Competent Leadership Award!!!

Conjuring up a song

You build a dam of smiles
to stop a river of tears

You build a heart of steel
To stay the warm interiors

You hold back your feelings
Or deny them outright
You pray for some healing
For God to see your plight

Trying not to break apart
that one special heart
The one that you admired
and have always desired

But soon the dam starts to crack
The river trying to open the track
A path it wished to take
A way it wished to make

And one day the dam gives way
The rives gushes and sways
Ravaging everything down river
You feel it and you shiver

But soon the reality sinks in
You no longer have to hold it in
You allow it to take you along
trying to conjure up a song

A shred of memory to hold on to
A time to remember and feel to.

Why a Lie

I do not know why people lie
Doing things on the sly
you ask them why
and they always deny

You can fool someone all the time
You can fool everyone some of the time
You cannot fool everyone every time

What is the need for this hoax
its the fire that warms you,
not the smoke
it may be a bitter medicine to take
its still better than to fake

Competent Communicator :)

Its the end of a journey that started 2 yrs ago, on a whimsical idea to pit myself into the public speaking arena and see if I can stand the scrutiny.

Today, instead of being in an arena, it feels like a forge. A forge which strengthened you, moulds you, refines you, defines you.

On this journey I have made many new friends and shared numerous experiences that I would cherish for a long time.

Here is a toast to myself :) Even the best of us deserve a pat on the back once in a while.

Are we Respect-able?

I have often pondered and wondered with disdain at the difference in the behaviour of our generation with reference to what I think we should be. When I say "we" I mean the Indian Generation Z.

I do not have the wisdom or the knowledge to talk of the new generation in other countries , but of my own country I can say but this. The youth of India are more liberated, educated and knowledgeable, but they have achieved that by unlearning the basic learnings taught by the elder generations

We were all taught to respect our elders, yet we find a boom in the old age homes, elderly people being deposed from their own homes, youths turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to the words of the elders in homes, colleges and elsewhere. It pains me to see a high profile, extremely wise person narrating to us stories which we would take a lifetime to learn, speaking in front of an audience who are physically present and mentally absent. Where is the basic learning of respect for elders gone?

We were taught to respect women , our mothers, sisters, daughters and even unrelated passer-by. Yet in Delhi and other states , rape cases are on a high and the attitude of the government does not help. Raising slogans for protests and a more draconian law will not change the mindset of the people bend of committing such crimes. It is the mindset that needs changing , not the set of laws.
Where is the basic learning of our elder generations gone?

We were taught to help our friends and respect them as well. Yet many a time we hardly treat them fairly. It strangely reminds me of the scene from "Pyaar ka Punchnama" about the tirade of one friend , while the other friend listens wide-eyed, and at the end has nothing to say. The only exception being the friend is not listening but is on mobile, laptop, sleeping or chatting. Have we forgot the basic courtesy to lend an ear to our friends when they are speaking? Where is the basic learning of our elder generation gone?

Is the younger generation even Respect-able? In terms of both giving respect as well as receiving it, Generation Z seems to be lagging behind by a large margin. The festivities of the elder generation which used to honour and respect families and friends in ways like Holi, Diwali and Raksha bandhan have now given ways to festivities like Valentines Day, Rose Day, New Years Day etc where the motive is Individual rather than Collective.

There seems to be a tear in the fabric of morality of Indian youth. Is this tear a sign of breaking the shackles that was keeping Indian youth behind with respect to other countries, or is this tear a breach in the respectability of the Indian Youth.

I seem to have more questions than answers as always......

Time

I do not know what time may bring
Will it be winter or be it spring

But all I know it will bring
A reason to cry and a reason to sing

But ones who sing should wipe the tears
of the ones who cry and hold them dear

For life comes in many shades
some are bright and some do fade

But a master knows how to blend it all
And make a masterpiece for his wall

A window to the life gone by
Filled with a smile and a cry

Forget it not for it may be
a window to the future, unforseen

A future where the bright lights fade
And the faded ones are filled with jade

You do now know what time might bring
A long winter or a short short spring

The Spirit of Success

Chennai Speakers Forum

CC Project 10

The Spirit of Success

Toastmasters, what do you define as a successful meeting? One that fills us with happiness? One that gives us some learning? One which helps us become better? All this is possible only when everyone has been successful in doing their own part in the meeting.. isn’t it?

