Category: Family and Society

Posted in Daily, Family and Society, Life, Personal Musings, Quotes, Reflections, Stories Around the World

Altering the Echoes

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.” Anais Nin

Working in an organization, one never realizes how much their actions and behaviour speaks out louder than the words they say. The former influence the opinion of others around oneself more than the latter. From a purely retrospective philosophical point, the behavior met to oneself is in parts an echo of how one behaves towards others. Although kindness should be echoed in thought, behaviour and actions at all times; one goes the extra mile to be kind to those who make them feel the same.

“All the people sent to us are our reflection. And they are sent so that we, looking at these people, correct our mistakes, and when we correct them, these people either change too or leave our lives.” Boris Pasternak

Source:https://vk.com/thesemagicmoments
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Source:https://vk.com/thesemagicmoments

While the tendency to put the fault on the other side of the fence is high especially when pertaining to wrong behaviour; the “why it happened” part may have something to do with what was done by the receiver of the deed some time before. True that people make mistakes and change over; but the consequence of the previous actions still leave an after effect felt sooner or later. To man up and face them, reflects the “new and real character of the person involved”. As one learns to correct themselves from the situations that mirror their own faults; learning to forgive, forget and accept the echoes returned helps one move forward on in life, making new memories and leaving clear and better footprints behind.

“Life is an echo. What you send out comes back. What you sow, you reap. What you give, you get. What you see in others, exists in you.” Zig Ziglar

Source:https://vk.com/thesemagicmoments
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Source:https://vk.com/thesemagicmoments

There is a story about a father and his young son who were walking through the mountains. Suddenly, the son fell, hurting his leg on a rock. He screamed, ‘AAhhhh!’ To his surprise, he heard a voice repeating, ‘AAhhhh!’ This made him even more curious. So, he yelled, ‘Who are you?’ Back came the same answer, ‘Who are you?’Feeling a bit perturbed by this response, he yelled out, ‘Coward!’ Back came the same reply, ‘Coward!’

He looked at his father and asked: ‘What’s going on?’ His father smiled and said: ‘Son, pay attention.’Looking across the valley, his father yelled to the mountain, ‘I admire you!’ The voice answered: ‘I admire you!’ Again the man cried out: ‘You are a champion!’ The voice replied, ‘You are a champion!’ The boy was amazed, but he was very confused. So, his father explained…

‘You are only hearing an echo, the sound of our voices bouncing back from the mountains. However, this really is how life works. It returns to you what you think, say and do! Our lives are a reflection of our thoughts and actions. If you want more love in your world, create more love in your heart. If you want to be treated with kindness, treat others with kindness. If you want more competence on your team, become more competent.
This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects of life. Life will give to you, everything you give to it, only it will give you even more in return. Your life is not ever a coincidence. Each moment is a reflection of you!’ The son listened and grew in understanding, and through the following years, he witnessed the truth of these words in his life!
Author Unknown (Source:vk.com)

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Posted in Family and Society, Life, Personal Musings, poetry, Quotes, Reflections

Reality….Over The Years

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“A person is formed by experiences. The past is a blind sculptor. To deny that artist his masterwork is to mock your own experience.” Jim Starlin

One of the biggest reality checks of being an adult is that one has to battle with a host of consequences, decisions, situations and regrets often moving along as a chain of sorts. At times, they may not be in one’s hands but a lot dependent as an outcome of the actions of others. Yet those actions incite the reaction in one, which has the drastic consequences. Thereby the cycle gets initiated and events set in motion.

“The truth is, we all face hardships of some kind, and you never know the struggles a person is going through. Behind every smile, there’s a story of a personal struggle.” Adrienne C. Moore

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Reality is, no matter how hard one tries; how careful or pleasant one attempts to be, there are bound to be many “ups” and “downs” in the short time that we have on earth. The way how one handles them and moves on, is what matters the most. While sometimes we may be able to figure out things or set a pattern; there would be never be a hard and fast rule that would ensure everything would be done by the right way.

