Gladiator...Courage to face life!!!

Just imagine...We are standing behind the closed gates, hearing chilling voices of heartless fighters, roaring& hungry wild animals and ofcourse sound of deadly weapons. Ok, now comes a valid a question. Why are we standing there? Because dear friends & wellwishers, the doors will open soon and we will be let out to fight...

I know, this may remind you of the scene from the famous Oscar winning movie ‘Gladiator’. However, there is much more to look out for.

When the first scene of the fight of gladiators unfolds, there is a man who is scared till death and another man who wasn’t. Guess, who is the first to be killed when the gates are opened? Obviously, the man who is scared... This scene has really left an impact on me.

Many a times, we stand behind the closed doors really fearing what will happen; what will come out; will we survive? But believe me, it never helps. Fearing or dodging in life never help. I heard somewhere, “Nowhere to run; nowhere to hide, this is the time until we die”. Quite true!!!

It happens everywhere. I mean...

· If we join an office, we may fear of challenging assignments. Sometimes, we fear of losing the job.

· If we appear for an exam, we may fear of difficult questions. And then we fear for the results.

· If we play a game say football, we may fear of ball coming to us.

· If we have a great family & friends, we may fear losing them.

· If we fall into love, we may fear... The fear is endless...

In retrospect, we all find that most of the times the things which we feared the most when happened, we had absolutely no choice but to face them Here the point is that we have always moved on. We all have our share of failures & heartbreaks, but if we are still here, it means something.

If whatever is going to happen will happen, then can we avoid wasting our life in fear? I mean, isn’t we need prepare us to confront the situation with courage and dignity rather than fearing.

I know it is easier to say than do. But it is worth trying...

We cannot expect life to be always fair with us, yes it also true. This is my second observation in the movie. We all have witnessed this at some or the other time in our lives. But it is not about what life does to us; it is about how we do in life.

There is a quite inspiring dialogue about life from the movie, Rocky,“You, me or nobody is going to hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!”

Let the life offer whatever it has and let we face it with strength& courage.

Let us dare to look forward to every challenging situation. It may be a game or an assignment; it may be an adventurous sport or falling in love...

Let us concede that we all are gladiators in our life and we are meant to face, fight and survive. Life much more than fears for the worst. Life is about living. It doesn't matter, what is behind the gates, we need to believe and have absolute faith that we will deal with whatever comes.

Let us wait for the gates to be opened.

With a fearless smile,

Pragati Soni

The magic of giving...It's what you can give that shows your real worth

Sometimes small and simple things actually move us...

Believe me, an event need not be a grand one to inspire us in fact it can be a small incident which gives us hope of kindness and proof of magnanimity.

Few days back, I happened to read a book, 'Soul Curry'. It has got many real life experiences to touch & heal our heart. There is one very simple anecdote in it which made me to think that a person may or may not be beautiful; may or may not be intelligent; may or may not be rich...what we bear in mind is what actually that person has made us to feel which is often associated with what the person has given us, may bea materialistic gift or a non-materialistic memory. Yes, we don't really remember people for their name and face but for what they have given us. "Giving gift" is an age old tradition which much more than just a formality. This anecdote is really a decent picture of a beautiful & giving heart. It goes like...

"I believe everyone in their lifetime comes across a bit of magic that reminds them the importance of the word 'give'. The incident, which reminded me of the well known saying "Its's more blessed to give than to receive", happened a few weeks before my sister's wedding. With a heavy heart, I left the wedding cheer at home for another town to attend some important lectures.

My parents had the room ready and waiting for me and as I entered, I walked into what seemed like a Christmas floral shop. Red poinsettia and other bouquets crowded the window sill, along with a stack of cards that waited to be opened. I felt overwhelmed by the love and attention.

Just then a voice broke into my reverie. "Hey, I'll be sharing the room with you," said the 20-something girl who stepped into the room. She had short, curly grey hair and brown eyes. She stared at the flower like child-like wonder.

She introduced herself as Dollie and we chatted on till it was time for dinner. Not once did she mention her family and did I asked. In her company, life suddenly seemed easier and she also continued to exclaim excitedly at the cards and flowers I continued to receive.

On our last evening together, Dollie decided to visit the market. As I walked through the room alone, I noticed for the first time the stark constrast between our sides of the room. There was Dollie's bed that stood neat and sparse except for a red candelabra with holy sprigs, which she had brought along. Infact, I realized I had never seen her getting any calls either during her stay. In constrast, my bed was filled with gifts and I was flooded with calls from my family and friends.

I decided to give her something of mine as a parting gift. I looked around at the things I had and wondered if I could part with any of it. Of course, I couldn't give mom and dad's Yule log with candles, I thought. What about the new jacket?But, then, my sister badly wanted me to wear it when I reached home. The justifications kept even as I climbed onto my bed, placating my guilt by promising myself to call the nearby gift shop to order some flowers to Dollie the next day.

I awoke the next morning with thoughts of returning home, with some of the guilt resurfacing as I remembered that the gift shop would'nt open for another two days. Moreover, Dollie's train was scheduled before mine.

"I've really enjoyed getting to know you, Dollie," I finally told her. My words were sincere but I felt guilty for not having followed up on intentions.

To my surprise, she picked up her only possesion, the red candled centrepiece, and gently laid it in my hands. "I'll miss you, " she said, giving me a big hug. "Thank you, " is all I could manage to whisper.

As I heard the doors closing behind Dollie, I knew in my heart that she possessed much more than I did. "

Sometimes, people give the only thing they have. Blessed to have such people in our lives.

Giving something is not just a formality, it is giving a part of our being to be with that person. Yes, it is true, "It's what you can give that shows your real worth", it is the worth of our soul and heart which is priceless.

With a giving smile ,

Pragati Soni

I still love speed....

I simply love speed...My family says I talk fast...My friends say I walk fast...and no doubt I say I drive fast...But the key point is I still drive fast...I still love speed.

