240. Nothing can remain the same yet we want certain things to continue as they are and invite grief! What begins, ends.

- Sujit Mukerji

239. Man is born free but is everywhere in chains.

- Rousseau

238.    Shouldn’t we seek hope

Even when there is no scope;

… As in darkness

For light we grope?

- Sujit Mukerji

237. We may be said to have an idea only when we put forth an effort to realize it.

- Mahatma Gandhi

236. Suffering well borne is suffering removed.

235. What we waste deliberately we shall be sadly wanting someday.

234. The one who does not dare to do great things is not likely to come to grief and yet, one has to be bold to achieve something.

233. A child is instinctively driven by its likes and dislikes. That is where the role of an elder comes in. If the child is allowed to have its way, the only thing that grows unchecked would be its instincts. In other words, it grows into an animal! So, it needs to be checked as per the old dictum of checks-and-balances. But, it is often noticed that the elder, at times, has the tendency to be guided by his own convenience rather than the child’s welfare. So, we have elders, who would rather load the child with the things of its liking or, maybe, create opportunities for the child to have its way so that it could be steered in the direction that suits only the elders and has nothing to do with the child’s ultimate welfare! We even see parents scolding their children for the flimsiest of reasons just because the child must be causing them some discomfort or, maybe, doing something which is not to the parents’ tastes, even if such an act is beneficial for the child in the ultimate analysis. Like, for instance, playing with a free mind, no matter if the clothes get dirty. Sooner or later, the child realizes that its elders, more often than not, keep showing tendencies to manipulate it to suit themselves. So, it learns to manipulate even its “own” people.

- Sujit Mukerji

232. Try, we should;

Else, lament: “we could”!

- Sujit Mukerji

231. PATIENCE PLEASE …

… And balance, of course, without which nothing good can ever be possible…

- daughter, Josheca Mukerji

Most of the time, we are unsuccessful due to lack of patience. This is one of the most important things in our life. If we have patience, we can solve our difficulties easily. I have been hearing many moral stories/proverbs from the time when I was too small; at the age when we do not have the capacity to understand things when said in a metaphorical way but rather take them by their literal meanings. “Patience and perseverance bears fruit.” I have been hearing this from my earliest days when I thought patience and perseverance were names of people and they carried fruits! I find it very difficult, at rimes, to have patience but I have realized fully well that I do not have any choice if I want to succeed.

Many a times we are in a hurry and say that we want to save our time. Let us consider the case when we are caught up in a traffic jam at a railway level crossing where the gates are closed. We see many people losing patience and walking past the closed gates to reach the other side. Let us consider another case from our day-to-day life where lack of patience either proves fatal or leads to a person’s becoming a permanent patient – rash driving. It is better to reach late than never reach at all. Impatience or hurrying to “save time” can lead to time otherwise and ill-spent or, in simple terms – wastage of time. In our bid to reach our destination “in time”, we end up at the hospital before time to spend a whole length of time (i.e. if we have any time left; which is to say, if we are alive) at another place for an entirely different and undesirable reason. The time factor is extremely important. We know that time never waits for anyone and wasted time never returns. A fruitful utilization of time is what maters. It is upon us how we utilize the time. Accordingly, we have ‘good’ and ‘bad’ times. We fear bad times and welcome good times. Hence, it is all the more important to understand the importance of patience.

It is also important that we don’t get bogged down or swept away by our experiences. Once again, we should remind ourselves the importance of patience and balance and that nothing is permanent. I remember having heard a popular story where a man visits a learned sage to know how he should deal with life. The sage simply handed him two folded pieces of paper and asked him to open one when he was happy and the other when he was sad. In both the pieces of paper, only one message was written – “This time will pass.” The moral of the story, therefore, is that during bad times, we need patience because such times will pass and during good times, we need balance so that we are not swept off the ground and we do not go overboard, because, again, such time too will pass.

If a person does not have the patience to give the examination for a job, he wouldn’t get the job. Likewise, if we fail to have patience while giving the exams that our life takes from us, then? The only result would be that we would fail. Thus, it can be safely concluded that the role of patience and balance on the major decisions of our life can not be over-emphasized.

Last but not the least, I would like to quote something which I read somewhere; I don’t remember who said it but I am sure it would fit here – “Half of what I say is meaningless but I say so, so that the other half may reach you.”

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.

