I'm Sorry !

I feel "I am Sorry" are the most powerful three words next to its immediate competitor "I love You". Only a person who has the courage to apologise has the courage to love. Saying I Love You is easy, and saying I am Sorry is one of the hardest things to do.
Saying I am sorry, means, I was wrong and i realise that i was wrong. That is true courage and humility.
Saying I am sorry, means, you were right and i was wrong. That requires power and strength of character.
Saying I am sorry, means, I am willing to change. That is an attitude of a success minded person.
Saying I am sorry, means, I have a conscience and i still listen to my inner guidance. This one attitude has the power to keep you connected to the Lord.
Saying I am sorry, means, I forgive myself, and i seek it from you too.

The word "I" is used as a term of EGO, but saying "I" AM SORRY is one of the most egoless statements ever formed with the letter I.

My grandfather once said to me, if you havent apologised atleast once in a day, it means that you have not been sensitive enough to notice where you need to change, where you need to get better, or where you need to love more.

I am sorry, i took so long to post this blog ! I know you all have been waiting :O)

Lounge Up Your Home

I love hotel lounges, the ambience is great and it always puts me in a relaxed and creative mood. I would often catch myself visiting five star lounges under the pretext of writing my book. And one day, my mother asked me after taking a look at the massive coffee and sandwich bills, “What is it about the hotel lounge that invites you?” “The ambience mom, the subtle instrumental music, the flowers, the lighting and the service,” I said. Three days later when I came back home from work, I saw the centre table clear of all the clutter, and in the centre lay a vase with beautiful red daisies, Enya played subtly in the back ground, and puffed up cushions lay on the couch. “Let me know when you want some coffee and sandwich,” smiled my mother. That day, I sat home and wrote another fascinating chapter of my book, and I must add, I felt creative and relaxed.It’s so easy to create a change and make a difference in your home. What a gift and joy that would be if you could find creativity and relaxation at home. It is appalling how young professionals seek that comfort anywhere but home. It is evident with the busy lounges and coffee bars that offer just that right ambience to set you in the mood to unwind. You can unwind at home. That’s what a home is supposed to do right? And it’s cheaper.

Here are simple tips that can make all the difference and you would love coming home, just like I do.

1. Add some flowers, and make them colourful. Even a small vase with a solitary rose makes a life of a difference.
2. A scented candle goes all the way in creating the mood. The sight of the flickering flame, as in meditation is a great de-stressor.
3. And some nice instrumental music in the back ground sets the evening up. The sound of the waves and piano are known to have an unwinding effect on the human body.
4. If you can influence the lighting to be dim yellow instead of the energy saving tube lights, you will save much more in coffee shop and lounge bills.

Just these simple elements have such multi fold effects. It encourages family bonding, by reducing the television time. The soft music, and the soft ambience that the candle creates allows for conversations that are so missing in homes today.

So get going, pick a handful of flowers a couple of candles and dish up the music cd, dim down the lights and set up the evening.

My Dog My Teacher

For that matter, all animals and living beings can be our teachers. What is needed is the humility of a learner. A learner is an earner. All that we learn is evidenced in our attitude which in turn shows up in our personal and professional life. Having an attitude of a learner has contributed greatly to my success. One of the most profound learnings that soared me to success came from my dog.
I have observed that my dog has welcomed me with the same unfailing enthusiasm and excitement for the past 9 years, unfailingly and uncompromisingly. She is always happy to see me, even if I am out for 10 minutes. Now some of us have no reaction when our loved ones come home, others are even worse, they read out their list of complaints on the first sight of a new entrant at home. Imagine how it would be, if tonight you gave a warm welcome to everyone who returned home, Betty Style. Betty is my dog by the way. Imagine when your loved one enters the house, whether it is your son, wife, husband, you actually get up from your chair, walk enthusiastically to him or her and giving a warm hug say, “I’m so happy to see you.” Just this one attitude can go such a long way in personal success.
Another lesson my dog taught me is that when she needs to be loved, she comes and loves. No one can ignore a dog that wants to be petted. She has the knack of lovingly coming and sitting at my feet and rolling over. As if by default, my hand stretches out and strokes her. The lesson is simple, when you need to be loved, go over and love. Its so easy, walk over and give your spouse a hug or a back rub, give your son or daughter a kiss and a pat and watch the love return by default. I have never noticed a dog lying on its back in another room waiting for someone to come and notice and give it a belly rub. I have noted this trait in humans though.
My dog has taught me spiritual lessons such as not making an illness an emotional issue. When my dog is ill, she is quieter and allows the healing. And humans create the greatest rucass and emotional turmoil over an illness. I have found my headaches disappear faster when I was quieter and emotionally neutral. So many lessons and one great teacher – MY Kuttuswamy.

