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September 2020 3
A MONTHLY FOR INSPIRED LIVING
“Let noble thoughts come to us from every side” – Rig-Veda
Vol. 45 No. 09 September 2020
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4 September 2020
TURNING THE PAGES...
The Voice of IQ .....................................................................................................5Bouquets All the Way! ........................................................................................6Begin the Month Well ..........................................................................................7Quotes for September 2020 .................................................................................8Your Life, Your Choice ..................................................................................... 10Treasure Imperishable ...................................................................................... 11It Matters in Life ............................................................................................... 12When Things Go Wrong .................................................................................. 13Lessons for Growth .......................................................................................... 14Poetic Inspiration ............................................................................................. 15Celebrate Life ..................................................................................................... 16Beyond the Ordinary ........................................................................................ 17Readers Share .................................................................................................... 18With a Light Heart ........................................................................................... 19An Eye-opener .................................................................................................. 20Notable Quotes ................................................................................................. 21Origin of Popular Sayings ............................................................................... 22Boost Your Vocabulary ..................................................................................... 23Art of Living ....................................................................................................... 24The Success Principles ..................................................................................... 25Discover Your Real Self ................................................................................... 26Just a Moment Please ....................................................................................... 27Food for Thought ............................................................................................. 28Anecdotes of the Great ................................................................................... 29Gleanings from Mahatmas ............................................................................. .30Pearls of Wisdom from the East .................................................................... 31Points to Ponder .............................................................................................. 32Living Moments of Awareness ....................................................................... 33The Voice of the Great ..................................................................................... 34Minute Motivators ............................................................................................ 35Spiritual Nourishment ..................................................................................... 36Fascinating Facts ............................................................................................... 37Sharpen Your Mind .......................................................................................... 38Tips for Personal Growth ................................................................................. 39The Legend’s Way ............................................................................................ 40In a Nutshell ..................................................................................................... 41Something to Think of .................................................................................... 42Musings .............................................................................................................. 43The Power of Positivity .................................................................................... 44Social Media and You ..................................................................................... 45
September 2020 5
THE VOICE OF IQ
Dare to Be YourselfOnce, a farmer kept an eagle’s egg along with hen’s eggs
for hatching. When the eggs were hatched, the eaglet behaved exactly like the chicks, moving with them and scratching the ground for food. One day it found a majestic bird flying in the sky and asked its mother what it was. The mother hen said, “It is an eagle, the king of the birds. You can never be like him.” So, the eagle never realized his true potential and died thinking that he was indeed a chicken!
It will be a great tragedy if you go through life behaving as if you are a chicken when in reality you are an eagle, having the ability to conquer the sky. William James, a renowned psychologist said, “Most people live, whether physically, intellectually, or morally, in a very restricted circle of their potential being.” Often people are so afraid to look into themselves and appreciate their inner being that they keep looking at the outer world for answers. They tend to compare themselves with others and pity their being. Unfortunately, it results in being satisfied with the bare minimum in life when you are actually endowed with the potential to achieve the unimaginable.
The starting point of your journey towards actualizing your true potential is to be aware of your true self and be appreciative of it. If you don’t appreciate your true self no one else will ever do it for you. If you try to become someone else, you lose your individuality and uniqueness. You are the architect of your life! Therefore, be courageous in taking calculated risks in life. If you challenge yourself, you will surely unleash the greatness hidden within you. You are planted in the garden of life to bloom fully, spreading fragrance and beauty around. “What one can be, one must be”, says Abraham Maslow. Aneesh Antony
6 September 2020
BOUQUETS ALL THE WAY!
I am a regular reader of IQ for the past four years and have been enjoying reading it, and sharing the messages and inspiring quotes with everyone. Thank you for giving such a resourceful magazine which really enlightens my mind and heart. All the best!
— Kavita Nagesh, Bengaluru
Dear IQ, I am a new subscriber, but then I got lots of knowledge from you. I know that you can light up the world and save it from the engulfing darkness especially in this time of great uncertainty. I wish to be your reader till the end of my life. Continue your good work of inspiring souls. — Silvia Momin, Shillong
Whenever I feel low and dispirited in life IQ comes across to me as my dependable companion. I gain a lot of insights as I read through the pages. I thank the editor for producing such a gem of high standard of practical living.
— Archana P, TrivandrumWhenever I have to prepare a speech or article, I refer to IQ as my resource book! The pain-staking efforts taken by the editorial board in bringing novelty and variety to the content makes sure that this tiny magazine continues to be relevant even in this period of digital revolution. I salute the whole team for their tireless work and dedication in bringing out this lovely magazine. Wish you all success and satisfaction in your work.
— Kuldeep Dungdung, Ranchi
September 2020 7
BEGIN THE MONTH WELL
Giving Strengthens YouSome people make themselves poor in their own eyes. Indian saint Rahim says, “People who beg are dead, but before them die those who refuse them.” Everyone has something to give. Sharing knowledge is a gain. Teaching someone, or giving the gift of education, for instance, makes a person’s life. If you cannot give anything, just standing with the person is enough to give him/her all the help he/she needs.
It doesn’t cost money to give. In fact, often we can give more than what is possible by giving money. Giving help in making people come out of their comfort zones and gain new capabilities and insights is a wonderful way of giving. Often, what we give comes back to us manyfolds. For instance, when we pass on smiles and happiness to others, it comes back to us. When we give respect and recognition, people also reciprocate in kind.
