Beneath a starlit sky..!!

Beneath a starlit sky

First time our eyes met

And they blessed the moment

When we decided to tie the knot

Twinkling stars illuminate the vicinity
And the trees provide the cool breeze
Just the perfect gathering
At the night of our wedding

With the moon shining so bright
A veil on my face and dressed in white
I hold my father’s arm
And music plays in the background

Seeing me, all the guests stand
They greet me with a smile
As I walk down the aisle
With flowers in my hand

Our eyes meet somewhere in between
All I see is our small world, so serene
My father kisses me
And hands me to him

The priest pops the question to him
He says “Yes” without even thinking
“Would you, my dear” then asks the priest
And all I say is “I do”, sealed with a kiss

I am yours
And you are mine
Vows taken to be together
Beneath a starlit sky

pic from the net & random thoughts.. :-)

Strive for excellence..!!

There is a thin line that differentiates perfection from excellence. If any one person at any given point would have been perfect then there wouldn't have been enough to do in his lifetime. But this is not the case. Perfection can never be attained. All our lives we strive for excellence as to be the best is what drives us to deliver the best. If we all would have been perfect then we would have been God ourselves who created this world. Everyone has flaws but some have the knack to hide those flaws and show the world their strengths. It is this ability which differentiates a successful person from an unsuccessful one. Everyone has their own weak points but it is the way we would like to project ourselves to the world is what matters the most. Some people brood over the fact that they can't achieve what their peers have while others don't have the time to think about what others are doing. It is the go getter attitude that defines our altitude.

Life is all about permutation & combination. It is how we crack the code is what defines our capabilities for what we can achieve. It is not that we don't get the opportunities but it is about how to capitalize on them. If only we would stop yearning for being the perfect self is when we can create our self in a different platform. It is only when we let our self loose and adapt the changes around us is when we prepare ourselves for excellence which is attainable. It is the craving for knowing the world from a different angle is what creates a successful person. It is all about looking at the Chandelier. It does shine from any angle you see but just that it is that one angle which adds all the glitter to it. So, it is upto us to rummage around for that 'one angle' which can make us shine and thus conquer brilliance.

Dream Big..!!

You will always come across dreamers in life as you dream of not 'what you are' but 'what you can be'. There will always be people slogging themselves a little more for that better job, better salary, better status, better standard of living and that extra nudge is what differentiates them from the rest of us. For these set of people the outcome would always be positive and inspiring as they would have wanted it to be. While the rest of us would see them as being lucky, as always getting the right opportunities, as the person who wouldn't have to work so hard ever, as a child prodigy. But is that really so? No. God made us all equal and gave us all the opportunity to prove ourselves. It is upon us to identify our own capabilities to rise and shine. It is always said that your dream is one step forward to success. You have to dream big if you really want to be successful. Things never fall in place without having tried to make it happen.

Time is ever changing and never comes back. If you have to make the most of it then it is now. As much as I would like to believe in getting a second chance in life to rectify so many things, I am always let to believe that it doesn't happen that ways. There is only one life with opportunities galore. One makes mistakes and then gets the opportunity to learn from it. If you don't learn then you repeat your mistakes again. Life is all about learning and moving on and not about brooding and waiting for a second chance. Honestly, life is too short to wait for things to happen when you know, in your heart, that it is all about making things happen.

So, the way I see it 'the key ingredients for grasping a second chance in life' is nothing but an illusion. It is an excuse for us to hold on to something forever and hope everything would be fine. If only we learn to capitalise on the opportunities in life, only then we move one step forward towards glory. After all it is all about 'reaching for the sky'. The decision is solely ours to make it happen right now when we are alive or choose to reach there once we die. Well, I dream to make it happen now, what about you ?

An ode to family..!!

Life comes at you fast. If I may say, real fast then I won’t be wrong. It seems like yesterday when I was born and started making friends. I thought that was the best time in life and nothing could take that away from me. But then as you grow older you realize how things around you change and you overcome your preset notions. There is a time in everyone’s life when they feel that they will lose something so precious to them but can do nothing about it.

Life is ever changing but what I am glad about and know for sure is that there are some things in life that would never change. I think everyone lives their whole life thinking that there is enough time to reciprocate to someone’s small gestures. There is enough time to do something that can be done at the moment. There is enough time to visit someone at a different time. But honestly, life isn’t then, life isn’t when instead life is this..now. I have lived my whole life thinking I have everyone by my side and they shall always be there. What I forget is that nothing is static. Today if I have grown then people around me are also growing and reaching a certain age when they need the love, care and affection that they have always given us. I have been fortunate enough in life to have a beautiful family and an amazing bunch of friends with whom I share absolutely everything.

