Keep the Spark

Inaugural Speech for the new batch at the Symbiosis BBA program 2008 © Chetan Bhagat

Good Morning everyone and thank you for giving me this chance to speak to you. This day is about you. You, who have come to this college, leaving the comfort of your homes (or in some cases discomfort), to become something in your life. I am sure you are excited. There are few days in human life when one is truly elated.  The first day in college is one of them.  When you were getting ready today, you felt a tingling in your stomach. What would the auditorium be like, what would the teachers be like, who are my new classmates – there is so much to be curious about. I call this excitement, the spark within you that makes you feel truly alive today. Today I am going to talk about keeping the spark shining. Or to put it another way, how to be happy most, if not all the time.

Where do these sparks start? I think we are born with them. My 3-year old twin boys  have a million sparks. A little Spiderman toy can make them jump on the bed. They get thrills from creaky swings in the park. A story from daddy gets them excited. They do a daily countdown for birthday party – several months in advance – just for the day they will cut their own birthday cake.

I see students like you, and I still see some sparks. But when  I see older people,  the spark is difficult to find. That means as we age, the spark fades. People whose spark has faded too much are dull, dejected, aimless and bitter. Remember Kareena in the first half of Jab We Met vs the second half? That is what happens when the spark is lost.   So how to save the spark?  

Imagine the spark to be a lamp’s flame. The first aspect is nurturing – to give your spark the fuel, continuously. The second is to guard against storms. To nurture, always have goals. It is human nature to strive, improve and achieve full potential. In fact, that is success. It is what is possible for you. It isn’t any external measure – a certain cost to company pay package, a particular car or house.

Most of us are from middle class families. To us, having material landmarks is success and rightly so. When you have grown up where money constraints force everyday choices, financial freedom is a big achievement.  

But it isn’t the purpose of life. If that was the case, Mr Ambani would not show up for work. Shah Rukh Khan would stay at home and not dance anymore. Steve Jobs won’t be working hard to make a better iPhone, as he sold Pixar for billions of dollars already. Why do they do it? What makes them come to work everyday?  

They do it because it makes them happy. They do it because it makes them feel alive. Just getting better from current levels feels good. If you study hard, you can improve your rank. If you make an effort to  interact with people, you will do better in interviews. If you practice, your cricket will get better. You may also know that you cannot become Tendulkar, yet. But you can get to the next level. Striving for that next level is important.  

Nature designed  with a random set of genes and circumstances in which we were born. To be happy, we have to accept it and make the most of nature’s design. Are you? Goals will help you do that. I must add, don’t just have career or academic goals. Set goals to give you a balanced, successful life. I use the word balanced before successful. Balanced means ensuring your health, relationships, mental peace are all in good order.

There is no point of getting a promotion on the day of your breakup. There is no fun in driving a car if your back hurts. Shopping is not enjoyable if your mind is full of tensions.  

You must have read some quotes – Life is a  tough race, it is a marathon or whatever. No, from what I have seen so far, life is one of those races in nursery school. Where you have to run with a marble in a spoon kept in your mouth. If the marble falls, there is no point coming first. Same with life, where health and relationships are the marble. Your striving is only worth it if there is harmony in your life. Else, you may achieve the success, but this spark, this feeling of being excited and alive, will start to die.

One last thing about nurturing the spark – don’t take life seriously. One of my yoga teachers used to make students laugh during classes. One student asked him if these jokes would take away something from the yoga practice. The teacher said  – don’t be serious, be sincere. This quote has defined my work ever since. Whether its my writing, my job, my relationships or any of my goals. I get thousands of opinions on my writing everyday. There is heaps of praise, there is intense criticism. If I take it all seriously, how will I write? Or rather, how will I live? Life is not to be taken seriously, as we are really temporary here. We are like a pre-paid card with limited validity. If we are lucky, we may last another 50 years. And 50 years is just 2,500 weekends. Do we really need to get so worked up? It’s ok, bunk a few classes, goof up a few interviews, fall in love. We are people, not programmed devices.

I’ve told you three things – reasonable goals, balance and not taking it too seriously that will nurture the spark. However, there are four storms in life that will threaten to completely put out the flame. These must be guarded against. These are disappointment, frustration, unfairness and loneliness of purpose.

Disappointment will come when your effort does not give you the expected return. If things don’t go as planned or if you face failure. Failure is extremely difficult to handle, but those that do come out stronger. What did this failure teach me? is the question you will need to ask. You will feel miserable. You will want to quit, like I wanted to when nine publishers rejected my first book. Some IITians kill themselves over low grades – how silly is that? But that is how much failure can hurt you.  

