Immortality - a short story

This short story by my 14 year old ( a summer assignment given by his mom), is a real eye opener. To what extent are we willing to go to achieve the elusive immortality or youth? 

The men fell to the ground instantaneously, followed by the clatter of blades falling.


“These fools are no match for me!” yelled a man wearing a black cloak, “I will never allow the King to have this, no matter who he sends to take this land away, I will stop them!” The rest of the soldiers just stood there in awe as three fourths of there battalion was wiped out within mere minutes, thinking-this man is not human. They ran back to their King to give him the news, they had failed in securing the land that belonged to a great swordsman named Kaiser, a land that was told to hold all his treasures.

The King once again sent forth an army to conquer the land. This time he sent an army consisting of archers, mages, and knights. The man in the hood was waiting for them.

The arrows, blades, and bolts of magic were all deflected with ease; suddenly a wave of energy escaped the sword causing everyone to fly backwards. As soon as it was shot another blast, this time a shockwave of wind, cut them to shreds. This time there was only one survivor, left alive to tell the King, that they had failed again. The King was starting to get distraught; he needed that land desperately but he was running out of troops, already half of them had fallen to that monstrous man. The King decided to send in the rest of his troops, as well as some mercenaries he had hired. He had gathered them all in the palace to give them a…motivational speech, but before he could start there was a voice.

“Oh King why would you sacrifice your entire army just for my land, the land of Kaiser – it just makes me curious,” said the cloaked figure.

“The land is not yours, and it shall be mine, as I will get my hands on the secret to immortality!” yelled the King

“Ha ha ha, immortality? Is that what you were after? Do you mean the Nectar of the Gods? I already drank it a thousand years ago. Who do you think I am, foolish King? I am Kaiser, the lands rightful owner.” The King just stood there in silence as Kaiser charged to destroy the army in front of him, until it was only the King and Kaiser left.

“That land holds no value to me, if you had asked I would have given it to you, but since you sent an army, it made my blood boil with excitement for a good fight. Now I take your head as a token of my victory. Before the king could protest Kaisers blade had already been swung.

Zen Quotes on Relaxation

1. No thought, no reflection, no analysis, no cultivation, no intention; let it settle itself .

2. Flow with whatever may happen, and let your mind be free: Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate.


3. Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are.


4. When we are unable to find tranquility within ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere.

5. Don’t seek, don’t search, don’t ask, don’t knock, don’t demand – relax. If you relax, it comes. If you relax, it is there. If you relax, you start vibrating with it.” Osho

Finding Faith

Who are we? We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a humdrum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more galaxies than people.

Carl Sagan.

This is a question whose answer is still a mystery to scientists as well as philosophers.

This journey towards spirituality comes with a price - your logical mind. Whenever you look at a situation or a person, you can either react instinctively with your heart or process it with your head. The dilemma for someone like me, who is basically a rational person, is that the more I predispose towards the mystical world of unknown, my heart and instincts get powerful and of course my intellect disapproves and resists the loss of control.



Surrendering to the will of God/universe, demands a certain blind faith. It is definitely not easy for me. In my quest for trying to find the happy medium, between science and spirituality, I see myself getting more attracted towards Buddhism and Zen philosophies. The concept that someone up there in the heavens is controlling my destiny or if I displease Him/Her or bribe by fasting or offerings, things will get better, just does not fit with my notion of God. I would rather practice compassion and love and develop a keen sense of awareness with the universe than sit and read verses that I don’t understand.





I know there are many who take their rituals seriously, read the scriptures and fast and its good for them. Just be true to yourself. Faith works only when you truly believe in it. We are all different and each one of us has different sensibilities. The paths may be different but they all lead to the one goal of peace and emotional well being. So, follow the path that makes you happy and gives you peace and brings a smile to your face. You can only give to others what you have, so find a path that brings love and joy in your life.

Lost in Tecnology

Isn't it ironical that in this age of technology and  instant communication, when physical distances have become irrelevant, relationships that matter most  face turmoil? In today’s world, where in most of our interactions we are either partially anonymous (phone), anonymous (chat rooms) or control what we appear to be like, it is not surprising that in personal face to face communications where openness and expression of candid thoughts are needed, we fumble.



