A Public School Boy is very special...

What makes him so?

Spurred by what is happening in Scindia School, I felt I just could not be a silent bystander.

Having been a part of the Public School system for many years, I strongly believe that the Public School system has a lot to offer. Like all systems there is good and bad in it, and wake-up calls happen to look at these systems anew.

The Public School set out to turn boys into strong men (and girls into strong women). In this article, I have only talked about the Public School Boy -- since he is in the news now. The Public School is a way of life, and those who have gone through it—as it was—appreciate and value it. Any wonder, then, that the Old Boy sends his child back to the school that made him what he is?

I would love for you to share my article on this. You will find it here: http://www.ibuzzle.com/articles/the-public-school-boy.html

Something good is always hidden in bad things...

When bad things happen to us - hurtful, heartbreaking things which break our spirit - remember that the wounds, gashes and cracks these leave in us, are actually the paths through which the Light enters our hearts and bodies......and it is this Light that brings true healing and peace....

Likewise, something bad is always inbuilt into good things....

Take the digital devices that are available to all of us. We are never far from our smartphone or tablet or laptop. We are connected to the world 24x7...We are right up there in the knowledge zone, know what is happening in every part of the world, and are super-informed. However, it  has been proved that constant use of these devices causes serious physical, mental and psychological problems. So, be aware of the hidden harm in these wonderful inventions...

The most beautiful people we have known...

are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.

 ~ Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

From my balcony...

On the edge of a leaf

Balancing precariously

                        a dewdrop.....?

                                a teardrop......?

The magic of Dumbledore...

A horrific Texas killing left 15-year-old Cassidy Stay alone - on that fateful day she lost both her parents and four siblings. She herself survived because she played dead, and the young girl had the presence of mind to call the police.

At a memorial for her family, Cassidy spoke and said that she believed her family was 'in a much better place.' Wiping her tears, she quoted the words of the wise Headmaster of Hogwarts, Dumbledore: Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.

JK Rowling responded, by writing her "a personalized letter from 'Dumbledore' (hand-written with purple ink). She was also sent a wand, an acceptance letter to Hogwarts with a school supply list, along with the 3rd book with JK's autograph."

Never underestimate the power of books....this is why it is so important to read and get kids hooked on to reading. Many years down the line, a much-loved character from way, way back, shines a light into our deepest darkness.

These characters from the days when we were children, have the power to lift us up, keep us young at heart, take us on adventures, transport us to wonderland, and best of all give us the answers we are looking for.

And this always puts real life in perspective...

Go back...go back to those fairy tales and 'children's books' - and see the charm come back into your life...

Robin Williams' passing on...

has again brought home the fact that unless we are careful, there is every chance we too will succumb to depression. It is more poignant to me, because for one I was very fond of Robin Williams - thought he was a fantastically talented actor...his eyes, though, always struck me as hiding a little sadness...and for the other, I too am 63 years old...a dangerous age...

Reams have been written about this thing called growing old....it is an undeniable fact, and the logical end to life. But, no amount of logic prepares us for the feelings that accompany this physical condition. No amount of money, no amount of therapy, no amount of religion, no amount of soothsaying, no amount of any uplifting and therapeutic thought, no amount of lifestyle talks, no amount of anything.....not even the enjoyment of relatively good health helps you deal with the insecurity of this age...and this insecurity can hit anyone above 'the certain age'.

So, what do we have to be careful about? For one thing, this is a very individual thing - each one copes with this particular time of life in his or her unique way. The first thing and the most-most-most important thing is acceptance. This is really the most difficult thing to do....to accept that we are not as supple in body, as agile in our thinking, or as strong in our emotions. We sort of lose that flexibility that goes with being young. Money plays a huge role - some have enough, some worry about not having enough...some worry about how weak and dependent they have become economically, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Next, we often we feel we cannot wake to the demands of a new day. Sometimes it is coping with the thoughtlessness of the young. These are just a few things I've said - there are so many things that keep popping up in the mind, weakening an already weak and fragile mind.

It needn't be so - of course it needn't be so - but no amount of anyone telling us this will really work - we have to internalize this somehow. And this again is not easy - it happens quite easily for some, it is a torturous process for some...but this is the only way.....to accept it and work towards accepting it wholeheartedly so that from this time on we can use our energies not to fret or worry but to live out the rest of our days in dignity and fun.