But it’s life. If challenges could always be overcome, they would cease to be a challenge. And remember – if you are failing at something, that means you are at your limit or potential. And that’s where you want to be.

Disappointment’s cousin is  frustration, the second storm.  Have you ever been frustrated? It happens when things are stuck. This is especially relevant in India. From traffic jams to getting that job you deserve, sometimes things take so long that you don’t know if you chose the right goal. After books, I set the goal of writing for Bollywood, as I thought they needed writers. I am called extremely lucky, but it took me five years to get close to  a release.  

Frustration saps excitement, and turns your initial energy into something negative, making you a bitter person. How did I deal with it? A realistic assessment of the time involved – movies take a long time to make even though they are watched quickly, seeking a certain enjoyment in the process rather than the end result – at least I was learning how to write scripts  , having a side plan – I had my third book to write and even something as simple as pleasurable distractions in your life  – friends, food, travel can help you overcome it. Remember, nothing is to be taken seriously. Frustration is a sign somewhere, you took it too seriously.

Unfairness – this is hardest to deal with, but unfortunately that is how our country works. People with connections, rich dads, beautiful faces, pedigree find it easier to make it – not just in Bollywood, but everywhere. And sometimes it is just plain luck. There are so few opportunities in India, so many stars need to be aligned for you to make it happen. Merit and hard work is not always linked to achievement in the short term, but the long term correlation is high, and ultimately things do work out. But realize, there will be some people luckier than you.  

In fact, to have an opportunity to go to college and understand this speech in English means you are pretty darn lucky by Indian standards. Let’s be grateful for what we have and get the strength to accept what we don’t. I have so much love from my readers that other writers cannot even imagine it. However, I don’t get literary praise. It’s ok. I don’t look like Aishwarya Rai, but I have two boys who I think are more beautiful than her. It’s ok. Don’t let unfairness kill your spark.

Finally, the last point that can kill your spark is isolation. As you grow older you will realize you are unique. When you are little, all kids want Ice cream and Spiderman. As you grow older to college, you still are a lot like your friends. But ten years later and you realize you are unique. What you want, what you believe in, what makes you feel, may be different from even the people closest to you. This can create conflict as your goals may not match with others. . And you may drop some of them. Basketball captains in college invariably stop playing basketball by the time they have their second child. They give up something that meant so much to them. They do it for their family. But in doing that, the spark dies. Never, ever make that compromise. Love yourself first, and then others.  

There you go. I’ve told you the four thunderstorms – disappointment, frustration, unfairness and isolation. You cannot avoid them, as like the monsoon they will come into your life at regular intervals. You just need to keep the raincoat handy to not let the spark die.

I welcome you again to the most wonderful  years of your life. If someone gave me the choice to go back in time, I will surely choose college. But I also hope that ten years later as well, you eyes will shine the same way as they do today. That you will Keep the Spark alive, not only through college, but through the next 2,500 weekends. And I hope not just you, but my whole country will keep that spark alive, as we really need it now more than any moment in history. And there is something cool about saying – I come from the land of a billion sparks.

Loic Le Meur’s Ten Rules For Startup Success

The Financial Times has a profile of French (now Silicon Valley) entrepreneur Loic Le Meur today. Loic is an accomplished entrepreneur – he founded uBlog (merged with Six Apart), organizes the annual Le Web conference and has now created Seesmic. So even though he’s French, his advice, when given, is worth listening to.

Included in the article are his ten rules for startup success. Reprinted below.

1. Don’t wait for a revolutionary idea. It will never happen. Just focus on a simple, exciting, empty space and execute as fast as possible
2. Share your idea. The more you share, the more you get advice and the more you learn. Meet and talk to your competitors.
3. Build a community. Use blogging and social software to make sure people hear about you.
4. Listen to your community. Answer questions and build your product with their feedback.
5. Gather a great team. Select those with very different skills from you. Look for people who are better than you.
6. Be the first to recognize a problem. Everyone makes mistakes. Address the issue in public, learn about and correct it.
7. Don’t spend time on market research. Launch test versions as early as possible. Keep improving the product in the open.
8. Don’t obsess over spreadsheet business plans. They are not going to turn out as you predict, in any case.
9. Don’t plan a big marketing effort. It’s much more important and powerful that your community loves the product.
10. Don’t focus on getting rich. Focus on your users. Money is a consequence of success, not a goal.