The Power of One

I remember watching the movie Dumb and Dumber. And i loved the character Jim Carrey played in the movie. It was this particular scene where the lady he was in love with, tells him that she is engaged. Jim Carrey, asks her "What are my chances ?" And she looks at him and says, "One in a million !" And Jim Carrey jumped with joy. A lot of people thought that it was really dumb. But i think it was really smart.
People think that quantity is greater than quality, but the exact opposite is what is true.
One is enough all by itself.
I was in Goa once and i was devasted to witness a bus run over a dog's leg. He was howling in pain and was bleeding profusely. It would not survive if he didnt get help. I immediately began to call Animal shelters and vets in Goa. My first call met with an answer, "Sorry we are closed today." Second call, "Your place is too far from where we are." Third call same answer, fourth call same answer. I made 12 phone calls and no one was willing to help. It was the thirteenth call that i was able to get some help.
The dog had one out of thirteen chances of surviving that day, and the fact that "one" was there, he still lives.
Never under estimate what "ONE" can do. The world has benefited from "ONE" Jesus, "ONE" Budhha, "ONE" Mahatma Gandhi and so many "ONE" people.
So Jim Carrey's character knew that as long as he had one chance, out of how many was irrelevant, he still had hope !!

Traffic as Stress Buster

Stress is a result of a cluttered mind and traffic is just an excuse. We all know that traffic exists and the infrastructure department is not under our control. Accept it.
We live in the rush age, where no one has time, even to scratch their head. So keep your time in traffic as your time. Use it to serve you instead of stressing you.
Imagine, if you could get 4 hours everyday to spend with yourself! That would be a dream wouldn’t it? Well, it’s time to make it true with these simple tips.
Anticipate the time you will spend bumper to bumper. Make a list of all the things that you wanted to do but couldn’t make time for. Now since I drive 2 hours to work, dancing and exercising obviously didn’t qualify. Chatting with mom daily for 15 minutes surely did. I always wanted to take singing lessons and doing a karaoke with radio definitely added to the fun and enthusiasm. I get to do some planning for the day in the car and even get time to jot down some notes during the long signals. I love meeting new people, so I usually slow down at pool a taxi stand and I have added seven new friends to my list by just offering a ride. I even do my deep breathing exercises from Hajji Ali to Peddar Road daily and that keeps my mind fresh and ticking. Believe me; my greatest creative ideas come at the free stretch on the Western Express Highway against the skyline on the Santacruz flyover.

Now, if I use my habitual lateness to blame the stress on the traffic, I am setting myself on a path to stress in every area of my life. Stress when practiced daily, becomes a habit and soon becomes our personality.
Traffic related stress is as illogical as planning a wedding of your car. You WILL meet traffic, use your time in traffic to your liking, traffic time can become rejuvenation. Traffic is and can be a blessing, which would allow you to evaluate your life differently. Your time is all you own, so how to spend it must be your choice. Don’t allow your attitude of blame to eat it up.
Time is life and both are moving on a countdown. Let traffic give you the opportunity to recharge, re evaluate, rethink and relive.

If God had a Voice Mail

(I loved this one, and wanted to share it on my blog)

We have all learned to live with "voice mail" as a necessary part of modern life.
But have you wondered, what if God decided to install voicemail ?"