— Life 365Truths about Life
9 Difficulties in your life do not come to destroy you, but to help you realize your hidden potential and power.
9 If a drop of water falls in a lake, its density is lost; if it falls on a lotus leaf, it shines like a pearl. The drop is the same, but the company matters.
9 Life is beautiful. One day, one hour and one minute will not come again in your entire life. Avoid fights; speak lovingly to every person.
9 Every pain gives a lesson and every lesson changes a person. Never stop learning, because life never stops teaching. — Anonymous
8 September 2020
QUOTES FOR SEPTEMBER 2020
Day 1: Have enough courage to trust, love one more time and always one more time. — Maya Angelou
Day 2: A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval. — Mark Twain
Day 3: A speculator is a man who observes the future, and acts before it occurs. — Bernard Baruch
Day 4: Outer beauty attracts, but inner beauty captivates. ― Kate AngellDay 5: To accept ourselves as we are means to value our
imperfections as much as our perfections. — Sandra BierigDay 6: My best friend is the one who brings out the best in
me. — Henry FordDay 7: It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves. — Sir Edmund HillaryDay 8: Low self-esteem is like driving through life with
your hand-break on. — Maxwell MaltzDay 9: If there is hope in the future, there is literally power
in the present. — Zig ZiglarDay 10: Once you embrace your value, talents and
strengths, it neutralizes when others think less of you. — Rob Liano
Day 11: You have to rely on whatever sparks you have inside. ― Lisa Kleypas
Day 12: True beauty could be discovered only by one who mentally completes the incomplete. ― Kakuzō O.
Day 13: Reject your sense of injury and the injury itself disappears. — Marcus Aurelius
Day 14: To fall in love with yourself is the first secret to happiness. — Robert Morley
Day 15: Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character. — Albert Einstein
September 2020 9
QUOTES FOR SEPTEMBER 2020
Day 16: Between stimulus and response, there is a space where we choose our response. — Stephen Covey
Day 17: Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith. — Steve Jobs
Day 18: Most of the shadows of this life are caused by standing in one’s own sunshine. — Ralph Waldo
Day 19: The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated. — William James
Day 20: Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does. — William JamesDay 21: You never realize how strong you are until being
strong is the only choice you have. — AnonymousDay 22: Owning our story and loving ourselves through that
process is the bravest thing that we’ll ever do. — Brené Brown
Day 23: Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes. — Carl Gustav Jung
Day 24: You are very powerful, provided you know how powerful you are. — Yogi Bhajan
Day 25: We are here to add what we can to life, not to get what we can from life. — William Osler
Day 26: If we open a quarrel between past and present, we shall find that we have lost the future. —Winston C
Day 27: Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are. — Malcolm S. Forbes
Day 28: Only those who care about you can hear you when you’re quiet. — Anonymous
Day 29: It ain’t what they call you, it’s what you answer to. — W.C. FieldsDay 30: One of the greatest regrets in life is being what
others would want you to be, rather than being yourself. — Shannon L. Alder
10 September 2020
YOUR LIFE, YOUR CHOICE
Life Lessons 9 Never cry for the person who hurts you. Just smile
and say: thank you for giving me the chance to find someone better than you.
9 Never hate jealous people. They are jealous because they think you are better than them.
9 Never tell anyone your plans, show them your results instead.
9 There is no market for your emotions, so never advertise your feelings, just show your attitude.
9 Don’t give up. Your day will come. It’s just a matter of time.
9 If you’re helping someone and expecting something in return, you’re doing business, not kindness.
9 Trust means everything, but once it’s broken sorry means nothing.
9 Always remember that your present situation is not your final destination. The best is yet to come.
9 Never leave a true relation for few faults. Nobody is perfect. At the end, affection is always greater than perfection.
9 Never reply when you’re angry. Never make a promise when you’re happy. Never make a decision when you’re sad.
9 Stop expecting loyalty from people who can’t even give you honesty.
9 Life is short. Time is fast. No replay. No rewind. So enjoy every moment as it comes.• Don’t give up, the beginning is always the hardest.
— Anonymous
September 2020 11
The Best Things in LifeA wise man advising his son before his death said: “Son, make sure you never forget to do these three things in your life: to eat the best food, to sleep on the most comfortable bed and to reside in the best of homes.”
His son replied, “Dad, you know that we are poor, how can I do all these things?” The father replied, “If you only eat when you are truly hungry, you will be eating the most delicious food. If you work hard, honestly and sincerely, and go to sleep tired, you will sleep on the most comfortable bed. If you are courteous to people, treat them with dignity and respect, you will reside in their hearts, that is the best residence of all.” — Anonymous
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Don’t Rush, Learn to Take Your TimeRushing is never a good idea. Problems take time to be solved. Broken dreams need time because our brain needs to figure out new plans and solutions. Losses take time because we must learn to place our effort elsewhere. Time is responsible for putting each thought, each emotion and each person in their place. It teaches us that nothing is definitive, that things happen, both good and bad and eventually everything gets better. It helps us grow and see things from another perspective.