Around 12 years back I met with an accident while driving..to be very honest...while driving very fast..(I didn't collide with anybody...). Nice experience...not because I got injuries but because I learnt something due to that incident(ok..ok..accident ) from my father.

During my recovery, my father, who also happened to be my driving teacher, never showed me any fear how would I drive now...After recovering, when I had to again start driving..my father just gave me the keys...

Yes, I took the charge, after all I had to restart my engineering coaching. At that young age(my young age) my father taught me that falling from your horse doesn't mean you should never ride again. The important thing is to get back on the horse and ride it again. Fear never gets you anywhere.

He showed that my fall didn't shake his trust in me...

He taught me the courage to restart...to rebuild...to relive...

His silent assurance conveyed me that my failures should never stop me from doing whatever I feel like doing and failures should only make me to do the things with more conviction, renewed spirit & new zeal...May be someday...I will be successful in doing that in true sense and make him feel proud.

But yes, no doubt, it is  probably because of my father...I still love speed...

Thanks Papa..:-)))


With a salute to all fathers,

Pragati Soni

It is ok to fight...!!!

Dear friends & wellwishers,

Today's write up is dedicated to my sweet little sister Prerna. Like her name she always inspires me to do what I love to do and most importantly to be myself .

My sister always says that one should not strive to become ideal but to be what really he/she wants to be. Very very true!!!

Really, it is ok to be imperfect. People say that we should accept others with their imperfection but what is equally important to accept our imperfection and to be happy with it

Sometimes...

It is ok to cry

It is ok to laugh aloud

It is ok to get angry

It is ok to feel jealous

It is ok to be lazy

It is ok to be careless

It is ok to break rules

It is ok to commit mistakes

It is ok to fall in love again

It is ok to fight with our near & dear ones

We usually accept people for what they are but when it comes to us we become a bit hard on ourselves.

We question ourselves for being normal...Like

We become sad if we have not got what we desire but we don't accept that we can be sad. We show that we are invincible and nothing can affect us. What is the point? Fine, if we were hurt. We are simple human beings.

We curse us for being careless that how can we be that...In fact life becomes easier if we admit that. It happens...

Research shows that it better to be express anger actively rather than passively. So suppressing the anger is neither good for health nor for our relationships.

We feel jealous sometimes because of xyz reason. No matter how secure we feel but sometimes if we feel insecure we can acknowledge that.

Falling in love (I don't mean crush), is one of the most wonderful feelings. We want to spend our entire life and dedicate ourself to someone. But sometimes, nothing goes as expected and everything falls apart. We should take our time, forgive, forget & heal but we should not close the doors. It is not bad to fall in love again.

Fight, believe me sometimes our loved ones want that. Every emotion has got its own significance. Fight with them and fight for them. It makes one happy and worth.

You know what, there is a serious repercussion if we strive to be perfect and that is, we actually stop to be what we actually are. Here I am not saying that we should not work on getting rid of bad habits or any bad emotion however there is fine balance. For instance...

Crying is having a healing effect however too much crying stops us from living a happy life.

Laughing is again the most qualitative moment we can gift to ourselves. However, where to laugh and on what to laugh at also matters.

Getting angry is fine however what is important is to get angry at the right time and right reason which makes all the difference.

Feeling jealous...all right. We may be afraid in loosing something or someone but it should not lead in hurting somebody.

Want to rest and spend time in practically doing nothing. Go ahead, sometimes it is required however we should not forget "Time & tide waits for nobody".

Sometimes we are too much occupied in life that we commit silly mistakes and carelessly handle (mishandle) a situation. There is a limit of that too. Booking tickets for wrong train or date when we are expected or needed by loved ones is not good at all.

Love should always be taken as lifetime commitment. It should not be taken as time pass but sometimes if things don't go as we have expected...in such circumstances we should not lose our hope "Love like we have never loved before" and we should try our best to make it work. We don't fall in love everyday.

Fight is important and has its own power to revive relationbships. However, we should not let it break the bond of trust & love.

We need to take life easy. We should try not to make it difficult for anybody not even for us. We should not try to make it hard for us but always try to live it.

When I started writing this today, I thought I would write it short however I accept my imperfection of giving good amount of details. I think it is ok and if you think not, you can always fight with me. It is ok to fight!!!

Thanks betu...you are a wonderful sister :-)

This time I am signing off with an imperfect smile

Pragati Soni

The Dash...

Whenever I see somebody’s eulogy afterlife, there is one part which usually strikes (me). It is the birth year & the death year which is usually combined by a small ‘DASH’. And probably, the most important of all is the dash between those two years. Our loved ones or anybody remember those dates but do we know why? It is only because of that dash; the small dash that represents our entire lifetime.

We may own property worth millions but what really matters is how we have spent that dash in touching hearts & soul, in short in touching lives. What matters is how we have lived & loved in those years which are represented by a small dash after our lifetime.

If there is anything we can change to make this lifetime worth then this is the time to do it for we never know how much time is left.

If we can just slow down and think to make that dash beautiful, then we should give it a try.

If we can make few things better in this world, then we should give it a try.

If we can bring smile to few faces, then we should give it a try.

If we can revive the true relationships or keep them alive, then we should give it a try.

We can be a simple human being while doing all these. It is just to realise what is true & real.

It is just to try to understand the way other people feel; the ones who love us and care for us.

It is just an effort to realize that the times might be tough for someone and so not to judge anybody on a bad day.

It is just to become less quick to anger.

It is just to trust somebody as sometimes trust is a bigger compliment then to love.

It is just to show appreciation more.

It is just to be grateful to everybody around us.

It is just to treat everyone with respect.

It is just to love the people in our lives.

It is just to leave a hope in everybody to believe in the beauty of that dash.

That little dash is really worth and deserves a thought to make it more meaningful and probably we should always remember that the dash is the most important part between those two dates.

Thanks for being a part of my dash---

With a beautiful smile,

Pragati

Parents are precious...

Foreword:

Few years back I heard a song from an "Indian Movie"... which meant...:It is true that God exists on this earth, but we are unware. The existence of Mother & Father symbolizes God's presence on this earth. True, isn't it? Now also whenever I listen to the complete song I feel so special that God has betowed me great parents and hence family.

