Friday, October 1, 2010

Happy Birthday

How does it feel on your birthday ? Especially when you have " passed " so many summers ?? It is best to celebrate birthday amongst your friends and who can be your best friends other than the students, with whom you spend quality time and who always inspire you to do something better in life ? I happened to be in SIMS CAMPUS today, in connection with some correction of papers for Insurance Management ( a subject I taught there in this semester ) and guess what ? Some of my friends ( students ) wished me Happy Birthday . I was surprised , and when I asked " How do you know ? ", they told me" Sir, you can not hide your birthday. We are your face book friends. !!! " I was invited in the class , but could not make it as I was busy and Guess what ? To my surprise, one of the students Venkatesh called me up on my mobile and said " Sir, I have a surprise for you. " I said " What surprise ? " And to my astonishment and real surprise, the whole class sang aloud " HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU RAVI SIR" I was really touched by this gesture of the students ( my friends ) which I found to be very innovative. Since I could not make it to the class, my friends made my day by singing aloud and wishing me. What better way to celebrate birthday ? To a teacher or a faculty , the best respect that can be given is when students acknowledge their contribution and express their happiness, without any expectation what so ever. From my side, I wished them all the very best in life, and it would be my honor, if and when I hear news from them that they have reached their pinnacle of success in life. MAY GOD BLESS THEM ALL

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Live a life that matters

Ready or not, someday it will all come to an end. There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days. All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else. Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed. Your grudges, resentments, frustrations, and jealousies will finally disappear. So, too, your hopes, ambitions, plans, and to-do lists will expire. The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away. It won't matter where you came from, or on what side of the tracks you lived, at the end. It won't matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured? What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave. What will matter is not your success, but your significance. What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught. What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example. What will matter is not your competence, but your character. What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone. What will matter is not your memories, but the memories that live in those who loved you. What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident. It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

REMEMBRANCES

Had a chance to read an Obituary in Sunday Times of India dated july 25th 2010 and was very much touched by its contents. It is a birthday remembrance for a lady Beena, and written by daughter Crystal , Parents and other relatives. I was so touched by it that I could not help writing it verbatim

Here is the lovely poem, which I am posting with due respect to the departed lady (May her soul rest in peace ) MONTHS MIND SUNDAY TIMES OF INDIA DATED July 25, 2010 BIRTHDAY REMEMBRANCS BEENA 25TH July 25, 2010 TO 16TH August, 2010 One night we found you in eternal sleep; We tried to wake you up as we began to weep. But all lour pleas you could not hear; Oh, if we could have only kept you near. Away from the voices of those who went before, Who beckoned you to come to that distant shore. We find it so very hard to believe, That you have gone and we must grieve; We call out your name—you answer not, And we look for you in every familiar spot. Everything seems so strange and surreal, We ask everyday is it a dream or real ? Where are the soft brown eyes of affection ? Where is the laugher and talk of childhood reflection ? Where is the loving care when we were sick or sad ? Where is the generous soul for which we were glad ? Where is the forgiving and understanding heart ? Where are the bonds that were there from the start ? We miss all the little ways you showed you cared, For there were so many good moments we shared; Looking back on our life’s assorted scenes , We realized you taught us what love truly means; You were our trusted confidante and best friend, On whose loving support we could always depend. We look at your smiling face in all our photos; Memories flood our mind as we touch the mementos. From the happy times you and we have had. But now these bring tears and make us sad; For the time together went by in a wink, Life was not as long as we’d like to think. Sometimes memories bring comfort and make us smile, But there are times when grief takes over for a while ; Relatives offer gentle words and prayers to console, And tell us what has happened to your loving soul; Can it be true what they say of time healing grief ? Is it enough when they say death has given you relief? Can we believe what others say of a better place, Where our beloved ones rest in God’s warm embrace? We should be happy you’re free of pain and sorrow, And rejoice that you’ll always have tomorrow. How can we then be so heartbroken and selfishly cry, “Return to us from that peaceful place where you lie !” Now we look down at your name on a cold hard cross That says little of the loving light you have shone; It tells nothing of the wonderful person you were, And only serves to remind us of the painful loss we endure; But we know your kind soul wants no tears or pain, Instead you’d want warm memories and love to remain. Although we cry and stand grief-stricken by your grave, We promise not to forget the loving memories you gave; But still we miss you so very much our Beena dear, And your caring words we once again long to hear; Our heart’s only solace is one day we will see you as before, Beckoning us to come join you on that white distant shore. Wish you very happy birthday, we miss you