“He who knows no hardships will know no hardihood. He who faces no calamity will need no courage. Mysterious though it is, the characteristics in human nature which we love best grow in a soil with a strong mixture of troubles.” Harry Emerson Fosdick

The beauty of time, is that it helps us to grow and learn from the past for the future. Mistakes or struggles, at times in a similar manner may happen time and again, but learning to overcome them makes all the difference. As proved through the tests of time over centuries and as history has shown man; eventually we will overcome and things would make sense at the end; as long as one never loses hope.

“And then things would be fine. Then I’d be fine.” Sarah J. Maas

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Life
As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn’t supposed to ever let you down probably will.
You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it’s harder every time.
You’ll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken.
You’ll fight with your best friend.
You’ll blame a new love for things an old one did.
You’ll cry because time is passing too fast, and you’ll eventually lose someone you love.
So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you’ve never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you’ll never get back.
Don’t be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin.
Author Unknown

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Posted in Daily, Family and Society, Life, Personal Musings, Quotes, Stories Around the World, Work

Of Own Niche

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“Don’t set your goals by what other people deem important.” Jaachynma N.E. Agu

Leafing through the high school year book and the annual school magazine, recollections of the younger days resurface to mind. From photographs with class teachers, medal winners of sports, academic and cultural snaps to the articles written by juniors, seniors and classmates bring out the nostalgia. Those days the aspirations were to be successful in life, have fun and do what we love to do.

“What we love to do in life”

Source:https://vk.com/slideshowarts
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Credit: Chris B.
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Source:https://vk.com/slideshowarts

Many a time, the daily grind forces us to be something that one doesn’t want to be, especially career wise. Whether it be an artist trapped in accounting, a writer trapped in the office network, a musician taking salesman post for a living; all these are required when one needs to earn their bread and butter. However, the gifted talents should never be wasted. Yet pursuing something that is completely out of one’s league is alarmingly dangerous not only to them, but to other colleagues. While attaining a basic education and graduation is important; let it not drive one to kill their own originality and become something that one never was. Each one is gifted with a special talent. While it may necessary to engage in the working network to earn the daily living; let those God-given talents never be wasted but worked on, no matter how small the progress be and let one’s work shine and speak for themselves.

“Every man has a specific skill, whether it is discovered or not, that more readily and naturally comes to him than it would to another, and his own should be sought and polished. He excels best in his niche – originality loses its authenticity in one’s efforts to obtain originality.” Criss Jami

Credit: Chris B.
Source:https://vk.com/slideshowarts
Source:https://vk.com/slideshowarts

Call him Johnnie Martin, a young Canadian boy. He was the son of a carpenter, and his mother worked as a housekeeper. They lived frugal lives, saving their money for the day when they could send their son to college. Johnnie had reached the second year in high school when the blow fell. A psychologist attached to the school called the young man, just reached sixteen, into his private office and this is what he said. ‘Johnnie, I’ve been studying your marks and I’ve gone over your various tests in motor and sensory impressions – your physical examination. I’ve made a very careful study of you and your achievements.’ ‘I’ve been trying hard,’ put in Johnnie. ‘That’s just the trouble.’ said the psychologist. ‘You have worked very hard indeed – but it has not helped. You just don’t seem able to get ahead in your studies. You’re just not cut out for it, and for you to remain in high school would, in my opinion, be a waste of time.’ The boy buried his face in his hands. ‘This will be hard on my mother and father,’ he said. ‘Their one idea is for me to be a college man.’ The psychologist laid his hand on the boy’s shoulder. ‘People have different kinds of talents, Johnnie,’ he said. ‘There are painters who were never able to learn the multiplication table, and engineers who can’t sing on key. But every one of us has something special – and you are no exception. Some day you will find what your special gift is and when you do, you will make your parents very proud of you.’ Johnnie never went back to school. Jobs were scarce in town, but he managed to keep busy mowing the lawns of the householders and puttering in their flower-beds. And then a curious thing happened. Before long his customers began to notice that Johnnie had what they called a ‘green thumb’. The plants he tended grew and blossomed, and the rose trees blossomed. He fell into the habit of making suggestions for re-arranging the tiny front-yard landscapes. He had an eye for colour and could make surprising combinations that pleased the eye.