Give it time. But not passive time, rather active time where peace reigns and you can create, rethink and find the good but also learn from the bad. Don’t get carried away by the present crisis; keep walking, so that a solution will emerge gradually. — Life 365
TREASURE IMPERISHABLE
12 September 2020
You Are an Inspiration ) Your presence is a gift to the world, you’re unique and
one of a kind. ) Your life can be what you want it to be, take it one day
at a time. ) Count your blessings, not your troubles, and you’ll
make it through what comes along. ) Within you are so many answers, understand, have
courage, be strong. ) Don’t put limits on yourself, your dreams are waiting
to be realized. ) Don’t leave your important decisions to chance; reach
for your peak, your goal, and your prize. ) Nothing wastes more energy than worrying, the longer
a problem is carried, the heavier it gets. ) Remember that a little love goes a long way, remember
that a lot goes forever. — Anonymous
RRRR RRRR RRRR Gandhi’s Shoes
As Gandhi stepped aboard a train one day, one of his shoes slipped off and landed on the track. He was unable to retrieve it as the train started rolling. To the amazement of his companions, Gandhi calmly took off his other shoe and threw it back along the track to land close to the first shoe.
Asked by a fellow passenger why he did that, Gandhi replied, ‘The poor man who finds the shoe lying on the track will now have a pair he can use.’
IT MATTERS IN LIFE...
September 2020 13
WHEN THINGS GO WRONG
Face the ProblemDisturbed by a news item, Sam said to his fellow passenger. “I’ m worried Bill, I’ve been reading so many articles about smoking causing cancer.”
“So have I,” replied Sam. “What do you think we should do?” Bill, thinking for a while, folded his morning paper and said decisively, “Stop reading.”
People often close their eyes to reality. Like the ostrich they bury their heads to lose sight of the problem and think they are out of trouble. You may not be able to avoid troubles coming to you but surely you can avoid their building nests. Truth sometimes hurts and those who don’t face it and do something about it have often to suffer the consequences. Don’t brush aside the warning or timely advice you get in life. You’re kidding nobody but yourself. If you don’t tackle the problem the problem will tackle you. — Anonymous
WWWW WWWW WWWWProblem vs Solution
When NASA began the launch of astronauts into space, they found out that the pens wouldn’t work at zero gravity (Ink won’t flow down to the writing surface). It took them a decade and $12 million to find a solution to this problem. They developed a pen that worked at zero gravity, upside down, underwater, on practically any surface including crystal and in a temperature range from below freezing to over 300 degree C. And what did the Russians do? They used a Pencil!!! — Anonymous
14 September 2020
LESSONS FOR GROWTH
SharingWhen we share laughter, there’s twice the fun.
When we share success, we surpass what we’ve done.When we share problems, there’s half the pain.
When we share tears, a rainbow follows rain.When we share dreams, they become more real.When we share secrets, it’s our hearts we reveal.
If we share a smile, then our love shows.If we share a hug, then our love grows.
If we share with someone on whom we depend.That person becomes family or friend.
And what draws us closer and makes us all careIs not what we have, but the things that we share.
— Anonymousz z z z z z z z z
Right NowWhat is wrong with right now? Nothing. Are there things you would like to change? Of course. The beauty of right now is that it gives you a place to start and the wisdom of knowing where to go. There is nothing wrong with right now. It is a magnificent point in time. Any problems you sense with this moment are based on your own interpretation. Nothing is wrong unless you choose to make it so.
Choose instead to see and to live the rightness and the goodness of this moment. Transcend the petty concerns which have held you back in the past. Free yourself to live at your best. A world of possibilities stretches out in front of you. They all begin right now. Life is already filled with abundance, and right now is your chance to make it even better. — Ralph Marston
September 2020 15
POETIC INSPIRATION
On OptimismTo be made of sunshine is beautiful.
To be the light and the warmth and to be loved.A constant reminder of summer days forgotten,
And memories not yet lived.To be made of sunshine is to be beautiful.To be made of thunderstorms is gruesome.
To be the dark and the cold are to be feared.An omen of the terrors that await,
And foes to be discovered.To be made of thunderstorms is to be gruesome.
To be made of sunshine is painful.To be too hot to touch, too far away to reach.
Constantly burning, continuously blinding,And never ceasing.
To be made of sunshine is to be made in pain.To be made of thunderstorms is to be peaceful.
To be easily found, and easily heard.Consistently calming, always powerful,
And to come and go as you please. To be made of thunderstorms is to be at peace.
If optimists and pessimists lived in the sky. — Anonymous
RRRR RRRR RRRRIf you are working on something that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you.
— Steve Jobs
16 September 2020
CELEBRATE LIFE
Give a MomentWhat is a moment? It isn’t something we measure, or a measure of something.
A moment is gift. “Can you give me a moment of your time?” translate to: “can you give me yourself for a while?”A moment is eternity. Have you ever heard, or said, “I lived an eternity in that moment”?
A moment is now. It means being completely present to the person or opportunity before us. Someone has said, “People with the fewest regrets are those who take each moment as it comes, for all that it is worth.” And it is a good thing that they do, because the moment will never return. It is the best preparation for the next moment.
— Christopher Newsletter
; ; ; ; ;Expressions
Once at a seminar for a group of executives, the participants were given different expressions that are commonly used, and asked to describe the type of persons who would use them. The answers were then summarised as follows:“I won’t” ... is a tramp.“I can’t” ... is a quitter.“I don’t know” ... is lazy.“I might” ... is waking up.“I will try” ... is on her feet.“I can” ... is on her way.“I will” ... is at work.“I did” ... is now the boss.