Right from the moment we come into existence till parents lifetime or even after that they think & wish for our welfare only. They just want to see us happy. We need our parents for our needs but unfortunately take them forgranted. We think that it is there duty to do all the things though it is more out of love.

And when it comes to our duty we complete it as a mere formality but again what they need is love.

Here is an experience of a son where he felt the real gratitute towards his father. Please do read if you have some time. I know you all know everything and love & respect your parents. The motive just to take out 5 minutes from the busy schedules and think about our parents.

This was narrated at a Seminar recently on Human Relations :

Venkatesh Balasubramaniam (who works for IIT) describes how his gesture of booking an air ticket for his father, his maiden flight, brought forth a rush of emotions and made him (Venkatesh) realize that how much we all take for granted when it comes to our parents.

Story in his words: My parents left for our native place on Thursday and we went to the airport to see them off. In fact, my father had never travelled by air before, so I just took this opportunity to make him experience the same. In spite of being asked to book tickets by train, I got them tickets on xxx Airways. The moment I handed over the tickets to him, he was surprised to see that I had booked them by air. The excitement was very apparent on his face, waiting for the time of travel. Just like a school boy, he was preparing himself on that day and we all went to the airport, right from using the trolley for his luggage, the baggage check-in and asking for a window seat and waiting restlessly for the security check-in to happen. He was thoroughly enjoying himself and I, too, was overcome with joy watching him experience all these things. As they were about to go in for the security check-in, he walked up to me with tears in his eyes and thanked me. He became very emotional and it was not as if I had done something great but the fact that this meant a great deal to him. When he said thanks, I told him there was no need to thank me. But later, thinking about the entire incident, I looked back at my life. As a child, how many dreams our parents have made come true. Without understanding the financial situation, we ask for cricket bats, dresses, toys, outings, etc. Irrespective of their affordability, they have catered to all our needs.

Did we ever think about the sacrifices they had to make to accommodate many of our wishes?

Did we ever say thanks for all that they have done for us?

Same way, today when it comes to our children, we always think that we should put them in a good school. Regardless of the amount of donation, we will ensure that we will have to give the child the best, theme parks, toys, etc. But we tend to forget that our parents have sacrificed a lot for our sake to see us happy, so it is our responsibility to ensure that their dreams are realized and what they failed to see when they were young. It is our responsibility to ensure that they experience all those and their life is complete.

Many times, when my parents had asked me some questions, I have actually answered back without patience. When my daughter asks me something, I have been very polite in answering. Now I realize how they would have felt at those moments.

Let us realize that old age is a second childhood and just as we take care of our children, the same attention and same care needs to be given to our parents and elders. Quality time and politely answering them with out making them wait is important. Now I realise that I must look at their eyes and answer them pleasantly and pretend to be reading papers and answer in mono syllables. Rather than my dad saying thank you to me, I would want to say sorry for making him wait so long for this small dream. I do realize how much he has sacrificed for my sake and I will do my best to give the best possible attention to all their wishes. Just because they are old does not mean that they will have to give up everything and keep sacrificing for their grandchildren also. They have wishes, too.


Let us take care of our parents!

THEY ARE PRECIOUS!

Stay happy & grateful,

Pragati Soni

Real Meaning of Peace...

Foreword:

There are so many emotions on this earth. Some things which cannot be defined in one word or sentence but can be only felt or experienced. Different people have different notions of friendship, love, care, devotion, sincerity, etc. Here is a simple but true meaning of peace...one of the most sought after emotion in this world.

This short parable shows no matter whatever the circumstances but we can be always be with peace.

Real Meaning of Peace

There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all the pictures. But there were only two he really liked, and he had to choose between them.
One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for peacefully towering mountains all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace.
The other picture had mountains, too. But these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky, from which rain fell and in which lightning played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all. But when the king looked closely, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on the nest - in perfect peace.
Which picture do you think won the prize? The king chose the second picture. Do you know why?
"Because," explained the king, "peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace."


Quite true...isn't it?

With a peaceful smile,

Pragati Soni

No sorry, no thank you...really?

Dear friends & wellwishers,


Today I was just thinking about the heart of life...any guesses? It is obviously the relationships. These are just what I feel about the expressing the feelings in our relationship with our loved ones; our friends. One may agree or disagree with my views. However, I feel that relationships are just like small saplings which always need love & care. If taken for granted or left unattended for a long time they may lose vitality and sometimes they may even cease to exist.

Sometime back, I watched the movie “Love Story (1970)”, there is a famous quote in that; “Love means never having to say you're sorry”. However, I have always felt the other way round. For me love actually means that I do care about you; your every feeling and if I have done wrong, I owe an apology because you are special to me, so “Please forgive me”; I trust you to the extent that I know you will embrace me wholeheartedly without making me feel bad. Saying sorry doesn’t make anyone low in status. If we value a relationship, ego is the first emotion we shed. When the best of our friends or our loved one spot a hurt, they do whatever they can to heal it. It is also apparent that we do not feel hurt because of an enemy but because of the people we trust & love so it is our duty to nurse it back to good health.

I don’t think that it is fair when people say that in friendship there is no need to say sorry or thank you. In fact it is really required. It is not a formality and by saying these words obviously I don’t mean just uttering them every time but to mean them and to make our loves ones to feel that they are taken care of. Our near & dear ones are special to us and saying ‘Thank you for being there’ really makes a difference.

There are so many things we don’t say in our entire life. And you know what? On the death bed we will never repent if we have not said anything bad to someone but we will surely repent if we have not said or expressed the good things to the people whom we love. We will surely feel bad if we did not express how important was the help we got from our friend or how much sorry we felt when we had hurt our beloved or how much we missed our loved one or how much we love our family. Just brood over it once!!!