One day while he was down town he happened to notice a stretch of unused land behind the city hall. Chance or fate or whatever you may like to call it brought one of the town’s alderman round the corner just at that moment. Impetuously the boy said, ‘I can make a garden out of this dump, if you’ll let me.’ ‘The town’s got no money for frills,’ said the alderman. ‘I don’t want any money for it,’ said the boy – ‘I just want to do it.’
The alderman, being a politician, was astounded to find anyone who did not want money, under any and all circumstances. He took Johnnie into an office, and when the young man came out he had the authority to clean up the public eyesore. That very afternoon he borrowed extra tools and seeds and soil. Someone gave him a few young trees to plant. When others heard of it they offered rose-bushes and even a hedge. Then the town’s leading manufacturer heard of it, and volunteered to supply some benches. Before long the dreary old dump had become a little park. There were grassy lawns and little curving walks and restful seats and little house for birds. All the towns people were talking about what a lovely improvement the young man had made. But it was also a kind of show window for Johnnie. People saw the result of his skill and knew him for a natural landscape gardener.

That was twenty five years ago. Today Johnnie is the head of a prosperous business in landscape gardening. His customers extend into neighbouring provinces. Johnnie still cannot speak French or translate Latin, trigonometry is unknown to him. But colour and light and lovely prospects are his bread and butter. His aging parents are proud of Johnnie, for he is not only a success – a man of affairs and a member of the best clubs in town – he has also made his part of the world a lovelier place to live in. Where ever he and his men go, they spread beauty before the eyes of people.
Source – Modern Parables by Fulton Oursler. First published in 1951

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Posted in Daily, Family and Society, poetry, Quotes, Reflections, Work

Deep Within

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.” Chinese Proverb

While stepping into primary school, the enjoyment of the preschooler or kinder-gardener child is at times, marred by the sudden fear of how will school be, will their pre-school friends be there and above all, will one survive. Similar emotions resurface on entering middle school and high school. During each step, there is a constant surge of excitement on attaining the next level, albeit marked by the shadows of fear. During the later high school years, choices, decisions and plans have to be made, on how one wants to shape out their individual lives. From then on, the daily grind involves a battle of fears and uncertainties in own potential as well as the world around one.

“Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you’re doing the impossible.” Francis of Assisi

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While attending the graduation of children of family friends, the emotions across many “graduated faces” all echoed the above sentiments. Looking back on own struggles, difference and growth in life largely involves believing in oneself. During the struggle for the better, emotions range from determination, intermittent fear and insecurity as well as hopes continuously flit in and out. The degree of how much one gives in to the “negative emotions” than the positive ones, all changes the outlook, the effort and ultimately the outcome.

“Turn your wounds into wisdom.” Oprah Winfrey

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Source:https://vk.com/slideshowarts
Source:https://vk.com/slideshowarts

Each individual has the potential to be better than the other at something or the other. Talents are unique in manner, form, presentation and outcome. While others may view facets of these; the entire picture is viewed by the individual alone. That alone makes the big difference for it settles the restlessness in one’s mind, body and soul. The journey in life moves forward by keeping all the senses in motion. For happiness, peace and contentment to touch one’s life, learning to conquer their inner world made of fears, temporary obstacles, insecurities and the like, makes the “better parts of life” attainable and worth every effort to get them.

“The pessimist complains about the wind, the optimist expects it to change and the realist adjusts the sails.” William Arthur Ward

There’s nothing you cannot do
There’s nothing to fear, you’re as good as the best.
As strong as the mightiest, too.
You can win in every battle or test.
For there’s no one just like you.

