is why no reasoning and rationalizing works when you are angry”

“And in all these cases, my primitive brain was making me react as if they were life threatening situations, when Corty dear could have handled it so differently. But tell me, how can I disarm my over enthusiastic Amy and empower my Corty?” he asked.

“Just keep Reading my Blog”, I quipped.

A long while ago in a faraway land, there existed a beautiful garden. It had the prettiest flowers on earth ,lovely singing streams , lush green meadows and trees kissing the clouds. And this garden was inhabited by exotic animals and birds of every kind.

What made this garden unique was a very old tree that stood in its very midst. The tree gave blossoms all around the year, as if spring was forever in its old heart. And it gave the sweetest fruits, the aroma and taste of which stood unparalleled in all worlds….

Beasts of every land and clime would visit this garden to feast on these heavenly fruits. Be it summer or winter, day or night, the garden would be bustling with activity, abuzz with seekers from every corner of the earth.

Now the land around this magical tree was owned by a group of pure bred horses, a very powerful and strong herd of animals who ruled the area with a tight hoof. They demanded heavy compensation from the seekers for getting access to the tree. Fearing their wrath, every one obliged and as seasons passed, the herd became the unchallenged masters of the garden. As their power increased, so did their tyranny. They enslaved other animals in the garden and forced them to slog for them. They broke every rule that were passed down to them from earlier generations. The garden eventually became a haven for a privileged few who lorded over the helpless downtrodden.

In these troubled times, their lived a caterpillar who was extremely pained by the oppression around him. He was always trying his bit to help his poor brothers. He would often try to dissuade the aggressors, but to no avail. Since he was the epitome of love and care, he was adored by all the embattled animals and birds in the garden.

Once in a while, this caterpillar would perch itself on a shrub and ponder over the sad state of things. He would remember the rules about kindness and love that he had heard from his parents and would eagerly dream of a time when oppression would end and all animals would live together in peace and harmony.

On one such occasion, as he was musing intensely about his lost garden, he found himself getting surrounded by a shroud. Greatly Alarmed by this, he tried pushing his way out. But the shroud kept pressing itself on him until he was fully covered by it.

Summer changed to autumn…. Winter came along and then the icy winds gave way to the first signs of spring.

And one fine day, the shroud cracked and there came out a being that was never ever seen in those parts of the world. He wore a cloak that resembled the rainbows that occasionally flashed across their skies. His cloak had every lovely color any garden could boast of and when he flashed his wings…. There spread all around him, the glow of a million dewdrops and the scent of every flower in the valley.

As all the animals and birds of the garden came out in amazement, the butterfly flew to the top of the magical tree and announced at the top of its voice…..

“My fellow beings…. Listen to me. I bring to you tidings from the one who has created this garden. Obey his rules and stop all oppression. A day will come when this whole garden will be destroyed and each of us will be judged according to our actions. And then the best of us will inherit forever a garden greatly better than the one we have and the worst amongst us will be doomed to live in pits of pain and misery”

The horses and their accomplices laughed at the butterfly. They scoffed and ridiculed him for his ignorance and audacity. But some of the oppressed ones were so relieved by his speech that they looked at him in awe, relishing every single word. The minds of some of the oldest animals in the garden seemed wholly taken up with reminiscences of past tales told by their forefathers on how a similar being had come into their world and had changed it for good.

The butterfly fluttered all around the garden spreading his message. With every flash of his lovely wings, the number of his detractors and supporters grew. But all his detractors were from the strong and powerful and his supporters from the weak and oppressed.

Finally the horses started getting threatened. They unleashed a reign of terror on the being and his followers. Many animals and birds were wantonly killed. But they kept on spreading their message without fighting back. As the oppression became unbearable, the butterfly decided to move out of the garden and fly away to another grove far away from his own.

In this new glade, the they created a world that respected all the age old rules of the garden . Every animal and bird , big and small, lived in harmony, loving and caring for one another and spending their time worshipping the gardener.

The horses and their accomplices couldn’t sit idle. They repeatedly attacked the grove. But every time, they had to retreat, greatly humbled. Though they were vastly outnumbered the butterfly and his companions resisted the onslaughts and won each time….

As time passed, the grove began to swell with believers. With every passing day, beasts from every land came flocking to him. And one day, all these animals and birds set out to reclaim the garden from where they were expelled.

The horses gave up without a fight , seeing the sheer strength of the being’s companions.

The butterfly took over the magic tree and changed all the oppressive rules for ever. All the horses and their accomplices were forgiven. They gratefully accepted the being as their leader and they all went on to live happily ever after……in peace with each other and their gardener.

