Yeh Chaand...

यह चाँद है श्वेत, रोशन
चांदनी सदा लगे सुहानी
अमावस की रात ना टले;
पूरनमासी है ज़रूर आनी

Are You Going to Finish Strong?

J. K. Rowling: The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination

Witty and influential... cant help but brood over the line of thought, vocabulary and the accent.

You can listen or read about J K Rowling's excellent commencement speech at Harvard, or as I choose to call them words of wisdom HERE

Some quotes:

1. Reflecting on her speech has helped me enormously in writing this one, because it turns out that I can’t remember a single word she said. This liberating discovery enables me to proceed without any fear that I might inadvertently influence you to abandon promising careers in business, law or politics for the giddy delights of becoming a gay wizard.
2. On this wonderful day when we are gathered together to celebrate your academic success, I have decided to talk to you about the benefits of failure. And as you stand on the threshold of what is sometimes called 'real life', I want to extol the crucial importance of imagination.
3. I would like to make it clear, in parenthesis, that I do not blame my parents for their point of view. There is an expiry date on blaming your parents for steering you in the wrong direction; the moment you are old enough to take the wheel, responsibility lies with you.
4. Given a time machine or a Time Turner, I would tell my 21-year-old self that personal happiness lies in knowing that life is not a check-list of acquisition or achievement. Your qualifications, your CV, are not your life, though you will meet many people of my age and older who confuse the two.
5. Failure gave me an inner security that I had never attained by passing examinations. Failure taught me things about myself that I could have learned no other way. I discovered that I had a strong will, and more discipline than I had suspected; I also found out that I had friends whose value was truly above rubies.
6. The friends with whom I sat on graduation day have been my friends for life. They are my children's godparents, the people to whom I've been able to turn in times of trouble, friends who have been kind enough not to sue me when I've used their names for Death Eaters.

And so beautifully she ends it by saying:
As is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters. I wish you all very good lives.

That we left behind

With the new we forget the old. The intertwined we are within the novelties, they just mesmerize us, consume us. The value, the worth of the ancient has tarnished. They say 'Time is the best healer', albeit sometimes the important fades with time too. We more-or-less retrospect in woe, dismay and panic. Busy enjoying the niceties of the present we are so cut-off from the world, it's only when the road seems rough we look back. That's when we resort to our past, approach our old friends, inculcate some old hobbies, visit historical places, try to get hold of everything we left behind at some point. It's not advisable to whine over the past, but it sure is not worthwhile to side-track the vital. We can't move forward without letting go our past failures. However, we need to remember and keep learning from our past blunders. It's that striking balance we still need to master. We must imbibe the past into the present, to lead a better tomorrow.

With the new we forget the old.
So little did we know that, old is gold.

Na Jaane Kyun ...

Na Jaane Kyun, Hota Hai Yeh Zindagi Ke Saath
Achaanak Yeh Mann, Kisike Jaane Ke Baad
Kare Phir Uski Yaad Chhoti Chhoti Si Baat
Na Jaane Kyun ...

Jo Anjaan Pal, Dhal Gaye Kal, Aaj Woh
Rang Badal Badal, Mann Ko Machal Machal
Rahen Hai Chal, Na Jaane Kyun Woh Anjaan Pal
Saje Bhi Na Mere, Naino Mein
Toote Re Hai Re Sapno Ke Mahal
Na Jaane Kyun ...

Wohi Hai Dagar, Wohi Hai Safar
Hai Nahin Saath Mere Magar Ab Mera Humsafar
Idhar Udhar Dhoonde Nazar Wohi Hai Dagar
Kahan Gayi Shaamein, Madhbhari
Woh Mere, Mere Woh Din Gaye Kidhar
Na Jaane Kyun ...

~ Lata Mangeshkar (Chhoti Si Baat) ~

Congratulations!

I see the smiles
I see the love
I see the glow
Togetherness!

Have known you long
Have known you enough
Have known you two
Beautiful!

Wish you luck
Wish you brightness
Wish you peace
Heartfelt!