Have we ever called up our mother or a loved one and said, “I miss you” just like that? Have we ever thought of saying our child that we love them sooooooooooo... much? Believe it or not these little words instill the life force in our loved ones; a sense of security, confidence and trust. Expressing our love to our family & friends fosters the relationship and sometimes rejuvenates it.These powerful affirmations actually tell someone we love that he/she is wanted, needed, desired and loved. Our loved ones get a good reason to smile and sometimes a reason to live life.

We all are human beings and have the unsaid emotional needs. ‘I love you’, I miss you’, ‘I am sorry’, I thank you’ and many more such expressions are perhaps the most important words that we can say. These have the ultimate power to heal & to satisfy a person's deepest emotional needs; the need to belong, to feel appreciated & to be wanted. Our family, our friends and we, all need to hear those little words.

Love & friendship are not ‘no sorry’ or ‘no thank you’ relationships. They need to be taken care by expressing how significant they are. It is very important to show that we love, respect & value them. It is important to say sorry if we have hurt them. It is important to express our gratitude that they are in our lives. Life is not something to be taken for granted but a wonderful gift to be nurtured and relationships are the heart to be taken care of.



With a courteous smile,

Pragati Soni

Being Truly Present!!!

We come across so many nice ideas & wonderful thoughts everyday... Sometimes we notice and so many times we don't. Today, I would like to share a very beautiful sentence which I have come across recently, "Being there for another person is the greatest gift we can give."

Yes, it is quite true and has got a deep meaning!!!

Have you ever given a call to somebody at 2:00 am in the night saying that you had caught a wrong train and now waiting at some xyz station wondering which train to catch now? And the beautiful part at the other side is that the person really woke up for you and trying all the possible means to get you a train safely and saying, “Don’t worry".

Have you ever given a call to somebody at 10:00 pm in the night saying that your car got a flat tire and no mechanic is there in vicinity? And the beautiful part at the other side is that you hear the wonderful words, “I will be there”.

Have you ever given a call to somebody at the peak hours of work saying you need to book tickets urgently and your internet connection is not working? And the beautiful part at the other side is that your tickets get booked within next 10 minutes and the only words you hear is “It is done. Have a safe journey”.

How good it feels to have such people in our lives whom we can call at any hour; from any place whenever or wherever we need. We know in our hearts that they are there for us. It is really good to hear, “I am there for you”.

Life is very funny and sometimes odd events happen in life like…

* We may run out of petrol in the middle of nowhere.

* We may feel sick at the middle of night.

* We may be late at office and could not find any conveyance.

* We may be lost in a foreign land.

* We may feel emotionally low.

* We may need just a friend to talk practically nothing but important.

If we are one of the first names click to our near & dear ones, we are very lucky. And believe me we are not remembered for the years we spend with our near & dear ones but for the few moments when we were really needed.

I am thankful that God has blessed me such wonderful family and friends whom I can reach at any hour; who are always there for me; whom I can always count on.

You know what , nothing great but I usually keep my mobile in ringing mode even at night thinking anybody from my near & dear ones may need me at any time. And it was after once my sister asked me to do so, I have also started calling back at the unknown missed calls with the same intention. Sounds funny, isn’t it? Infact, sometimes I was laughed at by people also. But then too, I have been doing it & I want to continue that because if I am in somebody’s life, I want to be truly present.

I know, you all are already doing it, I just want you to give a small thought to the idea of being truly present. It is required to foster friendships and revive relationships.

It is true that being truly present in someone’s life is not to be present at even times or for long hours but at the odd times & when we are needed most. In the nutshell if possible at all the possible times. We just have to think beyond ourselves.

So lets try to be truly present in the lives of our near & dear ones...for a beautiful life full of trust & faith.



With an ever present & true smile,

Pragati Soni

The world will always be beautiful!!!

Hello Everybody,

I would like to start this beautiful write up with beautiful greetings and a hope that you all are enjoying pink of your health and warmth of your dear ones. I know it has been long since we have interacted but actually, I was busy... I was busy in thanking God for all the goodness in the world. Yes, lots of things have happened in the past few months but I don't want to label them either good or bad, I just want to be grateful.

Too good to believe...Isn't it? The truth is that like everybody I too feel sometimes, that the world is a difficult place to live. Everyday comes with a new challenge; sometimes personal & sometimes professional. Sometimes new hopes arise whereas sometimes all are lost in a fraction of second. Sometimes we find new friends in strangers whereas sometimes friends have to become strangers. Sometimes we smile for no reason whereas sometimes we find no reason to smile. But despite all the difficulties I still feel that the world is a beautiful place to live, believe me. People are basically honest by nature. Coworkers are supportive. Friends are loyal. True friendship, love, trust and above all hope exist. And we don't have to go far in search of all these. They all exist in us. And as long as we exist goodness will exist.

We just have to do our bit in this world. If we have the determination that no matter what we will receive from the world, we will always give the best, this world will always remain a beautiful place to live.

The life is too short to be bitter or sad. It is too short to lose hope in the brighter side of this world. We need to feel blessed that we can feel the goodness and we can choose the goodness. Ok, I agree we might have recieved unfair treatmentat some place but it is important that we have been fair ; somebody might have broken our trust but please check that we have not done it; somebody might have ditched us but it is important that we were loyal. Just be careful but never lose hope. Keep faith in the goodness.

In our lives, we all spend considerable time to remain physically beautiful. Just take out some time to take care of our beautiful soul and to assure it that 'ALL IS WELL' to keep the hope alive because only that has got the power to keep this earth a beautiful planet to live.

Believe me that the world will always be a beautiful place to live, we just need to do our bit. It will certainly make a difference.


With a beautiful smile,

Pragati :-)

Sometimes you have to let go of what you can't live without...

Yes, it is true that "Sometimes we have to let go of what we can't live without..:-)"

Being a practical person, I believe that no one can be an altruist. I am also not an altruist or completely unselfish person. However, life has given me more than one occasion of letting go important things in my life. I still don't know if those events have made me wiser or more detached. The only thing I know is that I am at peace with myself.

