As we wrap up the year 2004 (in the hours to come), there is a mixed feeling (as always). Been though a sea of changes, lot of good things to cherish in my pensive moods and quite a few bad memories that I want to erase as soon as I can. This is the case with a million other soldiers on this earth.
Also, the welcome of 2005 is not going to be amidst blasts and balloons in many parts of South East Asia due to the recent outburst of Mother Nature, but a quiet one with prayers in silence for the dear departed and the lucky survivors. I could only share this feeling as much as they do and hope that the coming year brings more peace and harmony.
Like to mention this note as the year 2004 speaks (thanks to Vidya for forwarding this to me).
"I have news for all of you.
I'm leaving by this month and won't be able to meet u again.
Hope u enjoyed being with me .......
If I had done anything wrong that hurt u ,kindly forget it.
Hoping u will always remember me....
Miss u all a lot,
With lots of regards
yours only,
Year 2004 :-)
Wishing you a GLORIOUS New Year "2005"
Have fun!!"
Friday, December 31, 2004
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
Conversation with an Auto-driver
I had to go to Koramangala to pick up some stuff. So in the usual manner, I called for an auto and got into it telling him to take me to my destination. After a minute, the guy struck a conversation with me. What ensued during the commute time was awe inspiring to me. I have managed to recollect most of the conversation and am posting it here.
AD: Where are you working?
Me: In a computer based company out here.
AD: Hardware or software?
ME: (Surprised!) Software.
AD: Which company and where is it?
Me: There is this company called Sun and it is there in...
AD: (Interjects)Oh! Sun Microsystems, Divyasree Chambers?
Me: (Surprised again). Aaah. Yes.
AD: How long have you been working here?
Me: 3 years
AD: Where did you do your college?
Me: Hmm..In the north, in a place called Pilani. There is an engineering college called...
AD: (Interjects again) And says, Bits-Pilani aa?
Me: I showed no attempts to conceal my surprise and said, Yes, that is the college.
AD: You must've got through campus interview right?
Me: Yes I did. It is surprising and also interesting to know that you are aware of all these facts. How come you know all this?
AD: Well, I have two sons. The eldest son finished his engineering in Computer Science and is currently working in ITPL in a start up company.
AD: My younger son is in the 2nd year and is also doing his Computer Science.
AD: My first son scored high marks, but since we did not have the money to send him to good colleges, he ended up studying here in Bangalore university.
AD: He is very intelligent and today he has made all of us proud by getting a job.
AD: My second son is also studying well and we are doing everything to provide him good education.
There was a sense of pride in him when he made those statements. He was happy and proud of his eldest son's achievements and younger son's progress. I was quite taken aback and was joyously surprised to hear about this man and his family. My curiousity go the better of me and I asked him;
Me: So why are you still driving the auto? Don't you want to quit and enjoy the rest of your life?
AD: (Indignantly)Who says I am not enjoying now? I am very much enjoying my life now. But I don't want to put additional burden on my son right away.
AD: He has come a long way to this position now. He deserves to have a tension free life for some time to come.I will earn to take care of me and my wife. The money he earns is for himself and his future. But, he has already taken the responsibility of providing financial help to his brother.
AD: My father was a day wage labourer who started working from 12 and worked till he was 70. He had saved some money and helped me buy this auto. He felt it was his duty to do that. But after getting the auto, he still worked as a watchman to take care of his expenses till he died. I want to follow his ideals and do the same to my children.
I was zapped. I couldn't say more. I felt elated. It was awesome to see such high and strong principles in this person. He started his questions again..
AD: So are you from Chennai?
ME: No, from Coimbatore.
AD: Where is your family?
ME: All in Coimbatore
And before he could ask his next question, my destination had come. I got down from the auto and told him that it was such an excellent experience talking to him and if there is anything I can do for his sons, I would be very glad to do so. I left my card with him after paying him the fare and bidding him good-bye.
It is quite an exhilarating experience to meet some people in our daily life who radiate so much of motivation. Achieving success is no walk in the park and all over the world there are people doing their best to overcome stymies reach the success milestones. This auto driver is one who has just reached one such milestone. My wishes and prayers for him and his family to see more and everlasting success.
AD: Where are you working?
Me: In a computer based company out here.
AD: Hardware or software?
ME: (Surprised!) Software.
AD: Which company and where is it?
Me: There is this company called Sun and it is there in...
AD: (Interjects)Oh! Sun Microsystems, Divyasree Chambers?
Me: (Surprised again). Aaah. Yes.
AD: How long have you been working here?
Me: 3 years
AD: Where did you do your college?
Me: Hmm..In the north, in a place called Pilani. There is an engineering college called...
AD: (Interjects again) And says, Bits-Pilani aa?
Me: I showed no attempts to conceal my surprise and said, Yes, that is the college.
AD: You must've got through campus interview right?
Me: Yes I did. It is surprising and also interesting to know that you are aware of all these facts. How come you know all this?
AD: Well, I have two sons. The eldest son finished his engineering in Computer Science and is currently working in ITPL in a start up company.
AD: My younger son is in the 2nd year and is also doing his Computer Science.
AD: My first son scored high marks, but since we did not have the money to send him to good colleges, he ended up studying here in Bangalore university.
AD: He is very intelligent and today he has made all of us proud by getting a job.