Brief Description of JAINISM

Jains are followers of Jina. The word Jina literally means “the Victor” or “the Liberator”.  One who has freed himself/herself from the bondage of Karma by conquering räga (attachment – deceit and greed) & dvesha (aversion – anger and ego), and expounds the path of liberation is called Jina. The teachings of Jina is called Jainism. Lord Mahavira was the last reformer of Jainism. The ultimate goal of Jainism is to rid of all karmas and attain the salvation (liberation – moksha). We attract the karmas because of attachment and aversion (räg & dvesha). Therefore, the path of liberating our soul from attachment and aversion constitutes the philosophy of Jainism. The fundamental truths of Jainism were preached long before. Jainism is one of the oldest religions of the world.

Per Jain beliefs, the whole universe is a self-regulated.  For living beings, his/her karma plays the important role. Karma is finest matter that our soul attracts based on our thoughts, speech and physical actions. Bad karma pollutes the inherent qualities of the soul. The bondage and deliverance of each individual belong to himself or herself. The experience of happiness or sorrow belongs to each individual and the experience is his/her own.  According to his/her past karma, his/her present fate is decided, and his/her future will be decided based on his/her present balance of the karma. When a living being eradicates all his/her karmas, he/she attains perfect knowledge, perfect perception, infinite amount of energy and permanent bliss.  He/she becomes omniscient and omnipotent. Every living being has a potential of becoming Jina  per Jain philosophy.

To day, there are about 6 million Jains in the world. We do not believe that there is a supernatural power who does favor to us if we please him. We, Jains rely a great deal on our own initiatives and efforts, for both – our worldly requirements and our salvation. Jainism as explained by Jinas (also called Tirthankars)  can stand scrutiny of reason. We do not have to believe in the things that do not appeal to our commonsense. We accept only those things that can be explained and reasoned.  We are master of our own destiny.

There are many ways to explain Jainism. Here is one of them. Jainism is known as the religion of Ahimsa (non-violence), Ahimsa of thoughts, speech and physical acts. In Jainism, our beliefs in Ahimsa supersedes all concepts, ideologies, rules, customs and practices, traditional or modern, eastern or western, political or economical, self-centered or social. Ahimsa (non-violence), Anekantväd (multiplicity of views) and Aparigraha (non-possessiveness) are the cardinal principles of Jainism. Aparigraha plays significant role in stopping the physical form of violence. And the proper application of Anekantväd stops the violence of thoughts and speech. Anekantväd is also called the intelligent expression of the Ahimsa. Non-violence in the center is guarded by truthfulness, non-stealing, celibacy and non-possessiveness.

One time Lord Mahavir was asked what is the religion from a realistic point of view. Lord Mahavir  said, “ the realistic religion consists of four parts: 1) equality of all living ones, 2) every living soul has right to put self-effort to improve itself and should not to be stripped off that right, 3) no one should rule over other living beings, and 4) all views should be viewed with equanimity – without like or dislike.” If one adopts only one of these four, other three will automatically be adopted.

Income Tax Section 80C, 80CCC, 80CCD, 80CCE

Section 80C. – Section 80C was inserted from assessment year 2006-2007. It provides deductions from gross (total) income for qualified amounts paid or deposited by the assessee in the previous year.

Main Provisions.

1. The deduction is available only to an individual or a HUF from the gross total income,
2. The deduction is allowed irrespective of whether such amount is paid or deposited by the taxpayer out of his income chargable to tax,
3. The deduction is available on the basis of specified qualifying investments/contributions/payments made by the taxpayer during the previous year,
4. The maximum amount deductible under section 80C is Rs. 1,00,000. Also the total amount of deductions under sections 80C, 80CCC and 80CCD is Rs. 1,00,000.

Gross Qualifying Amount for the Deduction
Following nature of payments are qualifying amounts

1. Life insurance premium subject to 20 per cent of sum assured,
2. Payment in respect to non-commutable deferred annuity,
   Deferred annuity deducted from Government employee (subject to maximum of 20 per cent of salary),
3. Contributions (not the repayment of loan) towards statutory provident fund and recognised provident fund,
4. Contribution towards an approved superannuation fund,
   Subscription to National Saving Certificates, VIII Issue,
5. Contribution to ULIP (unit-linked insurance plan) of Unit Trust of India and or LIC Mutual Fund,
6. Payments for notified annuity plan of LIC including New Jeevan Dhara, New Jeevan Akshary, New Jeevan Dhara I, New Jeevan Akshary I, II and III.
7. Subscription towards notified units of Mutual Fund or UTI,
   Contribution to notified pension fund set up by Mutual Fund or UTI,
8. Any sum paid (and accrued interest) as subscription to Home Loan Account Scheme of National Housing Bank or contribution to any pension fund of National Housing Bank,
9. Any sum paid as subscription to any scheme of public sector company engaged in providing longterm finance for purchase/construction of residential houses or from the housing board in India engaged in planning and development of cities.
10. Any sum paid as tution fees for the admission or otherwise to any university/college/educational institution in India for full time eduction for any two children of the taxpayer,
11. Any payment towards the cost of construction/purchase of residential property including payment of loan taken from Government bank, cooperative bank, LIC, National Housing Bank, taxpayer’s employer where such employer is a public company, public sector company, university or cooperative society,
12. Amount invested in approved debentures of, and equity shares in, a public company engaged in  infrastructure including power sector or units of mutual fund utilised for infrastructure,
13. Amount in fixed deposits of 5-years or more with a scheduled bank in accordance with a scheme framed and notified by the Central Government (applicable from assessment year 2007-2008),
14. Subscription to any notified bonds of National Bank for Agriculture or Rural Development (applicable from assessment year 2008-2009),
15. 5-year time deposit in an account under Post Office Time Deposits Rules 1981, and
16. Deposit in an account under the Senior Citizen Saving Scheme Rules, 2004.

