श्यामची आई - एक सुंदर विचार!

"या जगात नुसते प्रेम, केवळ दया असूनच भागत नाही. जीवन सुंदर व यशस्वी करण्यास तीन गुणांची जरुरी असते. पहिली गोष्ट म्हणजे प्रेम पाहिजे. दुसरी गोष्ट म्हणजे ज्ञान आणि तिसरी गोष्ट म्हणजे शक्ती. प्रेम, ज्ञान व बळ या तीनही गोष्टी ज्याच्याजवळ आहेत, त्याला जगात कृतार्थ होता येईल. प्रेमहीन ज्ञान तेही व्यर्थ; ज्ञानहीन प्रेम तेही फुकट; प्रेमज्ञानहीन शक्ति व शक्तिहीन प्रेम व ज्ञान तीही व्यर्थच. माझ्या अंगात शक्ती असली; परंतु दुसर्यावर प्रेम नसेल, तर त्या शक्तीचा दुरुपयोग व्हावयाचा. मजजवळ ज्ञान आहे; परंतु दुसर्यावर प्रेम नसेल, तर त्या ज्ञानाचा फायदा मी दुसर्यास देणार नाही आणि प्रेम असून ज्ञान नसेल, तर ते प्रेमही अपाय करील. एखाद्या आईचे मुलावर प्रेम आहे; परंतु त्या मुलाची आजारीपणात कशी शुश्रूषा करावी, याचे ज्ञान जर तिला नसेल, तर त्या आंधळ्या प्रेमाने जे खावयास देऊ नये, तेही ती देईल आणि तिच्या आंधळ्या प्रेमानेच बाळ मरून जाईल! समजा, आईजवळ प्रेम आहे. ज्ञानही आहे; परंतु ती जर स्वतः अशक्त आणि पंगू असेल तरीही तिच्या प्रेमाचा व ज्ञानाचा फायदा मिळणार नाही. प्रेम, ज्ञान व शक्ती यांचा विकास जीवनात हवा. प्रेम म्हणजे हृदयाचा विकास; ज्ञान म्हणजे बुद्धीचा विकास व शक्ती म्हणजे शरीराचा विकास. शरीर, मन व बुद्धी या तीनहींची वाढ जीवनात हवी."

श्यामची आई, रात्र अकरावी: भूतदया.
मा. श्री. साने गुरुजी.

Sanctuaries

Ok, it all started with my friend Chetan letting this out yesterday:

"Windows will never be virus-free. Those anti-virus companies need to survive, don't they?"

Hmmm. That one reminded me of this one:

"World will never be rid of wars. The weapons industry needs them!"

The mention of war led to remind me of this one:

"Not everything man does is evil to nature. After all, some of us DO try and help and preserve animals. There ARE sanctuaries."

Right. Like there would be a need for sanctuaries if man hadn't threatened their existence in the first place!

This led to Vika remembering someone saying this:

"Americans didn't massacre the Indians. They're helping them preserve their culture.."

Like Vika says... nifty!

"Bilbo, the butt goes in your pocket!"

This is a little story. It has a moral too. And that moral is very very simple. Something that everyone should follow.

Well, here goes.

It was about 9:30 PM. I was coming home. As I reached halfway up the stairs to the first floor of my building; I saw a man standing there; smoking a cigarette. A stranger. I hadn't seen him anywhere near my building before. The sight annoyed me. You are not suppose to smoke a cigarette, standing in the stairs of a residential building; especially one in which you don't live. But I was helpless as the society had't put up any notice to prevent this.

So I had to ignore him and climb up past him. I reached the first floor and started up on the second flight of stairs; when the man finished with his cigarette. I stood there observing him. And exactly as I expected; he threw the butt right there in the stairs. Then he started climbing up. He threw a blank stare at me as he noticed me observing him.

"Excuse me. Why did you just throw that cigarette in the stairs?" I enquired.

"Oh. Doesn't matter. Its so small!" He exclaimed; because really; this was routine to him and to him it really didn't matter.

"Well, there are dustbins around to throw your garbage into. Why did you just throw it in the stairs?"

"Oh. Fine. I'll throw it in the dustbin next time." He was annoyed; I could tell. This was probably the first time he was being interrogated regarding such an action.

"What of the one that you've just thrown onto the stairs?"

"What? You want me to pick it up and put it in my pocket or what?" He was literally fuming!

And hahahah! Thank you. He chose his own doom hahahah! I merely gave him a stare and he understood. He went downstairs and started searching for the cigarette butt; some two feet away from where he had thrown it.

"Where is it? I can't even see it. It is so small? What of this? This is garbage too!" He had picked up some random string of wool lying there. I'm sure he'd have cut off my head had that been a sword instead!

"Yes, it is. Thanks for picking it up. But your garbage still remains.." I obliged.

"I can't even see it! It is so small and irrelevant!!" He stomped around a bit.

I went to where he had thrown that butt, picked it up, handed it to him. He took and put it in his pocket.

"Happy now?"

"Yes sir! Absolutely. Thank you. Now just remember to use the dustbin from now on." I said pleasantly and started climbing upstairs.

A few seconds later; I head him banging the door of the first floor residents; whom he had apparently come to pay a visit.

That's about it.

Moral of the story? Don't smoke a cigarette in a residential place. It annoys people like me. No; I am fine with people smoking. All my pals do; even I do, seldom; but not in the stairs of a residential building. If you do have the urge to do so; however; make sure that building isn't mine. If the building is mine; make sure you don't throw the butt anywhere other than into a dustbin; especially; when I'm around. Oh and make sure you scuff it out. Because if I find you at this; that butt might just burn a hole in your favourite shirt's pocket.

Birdslave, I!

Hehehe, yeah that's right! I now have birds coming to ask me for things they need. :D

We have a small terrace attached to our flat. There are a few plants and stuff. There used to be many more plants, but the damned society objected. Anyway, that's a different matter.

So.. for a couple of years now, my dad has been placing two trays filled with water in the terrace for the birds to use. Every morning a pair of Robins and a Sunbird visit the tray and enjoy a nice bath. Then during the day quite a few Sparrows, Crows, Pigeons and an occasional pair of the rare Golden Oriols come looking for a nice drink.

Today, my parents had to catch an early train off to Talegaon. So the tray wasn't filled. At about 2 pm, this crow comes screaming into my bedroom window. I wondered what he was doing, because they never approach the window so openly. He was nearly inside the room. Then I realised what the problem was. I looked outside and for sure, the trays were empty. So I just filled them up and fellow shut up.

Hehehe, that was so sweet :D. Birdslave, I :D

P.S. I forgot to take snaps. I might do it later..