The past in the present

"There are no limitations to the self except those you believe in." - Seth

A person goes through lots of experiences while growing up and certain statements made by people around you is ingrained in your subconscious mind and does play a very important part in your entire life span. Messages like “Money does not grow on trees”,” Don’t be a Jack of all trades for he is a master of none”, ‘Never steal or tell lies”, Early to bed and early rise makes one  healthy wealthy and wise” or “you need to be pious and religious” and so forth. Have we at any point of time pondered about these statement or phrases at the present times.

Frankly I have always considered these statements as unwanted lecture being given by adults while I was young and at times I have been irked by these since it used to curtail our playing time or for the matter of fact a new toy not being bought. Looking back now I understand the wisdom imparted to us at a gullible age and knowingly or sub consciously has molded our very growth to what we are today. I thank each and every adults who have contributed in instilling these beliefs in me.

Today as a parent when I impart similar belief and thoughts to my children I see a similar reaction in them to what I used to feel when I was young and yet I keep repeating the same things over and over again so that these beliefs are ingrained in their minds forever. 

As long as mankind is there in this universe this would keep on repeating with each coming generation.

Intrinsic worth more important than looks

Last Sunday evening I watched a talk show in Tamil called Neeya Nanna (meaning-You or Me) and the topic for discussions was Judgment of a person by their appearance. Quite an interesting topic to be discussed but the quality of the discussions by some of the participants was much to be desired for certain incidents narrated by them were childish and irrelevant. One of the participants stated that though she has cleared the technical interviews and group discussions in company she was overlooked by the HR in favor of a beautiful looking girl who hardly talked anything during the interview. Other person said that he was overlooked for a job because of his skin color, the other stating because he was fat and so forth. Listening to many participants about their negative experiences  on being judged by appearance was the catalyst to this blog.

We are taught not to Judge others by their appearances and there is an old adage warning “Do not judge a book by its cover “and yet many people cannot help but submit to their first impression of a person in their judgment which is done within a minute of meeting the person. Appearances drive us and it affects every judgment we make. We are taught to look as good as possible so that we are judged positively in all fields be it for an interview or a social event. Yet intrinsic value of the person is what the people have to look for and that is most important. Looks may matter in certain job portfolios but then it is the knowledge base which would reap the benefits and in the present day scenario is difficult for a company to sustain by employing persons on their looks alone.

Judgment by looks is very much prevalent in the society and person not confirming to some preconceived notions are more likely to be rejected and experience problems, like mockery or even discrimination. I have heard of parents telling their children “do not associate with XYZ since he or she looks like a person of bad character”. A stigma is being attached to a person without even knowing the person. Recently was traveling in an auto and we witnessed an accident on the way and the auto driver stated that people who break traffic rules, jumping of signals are north Indians or similarly up north it is that Madrasi do not create any problems. It is wrong on both counts for I personally know of various instances both here in Chennai and in New Delhi where it was quite the opposite.

One of the panelist on the show blind from his birth has encountered mockery discrimination throughout his life span because of his disabilities and in spite of the discouragement he has done his masters has risen to be a principal of a College. His determination to excel and prove himself to the world stands out in the crowd and he said that “discrimination is the mile stone to his success”. I hope that people who feel discriminated for having been judged based on appearance do not despair or lose confidence in themselves instead raise up to the challenge and prove their worth in their field.

Your thoughts on this topics please !!!!!

Why is it me always??

Recently I was talking with a friend who seems to be going through tough times and he was thinking out loud as to why all problems of life keeps cropping up with him and his family. This made me think about this universal question being asked by human beings across all religions whenever they are burdened with problems on a continuous basis during their life time. 

Life is not a bed of roses for every being in this universe, for some it is always patches of thorns. It churns out so many hurdles in one’s life and after each hurdle you clear there seems to be the next one looming which is much larger and complicated bringing the person experiencing it crashing down again and it is at this point of time that one questions themselves……. Why me? The bitterness of having to face never ending problems which seems to come only in your path and not in those of your friends or relatives is quite intense leading to stressful life.

 I know few persons in such situations who blame god for having bought so much misery in their lives but then god is not going to appear before you and wipe out all your misery. A quote by Jewish Rabbi Philip S Bernstein comes to my mind “We have no right to ask when sorrow comes, "Why did this happen to me?" unless we ask the same question for every joy that comes our way.”  How very true is this quote… we never ever say “why me” when good thing happens in one’s lives. 