The reason of letting go can be any; sometimes it is death and sometimes...life too. Sometimes we don't have control, sometimes we don't want to control and sometimes we should not control. Sometimes we already know the value of what we are losing and sometimes we realize it after it goes. I concur, it is seldom followed by happiness. Most of the times it leaves a void in our life which can never be filled by time.

When our maternal grandmother, passed away 15 years back, it was very difficult to let her go, as we got chance of being loved by only one grand parent. Life is still going on and we all have moved but it is no doubt difficult to live without such an unselfish love & elderly support. That time, I didn't have any control. After all, God's will is supreme when it comes to birth, marriage & death.

Throughout our lives, so many incidents occur, sometimes we have to let go our dear family, sometimes true friends and sometimes the one we really love (even life-partner). All the ones I have mentioned are quite important to our lives and without them our life is meaningless. We invest invaluable time and precious energy in nurturing these. We weave our present & future around them.. Our past memories are enriched with them. In one word word they are epicentre of our life hence letting go is more than difficult to explain and the pain is unbearable. We cannot even imagine our lives without them..

I would like to say that when the life is cause of letting go our family, friends and love...just make sure it is for their happiness. Never try to control. If they are happy then we will be happy eventually. After all life is all about happiness if not directly ours then the ones we love & care for. Yes, as I mentioned before, it will create a void sometimes a vacuum in our life, however, if it gives fresh air to them then let them breath & live life. In the end life is all about the happiness of the ones we love & care for.


With lots of smiles full of life & happiness,
Pragati Soni

God determines who walks into your life. It is up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to

Hello Friends,
Few years back, I came across a quite simple but thought provoking email on relationships...romantic relationships. Romantic relationship is one of the most complex relationships on earth. Sometimes it is both sided whereas sometimes it is a one sided feeling; sometimes couples go for mutual break ups and sometimes one of them takes the decision & justy walks away. Love forever seems to be a rare event nowadys and unfortunately flirts & flings are common everywhere. This email gave me a fair explanation why people find it easy to fall in love everytrime whereas difficult to sustain it.

During a seminar, a woman asked," How do I know if I am with the right person?" the author then noticed that there was a large man sitting next to her so he said, "It depends. Is that your partner?" In all seriousness, she answered "How do you know?" Let me answer this question because the chances are good that it's weighing on your mind replied the author. Here's the answer.

Every relationship has a cycle...In the beginning; you fall in love with your partner. You anticipate their calls, want their touch, and like their idiosyncrasies. Falling in love wasn't hard. In fact, it was a completely natural and spontaneous experience. You didn't have to DO anything. That's why it's called "falling" in love. People in love sometimes say, "I was swept of my feet." Picture the expression. It implies that you were just standing there; doing nothing, and then something happens TO YOU. Falling in love is a passive and spontaneous experience. But after a few months or years of being together, the euphoria of love fades (sometimes only one partener feels this). It's a natural cycle of EVERY relationship. Slowly but surely, phone calls become a bother (if they come at all), touch is not always welcome (when it happens), and your spouse's idiosyncrasies, instead of being cute, drive you nuts. The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship; you will notice a dramatic difference between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or even angry subsequent stage. At this point, you and/or your partner might start asking,"Am I with the right person?" And as you reflect on the euphoria of the love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with someone else. This is when relationships breakdown.

People blame their partners for their unhappiness and look outside for fulfilment. Extramarital fulfilment comes in all shapes and sizes. Infidelity is the most common. But sometimes people turn to work, a hobby, a friendship, excessive TV, or abusive substances. But the answer to this dilemma does NOT lie outside your relationship. It lies within it. I'm not saying that you couldn't fall in love with someone else. You could. And TEMPORARILY you'd feel better. But you'd be in the same situation a few years later. Because (listen carefully to this): The key to succeed in a relationship is not finding the right person; it's learning to love the person you found.

SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. You have to work on it day in and day out. It takes time, effort, and energy. And most importantly, it demands WISDOM. You have to know WHAT TO DO to make it work if the other person really means it. Make no mistake about it. Love is NOT a mystery. There are specific things you can do (with or without your partner). Just as there are physical laws of the universe (such as gravity), there are also laws for relationships. If you know and apply these laws, the results are predictable. Love is therefore a "decision". Not just a feeling.

*Remember this always: God determines who walks into your life. It is up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to*

I hope and somewhere silently wish to see ' love forever' everywhere. Life is nothing without love. Love makes the bundle of moments...a beautiful life. Do not bind love...leave it free but once in love give your 100% to sustain it. True love is a blessing of God, value it.


With a sustained lovely smile,
Pragati Soni

Pass the biscuits...:-)

Hello Everybody,

We all know that biscuits provide nourishment to our body. So let us discuss about various kinds of biscuits available in the market like fibre biscuits, tea-time biscuits, cream biscuits, coconut biscuits and many more. Please, don't wonder. Being a foodie, I can discuss about this but not this time. However, we all agree that we need food for nourishment. This 'We' can be extended to our fellow plants & animals too. In a similar way, relationships also need nourishment. But, we do not get the right stuff always and never readily available. Because, the food for healthy relationships are not packaged & sold in supermarkets. Most of the times we have to work hard to get the healthy food to keep our life & relationships in good shape.

Few weeks back, I found a very good & short story floating on our company intranet...the story is about biscuits...I mean relationships :-) and it goes like this (in italics) followed by my thoughts:

"When I was a kid, my mom liked to make breakfast, food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made dinner after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage, and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school.

I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said: "Honey, I love burnt biscuits."

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burnt. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your mummy put in a long hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides... a burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!"

After going through this short story I thought that if we can really learn to appreciate the burnt biscuits in our lives then they can nourish our ever lasting & happy relationships :-). Infact, when I brooded over my life, I found that I have been passing burnt biscuits to my family since my childhood and they never complained and always conveyed that they enjoyed every bit of it. My family has really been my best school for learning life, living and relationships.