We have become so accustomed to portraying how others want to see us that we tend to  forget to be true to our self. There is nothing wrong with it, except that when we talk about “real” relationships, it  creates a barrier which seems unsurmountable.When we are not true to ourselves, how can we be expected to be respectful and aware of people around us? What makes a couple who want to spend the rest of their lives together end up hating each other? Sometimes, of course it’s the circumstances, but many other times its just the inability to communicate your thoughts and feelings effectively.



Small grudges if not timely addressed add up and before you know it, some words said and some unsaid both leave a mark so deep , that the relationship despairs and is beyond repair. I find it very distressing when relationships that can be mended if given time to heal, just end up as disasters.



Communication is not just words, it involves your attitude, your body language and of course all the preconceived notions that are busy cooking up poisonous concoctions in your mind. Prejudices and presumptions definitely don’t  help – and believe me , more you know a person, more likely are you to have defined notions about them.


Don't ignore the discontentment, the hurt -express by writing if verbal communication is not your strong point. Whatever you do, clear the air before a small misunderstanding destroys something precious.

Introduction to tapping

This morning I woke up in a great mood, but before I got to work my mood changed, why because I let the things I could not control get to me. The bank messed up on my  account and I couldn't get it fixed until they opened. Like everyone else I got upset  and frustrated and all  of these things just caused a chain of negative reactions making me feel aggravated, off balance, ready to yell at anyone I could get a hold of.


If my day was off to a bad start , I assumed I should let others know that.  The more you feed your  negative thoughts, the more it grows stronger and before you know ,you have lost your will to fight against it. Not only does it affect you mentally, but before I knew I was having headache, low energy levels and just feeling fatigued. That was till I sat down and realised, I don't have to own this feeling for the rest of the day. I can choose not to let one incident affect rest of my day. I control my thoughts and my feelings. It's not a pleasant feeling, being angry and frustrated and it was in my hands to let it just go and move on. Own it , feel it and let it go - and that's exactly what I did.
Yes let go shake it off. I have found that with  tapping I can release the feelings I don't want to own, and replace it with  feelings that I do want. Tapping is easy and  you can do it every day as many times as you need. It alows you to release that energy you just don't need or want. Tapping is great way change the feeling of bad to good. I will be talking about it more next time.

Have a nice day

 By Petal

Let it be

We all have unresolved issues - issues from past, that maybe involves others, issues from the present which we find it more convenient to ignore, in the process forgetting that it is brewing  poison inside. Identifying problems from the past is the first step -like it is said a problem well defined is half solved, the other half is accepting responsibility for our own actions. We are always in a rush these days and with all the talk about "positive" thinking, live in the present, introspection is treated with disdain.

I personally believe in living in the present, but then I also do resolve my issues from time to time. It is important to review your life periodically and address subjects that might bring up painful memories. In the process it is very easy to plunge into "self-pity " mode ,and this where the second step of accountability comes in.

The society today teaches us  a lot about our rights and privileges , but talk about accountability is smothered and faint. Accepting your responsibility in the events in the past - forgiving all , most importantly yourself is of prime importance. Forgiveness doesn't mean forgetting , it is simply accepting the situation for what it is , and choosing to let it go. Every mirror needs a wipe from time to time to reflect light and happiness. The longer you suppress and avoid your past, the more distorted the images will be . Believing that ignoring or distancing your self from it will make it go away is simply being naive. So be bold and embrace your past today !

Simple ways to simplify

Life has become so much more complicated now. Multi-tasking is the order of the day – not just for human beings, but also technology it is all about multitasking. A phone is not just a phone anymore – it has so many other functions, that it is amazing. I have had two senior customers coming in with a cell phone (a relatively simple and archaic one) needing help in placing a call. Its ironical the one thing that a cell phone is supposed to do, is the one that people find it hard to do.

Here are some steps to make your everyday life simple.

Make a list of things you use everyday for a week; these are the things that you “need”. For instance, I need a frying pan, a sauce pan, a pressure cooker, 5 pairs of clothes etc. The rest is all “want” and superfluous – store it in boxes for a couple of months – if you didn’t miss it, you don’t “want” it. Give it away - you will feel lighter and better.

