A Thought for Today-209:

There is a giant asleep within everyone. When that giant awakens, miracles happen - Frederick Faust

Picture of the day-11:

A Thought for Today-208:

A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love - St Basil

Picture of the day-10:

A Thought for Today-207:

Peace is not the absence of war; it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence and justice - Spinoza

Gandhiana-9:

My life is an indivisible whole, and all my attitudes run into one another; and they all have their rise in my insatiable love for mankind - Gandhiji

A Thought for Today-206:

Life consists in what a man is thinking all day - Emerson

Picture of the day-9:

A Thought for Today-205:

Let us not be justices of the peace, but angels of peace

- Saint Therese of Lisieux

Picture of the day-8:

A Thought for Today-204:

Helping someone in trouble, caring about people you hardly know, is almost a form of prayer, when you stop to think about it. It is an offering to God and the benefits flow right back to you - From 'The Power of the Plus Factor' by Dr.Norman Vincent Peale

Picture of the day-7:

Picture of the day-6:

Random Thoughts-28: "Unique Talent"

I sincerely believe that every one of us has some unique talent. Only most of us are not aware of it. So the first step is becoming aware of this and then identifying one's unique talent. Then comes nurturing it and manifesting it - Manifesting it for one's own welfare; for the welfare of one's near and dear; and also for the welfare of the society at large.

It needs nurturing because it remains just a spark. When you nurture it, it starts growing and glowing. In the light, you see your life's unique mission. Then life becomes focused and meaningful. You cut down all distractions and march towards your life's unique mission with single-minded devotion. When you attain your goal, your life becomes fulfilled. Even if you don't reach your goal, the very process of striving for it with all your mite should be satisfying and make you happy.

The greatest tragedy of life is not having this awareness. The spark flares up now and then to draw your attention to it. But if you still ignore it, it is really a pity.

Nurturing it and finally manifesting and utilizing it for your own selfish ends would be a crime.

How to identify your unique talent? Turn inward and dive deeper and deeper and deeper; you will find it. Why waste your precious time in the pursuit of limiting materialistic goals?

There is this reassuring advice from great sages: "Know that by knowing which everything becomes known; attain that by attaining which everything is attained."

Blessed are those who have found their unique talent early in life; nurtured it properly and manifested it fully for the welfare of one and all.

Picture of the day-5:

Yet another fascinating flower.

Picture of the day-4:

Karaikudi Railway station now has several beautiful buildings and provides many comforts to the passengers. This photo is from the garden inside the station campus.

Picture of the day-3:

Flowers fascinate everybody, not just ladies. I took this during a visit
to Poovalur (near Lalgudi, Trichy Dt).

Picture of the day-2:

Yet another picture taken on the Sriram Nagar-University Road, Karaikudi. The outstretched branches make the trees look elegant and I thought it deserved a click. Hence you have it here.

Random Thoughts-27: "Number Thirteen"

Thirteen is considered to be an unlucky number by many. In US, many hotels do not have a 13th floor; after 12th floor, you get to the 14th floor! Likewise, there is no Room No.13. People do not want to commence or take up anything of importance on the 13th day of the month. Whatever you take up may fail or there may be worse misfortunes. People seem to be damn afraid of that number. This superstition seems to be universal breaking borders.

I have a special connection to number thirteen. My official date of birth is 13. My real one is something different. Those days schools won't admit children below six . When I was 5, I was admitted in school; probably somebody added a year to my age, which is all right with me; but they changed the date and month. At random they might have chosen the numbers. I had my share of troubles and misfortunes in my sixty-year old life, whether due to it or otherwise.

This fear associated with number thirteen makes me think. For me, Swami Vivekananda is the embodiment of fearlessness, courage and manliness. He says that if there is one word that keeps recurring in the Upanishads, it is fearlessness. The Bhagavad Gita also puts fearlessness in the first place when it starts listing out divine wealth or divine values. So it is a virtue or value one must cultivate. Analysing our fears one by one threadbare may help. Facing your fears head on may be a way. If you are spiritual like me, japa (repetition of the holy name), meditation and prayer also should help to some extent.If there are other ways, I shall be glad to learn.

On looking up 'Thirteen' in Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, I found a lot of interesting facts:

* There were thirteen disciples of Jesus in the Last Supper and Judas Iscariot was the thirteenth.

* In the Sikh holy scripture, Guru Granth Sahib, the word 'Waheguru' appears 13 times.

* 13 is the age at which a boy becomes Bar Mitzwah in Judaism.

* 13 is the sixth prime number.

* The morbid fear of 13 is called Triskaidekaphobia.

* Thirteen is the age when one becomes a teenager.

* The unsuccessful mission to moon by the US is Apollo 13.(An oxygen tank exploded in Apollo 13 on April 13(!), 1970 leading to failure of the mission).

The surprising news is that there are people to whom 13 is a luck number. If you look up Wikipedia, you will find more details about them. For example, in Italy, 13 is considered to be a lucky number. So also at the Colgate University. But then considering a number lucky or unlucky, is not the same, I mean, superstition?

The world is full of superstitions, some of them very interesting though. One day I should sit up and collect the details; maybe I would write an article for my blog about superstitions.

Grateful thanks to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Eyecatchers-139: "Teenager fell into a manhole"

Harper's Weekly reports of a teenager in New York City, who fell down a manhole, while writing text message in his mobile.

Those of you who use your mobile while walking or riding, watch out! ensure that you don't meet with the same fate or worse. Avoid using the mobile while walking or riding.