You know what, relationships are not the projects where accuracy is everything. One may commit a mistake or a series of mistakes over a period of time, however, most of the times not intentionally. We deal with our families,friends and many more in our lives. Sometimes we loose our patience in dealing with them if they get angry, very emotional or do or say some illogical things. Not only this, we get annoyed if our calls are not answered, our emails are not replied or if our friend couldn't turn up. Sometimes, we also feel bad, if the action or reaction is not the way we wished or imagined. We either express this negatively (active reaction) or slowly cut off (passive reaction).

One may easily get frustrated or irritated if somebody has done a mistake or a continuum of mistakes. Besides this, leaving the person is also an effortless option. However, I wonder if these reactions do any good? If we go in deep we may find that the person might be undergoing some difficult or tough times. He or she desperately needs a listening ear or a shoulder to lean upon. At this juncture, we are required to step in the lives of our near & dear ones and not to step out. It is our understanding, support & above all love that our loved ones need.

We cannot change anybody by showing anger, irritation or frustration. The reason being, only one thing in the entire universe can actually make a person to change in a true sense and that is……”Love”. Love provides the security & motivation that actually have the power to change a person for good.

The best nourishment to relationship can be provided by love which ultimately leads to understanding & patience. It is one of the best nutrition we can give to our relationships.

We need to understand that sometimes, the biscuits passed to us are burnt but not because somebody wanted them to burn but because somebody simply couldn’t help it and need us. That is it :-)

So...please pass me the biscuits... anytime you wish. And yes, a burnt one will be just fine!

With a sweet smile full of life,

Pragati Soni

3 storys and an innocent, pure, beautiful & divine emotion

Love, a beautiful word… Isn't it? It unknowingly brings smile on our face. Everything seems to be so beautiful with just one word. It is really one of the most innocent, pure & divine feelings on earth. Not only we, the humans but animals and even plants do love. However, have you ever thought about some vital elements of love ? Ok...just think there can be many forms of water but there is something basic about water which makes it water. There are different kinds of books or movies but there is something elementary about them which makes them books or movies. There are different kinds of human beings but there is something fundamental about a human being which makes a human being. I am just trying to pen down my feelings about what is something basic that love can be or love can never be? What is something basic about true love?

At different junctures of my life I have come across different real scenarios & real or fictional stories that somehow helped me in carving out my understanding about love. If not all, I would like to share atleast 3 stories of love here along with my thoughts.

Most of us are familiar with the famous novel “Devdas” written by the great Indian author Late Shri Saratchandra Chattopadhyay & its famous character Devdas. People call it love and the story as a tragic love story. But I am sorry; I beg to differ.

The character Devdas, a lover of Paro, lost his childhood love. When Paro married another man, Devdas, renounced his family drowned himself in liquor & ultimately died. I wonder if it was really love. Why??? Because, I feel love cannot result into hurting anybody at least not the person whom we love. Devdas, didn’t think that his plight would hurt everyone who loves him. In fact, he did so to hurt them including Paro. Can it be love?

Love has simply no objective to own somebody or something, one loves rather true love is all about the happiness of someone we really love.

Now the second one.....Few years ago a very sentimental story ran across internet. It was about a simple boy who was a mediocre soccer player. He outperformed on the final day of his match, and when he was asked how? His answer was that his blind father who used to come every day to the match was no more, and it was the first day he was seeing the match from the heaven. He could drown himself in the ocean of sadness but it was true love which inspired him to play at his level best to make his father happy even in the heaven. His tribute to his father was true love. True Love inspires.

I started this article with a story from an Indian novel, I am quoting the third story again from Indian literature..... When I was in 7th or 8th standard I read “Nandini” a short story by veteran Indian author Premchanda. In this beautifully woven story, an aimless boy gets the meaning of life because of Nandini, a cow. When Nandini came into his life, it became the pivot of his life but Nandini was taken away by a landlord and this boy lost everything he acquired. But he truly loved Nandini & didn’t go back to his old mundane lifestyle but got himself indulged into productive activities, a tribute to his love. He retained the happiness Nandini brought into his life. True Love motivates to bring out best in ourselves.

All these facts about love may sound idealistic but it is also true that love is ideal. Love helps us to rise above what is ordinary.

Being realistic, I accept that most of the times love is accompanied with pain. But trust me, love has the power to heal also, we just need to trust love.

My purpose of this piece of writing is simple: it doesn’t no matter if we get or lose what we love: a person, a passion or anything but it matters to realize the true nature of this divine feeling. Our love should always result in something beautiful & fruitful to the life on earth. Love can never make us to run away from our duties, from our near and dear ones, from our lives but can only bring us closer to these. We need to remember, true love is all about happiness of the ones we really care for or love; it inspires & motivates; it brings best in us.

True love can become a center of our life but can never make us self-centered.

By this time you might have thought about few more basic elements of love. In fact that is what I would like to you to do. Life is nothing without love.

However, no matter what different people perceive but love will always be one of the most innocent, pure, beautiful & divine emotion in the entire universe.

Ripple Effects...:-)))))

The first drop of rain creates beautiful ripples on the surface of still water...it seems as if it spreads the soothing effect of rain everywhere...and you know what, it really does that.

We all human beings also do it somewhere in our lives.......how?

Ok, whenever an event occurs in our life, we discuss it with our near & dear ones. Now, sometimes the event is feel good however most of the times it is not the same case. Ironically, the events which negatively impact us are more.

We tend to discuss the bad news from news channel & news paper, from somebody's life and also from our lives more. At one hand it is ok, as it is required to be informed what is happening in this world but on the other hand it makes us feel sad, agitated and depressed. We loose trust in the world and somewhere the hope that there can be anything good enough to live happily.

The one seed of thought that made me to write this today is that we seldom discuss the good events with the same intensity we discuss the bad ones. And most of the times we even forget to discuss. We take good things granted and don't try to live or relive those.

It is an old saying that happiness multiplies by spreading(Please excuse me I don't remember it verbatim). I understand we all have our own share of bitter experiences but I firmly believe we have few sweet ones also. We may come across so many bad news in a day but atleast one good news or experience. My key point is let us share that good moment with great intensity. It may be a simple one for but may kindle hope in somebody's heart for better world; a reason to smile & live.