Prepare your menu for the week. Take the list and buy grocery for the week – nothing more or less. I know it’s so much easier to buy more when you get special and discounted price for buying in bulk. Except for dry goods like rice, flour or sugar which come in bulk, the rest will only cost you more in the long run.

Purge your pantry, your closet every three months. Buy new clothes only if you are replacing old dress.

Make a list of things you can do for no money or little money- bike/walk in the park/drive and enjoy the sunset. The more you enjoy simple things, the simpler your life will be.


This is one thing I feel we all need to do. Make a list of “can’t do without “work list and a list of things that can wait or be done by others. For instance. Instead of vacuuming everyday, do it every second day - instead of cooking a full meal – make a sandwich or better ask the kids to do it. Flexibility is the key here.

Life is simple; we are the ones who complicate it. Let’s get back to basics and savor every moment without rushing and without complaining.

Victim or Victorious

Early this week, I was held up and robbed in broad daylight by a guy holding a knife. I don’t want to go into the details of it, except to say that with the effort of some brave strangers, that young fellow is now in jail.



Human mind is amazing- sometimes it just erases memory. I was astounded when I couldn’t rightly identify the picture of the culprit at the police station. None of the pictures looked anything like the image in my memory – a young kid (seemingly innocent kid with skinny knife.



There are two ways you can react to any situation in your life – put up a fight or be a victim. Sometime’s it is so much easier to be a victim –you can wallow in self-pity, and for a long time get sympathy (read special treatment) from others. I suppose it can get addictive to play a victim, maybe you might just start enjoying it and forget to move on because it is so much easier to just give in. When you identify yourself as a victim, you conjure up the image of a helpless damsel in distress waiting for a prince in shining armor to come and rescue you. There are some situations in life where you are indeed helpless – having a fatally ill disease, loss of a dear one, but the choice of feeling victimized or not is in your hands. You are always empowered to make the choice –be a fighter and be victorious or play the victim and slowly poison your life with self-defeatist attitude.



All of us have gone through the phase of feeling victimized - the problem is getting over it and moving on. The solution is in your hand.



A fighter on the other hand, will ignore all the wrong-doings, and plough along –sometimes ignoring or blocking the memories associated with fear or negativity, leading unintentionally to higher stress levels. Feeling empowered gives you the confidence to face any future adversities too.



We all behave differently, we all react differently, and we are all unique. Not everyone is aggressive or assertive to be a fighter, yet if all are aware that ultimately it is not what happened to us that shapes us, but how we react to it and that reaction is 100% in our control. We are more than our grief, and if we don’t let that grief or fear take over our thoughts, we can emerge victorious!

Women and Guilt

Guilt is the relentlessly cruel emotion that follows women and casts its shadow on whatever we do. Feelings of remorse are impressive when you are a criminal, but we women tend to go on a guilt trip almost as if it was part of definition of being a woman. I always assumed that it was an emotion more related to being born and raised in India – the cultural issue. Yet, the more I live and talk to women of diverse ethnic groups, the more I realize it is emotion that unifies women all over the world. I am still trying to figure out if it is in our genetic makeup or is it a learnt trait?



Here are some of things that I have observed that women feel guilty about .



1. Eating a chocolate bar: Okay, not all women feel that way, but, many of my women customers are so apologetic about eating a bar of chocolate, that it’s not funny. When did food become something that we have to be guilty about? I am sure enjoying a bar of chocolate without guilt would make it more enjoyable than fretting about the calories. And God forbid if you happen to gain a pound over the weekend.





2. Working: Being a working mother, I am constantly ridden by guilt, especially if I am spending my time away from my children. Every child is different - some demand more time and attention from you, while others are happy to be by themselves. As a mother, it is very easy for me to fall in the trap of being the perfect parent – healthy food, activities, providing all the frills (right toys, right books) and if you happen to fail in any one of this, you beat yourself up – at least I do. Right balance is different for different families and we need to accept that.