Imagine praying and hearing this:

Hi! Thank you for calling GOD.
Please select one of the following options:
Press 1 for Requests
Press 2 for Thanksgiving
Press 3 for Complaints
Press 4 for All Other Inquiries.
Else wait for our Customer Support Executive.

What if God used the familiar excuse...
"I'm sorry, all of our angels are busy helping other sinners right now. However, your prayer is
important to us and will be answered in the order it as received, so please stay on the line."

Can you imagine getting these kinds of responses as you call God in Prayer:
If you would like to speak to Ganeshji, Press 1.
For Lord Hanuman, Press 2.
For Lord Krishna, Sorry He is on Annual Leave!
For a directory of other God's & Angels, Press 3.
If you would like to hear Narad singing a Bhajan while you are holding, please press 4.
To find out if a loved one has been assigned to Heaven, Press 5,
Enter his or her PAN number, then press the 0 key.
If you get a negative response, try area code 420 for (Hell).
Our computers show that you have already prayed once today.
Please hang up and try again tomorrow.
This office is closed for the weekend to observe a religious holiday.
Please pray again Monday after 9:30 AM. If you need emergency assistance
when this office is closed, contact your local Priest at your neighbourhood Temple.

THANK GOD, HE DOESN'T HAVE VOICE MAIL AND LISTENS
WHENEVER WE PRAY!!!!!

My Grandfather's Legacy

“We live in a dual reality,” my grandfather, used to say, “a world of opposites, but if you are clever and look carefully, there exists no contrast.” His words have remained in my personality and attitude. I owe my success for the legacy of wisdom he left for me. To share his wisdom with you is one of my greatest joys:
“Be always, strong enough to face the world everyday. But.. Be weak enough to know that you cannot do everything.
Be generous enough to those who need your help. But.. Be frugal enough with what you need yourself.
Be smart enough that you may not know everything. But… be trusting enough to know that you need not know everything.
Be wise enough to know that you cannot know everything. But.. Be foolish enough to believe that miracles do happen.
Be willing enough to share your joys with one and all. But.. Be willing just as much to receive the sorrows of every other.
Be willing enough to lead when you see a path others have missed. But.. Be equally willing to lead even when you are in the midst of uncertainty yourself.
Be willing enough to be the first to congratulate an opponent who succeeds. But.. Be unwilling enough to criticize another who fails.
Be sure of returning love and care when you find it. But…Be especially sure to love more those who do not love you, for they will change, slowly….even as you will.
Above all, be the best you can be. For this is the purpose of your being.
For it is HIS will.”

Try an Experiment

It was way back in school that we did the interesting experiments in chemistry and some of us did our best to avoid even those. But what a process that is. Put a few things together and then watch what happens. Study the outcome and write out your consequence thesis.
That lesson in chemistry can be a life changing process. Imagine if everyday I were putting things together, living my life as a process and day as an experiment and then being observant of the result. Actually noting the consequence and writing down my thesis or analysis of it. What an adventure life would be if I were to live it in the light of awareness. Everyday is an experiment anyways, we don’t know how things and circumstances will unfold and many of us live daily in ignorance. The spirit of “experiment” adds awareness and adventure, the two most potent elements of shaping up a quality life.
Simple experiments like taking a different route to office, and then analysing which route is quicker or happier, had added to my drive being more aware, than a monotonous routine. I once tried a drastic experiment; I disconnected the cable for a week to see the impact in our family. And what an impact it had, we didn’t get it back for almost 2 months. I must say 2 days were full of arguments and after that e repaired our family bond, went out for dinners, visiting relatives, or just walking.
I am going to go a step further and urge you to try experiments in love, experiments in appreciation, in gratitude and kindness, and you will be amazed at how the consequence and results of it will show up in your life daily.
Be a student of consequences, if you want a peek at your future, don’t go to an astrologer, just put together what you have been doing and thinking in the past few years and you will be able to see the result of all of that manifest in your current reality and specks of that welling up in your future.

Try an experiment today; design the life of your dreams. Try an experiment and observe the result of it unfold in your life. Let the chemistry continue.