As they rightly put it ..

I am quoting the following words from the book 'The last lecture', 2007. Very true and inspiring and it covers almost everything in such simple words, but conveys messages of great depth !

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR LIFE:

Personality:
1. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
2. Don't have negative thoughts of things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment
3. Don't over do; keep your limits
4. Don't take yourself so seriously; no one else does
5. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip
6. Dream more while you are awake
7. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
8. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner of his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
9. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
10. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present
11. No one is in charge of your happiness except you
12. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.
Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
13. Smile and laugh more
14. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Community:
15. Call your family often
16. Each day give something good to others
17. Forgive everyone for everything
18. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6
19. Try to make at least three people smile each day
20. What other people think of you is none of your business
21. Your job will not take care of you when you are sick. Your family and friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:
22. Put GOD first in anything and everything that you think, say and do.
23. GOD heals everything
24. Do the right things
25. However good or bad a situation is, it will change
26. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up
27. The best is yet to come
28. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful
29. When you’re awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it
30. If you know GOD you will always be happy. So, be happy. 


I also was inspired by the following words. Read on ...


-When God takes away something from your hands,Don't think He is punishing you!He is just leaving you empty handed to receive something better!


-You don't know how strong you are, until being strong is the only option you have !
Have a blessed day .. from me with luv

Good ol' days

Remember cycling to school, in the traffic, with the uniform and braided hair .. what chaos during those days .. amma cooking, maid cleaning, appa shaving, sis1 bathing, sis2 still sleeping, and me eating breakfast .. seeing the tv or hearing the radio .. fun days really

i remember my best friend Rupali in 1st grade, she refused to eat and her mom called my mom, and said only if varshini eats rupali will eat . .so please make varshini eat .. wow ~~ I have since lost contact with her, hopefully i will bump into her someday. 1st thru 4th grades amma came to school and gave lunch to me, and a group of girlfriends sat under a tree on the playground and ate.

4th and 5th grades were so playful. running around and giggling with the girls, fighting with the boys, preparing for that 100 meters race for sports day, mass drills etc etc ... amma used to force me to study every day LOL

8th grade meant change - new school, teenage emotions bla bla .. opened a whole new door. I remember it was holi day, and the school banned colors inside the school campus and we were waiting for the evening bell, and changed t shirts, and started playing holi. This was the time i started playing throwball for the school team .. we did tournaments, it was team play. just masti and fun. i used to share with my friends my new nail polish, we used to cycle to home together .. I had a hero ranger, I used to cycle with both hands free .. donno how i did it, but I sure did LOL

High school was mostly academics .. many friends left CBSE for state board. But I stayed put in CBSE, which meant most of my friends moved away to differernt schools .. It felt so new, so strange, so different, to adapt and start afresh among new classmates. It was not the most pleasant experience I've had, but nothing to complain about. The funny thing I realize now, is that we still had to wear skirt and shirt to school, while most other schools went with more traditional uniforms. I remember the paatu class (music class) that we 3 sisters used to go to, as triples on kinetic honda ... we used to practise singing at home too.

College was a new chapter, as with everyone else, with me as well. I was a pretty and petite girl, brimming with confidence. I did extremely well academically, and stayed away from sports, which I was actually pretty good at. At school I was a fast runner, a good throwball player. First year at college, I remember I was in ' D 'section, we were a big group then... we have gone to cinemas, to beaches, to friends houses, to eat out etc etc etc .. fun days .. That was the time I really had a 'wardrobe' which primarily consisted of salwar sets ..

Second year of college onwards, classes were split based on our majors. This was another change. There was just one girl from my section (D) who came to my class now. She was the only one I had talked to earlier. It was a different feeling. Again it was a new start. I was all for it ! Excited ! Scared ! Anxious ! Conscious ! But I enjoyed it, i looked forward to my bus ride everyday. I boarded my bus at 7.40 am, and our route was along the coast, it was so rejunuvating every  morning, that fresh air, to see the waves, vast open areas on the beach waters, the boats and fishermen ..  it was a lovely feeling . It pepped me up to face everyday. Wow, I wish I could go in my bus no# 1 again.

One thing is for sure - Academically, I gave it my best shot and I was able to consistently remain the topper, and finally got state rank, which I sure am proud of, whether others acknowledge it or not :) :) It certainly is a feat, to be able to consistenly perform ! Kudos to me !!

Five quick years !

I came to this country five years back. I have learnt so many life lessons along the way .. I was so excited to buy my first flip-flop (slippers) for 2 bucks from Kroger. Hubby and I so exitedly selected a color that I liked. Fun times really. My first friend in this country - Sheetal, The first dish I made - upma, First trip - Dallas, so many 'firsts' to remember. Its amazing how hubby and I discovered so many things together, did trips together, learnt cooking, and the little things along the way !

We invested in two new cars almost immediately after we were married. It was a big step forward for us, but we believed in our decisions. I remember decorating our house with what ever little that hubby dear had accumulated up until then. Everything seemed new and fresh, with a positive vibration associated with it .. I remember my the surprise cake that my friend brought home for hubby's bday late at night, cutting the cake for my bday with just the two of us in our tiny apartment. It was so simple, yet so much fun, still so fresh in my mind.

Move from one bedroom to two bedroom apartment, and then dreaming about having our own dream home sometime became a reality when we took the brave leap forward and built our own home here in Houston. A spacious 2500 sq ft two storey house, that we were going to call home. We had so many things to look forward to, new friends, new jobs, new everything. At the same time, both of us kept growing spiritually, and kept our feet firmly on the ground.

Then came our blessing from god, in the form of a daughter. Life transformed, from the youth to the responsible. Little things didn't matter anymore. I only became more patient, calmer and more accepting of everything. Motherhood taught me so much.

Here I am, 5 years later, we have now got our green cards, and we are at a stage where we have the urge to get back to our motherland. Atleast the idea has got firmly rooted in our minds, and we hope to work toward making that dream and reality.