Section 80CCC. Deduction for Contribution to Pension Funds -Section 80CCC provides deductions from gross (total) income for amounts paid or deposited by the assessee to any annuity plan of Life Insurance Corporation of India or any other insurer for receiving pension from the fund referred to in clause (23AAB).

Main Provisions.

1. The deduction is available to an individual who is resident or non-resident, Indian citizen or foreign citizen
2. The deduction is allowed only if such amount is paid or deposited by the taxpayer out of his income chargable to tax,
3. The maximum amount deductible under section 80C is Rs. 1,00,000. Also the total amount of deductions under sections 80C, 80CCC and 80CCD is Rs. 1,00,000.
4. Surrender value received is taxable in the year of receipt in the hands of the assessee or nominee.

Section 80CCD. Deduction for contribution to pension scheme of Central Government. – Deduction is allowed to an individual employed by the Central Government or any other employer on or after the 1st day of January, 2004, has in the previous year paid or deposited any amount in his account under a pension scheme notified or as may be notified by the Central Government. However, the deduction is limited to 10 per cent of his salary in the previous year.

Where, the Central Government or any other employer makes any contribution to the employee’s account, the employee shall be allowed a deduction in the computation of his total income. However, the deduction is limited to 10 per cent of his salary in the previous year.

If after claiming the deduction, any amount together with interest or bonus accrued is received by the assessee or his nominee in whole or in part, in any previous year, is taxable of the assessee or his nominee, as the case may be, if it is received –

1. On account of the closure or opting out of the pension, or
2. As pension received from the annuity plan purchased or taken on such closure or opting out.

Where any amount paid or deposited by the assessee has been allowed as a deduction under section 80CCD —

1. No rebate with reference to such amount shall be allowed under section 88;
2. No deduction with reference to such amount shall be allowed under section 80C.

Explanation. For the purposes of 80CCD, “salary” includes dearness allowance, if the terms of employment so provide, but excludes all other allowances and perquisites.

Section 80CCE. – The aggregate amount of deductions under section 80C, section 80CCC and section 80CCD shall not, in any case, exceed Rs. 1,00,000.

Realize

To realize The value of a sister Ask someone Who doesn’t have one.

To realize The value of ten years: Ask a newly Divorced couple.

To realize The value of four years: Ask a graduate.

To realize The value of one year: Ask a student who Has failed a final exam.

To realize The value of nine months: Ask a mother who gave birth to a still born.

To realize The value of one month: Ask a mother who has given birth to A premature baby.

To realize The value of one week: Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize The value of one hour:Ask the lovers who are waiting to Meet.

To realize The value of one minute: Ask a person Who has missed the train, bus or plane.

To realize The value of one-second: Ask a person Who has survived an accident…

To realize The value of one millisecond: Ask the person who has won a silver medal in the Olympics

Time waits for no one. Treasure every moment you have. You will treasure it even more when you can share it with someone special.

To realize the value of a friend: Lose one.

Single Kiss But Different Views

1. Prof. of Algebra : Kiss is infinity because two divided by nothing.
2. Prof. of Geometry : Kiss is the shortest distance between two lips.
3. Prof. of Physics : Kiss is the contraction of mouth due to the expansion of the heart.
4. Prof. of Chemistry : Kiss is the reaction of the interaction between two hearts.
5. Prof. of Zoology : Kiss is the interchange of salivary bacteria.
6. Prof. of Physiology : Kiss is the juxtaposition of two orbicular oris muscles in the state of contraction.
7. Prof. of Dentistry : Kiss is infectious and antiseptic.
8. Prof. of Accountancy : Kiss is a credit because it is profitable when returned.
9. Prof. of Economics : Kiss is that thing for which the demand is always higher than the supply.
10. Prof. of Philosophy : Kiss is the persecution for the child,ecstasy for the youth and homage for the old.
11. Prof. of English : Kiss is a noun that is used as a conjunction; it is more common than proper; it is spoken in the plural and it is applicable to all.
12. Prof. of Comp.Science : What is a kiss? It looks to be an undefined variable.
13. Prof. of Architecture : Kiss is a process which builds a solid bond between the two dynamic objects.