220.  Industry is fortune’s right hand, frugality her left.

- Ray

219. He that stays in the valley shall never get over the hill.

- Ray

218. A pampered child grows up believing that everything could be had so easily. He finds it absolutely unacceptable when, on growing up, he discovers that the case is just the reverse. One has to struggle for any achievement, whatsoever. He experiences a tough time trying to come to terms with life and, in his frustration, panics to such an extent that he finds himself driven to extremes. He grows up believing that it is his birthright to get whatever he desires whenever he wants.

- Sujit Mukerji

217. We don’t see the things the way they are. We see things the way we are.

- Talmund

216.  True happiness consists not in the multitude of friends, but their worth and choice.

- Ben Johnson

215. Never dam the bridge that you have crossed. You may have to cross it again … Isolation is not the best policy.

214. Prosperity gains ‘friends’.

213. ‘Bad’ times test ‘good’ friends.

212. Dig for the worm and out comes the snake!

211. Appearance loses beauty on microscopic analysis.

- Sujit Mukerji

210. To a brave man, good and bad luck are like his left and right hands. He uses both.

- St. Catherine of Siena

209. Today kids can be heard trying out various means to extract benefits from the elders! Love and respect are being weighed in monetary terms. Where are the values? Who is responsible? Our parents did not have to exchange gifts to prove that they loved each other. Nor, for that matter, did they have to say that they loved each other. It was clearly evident from their attitudes. They valued each other more than anything else. That is the secret of inter-personnel relationships.

- Sujit Mukerji

208. The merits of a good thing will prove themselves without the need of advertising.

207. Wars are not won by evacuation.

- Winston Churchill

206. If two men ride on a horse, one must ride behind.

- William Shakespeare

205. If equal love there cannot be

Let the more loving one be me …

- Auden

204. Failure to practice and advocate a balanced approach towards life results in the growth of raw instincts with no control over it of reasoning. Consequently, one becomes increasingly prone to giving in uncontrollably to lust and that has in it the tendency for corruption.

- Sujit Mukerji

203. When there is lack of security or, in other words, there is a sense of insecurity then there can be a tendency to seek and/or build a support system coupled with the tendency to influence others’ thoughts, words and deeds – going, at times, even to the extent of adopting every conceivable means to ‘force’ people to become agreeable and supportive – as per one’s own requirements. Same holds true in case of self-seekers as also those having exploitative tendencies with malafide intentions resorting to unscrupulous manipulations. The wisest action would be to steer oneself clear from such sticky situations and refrain from getting unduly involved, adopting the stance: ‘it’s your life, your prerogative, your choice …’ ; for the simple reason that in such cases, as is mostly seen, once the needs are met – or whatever the outcome –  the ‘seeker’ changes colours and the ‘supporter’ is ditched, even harmed, particularly if things go against the ‘seeker’s’ wishes.

- Sujit Mukerji

202. Be not the first to quarrel, nor the last to make it up.

201. The worst misfortunes are those that never happen.

200.  Actual possession of property gives a person the prescriptive right to it.

199. No outside force can break a team if the bond is strong enough.

- Sujit Mukerji

198. Jealously – like all negativities – means inability i.e. failure, and admitting it!

- Sujit Mukerji

197. None preaches better than the ant and she says nothing.

- Benjamin Franklin

196. The eyes see all, but the mind shows us what we want to see.

- Shankaracharya

195. Giving too much money in a child’s hands seems to be the ‘in’ thing nowadays. The explanation is that this serves to create a zest in the child’s life which, in turn, promotes his eagerness for betterment. Economics says, create a need which acts as a motivation for growth. But, moral science advocates satisfaction. Complacency would thwart economic growth. Conceded. It would, however, promote the growth of peace. Wouldn’t it be wise to strike a balance somewhere? Urge for growth could be treated as a game so as not to affect the state of mind adversely. But, is the child taught that?

- Sujit Mukerji

194. We try to make others understand whereas most often, if not always, we need to make ourselves understand.

- Sujit Mukerji

193.  Even an ocean can not equal the life-saving droplet of water.

- Sujit Mukerji

192. Nothing surprises me! Everything is so natural!! All we have to do is to remember everything, understand the nature, the logic, the psychology etc. and nothing will seem out of place.

- Sujit Mukerji

191. It is a real tragedy when the children do not feel free to discuss everything, particularly their personal issues, with their parents/guardians. This often has serious consequences leading even to the youngster’s heartbreak(s), personality disorder(s), taking wrong choices, getting into problems etc. For this, only the parents/guardians can be held responsible. From the very beginning, the attitude or approach of the parents/guardians should be such that the child feels totally uninhibited, comfortable and confident to interact with them. This should be from the very beginning because if it is not so, a kind of mental block sets in and it becomes very difficult for the child and the parents/guardians to be relaxed with each other on every issue.