Call people on mobiles? Every time each one of us use these items, we all pay tribute to the success of not just one person, but several people, men no different from us, raised in the same environment as us, who achieved success due to their hard work, aspirations and perspirations. 

We are surrounded by the success of ordinary men doing extra-ordinary things. Bulbs, telephone, watches, mobiles, glasses, currency, air-conditioner, CSF – Creating Success Forever!!!, all are examples of a person’s grit and ability to do exceptional things.

But how would you define “Success”? What criteria would you use to measure success? Money?fame? status? Degrees? ...... They all are the outcome, not the measure. It all lies in a Spirit and I am going to tell you the tale of this spirit in one person.

He was born as the first son of the eldest son of the family. Naturally the entire family had high hopes from him. But right from the time he was 2 hours old, he was declared to be ill and has since been poked, prodded and been tested upon for the rest of his life. He was suffering from a rare genetic issue .The doctors had all given up hope of him having a normal life.

That person had a very different childhood. One filled with medicines, syringes, tests, hospitals, sickness and what not. He used to stay at home, read books, play video games all the time, not so socially active, shy, average minded.. in short-sheltered from the world. No one harboured high ... no...any hopes from him. All they wanted was to keep him happy and safe.

As the years progressed, the issue got worse. So much so that he had to stop going to school and put on a strict diet..... Boiled vegetables and bread. Can you imagine a 10 years old, so fond of chocolates, burgers, chaats and fried items suddenly being asked to stop it ALL??  Asked not to go out and play, take several medicines every day, spending half his childhood waiting outside the doctor’s cabin, just so that he can have the toy his mom promised him??

He got a hearing impairment, visual impairment, bp, kidney failure, weak bones and several other problems.

Do you think he had a bright future? Would you expect him to achieving something important in life?

[Pause]

He then moved to a different city, got treated by the best doctors and resumed his journey. He went on to become the topper of his school, became the best orator of his school, an officer in the school committee, won awards and accolades for himself as well as his school, joined a top ranking University of India and graduated with Distinction. He did not stop there, but went on to experience corporate life, become the best team member, and then went on to his post graduation degree after gruelling rounds of tests, interviews and discussions. But that was not enough. He got recruited by the one of the world’s leading banks for Summer Internship as well.

He has climbed the Great Wall of China, went to the world’s tallest building, travelled in world’s fastest train, has done white water rafting, open jeep safaris, writes poetry, fell in love and has a lot more to live for.

Today people come up to him as say “You have a bright future... you will go a long way.....tell me your mantra of success....You are an inspiration for me.....”.

The same person whom people had given up hope had now achieved something he could be proud of and make others proud as well. From hopeful, to hopeless to hopeful again, all because he truly believed that “Life is not because of.... it is Inspite of..”

He still has to take medications and precautions but now he sees them as a way of life, than as a drawback. He has achieved some success and continues to achieve new milestones, taking on more challenges, tougher ones, higher ones ...not because he has anything to prove... but  “Because it’s there”. J This spirit is what drives him to succeed in whatever endeavour he takes up in that stupid head of his to achieve. The Spirit to overcome challenges, pluck up the courage and struggle, strive and excel is what keeps him going.

If this spirit can make a medically challenged child like that... me.... to grow up to be a successful adult ......go from hopeless to hopeful, IMAGINE what powers it must have.  Keep alive the “Spirit of Success” and understand that no failure is the end of Success as well as no success the end of failure.

One thing that life has taught me is that “In life, there is no Dead End, there are only U bends and this spirit of success will help you navigate those bends and show you the path ahead.

There are innumerable quotes and phrases over success. Take up one quote which suits your life and attitude and always follow that as a guideline for success.

For me it is a poem I read long ago when I was in school and which still inspires me and motivates me.

Success comes from a fellow’s will

Its all in the state of mind .

Life's battles don't always go

To the stronger or faster man.

But soon or late the man who wins,

Is the man who thinks he can.