Years passed….. The being, his companions and their descendants were all buried under the sands of time. Rules were broken again… Oppression raised its head again. Though a small herd of animals still held on to the rules, they were vastly outnumbered. Tyranny and anarchy reigned.

One day the earth shook. Trees tumbled. Springs overflowed…… Cracks appeared in the meadows, hills overturned and before sun set the whole garden was completely reduced to rubble…

Whether a long time passed… or a short spell… no one knows… but all the birds and animals found themselves awakened from their slumber. And they stood facing their gardener… and at his side was the butterfly.

The oppressors were dragged into dungeons of misery and pain…. doomed forever.

And the ones who followed the being were lead gracefully to a garden, the likes of which they could never have imagined.

Good Night…….And may you inherit that garden… one day

“A man’s ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death”

Thus Spake Albert Einstein…

This quote by one of the world’s most renowned physicists doesn’t solicit a rebuttal (defensive or otherwise) and isn’t open to any either. On the other hand we also don’t have to dignify this with an answer- Simply because of the fact that it isn’t from an authority on ethics or morality. We thank him immensely for giving us the theory of relativity. But no thanks for the frequent gibes he made at religions and believers in most of his works. Since his name will not feature in the list of the world’s top 10,000 philanthropists of his time, and since there are no striking examples of acts of virtue or tirades against vice in his life, we can afford to skip this quote and move on to be impressed and enthralled by his formula E= M(C*C). Moreover, he was a very vociferous racist who loudly, clearly and frequently supported the political agenda of the Zionists (what an irony it is – he doesn’t believe in the god of the Jews, but he wants to create a separate homeland for them by displacing millions of sons and daughters of the soil). So let us agree that we will admire beauty queens for their beauty and will imbibe more profound things only from people who are worthy of it….

But are we people who will simply walk away from an opportunity to spar with one of the most brilliant people ever to walk on this planet?- Neigh!!!!! So here we go…..

We fully agree that there are millions of people who live ethical lives without any religious basis. Proven research in Psycho technology teaches us that Man is programmed to maximize pleasure and minimize pain. So if someone chooses to live an ethical life, it’s simply because he has consciously or subconsciously linked intense pain to unethical acts and immense pleasure to ethical ones. This enables him to subordinate his animal instincts to higher causes. Yes. Mr. Einstein, This linkage can come from sympathy, education and social ties. Belief in the existence of a just and fair god combined with fear of punishment and hope of reward is another sure fire way to create this link.

When the US govt. decided to prohibit liquor in the early 20th century, their efforts failed miserably though the entire government machinery was used to enforce this. When the rule was finally revoked after people started dying by consuming spurious liquor, people including law enforcers got drunk and danced and slept on the roads for days.

When prophet Muhammad (SAW) announced the verses revealing the prohibition of liquor, people who were drinking threw their glasses out. People who had stocked it destroyed the barrels till all the gutters of Medina overflowed with liquor. People who had consumed liquor put their fingers in their throats and vomited it out. Real change was implemented without any force.

How was this possible?

For almost 13 years Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was preparing his community by repeatedly describing Heaven and Hell to them. All major Rules and regulations regarding Halal and Haraam were revealed only much after that. Through his discourses, he succeeded in creating in the hearts of his follower’s an intense longing for heaven and a repulsive abhorrence against hell. Once this was done, facilitating change was easy. When rules were enforced, people adopted them instantly.

Belief in accountability and payback is thus a very strong motivator. Delayed Gratification is the term giving to the act of sacrificing something at present for the prospect of receiving something better later. (Two chocolates in the evening instead of one right now. A trip to the park if you do the homework instead of watching TV). Psychologists deem this ability to delay gratification as a very healthy and mature trait.

Now why on earth should we consider someone who does this solely for the sake of god to be in a “Poor state”? As long as it motivates him to forsake evil and do well, why should he be considered inferior for expecting gratification, delayed nevertheless?

Why should we value judge his motive at all…..?. Sorry Mr. Einstein, we disagree….

Let’s take the debate a little backwards. How did the concepts of good and bad originate? It is proven that we can convince ourselves completely to justify any act that we do. So considering the relativeness of the two concepts, who defines what is absolute good or bad?

Study of savage tribes in Africa has proven that left to themselves, people define good and bad in terms of their convenience and favorable circumstances to survive. So in certain tribes stealing is taboo. But if the boys of that tribe have to be treated as men, they have to kill someone from any neighboring tribe. So they go and sneak around villages and chop of the heads of small children playing unattended. So much for sympathy and social ties.