- Sujit Mukerji

190. To be angry is to avenge the fault of others on ourselves.

- Alexander Pope

189. A wise person when alone has all the occupation and interest he needs for reflection and communing with himself.

188. He is richest that has the fewest wants.

- Cicero

187. Why can’t we learn from the gardener who keeps the sapling tied to a straight stick till it becomes tough enough to stand erect on its own? Disciplining is of the utmost necessity but, alas, it is often realized when it is already too late and nothing is left to be done. Pampering, shockingly, is even justified at times. It is our duty to let the kid live life fully and enjoy its infancy, babyhood and childhood days, it is contended. Granted.  But, isn’t it also true that excess of anything is bad. It is bound to backfire. To an extent things can be justified. But, only to an extent.

- Sujit Mukerji

186. If we have –

Patience, tolerance, the will to sacrifice and do penance, devotion and respect;

Then we will get –

Love, care, peace, respect, position, grace, dignity, distinctive identity … all the positive things (you name it).

- Sujit Mukerji

185. Love means giving, not getting. True love calls for a lot of sacrifice. It means one doesn’t impose anything on the loved one. It means one dedicates oneself for the ultimate well-being of the loved one.

- Sujit Mukerji

184. Even a cheat doesn’t want to be cheated.

- Sujit Mukerji

183. Strong reasons make strong actions.

- William Shakespeare

182. The used key is always bright.

181. Some men are wise and some are otherwise.

- Smollett

180.  Self-respect and egoism are opposites. Examples:

(a) A person with the sense of self-respect wouldn’t hesitate to acknowledge his/her mistake(s) and apologize for the same even in public. Such a person can even go to the extent of standing up for the others, taking upon the self the responsibility for the others’ mistake(s) and of apologizing for them despite being innocent. In doing so, the person with the sense of self-respect gains respectability.

(b) An egoistic person, on the other hand, just wouldn’t acknowledge his/her mistake(s), even if it is proved, let alone apologize for the same or stand up for anyone else. In doing so, an egoistic person loses respectability.

- Sujit Mukerji

179. Our life depends on our responses which depend on our personality traits – the attitudinal, behavioural, language etc. patterns – that we have inherently or acquired since our childhood. Hence, to understand the life of an adult, we have to go to his/her childhood stage so as to be able to trace the origins and development of his/her particular personality aspects. A person is born with and, over the years, picks up and develops certain qualities according to which he/she thinks and, therefore, acts and gets the results. He/she is either positively or negatively inclined and seldom balanced. Tragedy is when he/she shows negative propensities. For example, stubbornness, cheating, violence etc. So, let us go to his/her childhood days. A child becomes stubborn if it learns that its wishes can get fulfilled if it resorts to stubbornness. Similarly, it learns to cheat, by telling lies etc., and getting away with it. Not just that, it even learns to gain by lying. Needless to say, it learns this from its elders and its environment. The elders might themselves be doing just that. Or maybe, they are just too loving. So much so, that they would rather turn a blind eye to the faults of their wards, forgetting that this same ward of today would be the adult of tomorrow.

- Sujit Mukerji

178. Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no help at all.

- Dale Carnegie.

177. Worry is the interest we pay on trouble before it is due.

- Dean Inge

176. Flattery brings friends, truth enemies.

175. Goodness has a price but that can be treated as a test of the self.

- Sujit Mukerji

174. Even the noblest of souls and deeds are/have been criticized. Should criticism necessarily be a deterrent?

- Sujit Mukerji

173. The Present is born out of the Past and nurtures, in its womb, the Future.

172. To accomplish great things we must not only act but also dream, not only plan but also believe.

- Anatole  France.

171.  Who spends more than he should, shall not have to spend when he would.

- Ray

170. An ideal mother doesn’t stop caring for her child even if he/she keeps on hurting her. That is true love. Similarly, if we really love someone we would care for such a one even if, in return, we get hurt and hatred.

- Sujit Mukerji

169. Curse the sin and not the sinner.

- Mahatma Gandhi

168. To lead a healthy life, our environment should be healthy and to keep our environment healthy, we should live a healthy life. We should keep our environment just the way we want our lives to be i.e., our environment depends on our actions and our actions depend on how we think.