What is Religion?

Many people put great emphasis on rites and rituals. Because of this, some people think the religion is the thing of past; it is waste of time; religion is rigid and orthodox; it represents narrow-mindedness. Science has progressed beyond religion. Some people are worshipping. Some are reciting Mantra. Some are moving beads on a Mala (rosary). Some are singing religious songs. Some are visiting places of pilgrimage  like Palitana. Some are asking for rewards from god. Some want to improve their fate. Some are praying to go to heaven. Many activities like these are practiced in the name of religion. Is that really the religion? Answer is no, if there is nothing more to it. Answer is Yes, if there is more to it.

What: First, we should try to understand the true meaning of the religion. It is definitely not the business where you wheel & deal with the god. It is not the thing to practice because of the social pressure or to show-off that you are religious. The Sanskrit word for religion is Dharma. The meaning of Dharma is very own nature of the thing. For all living beings, the soul is the real thing. It means that “to see, to know and to realize” – the true nature of the soul is our religion. In other words, the laws of nature in the truest and purest form are the religion.

Laws of nature lead us to the laws of self-initiative and self-efforts. Without self-efforts or self-initiative, one cannot see, know and realize his/her own true qualities. That’s why Jainism relies a great deal on one’s own efforts and initiatives, and laws of nature. Self-effort can change our fate. Remember, our present fate is due to our past Karma.

Unlike other living beings, we, human beings,  have reasoning mind and capacity to think rationally. We have curiosity. We want to live a peaceful, happy and simple life. Since infinite times, human beings have been seeking answers to the questions such as: who am I? Who am I not? Who is God? Who made this universe? What is my relationship with the universe? What is my real nature? How can I achieve my own nature, my original form? Right answers to these questions form the religion.

Without personal experience, one will not find answers to these questions. Therefore, we have to depend on the great people, whom we call Tirthankars. They have experienced the answers to these questions. That’s why their words form the religion.  There are three ways to find answers to these questions: a) experience, b) use of  logic and c) our Ägams (Canonical Books).

By one approach, the religion can be divided in four parts: a) theology, b) metaphysics, c) ethics and d) rites & rituals.

a) Theology explains who am I? What is our true nature? Who is God?

b) Metaphysics explains Who am I not? What is the universe? what is non-living? What is the relationship between living and non-living? How can I remove impurities from myself?

c) Ethics explains how do we live our life? What should be our daily conduct? What and how should we practice? How can we purify our conscious mind?

d) Rites & rituals: This involves praying, adoring, paying our respects and  worshipping the Tirthankars. The real purpose of the rites and the rituals is to get an inspiration to be like them, free from attachment and aversion. We are not supposed to ask for anything from our Bhagwan.

One time Bhagavan Lord Mahaveer was asked what is the religion from a realistic point of view. Bhagavan Lord Mahaveer  said, “ the realistic religion consists of four parts: 1) equality of all living ones, 2) every living soul has right to put self-effort to improve itself and not to be stripped of that right, 3) not to rule over other living ones, and 4) all views should be viewed with equanimity – without like or dislike. If we adopt only one of these, other three will automatically be adopted. Notice that Bhagavan Lord Mahaveer did not say that follow what I’ve said or follow the Jain religion.

Why: Everyone has some concept about the best qualities, a human being should have. Each human being wants to reduce the difference between his/her qualities and the best qualities. For this purpose, individual puts in self-effort. That self-effort to achieve the best qualities is the religion. What are these best qualities?

The best qualities are the perfect perception, perfect knowledge, perfect character and unlimited energy. We are incomplete, we want to be complete. If we want to have best qualities, we have to believe that they are achievable. The process to achieve these best qualities is the religion.

The religion is meant for purification of our consciousness, to realize our own nature.

How: How to practice the religion? If you are looking for a simple answer, here it is:  “Whatever you wish for yourself, wish the same for others.” Bhagavan Lord Mahaveer said this. If we practice this simple message in our lives, all problems would be solved. 

Proper beliefs, knowledge and conduct are the prime factors for practicing a religion. Rites and rituals can have their place, if the prime factors are the main parts of our life. The beliefs and knowledge are like paint and brush, while the conduct is like a painting. Without painting, we cannot be an artist. Without proper conduct, we cannot be life-artists.