Let us discuss about good weather, cool breeze & dancing rain.

Let us discuss about trustworthy friends and the time we spent together
or have been spending.

Let us discuss about people who really love each other and kept the
promise and have been keeping it.

Let us discuss about marriages which are lasting through all thick &
thin of life.

Let us discuss about the help & humanity we have been experiencing in
personal or professional lives.

May seem to be small...but believe me it will create the beautiful ripple
effects.

Life us quite uncertain...we don't know what will happen the very next moment...then let us try to create the ripples of love, friendship, trust, humanity & hope.

By the way writing this email, sitting on my terrace, listening to soft music, feeling the cool breeze, handling my traces & brooding over few good moments in my life...is already making me feel beautiful about life.

Feel & spread the beauty...you will simply love it.

My Blog: http://deepindia.blogspot.com/2011/07/ripple-effect.html


With ever spreading smile :-),

Pragati Soni

Expecto Patronum !!!!!!

Hello Everybody,

I am back again...but this time with some magic...!!!

Ok, just think...have you ever felt despair...a terrible state of hopelessness...a moment or couple of moments when you could only recall the most bitter experience or memory...

Actually this happens or may happen with anybody. After all, we all are human beings...:-)

Most of the times one negative experience lead to a trail of negative emotions & all our past bitter experiences come alive. Everything seems to be just out of control. Love, friendship, trust, humanity and especially hope seems to be non existent. We are left with no desire to carry on the very next moment in life.

You know what? Dementors cause similar state of mind in people...Now, who are dementors? Please have patience ,we will come to this later.

Dementors are really dreadful creatures and only one spell can ward off dementors i.e. "Expecto Patronum"... This spell creates "Patronus", a positive force, a projection of hope, happiness and the desire to survive and gaurd against dementors. But this spell is effective only when one concentrates only on happy memory or the happiest memory. Sounds like magic, isn't it? But very true!!!

My mother always say, "One can even learn from an ant". Infact, with the years passed I have learnt that one can learn so many things from an ant...:-). Every living and non living thing have some or the important philosophy of life to share with us. We just have to keep our senses active enough to comprehend it.

I have read and seen all and also learnt a few things from "Harry Potter Series'. Yes, someone may think that it is for children, I have no issues but if one can learn from each and every living or non living being then why not from these books. There are so many things in these books to learn with regards to human psychology.

"Expecto Patronum" is one of the many spells mentioned in these books. This spell is especially used to fend off dementors (the creatures which suck all the positivity from a person and fills the psyche with despair). It conjures an incarnation of the caster's innermost positive feelings, such as joy, hope, or the desire to survive. and you know what we all can do it...in fact have been doing it...without even going to any school of magic. We all are bestowed with magic.

I feel that it is very true only positive & happy thoughts can pull us out from the whirlpool of utter depression. Happiness is a state of mind and so does hopelessness. The only magic is to concentrate with all our might on the happy memory or memories...(We always need to remember the main goal in life and that is to be happy and if possible to make others happy. The latter one is not possible without the former one)

So, abandoned by a friend in the mid of difficulties...lost somebody so special(the most tragic loss)...got ditched by someone you were in love with...duped by a person you have always trusted...lost job...big loans to repay...life can be full by all these but then too life is above all these, it goes on and we have to move on & face it with a smile. We just have to try to concentrate with all our will power on the happy moment we cherish most in our lives; may be our mother's hug...father's support...kins' love...a smile on our child's face...falling in love...laughter with friends...a cup of tea with near & dear ones in the rainy evening...getting a friend or help unexpectedly at the most crucial time...getting admission in desired school or college...the list is endless...believe me...we all have atleast one such happiest moment in our lives.

The truth is that despite all the negativities life is still beautiful and if not we can try to make someone's(who may or may not know us or even care for us).

We all are great magicians...we just have to realise our potential...we just have to incant our "Expecto Patronum" to incarnate our most innermost positive feelings as a support to come in terms with life...to live life with a light heart, happy soul and a smile on our face.


With a magic smile:),
Pragati Soni

Just Untag Happiness :-)

Once I was just brooding over life...I mean what we want...what we strive for...what we long for in our lives...what we all chase throughout our lives...???

I got the reply from my heart...my soul...and my mind...unanimously...the response was "happiness"...Yes, it is happiness we always try to seek...Ok...just think...


We want good health...why? We feel energetic & active...ultimately we feel "Happy".

We want good family...why? We feel blessed & being loved...ultimately we feel "Happy".

We want plenty money...why? We feel financially secure...ultimately we feel "Happy".

We want to look beautiful....why? We feel nice...ultimately we feel "Happy".

We want trustworthy friends...why? We feel that we are not alone and there is somebody whom we can bank upon apart from our dear family...ultimately we feel "Happy".

We want promising career...why? We want to have respect & position in society (which society unfortunately tags with job & money)...ultimately we feel "Happy".

We want nice life partner...why? We want to share our life’s happiness, sorrow & everything with one of our best friends; a person whom we can rely under all the even & odds of life... ultimately we feel "Happy".

We want lovely & brilliant children...why? We want to feel proud of & make sure to leave a legacy when we leave this world...ultimately we feel "Happy".

We want to spend time with nature...why? We feel peaceful...ultimately we feel "Happy".

We want to do social service...why? We feel great to find that we can make difference to somebody’s life...ultimately we feel "Happy".

We want to be a known face...why? We feel wonderful to find that we are recognised...ultimately we feel "Happy".

We want to buy a beautiful spacious villa & a luxury car...why? We feel good to find that we can afford a good standard of living...ultimately we feel "Happy".

We want to listen melodious music...why? We feel relaxed...ultimately we feel "Happy".

We want to see all the good things in this world...why? Because...ultimately we want to feel “HAPPY”... :-))) {the above list can be longer}


If the ultimate thing we wish to have in this world is happiness...then the point is why we wait to be happy. Why we tag our happiness with events to be happened over which we have no control or insignificant people's arrival, departure, criticism or even appreciation?