-- daughter, Josheca Mukerji

167. The environment of a place should be based on the purpose it is meant to serve.

- Sujit Mukerji

166. All the positive things can be traced back to a beneficial supportive role of a congenial environment and vice versa …

- Sujit Mukerji

165. A person can be judged by the environment he chooses.

- Sujit Mukerji

164. “Gautam Buddha left The Palace for Peace;

We leave Peace for The Palace.”

163. If we have any expectation, we can be sad;

If we just do the duties properly, we shall be glad …

- Sujit Mukerji

162. If we live for the self, we will be sad;

If we live for the others, we shall be glad …

- Sujit Mukerji

161. Even though our life is like that of a bus conductor, always traveling but nowhere to go, we must have a goal or else it will be next to impossible to pull on …

- Sujit Mukerji

160. Every person’s actions are motivated by his instincts, emotions, reasoning and, finally, spiritualism (if any) in that order. If we remember this, it would be so easy to interact with each other.

- Sujit Mukerji

159. A person is only a reflection of the environment in which he was born, brought up or has/had to spend his days. His behavioural pattern is nothing but his reaction to the environment and, over the years, such responses become his habits.

- Sujit Mukerji

158. The child only picks up what it experiences e.g., if the parents or the other elders it grows up with show selfish tendencies, then it is only natural for the child to emulate the behaviour. So, why blame it?

- Sujit Mukerji

157. The lessons of the past should be employed in the present for a better future.

- Sujit Mukerji

156. The many faces of lies can not face the one face of truth.

- Sujit Mukerji

155.  We must remember history – our own and others’ – if we want to make good progress and avoid repetition of mistakes.

-- daughter, Josheca Mukerji

154. Optimism and positivism are two different things. Optimism means whatever happens or will happen is or will be good. Positive attitude means whatever happens or will happen, will also contain some good points. So, in positive attitude, the person looks only at the positive side but he knows it has a negative side too, which he ignores. In optimism, a person thinks there is nothing bad at all. Positive attitude not only encourages us but also helps us to be more practical and happy in our life. There might be many negative points but if we stick to those points, we would never be able to move ahead in life.

-- daughter, Josheca Mukerji

153. The same things can be said in so many different ways with, obviously, so many different results. If we are careful enough, meeting our objectives would be a lot easier. A little tact can do wonders.

- Sujit Mukerji

152. It is indeed a formidable challenge to forgive people who create obstacles in our lives but it surely does help if we remind ourselves that to err is human and to forgive is divine. Besides, if we keep nurturing our grievances, our life will become all the more difficult for us.

In fact, our religious texts are replete with such glorious examples where the great people have gone to unimaginable extents to wash away the sins of the common folks.

Therefore, it is upon us to ensure peace in our lives.

-- daughter, Josheca Mukerji

151. Think like a man of action and act like a man of thought.

– Henri L. Bergson

150. Since we are directly or indirectly dependent on the environment, shouldn’t it be our prime concern to make sure that it stays healthy? Shouldn’t we constantly strive hard to improve our attitude, behaviour and language?

- Sujit Mukerji

149. Some of us become so pre-occupied with ourselves that we tend to overlook the interests of our children. We even justify our actions and attitudes and say we are doing only what is required of us whereas it may be our own interests or the way we see things. Such an attitude drives us in a direction that proves detrimental to the balanced growth of the child’s persona.

- Sujit Mukerji

148. It is nothing but the sense of selfishness which makes us more right-conscious than duty-conscious.

- Sujit Mukerji

147. We must try to understand the difference between duty towards oneself and selfishness and try to safeguard ourselves against justifying our selfishness.

-  Sujit Mukerji

146. Whatever our nature (determined by the genetic factors), the habits (determined by the environmental factors) that we acquire act either as a bridle or as a driving force.

- Sujit Mukerji

145. The first and the most important step towards success is the feeling that we can succeed.

– Nelson Boswell

144. Our brain has three levels – the lowermost controls the basic body functions and instincts, the next higher one controls the emotions while the highest one controls the cognitive functions or our reasoning ability. Spiritualism, the fourth aspect, has now attracted the scientists’ attention and they are trying to find out if it is the fourth level of development of our brain. Each level is governed by the next higher level. The lower two levels are, obviously, fully developed – our instincts and emotions are so well pronounced. The third level is, again obviously, still developing – we can be so unreasonable at times e.g. we have the tendency to judge others from our own points-of-view, expect others to be like us when we can not be like them, be egoistic, inter alia. The lower three levels are subject to logic.  The fourth faculty, that of spiritualism, is beyond worldliness, i.e. beyond logic. Once all this becomes clear, doesn’t it become a whole lot easier for us to comprehend the goings-on?