It is important to have right faith (beliefs) and right knowledge. Without right knowledge, it is difficult to practice the true religion. Without knowledge, we will not know what is right and what is wrong. If we do not know what is right and what is wrong, how can we practice the right religion?.

Do not live to know; know to live.  Knowledge is not the religion, practice is the religion. Good conduct is the religion. In our life we should look at happiness and unhappiness with equanimity. We should believe in possibility of truths. Even opposing views can be parts of one truth. Accept co-existence with others. Look at the good side of others. The religion is for self-improvement not for improving others. If each individual improves, the society, nation and world will automatically improve.

Other topics mentioned in the religious books that are not related to the subject of soul should be considered as local beliefs of that time. When a knowledgeable person talks to a less knowledgeable, he/she speaks the language of less knowledgeable. Therefore, the topics covered in the religious books that do not lead to the process of soul purification should be considered coincidental and of less significance.

Science & Religion: Science and religion both search for truth. Without experimentation and practice the truth  cannot be achieved. Science experiments and examines – sometimes with a force. First, it proves and then we trust. But, science has randomness. The research is mostly driven by material objectives. Science discovers temporary solutions for happiness. Science can be expressed in a language.

In religion, first we trust and then experiment. After successful experimentation, we experience the truth. There is no compulsion in religion. Religion seeks permanent happiness. The religion cannot entirely be expressed in words. The search for the realistic religion should be the ultimate goal of the science. Today, science and religion are complementary to each other. Someday, the science and the religion will be one.

Einstein once said “Science without religion is lame and religion without science is blind.” Every scientist has to be spiritual in his work ethics to do the best research. Einstein regretted that he could not develop a complete field theory. He wanted to include consciousness as one of the parameters. The field theory of Jainism includes Einstein’s field theory plus consciousness. Einstein believed in reincarnation. Einstein wanted to become a monk in his next life, so that he can know qualities of soul.

Summary:  Religion is for teaching the art of living. Practice is the religion. Self-effort is the main part of the religion. We must have right religion, guru and Bhagwan to follow. We must have right knowledge to practice.  Religion should be the integral part of the life.  Religion brings balance in our life. Religion is for enhancing the value of our life.

Irony of Life

God created the donkey and said to him. “You will be a donkey. You will work un-stirringly from sunrise to sunset carrying burdens on your back. You will eat grass, you will have no intelligence and you will live 50 years.”

The donkey answered: “I will be a donkey, but to live 50 years is much. Give me only 20 years” God granted his wish.

God created the dog and said to him. “You will guard the house of man. You will be his best Friend. You will eat the scraps that he gives you and you will live 30 years.
You will be a dog. ”

The dog answered: “Sir, to live 30 years is too much,give me only 15 years.” God granted his wish.

God created the monkey and said to him. “You will be a monkey. You will swing from branch to branch doing tricks. You will be amusing and you will live 20 years. “

The monkey answered: “To live 20 years is too much, give me only 10 years.” God granted his wish.

Finally God created man and said to him. “You will be man, the only rational creature on the face of the earth. You will use your intelligence to become master over all the animals. You will dominate the world and you will live 20 years.”

Man responded: “Sir, I will be a man but to live only 20 years is very little, give me the 30 years that the donkey refused, the 15 years that the dog did not want and the 10 years the monkey refused.” God granted man’s wish.

And since then, man lives 20 years as a man, marries and spends 30 years like a donkey, working and carrying all the burdens on his back. Then when his children are grown, he lives 15 years like a dog taking care of the house and eating whatever is given to him, so that when he is old, he can retire and live 10 years like a monkey, going from house to house and from one son or daughter to another doing tricks to amuse his grandchildren.

That’s Life. Is’nt it?

Celtic Astrology – Find your tree!

What tree did you fall from? Do you want to know? Find your birthday and then find your tree here. This is really cool and somewhat accurate, also in line with Celtic astrology.