There’s only one you in the world today.
So nobody else, you see.
Can do your work in as fine a way.
You’re the only you there’ll be.

So face the world, and all life is yours.
To conquer and love and live.
And you’ll find the happiness that endures.
In just the measure you give.

There’s nothing too good for you to possess.
Nor heights where you cannot go.
Your power is more than belief or guess.
It is something you have to know.

There is nothing to fear, you can and you will.
For you are the invincible you.
Set your foot on the highest hill.
There’s nothing you cannot do.
Author Unknown
(Source: vk.com)

“The most beautiful people I’ve known are those who have known trials, have known struggles, have known loss, and have found their way out of the depths.” Elizabeth Kübler-Ross

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Posted in Daily, Family and Society, Life, Personal Musings, poetry, Reflections, Stories Around the World, Work

Risks to Take

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“Fire is the test of gold; adversity, of strong men.” Martha Graham

Decisions. Changes. Progress. Stagnation, growth or downfall. Uncertainty.

One of the innate emotions that human nature craves for is the feeling of contentment and comfort within one’s own zone. Making a slight change in those factors sets off the warning bells in the mind, invoking the fear of the change. By the time, the opportunity knocks and waits for the response; staying indecisive for more time than allotted results in the “chance walking away” with the possibility for it being lost for ever. On hindsight, regret bites and those stings hurt for long.

“The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.” Molière

SourcE:https://vk.com/veruj
SourcE:https://vk.com/veruj
SourcE:https://vk.com/veruj

Stepping out and facing what deemed difficult would result in the latter, being re-judged as feasible if one is willing to give every reasonable challenge or opportunity a try. Risks are there in the everyday life. From walking to the market for the daily shopping or taking the long car commute on the highway; risks are there in every nook or cranny. While at times we may realize, other times may be not so. When risks are involving a change from the comfort zone; grabbing the opportunity with both hands, especially if it centers around the dream goals in life, is better than looking back with regrets.

Risks are there in everything that may be achieved for the better. By avoiding risks and change; one may avoid imbalance, uprooting, temporary sufferings or sorrows. On the other hand, the better things of life which help one learn, grow and live to one’s potential is lost. Whether one would prefer being chained to the comfort zone or servitude, losing out on all freedom of emotions and growth; or would prefer to soar like the eagle, knowing when to fly down and catch the prey of opportunity, setting no boundaries to attained by aiming for the skies, is the individual choice alone. These thought all make the difference when deciding to risk the change or not. Life is all about balancing the change. Learning to do so at the earliest helps in the short time that one is allotted in this world that we live in.

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To Risk
To laugh is to risk appearing a fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out to another is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.
To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.
To hope is to risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing. The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing.

(Source: vk.com)

“We don’t develop courage by being happy every day. We develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity.” Barbara De Angelis

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Posted in Family and Society, Life, Personal Musings, Stories Around the World

Missed Out

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

In one of the recent birthday celebrations, one of the party games was to ask the blindfolded person was asked to to guess what was wrapped in the paper by feeling out the package through tactile methods. While some got their guesses right, many went way off track; which was the fun of the game. Introspectively one plays a lot of the “blind guesses in life”.

“Blessings sometimes show up in unrecognizable disguises.” Janette Oke

One of the perils of engaging the human mind is that it thinks way off track than the reality. When in a conundrum, the human mind brings more things to imagination than the reality. Consequently a lot is lost in life as one is too busy wildly speculating, instead living in the present. On the other hand, when one waits for events to unfold and see what is at hand; the blessings enjoyed would be many.

“Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself, and know that everything in life has purpose. There are no mistakes, no coincidences, all events are blessings given to us to learn from.” Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Source:https://vk.com/public75290000
Source:https://vk.com/public75290000

Unfortunately the human mind learns most through certain regrets in life. Then it may be too late to change things and get back on track. Each one of us have been given the gift of the present. Instead of guessing out whether we will receive what we have always asked for; continue to put in one’s best shot in life. Doing the latter, would result in better blessings or gifts, more that one may have dreamed of. Losing out on the blessings due to one’s pride, arrogance, blind expectations or insecurities can result in opportunities being missed, lost relationships and precious time wasted. Although by the time, hindsight, regrets and remedial measures may be taken, it may be too late to do them.