- Sujit Mukerji

143.  It has been scientifically well established, beyond even an iota of any doubt, that music definitely has a rejuvenating effect on all life forms. It has been described as the medicine of the troubled mind by Haddon. It has appropriately been defined as the speech of angels and, as observed, it has the charm to soothe even the savage beast. It is something that ‘all can hear but only the sensitive can feel’. When we are happy, we feel the sound of the rain as music to our ears. Music has no language. That means in whatever language it is it will have an appeal to the mind. It is amongst the most popular things since the ancient times.

At the end of a hard day’s work, the poor farmers or the labourers, after taking their meals, get together and sing songs to soothe themselves before going to bed. In the same way, rich people quite often listen to the music with the same intention to feel good. Thus, music is an essential ingredient for the ‘feel-good’ factor.

-- daughter, Josheca Mukerji

142. Different people define democracy in different ways. Some great personalities, like Abraham Lincoln, defined it as government of, by and for the people whereas Aristotle defined it as a government of many and Lord Bryce defined it as a government in which the will of the majority of qualified citizens rest. The dictionary defines it as a form of government in which the people vote for their representatives to govern on their behalf. In the above lines the ways of defining democracy are different but the main idea is the same.

There was once a time when the world was unaware of the idea of democracy but now more than half of the independent countries in the world are democracies. However, the expansion of democracy has not been so smooth and, unfortunately, it still remains an unstable and uncertain achievement.

-- daughter, Josheca Mukerji

141. That some can achieve success is a proof to all that others can achieve it as well.

—Abraham Lincoln

140. From a brush with thorns, comes the beautiful rose;

From a broken heart, comes powerful prose;

From a cramped cocoon, comes a butterfly new;

From a tough mountain climb, comes a breath-taking view …

139. Our personality is the cumulative effect of two factors – genetic and environmental. The genes determine our nature while the environment is instrumental in the formation of certain habits in us and, as we all know, habit is the second nature. So, that is how we learn to act and react. Our responses to situations, though similar in certain ways, are marked by their characteristic individuality.

- Sujit Mukerji

138. Life is the biggest teacher. Yet, we fail to learn our lessons properly. This is evidenced by the fact that the same experiences get repeated howsoever undesirable they may be. That calls for introspection, doesn’t it?

- Sujit Mukerji

137. No system can continue for ever. Certain weaknesses are noticed and then, in an attempt to strengthen a system, alterations and improvisations are made. A new system gets evolved. It is a continuing process. However, certain basic lacunas remain … and the imperfections continue … thus paving the way for further changes …

- Sujit Mukerji

136. Adventure adds spice to our life which is otherwise probably a monotonous experience. It inculcates in us the spirit to break free from the established norms and so long as it does not prove to be harmful in the ultimate analysis it is one of the most advisable things to do. One has to have a lot of self-confidence because adventure means taking risks. There can be a lot of things to learn in the process. One has to have a very clear mind in order to be able to take spot decisions. So, evidently, adventures are important in personality building as well because life means situations which call for presence of mind and sport decisions.

-- daughter, Josheca Mukerji

135. Home and wisdom are interlinked in a way. As we know, charity begins at home. So, whatever we are doing is the result of how we were taught in our homes and, as far as wisdom is concerned, we know that the man is known by the company he keeps or gets. Therefore, the mentality of a person depends on what kind of training he is given at home, what kind of moral values he is taught, and so on. What man thinks, he becomes, Mahatma Gandhi said. The type of a man’s thought is influenced by his learning at home. A child spends the majority of his time in his home and so he does what he gets to see there.

-- daughter, Josheca Mukerji

134. No one is perfect, everyone understands that. So, none can teach any one to be perfect.

- Sujit Mukerji

133. Ever since our earliest days, we are taught the various do’s and don’ts. In fact, more don’ts than do’s!

- Sujit Mukerji

132. Isn’t it ironic that, at times, we have a tendency, even consciously, to ignore an approach that could keep us away from negative eventualities?

- Sujit Mukerji

131. Money makes the mare go. Money has also been described as a necessary evil as nothing can be procured without money. On one side, it is the root cause of many evils. It can even ruin our life. On the other side, it can make our life so much better. In other words, it can either make or break our life. It is upon us whether we want to have it in our control or let it destroy us. Acquiring money is so difficult. With all-round developments, many things are becoming necessary. We should use money to meet our needs and stop it from promoting greed. We must, however, ensure that what we describe as our need can be justified in every way.

