230. Hard work pays,

But luck denies or delays;

To quench your thirst,

You’ve to dig a well first;

The well may be dry,

But it’s still worth the try …

- Sujit Mukerji

229. The end of all knowledge is the beginning of character.

- Mahatma Gandhi

228. Whether you think you can or you can’t, either way you are right.

- Henry Frod

227. Eat to live, but do not live to eat.

- Benjamin Franklin

226. If you sing before breakfast, you’ll cry before dinner.

225. A Chance To Learn

- Sujit Mukerji

With the trumpets gone

And the clowns thrown out

(Little shares in little joys

That’s what their life was partly about);

She sits back to pout;

But life goes on …

Her mind flits between

Now and then …

Life, she concludes,

Was a shameless feast

At whatever cost …

The feast was over;

The crumbs remained,

But that’s what God ordained!

We do our lot –

That’s exactly His plot …

If we want more,

We will end up with a heart too sore –

Experience will make us of that very sure …

We learn from the past,

But shouldn’t dwell on it

If we want to keep us steady and fit …

Take things as they come –

This wisdom is shared but only by some!

Face the facts of life

And do not look so glum;

We need to realize

That happiness is only an interval –

Which we can’t spell

(Neither can we on it dwell) –

Between two miseries;

While misery is the gap –

That’s devoid of any sap –

Between two moments of happiness

And is responsible for our grumpiness …

It creeps in challenging our fortitude,

Tending to increase in magnitude;

We can learn from the mountain –

Of course, only if we have the will;

No use if we sit back and wail,

Concentrating merely on our trail;

The river does its duty,

In that lies its beauty;

Its paths are filled with ups and downs,

But does it ever wait with frowns?

It goes on and on

And its life becomes a beautiful song …

The river that dares carry along,

Expands and becomes large and long;

Stillness signifies death

And motion speaks of life …

So we should be on the move

– But only ahead –

And explore life’s endless treasure trove …

224. He lacks most who desires most.

223. Advice when most needed is least heeded.

222. The storm comes but only to pass,

Admittedly, it touches the trees and the grass;

But there is also the obdurate mountain,

Which continues to give the life’s fountain

And stands high and tall not just to appal,

It has lessons to teach without having to preach;

We might have many axes to grind,

But “if winter is here can spring be far behind?”

- Sujit Mukerji

221. Weaknesses at even one small point may prove disastrous to the strength of an entire object, argument etc.