— Hedwig Lewis
September 2020 17
BEYOND THE ORDINARY
The Champion of Landless TribalsDaya Bhai (originally Mercy Mathew) hails from a prosperous Christian family in Pala, Kerala. She had a happy childhood and her God-fearing parents instilled in her strong faith in God.
Leaving Pala at the age of 16 to become a nun, later she gave up her habit to work for the tribal population in the midlands of India. Her inspiring speeches in a language that reaches out to her audience, her satyagrahas and campaigns to press local authorities to open schools and her efforts to empower forgotten villages in interior and tribal Madhya Pradesh emphasise how Daya Bai has improved the life of the tribals. She had been associated with Narmada Bachao Andolan agitation, apart from her solo struggles representing the forest dwellers and villagers in Central India.
Daya Bai, who practises a simple lifestyle, has settled down among the Gonds of Chhindwara district in Madhya Pradesh, and follows the tribal culture of the Gonds. She had set up a school in the Barul village. She helps the village people and this mission continues from one village to another village. Daya Bai teaches each village she visits how to take care of itself and then moves on to the next village, which makes her different from many other so-called social workers. She started the Swayam Sahayatha Group in the late 90s, as a tool for poverty eradication.
She received the Vanitha Woman of the Year award in 2007. She was awarded with the Good Samaritan National Award in January 2012.
18 September 2020
READERS SHARE
After a WhileAfter a while you learn the subtle difference
between holding a hand chaining a soul.and you learn that love doesn’t mean leaning,and company doesn’t always mean security.
And you begin to learn that kisses aren’t contractsand presents aren’t promises.
And you begin to accept your defeats with your head upand your eyes ahead,
with the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child.And you learn to build all your roads on today,
for tomorrow’s ground is too uncertain for plansand futures have a way of falling in mid-flight.
After a while you learn that even sunshine burnsif you get too much
so you plant your own gardenand decorate your own soul,
instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.And you learn that you really can endure,
you really are strong,you really have worth,
and you learn,and you learn, with every goodbye, you learn.
— Veronica Shoffstall
e e e e e eFailure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.
— Og Mandino
September 2020 19
WITH A LIGHT HEART
Tom: I saw the doctor about my loss of memory.John: What did he do?Tom: He made me pay him in advance.
JJJ JJJ JJJ JJJ
Mollie: Why are you running?Ollie: To stop the fight.Mollie: Who’s fighting?Ollie: Me and another fellow.
JJJ JJJ JJJ JJJ
A woman at the movies turned and said to man behind her,“If my hat prevents your seeing the picture, I’ll be happy to remove it”“Please don’t bother” replied the man. “Your hat is much funnier than the picture”.
JJJ JJJ JJJ JJJ
Kim: You remind me of a school closed for vacation.Dim: How is that?Kim: You have no class.
JJJ JJJ JJJ JJJTimmy: Did you hear about the soccer player who didn’t do well in school?Jimmy: No.Timmy: He was a left back.
JJJ JJJ JJJ JJJ
Father: Bonnie, please take the dog out and give him some air.Bonnie: Sure, Dad. Where’s the nearest gas station?
20 September 2020
AN EYE-OPENER
Don’t Get into a RutWhatever you do, don’t get into a rut. Following the lines of least resistance is a tendency which everybody had to fight against. It is so easy to let things slide, to go on as we have been going. Our mental
grooves to laziness in thought and action wear deeper and deeper.
One reason why we tend to travel in ruts is that we like to go along with the crowd and be popular with it. We dress alike, we eat alike, and we behave alike. The average person has no shield against ridicule. We do almost everything by the same pattern just because we are afraid of being conspicuous. Many a man and woman have original ideas, but they are timid about expressing them. They know they run the risk of being commented on, if not actually jeered at. Only a few have sufficient strength of character to be themselves and let the world go hang, and it is those few who become the leaders of thought, and push civilization along. — Louis E Bisch
G G G G G G G G G GWe may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated. – Maya Angelou
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Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Wishing is not enough; we must do. — Johann Wolfgang
September 2020 21
NOTABLE QUOTES
SelfWhen you adopt the viewpoint that there is nothing that exists that is not part of you, that there is no one who exists who is not part of you, that any judgement you make is self-judgement, that any criticism you level is self-criticism, you will wisely extend to yourself an unconditional love that will be the light of the world.
— Harry PalmerNever be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life, but define yourself.
— Harvey FiersteinLove yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.
— Lucille BallRemember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.
— Eleanor RooseveltIf only you could sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person.
— Fred RogersWhen you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life.
— Jean Shinoda Bolen
22 September 2020
ORIGIN OF POPULAR SAYINGS
Necessity Is the Mother of InventionMeaning: Difficult situations inspire ingenious solutions.Background: It is sometimes ascribed to Plato and it does appear in translations of Plato’s Republic. Those translations weren’t made until much later than the phrase was in common use in English and are more likely to be the work of the translator than being a literal version of Plato’s words. The proverb was known in England by the 16th century, although at that point it must have been known to very few as it was then documented in its Latin form rather than in English.
MMMM MMMM MMMMNitty–gritty
Meaning: The heart of the matter; the basic essentials.Background: It has been alleged that ‘nitty-gritty’ is a derogatory reference to the English slave trade of the 18th century. The phrase is usually used with the prefix ‘getting down to’ and there is a sense that, whatever the nitty-gritty is, it is at the bottom of something. The suggestion is that it originated as a term for the unimportant debris left at the bottom of ships after the slaves had been removed and that the meaning was extended to include the slaves themselves.