It is only when the reality strikes you is when you become conscious that living in the moment is what can be done best. I realized this a month and half back when my mother was hospitalized and had to undergo a minor surgery. It struck me then that how important it is to cherish the moments one lives in now rather than complaining about something going wrong. The time is now to give your loved ones the attention they want, the pampering you want. As they say leave it for tomorrow and tomorrow never comes. Appreciate your family now and miss them now because tomorrow when it’s all gone then there would be only regrets for not being there earlier on.

Life isn’t then, life isn’t when.. Life is this..here..now.. Think about it..!!

India - the Bullish market..!!

There is an interesting article on how most of the investors are very bullish on the Indian markets and don’t see the downturn in the near future. Find the link below:

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Markets/News__Views/Analysis/India_remains_most_bullish_market_in_Asia-Pacific_ING/articleshow/msid-2724749,curpg-1.cms

India truly is shining. Everyone wants to be a part of the Indian growth story and why shouldn’t they?

Is Younger the new Better..!!

Look outside and inspiration is all around you. And these days it comes at a younger age, I guess. There used to be a time when we used to hear stories of entrepreneurs making it big in their mid 30s. But now that era is a passé. This is the age of young entrepreneurs who have hit the market with a simple idea but reaping huge profits. To start with, we have the founders of Google, whom nobody can forget. At the age of just 25, Sergey Brin & Larry Page truly showed that it is not the experience or the age that matters. What matters most is what you bring to the table. And they brought a simple idea which definitely has become a necessity these days.

They did leave everyone inspired then and even 10 years hence since google was founded, they still arouse interest. Now we have the founders of Facebook (Mark Zuckerberg, Dustin Moskovitz & Chris Hughes) join the bandwagon, who at the age of 20 founded Facebook. Even though it is a 4 year old company, it has swept the nation with millions of users worldwide. Then ofcourse, who can forget the founders of You Tube (Steve Chen, Chad Hurley & Jawed Karim), who were in their late 20s at the time they founded the website. For those who don’t know, You Tube is a subsidiary of Google now. Doesn’t this leave you inspired enough to change the world and make a mark. Well, hold on as there is one more grand entry to this list. I might have been ignorant of lot of other start ups by young entrepreneurs but this one just caught all my attention. At the age of just 13 years, Anshul Samar has also been bitten by the entrepreneurial bug in the silicon valley and couldn’t stay away or should I be say that he surely did get inspired.

As an 8th grader in a school in Cupertino, when kids his age are just learning stuff and playing pranks, he definitely has come a long way. Only 8 – 9 months old in the business he is already familiar with the jargons of the industry. Watch his video where he is being interviewed and talks about his goals and future of Elementeo, his start up Company.

http://divedi.blogspot.com/2007/05/video-of-day-anshul-samar-on-youtube.html

You can also go to his Company website and read more about him:

http://www.elementeo.com/aboutthecreator

Well, I am still waiting for an idea to hit my mind and get me inspired. I surely would want to do something but yes need some direction. Inspiration is all around me which at times becomes haunting as well. But definitely, in a good way.. :-)

Keep reading & stay inspired..!!

It's all about the choices we make..!!

Life is a funny concoction of good laughs and sorrows. But it is the tough times that make us realize the importance of hilarity in our life. I often sit and wonder what would happen to the world if the age old proverb “if wishes were horses then beggars would ride” becomes true. How the world would be like if nobody has any tensions or sorrows in life. It is strange to imagine those times and as my father always says “when the going gets tough, the tough get going. If it didn’t happen to you then it never was meant to be for you”. I do believe in the fact that everything that happens, always has a reason. It could be God’s way of teaching us some lessons or could be the harsh truths of life which would make us strong. I know this never sounds appropriate when you are going through a rough phase but then once that period has passed and you sit and analyze you always end up saying “in a way it's good that it happened this way”. Atleast I do. I don’t know whether this is a different way of reconciling with your thoughts or accepting reality but then it always does make one feel better. In life, there would always be good and fun times but unfortunately it somehow would always feel that they are short lived. But if you have the strength to face the tough times then it simply means that you would succeed in any challenges life would throw at you.

I might not be the most experienced person to even talk about the harsh facts that many others would have faced but I guess on a daily basis, all of us do face certain obstacles and it is only how we deal with them defines out true character. There is always a dilemma that continues in the mind which keeps us hanging and wondering whether this phase would pass or not. Whether it would be all good or bad. Life is all about choices and what we choose defines our outlook towards life. Not every time we would make the right choice but then as it is said “ always learn from your mistakes” and ofcourse there is no fun in repeating those mistakes again. We can choose to be happy or sad, we can choose to be at the top or bottom, we can choose to be ourselves or a replica, we can choose to love the things we have or live in despair for what we don’t have. There would always be choices and there would always be tough decisions to make but then the outcome is what is always fruitful and as they all say “every cloud has a silver lining”. Whatever happens, happens for the best and it happens because it is meant to be. If only we would be strong during crisis, then we would emerge a true winner with our own self. After all it is just one life to live and it isn’t worth living with regrets but to make the most of it in whatever and however way possible. It is not everyday that life gives you a second chance so feel fortunate if you get one. After all the battle is always with one self and not with others, no matter how much ever we try to convince ourselves it to be the other way round.