“Sometimes we don’t realize the blessings we have until we no longer have them. Appreciate all the blessings in your life, take none for granted.” Catherine Pulsifer

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Source:https://vk.com/public75290000

A young man was getting ready to graduate from university. For a long time he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealers showroom and knowing his father could well afford it, he told his Dad that was all he wanted. As his graduation day approached the young man began looking for signs that his father had bought the car. Finally on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son and he told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely leather bound Bible with the young man’s name embossed in gold. Angry, he raised his voice to his father and said, ‘With all your money you give me a Bible?’ and then stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in his own business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realised his father was very old and thought perhaps he should go to him as he had not spoken to him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him that his father had passed away and had willed all his possessions to his son so he needed to come home and take care of things. When he arrived at his father’s house sadness and regret filled his heart. He began sorting through his fathers papers and saw the still new Bible just as he had left it years ago.

With tears in his eyes he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. His father had carefully underlined a verse . . . Matthew – 7:11, ‘And if ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father which is in Heaven give to those who ask him?’As he read these words a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealers name and on the tag was the date of his graduation and the words paid in full.
How many times do we miss out on blessings because they are not packaged as we expected?
Author Unknown (Source:vk.com)

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Posted in Family and Society, Life, Quotes, Reflections, Stories Around the World, Work

In Own Backyard

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” Alexander Graham Bell

For any small scale establishment, to generate revenue to keep on going is a necessity. From outsourcing to hiring, giving better offers to the clients; various ways and means are explored to generate income with a margin of profit. At one of the recent monthly audits, on reviewing the performance, it was surprising to note a significant area of potential left untapped as (to phrase it) “no one had thought about it”. What immediately came to mind, is how it easier to hire and branch out than develop at the home front using the opportunities in one’s own backyard. Be it a group establishment or personal endeavors, one doesn’t have to go far to get a chance when one uses the available options, resources and potential at hand.

“Most people miss Opportunity because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” Thomas A. Edison

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We are all a bit like the protagonist in Conwell’s famous essay, “Acres of Diamonds”, based on parable of a rich but yet poor man who eventually loses out on life. Like the protagonist, it’s easy to explore for better opportunities on the other side of the wall; little realizing how much potential lies within one’s own territory. Exploring other possibilities may be needed in some cases, but at times one is losing out on time when failing to explore the first choices at hand. True that there is always something better than what is at hand; but frequently going only for the former, may result in loss of the latter. Options are always available and open around us; yet they appear only when one is determined and willing to think, foresee, identify the goal or purpose as well as work with the available resources than being always on the hunt based on blind avarice for more.

“You can journey to the ends of the earth in search of success, but if you’re lucky, you will discover happiness in your own backyard.” Russell Conwell

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There was once a wealthy man named Ali Hafed who lived not far from the River Indus. “He was contented because he was wealthy, and wealthy because he was contented.” One day a priest visited Ali Hafed and told him about diamonds. Ali Hafed heard all about diamonds, how much they were worth, and went to his bed that night a poor man. He had not lost anything, but he was poor because he was discontented, and discontented because he feared he was poor. Ali Hafed sold his farm, left his family, and traveled to Palestine and then to Europe searching for diamonds. He did not find them. His health and his wealth failed him. Dejected, he cast himself into the sea. One day, the man who had purchased Ali Hafed’s farm found a curious sparkling stone in a stream that cut through his land. It was a diamond. Digging produced more diamonds — acres of diamonds, in fact. This, according to the parable, was the discovery of the famed diamonds of Golconda.
– Heart of the speech “Acres of Diamond”, later published as an essay by Russell H. Conwell (Source: Nine Pillars)

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