When I used to travel outside the UAE with my colleagues for official reasons, I have seen many of my friends who are epitomes of morality succumb to the charms of the place. They come back and tell us “What happens away stays away”.

So we cannot teach ourselves absolute morality. That would be like a child guarding a packet of cookies. The society can’t either. Can education do it? Correct me if I am wrong… I didn’t find any references to morality in my physics, chemistry or history text books. If you have, please let me know.

I feel that absolute Morality that forces man to delay his gratification at the cost of his wants and desires and pleasures cannot come from man himself. It has to come from an outer source. Thus sheer logic tells us that the concepts of good and bad originated from a super natural course and that we came to know about them through his prophets….. I dont want to sound authoritarian here. Your comments are very much welcomed.

So we respect all agnostics and atheists who live ethical lives. And regardless of whether they acknowledge it or not, the true just god will reward them for that. We know the story about the prostitute who was promised heaven for taking pains to feed a thirsty dog. (Subuhanallah).

We are also convinced that some atheists do amazing acts of virtue. And they do so because they are conditioned by sources (Parents/ Reading etc) that may be non religious in their present context. But if we trace each of these sources back….. They will all surely lead back to him- The almighty god.

In other words all these atheists are true believers. The only thing is that they do not know it yet….

And for those who are convinced about the existence of god and divine retribution and still chooses to live unethical lives….. God Damn You!!!!!

Let me share with you all a story that I heard a long while ago…

A wise old man had a dream. He wanders into a grave yard one dark night and is startled to see lot of people searching desperately for something amidst the graves. He asks them- “What are you searching for ?”. Without even halting for a moment, one of them shouts back – “We are searching for all the invocations the visitors to this place have made on our behalf. We are being punished for all our bad deeds and these prayers offer us some respite ”. As the wise man stood transfixed, he was also surprised to see one of them sitting comfortably on his grave, doing nothing. “And , why aren’t you searching ?”, asks the wise man. “I have a pious son who prayers for me regularly. That gives me all the respite I need”, he replies proudly.

The wise man gets the same dream, the next night. And this time, he sees that the one who was sitting idly is searching more desperately than everyone else. “What happened. Why are you searching as well ?”, he enquires. “My son died a few days back. There is no one to pray for me now and I need these tidbits to save me”, replies the dead man.

Couple of humble pointers…

Let us make it a point to pray for all our near and dear ones who have moved on. This costs us nothing. But it may help a lot of souls who are paying heavy prices for their irresponsible actions. We can do much more good to these deceased souls now, than what we could have ever done when they were alive. So let’s not miss this opportunity.

Let us also ask ourselves the very important question- “Who will pray for us when we die ?”

If we are all dashing through life merely pursuing material goals – My job, my house, my savings, my family, then we may just end up being dead, buried and forgotten. Abraham Maslow, the famous American psychologist deemed Physiological , Security, Social and Esteem needs as Animal needs. Because every dog, bull, weasel and man has it. They are the most basic needs that one gets by default. But a rare few rise above these needs and acquire a higher need- The noble need for Self Actualization. They realize that they are not in this world to merely begin, beget and be gone. They believe that they are here to serve a particular purpose- of making a difference in the lives of the millions around them. Their love extend beyond familial boundaries and they find happiness and contentment in serving people who may never even know them. And they do it merely for fulfilling their purpose. They care little for appreciation or recognition. For them, the very purpose of life is a life of purpose.

I have friends here who spend their free time, collecting money for charity. There are some who frequently visit labor camps to help people who have been abandoned by their sponsors. There are some who relentless seek out patients who need aid and serve them. Another lot spends weekends educating fellow beings. Some of them mentor poor students. I also have lot of friends and relatives who spend all their weekends sleeping, watching TV and shopping. It is crystal clear as to who has transcended the wall that stands between Animal and higher needs…. And it is obvious as to who will be more remembered, mourned and prayed for…..

It’s the same wall in both cases.

A study done at a California University has proven that people who volunteer for community service suffer fewer heart attacks . Their recover more quickly than others from illnesses. They get ahead in life faster and they enjoy more self esteem than others. This has led the university to coin the phrase… Only Givers Get.

So as the week end is approaching, let us all ask ourselves these questions, before we plan our activities.

What difference can we make (however small it may be) to someone this week end?

What is the true purpose of our life ?

AND

Who will pray for us when we die ?