Randy Pausch and his 'Last Lecture'

Randy Pausch - I had to write words of praise about him:
WSJ.com - A Beloved Professor Delivers The Lecture of a Lifetime

This 1 hr, 45 minutes video is captivating, inspiring, overwhelming... Try this or this link - whichever works for you, you cannot afford to miss his 'Last Lecture'.

I can go 'Ga Ga' about him, but I'll key in a few words about how I felt; not that anyone is really asking for my opinion. He beautifully exhibits how one should focus on things that really matter, aspire them and finally achieve them, however crazy they are. He was so crystal clear in his thoughts, he had all his dreams jolted down even as a child and has a proof of how he went along accomplishing each one of them. Is that all it takes to be a 'hero'? He is courageous, humorous, witty, an excellent orator, innovative, clever, motivating, interesting, graceful in such dire circumstances; truly astounding!!!

A must watch video, perfectly portrays the fact that 'One should live his dreams'. 'Enable others to achieve their dreams' is what is even more impressive. 'It doesnt matter what they say, it matters what they do', how better can you frame that? 'Do good unto others', do lemme know what your reaction was when its around 1:19-1:20 on the clock in the video, with his wife on the stage... it sent a chill down my spine! His 'larger than life' attitude, his exuberant energy, his approach towards various things, his intelligence, his niceness, his way of addressing people, his act of paying respect to the most important people in his life including the student, etc. kept me clung until the last minute. Talking about the end, don't feel shy - your eyes might just get wet towards the end of the video.

"Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted"

Rooth ke humse kahin jab chale jaoge tum

Rooth ke humse kahin jab chale jaoge tum
Rooth ke humse kahin jab chale jaoge tum
Ye na socha tha kabhi itne yaad aaoge tum
Rooth ke humse kahin jab chale jaoge tum
Rooth ke humse kahin

Main to na chala tha do kadam bhi tum bin
Phir bhi mera bachpan yehi samjha har din
Chhod ke mujhe bhala ab kahan jaoge tum
Chhod ke mujhe bhala ab kahan jaoge tum
Ye na socha tha kabhi itne yaad aaoge tum
Rooth ke humse kahin jab chale jaoge tum
Rooth ke humse kahin

Baaton kabhi haathon se bhi maara hai tumhein
Sada yehi kehke hi pukaara hai tumhein
Kya kar loge mera jo bigad jaoge tum
Kya kar loge mera jo bigad jaoge tum
Ye na socha tha kabhi itne yaad aaoge tum
Rooth ke humse kahin jab chale jaoge tum
Rooth ke humse kahin

Dekho mere aansoo yehi karte hain pukaar
Aao chale aao mere bhai mere yaar
Pochne aansoo mere kya nahin aaoge tum
Pochne aansoo mere kya nahin aaoge tum
Ye na socha tha kabhi itne yaad aaoge tum
Rooth ke humse kahin jab chale jaoge tum
Rooth ke humse kahin

- Jatin (Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar)

Thoughts

Thoughts, they pervade
they dismay you
and they persuade

Thoughts, they wander
they are constructive
or they just bother

Thoughts, they swerve
can make you regret
they also bring the verve

Thoughts, they diffuse
engross you in the wrong
yeah, they can amuse

Thoughts, they deviate
sigh at the bitter, or
remind of your closest mate

Thoughts, they fade
leaving footprints from the past
and strive to make a better today
while tomorrow seems like a glade

Some people...

Some people are just there for you when you need them the most. They go out of their way to help you in every possible way. You haven't even known them for long. Guess they just know you are reaching out for them. They really care! And you haven't even bothered to stretch your arms enough, but they are always with you. Truly are some angels sent by the lord. In their presence, the world seems like a better place to live in.

On the other hand, you find some people who go out of their way to hurt others. They keep taunting, finding faults or even worse back-stabbing you. They think that making a song out of it or saying something mean in a cheerful way is gonna make you laugh. How mistaken! They just tell you what you're doing wrong and repeat it over and over again. They assume you are stupid, the evils just want to bother you. Such is the world!

Its the striking contrast of humans around you, including you... Strange! Its you and only you who makes the choice between the former and the latter (intentionally or unintentionally).