1. December 23 to Jan 01 – Apple Tree
2. Jan 01 to Jan 11 – Fir Tree
3. Jan 12 to Jan 24 – Elm Tree
4. Jan 25 to Feb 03 – Cypress Tree
5. Feb 04 to Feb 08 – Poplar Tree
6. Feb 09 to Feb 18 – Cedar Tree
7. Feb 19 to Feb 28 – Pine Tree
8. Mar 01 to Mar 10 – Weeping Willow Tree
9. Mar 11 to Mar 20 – Lime Tree
10. Mar 21 (only) – Oak Tree
11. Mar 22 to Mar 31 – Hazelnut Tree
12. Apr 01 to Apr 10 – Rowan Tree
13. Apr 11 to Apr 20 – Maple Tree
14. Apr 21 to Apr 30 – Walnut Tree
15. May 01 to May 14 – Poplar Tree
16. May 15 to May 24 – Chestnut Tree
17. May 25 to June 03 – Ash Tree
18. June 04 to June 13 – Hornbeam Tree
19. June 14 to June 23 – Fig Tree
20. June 24 (only) – Birch Tree
21. June 25 to July 04 – Apple Tree
22. July 05 to July 14 – Fir Tree
23. July 15 to July 25 – Elm Tree
24. July 26 to August 04 – Cypress Tree
25. August 05 to August 13 – Poplar Tree
26. August 14 to August 23 – Cedar Tree
27. August 24 to Sep 02 – Pine Tree
28. Sep 03 to Sep 12 – Weeping Willow Tree
29. Sep 13 to Sep 22 – Lime Tree
30. Sep 23 (only) – Olive Tree
31. Sep 24 to Oct 03 – Hazelnut Tree
32. Oct 04 to Oct 13 – Rowan Tree
33. Oct 14 to Oct 23 – Maple Tree
34. Oct 24 to Nov 11 – Walnut Tree
35. Nov 12 to Nov 21 – Chestnut Tree
36. Nov 22 to December 01 – Ash Tree
37. December 02 to December 11 – Hornbeam Tree
38. December 12 to December 21 – Fig Tree
39. December 22 (only) – Beech Tree

Your Tree (in alphabetical order)

Apple Tree (Love) – quiet and shy at times, lots of charm, appeal, and attraction, pleasant attitude, flirtatious smile, adventurous, sensitive, loyal in love, wants to love and be loved, faithful and tender partner, very generous, many talents, loves children, and needs affectionate partner.

Ash Tree (Ambition) – extremely attractive, vivacious, impulsive, demanding, does not care for criticism, ambitious, intelligent, talented, likes to play with fate, can be very egotistic, reliable, restless lover, sometimes money rules over the heart, demands attention, and needs love and much emotional support.

Beech Tree (Creative) – has good taste, concerned about its looks, materialistic, good organization of life and career, economical, good leader, takes no unnecessary risks, reasonable, splendid lifetime companion, and keen on keeping fi! t (diets, sports, etc.).

Birch Tree (Inspiration) – vivacious, attractive, elegant, friendly, unpretentious, modest, does not like anything in excess, abhors the vulgar, loves life in nature and in calm, not very passionate, full of imagination, little ambition, and creates a calm and content atmosphere.

Cedar Tree (Confidence) – of rare strength, knows how to adapt, likes unexpected presents, of good health, not in the least shy, tends to look down on others, self confident, a great speaker, determined, often impatient, likes to impress others, has many talents, industrious, healthy optimism, waits for the one true love, and able to make quick decisions.

Chestnut Tree (Honesty) – of unusual stature, impressive, well-developed sense of justice, fun to be around, a planner, born diplomat, can be irritated easily, sensitive of others feelings, hard worker, sometimes acts superior, feels not understood at times, fiercely family oriented, very loyal in love, and physically fit.

Cypress Tree (Faithfulness) – strong, muscular, adaptable, takes what life has to give but doesn’t necessarily like it, strives to be content, optimistic, wants to be financially independent, wants love and affection, hates loneliness, passionate lover which cannot be satisfied, faithful, quick-tempered at times, can be unruly and careless, loves to gain knowledge, and needs to be needed.

Elm Tree (Noble-mindedness) – pleasant shape, tasteful clothes, modest demands, tends not to forgive mistakes, cheerful, likes to lead but not to obey, honest and faithful partner, likes making decisions for others, noble-minded, generous, good sense of humor, and practical.

Fig Tree (Sensibility) – very strong minded, a bit self-willed, honest, loyal, independent, hates contradiction or arguments, hard worker when wants to be, loves life and friends, enjoys children and animals, few sexual relationships, great sense of humor, and has artistic talent and great intelligence.

Fir tree (Mysterious) – extraordinary taste, handles stress well, loves anything beautiful, stubborn, tends to care for those close to them, hard to trust others, yet a social butterfly, likes idleness and laziness after long demanding hours at work, rather modest, talented, unselfish, many friends, and very reliable.

Hazelnut Tree (Extraordinary) – charming, sense of humor, very demanding but can also be very understanding, knows how to make a lasting impression, active fighter for social causes and politics, popular, quite moody, sexually oriented, honest, a perfectionist, has a precise sense of judgment and expects complete fairness.