Do you believe that we will get all the above mentioned possessions at the same time? Actually, you all know the answer, it seldom happens. Life keeps the balance. And that is why it matters to untag happiness with the external things.

If no matter, what we will get...at the end of the day we want to feel happy...why we can’t be happy in the course of getting it or even if we don't get it.

Yes, we should always strive for everything we deserve or desire...but should always keep in our concious mind the supreme aspiration..."Happiness".

Don’t tag your happiness with events or not so important people in your life.

Don’t ignore your near & dear ones, health, integrity, character & nature(mother nature).

In the pursuit of happiness don’t forget that “Happiness is the state of mind” Untag it with everything which is external...Choose to be happy...don’t chase it.

With a happy smile :-))),
Pragati Soni

PS: "Untag" is not a dictionary word. But I hope, it has communicated the right meaning.

LUNCH WITH GOD

Foreword: Sometimes we don't know and we don't think that our single smile, a small unselfish act can really strengthen one's belief in God and goodness. If we really want to leave something with somebody...then it should be a a memory which can bring smile on another person's face and not a tear in his/her eyes or pain in his/her heart.

LUNCH WITH GOD

A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with a bag of potato chips and a six-pack of root beer and started his journey.
When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old woman. She was sitting in the park, just staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to her and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the old lady looked hungry, so he offered her some chips. She gratefully accepted it and smiled at him.
Her smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered her a root beer. Again, she smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat
There all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.
As twilight approached, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave; but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old woman, and gave her a hug. She gave him her biggest smile ever.
When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?" He replied, " I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? She's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"
Meanwhile, the old woman, also radiant with joy, returned to her home. Her son was stunned by the look of peace on her face and he asked, "Mother, what did you do today that made you so happy?" She replied! "I ate potato chips in the park with God." However, before her son responded, she added, " You know, he's much younger than I expected."
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of
Which have the potential to turn a life around. People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime! Embrace all equally!

A Miracle

I don't know whether the below story is true or not but I really felt good after reading this. Hence forwarding. I hope you will also find it good.
A Miracle
A little girl went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet. She poured the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. Three times, even.. The total had to be exactly perfect.. No chance here for mistakes. Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall's Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief sign above the door.She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention, but he was too busy at this moment. Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she could muster. No good. Finally she took aquarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter. That did it!
'And what do you want?' the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice.. I'm talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven't seen in ages,' he said without waiting for a reply to his question.
'Well, I want to talk to you about my brother,' Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone. 'He's really, really sick....and I want to buy a miracle.'
'I beg your pardon?' said the pharmacist.
'His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?'
'We don't sell miracles here, little girl. I'm sorry but I can't help you,' the pharmacist said, softening a little.
'Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs.'
The pharmacist's brother was a well dressed man. He stooped down and asked the little girl, 'What kind of a miracle does your brother need?' ' I don't know,' Tess replied with hereyes welling up. I just know he's really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy can't pay for it, so I want to use my money..'
'How much do you have?' asked the man from Chicago 'One dollar and eleven cents,' Tess answered barely audible. 'And it's all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to.'
'Well, what a coincidence,' smiled the man. 'A dollar and eleven cents---the exact price ofa miracle for little brothers.'
He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten and said 'Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the miracle you need.'
That well-dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing in neuro-surgery.The operation was completed free of charge and it wasn't long until Andrew was homeagain and doing well. Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place.
'That surgery,' her Mom whispered. 'was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would havecost?'
Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost....one dollar and eleven ents...plus the faith of a little child.
In our lives, we never know how many miracles we will need. A miracle is not the suspension of natural law, but the operation of a higher law.
:-)

COMPETITION DRIVES SOCIETY..................

Yes, competition drives society. Every human being wants to prove himself better than everyone else and hence he tries to perform better than the other. If competition would not have existed we could not imagine the progress we have made. We could not expect the magnificent creations and development in the field of poetry, dance, paintings, pottery, weaving, monuments and everything we have. Whether we agree or not but it is behind our scientific inventions too.It is good as long as it is for the good of society & environment.

It provides a backing force, an incentive to strive harder. Competition verbally means: a test of skill or ability; a contest. It also means an act of competing, as for profit or a prize; rivalry. One word, but different connotations: one positive & other one a bit negative. The same is with the source and the outcome of competition.As far as it is originated from a good thought it always leads to goodness but what if the source is negative? Yes, negative source!

If competition emerges from the sense of insecurity/jealousy it leads to destruction. Since ages the kings and kingdom had been fighting wars that were also due to competition but there was destruction. Expansion of one kingdom at the cost of downsizing the other can’t be termed as construction. If not healthy it generates jealousy and malicious feelings.

Positive competition is actually stirred by the feeling to give best and to challenge our limits to stretch our limits to go beyond the horizon of our limitations. If we always depend upon the external factors we can’t always become best. If we always concentrate on victory & defeat we are tend to concentrate on other person’s defeat rather than our victory. We may be motivated to defeat anybody but not to win ourselves.

Benchmark, obviously we need a bench mark. Sometimes it is set by someone else and sometimes by us. But if we are always motivated by the standards set by others then will we always governed by external factors? No, obviously not. That’s why we need the standards to be set by us and we should not blindly follow others. Everybody has different aspirations. We should never be dragged by other people nor be stopped by them. Our own limits should be challenged. It should always set higher levels and should never drive a person to set lower levels. If you have to draw a longer line don’t try to make other line shorter because in that case you will lose sight of your length.

Competition should be interpreted as something more than winning or losing. Since all can’t win, all can’t be at the peak and someone has to lose there is need to not to lose our confidence or nurture negative feelings. All one is required to do is to strive harder to reach the higher bench mark.

But as said that excess of everything is bad so excess of competition is also bad. We need to take out time to smell roses. We should live and lead our lives and never be dragged by anything like competition. It is for the betterment and not for the devastation or destruction at any level.

Competition drives society sometimes forward and sometimes backward. It is solely our resonsibility that how we put this emotional gift to our progress.