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Wear Your Heart on Your SleeveMeaning: To display one’s emotions openly.Background: This phrase may derive from the custom at Middle Ages’ jousting matches. Knights are said to have worn the colours of the lady they were supporting, in cloths or ribbons tied to their arms. The term doesn’t date from that period though and is first recorded in Shakespeare’s Othello, 1604.
September 2020 23
BOOST YOUR VOCABULARY
Words Connected with Sea LifeAbysmal: Resembling an abyss in depth; so deep as to be immeasurable.Advection: The horizontal transfer of heat or other atmospheric properties.Bathymetry: Measuring the depths of the ocean.Benthos: Organisms (plants and animals) that live at or near the bottom of the sea.Brine: Water containing salt. Estuary: The wide part of a river where it nears the sea. Floe: A flat mass of ice (smaller than an ice field) floating at sea.Gulf: A deep and wise chasm; an arm of a sea partly enclosed by land.Hydrosphere: The watery layer of the earth’s surface; includes water vapour.Lagoon: A body of water cut off from a larger body by a reef of sand or coral. Liner: A large commercial ship (especially one that carries passengers on a regular schedule).Littoral: the region of a shore of an ocean.Maritime: Bordering on or living or characteristic of those near the sea.Ooze: The process of seeping waterPelagic: Relating to or occurring or living in or frequenting the open ocean.Physiography: The study of physical features of earth’s surface.Tide: The periodic rise and fall of sea level due to the gravitational pull of the moon.
24 September 2020
ART OF LIVING
You Already Have Been GivenYou already have been given what you need to begin to create your future. Don’t find yourself, “If only I had this ... If only this were different ... if only I had more money... then I could do what I am supposed to do.” People constantly
overstate the importance of things they don’t have. Never let what you think you can’t do keep you from doing what you can do. Prolonged idleness paralyzes initiative, for to the hesitant mind everything is impossible is because it seems so.
Do not wait for special circumstances to act; use ordinary situations. We don’t need more strength, ability, or opportunity. Use what you have. Everyone must row with the oars they have been given.
The lure of the distant and the difficult is deceptive. The great opportunity is where you are.
— John Burroughs XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX
Everything Big Starts with Something Small Nothing great is created suddenly. Nothing can be done expect little. Never decide to do nothing just because you can only do something.
People who think they are too big to do little things are perhaps too little to be asked to do big thing. Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises. Within a little thing lies a big opportunity. Small things make a big difference; therefore, do all that it takes to be successful in little things. — John Mason
September 2020 25
THE SUCCESS PRINCIPLES
Personality PrinciplesSelf-confidence contributes to the enrichment of your character. It is the first secret of serene living. Dr C. Gilbert Wrenn, psychologist and the author of numerous guidance publications, makes the following points:
) Develop a believing attitude towards yourself so that you can grow and develop a winning personality.
) Be realistic and humble and admit your short-coming. They mean that there is light coming somewhere nearby.
) Don’t act like a big shot! The price of eminence is responsibility.
) Praise and talk about the other fellow. Praise is more valuable than blame.
) Develop an attitude of self-respect. Your self-respect has a profound impact on the way you see the world and the way the world sees you.
) No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, show up!
RRR RRR RRRSo then, the relationship of self to other is the complete realization that loving yourself is impossible without loving everything defined as other than yourself.
— Alan Watts
26 September 2020
DISCOVER YOUR REAL SELF
Who Are You?You are:Wise: when you know the limits of your wisdom.True: when you admit there are times you fool yourself.
Happy: when you see a flower and are thankful for the blessing.Brave: when you overcome your fear and help others to do the same.Loving: when your own pain does not blind you to the pain of the others.Strong: when you accept your grief and teach others to smile. Alive: when tomorrow’s hope means more to you than yesterday’s mistake.Free: when you are in control of yourself and do not wish to control others. — J. Maurus
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You Are What You ThinkYou are what you think. That is one of the most important facts about yourself. William James, a psychologist, once said, “The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitude of mind”. You can think your way out of failures and happiness. You can think your way to success and happiness. A modern psychologist has said, “there is a deep tendency in human nature to become precisely like that which you habitually imagine yourself to be”. — Norman Vincent Peale
September 2020 27
JUST A MOMENT PLEASE
Tribute to a School DropoutOne day, a partially deaf boy came home from school with a note. It suggested that his parents take him out of school. The note said that the boy was “too stu-pid to learn.”
When the boy’s mother read the note, she said, “My son Tom isn’t too stupid to learn. I’ll teach him myself.” When Tom died many years later, the people of North America paid tribute to him by turning off the nation’s lights for one full minute.
Thomas Edison had invented not only the light bulb we read by, but also the motion picture we watch and the re-cord player we listen to. He has over 1000 patents to his credit. — Brian Cavanaugh
z z z z z z z z z
CooperationThe story goes that various fruits of the garden held a meet-ing and a discussion. They wanted to know the reason why no other fruit but the grape contains the juice from which the finest wines are made.
“Her drink is famous throughout the world,” they de-clared. “Why is she more worthy than we are to be so bless-ed by God?” A cluster of grapes hanging nearby in the gar-den heard their complaint and told them, “All of you other fruits grow individually, each one by himself and to himself. But we grapes always grow in bunches; perhaps that mutu-al helpfulness puts something extra special into the wines that come from us.” — Blue-bird Briefs
28 September 2020
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Now Never mind about tomorrow.It always is today;Yesterday has vanished,Wherever, none can say.Each minute must be guarded--Made worth its while somehow;There are no other moments;It always is: JUST NOW.