Hornbeam Tree (Good Taste) – of cool beauty, cares for its looks and condition, good taste, is not egoistic, makes life as comfortable as possible, leads a reasonable and disciplined life, looks for kindness and acknowledgment in an emotional partner, dreams of unusual love, is seldom happy with its feelings, mistrusts most people, is never sure of its decisions, and very conscientious.

Lime Tree (Doubt) – intelligent, hard working, accepts what life dishes out, but not before trying to change bad circumstances into good ones, hates fighting and stress, enjoys getaway vacations, may appear tough, but is actually soft and relenting, always willing to make sacrifices for family and friends, has many talents but not always enough time to use them, can become a complainer, great leadership qualities, and is jealous at times but extremely loyal.

Maple Tree (Independence of Mind) – no ordinary person, full of imagination and originality, shy and reserved, ambitious, proud, self confident, hungers for new experiences, sometimes nervous, has many complexities, good memory, learns easily, complicated love life, and wants to impress.

Oak Tree (Brave) – robust nature, courageous, strong, unrelenting, independent, sensible, does not like change, keeps its feet on the ground, and person of action

Olive Tree (Wisdom) – loves sun, warmth and kind feelings, reasonable, balanced, avoids aggression and violence, tolerant, cheerful, calm, well-developed sense of justice, sensitive, empathetic, free of jealousy, and loves to read and the company of sophisticated people.

Pine Tree (Peacemaker) – loves agreeable company, craves peace and harmony, loves to help others, active imagination, likes to write poetry, not fashion conscious, great compassion, friendly to all, falls strongly in love, but will leave if betrayed or lied to, emotionally soft, low self esteem, and needs affection and reassurance.

Poplar Tree (Uncertainty) – looks very decorative, talented, not very self-confident, extremely courageous if necessary, needs goodwill and pleasant surroundings, very choosy, often lonely, great animosity, great artistic nature, good organizer, tends to lean toward philosophy, reliable in any situation, and takes partnership seriously.

Rowan Tree (Sensitivity) – full of charm, cheerful, gifted without egoism, likes to draw attention, loves life, motion, unrest, and even complications, is both dependent and independent, good taste, artistic, passionate, emotional, good company, and does not forgive.

Walnut Tree (Passion) – unrelenting, strange and full of contrasts, often empathetic, aggressive, noble, broad horizon, unexpected reactions, spontaneous, unlimited ambition, little flexibility, very loving and uncommon partner, not always liked but often admired, ingenious strategist, very loving and passionate, and no compromise.

Weeping Willow (Melancholy) – likes to be stress free, loves family life, full of hopes and dreams, attractive, very empathetic, loves anything beautiful, musically inclined, loves to travel to exotic places, restless, capricious, honest, can be influenced but is not easy to live with when pressured, sometimes demanding, good intuition, suffers in love until they find that one loyal, steadfast partner, and loves to make others laugh

Corporate World

This is just a small story about changes in corporate world. You may not fully agree with depending on your role. But everyone shall find some degree of truth in the story.

What is corporate world?

Once upon a time a Washerman brought two donkeys. Let us say Donkey-A and Donkey-B. Donkey-A felt that he was very energetic and could do better than the  other.  Donkey-A always tried to pull the Washerman’s attraction over him by taking more load and walking fast in front of him.  Innocent Donkey-B is normal, so he will walk normal, irrespective of the Washerman’s  presence.

After a period of time, Washerman started pressurizing Donkey-B to be like  Donkey-A. But Donkey-B was unable to walk fast, got continuous punishment from Washerman. He was crying & told personally to Donkey-A “Dear friend, only we two are here, why to compete with each other. we can carry equal load at normal speed “.

That made Donkey-A all the more energetic and next day he told to Washerman that he can carry more load and even he can run fast also. Obviously happier Washerman looked at Donkey-B, his BP raised and he started kicking Donkey-B. Next day with smile, Donkey-A carried more load and started running fast. But it was breathtaking for Donkey-B and it couldn’t act that way, But the Washerman was frustrated, so he harassed Donkey-B terribly, and finally it fell down hopelessly. Then Donkey-A felt himself as a supremo and happily started carrying more load with great speed. But now the Load of the Donkey-B is also being carried by Donkey-A, and still he has to run fast.   For some period he did it  and finally due to fatigue he got tired & started feeling the pain. But Washerman expected more from Donkey-A. He also tried best, but couldn’t cope up with his owners demand.  The Washerman got angry with Donkey-A also and started harassing to take more load. Donkey-A was crying for long time and then tried his best. But it couldn’t meet the owner’s satisfaction.  Finally the day came when due to frustration the Washerman killed Donkey-A and went for searching some other Donkeys.

Its an endless story……….