"Happiness comes of the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to think freely, to risk life, to be needed." - Margaret Storm Jameson
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
My Photo Album-8: Children and Happiness
The charming smile of a child can make for you forget your worries. I have seen severe and morose faces melt in the presence of children. Great souls become children and start playing when they are with them. Even pictures and photos of children have a magical quality and make one happy.Gautam, a grandson of one of my brothers-in-law, visited our home sometime back and some phtos were taken on the occasion by my friend, Annamalai. A few of them I post here for the reasons cited above.
Monday, July 30, 2007
A Thought for Today-36: July 30, 2007
Note how good you feel after you have encouraged someone else. No other argument is necessary to suggest that you should never miss the opportunity to give encouragement - George Adams
A Thought for Today-35 : July 29, 2007
The main reason the dog has so many friends is because he wags his tail instead of his tongue - by Aaron Dragushan (Courtesy: Shallow Thoughts)
Friday, July 27, 2007
Thirteen Virtues: Benjamin Franklin
TEMPERANCE: Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
SILENCE: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
ORDER: Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
RESOLUTION: Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
FRUGALITY: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
INDUSTRY: Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
SINCERITY: Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
JUSTICE: Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
MODERATION: Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
CLEANLINESS: Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.
TRANQUILLITY: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
CHASTITY: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
HUMILITY: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
SILENCE: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
ORDER: Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
RESOLUTION: Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
FRUGALITY: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
INDUSTRY: Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
SINCERITY: Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
JUSTICE: Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
MODERATION: Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
CLEANLINESS: Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.
TRANQUILLITY: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
CHASTITY: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
HUMILITY: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
Excerpted from 'Benjamin Franklin on Moral Perfection' By Paul Ford: http://www.ftrain.com/franklin_improving_self.html
"The Whistle" by Benjamin Franklin
We should draw all the good we can from this world. In my opinion, we might all draw more good from it than we do, and suffer less evil, if we would take care not to give too much for whistles. For to me it seems that most of the unhappy people we meet with are become so by neglect of that caution. You ask what I mean?
When I was a child of seven years old, my friends, on a holiday, filled my pocket with coppers. I went directly to a shop where they sold toys for children, and being charmed with the sound of a whistle, that I met by the way in the hands of another boy, I voluntarily offered and gave all my money for one. I then came home, and went whistling all over the house, much pleased with my whistle, but disturbing all the family.
My, brothers, and sisters, and cousins, understanding the bargain I had made, told me I had given four times as much for it as it was worth; put me in mind what good things I might have bought with the rest of the money; and laughed at me so much for my folly, that I cried with vexation; and the reflection gave me more chagrin than the whistle gave me pleasure.
This, however, was afterward of use to me, the impression continuing on my mind; so that often, when I was tempted to buy some unnecessary thing, I said to myself, Don't give too much for the whistle; and I saved my money.
When I met with a man of pleasure, sacrificing every laudable improvement of the mind, or of his fortune, to mere corporeal sensations, and ruining his health in their pursuit, Mistaken man, said I, you are providing pain for yourself, instead of pleasure; you give too much for your whistle.
If I see one fond of appearance, or fine clothes, fine houses, fine furniture, fine equipages, all above his fortune, for which he contracts debts, and ends his career in a prison, Alas! say I, he has paid dear, very dear, for his whistle. In short, I conceive that great part of the miseries of mankind are brought upon them by the false estimates they have made of the value of things, and by their giving too much for their whistles.
Benjamin Franklin bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin
A Thought for Today-33: July 27, 2007
The permanent temptation of life is to confuse dreams with reality. The permanent defeat of life comes when dreams are surrendered to reality - James A. Michener
Thursday, July 26, 2007
A Thought for Today-32 : July 26, 2007
When you are inspired by some great purpose,
some extraordinary project,
all your thoughts break their bonds;
Your mind transcends limitations,
Your consciousness expands in every direction,
And you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world.
Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive,
And you discover yourself
To be a greater person
By far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.
- Patanjali, c. First to Third century B.C.
Patanjali Bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patanjali
About "Yoga Sutras of Patanjali": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga_Sutras_of_Patanjali
Full Text of "Yoga Sutras of Patanjali": http://www.dailyreadings.com/sutras_1.htm
'Ashtanga Yoga of Patanjali (Eight-fold Path of Patanjali) - Article by Sherry Roberts: http://www.yogamovement.com/resources/patanjali.html
some extraordinary project,
all your thoughts break their bonds;
Your mind transcends limitations,
Your consciousness expands in every direction,
And you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world.
Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive,
And you discover yourself
To be a greater person
By far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.
- Patanjali, c. First to Third century B.C.
Patanjali Bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patanjali
About "Yoga Sutras of Patanjali": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga_Sutras_of_Patanjali
Full Text of "Yoga Sutras of Patanjali": http://www.dailyreadings.com/sutras_1.htm
'Ashtanga Yoga of Patanjali (Eight-fold Path of Patanjali) - Article by Sherry Roberts: http://www.yogamovement.com/resources/patanjali.html
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Benefactors of Mankind-2: Linus Torvalds
Computer Genius who gave it all away!Most of the books that adorn my bookshelves are bought either from platform booksellers or second-hand bookshops. It is a joy to find unexpectedly some wonderful book at throw-away price. Recently, I bought this old issue of Reader's Digest for Rs.5/- from a platform bookseller at Madurai. It was the March 2001 issue, with Linus Torvalds on the cover. Though I knew a little about Linux and its creator Torvalds, I learnt a lot from this very interesting article by Fergus M.Bordewich.