Clockwise from the left…

Mary, the mother of Jesus
Devotees in a place of worship in Indonesia
A Britisher
A Sardarni
The actress who played Devi Sita in the hit serial Ramayan
A Roman Goddess

One of these women is hopelessly oppressed….Please pick that odd one out

He who knows not that he knows not is a fool- Leave him
He who knows that he knows not is ignorant- Teach him
He who knows not that he knows is asleep- Wake him
He who knows and knows that he knows is a leader- Follow him

With all due respect to the above four lines from the Arabian nights, I would like to add a fifth one…

He who knows and acts as if he knows not is a %$&^*, &@#% him

This is exactly what I feel about most of my fellow beings that I come across in the plethora of online debates and discussions that are currently being raged about the proposed Quran burning stunt.

“The Quran preaches violence, it exhorts Muslims to kill Jews and Christians, it urges Muslims to kill disbelievers”.

It’s amazing how sane adults dare to make such blatantly uninformed comments. Lots have been said about this subject before and one can find scholarly articles and discourses on the same everywhere. Just go to Google or YouTube and type “Quran + Violence” and voila…. You will find hundreds of links that give you the right information. Just make sure that you choose to listen and internalize information from Muslim scholars. Do not choose to accept distorted propaganda material from sources with vested interests. Here are a few good sources.

Website

Video

People have to realize that the Quran was revealed over a period of 23 years and verses were revealed to address particular situations in Islamic history. Taking the verses literally without understanding their historic context and arguing that they are applicable today is totally against the way the holy book has to be read and understood and followed.

Let’s look at one example. The below verse is used frequently to argue that god has commanded Muslims to kill non believers.

“And slay them wherever ye catch them..” (2:191)

Anyone who can understand English will enjoy paradigm shifts if they read these verses in their textual and historical context. One should read the whole verse along with a few verses before and after.

“Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loves not transgressors. And kill them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque, unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you, kill them. Such is the reward of those who reject faith. But if they cease, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah; but if they cease, let there be no hostility except to those who practice oppression. The prohibited month, for the prohibited month, and so for all things prohibited, there is the law of equality. If then any one transgresses the prohibition against you, transgress ye likewise against him. But fear Allah, and know that Allah is with those who restrain themselves.” (al-Baqarah 2:190-194)

For 13 long years, Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) and his followers endured severe persecution in Makkah. Believers were tortured and killed in hundreds. But they were forbidden by god to fight back. They were advised to patiently endure all suffering instead. Finally the prophet and his followers left their home town and migrated to another land. The disbelievers of Makkah repeatedly attacked them. Many Muslims were ruthlessly killed. Though Makkah welcomed pilgrims from all over the world, Muslims were not allowed to visit the Kabah for worship. During these days of hardship and unfair persecution , the Muslims worked out a peace treaty with the disbelievers. Though the terms of the treaty were totally one sided and unfair, the Muslims abided with the same. Then the disbelievers unilaterally broke the terms of the treaty and attacked the believers. These verses were revealed following this transgression. Through these verses, god gave the Muslims permission to defend themselves . It is also important to note that the verses mention the sacred mosque. This refers to the pilgrimage that the Muslims wanted to make. It was forbidden to bear arms or fight when one was on a pilgrimage. But knowing the intentions of the disbelievers, Muslims were permitted to fight back (only) and kill opponents to avoid being killed themselves. It clearly refers to a situation of mortal combat. One may say using contemporary jargon that there were constant terrorist attacks on Madinah and in this situation Muslims were given permission to fight back the “terrorists”. These verses are not a permission for “terrorize” but they are a warning against the “terrorists.” But even in these warnings you can see how much restraint and care is emphasized. Though permission to fight back is given, there are about 5 instances in the same verse where believers are cautioned against transgression.

It is important that we study the religious texts in their proper context. When these texts are not read in their proper textual and historical contexts they are manipulated and distorted. It is true that some Muslims manipulate these verses for their own goals. But this is not only with Islamic texts, it is also true with the texts of other religions. One can quote dozens of verses from the Bible which seem very violent, if taken out from their historical context. These Biblical texts have been used by many violent Jewish and Christian groups. Crusaders used them against Muslims and Jews. Nazis used them against Jews. Recently Serbian Christians used them against Bosnian Muslims. Zionists are using them regularly against Palestinians.

“When the LORD your God brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and stronger than you. And when the LORD your God delivers them before you and you defeat them, then you shall utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them and show no favor to them. (Deutronomy 7:1-2)

Even in the New Testament we read the following statement attributed to Jesus saying to his disciples:

“I tell you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence. (Luke 19:26-27)

My dear fellow beings…. Please don’t flaunt your ignorance so openly by quoting verses out of context. READ….. UNDERSTAND and then make INFORMED COMMENTS.

1+ 1 = 2. Please spare us from the torture of being preached and taught otherwise.