3. Not working: Expectations about a woman working and bringing the dough is high. There have been years when I haven’t worked and did I feel guilty about it! Of course, the feeling was still there when I started working, except now I felt guilty about being away from my children.



4. Being selfish: There are times, when I want to do things just to please myself, not for family or  for friends. It‘s very hard to get rid of the feeling of guilt for being selfish. I know its okay, but it’s a feeling that lingers around you.



5. Exercise: I feel so guilty about not exercising that I end up eating more chocolate to relieve myself of the stress that always is tagging along with guilt.  Yet there are times, you have to let go of this feeling that pops up your





All I know is that there has to be a way to manage this voice which pulls us down all the time. Eat your chocolate, work if you want to, don’t if you don’t want to; its time we took over this negative emotion and put it in its place and let our own opinion matter more than what others thing is right or wrong!

10 Favourite Quotes on Change

1. “The best thing you can do is the right thing; the next best thing you can do is the wrong thing; the worst thing you can do is nothing.” -Theodore Roosevelt


2. If you run you stand a chance of losing, but if you don’t run you’ve already lost.” –Barack Obama

3. “20 years from now you will be disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the one’s you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” -Mark Twain

4. Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” -Maria Robinson

5. “Use what talents you possess, the woods will be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.” -Henry van Dyke

6. All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another. ~Anatole France

7. The man who looks for security, even in the mind, is like a man who would chop off his limbs in order to have artificial ones which will give him no pain or trouble. ~Henry Miller.

8. The man who never alters his opinion is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind. ~William Blake

9. The man who never alters his opinion is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind. ~William Blake

10. Nothing in the world is permanent, and we're foolish when we ask anything to last, but surely we're still more foolish not to take delight in it while we have it. If change is of the essence of existence one would have thought it only sensible to make it the premise of our philosophy.

Quotes on Solitude

• Guard well your spare moments. They are like uncut diamonds. Discard them and their value will never be known. Improve them and they will become the brightest gems in a useful life.”  Says R.W. Emerson
• In order to understand the world, one has to turn away from it on occasion.”
  Albert Camus
• “A man can be himself only so long as he is alone; and if does not love solitude, he will not love freedom; for it is only when he is alone that he is really free.”
  ― Arthur Schopenhauer, Essays and Aphorisms
• The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.”
  ― Michel de Montaigne, The Complete Essays
• Many people suffer from the fear of finding oneself alone, and so they don't find themselves at all.”
  ― Rollo May, Man's Search For Himself
• “How much better is silence; the coffee cup, the table. How much better to sit by myself like the solitary sea-bird that opens its wings on the stake. Let me sit here for ever with bare things, this coffee cup, this knife, this fork, things in themselves, myself being myself.”
  ― Virginia Woolf, The Wave
• “How can you hear your soul if everyone is talking?”
  ― Mary Doria Russell, Children of God

The Benefits of Solitude

Lately I have been spending more and more time in my own company. My love affair with solitude did not begin of free will, but in the end I was the one seeking time with me. I am not an introvert, not by any means. I love people, but over the years, I have learnt to appreciate the time I spend with my thoughts.



Anyone who loves to read knows what I am talking about. It’s just you and the imaginary world created by the words in the black and white. You add color to the words; you can be who you are. If you don’t enjoy your own company, how do you expect others do?



Meditation, contemplation are the synonyms of solitude or more likely the by product of being in your own company. Human beings by nature are social and I can’t imagine living all by myself in isolation. Yet, I feel that when I spend some time by myself, no T.V, no music and at times no books – just watching birds pick food or the clouds changing shapes, it brings me closer to myself.



Here are some of the benefits of solitude – it can be 15 minutes by yourself (again no electronics), hours or days – it all depends on you



1. Contemplation: Contemplation is these days regarded more with contempt. Thinking too much or reflecting on issues is considered an impediment in this fast paced world of action. Yet, unless you reflect on issues, how can you resolve it?

2. Clear your head: When you don’t have to “talk”, or listen to other people’s voices, you tune into your own frequency and listen to your heart. Solitude gives you the opportunity to focus on “yourself”.