My fav. punchlines..!!

I am not too sure how many people live by phrases in life and to how many do they really make sense. To me it makes a huge lot of difference, something that always inspires me and gives me the kick to do the best.. :-)

I do have my 3 very favorite punchlines which are also my Signature in different email ids. Simple lines and simple words as they may say but definitely hold a deeper meaning.

He who laughs last, laughs the loudest.

There will always be dreams grander or humbler than your own, but there will never be a dream exactly like your own...for you are unique and more wondrous than you know.

Anything Less Than Extraordinary is a Waste of TimeWe are what we repeatedly do; Excellence therefore is not an act, but a habit.

It is funny how certain words/phrases impact your life in so many different ways and you don't even realise it most of the times. I am sure there are whole lot of phrases which i am unaware about but then who said that "I know it all".. :-)

Life after school..!!

Well, as they say the fun begins when you get to college. Simply it is an extension of your school life but definitely has a feel of independence. You don’t have those morning assemblies anymore, the teachers don’t bother if you are present in their class everyday and ofcourse you don’t have a uniform to wear anymore. Those are the liberties that you get when you join college. My school life was definitely the best but then there is no denying the fact that college did add color to it. Infact it was college where I learnt the facts of life right from the importance of being independent, voicing your opinion, managing your money, making the set of friends which think alike to making decisions about your career. I had a roller coaster ride in college where the life revolved more around friends and things to do. Luckily for me both my graduation & post graduation wasn’t the hardest place for adjustments as I made friends quickly and then went on to enjoy and take life as it comes.

I think the reason for missing school when you are in college is that unlike school college has fewer restrictions. Though it sounds great to have fewer restrictions but at the same time it is about the thrills you get out of breaking certain rules and regulations which were limited to school life. Of my college what I remember the most is the number of house parties that we had and the pocket money always ran out watching the movies in theatres. Something I even laugh about till date is how we had the dedication to watch a movie the very day it released without even feeling the pain of waiting for 2 – 3 hours in the line. I think life continues in different phases and if you happen to enjoy each of these phases then you truly do live your life the best way possible. You learn different lessons of life in each phase and as they say “life is all about learning and experiencing new things”. I am glad that I can reminisce those times even today and have a strong urge to turn back the clock to relive those moments all over again but then why would I want to miss out on the excitement and the adrenalin rush that I have in my life today, my present. Yes, it is complicated and yes it might sound contradictory but given the choice who wouldn’t love to have the best of all. I definitely would, wouldn't you..??

Those were the best days of my life..!!

I still remember when I was about to complete my 12th grade I was super excited as I knew the day wasn’t far when I would be in college and have my own rules and no more uniforms. Even today i can’t forget what my teacher told me then “you should be happy you are in school as once you leave, these are the days you would love to have again back in your life”. I always wondered why would anyone want to remember the school days where there were so many rules and regulations and exams, mid term tests all the time. And to my belief those are the days I actually miss the most today. Not that my graduation wasn’t good enough and not that I didn’t do well in my post graduation and not at all that I am not as happy today as I thought I would be. No, none of these are the reasons for me remembering those good ol’ days. But the way I see it I think it was the golden era with no responsibilities and no tensions whatsoever even though you always were so pressured to present your best foot forward. The only tensions I believe I had then was to get good grades in exams and luckily this tension used to build up only when the exams were nearing else it was all about movies, games, playing with friends, hanging out and having fun.

I wonder how life was so relaxed and cool and still used to feel the rush to have more excitement, more adventure and more thrills. Just can’t forget the pranks we played on each other and then try to cover up ourselves. It is funny how even after a decade those memories seem so fresh as if it all happened just yesterday. It feels so nostalgic and then the old idiom comes to my mind “Time flies”. I have heard my parents and grand parents saying this so often as they have seen me through different phases of life. Even when I went to college I remember how my parents were astonished that the time went by so quickly and before they realized I was in college. Something I thought i never understood and wondered how can time go by so quickly as for me I felt that time never moved. But now when I look back in retrospect I do understand the meaning of this phrase and the sentiments attached to it. Life does come at you fast and I truly believe in it. It is then we realize that there are so many things to accomplish and so much to do that time just seems so less. It is this vision of ourselves in the future that keeps us going and the support from family and friends that make us stronger towards the harsh truths of life. I have been fortunate enough to have the best days in the school and when I look back now I feel how important it is for all of us to live in the moment and enjoy the present as we can’t be certain about what would happen tomorrow. It is indeed the best time of your life when you learn so many different things but still never take up anything seriously as there is still so much to see and learn from in life. Having said all this about my school life I think it would be absolutely cruel if I don’t mention about my college days which were absolutely wonderful on a different level altogether.. :-)