If you analyze the challenges being meted out to a common man in present day scenario most findings would lead you to shortfall of money in the coffers. But then having money does not mean it is the end of problems in one’s life… for it could be in form of health contingencies, employment, bereavement or for the matter relationships. I do believe that one needs to have definite plans and solutions to counter the different problems being thrown up during the course of life and then surely he/she would lead a contented life in spite of continued challenges.

A couple of proverbs that I came across sometime back strike a chord………… “Not to have felt pain is not to have been human “and “He that can’t endure the bad will not live to see the good “. No wonder elders used to say that there are good times in the offing after some rough patches in life.

Having said all these I would be a hypocrite if I say that I have never questioned myself…why is it me?? I have done it in the past and the answer I got was that … it is because it is your life.  Does this make me unhappy.. no,  but it does make me think of the various ways of resolving the problem or the solution to the hurdle being faced. I have had a very eventful life and I have lived through lots of upheavals successfully till date and I have no regrets.

Life is a great reveler!!!!! Live it as it comes and enjoy each day of it !!!!

Confluence of Medicines!!!!!

Most doctors I have come across in India do not live up to the Hippocrates’s oath (Ethics of medical practice written by the Father of the modern medicine). The main aim for  quite a few of them is to make tons of money in the fastest possible time since they generally tell that they had to spend millions of rupees to complete their studies and that needs to be recovered. One of the ploys to make money is to insist on unwanted test to be conducted on the patient since the doctor get his cut from the recommended clinic or from the super specialty hospital where the doctor is the consultant. Patients have no choice but to get all the tests conducted at an exorbitant cost even if it has been done recently as the doctor does not want to view the report of the earlier tests. It is because of this attitude I have developed mistrust against the people in this profession.

Couple of week’s back I was in for a very pleasant surprise when I visited a clinic along with my wife where she had gone for a vascular check up. Though she was visiting the clinic first time we had taken all other reports of tests done on account of osteoporosis and when we met the doctor who does the initial examination to decide as to which tests had to be conducted there, he wanted to see all the reports and on going through the same stated that most of the tests has been conducted earlier and need not be done once again….Further unlike other doctors who just view the problem stated by the patient, he insisted on going through the x-rays of the problems being faced by my wife … on questioning the doctor if the ortho reports are relevant to cardio vascular he simply stated that he needs to check the entire well being of the patient. It is rare to find such a doctor in present times and further he acknowledges the fact of English medicines limitations and hence his clinic has a combination of English, Natural, Ayurvedic and Holistic medicine. The test package involves consultation with all the fields of medicine mentioned. The aim of the clinic is to treat the patients only by medicines and an operation is just a last resort if it is not possible to cure. Hats off to the clinic and the doctors there ………. This experience does help me to regain my trust for the medical professionals and I sincerely hope more doctors try to practice in similar fashion…….I mean globally.

CRAZY IDEAS ….

While browsing the net I came across couple of news that was quite strange as well as shocking to general public yet the founder member are confident that their idea would click and become a success story.

First one is the news is of an invention in Wii technology – Video game urinal. The inventor of this game says that going to a loo would be much more fun and to prove this a trial version of the game has been installed in a London Bar.The visitors to the bar can play one of the three games every time they use the urinal. The game was designed to create a valuable media opportunity from the 55 seconds the average male spends while he pees just staring at a blank wall. There is an advert played before and after the game promoting a drink you can buy at the bar. At the end of the game, players are encouraged to post their scores via mobile to Twitter and to a live leader board so they can compete with their friends.The units will be rolled-out in selected venues across the UK in early 2012. 

OMG just imagine the status update by males on FB or twitter …….. I scored xxx in 50 seconds in the urinals try beating my score!!!! There would be an immediate uproar by women stating that discrimination has been done against their sex for they do not have any such games!!! Further still planning for a mobile urinal game !!!Lolzz

The second new is quite a recent one which was on Yahoo and it is about World’s First Sex School that has opened up in Austria. This school has been opened by a Swedish schoolmistress in Austria to teach the students how to be better lovers and the school offers hands on lessons in seduction and the fees is 1400 pounds per term. As per the headmistress of the school anyone over the age of 16 can enroll in the first college of applied sexuality and students must live in co-ed dormitory block where they are expected to practice their home work. She further emphasized that their core education is not theoretical but practical so that the students are better lovers…and at the end of the term qualifications will be awarded!! 

I wondering what would be the qualifications …BAS (Bachelor of applied sexuality) or MSM or MSF (Master of seduction of males or females) hahahaha

World is definitely becoming crazier day by day and there is no end to the weird imagination of the people around the globe !!!