3. Be who you are: You are in your own company and just the freedom to be who you are, rather than who you should be, gives you a glimpse of what you are capable of. In our daily rush in life , with all the protocols, and etiquettes, the should do list, want to do list, have to do list, at times, its good to spare some to just be “YOU”. To accept yourself and love yourself is not possible if you are in other people’s company all the time.

4. Recharge your soul: We all talk about healthy body, but no one wants to talk about healthy mind and soul. It is very easy to feel isolated and lonely especially when you are always surrounded by people and “noise”. This is truer when you when you are going through a difficult phase in your life. Learn to enjoy your time alone – this is the strength building exercise for your mind and soul.

5. Happiness: Lastly, when you learn to be happy in your own company, none of the external factors will affect your happiness easily. Come what may, you would still have control of some source of happiness that no one else can take from you- yourself.

So, take some time off – go for a walk – without music, sit and have a cup of tea by yourself, or just watch the leaves fall –the benefits of solitude will dawn on you too soon.

Quotes on Fatherhood

1.  If the new American father feels bewildered and even defeated, let him take comfort from the fact that whatever he does in any fathering situation has a fifty percent chance of being right. ~Bill Cosby
2. A man's worth is measured by how he parents his children. What he gives them, what he keeps away from them, the lessons he teaches and the lessons he allows them to learn on their own. ~Lisa Rogers
3.  By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he's wrong. ~Charles Wadsworth
4. A father is a man who expects his son to be as good a man as he meant to be. ~Frank A. Clark
5. "It is easier for a father to have children than for children to have a real father."
   ~ Pope John XXIII
6. When one has not had a good father, one must create one."
   ~ Friedrich Nietzsche
7. "The father who does not teach his son his duties is equally guilty with the son who neglects them."
   ~ Confucius
8. "Any man can be a father. It takes someone special to be a dad."
   ~ Unknown
9. "My father was an amazing man. The older I got, the smarter he got," so said the writer Mark Twain.
10. All fathers are invisible in daytime; daytime is ruled by mothers and fathers come out at night. Darkness brings home fathers, with their real, unspeakable power. There is more to fathers than meets the eye.

Is motherhood overrated?

First things first - I am a mother - and love my kids unconditionally and have no grudges against motherhood, and in fact am more traditional in my lifestyle than I actually like. Yet, the more I read about motherhood, the joys of children, the more it makes me think, is motherhood really worth it and is it for everyone?




I see so many zealous writers writing and if I may say so -preaching about how to raise kids, that the pressures of being a mother really takes out all the fun and pleasures of motherhood. To those who have noted, I am using the word "motherhood", and it is quite deliberately too. Being a father is not a "biological" necessity, as is being a mother - at least according to society. Men don’t face the pressure of having missed out on something in life as women are Fatherhood is almost like the icing on the cake, if you are a good father, great but generally all the responsibility of raising well- adjusted and good citizens of the world is on the mother. In fact I remember reading an article stating that kids raised by lesbian parents (2 x moms) do better. Talk about pressures on a single mother!



I believe, motherhood like every other relation, every other commitment in life comes with its shares of joys and sorrows. People who think cooing and smiling babies is all there is to it are wrong. It’s a "better or worse" relationship where the onus is on the mother for relationship to survive. You will be 70 years, and can still expect your 45 year old daughter to call you complaining about a loss of job, or a broken heart. Just like marriage is not for everyone, so is motherhood. It’s just not fulfilling the need to nurture someone; it is a commitment for lifetime. The joys are boundless, but so are the pains. Every time your child hurts, you are going to hurt more, every time they lose, your heart will break.



The joys of motherhood are inexplicable, yet I firmly believe, it is just as natural to not to want to be responsible for another human being’s upbringing. Like most things in life, we tend to live our lives by the dictates of the society’s expectations, all searching for the mirage of a fulfilled life apparently led by our forefathers!