Just now is the hour that’s golden,The moment to defend.
Just now is without beginning;JUST NOW can never end.
Then never mind tomorrow-- ‘Tis today you must endow
With all that’s true and noble, And the time for this is -- NOW!
— Gems of Thought
RRR RRR RRRThe Road Less Travelled
There is nothing in easy sailingwhen skies are clear and blue;
There is no joy in merely doing thingsthat any man can do.
But there is some satisfactionthat is mighty sweet to take,
When you reach a destinationthat you thought you would never make.
— Spirella
September 2020 29
ANECDOTES OF THE GREAT
The Beautiful AngelMichelangelo was once visiting a building site, when he came across a very odd-shaped, rough-edged block of marble. “What are you doing with this piece of marble?” Michelangelo asked the builder.“Nothing,” the builder said. “It’s useless!” “It’s not useless,” the great sculptor replied. “Please send it to my studio. There’s an angel imprisoned in this block of marble that I must set free!”
— Alphonso ElengickalG G G G GFeeding the Hungry
When Pope Paul VI was the Cardinal Archbishop of Milan, a social worker came to him saying that he was without means to feed the hungry. “My furniture is at your disposal. Sell some to feed the needy,” replied the cardinal.
— J. MaurusG G G G G
A.R Rahman: The Music GeniusA.R Rahman, a composer, singer-songwriter, music producer, multi-instrumentalist and a great philanthropist is the first Indian to win two Oscars. He is known for his humility and modesty. He was humble even in the midst of incredible success and glory. During the Oscar ceremony he said, “The entire fame is to God.”
30 September 2020
GLEANINGS FROM MAHATMAS
Helen Keller: A Woman of Indomitable GritHelen Keller, the American author and educator was blind and deaf. However, she did not allow her physical deformity to affect her mind. With great determination she overcame her difficulties and became
an inspiration for many generations. Her education and training represent an extraordinary accomplishment in the education of persons with these disabilities. Some of her inspiring quotes are given below:
9 When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.
9 I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light.
9 The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.
9 Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all. 9 One can never consent to creep when one feels an
impulse to soar. 9 Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of
the overcoming of it 9 Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only
through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved.
9 The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight but no vision.
September 2020 31
PEARLS OF WISDOM FROM THE EAST
Ten Chinese Good Luck Tantra Totems
) Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
) Marry a person you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.
) Don’t believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.
) When you say “I love you”, mean it. ) When you say “I am sorry”, look the person in the eye. ) Talk slowly but think quickly. ) When you lose, don’t lose the lesson. ) Remember that great love and great achievements
involve great risks. ) Remember the three R’s: Respect for self; Respect for
others; Responsibility for all you actions. ) Love deeply and passionately. You might, in the process,
get hurt but it’s the only way to live life completely. ) Never laugh at anyone’s dreams. People who don’t
have dreams don’t have much. ) Believe in love at first sight.
Because one believes in oneself, one doesn’t try to convince others. Because one is content with oneself, one doesn’t need others’ approval. Because one accepts oneself, the whole world accepts him or her. — Lao-Tzu
32 September 2020
POINTS TO PONDER
The Best SeedThere once was a farmer who grew the most excellent wheat. Every season he won the award for the best wheat in his county. A wise woman came to him to ask
about his success. He told her that the key was sharing his best seed with his neighbours so they could plant the seed as well.
The wise woman asked, “How can you share your best seed with his neighbours so when they compete with you every year?” “That is simple,” the farmer replied. “The wind spreads the pollen from everyone’s wheat and carries it from field to field. If my neighbours grew inferior wheat, cross-pollination would degrade everyone’s wheat, including mine.
“If I’m to grow the best wheat I must help my neighbours grow the best wheat as well.” This is not only excellent advice for growing the best crops, but also great advice how to live your life. If you want to live a meaningful and happy life, help others to find happiness.
Remember, the value of your life is measured by the lives you touch with love, kindness, respect and hope.
— AnonymousXXXXX XXXXX XXXXX
Forget about if no one else can bet on you, forget about if nobody believes. If you believe, that is the only thing you need to carry in your soul. — Uzo Aduba
September 2020 33
Always a New Beginning Very few people can claim to have the life they always dreamt of. But the end of one story is always the beginning of another one. If you fail at a new start, you have a second chance. Living in the magic of the present moment, you increase the present moment’s richness and awareness.
In river, the water that you touch is the last of what has passed and the first of what comes. So it is with the present times. It doesn’t really matter where you live or what is your job. The only thing that does matter is to be conscious that your life is in your hands, and that you have the possibility of changing its course.
Always there can be a new beginning. The man who lives in the present is a man of wisdom. Live it wisely and earnestly. The only thing you need is to change our way of thinking and dedicate yourself to enjoy the present moment. Forget the past, live the present, trust the future.
— Anonymousz z z z z z z z z
Be of good cheer. Do not think of today’s failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourselves a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere; and you will find a joy in overcoming obstacles. Remember, no effort that we make to attain something beautiful is ever lost.