As usual, I was late for the Friday prayer. The Imam was half way into the first phase as I reached the spot, sweating and panting. The rows of congregation had flowed on to the streets and I had to be satisfied with a humble spot in the last row. As I was about to spread the prayer mat, I saw two strangers waiting in anticipation. I took my position on the mat and invited one of them to join me. He gratefully followed. I was immediately joined on my left side by another stranger who spread his mat and did what I did. So all four of us stood together on two mats and started praying.

Though it was an exercise in agility and flexibility, we narrowed and timed ourselves rhythmically to prevent two believers from getting their feet burnt under the scorching sun.

I am wondering. Would these four strangers have been so accommodative if our meeting place was a cash counter in a grocery store? Or a parking lot? Would we have competed with one another to give and share and feel extremely good and honoured about it?

Why do we becomes champions of WIN-WIN policies at places of worship and enforcers of WIN-LOSE policies everywhere else, even when we know for sure that the good lord is seeing us everywhere and rewarding us for good deeds irrespective of place and time?.

Why do we deny ourselves of that wonderful feeling of contentment and peace that is so easily attainable?

I was watching the movie Brave heart on TV, last night. Must have watched it a million times before. But it never fails to remind us of some very simple facts. That whenever man has stood up with courage and resolve against injustice and tyranny, brute ruthless and seemingly invincible forces have crumbled and made way.

The book of history resting on the mantelpiece of time has a page on this on every single chapter. Wallace, Gandhi, Mandela……

Today is the anniversary of one such lesson. 1400 years ago a group of ill fed and poorly armed believers stood up to face a far superior army on the desert lands of Badr. The superior side was fighting for power, supremacy and ugly dominion. And their opponents for the right to live with honor. Thousands against hundreds. Cavalry against foot soldiers.

If not in blood, at least in faith I am one of the proud descendents of that outmatched army, who on the 17th of Ramadan proved it yet again that truth and truth alone triumphs…

So let us all continue to read and watch with lumps in our throat and then apathetically change the channels and stuff newspapers down the throats of garbage chutes. Till somewhere someday someone will stumble upon this age old truth and brush it up again for all to see.

On which side of the battle lines must we be found on that fateful day?
Will our grand children remember us as pathetic losers or righteous leaders?

In the last few months, I have come across people who were shaken from their stable and comfortable lives by the unforgiving economic crisis. Some of them have gone back to their native countries. Some are holding on and searching for other opportunities to keep their aspirations afloat. I have had the opportunity to talk to them and understand their hopes and fears. I have seen well educated and experienced professionals panicking and behaving as if their chances are very bleak. On the other hand I have seen others getting on with their hunt exuding confidence as symbols of peace and tranquility. I was convinced that it was something within them that made them so different. Inquisitive as I am, I asked one of them the reason for his relaxedness. He told me a story that I want to share with you today.
When he was young, a sparrow built a nest on the sun shade of the store room of his house. Along with his siblings, he used to visit the store room everyday watching with avid interest the progress of the nest. One day they were gifted with the sound of loud chirping and by standing on their toes they could see a few restless beaks calling out impatiently to their mother. She would return soon and would lovingly feed the hungry mouths. Watching this became a regular routine, till the day tragedy struck. The mother sparrow accidently flew into the store room, struck itself against the fan and got thrown on the ground, a mass of mangled blood and feathers. The kids were heartbroken. As their maid scooped up the dead bird and gave it a decent burial, they couldn’t stand the loud chirping of the little ones. This chirping lasted all evening and the kids went to sleep with a heavy heart, assured that the babies would be dead by day break. On the next day, immediately after getting up, they ran into the store room and were gifted with a very amazing sight. The babies were chirping as usual and another sparrow was feeding them. A stray bird upon hearing the frantic and weak cries had decided to adopt the babies. The old routine ensued and as days went by, each baby grew stronger and bigger and finally flew off the nest ……
The same god who spent a foster sparrow to take care of the helpless babies will take care of us… all we need to do is to keep chirping without giving up….. And you don’t give up when you have faith.

I have been down with a gastric problem for almost 2 months. Met a couple of reputed doctors. Got poked with scores of needles. Did and repeated tests.. The final verdict… Over eating and no exercise. In none of my Trainings, do I talk of good health as an important goal to aim for…. (Video and Audio has to match). I will loose buy in from the trainees immediately. But this issue got me thinking. For 35 long years, I have been relishing great meals, without any problem. A small flaw in the system and almost everything breaks down. Routine, Mood, performance….Once you get some respite, you thank the doctors… But I have never been really thanking god for all those days that I enjoyed…
Thank god..gastritis has made me wiser and more thankful.