Some Funny Quotes

Maybe this world is another planet's Hell.- Aldous Huxley


Every day I get up and look through the Forbes list of the richest people in America. If I'm not there, I go to work.- Robert Orben

A stockbroker urged me to buy a stock that would triple its value every year. I told him, "At my age, I don't even buy green bananas."
I believe in luck: how else can you explain the success of those you don't like?”Jean Cocteauwo-

Wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy.
Benjamin Franklin

Always end the name of your child with a vowel, so that when you yell the name will carry.
Bill Cosby

By trying we can easily endure adversity. Another man's, I mean. -Mark Twain

Don't forget Mother's Day. Or as they call it in Beverly Hills, Dad's Third Wife Day.
Jay Leno

Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope.
Bill Cosby

Food, love, career, and mothers, the four major guilt groups.

Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company.
Mark Twain

He taught me housekeeping; when I divorce I keep the house.
Zsa Zsa Gabor

"He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends.”Oscar Wilde

I have a new philosophy. I'm only going to dread one day at a time.

Charles M. Schulz

I  didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it.”Mark Twain

Familiarity breeds contempt -- and children.”Mark Twain

I have six locks on my door all in a row. When I go out, I lock every other one. I figure no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three

I haven't spoken to my wife in years. I didn't want to interrupt her.

Rodney Dangerfield

I  was born in very sorry circumstances. Both of my parents were very sorry.

Norman Wisdom

One man's folly is another man's wife.

Helen Rowland

One picture is worth 1,000 denials.
Ronald Reagan

Recession is when a neighbor loses his job. Depression is when you lose yours.

Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die.

Having children makes you no more a parent than having a piano makes you a pianist. - Michael Levine

There are two things that a child will share willingly - communicable diseases and its mother's age. - Benjamin Spock



Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called EVERYBODY, and they meet at the bar.”    
Drew Carey



When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.”
Mark Twain



If you don't read the newspaper, you are uninformed; if you do read the newspaper, you are misinformed.”Mark Twain



If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.”Carl Sagan



Never put off till tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.”Mark Twain

10 Best Quotes on Attitude

These are some of the best quotes on attitude. Have the right attitude and love life to the fullest!

 1.We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are. -Anais Nin

 2. Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” ― Winston Churchill

 3.To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring. ~George Santayana

4.I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet. ~Mahatma Gandhi

5."To different minds, the same world is a hell, and a heaven." -Ralph W. Emerson

 6.If you are irritated by every rub, how will your mirror be polished? - Rumi

7. As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able remake the world -- that is the myth of the atomic age -- as in being able to remake ourselves. Mohandas K. Gandhi

 8.If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. -Maya Angelou

 9.The basic thing is that everyone wants happiness, no one wants suffering. And happiness mainly comes from our own attitude, rather than from external factors. If your own mental attitude is correct, even if you remain in a hostile atmosphere, you feel happy. -Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama

 10.When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.- Helen Keller

Gratitude

There are days when everything goes wrong - you start with a flat tire, you get late to work, get calls/letters that literally bring tears to your eyes - you get the picture. We all have days like that, where all we want is the time to just fast forward and put an end to our misery or just wallow in self-pity  feeling that  there is no light at the end of the tunnel. So what do you do? Take a minute or two, sit down and count your breath and be thankful for being alive. It is paradoxical, but being grateful  when you think you have nothing to be thankful for, is the only way to make things brighter and better.

Practicing gratitude everyday, trains you to get over moments and days when we are overcome with helplessness.  

1.Faith :Appreciation and being thankful for all that you have focuses on what you have and reinforces faith. Expression of gratitude brings harmony to your life, highlights the "haves" and diverts our energy from "have not’s”. I know it’s not easy to be grateful for your health when you are emotionally broken, but compelling your mind to focus on positive aspects of your life, creates awareness that your life is more than the problems and challenges you are facing.

2. Contentment : We live in an era, where social media encourages self-promotion, making it very easy to fall into the illusion that we lack more than others, giving rise to dissatisfaction. Appreciating what you have keeps you in check with reality and conscious of all the beauty and love in your life.  

3. Generosity and compassion : Genuine happiness is only possible when we are not just content, but feel that we have enough love and blessings, to share with others. When we feel blessed, we want to give , and develop empathy and  kindness for other people. 

So let us count our blessings every day- and be thankful for every breath we take, every hug we share, every beautiful sound we hear and every sunset that we see! 

Being grateful has meaning only when you do it from heart. Mean it - feel it and  see how it changes your life.