Linus Torvalds, in August 1991 at the age of 21, created the kernel of a new computer operating system and gave it to the world FREE! This O/S has transformed the whole landscape of computer use.
Other interesting info furnished by Fergus M.Bordewich:
An estimated 30 million people around the world are using Linux (as of 2001).
IBM has embraced Linus across all of its new series of mainframe computers, the mainstay of data centres in business around the world.
From childhood, Torvalds was a voracious reader and feasted on novels like Treasure Island or The Last of the Mohicans. He was bright at Maths and Physics. As a child, he idolized Albert Einstein, the personification of the great scientist committed to sharing his ideas with humanity. He says: "If you don't share your ideas and ideals, they wind up being worthless... Sharing is what makes them powerful." So he launched his new operating system, now called Linus, free of charge to the world.
Thank you, Linus Torvalds, thank you very much!Linus Torvalds Bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linus_Torvalds
Businessweek Interview of Torvalds: http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/aug2004/tc20040818_1593.htm
Wired Magazine Interview of Torvalds: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.07/40torvalds.html
The Seattle Times Interview of Torvalds: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2002059632_linus11.html
Grace Before Reading a Book
Eternal Father, as we open the pages of this book we have chosen to read, we would express our gratitude for all the noble thoughts which mind of man has given to the world.
We are grateful for the opportunity afforded us by good books to become companions of great minds and hearts. May we keep our minds always open and receptive to truth and beauty, knowing that these finally are manifested in our character.
May we treat this book as we respect and admire a friend. May we always choose for our reading moments books which will elevate our hearts, ennoble our minds, and lift our spirits.For all the good things which come our way, we are grateful and, most of all, dear Father, may we be worthy of them. Amen. (From: "Introduction to Treasury of Courage and Confidence" by Dr.Norman Vincent Peale)
Use Your Gift
God never gives a person a task without also providing him with what is necessary to perform the responsibility.
W.W.Dawley, referring to this truth, says, "God gave Moses a rod, David a sling, Samson the jawbone of a donkey, Shamgar an oxgoad, Esther the beauty of person, Deborah the talent for poetry, Dorcas a needle, and Apollos an eloquent tongue - and to each the ability to use that gift. In so doing, every one of them did most effective works for the Lord."
Our heavenly Father has given at least one spiritual gift to each of us as believers, and He provides all we need to carry out our individual responsibilities (1 Cor. 12:6-7). We are all essential in the body of Christ (vv.14-27). Acknowledging these truths is not only a source of comfort and encouragement, but it is also a sobering reality, for it places before us an important obligation. God's gifts to us must not be squandered! They must be fully used, because some day "each of us shall give account of himself to God" (Rom.14:12).
What has the Lord given you? Are you using your spiritual gift for His glory and the blessing of others? Don't waste your gift! Use it! - Richard W. De Haan, "Our Daily Bread", July-December 1997
A Thought for Today-31: July 25, 2007
He who every morning plans the transaction of the day and follows out that plan, carries a thread that will guide him through the maze of the most busy life. But where no plan is laid, where the disposal of time is surrendered merely to the chance of incidence, chaos will soon reign - Victor Hugo
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Eyecatchers-7 : Potter flies from the shelves to break previous sales record - Times Online
Wow! The statistics Times Online gives is amazing. A few excerpts from Times Online(July 23, 2007): "The seventh and final Harry Potter novel broke records, becoming the fastest-selling book in history. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows sold 2,652,656 copies in its first 24 hours, according to Nielsen BookScan, the independent book trade monitoring service. The figures are for English language worldwide sales in more than 90 countries, excluding the United States. The blockbuster overtook its predecessor, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which sold 2,009,574 copies in its initial 24 hours." Well Good Luck to you, Mrs.J.K.Rowling!
Potter flies from the shelves to break previous sales record - Times Online
Potter flies from the shelves to break previous sales record - Times Online
A Thought for Today-30: July 24, 2007
Seekest thou God? Then seek Him in man! His Divinity is manifest more in man than in any other object. Man is the greatest manifestation of God - Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa
Monday, July 23, 2007
A Thought for Today-29: July 23, 2007
Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving - Albert Einstein
A Thought for Today-28: July 22, 2007
The ideals that have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been Kindness, Beauty, and Truth - Albert Einstein
A Thought for Today-27: July 21, 2007
How strange is the lot of us mortals! Each of us is here for a brief sojourn, for what purpose he knows not, though he sometime thinks he senses it. But without deeper reflection one knows from daily life that one exists for other people- first of all for those upon whose smiles and well-being our own happiness is wholly dependent and then for the many, unknown to us, to whose destinies we are bound by the ties of sympathy. A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men (and women), living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving… Albert Einstein
Friday, July 20, 2007
The Five Precepts of Buddhism
The Five Precepts of Buddhism is for everybody. If only everybody can apply it to his day to day life, life would become really beautiful.
1. I undertake to abstain from harming living beings
2. I undertake to abstain from taking what is not given
3. I undertake to abstain from sexual misconduct
4. I undertake to abstain from false speech
5. I undertake to abstain from intoxicating drugs or drink
For more details, click: Beginners' Buddhism
1. I undertake to abstain from harming living beings
2. I undertake to abstain from taking what is not given
3. I undertake to abstain from sexual misconduct
4. I undertake to abstain from false speech
5. I undertake to abstain from intoxicating drugs or drink
For more details, click: Beginners' Buddhism
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