— Helen Keller
LIVING MOMENTS OF AWARENESS
34 September 2020
THE VOICE OF THE GREAT
Father of the Indian IT SectorInfosys Co-founder NR Narayana Murthy is a pioneering leader who is often credited with creating a world-renowned brand for India’s IT sector. Under his leadership, the company rose to become the second-largest IT and services firm in India. His various
roles at Infosys, from Chairman to CEO, and President to Chief Mentor, earned him the title of the ‘Father of the Indian IT Sector’, and a place in Fortune’s list of greatest entrepreneurs. Murthy is the recipient of many prestigious awards like the Padma Vibushan and the Padma Shri. Some of his inspiring thoughts are given below:
9 Respect, recognition, and reward flow out of performance.
9 Performance leads to recognition. Recognition brings respect. Respect enhances power. Humility and grace in one’s moments of power enhances the dignity of an organisation.
9 It is better to underpromise and overdeliver than vice versa. For this one need not break the law of the land.
9 A great leader also has the ability to make people an inch taller in his presence.
9 Growth is painful. Change is painful. But nothing is as painful as staying stuck where you do not belong.
9 It’s very important to learn quick lessons from your failures, very important to recognise symptoms of failure pretty early, and it is very, very important to not be attached too much to the idea – you have to know when to give up an idea.
September 2020 35
MINUTE MOTIVATORS
Lessons from FailuresAccept failure, but keep trying: Michael Jordan once said, “I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” Failure then becomes a means to an end, rather than an end in and of itself. In other words, failure is a part of the journey towards success. Continue forward in spite of failure: Walt Disney was fired because he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” Here is the man responsible for an empire of imaginative movies and play for children the world over, and yet, he lost his job due to a lack of imagination. The lesson here is to keep moving towards that end goal, even when other people fail to see the same vision.Success or failure is dependent upon whether or not you keep at it: Babe Ruth said, “Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.” Like it or not failure is the very engine of success, moving us one step closer to a successful conclusion. Of course, this also means that you have to keep going and not quit in attempting to achieve your goal.Sometimes failure simply means changing direction: Ben Cohen & Jerry Greenfield were a couple of guys that had completely different directions for their lives and still managed to become admirably successful. Mr Ben Cohen dropped out of college, while Mr Jerry Greenfield failed to get into medical school, and both managed to become and remain wildly successful.
36 September 2020
Meeting with GodA woman was strolling through a shopping mall when she noticed a poster announcing a new flower shop. When she went in, she got a shock; she saw no vases, no
arrangements, and it was God in person who stood behind the counter.
“You can ask for whatever you want,” said God.“I want to be happy. I want peace, money, the capacity
to understand. I want to go to heaven when I die. And I want all these to be granted to my friends too.”
God opened a few pots that were on the shelf behind him, removed some grains from inside, and handed them to the woman. “Here, we have the seeds”, He said. “Begin to plant them, because here we don’t sell the fruits.”
All of us have an inborn desire to be happy. All the money in the world will not buy happiness. Happiness is to be sought for from within oneself.
— MK PaulSSSSS SSSSS SSSSS
Our prayers have no expiration date. You never know when, where, or how God will answer.
— AnonymousSSSSS SSSSS SSSSS
God can handle your doubt, anger, fear, grief, confusion, and questions. You can bring everything to him in prayer.
— Rick Warren
SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT
September 2020 37
FASCINATING FACTS
Fascinating Facts about Sharks
) Sharks kill about 12 humans per year while people kill 11,417 sharks per hour.
) Whale sharks can live up to 100 years.
) Sharks have an astounding sense of smell, so powerful that they can detect a single drop of blood in an Olympic sized pool.
) Sharks will sink if they stop swimming.
) New Yorkers bite ten times more people than sharks do worldwide.
) You are more likely to die from a falling coconut than from a shark attack.
) Sharks can be introverts or extroverts.
) There is a shark in Greenland that eats polar bears and can live up to 200 years.
) As soon as Tiger shark embryos develop teeth, they attack and eat each other in the womb.
) Great white sharks can go for months without eating.
) Sharks can grow a new set of teeth in eight days.
) Playing dead will help you survive a shark attack.
) The outside of shark teeth is made up of fluoride, the active component of most tooth pastes, so sharks never get cavities.
) Sharks have survived five mass extinctions.
38 September 2020
SHARPEN YOUR MIND
1. What question can you never answer yes to?2. What can you break, even if you never pick it up or
touch it?3. What can you keep after giving to someone?4. I shave every day, but my beard stays the same. What
am I?5. The more of this there is, the less you see. What is it?6. If you’re running in a race and you pass the person in
second place, what place are you in?7. I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become
even. What number am I?8. The day before yesterday I was 21, and next year I will
be 24. When is my birthday?
1. Are you asleep yet?
2. A promise
3. Your word
4. A barber
5. Darkness
6. Second place
7. Seven
8. December 31; today is January 1
September 2020 39
TIPS FOR PERSONAL GROWTH
Steps to Create Happiness1. Be impeccable with your word: Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Speak from your heart and commit to spoken words. Avoid speaking against yourself or to gossip about others.2. Don’t take anything personally: Nothing others do is because of you. What others do or say is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering. 3. Don’t make assumptions: Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. Don’t assume things as they appear.4. Always do your best: Your best is going to change from moment to moment. It will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Be true to yourself and admit when not doing your best. Under any circumstance, simply do your best and you will avoid self-judgement, self-abuse and regret.