AD: My second son is also studying well and we are doing everything to provide him good education.
There was a sense of pride in him when he made those statements. He was happy and proud of his eldest son's achievements and younger son's progress. I was quite taken aback and was joyously surprised to hear about this man and his family. My curiousity go the better of me and I asked him;
Me: So why are you still driving the auto? Don't you want to quit and enjoy the rest of your life?
AD: (Indignantly)Who says I am not enjoying now? I am very much enjoying my life now. But I don't want to put additional burden on my son right away.
AD: He has come a long way to this position now. He deserves to have a tension free life for some time to come.I will earn to take care of me and my wife. The money he earns is for himself and his future. But, he has already taken the responsibility of providing financial help to his brother.
AD: My father was a day wage labourer who started working from 12 and worked till he was 70. He had saved some money and helped me buy this auto. He felt it was his duty to do that. But after getting the auto, he still worked as a watchman to take care of his expenses till he died. I want to follow his ideals and do the same to my children.
I was zapped. I couldn't say more. I felt elated. It was awesome to see such high and strong principles in this person. He started his questions again..
AD: So are you from Chennai?
ME: No, from Coimbatore.
AD: Where is your family?
ME: All in Coimbatore
And before he could ask his next question, my destination had come. I got down from the auto and told him that it was such an excellent experience talking to him and if there is anything I can do for his sons, I would be very glad to do so. I left my card with him after paying him the fare and bidding him good-bye.
It is quite an exhilarating experience to meet some people in our daily life who radiate so much of motivation. Achieving success is no walk in the park and all over the world there are people doing their best to overcome stymies reach the success milestones. This auto driver is one who has just reached one such milestone. My wishes and prayers for him and his family to see more and everlasting success.
Monday, December 27, 2004
A good deed for the day
A couple of days back when I was getting down from the bus at Cbe, there was this
blind man who got down too. He wanted to cross the road and so I just helped him to reach the other side of the road. He thanked me and said, "Have a good day"!
Today as I was heading towards office, there was this probably 1st standard kid who wanted to get to the other side of the road to get his auto, but the heavy traffic on Langford road was simply too much for the kid to handle. So I offered to help him cross and once in the auto, the kiddo said "Thanks Anna!".
Now, I am not writing this to blow my trumpet here, but just started thinking, "Can I consider this a good deed for the day"?. If yes, then would it hurt to do sth as trivial as helping some one cross the road be a good deed for a day? In our so called "busy" lives, we surely do not have time to spend even an hour doing some sort of social service though many of us yearn and desire to do so. In such cases, helping people in our day to day lives is surely a good deed and the pleasure we can derive out it can make us immensely satisfied. This is very much a doable act and I am sure many of us would've already thought about it and doing it. I am strongly motivated to do ONE good deed everyday in some form or the other. Are you?
blind man who got down too. He wanted to cross the road and so I just helped him to reach the other side of the road. He thanked me and said, "Have a good day"!
Today as I was heading towards office, there was this probably 1st standard kid who wanted to get to the other side of the road to get his auto, but the heavy traffic on Langford road was simply too much for the kid to handle. So I offered to help him cross and once in the auto, the kiddo said "Thanks Anna!".
Now, I am not writing this to blow my trumpet here, but just started thinking, "Can I consider this a good deed for the day"?. If yes, then would it hurt to do sth as trivial as helping some one cross the road be a good deed for a day? In our so called "busy" lives, we surely do not have time to spend even an hour doing some sort of social service though many of us yearn and desire to do so. In such cases, helping people in our day to day lives is surely a good deed and the pleasure we can derive out it can make us immensely satisfied. This is very much a doable act and I am sure many of us would've already thought about it and doing it. I am strongly motivated to do ONE good deed everyday in some form or the other. Are you?
Friday, December 03, 2004
Spelling Bees
I was reading an article in Times of India yesterday about how people have become pathetic with their spellings espy in the world of chat and SMS. The interesting part is that more than 60% of the people fumbled when asked to spell common words like "necessary", "immediate" " , and a few others (I don't remember them). Such people are termed to be "orthogonally challenged" -quite an interesting term.
Today, I got this forwarded mail which was quite a contradiction to the emphasis on spelling. Research has it that apart from the first and last letter of the word, the remaining letters can be placed in any random order and they would make perfect sense.
If you don't believe it, read the below lines for yourself and be surprised.
I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I wz rdanieg
The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at
Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are,
The olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit
pclae. The rset cn be a taotl mses and u cn sitll raed it wouthit a
porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by
istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas thaught
slpeling wahs ipmorantt.
If Lynne Truss reads this, she will surely have an heart-attack!
And finally, I did run this post through the spell check and it PASSED! ;)
Today, I got this forwarded mail which was quite a contradiction to the emphasis on spelling. Research has it that apart from the first and last letter of the word, the remaining letters can be placed in any random order and they would make perfect sense.
If you don't believe it, read the below lines for yourself and be surprised.
I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I wz rdanieg
The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at
Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are,
The olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit
pclae. The rset cn be a taotl mses and u cn sitll raed it wouthit a
porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by
istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas thaught
slpeling wahs ipmorantt.
If Lynne Truss reads this, she will surely have an heart-attack!
And finally, I did run this post through the spell check and it PASSED! ;)
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