Unfair Question?

An experienced nurse is said to have recounted this story:

During my second month of nursing school our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last on: “What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?” Surely this was some kind of joke! I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired, and in her fifties, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. “Absolutely,” said the professor. “In your careers you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say hello.” I’ve never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

Who in your life have you simply walked by who deserved your attention? Don’t let another day go by before pausing to connect with that individual.

Snap your fingers 12 times!

Unbelievable how an entire year goes by just like twelve short blips! Like 12 quick finger snaps! It’s amazing how year after year, we all are given an opportunity to start afresh. Year 2008 is about to come to a close and it’s time for a little bit of reflection and a lot more of inspirational goal setting; some new commitments, some new adventures, some new attitudes and some new trips to uncharted territories in life!

A lot happened in 2008 in my life! Traveled a new country, achieved a family dream, traveled within the United States with family, made head-way with finances … Yes! As mentioned two years ago the wonderful bank balance is more positive than January 1st! More people have been positively impacted this year and yes old friends have reunited!

Here’s to an incredibly amazing and successful 2009! Let’s make use of the next 12 finger snaps – these 12 months that will be only 12 small blips in our lives – and make sure we touch a life, help someone, impact someone, love someone, travel and see the world in which we live. A year later, when you and I think back and snap our fingers, we both will know in our hearts how we did in 2009.

Cheers! …. and Happy New Year!

Duniya Jhukti hai, Jhukane Vaala Chahiye

Yesterday I met a man upon whom the sun beat down, trying to force him to his knees. The man stood his ground and eventually it was the sun who bent.

Lower and lower it sank, until it drew level with his stare. Lower then, until it disappeared.

Yesterday I met a man who stared down the sun and won.

“And I’ll do it again tomorrow…” he said.

Lowering the boom

Ok.. that title may not make a big impact on you if you are not very word savvy, language addicted, voracious reader or a vocabulary fanatic. But somehow, somewhere I bet you will know the underlying meaning of that phrase. Let me give you another try – ever heard of the phrase “receiving the pink slip”?

Aha! So you do know the meaning!

In today’s day and age individuals are not part of a local labor pool anymore. In fact, they are not even part of a national labor pool. Everyone today, is part of an international labor pool. One of my friend’s 12yr old son in the US is getting Math coaching for $2.00/hr by someone online… someone who resides outside of the US. Manufacturing is going to China, customer service is going to India. Just the other day, I dialed a local number to contact my bank. Now this bank, is across the street from my apartment. The contact number was local – with a local area dialing code. When the call was answered on the other end someone by the name of “Stacey” spoke in what sounded like a South-Indian accent! After a little bit of friendly digging, found out that the call was received in India!!

Here we are again

Alright folks, it’s been a seriously long time since I wrote. Some dear friends are wondering how I’ve been. Well, I’ll tell you this: Life is wonderful. And it’s exciting to live it – One challenge at a time!

Year 2006 is coming to a close. And during this time, when the clocks are ticking steadily towards midnight, our hearts cannot help but look back. Look back at the events that shaped our lives this year. Events that define the 365 days that just passed. The memory of some of these events brings tears of joy and a mystic smile to our face; an event of victory, an event of achievement, accomplishment and overcoming. Some others, bring tears and heart-wrenching pain; such as the loss of a loved one.

A Good Friend

In kindergarden, your idea of a good friend was the person who let you have the red crayon when all that was left was the ugly black one.

In 2nd grade, your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you stand up to the class bully.

In 3rd grade, your idea of a good friend was the person who shared their lunch with you when you forgot yours on the bus.

In 5th grade, your idea of a good friend was the person who saved a seat on the back of the bus for you.

In 7th grade, your idea of a good friend was the person who let you copy the social studies homework from the night before.

In 12th grade, your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you pick out a college, assured you that you would get into that college, helped you deal with your parents who were having a hard time adjusting to the idea of letting you go.

At graduation, your idea of a good friend was the person who was crying on the inside but managed the biggest smile one could give as they congratulate you.

The summer after 12th grade, your idea of a good friend was the person who assured you that you could make it through anything, helped you pack up for college and just silently hugged you as you looked through blurry eyes at 18 years of memories you were leaving behind, and finally on those last days of childhood, went out of their way to give you reassurance that you would make it in college as well as you had these past 18 years, and most importantly sent you off to college knowing you were loved.

Now, your idea of a good friend is still the person who gives you the better of the two choices, holds your hand when you are scared, helps you fight off those who try to take advantage of you, thinks of you at times when you are not there, reminds you of what you have forgotten, helps you put the past behind you but understands when you need to hold on to it a little longer, stays with you so that you have confidence, goes out of their way for you, smiles for you when they are sad, helps you become a better person and most importantly loves you!

No matter where we go or who we become, never forget who helped us get there…