From an e-mail....

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let us down, probably will. You'll have your heart broken and you'll break others' hearts. You'll fight with your best friend or maybe even fall in love with them, and you'll cry because time is flying by. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, forgive freely, and love like you've never been hurt. Life comes with no guarantees, no time outs, no second chances. you just have to live life to the fullest, tell someone what they mean to you and tell someone off, speak out, dance in the pouring rain, hold someone's hand, comfort a friend, fall asleep watching the sun come up, stay up late, be a flirt, and smile until your face hurts. Don't be afraid to take chances or fall in love and most of all, live in the moment because every second you spend angry or upset is a second of happiness you can never get back.

......................Contributed by Chetna

Totto-chan!

Though I am an addict of philosophical literature, the self-help kinds, this book Totto-chan: The little girl at the window has been an awesome refreshment to my mind. A very unconventional presentation of the feelings of a child by the authoress Tetsuko Kuroyanagi; its her childhood story. And even more I acknowledge Dorothy Britton for the excellent English translation that made this book so famous. The beauty lies in the fact that even in the times of World War II, the period in which the story is laid, there could exist a medium of education so simple and so true that it didnot take away the inherent innocence from the child. While Totto-chan plays in Tomoe (the school) and incessantly rambles with the ever attentive headmaster Mr. Kobayashi who has all the time in the world to listen to children, I somehow trace the missing parts of my own childhood. Most schools, rather all, just believe in imparting bookish knowledge, burdensome study schedules and projects. Our education system omits the sentiments and dreams of childhood. How I wish we were to develop schools which could strive to develop the qualities of mind, body and heart instead of report cards!

The perfect explanation

On one of these fine evenings, I was surfing the web for quotations. It is usually my favourite pastime... to find subtle sayings and then ponder over them.. I came across this quote which was so well put about what I often feel when I try looking into the future, " My life has no purpose, no direction, no aim, no meaning, and yet I'm happy. I can't figure it out. What am I doing right?  Charles Schultz"

Alone or lonely?

While both these words arise from the same root 'lone' they stand far apart, nearly 2 opposite ends in their meaning. A 'lonely' person is actually someone detached, with a sense of deprivation of company. On the other hand being alone can be just being single... but not lonely. One can be 'alone' in a crowded room in harmony with his/her thoughts. Being alone you discover a new world of fantasy, thoughts, ideas and what not. It gives you pleasure, adds a wink to your eyes while loneliness takes it all away! So, a suggestion for all those single souls... be alone but not lonely.

Life is

The sun rolls out each day and I get up asking myself 'another day begins...will it be different for better or for worse.' There r no answers.. just a hope that this morning might brighten up my life... giving my existence a purpose to live..a path to lead and a target to focus...Yet the day ends and while nothing has changed.

Is this life?