— AnonymousMMMM MMMM MMMM
Advice from a sunflower: Be bright, sunny and positive. Spread seeds of happiness. Rise, shine and hold your head high.
— Anonymous
40 September 2020
THE LEGEND’S WAY
Dr A.P.J Abdul Kalam was a scientist and administrator who served India as her eleventh President. He was a man of mission and vision who inspired millions of people, more particulary children,
with his down-to-earth lifestyle, modesty and humanism. As a great humanitarian, he extended his knowledge of science and space technology to help disabled children, replacing their 3-kg metal supporters with light braces made of carbon weighing just 300 grams.
Akio Morita: He was the co-founder of Sony Company along with Masaru Ibuka. Sony’s first product was a rice cooker that unfortunately didn’t cook rice so much as burn it! He sold less than 100 units. This first set back didn’t stop Morita and his partners as they pushed forward to create a multi-billion dollar company.
Carl Lewis was a former track and field athlete and United Nation’s Goodwill Ambassador, who won ten Olympic medals including nine gold. After he won the gold medal for the long jump in 1996
Olympic games, he was asked as to what he attributed his longevity, having competed for almost 20 years. He said, “Remembering that you have both wins and losses along the way, I don’t take either one too seriously.”
September 2020 41
IN A NUTSHELL
You Are Worth It! 9 Do not undermine your worth by comparing yourself
with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.
9 Do not set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you.
9 Do not take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless.
9 Do not let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past nor for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.
9 Do not give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying. It is a fragile thread that binds us to each other.
9 Do not be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.
9 Do not shut love out of your life by saying it is impossible to find. The quickest way to receive love is to give love; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly.
9 Do not dismiss your dreams. To be without dreams is to be without hope; to be without hope is to be without purpose.
9 Do not run through life so fast that you forget not only where you have been, but also where you are going. Life is not a race, but a journey to be savoured each step of the way.
42 September 2020
SOMETHING TO THINK OF
Lessons from a Dog ) When loved ones come home,
always run to greet them. ) Never pass up the opportunity to
go for a joyride. ) Allow the experience of fresh air
and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy. ) When it’s in your best interest practise obedience. ) Let others know when they’ve invaded your territory. ) Take naps and stretch before rising. ) Run, romp and play daily. ) Thrive on attention and let people touch you. ) Avoid biting, when a simple growl will do. ) On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass. ) On hot days, drink lots of water and lay under a shady
tree. ) When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire
body. ) No matter how often you’re scolded, don’t buy into the
guilt thing and pout ... run right back and make friends. ) Delight in the simple joy of a long walk. ) Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have
had enough. ) Be loyal. ) Never pretend to be something you’re not. ) If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it. ) When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close
by and nuzzle them gently.— Anonymous
September 2020 43
MUSINGS
The Law of the Garbage TruckOne day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes and missed the other car by just centimetres! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling.
My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. So I asked, ‘Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!’ This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, ‘The Law of the Garbage Truck.’
He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage such as frustration, anger and disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they’ll dump it on you. So don’t take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don’t take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home or on the streets. The bottom line is that happy people do not let garbage trucks take over their day.
Life’s too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so love the people who treat you right and pray for the ones who don’t. Life is ten per cent what you make it and ninety per cent how you take it, so have a blessed and garbage-free day. — Anonymous
44 September 2020
See It ThroughWhen you’re up against a trouble, meet it squarely, face to face.Lift your chin and set your shoulders, plant your feet and take a brace.When it’s vain to try to dodge it, do the best that you can do.You may fail, but you may conquer, see it through!Black may be the clouds about you and your future may seem grim.But don’t let your nerve desert you; keep yourself in fighting trim.If the worst is bound to happen, in spite of all that you can do,Running from it will not save you, see it through!Even hope may seem but futile, when with troubles you’re beset. — Edgar A. Guest
G G G G GAttitude
The longer I live, the more I realise the impact of attitude on life. It is more important than education, money, circumstances, failures, successes and whatever anyone might say or do. It is more important than appearances, giftedness or skill. The remarkable thing is that we have the choice to create the attitude we have for that day.
We cannot change our past. We cannot change the way people act. We cannot change the inevitable. The one thing we can change is the only thing we have control over, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what actually happens to us and 90% how we react to it.
— Charles Swindoll
THE POWER OF POSITIVITY
September 2020 45
SOCIAL MEDIA AND YOU
Make Yourself Available to OthersSocial media is a personal experience. It’s about relationships. It’s about people. It’s about being present as yourself and connecting with those you care about. That means being there when you are needed.
Many social media users see social media as a lecture podium. They stand up, share what they have to say, and leave. In other words, they log onto their social channels, they peek through the social news others are sharing, they post their latest rants, and then they log off. Sometimes they don’t even look at their friends’ news but rather hop on, post, and leave.
Your friends on the social media are your friends because they want you in their lives. They want you to share in their everyday comings and goings, even if you’re far away. So that means that you need to be there. That begins simply with being present while you’re on social media and beginning to see that you are part of a conversation rather than a lecture. Then it’s about recognizing when your friends really need you when you see what they’re posting. Respond to their posts or send private messages letting them know that you’re there when they need you. The more you participate in these relationships with your friends, the more they will be there for you when you need them most.
— Frances Learyvvvv vvvv vvvv
If you are capable, but not available, nature will raise a person with lesser ability to replace you soon. ― Israelmore Ayivor
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