-- daughter, Josheca Mukerji

130. History is the study of the past. In other words, history is ‘his story’. History means the written record of events of the distant past. By studying history, we get to know about our country and the world. To know and understand our society, culture and our world, we have to know the history.

History teaches us how the terrible wars of the past have lead to havoc and destruction. It inspires us with the life-stories of great people. It motivates with lessons of human values from the teachings of great personalities like, Gautam Buddha, Swami Vivekananda, Guru Nanak, Mahatma Gandhi etc.

History teaches us about the culture of the people of various countries and civilizations. This helps us to understand and respect all societies and cultures. Thus, history teaches us to be true citizens of the world.

-- daughter, Josheca Mukerji

129.  Cleanliness ensures good health. For best results, it should be amongst our topmost priorities. A clean mind leads to a clean life. Clean thoughts guarantee healthy interactions and good performances. Likewise, a clean body makes its own contributions. A clean environment can improve everything so effectively and obviously lead to a definite freshness which is so likeable. Since we know God is present everywhere, we should ensure that cleanliness is also present everywhere. The best way to stay clean is firstly, to never let anything become dirty and secondly, to constantly keep working at keeping everything clean. Thus, we can say, cleanliness is godliness …

-- daughter, Josheca Mukerji

128. All mornings are like paintings. We need a little inspiration to get us going and a little smile to brighten it up …

127. A morning is a wonderful blessing, either cloudy or sunny. It stands for hope, giving us another start of what we call – life …

126. The shortest and sweetest definition of success – when the signature becomes an autograph …

125. THE TWO FACES OF ADVERTISEMENTS

-- daughter, Josheca Mukerji

In today’s age of economic progress, consumerism and commercialism, dissemination of information amongst the target segments of society has become an essential implement. Advertisement is a very potent means to serve the purpose of creating awareness. It is done through various media. Proponents of advertisements are of the firm view that it is not just the means to promote commerce and consumerism but its larger purpose is the welfare of mankind, generally speaking.

Advertisements are nothing but dream sellers, as the cliché goes. Advertisements are classified into four categories i.e. commercial, social, political and educational. Educational advertisements should have been under social advertisements. But, unfortunately, education has now become a commercial commodity. Therefore, its advertisement is self-motivated and can be misleading.

Now comes the commercial advertisement. The commercial advertisements are based on the selfish motives of the advertisers or the product managers. They are focused on their profits no matter what effect the advertisements or the products have on the common people.

Political advertisements too are, most of the times, misleading as every party makes high promises but fail to fulfill them when the time comes.

Social advertisement is the only one which can be helpful and are not misleading, e.g., the advertisements that condemn the practice of female foeticide and infanticide.

Thus, by this, it can be concluded that except social advertisements, all other types of advertisements are misleading.

At last, it should be kept in mind that nothing is totally bad or good.

124. BLAME GAME – AN ACT OF SHAME

(MODIFYING #28)

-- daughter, Josheca Mukerji

I have often wondered why many of us blame our luck or any other factor for not being able to achieve what we want. I believe, God has endowed us with certain potentials which we tend to leave latent in us. If we can be enterprising enough to exploit our hidden potentials to the full, we might not perhaps need to blame our luck so often, as the likelihood of our meeting with success gets increased manifold.

When we realize that we have done nothing worthy, we start blaming others, our own luck or even God for our failures. We should not waste our time and energy like that. In fact, we must take inspiration from those who have really used their talents. Like, Graham Bell, who has furthered the horizon of our wisdom by inventing the telephone. He not only made his but also others’ life easy. Pathetically, despite the availability of such important facilities as telephone, even electricity, which have become our basic needs today, when we fail to give our best, we again blame it on the lack of certain other facilities. As Sachin Tendulkar said, “Only losers give excuses”. So, by giving excuses, we establish ourselves as losers.

So, there is no doubt that we can get right results only if and when we use what God has given us properly. That would be our best tribute to Him.

123. When we become weary of our ‘meaningless’ toil and signs of suffering come into our faces, then we proclaim that suffering is a beauty for in suffering alone lies our meaning …

122. Faith makes all things possible.

Hope makes all things work.

Love makes all things beautiful.

121. Should we become sad if anyone doesn’t recognize our worth? Shouldn’t we rather concentrate in increasing our capabilities and doing justice to whatever we undertake to do?

- Sujit Mukerji